I was in Ottowa a few...

I was in Ottowa a few months back, and when I travel I usually like to check out the local strip clubs. I was lucky enough to be staying within walking distance of a few, but the only one I got to was Barefax. Barefax is located near the government buildings and some very nice hotels sort of on the edge of an area with tons of resturaunts and bars. The neighborhood seemed very safe, but then this is Canada, so I didn't expect anything like the Bronx. The club is on the second floor, the entrance is a little run down looking. Inside the club you walk back a fairly long hallway to get to a very large main room. The stage is roughly in the center against one wall. There is

seating on three sides of the stage, both up close, and at tables further back. At the very back of the club is a bar with a few seats. The stage is large and well lit (for a strip club) with the required brass poles in a few locations. Opposite the stage there is a large wide stairwell with a DJ booth on the landing so the DJ can see both the downstairs stage, and another upstairs stage. The upstairs stage was not in use when I was there (a Wednesday night). The private dance booths are also upstairs. We'll get to that briefly. Drinks were very reasonably priced (I'm used to $8 beers in the U.S.) I recall about $4 Canadian for a beer. Now for the real reason to be here. Naked girls. This was my first time in a Canadian club, so I thought I'd sit back and watch to see how things worked before jumping in. Unfortunately I was there too early apparently. I didn't see any tipping at the stage. Since the smallest bill Canadians have is a $5, apparently

tipping is kind of rare. I was told that the tipper often lies on the stage with the bill in his mouth, and the dancer will come and think of some creative way to take your tip, but I didn't see it, and was a bit too shy to

do that first. I did move to a seat stageside, and put up a tip. I think it was about three dancers before anyone took it. The stage was often empty, but I assume that this was due to the early hour. The dancers would be on for only one song, then off, but back up later. I think there was a pattern, but I couldn't figure it out. Sometimes the girl would show up on stage naked, other times she wouldn't take anything off. After a few dancers, one approached

me for a dance. She was very low key about it, so I agreed after a few minutes of chat. The dances are $20 Canadian for contact, and $10 for nude, but no contact. I opted for a contact dance. Dances are upstairs in an area filled with essentially cubicles with a pretty comfortable low chair for the customer, and a chair opposite for the dancer between dances. There is no door, but it is relatively private unless someone walks past and looks in. This does happen occasionally (the bouncer spot checking), but for the most part, you are left alone. The contact dances are topless, and VERY high contact. You can touch the girl