Dita Von Teese
© AFP Odd Andersen LONDON (AFP) - Forget stiff upper lips -- the "No Sex Please, We're British" attitude is being firmly handcuffed in a dungeon this weekend as London gets a taste of the Erotica Show, the world's largest adult lifestyle exhibition.
From Friday through to Sunday, up to 80,000 people are expected to peruse the eye-popping array on show at the Olympia exhibition centre, targeted at inspiring "free thinking adults" in their love lives.
On stage at the giant venue, burlesque icon Dita Von Teese, the wife of goth rocker Marilyn Manson, is making rare public performances, while Tiffany's Show, a Thai transvestite extravaganza, is among the other acts whipping up the crowds throughout the weekend.
"This is a fantastic opportunity to bring burlesque dancing into the mainstream," said Von Teese.
© AFP Odd Andersen"It's such a sexy show and the perfect opportunity to fuse the art and culture of the 1930s and 1940s into the liberal mindset of 2006."
Men and women of all ages -- some dressed in tight-fitting PVC outfits and revealing tops -- cruised around the 170 stalls, with all tastes catered for among the sexy outfits, sex aids, erotic foods and even "alternative furniture".
Away from the main stage, the sexually curious were also treated to fetish demonstrations, public displays in body art, human statues and demonstrations from the guild of erotic artists.
Women looking to lick their sex lives into shape surged into the "Giving Pleasure" foreplay lessons, which help ladies feel comfortable stripping for their partners, while men keen to spice up theirs swelled the "Slide!" foreplay masterclass.
"Britain is a lot more liberal than people might think," Tracey Farr, Erotica's brand marketing manager, told AFP.
Visitors at the Erotica 2006 fair
© AFP Odd Andersen"Erotica is daring, decadent, fun and responsible. We're putting to rest the myth that sex is sleazy and it shouldn't be enjoyed. We want to offer people alternatives in their love lives.
"For example, if a couple have been together for a number of years, instead of looking on the other side and saying 'the grass is greener' and having an affair, we hope they can find something to rekindle their passion.
"We attract and actively target couples. There's the normal, everyday high street Joe Public but also there's the more eclectic couples, the weird and the wacky who like to dress up and are proud of their sexuality."
Tickets range from 14.50 pounds (27.50 dollars, 21.50 euros) to 24.50 pounds (46 dollars, 36 euros) depending on the day.
Showgoers left the venue with bags stuffed full of sexy goodies -- friends and lovers might be getting something a bit more exciting than a tangerine in their Christmas stocking this year.
©AFP