Montreal has a reputation for decadence among gays in the northeastern US, but that's not exactly right. This is not a hedonistic capital like Rio or New Orleans. Rather, gay life here is very urban, in a pre-gentrification way. Montreal is what New York might have become if that city had found a way to lower crime without pricing the Village People out -- that is, if the Village People had all got iPhones and developed a fondness for hockey and karaoke. The largest city in Quebec still has a large "gay ghetto," full of specialized bars that manage to stay in business even without overflow crowds and $12 drinks. There are a number of bathhouses competing for business, with theme nights and spanking-new equipment and ...