Museum of Sex, New York

New York's Museum of sex is quite different from the one I visited in China. (The latter was in Shanghai but has moved south to bring fame and fortune to another location.) The Chinese version about sex in China began with objects from the stone age, progressing through pillow books, pictures of geisha girls and prostitution.

The American version is in the all-moving city of New York and relies heavily on movies. I really liked the downstairs introduction which was the exhibition on the sex life of animals. Although most of us have been embarrassed by pets such as cats which lick themselves when the whole family is watching, and dogs which do things doggie style in front of the children, most of us don't have access to wild animals any time, let alone when they are being amorous. The amazing thing is the diversity of animals' behaviour.

Many animals seem to be clueless as regards the sex of the others and are bisexual, with little regard for the age of their partners. However others are very jealous and some females chase away rivals of their own sex or even interrupt others' who are - ahem - coupling. One animal is trading sugar cane for sex.

Upstairs are analyses of the kinds of sex shown in movies. Robot sex. Sex machines. And couples demonstrating massaging the female g-spot and sexual intercourse positions.

The shop has books such as fairy tales. One on making your own sex toys. And they sold chocolate covered condoms. If you haven't tried them, I'm sure you will like them. Do not use them until you have left the shop. Signs ask you not to touch or mount any exhibit.

Museum of Sex

233 5th Avenue, NY 10016

Tel: (212) 689 6337

Entry cots $14.50 plus tax.

www.museumofsex.com

Alexandria, Egypt, The Alexandrian Quartets and Jewish Justine

I just read in the TLS (Times Literary Supplement) on line an article about Lawrence Durrell. The author wrote the novel Justine, named after the main character in that book and others in The Alexandrian Quartet, his series of four linked novels set in cosmopolitan Alexandria, Egypt, telling same story from the viewpoint of different characters. Justine was based on his friend Eve Cohen, who seems to have been one of his girlfriends or partners because they went to Israel. Durrell's equally famous author brother wrote My Family And Other Animals, a cute book short and easy reading, about the family in Greece. This brother went on to found the Jersey zoo.

Apart from a statue mentioned in the book, there are no very visual and appealing landmarks, but the article does do a fairly thorough analysis of Alexandria then and now, so do have a look at it. The article was in August 2008.