Raunchy Sex Club or Posh Resort?

Captain Picard is overworked.  He needs some time to himself - a little rest and relaxation.  So he does what any Starfleet professional would do.  He goes to vacation at the fabled Planet of Risa.  The world is known for its warm, welcoming hospitality - and for having a well earned reputation as a bit of a raunchy sex club.  

Check out my article where we find Picard in paradise.

Jamaharon Anyone?

If you visit the pleasure planet of Risa, you'd better know what this means.

The Regulation Stands - But Not On Risa

"You gonna throw me in the brig?" asks the first officer of Starship Equinox to B'Elanna Torres in the Star Trek: Voyager episode of the same name.  In Max's case, he was up to no good, so the question had merit.  During other situations, it's a seemingly innocent query full of a myriad of legal and moral possibilities.  Indeed, a starship like Voyager, according to Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) must run on regulations and protocols.  However, on the pleasure planet of Risa, those nagging, old school laws and parameters fall neatly away.

Like the Fantasy Island of the cosmos, Risa enabled stressed out Starfleet professionals to officially and efficiently take a load off.  Recreation came in many forms - most especially of the sexual kind. One of the trademark visuals - and helpful items - of a stay on Risa is the ritualistic displaying of the Horga'hn or fertility idol.  It may not look like much, or even downright silly, but it's said that once displayed, the holder nearly always gets romantic action.  Of exactly what type and amount, well, that's strictly personal.

Could A Real Pleasure Planet Like Risa Be Popular?

Of all the fantastic planets that explorers in Star Trek have visited, perhaps the most fun - in terms of adult sexuality - is the pleasure planet known as Risa.  Here, among scenic foliage and pristine beaches, the order of the day is pleasure - where most any kind of sexual description is enjoyed.  Risa was first showcased in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode, "Captain's Holiday" - where Picard had a pretty memorable adventure amid the seductive trappings of the hedonistic world.

We've had pleasure cruises and relaxing resorts for a long time here on planet Earth.  Could an even more open and pleasurable place like Risa become popular among our own populace?  Would the more religious minded or puritanical seek to forbid such a place?  Even now, places like Disneyland and Las Vegas offer their adult visitors a much more mature kind of entertainment.

One thing's for sure:  The tradition of displaying the horga'hn - or the Risian symbol of sexuality - will probably never go out of style to get desired action which the individual desires.  On Risa, it ensures the one who displays it will get amorous attention from another.  On Earth, our own notions of such similar sexual games are long on tradition - if not always on such public display.