MAGNIFICENT BEAUTY –

Everywhere you look! 

And what better time to go!  A  great exchange rate for the dollar. Not to mention picture perfect beaches and beautfil men. Even more stunning than Prague and less crowded than Amsterdam, CROATIA offers  stacks of culture and art, warm, crystal clear oceans and deserted sandy beaches, unpolluted and uncrowded cities full of classic architecture, countless islands with histories spanning hundreds of years – and some of the most gorgeous men in Europe.

DNA Magazine  said, “Today, a traveler in Croatia will find safe, clean and spacious cities, world heritage listed national parks and plenty of friendly faces desperate to encourage tourists back to the region. Croatia is yet to find itself firmly back on the tourist trail, so crowds are something you won’t see.

For gay travelers, okay, it’s not San Francisco, but for a predominantly Catholic country, Croatia is rapidly moving towards a greater acceptance of gays.

Homosexuality is legal in Croatia (it was decriminalised in 1977), and the age of consent is 18. That doesn’t mean you can walk down the street holding hands with your man without mustering up a fair bit of Dutch courage, but in a country where the men greet each other with a kiss to both cheeks, much physical contact between men goes unnoticed.”

More and more gay people are discovering this gem and it’s gay travel business is growing. There is even  Gay Pride in Zagreb in June. Zagreb is a city of green parks and walks, with many places to visit in the beautiful surroundings. (It is just a one hour flight from either Milan or Vienna.)

“Zagreb enjoys a  bustling café scene. The Grand Theatre café, just south of the city’s main square, is the most popular meeting place for Zagreb’s small, emergent gay community. However, you won’t hear Kylie blaring from the speakers or spot a drag queen anywhere in sight – not your typical gay ghetto. But you will spot tables of all male clients sitting around!

There is also a gay nightclub in Zagreb called Bad Boy. It’s located just north of the city in a residential precinct, but still within easy walking distance. Take the number 8 or 14 tram from Trg Bana Jelacica up to the Radicevo stop and follow the signs up the stairs between the houses on the left side of the road. It’s a small, cosy club decorated in warm oranges and yellows. The music is mostly pop and Euro-dance, giving Bad Boy an infectious, happy vibe.”

It has been  said that  Dalmatian Coast is  among  the 10 best new location for gay summer holidays. Touring the coast of Croatia along the Adriatic Sea offers the gay traveler something unique. Gays being such great travelers have been to a lot of places. Many people cruise down the picturesque coastal towns, full of historic architecture and art, making their way to the city of Dubrovnik and the country of Slovenia.

Rovinj is the most popular gay resort in the northwest of Croatia. Thanks to the very popular gay beach at Punta Kriza Rovinj has become a gay Mecca visited every year by hundreds of sun-thirsty gay visitors from all around Croatia and the world.  Punta Kriza Beach or Cape Cross Beach is the most popular gay beach on the Istrian peninsula. During peak-season July and August the beach can be pretty crowdie with about 500 visitors at the same time from all around Europe and the world.

“Dubrovnik, a 7th century  fortified town was such a political and economic stronghold that it resisted many attacks on its six-metre thick walls. One of the highlights of a visit to this town is the two-kilometre walk around the top of the walls which offer breathtaking views of the town and the ocean. Over sixty percent of the delicate terracotta tiled roofs of Dubrovnik were shelled in the 1991 conflict and the walls took over one hundred direct hits. All of this damage has since been expertly repaired though, and the city is once again a stoic settlement of remarkable beauty. From the marble lined Placa with its string of cafés to the Sponza’s Palace and the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin, there is also more than enough beauty within the walls to overwhelm you.

The Placa is an amazingly cruisy area in summer. Packed with tourists seeking respite from the heat, people-watching from the café’s is the number one past time. Likewise, the beach to the immediate south of the city walls or further afield, Lapad Bay, can be enticing destinations for visiting gay men.

As the primary tourist destination for Germans, the accommodation standards are high and the shopping is terrific. The Germans are also big on ‘naturist’ beaches so it doesn’t matter which island you’re on, you’re likely to find one.

The best time to visit is summer as that’s when most services will be operating, the weather is perfect and the lifestyle is second to none. However, avoid the peaks of July and August if you’re keen to dodge the hordes from Germany and Italy.

And don’t worry about battling to speak Croatian. Learn the basics and then ask if they speak English. Like many European cities, if they’re under 30, chances are high that they do. Or at least  they try hard and want to communicate with English speaking tourists. “

Besides all of the links given above, you may also check out Croatia Tourism.

Skibo Castle in Scotland. With prices ranging from $1800-$2000 per night (for non-members). It’s an ‘exclusive’ members only club. The annual membership fee is around £4000 and each night spent on the estate costs around £600, including certain activities and meals. The castle  hosted Madonna’s wedding to Guy Ritchie  in 2000.

Ashford Castle  in Ireland can run you $350 – $2000 per night. Ask anyone in Ireland to name the best castle hotel — in a country with as many castles as shamrocks — and they’ll cite Ashford without hesitation. The 700-year-old estate, opened to guests in 1939, is one of the oldest castle hotels in the world. A room with a view? Ashford defines it, perched as it is on the shores of Loch Corrib, Ireland’s second-largest lake.

                                        HOTEL PODEWILS in Krag is a must see at $75-$125 per night. The largest 15th-century knight’s castle in Pomerania and Poland’s only castle built over water, the “Castle of Flowers” is perched on oak piles like those supporting the canal buildings of Venice. The stylish interiors and the use of modern technological solutions link together tradition, modern facilities and convenience.

 

My partner and I just got back from the very beautiful, very unfriendly Paris! We had been warned prior to leaving about pick pockets. 

 

Tourists are targeted by scam and rip-off artists everywhere in Europe. If you know the games (spilling the mustard, bus 64 in Rome, and so on), you’re less likely to be a victim. By sharing the latest scams (and learning from each others’ mistakes) we’ll all travel more safely.

Remember, pickpocketing attempts throughout Europe can be expected unless you wear a moneybelt under your clothing. Smart travelers leave wallets at home and store their credit cards, passport, paper money and rail ticket(s) in a secure moneybelt.

We never had a problem with pick pockets. However, no one warned us about the brass ring scam! On our way walking along the Siene, we met a woman, who was  so nice! That should have been our first clue! Because overall, people were not very nice in Paris.  She seemed so genuine – a really good actress! 

Just as you pass the scammer, they bend down to an empty walkway and the ring suddenly appears in her fingers. – Timing is everything. As my eyes went to the pavement, the ring was already there. She wanted me take it. I must have dropped it she said. I said, no. It was hers to keep! Finders keepers!

She gave me a believable story. In her country she could not possess such a ring. She was not allowed to even talk to men. She said I should keep it. And explained she was looking for work as a cleaning woman –  did I know of anywhere she could apply? – I did not need or want a gold band! But the generous heart that I have I gave her $10 Euro and went about my day!

100 feet later, I looked to my partner and said, “You don’t think she has a whole pocketful of those rings do you???”  –  Sure  enough,  a  few  blocks  later, we see her daughter scamming somone!  Yet, a few blocks further, a young man comes up to us, not nearly as smooth  –  he must be in training and tried to  pull the scam on us.  His hand went to the pavement and nothing was there. He clumsily dropped the palmed ring to the pavemtent and picked it up. I show him the ring I had just acquired and told him I already bought one from his mother!

Lots of tourists get punk’d every day! You will find a lot of stories at RICK STEVES. Watch out for “lost tourists”  needing directions. The ring scam. The bracelet scam. Wallet and moneybelt ideas. Be informed before you travel.

I think we are pretty smart, pretty aware travelers, but just when you let you guard down, watch out!

New Gay Travel Guide
Best Gay Cities

For the first time, the city of Brno in the Czech Republic (South Moravia –  about 2 – 2.5 hours from Prague by car) organizes an LGBTIQ pride event – the parade and an accompanying programme. June 28th!

The Queer parade in Brno supports lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and all queer people’s rights, visibility and self-identity.

“Come and join us to show your queer pride and promote tolerance, respect and colourful society!”

Although the Registered Partnership Act was adopted in 2006, by which the Czech Republic has joined countries promoting respect for sexual minorities, there are still many problems that call for general attention. We want to contribute to the public discussion on issues ranging from the rights of same-sex parents, through the absence of equal rights for individual adoptions for registered partners, bullying of LGBTIQ youth, the invisibility of LGBTIQ seniors, to severe violations of transgender persons amounting to breaches of fundamental human rights and freedoms.

Indeed, the Czech Republic still lags behind some Western European states that have gone much further to ease barriers for same-sex couples. There is low public support for allowing gay and lesbian couples to adopt children, homophobia lingers, and there is a growing concern that not enough public resources are devoted to addressing the growth in HIV infections, particularly among homosexual men.

Nevertheless, gay organizations from across the region continue to look to the Czech example. Its law on registered partnerships makes the country a uniquely liberal outpost in post-communist Central Europe. Julius Kolenic, head of Slovakia’s Inakost (Otherness), says one of his organization’s biggest concerns is the “the homophobic speech of some [Slovak] politicians.” Regarding same-sex couples’ rights, Kolenic laments that “once again the Czech Republic is ahead of us.”

At the end of the year, the country’s two largest cities, Prague and Brno, will host their ninth gay and lesbian film festival, Mezipatra (Mezzanines).

And the country is still seen as an oasis for gay activists in neighboring Slovakia and Poland. According to an international poll conducted in the fall of 2005, the Czech gay server 004.cz reported, only 39 percent of Slovaks agreed with registered partnership for same-sex couples. In the same poll, 36 percent supported the idea in Hungary and 42 percent in Poland.



My partner and I just got back from Prague – And I can tell you, it was a wonderful trip and we can not wait to go back! In the coming weeks, we will feature several stories on Gay Prague and the Czech Republic.




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I have heard from straight people that they found Paris to be unfriendly. But we went with an open mind. Afterall, being gay is like being  part of a brotherhood. Usually, the gay community is very welcoming, very friendly, and very eager to meet tourists, wherever we go.

Not really so in Paris. I expected rudeness and unfriendliness in the non-gay areas. But even at the gay clubs and restaurants, people were just not friendly, overall.  No one was rude to us – they just didn’t want to be bothered. – Where in comparison, we had just been in Prague for a week, and the men there were so welcoming and friendly. Even if they spoke no English, they wanted to meet us and tried to communicate.

We had heard about a sauna in Paris  called  SUN CITY. 62 bd Sebastopol. We were told it was one of the best in Paris! And it was a  Gorgeous place!  Huge!  3 floors decorated in a neo-Indian motif. Very clean. Spent 2.5  hours here and would NEVER  go back. The Parisian gays are just NOT friendly. And all they want to do is stand and pose and not be touched!  We had a couple cocktails, relaxed in the hot tub and  beautiful swimming pool, and no one wanted to talk or even make eye contact.    A  lot of people here sleeping by the pool and  20 people watching  DIE  HARD in the video room! Where is the porn?! Plus  they charged us  20 Euro / $30  each to get in.

The place was busy too –  about 100  people  maybe  125. It was 6pm on a  Saturday. But no one was nice. Save your money ! – It’s funny, the same owners own a place around the corner – Le Depot, 10 rue aux Ours .  It’s a bar / nightclub and the biggest crusing bar with private cabins in Paris. 1400 square meters of corridors and labyrinths.  Much cruisier. More friendly there, but still some attitude to deal with.  The boys can be beautiful but walk for hours!  Admission was about 8 euro / $12. And the DJ, a girl by the name of Benji de la house, rocked the place! You go late, like aftr 10 pm  and they stay open till about   8 am.  –  Overall, still more fun and better deal than Sun City. Much more fun at least.

We did not make it to  L’impact, 18, rue Greneta, but was told that was  a great place to go next time.

Parisians maintain a rather blase, even discreet, attitude about personal issues, from sexuality to religion to politics. Paris does have one distinctly gay neighborhood, the eminently walkable and unabashedly romantic Marais, on the right bank of the Seine. If you’re expecting a  robust gay scene complete with storefronts draped in rainbow flags and mammoth queer discos pulsing to state-of-the-art sound systems, you may be a little disappointed. The gay offerings here are decidedly low-keyed although generally quite cozy and inviting.

Marais gay bars tend to be guy-oriented and a tad cliquey, but the cafes, most of which have pleasant seating along the sidewalks, draw gay men, lesbians, and plenty of heteros. With few exceptions, the Marais is not especially known for memorable dining, although the neighborhood’s gayest sector does buzz with lively restaurants – just be prepared to be more impressed, in most cases, with the decor and people-watching than with the food. – And what I would call pricey – from an American perspective. Most places charged $10-$14 for a glass of cheap wine, and $15 – $20 for a sandwich – which was bland.

I am so glad I got see Paris – it is a beautiful city. But I would not run back there.

I found this interesting article online about prostitution in Prague. – In the quiet and luxurious Vinohrady district, just outside the center of Prague, anyone can walk into certain  gay clubs and have their pick of male escorts. Prostitution is not illegal in the Czech Republic as long as the prostitute is at least 18.
 

(Actually I am told, “There are two bars in Prague where escorts are openly available and these are Escape and Temple.  Temple is on the fringes of the gay quarter but is actually in Zizkov, the district that neighbours Vinohrady.  Escape is down town. 
 
However these same escorts often go out to the other gay bars, particularly Valentino and Termix, sometimes with the clients that have picked them up in Escape or Temple or sometimes with their mates.  But I have heard stories of them then attempting to charge anyone who tries to pick them up in Valentino for example.” – So if you are NOT looking to pay, keep that in mind.)


In March of 2007, local authorities were constitutionally given the right to regulate this profession– consign it to specific areas.

In Prague, male prostitution has been on the rise in recent years, according to Laszlo Sumegh, founder of Project Stace, an organization dedicated to helping male prostitutes lead healthier lifestyles through free monthly testing for sexually transmitted diseases.

Two different categories have arisen — there is the circle of elite escorts like Rocky who only serve a wealthy clientele. And then there are the others at the Main Train Station, a major hub of the Prague male sex tourism industry.

According to a  report by Radio Prague, most of the boys at this train station are under 17. They often start at the age of 11, according to the report. Eighty percent are orphans; seven percent are runaways.

Rocky was interviewed by writer Soma Ghoshal and said, “I met the head prostitute a couple of years back at a club. He told me I had great potential, and I had no problem with it, so I started to make contacts and network with the wealthy throughout Europe. CEO’s, politicians, doctors — they’re husbands, have families, but just want to have some fun on the side,” he explained.

I couldn’t believe it. Rocky had started this as a business venture. After seeing his apartment, I realized that he was better off than most residents of Prague, but I wasn’t prepared for what I learned next.
The average monthly salary in Prague is 25,282 Kc ($1,383.87), according to a 2007 report from the Czech Statistical Office.

Rocky, and the boys that are enlisted on the top two websites for male escorts, make around 50,000 Kc a week ($120,000 annually). Statistically, this puts them at the wealthiest five percent of society. Some of the escorts do 3-5 tricks per day – and after a few years retire or are just plain worn out!

Although their careers typically last four or five years, they make enough to last a long time. After their actual sex careers, they may become so-called head prostitutes and network other, younger men with elite clients.

Matthew, a Czech head prostitute, is in charge of 20 or so male escorts. He hangs out in Club Valentino on Vinohradska most nights looking for anyone who may be interested in becoming a prostitute.

At first, Matthew made no mention of his profession. He seemed very reserved, very shy, but after awhile, he started talking about how he’s guided more than 100 young men get jobs. I asked him what he liked about his job.

“I’m helping so many people,” he said.

  

Porn, as we know, also thrives in Prague. We did an article here last year about that. Thanks to mastermind George Duroy of Bel Ami,  and the countries low wages and willing young men, an empire was launched. William Higgins, who was  known for the 1980’s California boys set up shop in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

 There are thousands of sex clubs, bordellos, strip bars, prives, erotic night clubs, sex apartments, erotic centers, escort services, red light districts, callgirls and individual sex operators throughout the Czech Republic. From sexy clubs to legalized brothels to single sex flats the Czech Republic has it all.

Not only has Prague become a favorite casting zone for porn film producers worldwide but the whole aspect of ‘Czech Sex’ in the Czech Republic is leberalised and generally viewed as it should be – a fact of life and nothing to be ashamed of. – Why can’t America have a similar view?


If you are thinking of visiting the Czech Republic, please see our friends at PRAGUE SAINTS. They are the leading  gay-run travel company providing accommodations and tour services for gay visitors to the Czech Republic.  They offer great rates on Prague hotels, beautiful apartments, private tours of Prague and the Czech Republic !