Category Archives: Gay Vacations
Montreal Offers Gay Tour Guides – Plus, BBCM Hot & Dry Party May 14th
Love it or leave it, “the circuit” has become a mainstream global phenomenon, and Montréal is a much-loved destination on the tour.
May 14-18 brings the beloved annual Hot & Dry party. The event is hosted by the Bad Boys Club de Montréal (BBCM), a volunteer-based non-profit gay organization that gives financial support to groups providing direct care to people living with HIV/AIDS, and to gay & lesbian community groups. To date the BBCM has given out $1,250,000. Hot & Dry is the second-biggest event on the BBCM calendar after the infamous Black & Blue (October 7-13, 2009).
This year’s theme is “Fresh!”, which celebrates the arrival of summer. And after the winters that we get, nobody appreciates the changing of seasons more than a Montréaler.
This year’s talent includes DJ Maüs aka Louise Gauvreau (Montréal), the world renowned DJ/producer Chris Cox (Los Angeles), and DJ Scotty Thompson (New York).
Tickets for the main event are $35.
For details on Hot & Dry and the other events held throughout the weekend visit BBCM.
WHEN IT COMES TO TRAVEL –
What better advice than from a local?!
Tourisme Montreal just launched their new “Insider” program, with a Montréaler who will show visitors what’s hot and happening in the city’s gay life. Finding gay-specific information about a particular destination isn’t always easy, but Daniel Baylis, of course, always has the inside scoop to gay Montreal.
Many cities offer similar types of programs for tourists – but this is the FIRST I have heard of, specifically geared towards LGBT travelers!
Over the years, the city has seen the forging of a special spirit of openness and acceptance between the general public and the city’s gay community.
Montréal is one of the oldest cities in the New World, as well as one the most cosmopolitan. Visitors often describe it as having the best of North American modernity and friendliness as well as the architectural beauty and sophistication of Europe.
The largest French-speaking city in the world after Paris, and Canada’s second-biggest metropolis, the vast majority of its citizens speak both English and French, and often other languages. Montréal’s 3.6 million inhabitants live around the base of a mountain forest in cozy neighbourhoods, rich with artists and famous for winding, outdoor staircases.
Daniel is one of five Montréal “Insiders” who show visitors what’s hot and happening throughout the city in the world of arts and culture, epicurean life, gay life, nightlife and girls’ getaways. Recruitment of the five “Insiders” began early in 2009 and the selection criterion was rigorous and focused on integrity. Each had to be a Montréaler and possess a thorough knowledge of the destination, specifically in their area of insider expertise. Social media savvy was also a must, balanced by an embracing of Web 2.0 values including: transparency, humility, honesty, authenticity, innovation, listening and credibility. They are top-notch communicators, real and representative of the city’s underlying multicultural fabric.
Visit Daniel’s blog Follow Daniel on Twitter Be Daniels Friend on FaceBook
Visit Tourisme Montreal !
The Best Gay Cities and the New Gay Travel Guides
Spirit Journeys Attracts the Attention of GLAAD and Celebrities!
“We were actually contacted by GLAAD to be a host in the Celebrity Suite. GLAAD felt that we were unique and would bring something new to the suite, that and the fact that we were the only exclusively gay organization
in the suite!” says owner Howie Holben.
As each celebrity was brought to meet Howie Holben and his partner Chris Caramelli, the purpose of Spirit Journeys was briefly explained to the celebrity. Most visitors were quite amazed that such a service even existed for the LGBT community.
some of the comments….
Cheyenne Jackson, who recently starred in Broadway’s Xanadu and is appearing in Fox’s upcoming series Glee, was quoted as saying, “I love to travel. Maybe I can join you guys sometime.”
Bruno Tonioli of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars, asked “You guys go to Thailand?! I love Thailand!”
Alec Mapa, actor, comic and plays Suzuki St. Pierre on ABC’s Ugly Betty and hosted Logo’s Transamerican Love Story, said to Howie, “My husband and I are definitely coming to Peru and Machu Picchu with you guys!”
Peter Paige who is known for his work on Queer As Folk and as a star of Logo’s Rick & Steve, said “Wow, this sounds special.”
Marc Cherry, creator of Desperate Housewives was heard to say, “This would be a great way to see the world.”
After working very hard to bring Spirit Journeys to the attention of the LGBT community, the acknowledgments and endorsements were gratefully received by Spirit Journeys! Who knows, you might be taking a vacation with a celebrity next time at Spirit Journeys!
Gay Andorra! Skiing, Mountains, Spas, Shopping and More in the Pyrenees Mountains!
the mother witch from Bewitched!
That’s Endorra!
Although I seem to remember Dr. Bombay up in the snowy mountains in one episode…that could have been Andorra.
If you have never heard of Andorra it is an old, small, beautiful landlocked country in western Europe, located in the eastern Pyrenees mountains and bordered by Spain and France. Just a 2 hour drive from Barcelona airport, or slightly less if you drive in from the Toulouse airport in France.
It is currently a prosperous country mainly because of tourism (nearly 10 million people annually)and its status as a duty-free tax haven. The people of Andorra are currently listed as having the highest human life expectancy in the world, living to an average of 85 years! And Andorra is the sixth smallest nation in Europe.
Andorra truly has some breathtaking mountains! We stood in awe at the Grand Valira ski resort/station, from the base of the mountains, looking towards the top, which must have stretched 2+ miles…skiers looked like ants moving down the hills! Equally as beautiful, but much smaller was the Vallnord resort/station.
Due to its location in the eastern Pyrenees mountain range, Andorra consists predominantly of rugged mountains of an average height of 1,996 metres (6,549 ft) with the highest being the Coma Pedrosa at 2,946 metres (9,665 ft). These are dissected by three narrow valleys in a Y shape that combine into one as the main stream, the Valira river, leaves the country for Spain (at Andorra’s lowest point of 870 m/2,854 ft). Andorra’s total surface area is only 468 square kilometres (181 sq mi).
Andorra’s climate is similar to that of its neighbours’ temperate climates, but its higher altitude means there is, on average, more snow in winter and it is slightly cooler in summer. Lots to see and do in either season!
We just got back from a wonderful Gay Ski Week there, organized by ORIGINAL ANDORRA, and they are now planning a Summer Gay Glamour Party Week for June 14 – 21. It’s VERY reasonable in Andorra. And the shopping is big there, due to the tax situation.
Skiing is very big there, as you can imagine, surrounded by all the amazing mountains. I am NOT a skier, and there was lots to do and see in Andorra…both in the snow and out of the snow. They have things like ski bikes, snow mobiles and Husky sleigh rides/dog sleds for non-skiers. And being up in the mountains surrounded by all the majestic beauty, was breathtaking!
This past ski season Andorra really raised the bar to compete in the skiing market. In addition to the inclusion of an ice hotel, Andorra hotels and resorts have made more than 20 million euros worth of upgrades to existing ski areas. Improvements and additions include low-cost helicopter sight-seeing flights, tubing slopes, new ice rinks and a snowmobile circuit.
An Ice Hotel is really something to see! The Grand Valira resort unveiled its first icy accommodation for tourists this winter, when the Iglu-Dorf chain – which already runs igloo developments in five Swiss ski resorts – opened a snow palace to cater for up to 26 guests – complete with fur-covered beds and an après-ski bar.
All of the skiing pretty much wraps up this week in Andorra….until the next season begins. But it’s also a great summer vacation spot with hiking, dune buggies, golf, shopping, museums, barbeques and of course, the world famous CALDEA WELLNESS SPA! Next week we will cover all of this in a follow up article.
While this isn’t a “gay city”, it’s super laid back and welcoming and people like Original Andorra plan these great “gay weeks’ there, with the next one being June 14 – 21st!
“Homosexual acts” are legal in Andorra. The age of consent is 16 for all. In 2005, they legalized civil unions including having the right to adopt.
The official and historic language is Catalan. Because of immigration and close geographic proximity, other languages such as French, Portuguese and Spanish are also commonly spoken. Many people speak English, so it easy to communicate.
I say it’s a little bit of Spain, a little bit of France, a little bit of magic!
Discover Andorra Soon! And watch for our follow up article next week, with more in depth coverage and specifics!
Gay Tourism in Andorra Gay Andorra Online
New Gay Travel Guide and Best Gay Cities
Gay Vacations, Gay Retreats and Gay Spiritual Travel
We first became aware of SPIRIT JOURNEYS last year. And we ran a story about their gay spiritual vacations and retreats.
For nearly 20 years, they have been planning and offering opportunities for the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender communities (and our friends) to travel together, exploring the world or to gather together in retreat environments, with the intention of adventuring into the frontiers of self-awareness, personal growth, and spirituality. Since the beginning of this new millennium, there was a shift in EVERYONE’S mindset for personal growth. So now more than ever, these types of gay vacations and retreats are becoming more popular.
They have some very exciting retreats and destinations they will be exploring in summer 2009, and I wanted to share some of them with you. They are a great way to “get away” on an exciting pilgrimage with other like minded gay people, and explore lands and traditions, while also making new friends and growing personally, and spiritually.
Tantric Tribes
Asheville, North Carolina
June 11, 2009 to June 14, 2009
This Workshop is for Gay and Bi Men
A Tantra and Yoga Workshop
Four days of rejuvenation and reawakening. The fusion of the powerful and complementary practices of Tantra and Yoga allows you to harness your sexual drive and awaken your Kundalini energy. Once harnessed, this energy is channeled into a dynamic and healing force in your life. The practice of Tantra alone is a very energizing experience, but blending the benefits and principles of yoga with tantra sexual practices transforms all aspects of your life.
In this workshop, you learn the basics of yoga and breathing practices. Using a step by step, practical approach, you integrate the essential elements of Tantric sexual techniques. Channeling your erotic energy helps unlock your creativity, transforming your sexual experiences and significantly altering all other aspects of your life. There will plenty of “down time” just to relax and connect with the others in the group. More info at Tantric Tribes.
Going Deep
Grand Canyon Rafting
July 01, 2009 to July 10, 2009
This Journey is for Gay and Bi Men
An amazing adventure rafting the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. Imagine spending eight days rafting 280 miles of the Colorado River with mile high canyon walls on either side. Days filled with excitement, awe and play and nights of almost luxurious camping. Now, imagine all of this with a group of gay men, who want to experience the river and the canyon as only a Spirit Journeys can offer.
Adventure, play, meditation, campfire talks and group movement rituals are used to help open our hearts and deepen our experience of this incredible place. The more we open to what the Canyon and River offer, the more alive we become; we reawaken to our true nature of laughter, playfulness and a quest for adventure; we leave behind the cares of daily life. It is the intention to actively engage the Canyon and the River so that you come to know them on a more intimate level. The raft stops several times each day to hike, to explore side canyons, to swim in favorite swimming holes or to stand in the power of waterfalls.
More info at Going Deep.
17th Annual Summer Retreat
Jemez Springs, New Mexico
August 10, 2009 to August 16, 2009
This Retreat is for Gay and Bi Men
Spirit Journeys will be introducing new aspects to their Annual Summer Retreat this year. “One new aspect we are introducing is that we will be exploring more deeply what it means to be a gay man in today’s world, uncovering the gifts of being gay and how to offer those gifts to the world. We will still incorporate all the things that the Summer Retreat is known for: Heart Circles, Sweat Lodge, Trance Dance, Erotic Touch, etc. But this year we want the Summer Retreat to be a true celebration of the gift of being gay.”
The mountains of Northern New Mexico provides a relaxing, rejuvenating and life affirming retreat. The Summer Retreat is a chance to really “get away from it all”; to really recover from the stresses of daily life; to make new connections with other men. There is extraordinary power to be found in a community of gay men gathered together for eight days in such an intimate setting. With the loving encouragement of brothers, we are able to see ourselves more clearly and empower each other in realizing our life’s potential, taking small steps and sometimes leaps, toward living life to the fullest.
The shifting light on the red rock walls of Jemez Canyon, the sounds of the Jemez River, the natural hot springs, the new friends you will meet and the endless stars overhead, all welcome you. Here you can “unwind” to the core and go home truly renewed.
The Summer Retreat is much more than a summer vacation, focusing on activities that encourage relaxation, recovery and inner reflection. The days can consist of insightful group sessions, yoga, meditation or shamanic ceremony, and of course lots of laughter and play. There is also plenty of free time just to “chill out”. You may discover deep levels of intimate connection with other participants and lifelong friendships can be born. Greater self-acceptance and clarity of future direction often spring from this sacred time together. More info at Annual Summer Retreat.
Cherished Lands –
An American Southwest Pilgrimage…
Monument Valley, Antelope Canyon,
The Grand Canyon, Canyon de Chelley & More
August 16, 2009 to August 23, 2009
This Journey is for Everyone
Explore the great American Southwest! This adventure takes you to some of the most spectacular lands in America…Monument Valley, Antelope Canyon, The Grand Canyon and Canyon de Chelley.
Days will be filled with outdoor activities, adventure and relaxation. As with all Spirit Journeys’ adventures, we will combine the joys and benefits of being on a vacation with a spiritually stimulating agenda that can provide opportunities for us to “look inside” and learn about ourselves. Conscious travel in this manner allows ample personal time for play, reflection, relaxing and appreciating the beauty surrounding us.
We will make offerings to the land, sing Navajo songs and tell stories around the campfire. We will leave behind the stresses of life by rediscovering our harmonious connection with creation. In this harmony, we will find the openness to allow events and teachings to unfold; it is here that true recovery and rest can occur.
You will be able to visit the ancient sacred sites used by the Dine’ (the name the Navajo people call themselves). Like the Dine’ of long ago, and like the many who still respect the traditions today, you should bring with you on your journey a thirst for adventure, a respect for nature, a desire to widen your inner and outer horizons and a sense of playfulness. The oral traditions of the Dine’ are filled with stories of brave deeds, fierce battles with enemies, the delight and surprise of new relations, and the insistent call of nature. As you undertake your own journey, you will have ample opportunity to add meaningful personal stories to the sacred narrative of your own life. More info at Cherished Lands.
Authentic Eros
Jemez Springs, New Mexico
August 18, 2009 to August 22, 2009
This Journey is for Gay and Bi Men
Come and play in a group of erotic explorers and open up the amazing potential that lives within your erotic self. Identify and cultivate the spark that stirs inside you, trusting it to lead you to your erotic fire.
Interrupt the patterns of habit, judgment, or comparison that block your sexual freedom. Practice surrender and spontaneity. Be real. Have fun. Step fearlessly into the ecstasy that lives inside your body and soul. Can you imagine that?
At Authentic Eros, you will use breath, touch, movement, sound and sensual experience as doorways to a freer and more fulfilling sexuality. “We will work with the desires and growth of each man, emphasizing individual freedom of choice and accountability. Authentic Eros offers a safe and supportive environment for each participant to explore his own erotic development in the company of others with a similar commitment.”
Much of this exploration will be clothes off and interactive. You will work with ourselves, with partners, and with the group as a whole. No prior experience is required. However, each participant will be asked to bring a sincere willingness to go deep, to be truthful, and to play in the energies of creativity, arousal, and embodiment.
AUTHENTIC = real, spontaneous, organic, fun
EROS = sex, love, intimacy, connection
The goal of this workshop is to help you get INTO your body and get OUT of your habits
that lead to sexual boredom and dissatisfaction. More details at Authentic Eros.
Those are just some of the trips that sound good to us! Visit their website for much more. On many of the vacations, if you register early there is some savings involved. And some of them fill up fast. So check your schedule early, if you can.
A Spirit Journey has all the benefits of gay travel adventures or gay vacations, only enhanced beyond imagination!
Best Gay Cities! BUMP Gay Travel Information
Bump! is the world’s first gay and lesbian travel and lifestyle television series. It is unique and international in scope. In each episode Bump! presents a new gay-friendly destination in a stylish and upbeat format.
Bump! travels the globe in search of fascinating gay human-interest stories. From gay tourism hotspots like Miami and London, to urban centres such as Montreal and Los Angeles, Bump! focuses its lens on gay and lesbian communities around the globe.
Finding a gay and lesbian-friendly travel destination doesn’t mean having to focus on the well-known gay villages or tourism hotspots in urban centres anymore.
Charlie David, (from Dante’s Cove) Canadian co-host of the American TV series “Bump,” has found gay and lesbian-centric getaways in remote corners of the world as travel companies and governments cater to the culture.
“What I’m finding more and more and what we’re discovering through the series is gay and lesbian life around the world is becoming less and less ghetto-ized, which is fantastic,” David, who hails from Yorkton, Sask., said in a phone interview.
“I don’t mean ghetto in kind of a derogatory type of term, just, you know, a group of people living together. They were developed out of being kind of safe havens for people in many ways, and now it’s not as much needed.”
“Bump,” which kicks off its third season on Outtv in Canada this week, takes viewers to places and events that are of interest to the LGBT – lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender/transsexual – traveller.
David has been with the show since Season 2 and has journeyed to dozens of cities, some of which are hidden-gem vacation spots for LGBT tourists. Examples include a little fishing village in Brazil called Paraty, a ski resort in Telluride, Colo., and Calgary – one of David’s favourites.
“Oh my gosh, I loved Calgary … OK, I like cowboys,” David, who is openly gay himself, laughed over the line from Los Angeles.
“But Calgary for me, I guess, being from Saskatchewan originally, it’s very similar. It feels like home. But they are so friendly there. It is such a friendly city and we showcased the gay rodeo while we were there and to see the sportsmanship of those guys and gals out there riding the bulls and doing all their rodeo contests, it was crazy.”
That’s not to say the series doesn’t highlight the more popular gay neighbourhoods and events like splashy pride parades. It’s just that while there, David and his camera crew also seek out spots that are relevant to LGBT culture but not heavily promoted.
“I think the best example is when we did Paris, I didn’t go and do a piece on the Eiffel Tower,” said David, whose co-host is lesbian playwright Shannon McDonough.
“So pieces that I did there were a tour of Musee d’Orsay from a homosexual perspective in terms of which artists might have been gay or had that influence or through the art . . . Or a tour of Le Marais, which is almost like Church Street in Toronto, that type of thing.”
With travel corporations creating gay and lesbian cruises, resorts and hotels, “it’s more difficult to, in some ways, find some of those extremely gay-centric or gay-only type of neighbourhoods and places,” said David.
“Buenos Aires was an amazing example of that, as well as throughout Scandinavia,” he said.
“There, it’s not like you’ll have a Church Street (in Toronto) or a Davie Village in Vancouver or that type of thing. There are establishments that are either gay or lesbian-friendly, or gay-owned or lesbian-owned, throughout the whole city and it’s not so much of, like, ‘Oh, this is the only place that’s safe for us,’ which I think is a huge statement because that would not have been the scenario 20 years ago.”
Government sponsorship is also helping, he said.
“There are places in Greenland that are really strongly advocating, you know, ‘Hey, gay and lesbian tourists, come visit here. We’re an open city, we’re an open place, you can come dog sledding, you can have a completely different experience,’ and that’s awesome,” said David.
WATCH CLIPS ONLINE AT LOGO or buy the DVD’s!
