Barry Diller – Gay Travel Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous
IS SOMEONE REALLY WORTH?
The saying “the rich get richer and poor get poorer” is so true these days. I have countless friends being forced to accept jobs at $10 an hour, because that’s all they can find. Here in Chicago it is next to impossible to find jobs in the $40,000-$60,000 a year range. Meanwhile, company execs continue to rake in $MILLIONS PER YEAR with lavish expense accounts. How special are they? Are they THAT talented??
Take Barry Diller, for example. Closet case IAC top man, who just recently steeped down as CEO, and is known for his lavish spending habits, usually at his companys expense.
Private jets, private yachts, island hopping and more , and as GAWKER stated , “All in good fun, it would seem. “But given IAC’s lackluster stock performance, shareholders must be wondering whether they should subsidizing Diller’s holiday temptations. Employees certainly are; wrote one, cheekily, “Barry loves to spend time with his boys. Let’s face it, that costs money and IAC employees must understand these sacrifices.” – REALLY?!
So Friday, came sort of surprising news – that Barry Diller is stepping down as CEO of the company.
“I never thought I was a very good manager,” Barry Diller told Fortune yesterday, explaining why he stepped down as CEO of IAC, his internet business conglomerate. “I mean I am decent, but I want to go back to what I am good at, which is looking for opportunities to grow the business.”
Still, you have to wonder why, if Diller is such a mediocre manager, he deserved to be the second-most-richly-compensated CEO in America over the past decade.
As GAWKER points out , “It’s clear that resentment over Diller’s management style has been brewing at IAC for some time. And his private life has come under an uncomfortable spotlight around here for some time, as well. Still, this is rather sudden.”
Travel The World…On The Other Guys Dime
For the past three decades the author has been doing just that on what he calls working vacations — short-term overseas assignments that do not require you to sell the house or quit your job. In this book he provides the reader with invaluable ”how to” information such as locating the best working vacation opportunities, negotiating terms, renting your home, securing housing in the host country, traveling safely with young children, and much, much more.
Many people can not afford to take an unpaid, leave of absence, from their current jobs, to travel. The author talks about overseas employment that will pay you enough to cover most or all of your living and transportation expenses!
‘Michael Schneider has done what many of us want to do, but few ever manage to. Live all over the world without giving up his house, job, or nest egg. And in On the Other Guy’s Dime he shows you the practical steps needed to do it yourself. This is perfect for academics, working professionals and retirees. This is about “free vacations” where things get comped for you. This is about a working vacation, where you will go and stay for a 4 week minimum, and possibly teach, consult, or maybe help with research.
He tells stories that will ignite your passion! And he provides useful details and links, so that you too, can begin learning about opportunities that exist. He did all of this in the last 30 years. Think of how the world has changed in the last ten years! He looks around now and says, “in the past few years have opened up my eyes to possibilities I had never previously considered.”
If you have a desire to see the world and experiece other cultures, and quite possibly get paid for it; read this book!
On The Other Guy’s Dime – A Professional’s Guide to Traveling Without Paying
Best Gay Travel Guide
TSA Wants to See You Naked
WHOOPSIE!
Planning to fly this holiday season? You’ve probably already braced yourself for long lines, delays and extra fees just to check your luggage.
Unfortunately, you can also expect another hassle at the airport this year. 70 airports around the country are now using controversial body scanners—also known as “naked scanners.”
These machines use low-dose radiation to produce strikingly graphic images of passengers’ bodies, essentially taking a naked picture as passengers pass through security checkpoints.
Authorities at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) say you can opt out of the naked scan. But doing so will subject you to new and highly invasive manual searches of your body, including your breasts, buttocks and inner thighs.
The Denver Post, in a front-page story Thursday morning, captures the entire debate over intensive hand-pat searches with one shot: a TSA employee with his gloved hand firmly in the junk zone of a passenger who remains–for his sake–happily unidentifiable. The TSA worker even seems to be struggling–his face fixed in a disturbing grimace.
The debate over hand searches launched into the top slot of most cable newscasts Monday with the camera-phone-captured encounter between TSA workers and a flyer who compared the searches to “sexual assault,” and advised agents not to “touch my junk.”
Now if the agent is really hot…….
Swine Flu is Back in Hong Kong Travel News
Get our those pesky face masks again. Philippine authorities stepped up airport health checks on Friday after Hong Kong confirmed its first human case of bird flu since 2003.
Doctors from the health department and quarantine bureau have been dispatched to man thermal scanners at the international arrivals section, said Manila ternational Airport Authority chief Jose Angel Honrado.
“We are prepared to address this potential threat,” Honrado told reporters. “We are not taking any chances.”
There are an estimated 250,000 Filipino migrant workers in Hong Kong and many of them are expected to fly home during the Christmas holidays.
Hong Kong on Thursday reported its first human case of avian flu since 2003, and warned there was “high risk” that people could contract the potentially fatal disease in the territory.
The infected 59-year-old woman tested positive for Influenza A (H5), a variant of bird flu, and was in a serious condition in a hospital isolation ward Thursday.
The World Health Organization said that since 2003, over 500 human cases have been reported in Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam.
Gay Vacations to Turkey
At Europe’s door yet on the threshold of Asia, Turkey is truly a land of contrasts.
Here you can scale the icy heights of remote Mount Ararat in search of Noah’s Ark, cross the historic Euphrates and Tigris rivers, follow in the footsteps of St Paul or simply relax on the golden Mediterranean sands of Patara beach.
Vibrant Istanbul, straddling the blue waters of the Bosphorus separating Europe from Asia, beckons with its skyline pierced by countless minarets, chaotic bazaars and a history redolent with harem intrigue and despotic Sultans
The gay population of Turkey has grown rapidly over the last 10 years. Subsequently, Turkish gay men have started interacting with other gay people from all around the world, and there have been considerable developments in gay travel.
The gay bars and clubs have also started publishing their own business websites, like Turkey Gay.net , which would have English pages for gay visitors from other countries.
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Gay Cafe Bar in Istanbul |
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Gay and Lesbian Istanbul Hotels |
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Turkey Gay Travel Agency |
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Turkey Budget Tours and Hotels |
Turkey Gay Lesbian Guide |
International Gay Guide |
Despite the fact that Turkey is a Muslim country, it reveals a very different attitude to other Islamic countries towards lesbian and gay people. Turkey is progressive and highly western and allows gays to have a measure of freedom of expression and access to fulfilling careers and romantic intimacy. Turkey is the only Muslim country in the world where homosexuality is not illegal since the republic was founded in 1923.
Many tour groups are no bigger than 12-15 and are ideal for travelers that are easy going and fun loving people that enjoy getting to know other people and approach the new culture they will visit with a sense of curiosity. At the same time, a small tour group offers a camaraderie and intimacy amongst members where you will bond and make lifelong travel friends. A spirit of adventure, people and new places will ensure that gay vacations to Turkey will be a memorable experience for you.
These exciting gay vacations to Turkey offer delicious meals and up market accommodation in conjunction with professional tours. Themes for the tours include easy adventure filled trips, cultural and historical sightseeing, party vibe or quiet safaris or romantic cruises as well as nature walks.
Gay tour operators offer tour packages customized from interesting cultural sightseeing and various outdoor activities. You get to visit places that are off the beaten track and see exciting, well-known spots where you get to experience unique subtleties that most tourists don’t get to experience.
Tour operators allow you to create your own tour if you cannot find a suitable package on the website suitable to your schedule where you can create your very own itinerary. Choose from the normal tour guides and books to create your own itinerary. Pick from any or all of the sights mentioned or request a place that was not mentioned, anywhere in Turkey. Greek Islands tours and Blue voyage cruises within Turkey are offered for private groups, big or small to fit in with your vacation period.
When you plan your gay vacations to Turkey, it is good to know that the major tourist attractions and famous sights are all connected by reliable public bus transport, whether the destinations are long or short distance.
A trip to Cappadocia, in central Turkey, gives you the chance for a unique lodging experience: staying in a cave. (above) The soft volcanic rock has been hollowed out for homes for at least two millennia.
The Turkish railway system is not very reliable and comfortable at all. Domestic flights are available from Istanbul to all other local as well as all international airports. Charter flights are only available during peak tourism season and are rare even then.
Vacations to Turkey ideas penned by Howie Holben. His company, Spirit Journeys , is a gay travel association and advances spiritual gay tours world wide.
New Gay Travel Guide
Will the BBC Three series Lip Service Bring Lesbians to Glasgow?
A Glasgow tour company is looking to cash-in on the city’s fame as the location of BBC Three series Lip Service by offering special lesbian-themed travel packages.
The series, which follows lesbian life in the Scottish city, has highlighted the attractions of the city’s gay-quarter for tourists, and a specialist travel company is looking to capitalise on the success with gay-friendly tours and civil partnership breaks.
Glasgow hopes Lip Service will do for Glasgow what the The L Word has done for West Hollywood, with lesbian travellers flocking to see places shown in the series. According to Scotland on Sunday, some of the locations featured in the show, such as The Trans-Europe Café, have already seen an increase in lesbian customers.
As reported by the newspaper, among the tours being offered is the Lip Service Valentine’s Special. The two-night package including dinner at the restaurant where the characters Cat and Sam have their first date, and VIP passes to gay club the Polo Lounge.
Ruth Cochrane says “It shows the city off. So often on television it’s seen as dingy and dark, but this shows off the architecture and makes it look like a cosmopolitan place to be.
Cochrane also believes that local lesbians live up to the stunning looks of stars of the series Ruta Gedmintas and Laura Fraser. “I think there are girls that look like that around,” she said, and describes Glasgow as having “great nightlife”.
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and represents one of the oldest settlements in Western Europe.
A visit to Glasgow, Scotland’s biggest city and the third largest in Britain, is a cosmopolitan delight with about a million dining choices, great museums, impressive shopping, and wide streets that throng with people. There’s a big-city attitude and a big-city ambience here that is softened by the quiet burr of Scottish voices, and by the seemingly ever-present mist. Occasionally, that mist will lift (if you’re lucky), revealing a sun that never gets too hot but casts its magic on the Victorian splendors of this very chic and buzzing city.
Passport magazine gives an in depth look at Gay Lesbian Travel to Glasgow !
101 of the WORST Places NOT To Travel To!
People these days have a “bucket list”. Everyone says, “There are a lot of things I need to do and see before I die.” Walk into any bookstore and see a shelf’s worth of guides listing things to accomplish—from 100 Things To See In Your Lifetime to 101 Things To Do Before You’re Old And Boring. I appreciate the idea behind Patricia Schultz’s 1,000 Places to See Before You Die: A Traveler’s Life List , the inspiration for this genre of books.
So I decided to create an antidote—a list of places and experiences that you don’t need to worry about missing out on. I called upon travel-loving friends, family and, in some cases, complete strangers, to tell me about overhyped tourist sites, boring museums, stupid historical attractions and circumstances that can make even worthwhile destinations miserable.
Some entries on the list are unquestionably unappealing, like a field strewn with decomposing bodies, or fan hours at the Las Vegas porn convention. Some depend on context—Pamplona’s a very different city from the perspective of a bull. Some are just good stories, albeit ones that are more fun to read about than to experience firsthand.
As I gathered suggestions, I came across a characteristic common among frequent travelers: a reluctance to define anything as bad. “I have a soft spot for underdog places and a perverse need to find even the worse stuff a source of delight and titillation,” wrote one friend about her inability to hate on Uzbekistan or, for that matter, Detroit. She’s right, of course—the worse something is in the moment, the better the story when you get home. So for those people who look at a warehouse full of rotting human sewage and see an interesting way to spend an afternoon, I also included some places that would be impossible to visit even if you were intent on finding the bright side in everything, like the Yucatan Peninsula 65 million years ago, or the bottom of the Kola Superdeep Borehole. It might seem pointless to say that you shouldn’t go to a place like Io, Jupiter’s least hospitable moon—but look at it this way: when someone publishes 1,001 Places In Space To See Before You Die, the pressure will be off.
No matter what type of traveler you are, I invite you to take a break from your other to-do lists and spend a moment being grateful for some of the things you’re not doing. Then, when you’re ready to hit the road, leave behind your list of 1,001 Places You Must Pee,* and give yourself a chance to come up with some experiences of your own.
Travel should be an adventure, not an assignment—and if you spend your vacations armed with too many checklists, you’re missing the point of leaving home.
101 Places Not to See Before You Die
PLAN AHEAD for Travel and Save
PLAN AHEAD!
BOOK EARLY!
How many times have you heard that?
Why do people wait to the last minute?
The holidays are here and hopefully you have your reservations!
Just last week, there was a chance I was leaving town on a business trip without much notice. I called 3 weeks out, and the airfare was $260. The company I was making plans to visit, did not confirm until 13 days out. When I checked the airfare again it had went up $340. Almost $100 increase, to be in that same plane, same flight, I had previously checked.
This is a screen shot from CNBC that showed the Airlines business and gave an example of what is called REVENUE MANAGEMENT and BUCKETS (same system applies for many hotels). Depending on the time, season and how in advance you book or purchase your ticket, the price can vary greatly.
For the same AA flight 2412 passengers seating in the same cabin with exactly the same service paid from $50 up to over $700. The same is true with hotels. The same room, on the same day can be from $50 – $500.
ALWAYS try to book at least 14 days out, to get the best price. It is rare, but it can happen, that airlines give deals in the those final 14 days. Some people say that in the final 7 days, you can find deals. Just don’t plan on it!
AIR TRAN has a sweet deal right now – special fares are available for purchase through November 9, 2010, and are good for travel from November 5, 2010, through February 9, 2011. Super off-peak sale fares are valid for travel on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Off-peak sale fares are valid for travel on Mondays and Thursdays and peak sale fares are valid for travel daily. Like all AirTran Airways fares, prices included in this sale are available for one-way travel and do not require a roundtrip purchase or an overnight stay. These sale fares require a 10-day advance purchase.
It’s usually cheaper to fly in and out on a Saturday. The most expensive days for travel are, of course, the busiest, which are Friday and Sunday. Days in the middle of the week (Monday though Thursday) are also cheaper, although Saturday remains the best day to travel. Juggle different days, if possible. For example, see if you can leave one day before or one day after you planned.
Hundreds of thousands of airfare-price changes flow into the system each and every day — just once on weekends, but up to three times a day on weekdays — at 10 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. After the new fares are loaded into the system, it takes about two to four hours to show up on the search engines.
More tips and tricks to saving at MSNBC
Gay Travel and Gay Christmas Tips with John Waters
You wouldn’t expect
the legendary creator
of such subversive films as
“Pink Flamingos” and “Female Trouble”
to be a fan of Christmas!
(John Waters Collection #3:
Pink Flamingos/ Female Trouble )
Halloween, yes!
Christmas? Really?!
But of course, John Waters defies expectations.
“I really do love Christmas, without irony,” the 63-year-old filmmaker says, “But I understand that a lot of people hate it, so I’m trying to give advice to every single person as to how to survive Christmas.”
Waters has performed his one man spoken-word lecture entitled “This Filthy World ” to sold-out audiences around the world; (DVD John Waters: This Filthy World is avavilable, if you missed it).
In 2004, his cynical and hilarious CD “A John Waters Christmas“ was released, featuring an outlandish compilation of musical obscurities chosen by Waters himself, including songs by Tiny Tim, Fat Daddy and the Chipmunks!
With all of the traveling John does, who better to give some Travel Tips and Advice?!
He tells PASSPORT Magazine , “The worst possible thing in the world is to be trapped on an airplane without a book, and mine will put you in a good mood even if you’re delayed, your luggage is lost, or flight is canceled,” he shares. “And if anyone’s nosy and reads it over your shoulder you can open the chapter about outsider pornographers and then they won’t talk to you, which is also nice on an airplane.”
He also says, “I always have toiletries with me, and a hanger bag with something to wear in case my suitcase is lost, because I’m usually going to be on stage so I carry one outfit with me. [Also] books, there’s nothing worse than being stuck on an airplane without a book. I always have way too many books with me.
AND ABOVE ALL – Be early! Get the first plane in the morning—the pilots are always there, the plane is there, and there aren’t many thunderstorms at 6 A.M. The later you wait in the day, the bigger the chance of you getting screwed up.”
READ MORE from John Waters and Traveling at Passport .
The Best Gay Travel Guide
New Caledonia is Emerging as a new Gay Lesbian Travel Hotspot
New Caledonia –
a French Territory in the Coral Sea between Australia and New Zealand – is emerging as a hot travel destination for international gay and lesbian travellers seeking the “nouvelle” and a little French bliss. Rainbow Tourism Launches South Pacific Website Focusing on New Caledonia as Gay Travel Destination.
The South Pacific island nation has several hotels with gay welcome mats and tour operators who have created “pink packages” that include visits to gay clubs and restaurants. The local community boasts the Homo-Sphere association, which holds events for locals and visitors around gay owned and gay friendly venues.
To collate the buzz about cosmopolitan and stylish Noumea and her hidden gem islands (the Loyalty Island and Isle of Pines), Rainbow Tourism New Caledonia website was created. It is the place to go for information and images of authentic Melanesian culture, world-class sporting events, cruise shore excursions, dining and shopping – and where to find a bilingual tour guide if you want an insider’s view to New Caledonia.
You could imagine you’re in the south of France. In fact you’re two hours from Brisbane. Just a short flight from our east coast, Australia’s next-door neighbours speak French, eat snails and enjoy duty-free wines from Bordeaux. This is Noumea, capital of New Caledonia, a slice of paradise being rebranded as a long-weekend getaway for Australians.
New plane schedules and holiday packages have brought the stunning French territory into line with Bali and Fiji as a place where Australians can make a dash for a three-day suntan.
The main island – Grande Terre – is 400kilometres long, covered with dense jungle which rises to the highest peaks. To reach distant valleys and meet some of the 30 Melanesian groups still living traditional lifestyles calls for local knowledge; fortunately English expat John Brighton’s VIP Tours offer full-day hinterland trips calling on tribal villages (email j.brighton@mls.nc).
Many short-break visitors restrict themselves to the idyllic Isle of Pines, a short flight from Noumea or a little more than two hours by high speed catamaran. Once there, they usually abandon themselves to hedonism. This is a place with luxurious hotels, lush gardens, breathtaking lagoons and beaches – and seafood cooked fresh from the ocean.
*Tips and Secrets!
*Wine: European wines are duty free.
Australian favourites are scarce, but French wines are available for a fraction of the cost paid in Australia.
* Drives: Hire a car and head for the mountains and stark red soil of the Great South district. Blue River Park has lakes, mountain streams and rainforest walks; nearby are the pretty Madeline Falls. You may even spot the cagou – a small, flightless bird that barks at sunrise and sunset. The road near Yate follows dramatic mountains, escarpments and palm-lined beaches.
The New Caledonia regional site is part of the Rainbow Tourism Network which publishes dedicated sites for Vietnam, Australia and New Zealand. It has other gay destinations and countries coming online in 2011.
Thai for Gay Tourists: A Language Guide to the Gay Culture of Thailand
THAILAND –
Asia’s most gay-friendly country
A sex survey conducted by Time Asia Magazine (published March, 2001) found that Thai people are the most gay-friendly in asia. Thai for Gay Tourists has been designed to enhance your visit to the country so that you can communicate in a more fun and efficient way. If you are gay and are visiting or planning to visit Thailand, this book is a must for you!
THAI FOR GAY TOURISTS… offers gays a new and fun way to communicate in the Thai language; provides information for gays seeking romance in Thailand; has commentary sections about many aspects of Thai gay romantic culture; provides gay slang and phrases as well as anecdotes and stories; requires no previous knowledge of the Thai language; is written in a brisk, interesting style and is well organized with clear, easy to read postscript fonts; and is fun to use!
Thai for Gay Tourists: A Language Guide to the Gay Culture of Thailand is the perfect gay language guide for your journey to the Land of Smiles—Thailand!
Even if you have have no prior knowledge of Thai, this book clearly presents the sound system and shows the Thai script. It provides ALL vocabulary relevant to gay life, and gives quite a bit of background from gay Thais about life in their country.
My only caveat would be that it generally presents homosexuality as accepted and even celebrated there. This is a common presentation of gay life in many countries. However, one should always be aware that we are not the majority and there is bigotry everywhere. This is not New York City or San Francisco! But with that in mind, I must say this an impressive little book–it does a lot in a short space, the author is to be commended!
The author also wrote Queer : Facts About Gays and Lesbians (Thai Edition) .
Read more about GAY ASIA
right here on New Gay Travel Guide!
Christmas and Holidays at Hearst Castle in San Simeon
Hearst Castle,
William Randolph Hearst’s
iconic palace in the San Simeon hills, is one of the most popular attractions in San Luis Obispo County, CA all year around; 90,000 Sq Foot of FABULOUS! 56 bedrooms, 61 bathrooms, 41 fireplaces and 19 sitting rooms! Jaw Dropping!
But, during the holidays, the opulent historic landmark becomes even more exquisite and alluring. From Thanksgiving through to the New Year, visitors on the “Experience Tour” will get in the Christmas spirit amid the castle’s 1920s-era holiday décor, including two 18-foot, decorated Christmas trees. “Christmas at the Castle” is enchanting!
Every year the staff at Hearst Castle works hard to decorate the estate for the Holidays, creating a special atmosphere that is sure to get you in the Holiday spirit.
Hearst Castle does not have a specific themed tour for Christmas. The main house and all three guest houses will be decorated for the holidays.
During the holidays the Evening Tour program includes Living History Docents dressed in 1930s period clothing along with the holiday decorations in many of the rooms. Two 18-foot Christmas trees fill the Assembly Room as Living History Docents dressed in 1930s period clothing socialize before dinner. Weekend Evening Tours are difficult to reserve, but we have many available during the week.
All of the Hearst Castle tours are highlighted by stops at each of Hearst’s two swimming pools. The Neptune Pool is a magnificent Greco-Roman style pool that features unparalleled coastline views from the hilltop. The Roman Pool is an indoor pool decorated from ceiling to floor with 1″ square mosaic tiles. QUITE MAGNIFICENT!
We did a story on the castle a couple years ago – and when ever we go to visit, we always stay this nearby quirky landmark, called the Madonna Inn. Read that post here on New Gay Travel Guide .
A Battle for the Pink Gay Travel Dollars… Beirut vs. Tel Aviv
We all know,
Gay tourism is a multi-billion-dollar industry.
EVERYONE wants our money. And is this economy, it’s amazing how many cities have decided GAY IS OK! And are rolling out the red carpet for us!And two Mediterranean cities are both angling for a piece of the action.
The two hotspots, each boasting trendy nightlife, warm climate and carefree attitude, are vying for the pink dollars of the world’s gay tourists. Tel Aviv, Israel’s cultural and business capital, has already earned its place as a must-go destination for globe-trotting gays, and now Beirut is making its pitch, too.
“Western travelers come to us to feel the Arabian spirit,” Bertho Makso, Lebanon’s first and perhaps best-known gay travel operator, told The Media Line . “And Arabs have come to feel more comfortable.”
Beirut and Tel Aviv are less than 200 kilometers (125 miles) apart on the Mediterranean coast, but two-city package tours for gays are not going to be offered anytime soon. Israel and Lebanon are officially at war.
Lonely Planet puts Tel Aviv in top three cities in world . Israel’s party capital wins praise for its tolerant attitudes and thrivings arts – ‘a kind of San Francisco in the Middle East’. AND Tel Aviv has the advantage of being in a country where the laws are favorable and homosexuality is widely accepted. In Lebanon, homosexuality is officially illegal, even if the law is seldom enforced.
Once known as the Paris of the Middle East until the country’s devastating 1975-1990 civil war, Beirut is home to posh gay-friendly nightclubs, glitzy bars and restaurants. Many report that Beirut has become much more tolerant of gay culture and nightlife over the last 10 years. The International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association held a symposium in the city for the first time earlier this month.
LebTour travel agency opened in 2005. By night, he escorts visitors to Beirut’s gay clubs and bars; by day, he leads them around the country to learn about its history and culture.
In the five years Makso has been operating LebTour, he says his client base has grown five-fold to over 500 gay tourists a year, mainly from Europe but increasingly from the US as well. He says also runs gay-themed tours to Syria and Jordan, bringing tourists to gay bars in Damascus, and Amman, without difficulty.
Human Rights Watch , said Beirut isn’t as tolerant towards gays as some make it out to be. Lebanese gays with enough money enjoy a margin of freedom, she said, but it is restricted to men. Those from working class and poor backgrounds face discrimination and many times are not accepted by their families.
“Once you leave that bubble it’s a very different situation,” Moumneh said. “The tourism industry is painting a very rosy picture, but it’s very small and narrow.”
Makso acknowledges Beirut isn’t New York or London, and he warns his clients to avoid certain behaviors.
“I explain to them certain things they shouldn’t do, like showing public affection and taking pictures of political figures,” he said. “In general there’s no problem, but this is not the West.”
100 miles down the Mediterranean coast, Tel Aviv’s gay tourism industry is taking off, as well. The city is internationally known for its gay nightlife and carefree attitude. Thousands of gay tourists flock to the city every year, said Yaniv Poria, professor in the Department of Hotel and Hospitality at Israel’s Ben Gurion University and an expert on the subject.
Although the country is not immune to homophobia either, as exemplified by the shooting last year at a gay community center in Tel Aviv that left two dead and at least 15 others wounded, Poria said Israel has a very positive image among the global gay and lesbian community.
“This is considered the hotspot for the Middle East,” he said. “In no other country, can gays walk publicly and be out.”
The Tel Aviv Tourism Association recently launched a campaign to market the city to gay communities around the world in a campaign called “Tel Aviv Gay Vibe.” Last year, the city in conjunction with the Israeli Gay Lesbian Bisexual and Transgender Association distributed gay-themed maps of the city around Europe.
Read More from Benjamin Peim
The Best Gay Travel Guide
Gay Travel and ReLocation to Maryland and Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier is a city in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Bordering Washington, DC, Mount Rainier got its start as a streetcar suburb.According to local tradition, surveyors from the Pacific Northwest named the town, giving the streets names such as “Shasta” and “Cascade”.
Mount Rainier has attracted a significant gay and lesbian population. In 2000, same-sex couples accounted for 1.0 percent of households, almost double the national average. IN fact, in 2004, gay and lesbian families were showing up in greater numbers in the nation’s suburbs and rural areas. The trend is a product both of migration from the cities and of cultural changes that have encouraged same-sex couples to become more visible .
Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, a Democrat, told a radio caller Thursday
he would sign a gay marriage bill – if he’s re-elected
and the state legislature were to pass one.
Malley had previously only been in favor of civil unions.
These fabulous photos were sent to us from a reader.
Those crazy clouds are called “lenticular clouds” They’re caused when the air flow is just right so when it flows over Mt. Rainier , the air gets pushed upward where it cools and condenses into clouds. Depending on how smooth the flow is, you can get some amazing clouds formations as we’ve seen so far to day. Here is more information on what causes them from an earlier blog entry.
It’s usually a sign of rain within 24 hours because typically the moist
flow that precedes a storm around here is the perfect set up for these clouds.
PRETTY AMAZING!
LGBTQ2 Transgender Travel Information and Tips
It was brought to my attention the other day that we never address the transgender community here on this Gay Travel site. So we wanted to include some resources and tips –
Transgender people have as much right to travel as anyone else and we have a right to express any gender we want, any way we want while traveling (with the exception of some head and face coverings). However, recent heightened airport security has meant increased scrutiny, harassment, and discrimination against trans people who fly. NCTE hopes this document will help make your air travel experience smoother. This document for transgendered travel is little dated, but provides some useful guidelines.
In 2009, 2009-The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) rolled out a new phase of their Secure Flight program over the weekend. Passengers will now be required to provide their birth date and gender when they book an airline ticket as part of a move to help distinguish passengers from those on the government’s “watch list” (often called the “no-fly” list). NCTE issued a SECURE FLIGHT document with details and tips .
You should always submit the name, date of birth, and gender as it appears on the form of identification you intend to use at the airport. If you have different names on different documents, you should ensure that the document you intend to use at the airport reflects the name you listed when booking your flight.
International Travelers: The Immigration Equality blog has this excellent post about international travel for GLBT people, including information on HIV positive travelers. Of note: The government has LOTS of authority to go through your belongings when you travel. Be prepared.
TRANSEXUAL (TS) ROAD MAP is another good source for information.
Trans Travel is another source.
As we find more useful resources and interesting information, we will be happy to share them!
Avoid The Winter Blues…Book Your Gay Palm Springs Getaway Now with INNdulge
Holidays and Winter
IN GAY PALM SPRINGS!
Looking for a break from Winter weather (and all the stresses of the holiday season)? Look no further! Sunny Palm Springs, California, is the perfect choice for December and January Getaways!
After all, who needs to deal with snow and ice, when you can bask by the pool in the Palm Springs sun instead! Palm Springs always delivers sunshine (more than 330 days each year). And that’s not all. You can also count on an incredible list of December special events and activities, great dining options, and enough shopping options to satisfy even the most extreme shop-a-holic!
So much to do!
(Photo-INNdulge Palm Springs Courtyard)
In Palm Springs, December fun starts early with the Annual Festival of Lights Parade on December 4th. Historic Palm Canyon Drive comes alive with dozens of floats covered with tiny lights, marching bands, singers, and holiday entertainers to get you in the Holiday mood. The fun continues on December 9th with the Walk of the Inns, a free walking tour of the Old Spanish and Mid-Century Modern boutique hotels and Inns in the Tennis Club neighborhood – complete with cookies and apple cider.
Holiday Entertainment!
The month of December is filled with a variety of entertainment options! Coyote Stageworks presents “A Tuna Christmas” December 2nd through the 19th in downtown Palm Springs, Kathy Griffin performs at the McCallum Theatre. The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies present their annual Christmas Show. The Judds bring their Reunion Tour to The Show in Rancho Mirage, The Palm Springs Cultural Center presents The Young Americans in the Magic of Christmas December 17th, 18th and 19th at the Palm Springs Convention Center, Andy Williams (Yes, he is still alive) does his Christmas Show at the Agua Caliente Casino, and the Desert Winds Freedon Band performs at the Palm Springs Art Museum’s Annenberg Theater. More? There is more! Believe it or not, this is just a sampling of the entertainment options available in and around Palm Springs in December! You can find information and ticket links on all these and many other events are listed on Palm Springs Gay Info . Check them out!
Shop til you drop!
Did you say you needed to do a bit of shopping? When it comes to shopping, Palm Springs has something for everyone! Downtown Palm Springs is filled with boutique and specialty shops with unique gifts, one of a kind collectibles, chic clothing boutiques, and more! Sprinkled among them are great some options that are especially suited to LGBT shoppers – R&R Menswear, Don Vincent, Just Fabulous, the Palm Springs Aloe People, GayMart, Gear Leather, BearWear, Palm Springs Piercing, and Q-Trading to name a few!
Just a bit North on Palm Canyon Drive, there’s an entirely different shopping experience. Uptown Palm Springs is filled with an incredible collection of art galleries, antique dealers, and furniture stores. Oh, and did we mention Trina Turk’s exclusive boutique? Don’t miss it on your next visit!
How about designer Out Mall Shopping?? The Desert Hills Premium Outlets, just 15 minutes away, offer some of the very best bargains on name brand clothing and other gifts. (think Armani, Gucci, Hugo Boss, and Dolce Gabanna). It’s one of the largest outlet malls in all of Southern California, and it’s right on our doorstep!
Here for the Holidays and beyond!
The weeks of Christmas and New Years are always packed in Palm Springs. People come from all over the world to enjoy the Holidays – Palm Springs Style! The LGBT Hotels, Resorts and Inns are decorated and festive, and many of them have special holiday activities planned for guests! The bars and clubs are busy, with nightly specials and events leading up to New Year’s Eve Be sure to book early at your favorite hotel and restaurants, though. After the 25th, the hotels are almost all sold out, so book early if you are coming in late December!
FYI – Insiders Travel Tip – January offers lots to do also. The Palm Springs International Film Festival January 6-17. This is a really big event! PLUS, Martin Luther King Weekend January 14-17. This is always a sellout.
Great Getaways and Super Savings!
Although the Holidays themselves tend to be busy, early December is a great time to snag a discount rate at many of the Palm Springs LGBT Hotels and Inns; making the idea of a Winter Getaway even more attractive! INNdulge Palm Springs is offering an exciting December and January Special of $99 this year!
Noted for its Mid-Century architecture, the award wining INNdulge epotimizes that popular Mid-Century vibe that has made Palm Springs the favorite of architectural entheusiasts and gay travelers. December is a fabulous time to enjoy these very special rates, as the weather is sunny most of the time, and the evenings cool down just enough to wear your favorite resort appareal. All rooms feature extra large king beds and pool views. New furnishings and large flat screen televisions add to the package. Don’t miss this very special rate! Certian holiday periods are exlcuded, and larger rooms are slightly more expensive. Call 1-800-833-5675 for details or visit the INNdulge website.
For more information, visit Palm Springs Gay Info – the official website of the Desert Gay Tourism Guild, a non-profit organization of LGBT and LGBT friendly hotels, restaurants, bars and shops in the Greater Palm Springs area, and throughout the Coachella Valley.
New Gay Travel Guides
Best Gay Cities
Best Gay Palm Springs
Being Smart With Your Phone Traveling Overseas
Last year we did an article about traveling with our iPhone . Common sense told me that international roaming rates would be outrageous – so I barely made any calls. Only 2. To my mother and my mother in law! Roughly $2.30 per minute. A 15 minute call was $35! Ouch! I should have sent postcards!
I guess I am naive…or stupid…I really didn’t think about roaming charges being applied to texts and that data usage could be an issue.
The iPhone, with all it’s delicious apps and bells and whistles – SUCKS DATA. Most domestic plans here in the US have unlimited data, so few users, like me, bother to track the amount I send and receive. Shame on me.
When you travel to overseas, AT & T offers a pricey a la carte menu which is almost impossible for the simple mind like mine, to decipher. I don’t know how many bytes of this and that I am going to need to read emails! How is that even calculated? I flunked Algebra!
And every country has different rates. I was told I should have gotten a $24.99 Global Add-On plan, which would have given me 20 megabytes of data at $1.25 per megabyte – instead of the nearly $20 PER MEGABYTE they charged me!
I discovered it’s best to SHUT OFF your DATA ROAMING, under Settings, General, and Network. And also , in your email settings, turn off the FETCH option, so you don’t automatically download new emails randomly, as they pour into your in box.
If you go somewhere that has FREE WI-FI – like some hotel lobbies, you can check your emails there, without the hefty AT&T international charges. Just make sure you can connect to WI-FI network. This way you can avoid many data charges. Be selective when and where you want to check emails.
Aside from keeping your phone off or at home, being prepared is the best way to prevent unnecessary charges, you may try using Skype or Google Voice to communicate overseas. Both services can be used for discounted or free rates, depending on the country. Google Voice charges anywhere from 2 cents a minute in China to 98 cents a minute in Cuba. Skype to Skype calls are free, and calling a landline or mobile can cost as little as 2 cents a minute.
CNN suggests a subscription to global wireless network Boingo, which offers more than 100,000 Wi-Fi hot spots all over the world for $7.95 per month.
AT & T has a few options for traveling abroad, depending on where you are going. Be aware most come with a discount for your calls but also a 3 month minimum. AT & T claims you have to pay for 3 months to make sure that can catch all of the calls. Yeah, right.
It’s also a good idea to reset your usage statistics when you travel, so you can track how close you are to your limits. This is under Settings, then General, then Usage.
Check with your carrier BEFORE you leave town!
GLBT Travelers Take It From ‘Mild To Wild’ In Greater Fort Lauderdale
Greater Fort Lauderdale
has long rolled out the rainbow carpet for GLBT guests, but now “America’s Favorite Gay Resort Town” is offering GLBT travelers the chance take their vacation from “Mild to Wild” with the destination’s latest mobile site.
The new “Mild to Wild” GLBT mobile site is easy to navigate, and lets users select what type of activities they would like to experience in Greater Fort Lauderdale ranging in levels from Mild, Medium to Wild day or night!
The Mild to Wild digital stylist randomly generates morning, afternoon, evening and late-night activities and events, as well as Foursquare deals from participating businesses. Visitors can Play Gay on Greater Fort Lauderdale’s new GLBT mobile site and input their travel dates to customize the Event Calendar, browse GLBT-owned and GLBT-friendly accommodation choices, as well as enter to win a free beach getaway.
“‘Mild to Wild’ is all about coming OUT and enjoying more in Greater Fort Lauderdale, from the waterways, to the great restaurants, shopping and nightlife throughout the area and especially in our ‘Gayborhood’ of Wilton Manors, home to the destination’s largest GLBT population,” said Nicki E. Grossman, president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We invite all of our GLBT guests to check out the new mobile website, and customize how wild, or mild, they want their next Greater Fort Lauderdale visit to be. Remix as often as you like to get a fresh batch of fun!”
To view the new “Mild to Wild” mobile site and to get more information on GLBT offerings throughout Greater Fort Lauderdale, visit Sunny.org .
Kent Connecticut Is Becoming The Place For Nuptials, Hiking, Camping and Sking
GUEST AUTHOR LYNDON EVANS
shares his take on Kent, Connecticut.
When folks think of travel and tourism in Connecticut most think of the southeastern part of the state from Essex/Deep River over to Mystic and up to the casino area of Uncasville and Mashantucket. But I’d like to tell you about my part of Connecticut the western side.
Recently the Litchfield County Times ran an article by Kathryn Boughton about same-sex marriage and how the village of Kent is becoming the place to celebrate nuptials.
A quiet revolution has been taking place in Kent as same-sex couples have made their way to the beautiful little town to solemnize their marriage vows. Town Clerk Darlene Brady said that the number of marriage licenses issued in the town has more than doubled since a New York State minister started to promote Kent as a location for gay and lesbian weddings. She reports there have been 161 gay marriages in Kent since 2008 and another 13 civil unions performed before that.
Also boosting the number of same-sex marriages are the occasional unions between current town residents and weekenders, she added. But the largest number of weddings comes through the Rev. Sara Henderson of Pawling, N.Y., who has reached out to the gay community through her Web site, gaylesbianweddings4u.com. Ms. Henderson is an interfaith minister and a graduate of The New Seminary in New York City. She was ordained at St. John the Divine Cathedral in New York City. On her Web site she defines “interfaith,” as a “spiritual philosophy [that] honors and values the fundamental beauty and wisdom in all religious traditions/spiritual paths.”
While Kent may becoming the “Rainbow Wedding Capitol of CT”, Kent and the surrounding area has a great deal to offer those wishing to escape the hustle and bustle of other tourist areas of Connecticut. Kent (and similar small towns in Litchfield County) has long been a getaway, second home or primary residence for many writers, actors, artists, singers and politicians. Sorry no name dropping .. okay just one, Henry Kissinger.
Kent is a reasonable drive from New York City time wise and once you get off I-84 in either Danbury or Brookfield, you traverse Route 7 in the northerly direction (Route 7 begins in Norwalk, CT and ends at the Vermont/Canadian border) towards New Milford. As you’re driving up Route 7 to Kent those of you who enjoy antiquing will have the time of your life. When you get to New Milford be sure to get off Route 7 long enough to take a ride around the village square and it’s quaint New England setting. Back on Route 7 make a quick stop at one of the couple of shops in Gaylordsville and then it’s onto Kent. Route 7 in spots runs parallel to the Housatonic River and up in Bulls Bridge be sure to check out the covered bridge.
As far as places to stay, once you get away from Danbury which has the usual prolifera of hotel chain accommodations you’ll find bed and breakfast inns. One of these is The Inn At Kent Falls (photo at top) which is listed at the website Purple Roofs, is gay owned & operated, and has been voted Best B&B for 2010 by Connecticut Magazine. A photo at the Inn’s website taken during winter looks like something right out of the Miller or Budweiser Christmas holiday commercials. Speaking of winter you skiers will like staying in Kent and skiing at nearby Mohawk Mountain.
Campers and RVers will find the Kent area a place to stay with Macedonia Brook State Park in which the Macedonia Brook traverses the picnic and campground with some pools of water deep enough to sit in or swim and cool off on a hot summer day. A bit further up Route 7 and almost into Sharon is the Housatonic Meadows State Park which shoulders the Housatonic River. No trip to Kent is complete without taking in the cascading Kent Falls and driving up to West Cornwall and taking a photo of probably one of the most famous covered bridges in New England, the West Cornwall Bridge. Auto racing enthusiasts will enjoy Lime Rock Park in Sharon with its winding race course and picturesque Connecticut background. For those who just like to drive there is no better and scenic road than Route 7 going into Massachusetts and onto Vermont.
So nuptials or not, with the fall foliage season coming soon why not take a trip to Kent Connecticut and see what the western side of my state has to offer. By the way you antiquers may what to consider renting a U-haul trailer to take home the goodies you’ll buy.
Travel Around The World….in Hamburg Germany
DOES THIS TRAIN MAKE ME LOOK GAY?
WOW!
This is pretty incredible!
Hamburg is the second-largest city in Germany and the eighth-largest city in the European Union. The city is home to over 1.8 million people and these Two German Brothers have put this TRAIN SET together.
This is the world’s biggest train set, which Covers 1,150 square meters / 12,380 square feet.
Features almost six miles of track and is still not complete!!
Twin brothers Frederick and Gerrit Braun, 41, began work on the ‘Miniatur Wunderland’ in 2000
The set covers six regions including America , Switzerland , Scandinavia , Germany , and the Austrian Alps…The American section features giant models of the Rocky Mountains, Everglades , Las vegas, Grand-Canyon …
The Scandinavian part has a 4ft long passenger ship floating in a ‘fjord’.
It is expected to be finished in 2014, when the train set will cover more than 1,800 square meters / (19,376 sq ft) and feature almost 13 miles of track, by which time detailed models of parts of France, Italy and the UK will have been added. It comprises 700 trains with more than 10,000 carriages and wagons. The scenery includes 900 signals, 2,800 buildings, 4,000 cars – many with illuminated headlights…
The 250,000 lights are rigged up to a system that mimics night and day by automatically turning them on and off …The whole system is controlled from a massive high-tech nerve centre. In total the set has taken 500,000 hours and more than 8 million euro to put together, the vast majority of which has come from ticket sales.
Gerrit said: “Our idea was to build a world that men, woman, and children can be equally astonished and amazed in.”
Frederik added: “Whether gambling in Las Vegas, hiking in the Alps or paddling in Norwegian fjords – in Wunderland everything is possible.”This 4-minute video is worth watching for this amazing stuff.
