Our editor, Ed Salvato (below right), was a guest of Derek and Romaine on their eponymous show on Sirius OutQ (Sirius 109; XM 98).
It
was a lively 45 minutes with lots of calls from listeners.
They discussed a wide range of travel topics from an assortment of
Sirius OutQ listeners: gay men, lesbians, singles and couples Here are a few topics
they touched upon:
Travel to India and Sri Lanka
Washington, D.C. hotels
San Juan, Puerto Rico gay scene
Gay-friendly Istanbul
Punta del Este, Uruguay for an older lesbian
Best getaway for New Year's, where to go for Thanksgiving and much more!
Click here to listen to the show. (It's in four parts)
Just a quick update from the road. Sri Lanka's an amazingly beautiful tropical island paradise, shaped like a tear drop, located to the south of India. Very close to the equator it has a tropical climate with palm trees, dramatic beaches and vivid sunsets most everyday. It's primarily a Buddhist nation so though it feels like a Caribbean island it really is different from any other island I've been to.
More later but for now enjoy the image above, which is of three members of a four-member team of cliff divers who jump off the cliff where they are posing here into the water at least 30 feet below. You get three jumps for 500 Sri Lankan rupees, which is just over $4.00.
The video below shows one of the cliff divers running and jumping into the water.
Story and photos by Ed Salvato, seen here at Humayan Tomb
Only recently arrived in India via the fabulous Jet Airways (more below), I've been instantly confronted with the (in)famous sights, sounds, of smells of the nation's capital city. There are two parts to Delhi: New Delhi is a bustling metropolis with skyscrapers, traffic jams, construction sites everywhere (the Commonwealth Games will be here in 2010; there's an extension being created for the Delhi Metro) and an expanding airport. Old Delhi is a labyrinthine series of alleys, dilapidated-looking storefronts, and a upturned-bowl-of-spaghetti system of electrical wires with an extraordinary hustle and bustle of pedestrians, rickshaws (really pedicabs), stray dogs, goats, taxis and small trucks all competing for a few feet of turf at a time. At the very bottom of this post, I've included a brief video from an exhilarating pedi-cab tour of Old Delhi.
This city of 14 million souls isn't necessarily high up on the tourist to-do lists of most Americans but it should be. Both old and new, there's a lot to keep visitors occupied. The conquest by the Moguls left many impressive monuments to discover. And slowly but surely Delhi's beginning to emerge as an important world city. India, which I will be exploring over the next week, is a fascinating, absorbing, and -- so far anyway -- a demanding destination to experience. Like most things requiring an effort, the rewards will also surely be great.
For those who may have some reluctance to jump into the Indian fray with all its cacophony and movement, my suggestion is to do it in style and comfort. There's nothing quite like a welcome dose of pampering at the end of a day exploring dusty monuments, haggling over purchases and interacting with a few persistent locals.
My method included a trip on Jet Airways, a relatively new (approximately 16 years old in India and operating two years internationally) private Indian airlines. With two classes of service, Jet offers a very modern fleet of aircraft, a young, attractive and attentive staff of flight attendants, a fairly extensive network of flights considering how new it is to the world scene and, in Premiere (business class), private sleeping modules. (That's me in my sleeping pod.)
Prices are incredibly reasonable right now. And with connections in Brussels it's also a good way to get to Europe inexpensively and in style even if India's not on your travel agenda this time. Premiere class travelers also are escorted from the arrival of the flight (from the exit door actually!) to and through customs and immigration. International arrivals just don''t get easier than that.
For a pampering, peaceful (literally, it's in the name: Aman translates as serenity or peace) and secure way to stay, check out the Aman Resorts. Known for their exclusive, small, ultra luxurious resorts, many in remote destinations, Aman opened its first truly urban resort hotel in New Delhi, the Aman New Delhi. It's also the largest of the hotel collection's properties. Just a handful of the many luxe features include huge, airy, modern rooms with private plunge pools, a contemporary Western/Indian restaurant, a tapas restaurant, a 150 foot long lap pool, a state-of-the-art gym open 24 hours, and free wireless throughout the property. Staff is super attentive. The hotel's rates includes pick up and drop off at the airport and a small fleet of hotel cars that can drop you off and pick you up most anywhere in the city. But its key attribute is the calm oasis it affords visitors amidst the seemingly never-ending motion of Delhi.
Today I head out of town to Jaipur. Check back for my next update! First, here's the video of our roller-coaster rickshaw tour of Old Delhi. As a fellow traveler said to me, I experienced more in that 30 minute rickshaw tour as I did in the first 20 years of my life.
Story by Ed Salvato; photos courtesy of Manchester Pride (above and below); Ed Salvato bottom.
I recently had the pleasure of discovering Manchester Pride. I'd heard a lot about how fun it was but thought, a Pride is a Pride is a Pride, right? Wrong! This 10-day celebration of the arts, culture and sense of fun of the LGBT community really is one of the best Pride events I've ever attended. It seems to have just the right balance of really fun events, cultural events and even a stirring candlelit vigil to honor those taken away from us by HIV and AIDS.
Here are a few photos so you can get a sense the experience, but the best way to really do that is to plan now to attend. It's held the last week in August to coincide with a national bank holiday. It's especially fun to discover something new about England if you've already visited London or elsewhere in the United Kingdom. And the best part is the Mancs or Mancunians, as the locals are known: They are incredibly hospitable hosts!
I've written a short guide for enjoying Manchester beyond Pride. Click here to see it. For more official gay and lesbian trip-planning information from the Visit Manchester tourism folks, click here.
Getting there gay
To get to Manchester, I flew direct on American Airlines in business, which really is the only way to travel to Europe or any destination that requires an overnight flight, and discovered that the American's gay and lesbian employee Group, GLEAM, was founded in 1994, thus celebrating its 15th anniversary this year. AA.com/rainbow, their dedicated LGBT-specific website, founded in 2006 and also a first for any major carrier, is still going strong. It's a great place to find exclusive offers for gay and lesbian travelers.
In addition to these, AA boasts a whole slew of LGBT-related firsts, like being the first major airline to implement same-sex domestic partner benefits in 2001. You can read more about it at AA.com/rainbow and book your next gaycation on a demonstrably gay and lesbian friendly airline. Also, it's worth nothing that this year marks the 70th anniversary of the Admiral's Club.
Here are 7 random things I loved about my visit to Boston and Provincetown this weekend.
1. The ICA. Boston's Institute of Contemporary Art relocated to its stunning new location in 2006. This multi-level art museum, library, theater and more has always been at the avant garde of Boston's art scene. This visit there were thought provoking videos exploring human emotions. That's me reflected in the mirrors installed in the ICA's entry way below. It's located next to the Provincetown ferry operated by Bay State Cruise Company, so just plan to arrive at the ferry an hour or so before the scheduled departure and enjoy a tour of the museum.
2. The ferry to Boston. There are two companies operating ferries from Boston to Provincetown, including Bay State Cruise Company located on Seaport Blvd next to the World Trade Center and Boston Harbor Cruises from Long Wharf. Both normally take 90 minutes. The minute you step foot on those ferries, you are officially on holiday. The presence of other gay and lesbian travelers drinking (yes, there's a bar on board!) and socializing guarantees a relaxed environment.
3. The arrival into Provincetown harbor. It's beautiful especially at sunset.
4. The breakwater, a manmade stretch of cut bolders from the far west end of Commercial Street (Ptown's main commercial strip) to close to the tip of Ptown's curlicue end. That's Phil on the breakwater above.
5. People watching along Commercial Street. Best place is Spiritus Pizza. You can check out their web cam before going down there to see what the scene is like.
7. Working out at Mussel Beach Health Club. Great equipment and always a sexy crowd of guys who actually work out on vacation that you haven't seen 100 times at your own gym!
Bonus round: another picture from Ptown's harbor. Cool portraits of local Portuguese women on a building on a pier in the harbor.
Photos Courtesy of Manchester Pride Story by Joseph Alexiou
Across the Atlantic sea, as they say, is Manchester, the second city of England. Well known for its culture and vibrant nightlife, if you missed London Pride but still want to party with the rude boys, then you would do well to make it over there the weekend of August 28 for Manchester Pride.
And if that isn't enough to get your tweed vests out of the cedar closet, we have one word for you: Bananarama. That's right, the legendary 80's sensation will perform in the beginning of Pride Weekend.
But you have a whole week to travel, the festivities actually begin on Monday August 24 and continue on leading up to "The Big Weekend," as the Mancunians refer to the weekend of the parade. Additionally, our own Editor-in-Chief, Ed Salvato will be one of the specially invited attendees, a great opportunity to meet our resident travel expert first-hand! Tickets to the festival are £12.50 ($21) and can be purchased at www.manchesterpride.com/tickets (VIP tickets, which include three free drinks a day, exclusive views of the Main Stage and a luxury goody bag, are available on the website or by calling +44-1-612-367-474).
Some interesting pre-weekend happenings: the Lesbian and Gay Film Season at Cornerhouse; a Pride Gallery Tour; "Burlesque and drag king workshops and honest disucssions about sex" at Secrets of the Lady Garden; a pre-weekend canal bank run followed by eat and drinks; and short films dealing with trans issues by MORF and Transforum Manchester.
Once the Big Weekend rolls around, say goodbye to your Cruel Summer by dancing to Bananarama's Opening Ceremony show on Friday August 28. Other top festival acts include The Whip, The Blow Wave, and the newest electro-pop diva to hit the charts, Little Boots (performing Saturday—no need to upstage Bananarama!).
The parade itself is on Saturday, August 29 from 1-3 p.m. at the city centre (that's how they spell it in England!). You can bet your tuppence on some excellent color, sexy folks of all genders and orientiations, and all of the general parade insanity, including the undoubtably sexy Greater Manchester Fire Brigade—with any luck they'll require hosing down from the late-August heat.
After the parade, the Lifestyle Expo and Market Area will continue on through Monday, with lots of cute guys and gals hawking their products while heavily socializing. There's also the Sackville Gardens stage, which will be chock full of local bands and good old Manchester entertainment—local bands will play during the Sparkle space event on Saturday.
Partygoers will be happy with the list of great gay nightspots in the festival brochure—Manchester has a vibrant gay bar and club scene that will not disappoint those interested in late night revelry.
The celebrations culminate on Monday evening with the heavily attended candlelit George House Trust Vigil at 9 p.m. An AIDS memorial, quiet reflection in the idyllic Sackville Gardens is the "spiritual heart of the Macnchester Pride festival." Organizers describe the atmosphere as "magical and moving."
Looking for lodging? The Macdonal Manchester Hotel and Spa is a great 4-star property and is the official Manchester Pride partner, but there are a variety of great suggestions on the event website.
Our editor, Ed Salvato (below right), was a guest of Derek and Romaine on their eponymous show on Sirius OutQ.
It
was a lively 45 minutes with lots and lots of calls from listeners.
They discussed a wide range of travel topics from a wide range of
Sirius OutQ listeners: gay men, lesbians, singles, couples and even a
straight couple looking for a great weekend getaway from Dallas! Here are a few topics
they touched upon:
Jay in California asked about Egypt
Bill in Arizona asked about Greece
Michelle and her boyfriend asked about weekend getaways
Nicholas asked about Belgium
Michael asked about South Africa
Others asked about Mexico, upgrading, gay dude ranches and much more!
Click here to listen to the show. (It's in three parts)
Story and photos by Ed Salvato, editor in chief, OutTraveler.com
I just returned from a all-too-quick visit to Flanders, the northern (Flemish) part of Belgium that includes Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent and Bruges and where inhabitants primarily speak Flemish (nearly identical to Dutch), French and English. The other (southern) part of Belgium, known as Walloon, is primarily French speaking. It's a small country, roughly the size of Maryland, and easily and quickly traversed by train.
That the entire country is gay friendly seems unnecessary to say. Belgium became the second country in the world to allow same-sex marriages in 2003 (after the Netherlands), and lesbian and gay couples have all the same rights as heterosexual ones, including recently adoption. The community is almost entirely integrated into the fabric of society, including the military and other civic institutions. Notably, Antwerp's widely respected chief of police, Serge Muyters, is legally married to his husband, another high ranking police officer.
While Brussels is the largest, most bustling city in Belgium and serves as an important capital and crossroads, the more intriguing and truly Flemish destinations Antwerp, Ghent and Bruges provide visitors with a real feel for this welcoming, historically rich culture. My adventure began at 31,000 feet: Since my trip was so short, I decided to upgrade to Out Traveler Readers' Choice award winner American Airlines Business Class, which allowed me to 1) enjoy the very guilty pleasure of warm nuts (mind out of the gutter, please!) and homemade chocolate chip cookies; and 2) meet Amer Delic, my seat mate -- a very frequent traveler (thanks to a grueling year-round tournament circuit) and a handsome -- alas, straight -- top-seeded international tennis pro.
Brussels airport is small (relative to JKF anyway) and easy to get in and out of. Once you land and pass quickly through customs, you can take a train to reach most of the country via the train system's super-convenient airport stop. First stop, Antwerp.
Antwerp is a friendly, low-key destination that is very well known for its stunning array of architectural marvels, its cutting-edge fashion scene and its lucrative diamond trade. It also boasts a rich culinary scene, delicious beers and a very friendly gay scene. Centraal Station, left, the main train hub is a beautiful first point of entry to the city and makes a great first stop on any architectural tour.
I checked into the very centrally located 't Sandt Hotel where I reserved the Cathedral Suite, with stunning city views, including the Cathedral of our Lady. When completed in 1521, it was the tallest structure in the Low Countries (approximately 350 feet). It boasts two important paintings by Rubens. (The photo of the cathedral, right, was taken from my hotel.) Stop off at gay-owned, gay-popular Popi Cafe for a drink, coffee or light bite and possibly to meet some friendly locals. Saturday nights everyone gathers at Red and Blue dance club (owned by the same proprietor as Popi Cafe). Plan a trip during Antwerp Gay Pride, June 25-28
Here are a few more picture to whet your appetite for a visit.
The train to Bruges takes a little over an hour. This historic, medieval, seaside city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders. It enjoyed a robust economic life based around shipping and commerce from the 1200s to the 1700s or so then went into a quiet period of disuse. Rediscovered by wealthy French (and other) tourists in the 19th century, Bruges began a resurgence based largely on tourism. The good news is the city was never razed for development nor was it bombed extensively in any war.
A great way to view the city is via the motorized tour boats. There are only 20 or so legally authorized boats allowed to navigate the canal, and it's about $8 per person for a 1/2 hour tour from docks scattered throughout the city. If you are solo this is a great place for a day trip but be sure to bring a good guidebook or hire a guide. My guide, Wim Lybaert (wim.lybaert@woestijnvis.be) was great: friendly, informative and a local who added personal recollection which enhanced the tour. Couples may enjoy the romance of a visit spread over two days.
Final stop: Brussels. This is a teeming city, compared to Bruges or even Antwerp. Conveniently enough the gay section is primarily concentrated in a small section of the city (centered on rue Marche au Charbon) so a visit, even a short one, can include all the key gay bars, cafes and clubs. Best cafes to start your evening, get your bearings, grab a gay bar map and plot your evening: Fontainas (91 rue Marche au Charbon) or le Plattestteen (41, rue Marche au Charbon; in photo, right). Later after a few Duvels (a local, very potent beer named after Satan himself served in big goblets) take a short walk to Duquesnoy (12, rue Duquesnoy) -- a leather oriented bar that offers an crowded, cruisy downstairs and an upstairs dark area.
Note that Brussels Gay Pride is around the corner: May 16 is the big day.
Story and photos by Ed Salvato, editor in chief of OutTraveler.com; photo of the High Line, looking north, from 13th St.
Today I took a hard-hat tour of the High Line led by Katie Lorah (right), the media relations manager for Friends of the High Line, the organization largely responsible for development of this incredibly cool project. The original structure, an elevated freight rail line, was built between 1929 and 1934 and spans 22
blocks from Gansevoort St. (where our tour began) to 34th St. There is approximately 6.7 acres of space atop the elevated deck.
The first section, spanning a half mile from Gansevoort St to 20th St along 10th Ave, is scheduled to open by mid-June, just in time for Gay Pride, June 20-28. The photo above was taken around 13th street looking north. The park will include walkways, benches, plantings (amid the old rails), water features, a children's mini-park and public access points every few blocks.
The park winds its way past former factories and beneath the new Standard Hotel (below left). With unobstructed views west across the Hudson River towards New Jersey, the park also features wooden lounge chairs
on wheels that can be moved back and forth along the rail lines. You can see the wheels in the lower-left corner of the picture below to the right. That's me, Ed Salvato, with my hard hat, pointing to the wheels.
Be on the look out for an article on the High Line in the May issue of the Advocate, our sister publication. For trip-planning information on the Big Apple, click on our
NYC Travel Guide or purchase our new Out Traveler: New York, available from Alyson Books, our sister company.
Out Traveler G.P.S offers dispatches from the ever-expanding field of gay and lesbian travel -- as soon as we know, you know. Check back frequently for updates, insider information, advice, and offers brought to you by our ever-roving band of gay travel experts and by readers just like you.
OutTraveler.com Editor in Chief Ed Salvato and his team travel the world for you. Occasionally we miss something. If you don’t see your favorite destination, tip or deal featured here, tell us about it!
Click on these icons to follow us on facebook or twitter or to receive GPS as an RSS feed.
New Zealand: Photo Gallery: Captions and photos by Jeffrey James Above: I took this shot on Mt. Coronet during this year's Gay Ski Week NZ in Queenstown. Mike Sanford and Craig Lawson host the biggest gay and lesbian alpine party in the southern hemisphere,...
Head west to see the Sistine Chapel: Story by Aefa Mulholland, photo by Berglind Hafsteinsdottir Don’t have the time or the budget to get to Rome? Head west instead. This week Seattle Art Museum opens a Michelangelo exhibit, Drawings from the Sistine Chapel -- the only place...
Stockholm, Sweden: Photo Gallery: Story and photos by Jeffrey James Keyes Above: Hey Mr. DJ StockholmThere's a reason Stockholm's Group F12 was awarded a Michelin-Star with flying colors. You can sit outside and listen to your favorite Scandinavian DJs, take in the full gastronomic...
Copenhagen, Denmark: Photo Gallery: Photos and story by Jeffrey James Keyes Above: Rosenborg Soldier - Copenhagen, Denmark What's better than day dreaming about the Crown Jewels at the Rosenborg Castle? Day dreaming about the sexy men who guard them, of course! Denmark has some...
Bali, Indonesia: Photo gallery: Photos and captions by correspondent Sydney Pfaff. Above: On the western side of the Bukit Peninsula, Balangan Beach sits quietly surrounded by cliffs with just a few bungalows, a couple of small restaurants, and a handful of warungs. Loud and...
Recent Comments