Posts Tagged ‘vacations’

Ireland And Gay Trip Deals

March 7th, 2010 Howie Holben

Ireland has been good for gay vacations at least since the time of Oscar Wilde, although in those days it was not necessarily a friendly country for the LGBT community. Like Wilde, many people were jailed or sent away for hard labor for what was legally termed “indecency” and, until 1861, acts of sodomy were even punishable by death, but Ireland has come a long way since these dark days, decriminalizing same-sex sexual behavior in 1993 and legalizing civil unions in 2009.

While these significant legal strides might not mean that every village – or even every larger city – is ready to fully embrace same-sex relationships, Ireland has become a rather welcoming country for the most part and is a wonderful choice for gay travel. Many larger cities, such as Galway, Dublin, Cork and Waterford, have active, visible communities, LGBT-owned and LGBT-friendly establishments, and enough attractions and activities to fill an entire trip; however, whether you travel to Ireland solo or with organized gay tours, you will not want to miss the beautiful Irish countryside or the quaint, small villages that are scattered about the landscape or overlooking awe-inspiring coastal cliffs.

Although many cities in Ireland now have community hangouts, organizations, annual community celebrations and an active LGBT community, Dublin reigns supreme as the center of Ireland’s LGBT scene, making it a must-do for anyone planning gay travel here. Dublin’s nightlife is a blend of both casual pubs and high-class clubs – some even with dress codes – which offers folks on gay vacations the opportunity to experience vastly different aspects of the local community. Dublin is also well known for a variety of community festivals held throughout the year, which include the Dublin Gay Theatre Festival in May, Dublin International LGBTQ Pride in June, and the Dublin Lesbian and Gay Film Festival in July.

Regardless of which time of year you partake in gay travel to Ireland, there will be some sort of activities going on, which will be listed in GCN – Ireland’s most-read community magazine – so, if you enjoy the scene, you will definitely want to pick up a copy when you get to town. Some of the attractions that you will not want to miss while in Dublin include the Book of Kells, the Guinness Storehouse, the Hugh Lane Gallery, the Old Jameson Distillery, the Oscar Wilde House Museum and The George, which is Dublin’s quintessential community bar.

Those planning gay travel tours may want to consider participating in a group gay tour. This is a great way to make sure you are able to enjoy many of the most intriguing natural, cultural and historical attractions this romantic country has to offer.

Spread composed by Howie Holben on Ireland. Spirit Journeys produces a gay guide and will provide great gay travel ideas.

Posted in Gaileen's Blog Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , No Comments »

Gay Tours Packages In South Africa

January 21st, 2010 Howie Holben

South Africa has long been a gay tours destination, even before it became a human rights frontrunner with the abolition of apartheid, having the first constitution in the world that outlaws discrimination based on sexual orientation and becoming the fifth country worldwide to legalize same-sex marriage. Of course, after these landmark events, the interest in traveling to South Africa significantly increased in both the gay and straight communities. Today South Africa is the most accepting and gay-friendly country on the African continent with a growing gay culture that stretches from the pristine beaches of the Western Cape Province to the exciting, fast-paced lifestyle of Gauteng and is an increasingly popular gay vacation destination.

Cape Town, Johannesburg and Pretoria are popular stops during South Africa gay vacations and each offers a variety of gay-friendly and gay-centered activities, establishments and events. Gay men who enjoy the scene will be particularly pleased with the vast array of establishments that cater exclusively to gay men, such as luxury guest houses that provide lodgings exclusively to gay men, the famous bathhouses found in Cape Town and the private, all-male nude bar, Camp David, in Pretoria. Gay culture in South Africa revolves largely around the gay male community; however family travelers and lesbians will also find a plethora of exciting opportunities for gay vacations in this country that is rich in history, culture and beautiful landscapes, including several organized tours that are gay-friendly or cater specifically to the gay and lesbian community.

September is gay pride month in South Africa, making this a great time to visit for gay men and lesbians looking for a gay tour that includes pride celebrations and a variety of other events, such as the Out in Africa South African Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, which takes place in both Johannesburg and Cape Town and draws over 16,000 international attendees. Cape Town is also the home of the annual Mother City Queer Project costume party that brings over 10,000 international visitors to South Africa each December. Of course, Cape Town is also home to Clifton’s Third Beach and nearby Sandy Bay nudist beach, both of which are extremely popular hangouts for gay men, and also has a gay village offering many gay-owned and gay-friendly establishments in Green Point. Picking up a copy of local gay publications like Exit and Outright will keep travelers up on what is going on during their stay and provide additional information about the best places to hang out or grab a bite to eat in a gay-friendly restaurant.

Dining options during a gay tour to South Africa are plentiful with many choices that include options like the gay-owned Lola’s vegetarian caf in Cape Town, dining in an old farmhouse on a 21-acre farm at the Bellgables Country Restaurant in Johannesburg, or fine dining at gay-friendly Emily’s, an award winning Cape Town eatery offering South African cuisine, as well as a beer bar and wine bar.

Get the most out of South African gay holidays by working with a professional travel agency well-versed in gay travel to South Africa. Only a travel agency dedicated to gay travelers will be able to provide the up-to-date information and travel safety tips for specific areas in South Africa that are important to the gay and lesbian community.

Facts for a gay tour guide in South Africa. Spirit Journeys also has gay tour groups. composed by Howie Holben.

Posted in Your Health Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , No Comments »

The Spiritual Jouney And Spiritual Travel

December 31st, 2009 Howie Holben

Many of us have traveled extensively but have at the end of our travels come away feeling less than satisfied which is why it makes sense to find out a little bit more about how spiritual travel can provide that feeling of fulfillment. If you have had your fill of cathedrals from the Gothic era and the sight of another Madonna does not uplift your spirits then you need to find an alternative solution which can take the form of traveling to find spiritual solace.

Spiritual travel is of course not a buzzword that travel agents use to entice customers. In fact, people have traveled on pilgrimages from the very earliest times of our history and so it is something that has always held attraction to a certain type of person. From the 16th century onward it was common for Spanish Jesuits to travel to places such as Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay where they established missions to educate natives of those countries.

In these modern times, traveling for spiritual reasons has become more popular and there are numerous options to choose from that include going to places other than Yucatan, the Vatican and also Egypt. The best way to lift up your spirits is to travel to places where the surroundings are idyllic and a good example is a Buddhist monastery which is mainly found in Asia though some are also located in Europe and in the United States.

For the real Buddhist spiritual travel experience you ought to consider making Bodhgaya (located in Bihar in India). This is the very place where the revered Lord Buddha sat and obtained enlightenment beneath a huge Bodhi tree. Today, this place has seen a huge Mahabodi Temple complex being constructed here and which is inhabited by Buddhist monks from every part of the world.

This is truly an exceptional place where the surroundings are perfectly serene and where everything is truly peaceful. Here, monks from different parts of the world sit under a huge carved Lord Buddha statue. They spend their time here reading from the Holy Scriptures and spend their time in deep and thoughtful contemplation.

Bodhgaya is home of many a Buddhist monastery each of which is maintained by Buddhists from different countries. If you are planning on flying here, there is an airport at Gaya that is about seven miles away from Bodhgaya and which sees a few flights arriving here from the not too distant metropolis of Kolkata.

For those who are planning to travel from the rest of India the closest airport is Patna which is also the capital of Bihar and which is 87 miles from the town of Bodhgaya. You can also choose to travel by train which will mean getting off at Gaya that is close to Bodhgaya and which means traveling at leisure and for considerably less cost.

If you want a truly uplifting spiritual travel experience then visiting Bodhgaya should be at the top of your list of travel priorities. You should time your travel for the months November through February while the worst time to come here is June through September which is the monsoon season in this part of India.

Looking at gay adventure vacations by Howie Holben. Spirit Journeys will you plan your gay adventure trips so they go smoothly.

Posted in Your Health Tags: , , , , , , , , , No Comments »
Twitter Delicious Facebook Digg Stumbleupon Favorites More
" /> " />

  • Subcribe to get free updates!

    Email:

  • Featured Video

  • Sponsor

    AWeber - Email Marketing Made Easy
Powered by WordPress Lab