Gay Cyprus – Nomadic Boys

Gay Cyprus - The Nomadic Boys

“You say poushti like it’s a bad thing” …so said one of the many banners at the Gay Cyprus Pride parade in Nicosia. In everyday Greek, “pousti” (or “poushti” when you say it with a Cypriot-Greek accent) means “poof” or “fag”, and is usually used in a derogative way.

For Stefan growing up in a Greek-Cypriot society across London and Cyprus, relatives would use it in a sort of “act like a man” type of way, like “don’t be a pousti!” Let’s just say that Greek society growing up wasn’t the most gay friendly! Fast forward to 2018 and oh my god look how far the country has evolved!

Cyprus now not only has an array of LGBTQ friendly laws in place, it has a gay pride parade taking place every year since 2014, which is supported by the government, with thousands of people. We were proud to attend the 5th Cyprus Pride in Nicosia in June 2018.

LGBTQ rights in Cyprus

Cyprus traditionally has been a very socially conservative society, dominated by the Greek Orthodox Church, which commonly expresses anti-LGBTQ comments. Despite this, Cyprus continues to evolve with its LGBTQ rights.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at The Nomadic Boys

Cyprus Gay Travel Resources

Colorful Guadalajara, Mexico – Once Upon a Journey

Mexico - Once Upon a Journey

Hello Mexico! After a three hour flight from Los Angeles, we arrive in Guadalajara: Mexico’s second biggest city. We are super excited to be in Mexico, but also a bit concerned. So many people told us Mexico isn’t safe… But luckily we are two tall girls who already have quite some travel experience and aren’t stupid. Let the Mexico adventures begin!

It’s my first time in Mexico, Maartje’s second time. Not sure if Maartje’s first time counts since she went to Cancun for Spring Break. Not really an authentic part of Mexico, but this time we will see authentic Mexico for sure. We never heard of Guadalajara before, but that’s something we like about a place! That means not so many other tourists go there, or well, let’s see ourselves.

The first nights in Guadalajara we stay with Marco and his dad. We are welcomed with open arms and with lots of Tequila and Corona. I don’t hope this much alcohol is a normal thing in Mexico, wow. With five people we drink three bottles of Tequila in one night. The hangovers are big, but we have lots of fun. And we break our first Pinata ever!! The only thing we see during the first days in Guadalajara is Tlaquepaque, and we LOVE it! It’s so beautiful and colourfull. There are coloured umbrellas and flags in the streets; Maartje is the happiest girl ever. She was already looking for a place with umbrellas like that for a while.

By Roxanne Weijer – Full Story at Once Upon a Journey

Jalisco Gay Travel Resources

Hydrangea House Inn – Gay Owned Newport Bed & Breakfast

Hydrangea House Inn

Hydrangea House Inn is one of Newport’s premier inns. Unlike other Newport inns, you will find that at, Hydrangea House Inn, the owners are the innkeepers with the experience and passion to ensure that your time at the Inn, and in Newport, will be a wonderful lifelong memory.

“In a city renowned for its lodging, the Hydrangea House is not to be missed!” – Boston Globe

Our in-town location is right on historic Bellevue Avenue just 5 minutes from the Newport mansions. Step our our front door and you are in the heart of the “City By The Sea” with its antique shops, clothing stores, galleries, boutiques, ocean beaches and the largest historic district in America with its 18th and 19th century points of interest. Your hosts will be happy to recommend restaurants for any budget and popular night spots in and around Newport.

See the Hydrangea House Inn Expanded Listing on Purple Roofs Here

Rhode Island Gay Friendly Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels, and Vacation Rentals

Back to Rome – Dolly Travels

Back to Rome

Buongiorno, tutti,

I am so happy to be back in Rome. This trip I am with my granddaughter, Heather, and her husband, Danny. We had a long, long flight from San Francisco to Rome, which not only made us all very tired, but the flight delays were stressful. However, near midnight on Wednesday, we made it to our lovely little apartment. We were hungry, too, so not long after we got the keys to the apartment, we ventured out to find food. Fortunately, Rome has several restaurants that stay open late, so we found ourselves eating pasta at nearly one o’clock in the morning.

The first sight we saw as we went in search of food was the Trevi Fountain. This lovely monument is only a block and a half from our apartment. In fact, we heard the sound of the water first, then the fountain came into view.

I had never seen the fountain with so few people around. The lighting and the sound of the gently falling water made the scene quite emotionally moving.

The following day, Danny and I ventured out to see some of Rome. I loved seeing his reaction to the city itself, as well as the sights we saw, for this was his first visit to Italy.

Danny and I walked all over that historic area of Rome, found a nice place for lunch in Campo di Fiori, then walked back to our apartment. We needed a “siesta”.

Later, Heather, Danny and I went out walking again. We stopped first for a gelato, then walked to the Spanish Steps, up to Piazza Barberini, and found a restaurant where I had been seven years ago with my grandson, Patrick and his girl friend, Kiri. After dinner we walked some more, taking Heather back to the Pantheon area and to Piazza Navona. We ventured over to Campo di Fiori for a drink, then home again.

Our days have been filled to the brim with activity. Over the past three days we have been to the Colosseum, the Vatican Museum and St. Peter’s Basilica, Borghese Galleria, Piazza Della Popolo, across the river to Trastevere.

Last night, after a lovely dinner near the Pantheon, I wanted the kids to see the Isola Tiberina, the island in the middle of the Tiber River. Lo and behold, we found an entirely new activity, for lack of a better word. Right down next to the river, on the Trastevere side, were tent-like structures, each one a different business. Many were restaurants or bars, a couple of hookah bars, a carnival area, with some clowns and games for kids, shops with clothings, jewelry, etc., etc. This area follows the river edge for about two miles. It was fun to walk along and watch the nighttime activity. The place was hopping.

Now we are packed and ready to go to Sorrento for a couple of days. I will try to blog more often, but we have been busy. Danny kept track of our miles of walking. We got in over 9 miles each day on Thursday and Friday; yesterday we walked 10-1/2 miles, and lots of stairs. I made the comment that I would be skinny as a rail when I get back home, but I think the gelato and the good food are going to balance out the calories lost in walking.

Ci vediamo presto. We will see each other soon.

Ciao for now,

Dolly

The Oculus in New York City – Keep Calm and Wander

The Oculus in New York City - Keep Calm and Wander

The Oculus in New York City (or the World Trade Center) serves as a terminal station that is, in turn, served by the Newark WTC and the Hoboken WTC, where the latter serves only on weekends.

The station, which is located in the WTC of the Financial District, Manhattan, itself was opened for public on March 3, 2016, after replacing the temporary station that had been placed after the gruesome attacks of 9/11.

Although there have been many controversies attached to the station, savor the facts below that only a few people know. These facts are meant to present a separate image of the station.

1. The Steel Used is Unique

Since the projects of the architect Santiago Calatrava are known for their unique curves, only a special type of steel can withstand them. The Oculus is made with the same special steel that is manufactured by only four companies in the world. The Italian and the Spanish companies out of these four were capable to deliver the kind of steel required for Oculus.

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

Queer Stockholm – Gay Star News

queer Stockholm - Gay Star News

Stockholm is one of the world’s most open-cities and has for decades proactively put gay and lesbian travel at the forefront of its tourism message. Unequivocally the gay capital of Scandinavia, the capital of Sweden aims to be a role model for diversity and inclusion not just for LGBTQ people, but for all.

Stockholm has a lot to celebrate on the LGBTQ front in the foreseeable future. In summer 2018, it will host the opening ceremony to this year’s Europride celebrations for the third time in three decades, in partnership with the city of Gothenburg, making history as it is the first time two cities will host the landmark event.

In 2019, as the world heralds 50 years of gay liberation since the Stonewall Riots in NYC, Stockholm celebrates 75 years since gay and lesbian decriminalization (earning it the moniker ‘gay since 1944’) and 10 years of equal marriage.

With such key milestones for Stockholm on the horizon, some of the city’s leading travel brands – hotels, restaurants, attractions and nightlife – have been brought together to form a network called Stockholm LGBT.

Full Story at Gay Star News

Sweden Gay Travel Resources

Queer Kandy, Sri Lanka – Keep Calm and Wander

Queer Kandy

After Colombo, if any city that totally mesmerized me in Sri Lanka was Kandy. Dotted with interesting places to see here and there, you’d see Buddhist temples and ancient relics that represent its former identity as the capital of the ancient kings of this land. From the Tooth of Buddha to some esthetical gardens and beyond, Kandy is the place that had modern architecture build around the historic religious and cultural centers.

I did 7 of these things out of 8. The festival in July or August must be an interesting event to see.

1. Visit the Buddhist Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic

As the name suggests, the temple that is situated in the palace complex in Kandy is believed to have a tooth of Buddha. However, tourists and worshippers would be disappointed that they can’t really see the revered “sacred tooth” itself. They kept it in a golden box inside the center of the pavilion. Everyday, they do rituals which is interesting to see.

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

Sri Lanka Gay Travel Resources

Gay Thailand – Nomadic Boys

Gay Thailand - The Nomadic Boys

We absolutely love Thailand. It’s one of our favourite places to visit in Asia. It has a mix of the best beaches, beautiful Buddhist culture, temples, and an awesome gay scene in Bangkok.

Thailand is also one of the most visited destinations in Asia for gay travellers. The Thais are extremely welcoming people and have been embracing us for decades. So much so that it is frequently referred to as “The Land of Smiles”, and for good reason.

The capital city, Bangkok is very modern, and a transport hub for destinations in Asia. It also has a large gay scene in Silom which we LOVE. Chiang Mai in the North is the country’s second biggest city. It is located in the mountains, and famous for its temples and outdoor adventure. The Thai islands are popular beach destinations, particularly Phuket, Koh Samui, Koh Tao, Koh Lipe and Koh Phi Phi.

This is our Gay Thailand guide, with our favourite things to do and other practical information for LGBTQ travelers.

When to Visit Thailand

Thailand is tropical and hot throughout the year. It has 3 seasons: hot, cold and rainy:

Cold season: between November-February, when temperatures are “only” around mid 20s Celsius (77 F). This is Thailand’s peak season, especially around Christmas, New Year’s and the Chinese New Year in February.

Hot season: between March-June, with temperatures around 30-35 degrees Celsius (86-95 F). This is the shoulder seasons because it’s too hot for some. However, this is also the season for the Sonkgran (Buddhist New Year) gay parties in Bangkok and Phuket.

Rainy season: between June-October. During this time, it does not rain constantly, but there will be periods of intense rain lasting for no more than a few hours. This is the low season, particularly in some of the islands, which get stormy weather, so will shut down most boat services.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Thailand Gay Travel Resources

Historic St. Augustine – Go Girlfriend

St. Augustine, Florida

Celebrating nearly 500 years as the oldest continuously occupied European settlement in the United Sates, don’t be fooled by the age of this vibrant city. This abuela (grandmother) of american cities will surprise you with amazing restaurants, a vibrant city core, miles of beaches, a touch of sinfulness, and historic sites to explore that will turn back time.

As a getaway destination, there is more than a few days needed to experience the scope of Historic St. Augustine’s richness. As a couple’s romantic destination, a girlfriend’s weekend retreat or a family beach vacation, a simple walk over the Bridge of Lions will tease excitement of what historic St. Augustine has to offer.

Where to Eat in St. Augustine

Good question? Would you like the old city or the more modern? Would you like seafood (fresh catches right from the ocean), farm to table freshness, or have a specific taste preference? I’m certain St. Augustine can satisfy it.

Consider these great restaurants from our recent visit:

Catch 27, St. Augustine: deliciously delivering fresh seafood made from scratch with the freshest of locally sourced ingredients – what a treat! Try their cheese board as an appetiser with smoked blue cheese and drunken cherries, and any cocktail that features the distinctive St. Augustine gin.

La Dauphine – New Orleans Gay Owned Bed & Breakfast

 La Dauphine New Orleans Gay Bed and Breakfast

You might have heard people say that New Orleans is like San Francisco, Savannah, Charleston, Paris, or Marseilles. It’s not. The biggest difference is that the streets are exploding with live music all year round. You’ve never seen such “street theater.” Our most cherished visitors come for our food, music, architecture, history, artists, and writers. The ambiance is most like the French Caribbean.

We live in the old French area, much like my Creole ancestors did, coming from France and Spain in 1715 and 1793, respectively. My mother and father grew up speaking French just a few houses away from us. Our district, Faubourg Marigny, is a quieter version of the adjacent French Quarter-the main difference being that you can actually sleep at night here. It’s the safe, artist/gay residential area with about 70 bed and breakfasts. The city attracts one million visitors each month, so accommodations fill up quickly.

Within a couple minutes walk of our front door, you have access to restaurants such as Marigny Brasserie, Belle Forche’, Cafe Negril, Feelings, Santa Fe, Marisol, La Peniche, Mona’s, Wasabi, Adolfo’s, Santa Fe, and bars such as Spotted Cat, Cafe Brasil, d.b.a., Checkpoint Charlie’s, Phoenix–not to mention an over abundance of galleries and antique shops. There’s a Cuban grocery store right across the street. Jackson Square is a mere 20-minute stroll through the adjacent French Quarter.

See the La Dauphine Expanded Listing on Purple Roofs Here

New Orleans Gay Friendly Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels, and Vacation Rentals