I am so excited to announce that Kendall (the blond hair chap in the picture with me) and I have started up a business of gay travels to Italy, aptly named Italy Gay Travels.
This Gay Bike Tour around the heel of the boot, Puglia, is our first love child 
Many more will come, I promise! If you don’t have any plans yet for the first week of June (4-11 June 2017) or September (3-10 September 2017) take a look at our holiday program. Don’t think twice: spaces are limited. Fill in this form and book your place for the Gay Bike Tour now!
As you know I am originally from a beautiful part of the world: the heel of the boot of Italy, Puglia! We have designed this All Gay Bike Tour to let you discover the southernmost tip of Puglia, known as Salento. Fast becoming the gay destination of South Italy, this area is rich in culture, food, awe inspiring landscapes, white sandy beaches and gay nightlife for good measure!
Our all gay bike tour is set at an easy level that suits any level of biking skills. Furthermore you will have the opportunity to discover the beautiful countryside of Puglia, from one coast to the other.
Gay Bike Tour with Gios and Italy Gay Travels
You will spend 5 nights with us in Lecce, the great Baroque capital of Southern Italy, also known as the Florence of the South. Lecce is strategically located right in the heart of Salento, the southern area of Puglia, just a few kilometers away (or an easy gay bike ride) to many beautiful small towns and hidden gems. Every morning we will get on the bike and have unforgettable adventures. Think sunsets over beautiful towns (including Otranto), wine tasting in the countryside and swimming in beautiful sandy beaches.By Sergio Scardia – Full Story at the Scruffy Italian Traveler
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Andy Hicks, owner of HIX Inc., a small health care technology consulting business in Denver, travels frequently. And as a gay man, he said, he’s enjoyed acceptance in many destinations — even in Cuba, where he traveled this year with his partner. “We didn’t know what to expect,” Mr. Hicks said. “We had zero problems.”
The travel industry offers gay travelers everything from special cruises and tours to gay-friendly hotels. But there are still many places in the world, including many countries in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and the Pacific, as well as Russia, where laws or social customs create an unwelcoming and unsafe environment for travelers who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. More than 75 countries consider consensual same-sex sexual relations a crime, and in about 10 countries a person could be put to death for being gay, according to the United States State Department.
“Today, it is important for a L.G.B.T. person to understand the laws and how they are enforced and the culture of the countries and even cities where they visit,” said Bruce McIndoe, chief executive of iJet International, a travel risk management company. In an environment of religious extremism, he said, “individuals are more likely to lash out or take unilateral action against assumed members of the L.G.B.T. community.” IJet, he said, has seen increased requests from clients to help prepare and protect their gay and transgender travelers after the mass shooting at an Orlando, Fla., nightclub last June and other episodes.
When I visited Austin for the very first time last year, I didn’t really know what to expect. My plan was to spend a month in the capital of Texas, hoping this would give me a good amount of time to explore the city whose slogan is ‘Keep Austin Weird’. Even though this slogan had me suspect that I’d love the city, I had no idea just how much I’d fall for Austin.
With dozens of live music venues, excellent craft beer, countless food trucks, plenty of outdoors activities, especially along the river, and an overall laid-back attitude, the city won me over during my month there.
Because I had the advantage of being able to spend four full weeks there, I took my time to explore every nook and cranny of the city, but I know that most people come to Austin for a quick weekend getaway. And while I’ve already shared 33 Things I Love About Austin, I wanted to give you a more structured overview of how to spend a weekend in Austin.
Here is my perfect weekend in Austin for you – including places to eat and drink, what to do and what to see on a first-time visit:
Friday, 2pm: Welcome to Austin
Luckily, nearly all Austin hotels are conveniently located downtown, which makes it easy to explore the city on foot. If you’re not hugely into walking, I recommend you take advantage of Austin’s easy-to-use bike sharing system. The shared bikes, called B-Cycle, have a great ‘Weekender Pass’, which gives you three full days access to the bikes for only $15 and includes an unlimited number of free rides up to 60 minutes (a 24-hour pass is $12).
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To step back in time at Barri Gotic, you better be here early in the morning when the narrow streets are empty. When the Gothic Quarter is deserted, you can really feel like you’re time-traveling. From the cold cobbled stones on tapered paths to the sharp spires above, visitors are enchanted by the sheer magnificence of Gothic architecture.
Here are some important places to check out to step back in time at Barri Gotic.
Barcelona Cathedral. Make sure you’re properly dressed because they won’t allow people to go inside in shorts or mini skirts and in flip flops. Prepare to be blown away by the grandiose interior of complex designs and elaborate carvings.
Periodically we’ll feature one of our properties here to let our readers know about some great gay friendly places to stay:
Aazure is a spacious one bedroom condo in the gated complex of Porto Cupecoy located on the Dutch side of St. Maarten. The master bedroom is furnished with a king sized bed. The unit sleeps up to four comfortably by offering a queen size sofa bed in the living room.
The ensuite bathroom features a marble vanity with dual sinks, walk in shower and soaker tub. Laundry is available in the unit. Aazure is equipped with a full kitchen and all the amenities needed to make this your home away from home.
Aazure provides a breathtaking view of the gardens and “beach” entry pool. From the discreet private balcony you will experience a feeling of refreshed tranquility. Steps away from the popular, clothing optional Cupecoy Beach, spectacular sunsets are definitely on the list of things to see.
Porto Cupecoy plaza is the place to be for free outdoor activities including movie night, live music and salsa dancing. Chic boutiques, fine dining and an onsite grocery store will make your stay convenient and stress free.
Located ten minutes from Princess Julianna’s International Airport, casinos, duty free shopping and vibrant night life. Located near Aazure are some of the best beaches on the island. Mullet Bay, Maho Beach, Baie Rouge and Baie Long.
Feel the caress of the tropical breezes and make sure you live the dream at Aazure.
The guys let go of Stefan’s swing and out he went, flying into the Andes SHOUTING at the top of his lungs, half terrified, half blown away by the adrenaline…
Throughout our 8 years relationship, Sebastien had NEVER heard Stefan screaming out loud so much (it was actually hard not to laugh!) The El Vuelo del Cóndor swing in Baños was one of our 6 awesome things to do in Ecuador, which we think you’ll also love.
#1 SWING OUT INTO AN ACTIVE VOLCANO
Located at the foot of an active volcano, Baños is one of our favourite places in Ecuador with plenty of activities ranging from zip lining, white water rafting, trekking, canyoning and of course, the swings!
Casa del Arbol (which literally means tree house) is the most famous place people come to get the money shot of them on a swing with the backdrop of the Andes. It is in fact not as scary as it sounds: you’re safely tucked in and you never go beyond the cliff edge.
After returning from Israel, I only had a few short days in Germany before I boarded a flight back to New York – just enough time to pack up my clothes and a few other belongings I wanted to bring to New York with me and hug my friends and family goodbye.
When I arrived in New York, I learned that I’d been lucky – had I flown a day later, I wouldn’t have made it to New York, because a massive blizzard hit the city, causing over 1,700 flights across all three airports to get canceled. That blizzard was the first real snowstorm I’ve ever witnessed! Yes, of course we get snow in Germany, but not like this.
Seeing the city get covered in 10 inches (30 centimeters) of snow in the span of a few short hours was an incredible experience for me – I was amazed to see how quickly New York transformed into a winter wonderland. I watched the spectacle from the inside of a warm coffee shop while I was working and couldn’t resist taking a couple of walks through the snow, even though I decided NOT to bring my winter jacket with me to New York (I brought a vest because I figured it’d be enough for my last few days of winter).
The locals in Barcelona call Casa Batllo -as The House of Bones. You can’t blame them because if you look at it outside from afar, the casa looks like bones, indeed. Its eclectic facade design carries through the walls, door, floors and rooms inside the house. So, it’s a good idea to have an audio guide – and prepare to be dumbstruck by this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Since the casa is a work of Gaudi, expect a whopping price of 23.5 euros. Yes, it is thatridiculously expensive! If you want to skip the line to the ticket booth, buy your ticket online. Go in the morning for photographic reasons. There’s a different price for an early morning (36 euros – for first 10 people) visit but don’t buy it. Wait for a while until they decide to let you in for general admission.
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Douglas Alexander and Erik Alexander with their precious baby girl[/caption]
