Trinidad, Cuba – Globetrotter Girls

Trinidad, Cuba - Dani

The true showstopper in Cuba for me wasn’t Havana, but Trinidad, a city founded by the Spanish that dates back to 1514 and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

I wasn’t sure if it’d be worth the long drive to get there – the city is located pretty much in the middle of the island, halfway between Havana in the north and Santiago in the far south; around 6 hours on a bus from Havana. But I am so glad that we decided to add it to our itinerary, despite the distance from Havana and Viñales, our first two stops.

Trinidad looked like it hadn’t changed much since the Spanish founded it in the 16th century – colonial houses line cobblestone streets, there are several Spanish-colonial churches and neatly arranged plazas, and horse carts outnumber cars. When people say that a trip to Havana feels like a trip back to the 1950s (because of all the American vintage cars from that time), it’s safe to say that a trip to Trinidad feels like a trip back to the 16th century.

In Trinidad, we got to really soak up Cuban life. With four nights here, we had plenty of time to experience Cuban culture, watch people dance salsa in the town square and in the bars every night, watch locals meet for a chat or a glass of rum in one of the benches that lined all the plazas, and artists draw paintings in the many galleries.

By Dani – Full Story at Globetrotter Girls

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My partner and I are avid travelers. As queer residents of New York City, we also often play tour guide for visiting family and friends when we’re not on the road. We encourage our guests to experience New York City beyond selfies in Times Square, including everything from outdoor movies on the historic Intrepid aircraft carrier, to New York Philharmonic concerts in the park, to food festivals in Brooklyn where you can enjoy a ramen burger and craft beer while viewing the Manhattan skyline. We also recommend that our queer visitors pay homage to and get wild at some of the longest standing LGBTQ bars that have played an important role in serving our community, such as Stonewall, the site of the Stonewall Riots that sparked the modern LGBTQ rights movement in the U.S., and Henrietta Hudson, the oldest brick and mortar queer women’s bar in New York City. We are also acutely aware that tourist guides fail to educate our visitors about the rich, diverse LGBTQ culture that exists beyond the bar scene, such as Voguing Balls and the largest LGBTQ fashion shows hosted at world renowned museums.

When my partner and I travel, we try to curate the same type of off-the-beaten-path experiences that we provide our guests. Whether we’re cliff diving in Georgia O’Keeffe country at Abiquiu Lake, or dancing the night away at an underground queer party in Sarajevo, our goal is to immerse ourselves in the most unique ― but also LGBTQ friendly ― adventures that vacation destinations have to offer.

However, the most popular destination guidebooks tend to showcase “must see” tourist landmarks, and any sections dedicated to the LGBTQ traveler generally focuses on the experiences of white cis gay men. If you don’t know someone who is willing to play tour guide like my partner and I do for guests, you really have to reach into the depths of the internet to find guides that feature unique experiences beyond what the mass market is demanding. Travel websites can be a great resource for creating itineraries based on feedback from like-minded travelers because self-published travel bloggers no longer need mainstream publishers to disseminate their words and images to a large audience. Yet, becoming a successful travel blogger is not easy or cheap, unless you’re independently wealthy. In order to travel and create quality, original content, bloggers need financial backing for cameras, flights, hotels, food, event tickets, and more.

By Anita Dolce Vita – Full Story at the Huffington Post

Life Lately & Upcoming Travel – Globetrotter Girls

Dani - Globetrotter Girls

In my monthly round-ups, I am looking back at my travels over the past four weeks, what went well and what didn’t, and what’s next for me.

I can’t believe how much my life has changed in April… going from frolicking in the Caribbean to hectic city life in NYC, dealing with immigration bureaucracy, apartment hunting and job interviews! Trying to establish a life here has been more time-consuming than I thought, hence the delay of my monthly round-up, but let’s look back at April 2017.

April may have been the best month of 2017 so far. I spent the last thirty days between two of my favorite places in the world: Mexico’s Yucatán peninsula and New York City, and added my second new country of the year to the mix, which I happened to fall hard for: Cuba.

I started the month in Valladolid, continuing my second Yucatán road trip. While I’d been to Valladolid in the past, the stops that followed where mostly new to me: Rio Lagartos with its pink lakes; Izamal, Mexico’s Yellow City; Campeche, a coastal town filled with pastel colored Spanish colonial buildings, and Bacalar with its spectacular lagoon, which I somehow blissfully ignored when I lived in nearby Xcalak a few years ago.

By Dani – Full Story at Globetrotter Girls

River City Cottage – Wanganui, North Island, New Zealand

River City Cottage

Periodically we’ll feature one of our properties here to let our readers know about some great gay friendly places to stay:

Jan and Kate warmly welcome LGBTI travellers to our 100-year-old cottage in the heart of the historic river city of Whanganui. Here you will find a peaceful haven, friendly and informative lesbian hosts, and quiet, warm and comfortable rooms.

Guests must love animals, as we have two friendly old dogs and two cats, and 6 hens. Guests must also be ok with sharing a bathroom. We welcome children, and we are pet-friendly.

We have Ultra Fast Broadband Wi-Fi, which is free to our guests, and provide complimentary tea and coffee. You can opt for breakfast of fresh homemade bread and locally made jams and spreads and/or eggs from our chooks and free-range organic sausages. We serve real coffee! You are also welcome to use the washing machine, and share our kitchen if you wish to self-cater. We have a lovely deep bath for your use.

Our Bed and Breakfast is a great base from which to explore Whanganui, being one block from the river and cycleway, and an easy 10 minute walk to the centre of town. There you will find an array of great cafes and eateries, and the art galleries and boutique shopping for which the city is renowned. We love our city, and love to share it’s delights with our guests.

Stroll to the River Traders Market on a Saturday morning, paddle a waka or take a trip on the paddle steamer, visit the famous Sarjeant Gallery or the New Zealand Glassworks and enjoy the relaxed pace of life you will find here.

Whanganui is a great place for cyclists. The New Zealand Cycle Trail runs through the city, and we are a vital hub on the Mountains To Sea leg of the network. We can store your bikes safely while you stay.

If you are travelling by car, we are located 1.5 hours drive from Mt Ruapehu and the skifields, and the Tongariro Crossing. We are 2 hours drive from New Plymouth and Mt Taranaki, and 2.5 hours drive from Wellington.

We offer a free shuttle service to and from the airport or bus terminal.

See the PROPERTY Expanded Listing on Purple Roofs Here

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Classic Cuba – Globetrotter Girls

Classic Cuba

I have so many thoughts and emotions about my Cuba trip, I am still processing everything I’ve seen and experienced on this spellbinding little island. Visiting Cuba turned out more challenging as I thought it would be, but it was so worth it. I have yet to go through the thousands of photos I took and sort my thoughts, but I’ll be sharing a number of Cuba articles shortly.

For now, let’s just say that Cuba isn’t like any other country I’ve ever visited, and yet, it felt strangely familiar. Why is that, you wonder? I grew up in East Germany, a Communist country, just like Cuba still is. In fact, Cuba was one of our socialist allies, and while with the collapse of the Communist bloc, life for me and 16 million other East Germans took a huge turn (for the better), Cubans still live so many aspects of the life that I remember from my childhood.

Before this little teaser for my upcoming Cuba content becomes too much of a ramble (I’ll be talking about this ‘walk down memory lane’, which this trip inadvertently turned into for me, in an upcoming article) – for now I just want to say that I was fascinated by the spirit of the Cuban people, the lust for life, their ability to find joy in the little things, and about seeing how life spills out into the streets everywhere.

By Dani – Full Story at Globetrotter Girls

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Cato Jutias, Cuba – Globetrotter Girls

Cayo Jutias - Dani

Even though Cuba is a Caribbean island, whenever I thought of Cuba, a Caribbean vacation was not what I had in mind. Instead, I pictured Spanish-colonial colorful towns, lush green tobacco fields and the crumbling facades of Havana’s grand buildings. What I wasn’t thinking of were turquoise, crystal clear waters and pristine beaches fringed by palm trees. But of course, there are lots of exactly those in Cuba, and I am glad that I got to include a couple of them into my packed Cuba itinerary.

The first beach we went to, Cayo Jutias, happened to be a beach that is one of Cuba’s most stunning beaches (nearby Cayo Levisa on a tiny island off of the coast is supposedly the absolute best beach in Cuba. And yes, every beach we saw afterwards looked just.. uh.. nice.. in comparison (but those were still Caribbean beaches..!).

Cayo Jutias doesn’t have any hotels, only a couple of restaurants. Other than that, it is just miles and miles of untouched, picture-perfect beach. And the best thing? Since Cayo Jutias is fairly difficult to get to – located on the northern tip of the island, a bumpy 75-minute ride on a pothole-filled country road from the small town of Viñales – there aren’t many tourists there.

By Dani – Full Story at Globetrotter Girls

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Bacalar: Mexico’s Lagoon of Many Colors – Globetrotter Girls

Bacalar

Have you ever heard of the Lagoon of Seven Colors? This lagoon in the far southern Yucatán peninsula, close to the border with Belize, isn’t on the main tourist trail in this popular area because it is quite a drive from Playa del Carmen or even Tulum, which are very much the center of the Yucatan’s tourist trail.

I wouldn’t have known about Bacalar had I not lived in a small fishing village not far from there for a couple of months in 2012. Back then, I had to pass through Bacalar on my way to Chetumal, the border town with Belize, every time I went for a big grocery shopping.

I have to admit though that, since I was living right on the Caribbean, I never made an effort to truly explore Bacalar and the beaches of this marvelous lagoon, which is the second largest lake in all of Mexico. Having my own private beach with ocean views that offered similarly mesmerizing shades of blue, I never felt the need to spend much time in Bacalar.

Luckily, this oversight has finally been rectified. I was not only completely smitten by the lagoon with its beautiful blue-ish tones, which result from the varying amounts of sand on the bottom of the lake, but also by the little town itself. Small Mexican restaurants blend in effortlessly with hipster L.A. style gallery /cafes and fancy lagoon-side eateries where you can swing in hammocks right at the shore. Because the lagoon is such a unique feature, Bacalar was rewarded the ‘Pueblo Magico‘ status, making it one of Mexico’s famous ‘magic villages’, of which there are now 111.

By Dani – Full Story at Globetrotter Girls

El Morro RV Park and Cabins – Lesbian Owned Resort in Ramah, New Mexico

El Morro RV Park and Cabins

Periodically we’ll feature one of our properties here to let our readers know about some great gay friendly places to stay:

El Morro R.V. Park and Cabins is a great get away from the hubbub, psychic noise, and distractions of everyday life for most people. The Park exists as one of the centers of activity for this little community, but more importantly, one can always deepen one’s appreciation for the natural quiet and timeless majesty one finds here. Hike fantastic trails or bike into the Zuni Mountains, or climb El Morro National Monument.

Travel to see the wolves at the Wolf Sanctuary, or birdwatch the many great migrations that pass by or live here. Search for petroglyphs and old pueblo sites, and get in touch with the spirits of the peoples that hunted, lived and prospered here for 12,000 years. These are just a few of the experiences available here that bring one back to oneself. Our cozy, well furnished, modern cabins are an oasis for resting, playing or exploring. Or just pull your rig in, or toss up a tent for a unique and pleasant stay.

El Morro R.V. park boasts the well renowned Ancient Way Cafe, a very popular spot for locals, tourists, and taste seekers. It has an excellent array of breakfast and lunch offerings that fit old standards with southwestern specialties, and the Friday and Saturday night gourmet offerings rival some of the best fusion enticements out there, Spanish meets Navaho meets Old and New World presenta-tions.

The onsite bakery provides an amazing array of sweet tooth goodies that are high quality, from scratch, and original. In an upbeat Cafe,’ with the art of locals festooning the walls, and an exuberant and efficient staff, we are a different kind of outpost than most people expect. We are also Gay owned and managed, and exist in a very supportive community with many other LGBTQ folk.

Other things to do here include a walk of our unique sculpture garden trail. Visit the wellness center called Wave Riders of the Ancient Way (also on the property) to get a psychic reading, or an energy balancing, or to experience other esoteric healing options. Check out the Galleria Carnaval across the street for eye opening art and gifts. Find great shopping for native work at Inscription Rock Trading Center next door, and even more great art, (as well as concerts, festivals, theater productions, workshops, open mic night, and other events ongoing throughout the year} at The Old School Gallery across the street.

There is also the very nice El Morro Market across the street with organic and local goods, as well as specialty goods that you thought you’d never find in the middle of nowhere. Or just sit on your porch and watch the dreamy day go by and have a fire in the fire pit, (weather permitting) and sing campy songs that echo off the mesa wall. So much to do or not do!

See the El Morro RV Park and Cabins
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Paris Gay History and Art Tour

Everybody knows that Paris is a fantastic city to visit, with fascinating historic neighborhoods, amazing museums, fabulous shopping, and of course spectacular food. But many people seem not to realize that Paris is also one of the greatest cities of gay history. But so it is: I think Paris has so many other great sides that people almost overlook this one.  France was the first modern country to decriminalize homosexuality—in 1798, almost 2 centuries before the US. And from that time on, it was a relatively free city for gay life, and gay themes appeared more and more openly in French culture.

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Izamal, Mexico – Globetrotter Girls

Izamal - Dani

I still can’t believe I’m in Mexico! This sudden change of travel plans has made me very happy though – I just love this country. This is the third time in the span of a year that I find myself in Mexico – and none of the three trips had been on my agenda originally. However, all three of them turned out to be amazing, including this one, which happens to be another road trip around the Yucatán.

While last year’s road trip was a bit rushed, at only eight days, this time around my friend and I have two entire weeks, which is enough time for a circle around the entire Yucatán peninsula, including some spots I’ve never made it to.

One of those places is Izamal, which is, along with my beloved Valladolid, one of two ‘Pueblos Magicos’, or magic villages on the Yucatán. It’s easy to see why Izamal was declared a ‘magical village’ – a place declared by the Mexican Secretariat of Tourism to be a village that offers visitors a “magical” experience – by reason of their natural beauty, cultural riches, or historical relevance.

And it is easily one of the most beautiful Mexican villages I’ve ever seen. All the buildings are yellow! I could have spent days wandering the streets photographing the beautiful yellow buildings, the only thing that made it hard to stay outside for long periods of time were the defeatingly hot temperatures of 100°F (38°C).

By Dani – Full Story at Globetrotter Girl

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