Stay in a Scottish Castle – Go Girlfriend

Dalmunzie Castle

For me, the essence of Scotland is in it’s beautiful landscapes and it’s castle-icious history. From the Orkney Islands in the north through the Highlands to Hadrian’s wall in the south, historic castles sit lochside and hillside in some truly spectacular locations.

Historic clans like the MacDonalds, the Stewarts, the MacKenzie’s or the Robertson’s, just to name a few, cover the countryside with their clan lands. The clan chieftains castle is Clan Regions of Scotland (click any to enlarge)always the grandest estate on these family lands perched majestically on a beautiful loch or amongst amazing mountainous views. 

Most stone castles have their roots in the 1300-1600’s as fortified clan strongholds. As technologies and workmanship improve, renovations, refurbishments or expansions happening til the mid-1700’s. At this point in history clans and castles sympathetic to the Jacobites were seized and destroyed by the opposing British so it couldn’t be used as a stronghold against them into the future. Many still sit in ruins today – some have been purchased and painstakingly restored. Some have even been slept in by Bonnie Prince Charlie or Mary Queen of Scots!

For those that were not destroyed, the 1800’s brought a change in castle perspective and architecture. As the Industrial era was changing the global landscape, these centuries-old stone castles (draughty, small winding staircases, not warm and inviting – more strongholds) were now considered ‘brutish” and more elaborate Georgian, English-style “modern” castle homes were built.

Full Story at Go Girlfriend

Scotland Gay Travel Resources

Sunset at the Temple of Poseidon in Athens – Keep Calm and Wander

Sunset at the Temple of Poseidon in Athens - Keep Calm and Wander

The Temple of Poseidon in Sounion is where you should spend your sunset viewing outside Athens. It takes an hour to get there by bus from the Greek capital, but it’s all worth the hassle. 

Homer, the well-known Greek writer, was the first one to record Sounion in “The Odyssey” as the “sacred cape of the Athenians.” 

Herodotus, Aristophanes, Sophocles, and Thucydides all mentioned the Temple of Poseidon in their stories and poetries. 

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

Athens Gay Travel Resources

Fort Matanzas National Monument in St. Augustine – 2TravelDads

Fort Matanzas National Monument - 2TravelDads

The city of Saint Augustine, Florida is remarkable and full of history. There are so many things to do in St Augustine that you’ll never be at a loss, but for a special experience you MUST visit Fort Matanzas National Monument. Because it’s not directly in downtown St Augustine, it’s often overlooked but offers a variety of things to do and learn. We really love Fort Matanzas and sharing it with others visiting Florida’s Historic Coast.

Where Is Fort Matanzas National Monument

Only about 20 minutes south of St Augustine, Fort Matanzas sits directly on the Mantanzas River. The river is actually an inlet, a part of the inner coastal waterway. Either way, Fort Matanzas sits on the water with Anastasia Island, a barrier island, separating it from the Atlantic Ocean. The land is pretty marshy, but beautiful. If you’re visiting Daytona Beach with kids and want to plan a day trip to the Saint Augustine area, it’s an hour’s drive north and it’s totally worth it.

By Chris and Rob – Full Story at the 2TravelDads

St. Augustine Gay Travel Resources

Virginia’s Historic Triangle – 2TravelDads

Virginia's Historic Triangle - 2TravelDads

Most of us who grew up in the USA had lots of history classes that referred to all kinds of sites and events on the East Coast, and specifically Virginia. The Historic Triangle is the name of one of the coolest places to visit in Virginia:  Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown.

Between visiting the Jamestown Settlement, Yorktown and Colonial National Park, and then Colonial Williamsburg itself, you’ll learn a ton and have a blast doing it!

Virginia’s Historic Triangle – Jamestown

Jamestown is much more than just an archaeological site. It’s a complete historic experience, both inside and out. There are a few different areas to visit for a complete experience.

Settled by the British in 1607, Jamestown was the site of the Virginia Company’s first village site. When they arrived they needed food and to figure out their place in the land. Over time, they killed or displaced countless indigenous people and claimed the land for their own.

The story of Pocahontas is centered around Jamestown and the relationship between the existing residents, the Powhatan Indians and the British settlers. The stories you see in Disney movies or learned in school aren’t entirely accurate as to the glossy side of things, but give enough of the story that you can figure out what actually happened if you think about it.

By Chris and Rob – Full Story at the 2TravelDads

Virginia Gay Travel Resources

China’s Leaning Tower – Keep Calm and Wander

China's Leaning Tower - Keep Calm and Wander

The Yunyansi Pagoda on Tiger Hill in Suzhou is China’s Leaning Tower of Pisa. Well, you won’t really notice it if you’re not standing on the right side below the tower.

I went there with no idea that this was a leaning pagoda. I gradually noticed it as I went around the structure. The photos below don’t really give justice, but you’ve got to see it yourself if you’re intrigued.

The pagoda is sitting on Tiger Hill, a tourist attraction in Suzhou. There are a few hills in the area with other interesting sites to visit. However, the leaning Yunyansi Pagoda is the most visited one.

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

China Gay Travel Resources

Malta Gay Life – The Nomadic Boys

Malta Gay Life - The Nomadic Boys

“Malta has become the gold standard of LGBTQI reforms – a beacon of human rights for LGBTIQ issues!”

So said the United Nation’s Equality and Non-Discrimination team. This tiny unassuming island nation in the middle of the Mediterranean has over the past decade quickly evolved to become one of the most gay friendly countries in the world with some of the most progressive LGBTQ laws.

But Malta wasn’t always like this. Up until 2013, divorce was illegal here, society extremely socially conservative and homosexuality was pretty much underground. Since the centre-left Labour Party came into power in 2013, the country did a big U-turn, passing an array of progressive laws led by the proactive Minister for Equality, Helena Dalli. You can read more about this in our comprehensive gay guide to Malta.

How did such a quick and rapid change affect Malta’s LGBTQ community?
We found that the older members of the Maltese LGTBQ community had a far different perspective compared to the newer generation who are now benefitting from these more open and progressive laws, which the older generation fought hard to achieve.

Malta Gay Life

A lot of the older gay guys we met, who came of age in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, had difficulties being out and were often forced to lead double lives, marrying a woman to satisfy their family. In comparison, the younger gay guys in their teens, 20s and 30s, we found them to be more confident about their sexuality when we spoke to them about Malta Gay Life. Now it was easier than ever to fight for change in terms of lobbying their MPs, organising LGBTQ events, leading the Pride movement, and more.

One of these awesome Maltese Millennials at the forefront of change in Malta is cutie Clayton Mercieca. Clayton recently married his life partner Christian and together had a baby boy and is rocking the #gaydad world! Clayton is also a prominent LGBTQ activist in Malta, responsible for organising Malta Pride.

We met up with Clayton and his hunky hubby Christian in Valletta, who told us more about the gay life in Malta and what it’s like being gay parents.

Brandenburg Tor in Berlin – Keep Calm and Wander

The Brandenburg Tor is the first tourist attraction I visited on my first day in Berlin. It’s an imposing neoclassical gate that appears conspicuously in almost every postcard in the city. Throughout its existence, the Brandenburg Gate bears witness to a tumultuous history of the city and country. And at the same time, it’s an eyewitness to the historical events of a unified European continent.

There were only very few people when I arrived at the gate. The morning sun was just beginning to appear, and its rays peeked through the wide gaps. I was mesmerized by the play of lights and shadows as I looked up, admiring its magnificence. It reminded me of chiaroscuro paintings of Caravaggio and Rembrandt.

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

Germany Gay Travel Resources