Posts Tagged ‘Gay Travel’

“TSA Pat-downs Promote the ‘Homosexual Agenda,’” says Crazy Person with Power

Friday, December 3rd, 2010

Did you know that just by traveling on an airplane you are doing your part to promote the radical ‘Homosexual Agenda’? Or so claims Eugene Delgaudio, an elected official on the Loudon County Board of Supervisors in Virginia and president of the conservative non-profit Public Advocate of the U.S., in a widely distributed email. Delgaudio criticizes the TSA’s non-discrimination policy, calling it “the federal employee’s version of the Gay Bill of Special Rights”, and states – in what is surely a bit of deeply repressed wishful thinking – that “the next TSA official that gives you an ‘enhanced pat down’ could be a practicing homosexual secretly getting pleasure from your submission.”

No stranger to nonsense, Delgaudio previously railed again the ‘Homosexual Agenda’ back in April in a steamy piece of homoerotic pulp fiction political fundraising letter where he recounted a visit to some sort of…homosexual petition factory:

“One stormy night I drove to a mailshop hidden deep in a nearly deserted stand of warehouses. I’d heard something was up and wanted to see for myself. As I rounded the final turn my eyes nearly popped. Tractor-trailers pulled up to loading docks, cars and vans everywhere and long-haired, earring-pierced men scurrying around running forklifts, inserters and huge printing presses. Trembling with worry I went inside. It was worse than I ever imagined. Row after row of boxes bulging with pro-homosexual petitions lined the walls, stacked to the ceiling. My mind reeled as I realized hundreds, maybe thousands, more boxes were already loaded on the tractor-trailers. And still more petitions were flying off the press.”

Well, I guess he caught us. And if you would like to catch Mr. Delgaudio, feel free to contact him at the District Supervisor’s office at eugene@joineugene.com or (703) 421-4599, or at the Public Advocate office, 703-845-1808.

Or if you’d like to speak to Mr. Delgaudio in person, just check the security line at any major U.S. airport, where you’ll find him refusing a full-body scan, breathlessly awaiting his ‘enhanced pat-down’.

Tags: Eugene Delgaudio, flying, Gay Travel, repressed gay, TSA pat-downs
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Southern Decadence

Tuesday, August 17th, 2010

Come to New Orleans this Labor Day weekend as the Big Easy opens its arms (and legs) to raucous gays everywhere for Southern Decadence!! From September 2-6, the French Quarter fills up with thousands of gay revelers for a bacchanal that only New Orleans could host.

Get Gay Travel has negotiated an exclusive rate with The Iberville Suites of New Orleans so you can rest your weary head after your days and nights of partying. This beautiful Old World boutique hotel is located in the heart of the French Quarter, so you won’t have to stumble home too far.

You won’t find this offer anywhere else, so give us a call today at 1-800-711-6029 to book your stay for as low as $129 a night for king suites! This exclusive offer ends August 26, so act fast.

Tags: Gay Rates, Gay Travel, Hotel Deals, New Orleans, Southern Decadence, Southern Decadence discounts
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Nepal to Host First Gay Pride

Saturday, July 31st, 2010

On August 25th, Kathmandu, Nepal will hold the nation’s first Gay Pride parade, says Sunil Babu Pant, Nepal’s first publicly gay lawmaker and a leading gay rights activist in South Asia.

Pant said he hopes up to 3,000 gays, lesbians, transvestites and transsexuals from Nepal and neighboring countries will march through the streets of the capital Kathmandu on August 25. The date has been chosen to coincide with a centuries-old Hindu festival when Nepalese men traditionally dress up in women’s clothing, and which has in recent years been adopted by Nepal’s increasingly vocal gay community.

‘We want to make this a truly international event,’ said Pant.’ ‘Nepal has made so much progress on gay issues in the last few years, and we hope to spread hope and inspire others.’

The parade will feature live music and include elephants and horses dressed in bright colors, and will culminate with a candle-lit memorial service for victims of HIV and violence.

Sunil Babu Pant, Nepal’s first openly gay MP

Photo Credit: Blue Diamond Society

This is progress on hyper speed for a country that only decriminalized homosexuality in December 2007. (That ruling, by the Nepali Supreme Court, also brought recognition of transgendered individuals as a “third sex”.) Less than a year later on November 18, 2008, the Supreme Court directed the government to enact laws granting equal rights to LGBT citizens, including same-sex marriage. The court ordered the government to form a seven member committee to formulate laws similar to European countries that recognize same-sex marriage. The constitution of Nepal, which is expected to be completed in May of 2011, will include same-sex marriage and protection for sexual minorities.

Pant, apparently a very busy man, is also a leading advocate of making Nepal a new LGBT tourism destination and the founder and chairman of Pink Mountain Travels & Tours, which is welcoming gay, lesbian, and transgendered tourists into Nepal with open arms, showing what a LGBT friendly country Nepal can be and, of course, showing off his beautiful country at the top of the world.

The website is very new, so keep checking back as they develop more. http://www.pinkyatra.com/

It’s the dawn of a new age for Nepal and LGBT people in South Asia, so grab your hiking boots and make a visit to the gay-friendliest place in all the Himalayas.

Tags: Gay Asia, Gay Nepal, gay rights, Gay Travel, LGBT Nepal, Nepal
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Mexico City Offers Free Honeymoon to Argentina’s First Gay Married Couple

Tuesday, July 20th, 2010

Mexico City Offers Free Honeymoon to Argentina’s First Gay Married Couple

Seizing the opportunity to fly its gay-friendly flag, Mexico City has offered a free honeymoon to the first gay married couple in Argentina, which approved same-sex marriage in the Senate on July 15^th and is firmly supported by President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner. Don’t go rushing to Buenos Aires to be first in line just to win a free Mexican honeymoon, though, the first marriage license is already spoken for. Argentina’s first gay marriage is set for August 13 between actor Ernesto Rodriguez Larrese, 60, and Alejandro Vanelli, 61, who have lived together for 34 years.

Mexico City authorities offered a free honeymoon trip to the Mexican capital and a major resort beach in the country. The city government would pay the air fares for the newly-wed couple and is seeking sponsorship from hotels and restaurants to finance the rest of the honeymoon, said Alejandro Rojas, the city’s tourism secretary. The offer was “a recognition of tolerance, but first and foremost a way to promote gay tourism in Mexico”.

A few notes about gay life and marriage in Mexico:

Homosexuality has never been explicitly banned in Mexico. In 1991, the Mexico Constitution was amended to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, among other factors.

Same-sex civil unions were legalized in Mexico City in November 2006. Months later, on January of 2007, the state of Coahuila granted legal same-sex civil unions, essentially making civil unions legal in all of Mexico (by law, each Mexican state must recognize the laws granted to individuals of other states).

On December 21, 2009, the Mexico City assembly approved a measure legalizing same-sex marriage, making it the first Latin American locale to do so. The city’s definition of marriage is now gender neutral. The new language reads “the free uniting of two people” adjusted from the previous “one man and one woman. The law also allows gay couples to adopt children.

Mexico City, specifically the Zona Rosa area (called the Pink Zone), is the most progressive of all Mexican regions in terms of gay rights and social acceptance. Guadalajara, Mexico second- largest metropolis, also has a thriving gay scene with nearly two-dozen gay bars as well as gay-friendly colonial B&Bs and plenty of welcoming restaurants and cafes, the majority of them within easy walking distance of the central Plaza Tapatia. Other popular gay destinations are Puerto Vallarta, Cancun, Acalpuco, and Cabo San Lucas. Opposition to gay marriage comes in more conservative regions of Mexico, such as the states of Puebla and Jalisco.

Tags: Argentina, Gay Honeymoons, Gay marriage, Gay Mexico, Gay South America, gay tourism, Gay Travel, Latin America, Mexico, Mexico City
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Argentina Legalizes Gay Marriage!

Thursday, July 15th, 2010

What’s new, Buenos Aires?! Gay people getting married, that’s what! Argentina legalized same-sex marriage Thursday, becoming the first country in Latin America to grant gays and lesbians all the legal rights, responsibilities, and protections that marriage brings to heterosexual couples.

After a marathon debate stretching nearly 16 hours, 33 lawmakers voted in favor, 27 were against it, and 3 abstained in Argentina’s Senate in a vote that ended after 4 a.m. Since the lower house already approved it, and President Cristina Fernandez is a strong supporter, it now becomes law as soon as it is published in the official bulletin.

The approval came despite a concerted campaign by the Roman Catholic Church and evangelical groups, which drew 60,000 people to march on Congress and urged parents in churches and schools to work against passage. Nine gay couples had already married in Argentina after persuading judges that the constitutional mandate of equality supports their marriage rights, but some of these marriages were later declared invalid.

Sen. Norma Morandini, a member of the president’s party, compared the discrimination closeted gays face to the oppression imposed by Argentina’s dictators decades ago.

“What defines us is our humanity, and what runs against humanity is intolerance,” she said.

Same-sex civil unions have been legalized in Uruguay, Buenos Aires, and some states in Mexico and Brazil. Mexico City has legalized gay marriage. Colombia’s Constitutional Court granted same-sex couples inheritance rights and allowed them to add their partners to health insurance plans. But Argentina now becomes the first country in Latin America to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide, granting many more rights than civil unions, including adopting children and inheriting wealth.

Gay rights advocates said Argentina’s historic step adds momentum to similar efforts around the world.

“Today’s historic vote shows how far Catholic Argentina has come, from dictatorship to true democratic values, and how far the freedom to marry movement has come, as twelve countries on four continents now embrace marriage equality,” said Evan Wolfson, who runs the U.S. Freedom to Marry lobby.

He urged U.S. lawmakers to stand up “for the Constitution and all families here in the United States. America should lead, not lag, when it comes to treating everyone equally under the law.”

Tags: Argentina, Gay marriage, gay rights, Gay Travel, Latin America, South America, travel
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First Person: Atlantis Baltic Cruise – On the Ship

Friday, July 9th, 2010

On Board the Ship…

Copenhagen, Tallinn, and St. Petersburg are just a sampling of the places you’ll visit on the Baltic Cruise. Day trips to beautiful, how-do-they-keep-it-so-clean Stockholm, Sweden and Helsinki, Finland will leave you charmed and aching to stay longer (although we wouldn’t recommend the “Ice Bar” excursion in Helsinki. It’s a walk-in cooler in the back of a Mexican restaurant. True story.), and then the whole trip will end in a big gay bang as you sail into Amsterdam just in time for Amsterdam Pride.

But the Baltic Cruise is not all about stops and destinations. Let’s not forget about your home away from home for ten days, your floating palatial estate, the Holland America Eurodam. There is so much happening onboard the ship that a day at sea is something to look forward to just as much as seeing Catherine the Great’s chincy little summer bungalow.

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: the cruise can be whatever you make of it. If you need a vacation of relaxation and solitude, then order some room service, treat yourself to a full body once-over at the spa, and find a quiet spot by the pool where your only responsibilities are flipping over when you start to sizzle and ordering a refill on your cocktail in time to never see the bottom of an empty glass.

If you’re looking to be a bit more social, there are opportunities abounding for everyone. Single? With any luck, not for long. Throughout the week there are singles cocktail parties and dinners where the old “I have a boyfriend” conversation killer is 100% pre-empted!

And if your interests are a little more narrow, there are several casual get-togethers throughout the week to meet other like-minded travelers, including daily meetings of Friends of Bill W., Prime Timers gatherings for older guests, and cocktail parties for Bears & Cubs and Leather fans & aficionados (and their admirers of course).

One of the easiest places to meet new people, however, is one of the simplest: Dinner. Everyone eats, everyone goes to dinner. And there’s none of this assigned time/assigned table nonsense you find on other cruises. No need for a tie or formal wear, either. The restaurants are beautiful and the food delicious, but the atmosphere is casual and gregarious. On your way into the restaurant, an Atlantis Team Member will ask you if you’d like to join a bigger table. Do yourself a favor and say yes. If you’re by yourself, in a couple, or with a small group, you can join another group and meet a new set of people every night. You never know who you could end up sitting next to. Your new best friend? Your new boyfriend? Maybe, give it a shot. Sure, you could also get seated next to the most obnoxious person you’ll ever meet, but it’ll be over in 90 minutes tops and then you’ll have fodder for your new group of dinner friends the next night!

And then we come to the parties…

Atlantis does them up right. You might not be a club kid, but you might be by the time you leave. If you think it’s not your thing, we say at least dive in once and give it a shot. The DJs are hot, the atmosphere is crackling, and the men are festively dressed. (Or is it scantily dressed? Maybe both. Probably both.) Which brings us to…COSTUMES! The parties are all themed, and trust us, you WILL want to take costumes. You don’t even know the kind of regret you will feel if you show up to the Kit Kat Klub or White parties wearing regular street clothes. These gays go all out. Your own shame will send you dashing back to your stateroom to fashion a costume on the fly so you can join in the fun. Save yourself the anxiety and plan ahead. A jaunty hat or a well-bedazzled jockstrap can go a long way. And if all else fails: glitter. Even if you don’t bring it, you will find glitter on you in places glitter should not be. It may as well be self-inflicted.

Here are the parties this year on the Baltic Cruise so you can plan ahead:

Dog Tag T-Dance (Think military. Camo and boots. Grrr.)
Kit Kat Klub (Decadence. Cabaret. Carnival. Circus Freak. All of the above.)
90s Diva Party (Whose songs do you lip sync to most? Go as her.)
Classic Disco T-Dance (Dig out those old unnatural fabrics and get them sweaty again.)
That 80s Party (Pants-less Tom Cruise from “Risky Business” is always popular.)
Conquest! (Vikings and Invaders vs. Pillaged Villagers! Dance to the death.)
Absolut T-Dance (All things Swedish. Like a few well placed Swedish Fish…)
White Nights (As much white as you want. Or as little.)

We’ve never met anyone who’s gone on his first Atlantis cruise and didn’t leave wanting to immediately book his second. It’s an addiction, but a good one, so you should feed it. There’s nothing unhealthy about having the time of your life.

Whole new worlds await you both on the ship and off. You know you’re ready. Take the plunge, try something new, and we’ll see you on the Baltic.

Bon Voyage! Bon Sørejse! Доброго пути! Bonin Matka! Bon Resa! Sloeg Reis op!

Tags: Amsterdam, Atlantis Events, Baltic Cruise, Copenhagen, Copenhagen to Amsterdam, Finland, gay cruise, Gay Travel, Russia, Sweden, Vacation
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First Person: Atlantis Baltic Cruise – St. Petersburg

Thursday, July 8th, 2010

From Russia with love…

There is no place on Earth quite like Russia. It’s not Europe, it’s not Asia, it’s just…Russia. St. Petersburg is a marvel, and is surely set to become one of the world’s top tourist destinations in the coming years once Russia makes it a bit easier to get in. Getting a Russian tourist visa is complicated, but cruise ships make it as easily as humanly possible, allowing passengers to enter the country without a visa for up to 72 hours. So for a little while longer, if you go on a cruise, you can say to your friends, “I’ve been to Russia and you haven’t!”

Many of the excursions offered through Atlantis include trips that take you outside St. Petersburg. TAKE THOSE EXCURSIONS! Otherwise, how will you ever see the Peterhof Palaces nestled magnificently on the Gulf of Finland? It’s opulence with a capital “O” (as in “Oh my God, look at that palace):

But St. Petersburg is a treasure trove in itself, and an odd one at that. From one block to the next you’ll find gray Soviet-era architecture and statues of Stalin:

And then come across the dazzling palaces brought to you by Catherine the Great’s European inferiority complex of the late 18^th century:

No visit to St. Petersburg would be complete without a visit to the Hermitage Museum, one of the great museums of the world, easily standing shoulder to shoulder with the Louvre, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the British Museum. In her quest to make her nation a great envy to the world, Catherine the Great sought out fine art from throughout the world and put it here:

You could spend days here. You could spend weeks here. You will only have a few hours, however, and though you’ll leave grasping for more, you won’t regret the time you’ve spent marveling at some of the world’s greatest treasures.

St. Petersburg is more than just museums and palaces, of course. While we’d love to tell you to set out on foot and explore the city at will, that’s not really a possibility. Cruise ship passengers are not allowed ashore without the guidance of a licensed tour operator and must remain with the guide at all times. (Remember, Russia has its own way of doing things. Just follow their rules and you’ll have a great time.) There are, however, walking and bus tours of the city available and private guided tours you can hire if you want a more intimate, on-the-ground experience with St. Petersburg.

Now for some gratuitous yet intriguing shots of St. Petersburg and the surrounding areas, including an oddly erotic gold fountain on the grounds of the Peterhof Palace:

Fascinating, right? St. Petersburg is a unique city in a unique country and there’s no better way to experience it than in the company of a few thousand gay friends. And if you’re looking to make new friends once you get back on the ship, at least you won’t struggle for conversation starters: look out the window at the incredible, enigmatic city fading away in the background and compare notes. We promise, you’ll have plenty.

Book now!

Tags: Atlantis Events, Baltic, Baltic Cruise, Gay Cruises, Gay Russia, Gay Travel, Russia, St. Petersburg
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Hard Rock San Diego Pride Rocks Package

Wednesday, July 7th, 2010

Hard Rock Hotel San Diego is showing its pride and support for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community with its new Pride Rocks package. Travelers or locals looking for a place to crash during San Diego’s annual LGBT Pride Festival, July 17-18, can take advantage of this new package starting at $219 for an overnight stay in a Hard Rock Studio, which offers sleek and comfortable accommodations in the heart of the city. Guests will also receive a $20 “anything you want credit” which can be used at the hotel’s retro-chic diner Maryjane’s, lavish Rock Spa, acclaimed nightlife venues Float and 207 or for room service or in-room movies. On top of that, Hard Rock Hotel San Diego will donate $20 from every package booked to support San Diego Pride and the Harvey Milk Foundation.

The package is valid for booking through June 1, 2011, based on availability.

Give us a call and let us book your Pride Rocks package today! 1-800-711-6029.

Tags: Gay Travel, Hotel Deals, Hotels, San Diego, Travel Deals
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First Person: Atlantis Baltic Cruise – Tallinn

Tuesday, July 6th, 2010

Tallinn, Estonia…

…is the perfect little day trip city. The town center butts right up against the harbor so you can walk off the ship and begin your sightseeing immediately, no need for a bus or taxi.

Tallinn is one of the oldest cities in the Baltic. While modernizing at a rapid pace now (Tallinn has been called the Silicon Valley of the Baltic), the historic walled city – called Old Town and divided into Upper and Lower – has been named as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. All its Medieval quaintness has been gloriously preserved. If Walt Disney had been a city planner, his creation would have looked a lot like Tallinn.

Start in Upper Old Town and walk up to the lookout point at Dome Hill for a spectacular view:

Wander through the ancient alleyways…

Marvel at one of the most elaborate Russian Orthodox cathedrals ever constructed:

Maybe catch an impromptu archery demonstration from an Estonian who fancies himself to be Robin Hood:

And then meander down to Lower Old Town and have lunch at a café in the town square:

Or let a serving wench bring the food to you…

And after a day of sight-seeing, you’ll take your cobblestone-wearied feet back to the ship, thoroughly charmed, wondering how a place you’d never even heard of before could be now be one of your favorite places. Tallinn, Estonia: who knew?

Stay tuned as we conclude our First Person Baltic tour with a look at our favorite icy temptress: St. Petersburg, Russia.

Tags: Atlantis Events, Baltic, Baltic Cruise, Day Trip, Estonia, Gay Cruises, Gay Travel, Gay Vacations, Tallinn
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First Person: Atlantis Baltic Cruise

Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

Atlantis Events’ Baltic Cruise is coming up July 29-August 8, sailing from Copenhagen to Amsterdam, so we here at Get Gay Travel thought we’d look back on our own voyages through the Baltic to give you some idea what you have to look forward to!

“Now hold on!” you might be saying. “A gay cruise? Eh…I don’t know…”

“Well, why not?” we’d reply.

“Well…” We see your objections mounting.

Stop right there. We understand. Really, we do. The idea of a ship full of 2,000 gay men and women can be intimidating. Maybe you’re not a club kid and all-night dance parties are not your thing. Heck, maybe you’re not even a kid at all. Everyone has a first time, so we’ve been where you are, we’ve thought the same thoughts. Are there all-night dance parties? Yes, and they’re a blast. But if you don’t want to go – and no one is going to force you – that in no way means you’ll be sitting alone bored in your stateroom. What’s shocking about your first Atlantis cruise is the diversity of the people and activities you find. Ages range from 20s to 80s, with every sort of gay demographic well represented: twinks, bears, gym bunnies, leather men, queens of a certain age, city dwellers, country folk…all mingling together over dinner and drinks, dancing, seeing shows, playing games, and relaxing in the sun chasing that deep dark tan. All while making friends that might not be possible at home. The cruise is what you make of it. You wanna dance into the wee hours? Dance away. You wanna sip cocktails in the casino? Roll the dice. It’s your vacation, it’s your ship.

Maybe you come from a small town with no gay scene and the nearest gay bar is hours away. Or maybe you live in the Castro in San Francisco and you and your boyfriend walk down the street holding hands every day. The truth is, though, that even if you live in the gayest neighborhood in the gayest city in the world, our community is a small one. Going on an Atlantis cruise and stepping foot on a beautiful ship full of thousands of gay men allows you – maybe for the first time in your life – to experience what it’s like to be part of the majority, to finally not be the one who’s “different”. It’s a feeling you don’t even know is palpable until you experience it for the first time. But it’s real and it’s magical, and that buzz in the air is the feeling of thousands of gay men and women celebrating it together.

So put your fears aside for a bit and let us tell you about some of our favorite places in the Baltic that you can experience for yourself this summer. Check back again in a few days for a First Person look at Copenhagen!

Tags: Amsterdam, Atlantis Events, Baltic Cruise, Copenhagen, gay cruise, Gay Travel, gay vacation
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