Gay Travel to France
September 30, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Whether traveling to France on a trip across Europe, of visiting this popular country as your vacation destination, travelers will find magnificent beaches, alpine resorts, breathtaking countryside with quaint villages and medieval castles, world-renowned art collections, the glorious French Riviera and the truly unique, exceptional city of Paris.
While travelers partaking in gay vacations often plan their trip around Paris and its vibrant LGBT community, cultural and historical landmarks and accepting cosmopolitan environment, visitors will find that throughout France there is plenty to do and see, as well as many LGBT establishments and a welcoming atmosphere. Laws outlawing sodomy were abolished over 200 years ago and France’s LGBT community has enjoyed civil unions for the last decade. With legal protections in place and a general laissez-faire attitude that is common among the French, visitors will find that France provides an accepting, safe haven for gay vacations.
Numerous community events take place across the country throughout the year, including several pride festivals and a very well-attended pride parade and festival and gay and lesbian film festival in Paris. Some unique establishments to check out while in Paris on a gay vacation include the Marais district LGBT-owned bakery, Legay Choc; the ArtMenParis exhibit of all-male images; and Madame Arthur, L’Artishow and Chez Michou, three cabarets with female impersonators and drag shows. Paris nightlife is lively, with bars open from afternoon until 2am and clubs opening at midnight, and often staying open until noon.
For men who are interested in experiencing the bawdier side of Parisian life, sex clubs, cruising spots and bars with backrooms are easy to find for visitors on gay vacations. Paris is also home to a plethora of saunas, also known as bathhouses, which are popular attractions for both locals and visitors. Saunas are not open 24-hours in France and do not have private rooms to rent. For privacy, visitors can enjoy relaxation cubicles and out-of-towners should keep in mind that going to a sauna is a primarily afternoon activity in Paris, with Sunday afternoons being the most crowded.
While most gay travel destinations cater largely to men, women will find that Paris has a lively lesbian scene that includes everything from a lesbian walking group to a sex shop just for the girls. The Marais district is the center of LGBT life in Paris, and women will find a distinct Sapphic presence there, with bars and clubs that are located mostly at the south end. Ladies will also find several venues sprinkled throughout other neighborhoods, such as the Halles-Beaubourg, Palais Royal, Grands Boulevards and Saint Germain des Pres districts. There is also a bookshop in the Bastille-Republique district and one of the oldest lesbian bars in the city is located in the Palais Royal area.
Although Paris might be the most visited gay vacation destination in France, many other options are available throughout the country, including Avignon in Provence, Montpellier and Nice on the Mediterranian coast, Annecy in the Alps, Nantes in Brittany and the nude community beaches of Camargue. For those who hope to rub elbows with the rich and famous, Saint Tropez on the French Riviera should not be missed, while those looking for a romantic retreat might opt for an LGBT-owned B & B outside of Bourdeaux. With so many gay travel options to choose from, France is truly an ideal setting for a gay vacation.
Howie Holben has traveled throughout the world for more than 30 years. He owns and runs Spirit Journeys, a spiritual gay travel organization. Spirit Journeys has offered gay vacations with a difference since 1992. You can learn more at www.spiritjourneys.com.
Unusual Things to Do While on Vacation
September 30, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Going on a vacation with your family? Traveling into a place that you are not familiar with to spend the holidays? Then you have to make sure that you have to come out of your shell and put on your adventure cap. When traveling for a vacation your intention is to enjoy and have a good time, unfortunately, there are times when you do not enjoy your vacation because of doing the same old thing whenever you go on such vacation. Doing the same routines like staying at your hotel room and taking pictures at different scenic spots can get real old.
So how can you turn around an otherwise boring vacation? Well start shedding your boring vacation techniques and put on your sense for adventure. First thing that you have to do is to get out of your hotel room and explore the sights, you did not travel all the way there to appreciate your hotel room. Once you are out ask guidance from the hotel receptionist on the best spots that you can go to, or better yet why not grab a map and find the spots yourself. The latter is preferred than the former because of the fact that losing your way in an unfamiliar place is part of the adventure, just remember to ask for directions when you completely lost your way and your map is no help at all.
Once you find your way explore the different sites not just by taking photos and appreciating its scenic view, you have to, this time, find a way to explore the sights up close and personal. For example, if you want to appreciate the river and its white water then you have to try white water rafting, many vacation spots offer this kind of extreme sport for a reasonable price so what’s there to stop you from trying it out? Or maybe you would like to enjoy the scenic route of a hiking trail, then maybe there is a certain area that offers more than a hiking trail by offering adventure activities. Maybe you can explore the forest from above using a zip line, this is a fun activity that gives you a feeling of adventure while taking great photos from above for your souvenir.
Or maybe you would like to bring out your family’s competitive spirit, instead of staying at your hotel room and play board games why not go out and play competitive games like paintball? Paintball is a fun multiplayer game that allows you compete with one another or play together as a team, this is also a fun way of enjoying the scenery or the sights in a competitive and fun way. After all the exploring and fun before you head back to your hotel it would complete your vacation if you try and relax by looking for a perfect spot to watch the sunset, ending your day with a relaxing scenery will always keep you energized and ready for the next adventure the following morning.
Mike regularly writes for ProlificPaintball.com, they carry such paintball equipment as the SP8 paintball gun and the Tippmann paintball gun, as well as many other items from a variety of manufacturers.
A Close Look at Airport Coach Transport and Airport Taxi Transfer Services
September 30, 2009 | Leave a Comment
For many people airports can be a stressful experience and it’s not just the flying, simply getting to an airport can be problematic which is why the option to let someone else do the driving, leaving you to relax before you fly is becoming increasingly popular.
Airport transportation comes in many forms and organised airport transfers can be the easiest way to start a trip.
Whether it be executive travel to the airport by airport coach or an airport transfer service arranged via an airport taxi company the peace of mind provided and the ease of transfer is proven to be an effective start to any trip.
Many business users find the convenience of airport taxi transfers as the ideal start to a business trip allowing more time for them to prepare for business meetings and plan for upcoming events without having to be concerned about airport transport.
For holidaymakers an airport transfer service is often the chosen route to get in the holiday spirit from the word go, allowing excitement to build as they sit back, relax and let someone else do the driving. For small groups an airport taxi for 5 people or less would be the best option but larger groups could book an airport coach to really allow the holiday to start with a swing.
Airport transport from the UK’s major airports including Gatwick, Manchester, Heathrow, Stansted, Luton and London is a major part of the airport transportation services available throughout the UK. Pickup and drop offs can be arranged to suit the needs of the passengers with an airport coach or airport taxi sent to meet the customer and take them to their chosen destination.
Stephen Lee, a frequent user of airport taxi transfers, believes that airport transfers are an important factor for the modern traveller: “Before I used airport transport services I’d often face the worry of having to get a lift to the airport or even more problematic, find somewhere to park. Since I started getting an airport taxi the whole process has become a lot easier.”
“The airport taxi service I use has become really important to me in both my business and personal life. When I’m on a business trip it’s so much easier to sort out a transfer from the office to the airport than driving myself and last year 12 of us were heading to Ireland for a stag weekend and by booking an airport coach we could all be picked up separately and make the trip together. The party really got started early on that trip!”
Many customers see the transport from the airport to the hotel as another major benefit of airport transfers. The vehicle types available can be catered to the group size, ranging from taxis and minibuses for smaller groups, up to 65 passenger coaches for the largest groups. In most cases the driver will be waiting for the customers on arrival and will transport them directly to their home or hotel.
“Having my own driver and car waiting at the airport when I arrive at Heathrow airport takes out the hassles of buying train tickets and trying to find the right train to catch into London – and even then you still worry they could be delayed.” Mr Lee continued.
When you need to get to any UK airport easily and with no fuss then look at Connect Point UK’s extensive airport coach transport and airport taxi transfer services as the perfect airport transport solution