Battling Homophobia in Indonesia with Alturi

Alturi battles homophobia in Indonesia and around the world
Homophobia in Indonesia

Increasingly outrageous and homophobic comments by senior government officials in Indonesia are creating an atmosphere of growing intolerance and hostility towards the LGBTI community there, according to Steve Roth, co-founder and director of Alturi (as well as ManAboutWorld global correspondent).  It has gotten bad enough that some of the most vulnerable in the community have been forced to flee their homes to seek protection and safety elsewhere. 

The Indonesian LGBTI network Arus Pelangi has quickly put together an emergency response program – including a safe house, relocation assistance, a national hotline and other support services – to help those most in need but their funding for these efforts is limited.  So Alturi has teamed up with Human Rights Watch and OutRight Action International to launch a campaign here in the U.S. to support their work.

With support from Americans and others around the world, Arus Pelangi will be able to provide these much needed emergency services for the LGBTI community through the end of the year.

The press release on the following page contains more details.  You can also check out the campaign here.  Continue reading “Battling Homophobia in Indonesia with Alturi”

First-Ever Guide to LGBT Business Travel- FREE from ManAboutWorld

LGBT Business Travel Guide
LGBT Business Travel Guide

Get the first-ever LGBT Business Travel guide from ManAboutWorld. 

We’ve learned from experience that LGBT businesspeople and entrepreneurs face added pressures not only in the workplace but especially when they travel for business — being expected to perform at high levels amid uncertainty.

On April 25, we published the first LGBT Guide to Business Travel. As you know, business travelers have little discretion in where they go for work and for LGBT business travelers this experience can be more than confusing; it can be downright frightening. Imagine traveling to a nation like Uganda — one of 76 countries where LGBT conduct can be criminalized. Something as simple as communicating to your partner on social media raises caution flags. How do you stay connected? Meeting local LGBT people privately may put you at risk of violence or possibly to locals if in public. Who can you trust about your identity whether it is people you meet or your own employer while traveling for business? The Guide covers everything from common questions, such as choosing to be open at work, but also serious concerns about personal safety.

GET THE GUIDE IN THE FREE MANABOUTWORLD APP

Download_on_the_App_Store_Badge_US-UK_135x40       GooglePlayLarge

Want MORE ManAboutWorld?

CLICK FOR A FREE THREE-MONTH SUBSCRIPTION

to ManABoutWorld Magazine and other benefits with a free membership to ManAboutWorld. 

Don’t have an iOS or Android device?  

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A PDF OF THE GUIDE 

ManAboutWorld’s Guide to Weddings, Honeymoons + Celebration Travel (FREE!)

ManAboutWorld's ultimate free guide to weddings, honeymoons and celebration travel

It started with the destination wedding. As our families — both by blood and more modern definitions — live increasingly spread-out lives, the idea of bringing people together somewhere other than our hometowns becomes increasingly attractive and practical. As long as people are getting on a plane, why not make it somewhere exciting and different? For those of us in expensive places like New York and London, exotic can also end up being less expensive.

The trend quickly extended to other celebrations, and at ManAboutWorld, we can think of no better way to celebrate a wedding, birthday, anniversary or any personal or professional milestone than gathering a group of friends and/or family for a special travel experience.

Cheers and a clink of some bubbly for ManAboutWorld’s free Ultimate Guide to Weddings, Honeymoons + Celebration Travel. Just download the free ManAboutWorld app and check your library of issues for this guide. Tap on it and start planning your next celebration travel experience. You need an iPhone, iPad or Android device to view the guide.

 

 

Here’s are some of the topics covered in the guide:

Deciding on an experience/style
Timing your trip
Finding and working with an expert
Planning your budget
Choosing a destination
Managing a guest list
Communicating excitement
Social media strategies
Planning a ceremony
All the little details
Packing for your trip
Preparing for your departure
Enjoying the moment
Managing group dynamics
Embracing the unexpected
Easing your return
Sharing your memories

From our personal experience doing this — a 40th birthday in South Africa, a 50th birthday in Merida, an anniversary trip ManAboutWorld's ultimate free guide to weddings, honeymoons and celebration travelon a yacht in Greece — we know that the celebration trip can be exceptionally rewarding. But the planning and execution involves lots of decisions and details that can quickly derail the good times. We turned to some of our Global Correspondents and other experts who specialize in group travel to help us sort through the process, and help you plan your own memories-of-a-lifetime trip.

They are available to help you plan your own milestone travel experience — you’ll find their bios and contact information in the last section of the guide. There are special considerations when the destination celebration you’re planning involves a wedding. Where appropriate we’ve highlighted those considerations throughout this section of the guide.

 

Visit Paris in ManAboutWorld’s Latest Issue

Paris in ManAboutWorld gay travel magazine
Paris

Enough of the Champs-Elysees and the Louvre. We’ve heard it all before. Lets talk about the Paris of now: the cute hipster boys of SoPi, the scene at Huabu, the vintage hotels of Oberkampf, and the members-only basement clubs. Our latest guide reimagines Paris like you’ve never known it, set to launch you into the city’s hottest neighborhoods, newest restaurants and chicest new bars. (And yes, we can help you find your way through your beloved, traditional Paris, too. We’ve got you covered.)

We discovered a side of Paris we’d never seen before. A new Paris. A Paris forced to survive unspeakable terror and rebuild itself, reinvent itself, and reestablish itself as the greatest city in the world. And now it’s ready to show you why it’s the city the entire world has imitated for centuries.

Also in this issue: Myanmar, Sicily, Greece, Hawaii, a gay family on a Carnival cruise and much more.

Download the March issue and we’ll introduce you to the people, places and things you need to know to plan the perfect trip through the world’s greatest city.

ManAboutWorld has information on many more destinations around the world! Download our very cool digital gay travel magazine for destinations around the globe. Find ManAboutWorldApp on the iTunes App Store or Google Play. We support Apple and Android devices. There are a few free publications in all of the apps, and you can click here to register for a FREE three-month subscription.

Photo: via Flickr Juanedc.com

Heading to Buenos Aires? Stop Here First

Dancer in Buenos Aires and in ManAboutWorld gay travel magazine
Dancer in Buenos Aires

If it’s your first time in Buenos Aires, begin your exploration with this guide brought to you by ManAboutWorld correspondents John Walker and Gavin Patterson who recently visited ManAboutWorld last covered Buenos Aires in December 2013.

Croque Madame and the Museo Nacional de Arte Decorativo
Lunch at Croque Madame in Buenos Aires is a total treat. Set in the old coach house of the Museo Nacional de Arte Decorativo, this divine little restaurant has class and sophistication at a reasonable price. Arrive early and you will secure one of the sought after tables surrounding the fountain in the garden. The elegant decor inside hints at the splendour associated with times past. The museum opens for free tours at 2pm and, although sometimes overlooked by visitors, it is an absolute must. Filled with exquisite European antiques, paintings and sculptures, this grand mansion houses some of the most priceless works in this part of the world.

Aspen Square, Palermo Soho
To find a hotel like Aspen Square is definitely a tip to be shared. The rooms are large, tastefully furnished

Croque Madame in Buenos Aires and in ManAboutWorld gay travel magazine
Croque Madame

and very comfortable. The staff couldn’t be more accommodating and helping visitors become acquainted with their beautiful city is what they do best. Breakfast is hearty and all inclusive and if you need to unwind there’s a small gym and pool on the top floor. The best part is the location in the heart of hip Palermo Soho, just a few minutes walk from the best restaurant precinct in Buenos Aires. It’s a safe and restful sojourn for the savvy traveler.

Peuteo Bar, Palermo Soho
Sampling gay bars in a foreign city can sometimes make you feel like Cinderella; it can be hard to find the right fit. Peuteo Bar in Palermo Soho has the magic mix of evening chic, fun and frivolity. Perfect for quieter cocktails during the week, on Friday and Saturday night the party anthems are pumping and the place is packed. Combine a dinner in trendy Armenia Square with drinks around the corner at this cosy, hospitable little bar. Most will find it a perfect fit and you might just meet a few of the local handsome princes.

Esquina Carlos Gardel Tango Show
Esquina Carlos Gardel Tango Show is about flare and passion, agile leg flicks and close sultry embraces. The orchestra above the stage ensures the rhythm of Tango is incisive, exciting, powerful and provocative as the tango dancers, in their brilliant colourful costumes, charm and mesmerise the audience. The show highlights both traditional and contemporary tangos with open gestures, intricate footwork, elegant lifts, kicks, and drops. The show is held in a beautiful traditional theatre which oozes the luxury and splendour of the tango era with its refined furnishings, nostalgic artworks and photographs. An all-inclusive, á la carte dinner is served before the show.

Pepo Pepona Gay Restaurant
A welcome kiss by the owner hints at a night full of friendly festivities at Pepo Pepona. Although the waiters will deliver a serving of ground pepper you will never forget, dining in Buenos Aires’ only gay restaurant is definitely not the ‘main course’. That would be the entertainment which begins about 12am with four extremely handsome and very well-endowed strippers gyrating and pulsating around the tables for optimum crowd pleasure. Each representing an erotic fantasy, the doctor, once out of his scrubs, was able to work his stethoscope with specialist precision. Hot and bothered, you’ll be begging for an encore. Don’t miss this evening of lustful, latino treats.

BA Gay Travel
Armando at BA Gay Travel (IGLTA affiliated) will design a tour or package a holiday to suit your needs. His 7 night Gay Buenos Aires and Iguazu Falls extravaganza with flights, transfers, private English speaking guides and accommodation is a sensational way to experience some of the best the country has to offer on a short stay. The company also specializes in gay wedding ceremonies and will arrange all the legal and celebratory details while you enjoy a relaxing, leisurely time in the city. Prices are affordable and the service is outstanding. Local knowledge and understanding will make your vacation truly memorable and hassle-free.

Gay Travel News Brief: Censored in China and more

Gayogrphay gay travel newsbriefA vital resource for LGBTIQ travelers, focusing on news, vacation insights, advocacy and current events in major cities around the globe, the GAYography brief is published every Thursday. This brief is brought to you by ManAboutWorld global correspondent and all around good guy, Ashton Giese

The Russian State says it will make you straight and Indonesian authorities are going back to the dark ages — claiming gay rights are a proxy war against the society – and worse than a nuclear attack! Plus discover the best spots in Rome with Two Bad Tourists complete gay guide to the city & get tips on finding romance (i.e. vacation sex) from an experienced traveler.

Find all the latest critical LGBTIQ travel news – as well as travel tips in this week’s #GAYography brief

This is Monaco Week In New York.

Inside Les Ballets de Monte-CarloChris Roelandt, backstage (2011)(C) A. Blangero
Inside Les Ballets de Monte-CarloChris Roelandt, backstage (2011)(C) A. Blangero

It’s Monaco Week in New York. It’s a principality. It’s a microstate. With 38,000 souls its population is smaller than most neighborhoods in New York but it’s a fantastic destination, hidden in plain sight — a beautiful Mediterranean harbor and surrounding city  climbing up on surrounding hills. You remember Grace Kelly married into royalty here. You think if you don’t have a yacht you are not welcome.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Monaco can be experienced on just about any budget and it punches way beyond its weight in culture and cuisine. This is your week to experience what Monegasques know: Monaco is an easy to get to, exotic European getaway you’ll be the first in your Facebook feed to boast about. Learn more about Monaco this week when “Monaco Takes New York.” Here’s the official release:

Cinderella at New York City Center
Led by talented director-choreographer Jean-Christophe Maillot, Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo performs its mesmerizing modern rendition of Prokoviev’s Cinderella at New York City Center:

Thursday, February 18 – 8:00 pm
Friday, February 19 – 8:00 pm
Saturday, February 20 – 2:00 pm and 8:00 pm
Individual tickets are now on sale at the theater box office at 131 West 55th Street, by phone at City Tix on (212) 581 1212 or online atwww.nycitycenter.org.

On Thursday, February 18, Cartier and the Consulate General of Monaco co-host an opening night VIP experience featuring tickets to

Flavors of MonacoCinderella followed by an exclusive cocktail reception under the patronage of Monaco’s Ambassador to the United States. Guests can mingle with members of Les Ballets’ company and feast on organic treats prepared by Monaco’s Chef Paolo Sari. The Opening Night Experience package is $300 per person and may be purchased online atwww.monaco-nyc.com. Space is extremely limited. Proceeds to benefit Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo.

Between Monday, February 15 and Saturday, February 20, Circo and sister-restaurant Le Cirque will partner with Monte-Carlo SBM to host Chef Paolo Sari, Executive Chef of the Monte-Carlo Beach whose restaurant, Elsa, is the world’s only 100% organic Michelin-starred restaurant.

Chef Sari will apply his innovative and avant-garde farm-to-table style to create the week’s prix-fixe 100% organic menus – lunch and dinner at Circo; 6-course degustation dinner only at Le Cirque.

Circo, 120 West 55th Street, (212) 286 3636,reservations@circonyc.com, www.circonyc.com

Le Cirque, 151 East 58th Street, (212) 644 0202,reservations@lecirque.com, www.lecirque.com

Photo: Inside Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo (C) A. Blangero

Free Guide to Same-Sex Weddings, Honeymoons and Celebration Travel

ManAboutWorld's Guide to Weddings, Honeymoons and Celebration Travel
Cheers to this free new guide!

We gays travel for any reason: romance, weddings, honeymoons, celebrations, the drop of a hat … So ManAboutWorld came out with the perfect (free!) guide for us. Download ManAboutWorld’s free Guide to Weddings, Honeymoons and Celebration Travel. We included our own expert advice as well as that of a number of our Global Correspondents and other travel and wedding experts who specialize in group travel to help us sort through the process, and help you plan your own memories-of-a-lifetime trip.

You need an iPhone, iPad or Android tablet to read it. Download ManAboutWorld via the App Store or Google Play and read through the following helpful topics we covered:

Deciding on an experience/style
Timing your trip
Finding and working with an expert
Planning your budget
Choosing a destination
Managing a guest list
Communicating excitement
Social media strategies
Planning a ceremony
Keeping track of the little details
Packing for your trip
Preparing for your departure
Enjoying the moment
Managing group dynamics
Embracing the unexpected
Easing your return
Sharing your memories

Whether it’s a honeymoon, wedding or other romantic or celebratory travel occasion, don’t even begin to start planning till you read this free guide! All you need is an iPhone, iPad or Android tablet to view it. Go to the App Store or Google Play to download the ManAboutWorld app. The guide is free. Champagne is on you!

 

5 Reasons To Visit Thailand Now

Sergio and his smile at the beach in the Land of Smiles (Thailand) and in ManAboutWorld gay travel magazine
Sergio and his smile at the beach

So many people had recommended Thailand as a great place to visit, with so many enthusiastic reviews and comments about this beautiful country and its inhabitants. I had very high expectations… and all of them were fulfilled. I just came back from a three-monts trip around Southeast Asia, and Thailand was both the first and last stop of my trip. It’s definitely a recommendable destination whatever your idea of perfect holidays is. Why you should choose Thailand then?

This report on Thailand — the Land of Smiles — was written by Sergio Scardia, the Scruffy Italian Traveler an ManAboutWorld’s latest global correspondent.

Here just five reasons to love the Land of Smiles:

  1. Are you a foodie? Tired of the boring Western food, in desperate need of a break from pizza, burgers, buns. don’t hesitate! Thai street food, with its gorgeous fresh recipes full of vegetables and natural flavours, its fresh fruit juices, amazing rice based currys… will conquer your belly, and make you feel home!
  2. Are you a party fan? Looking for big nights out, plenty of booze, music and crazy beach Sergio in the Land of Smiles (Thailand) and in ManAboutWorld gay travel magazineparties, or buzzing bars in the best areas of the cities, no place in the world is better than Thailand! Gay bars in Bangkok and Phuket, for example, are full of locals and visitors every night of the week, and at weekends even packed! So they are a great choice for some good fun!
  3. Are you looking for a relaxing environment, sandy tropical beaches for a honeymoon-like holidays… you will find plenty of them in Thailand! Krabi, Koh Lipe, Koh Tao are my favourite ones so far… but many more breathtaking amazing places are just waiting for you to discover them!
  4. Are you looking for some “me time”, in need of relax and meditation, to free your mind from stressful Western lives? Or for a cultural holidays, because your dream is wandering for hours around ancient temples, feeling lost in time… well, don’t think twice! You will find plenty of opportunities in Thailand!
  5. Are you interested in hiking, rafting, swimming in beautiful lakes, rivers, spending hours under natural waterfalls, looking for the most beautiful snake, butterfly, monkey, or rat to capture in your pics, as well as meeting local people in their own villages, or looking for a bit of adventure? You must definitely try Thailand!

See? In the so called Land of Smiles, you can virtually find anything you are looking for! Are you still in doubt? Plenty more pics of beautiful Thailand on my Instagram account,instagram.com/gios981. Should we organize a trip together? Just get in touch.

Sergio in the Land of Smiles (Thailand) and in ManAboutWorld gay travel magazine

Paddleboard Yoga with Dennis Hensley

Dennis Hensley, doing yoga paddleboard in the Caribbean, reporting for ManAboutWorld gay travel magazine
What up, dog?

After getting a quick lesson in how to navigate, our teacher Katie paddled with us from the beach to an anchored rope line in the bay where we attached our boards. Then the class proper started with no gongs, no Enya, just the sound of the wind and the waves and Katie’s expert instruction. As a semi-experienced yogi, it was interesting to discover what poses were feasible on a paddleboard and what had to be modified. You’re thinking, ‘Please don’t go into Crescent, Katie. There’s no way.’ Luckily, there was no Crescent but we did do a twist of Warrior 2 on one knee with a foot hooked over the board’s side that I kind nailed. I fell in five times while my yoga pal Scott only fell in once but when the water’s that gorgeous and refreshing, falling in is half the fun.

I love to take yoga classes when I travel especially if the setting is somewhere really unique, like a skyscraper in Dubai or a beach in Zihuatanejo. My favorite travel yoga experience to-date came courtesy of Sup Fit on the island of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. What made the class special was not just the gorgeous locale — near the Marriott resort beach — but the fact that we were on paddleboards. [This story is written by ManAboutWorld Global Correspondent, Dennis Hensley, who is shown in these photos posing up a yoga storm.]

Dennis Hensley, doing yoga paddleboard in the Caribbean, reporting for ManAboutWorld gay travel magazine
Preparing for paddleboard yoga

My favorite part was at the end when you lay there like you’re dead AKA savasana. You’re facing the sky with your hands dangling in the water while Katie says a few inspiring words about the “ebb and flow” of life and it just doesn’t get any better than that. Scott told me after that a fish brushed up against his hand during savasana as if to remind him exactly where he was. I tried not to be jealous.

So if you find yourself in St. Thomas—perhaps on a cruise—and want to do something unique for your body, mind and soul, check out Sup Fit VI paddleboard yoga. Our class was $29 for 75 minutes and they also offer a Sup Fit resistance training class that if that’s more your thing. Getting touched by a fish is extra.

Dennis Hensley, doing yoga paddleboard in the Caribbean, reporting for ManAboutWorld gay travel magazine
It’s harder than it looks

Ready for your own yoga paddleboard experience?: