Category: Travel
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Kuwait plans medical test to ensure no gay people enter the country
Kuwait Public Health Department has announced plans to conduct ‘medical screening’ tests to “detect” gay people entering the anti-gay region.
IBTimes.co.uk is reporting that the director of public health in Kuwait, Yousouf Mindkar said that ‘routine clinical screening of expatriates coming into the Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC) will include tests to identify LGBT people who will then be banned from entering the country.’
‘Health centres conduct the routine medical check to assess the health of the expatriates when they come into the GCC countries,’ he told local daily Al Rai.
‘However, we will take stricter measures that will help us detect gays who will be then barred from entering Kuwait or any of the GCC member states.’
Homosexuality is illegal in the region with a potential punishment of 10 years in prison for anyone engaging in homosexual behaviour.
Details have not emerged on what form these tests may take, however numerous commenting members on Queerty have said that the Kuwait government have used rectal tests to determine whether a person has had receptive anal sex.
‘And one of their “tests” for homosexuality involves a rectal exam to reveal whether or not you’ve had penetrative anal sex.’ wrote Kenover on the site.
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5 Best Gay Scenes in Europe
It’s totally fabulous to explore different gay scenes when travelling. You can dance the night away to some truly camp-tastic tunes, or cruise the darkrooms for Mr Right Now. Perhaps you want to enjoy feathers and frills at a drag queen cabaret show? We’ve looked at some of the best gay hotspots in Europe to suit everyone’s needs.
Benidorm, Spain
CREDIT: piquetsebtotal
CC0 Public Domain / pixabayThe Benidorm gay village can be found in the Old Town area of this popular Spanish holiday resort. The gay part of Benidorm’s Levante beach sits in front of the Don Cesar café, and is a great place to tan before a night out with your best pals. 7th Heaven has been a popular gay bar for years and has an excellent reputation for making tourists and locals feel welcome. This is a fab bar for an early drink, and the relaxed atmosphere is ideal for meeting new people. Cabaret lovers will enjoy a night at Mardi Gras, with top performances from Miss Stella Artois, plus an excellent Cher tribute act. Younger LGBT crowds can be found at the Mercury nightclub, which is famous for its pumping dance music and buzzing atmosphere. This club is for real party animals only, as the doors don’t even open until after midnight.
Playa del Inglés, Gran Canaria
CREDIT: MonicaVolpin
CC0 Public Domain / PixabayMake your way to the Yumbo Centre for all the gay action you’ll need; this place is like a shopping centre bursting with gay bars and nightclubs. Those of you who love drag queen acts will feel at home in Sparkles Show Bar. Enjoy hilarious cabaret shows and maybe some audience participation too if you’re lucky! Meanwhile, Coco Loco is great for the younger gays who want to dance and enjoy a cheeky flirt (in the hope of starting a holiday romance). There’s also a terrace to cool down on, if it all gets a little hot and sweaty inside. Babylon XL club is for those who really want to party ’til the sun rises. Enjoy laser shows, sexy male dancers and of course the obligatory darkrooms.
The Algarve, Portugal
CREDIT: Peter Etchells LGBT-friendly bars and nightclubs are scattered everywhere in this southern region. Boémio Disco is the oldest gay club in the Algarve and can be found next to the Ponte Velha Bridge in Portimão. Boémio Disco also offers free Wi-Fi, which is ideal if you want to log into Grindr as you dance and sip a cool drink. When you’re not dancing the night away, relax on one of the most beautiful beaches in southern Portugal, the Praua da Rocha, and check out all the guys in their tight speedos. Another club in Portimão is Loft by Pride; which is considered by many to be the best gay club in the Algarve. Then there’s Fame Bar which can be found on the busiest street in Albufeira, a popular holiday resort within the Algarve region. Finally, if you fancy one last boogie before the flight home, check out Heaven Club near Faro airport.
Amsterdam, Holland
The most famous gay area is Reguliersdwarsstraat Street. So how about starting your evening in style here at the Amstel Fifty Four Club, one of the oldest gay bars in Amsterdam? You can join in with raucous groups singing along to the jukebox and belt out your favourite tunes. Afterwards, move onto Club NyX, which is one of the biggest gay discos in the city and promises you a wild evening. Named after the Greek goddess of the night, the club is spread over three floors, each playing a different style of music. If you’re camper than Alan Carr and David Walliams put together then mince your way to the Exit Café next door. This small nightspot is decked out like a mountain ski bar and is full of young, cute Dutchman. So what are you waiting for? Squeeze into that tight t-shirt, spray on the glitter and say hi to the locals!
Paris, France
(c) TheGayUK No list would be complete without a mention of the world’s most romantic city, Paris – a quick hop away from the UK, Paris is reachable by air, train and sea. A bustling gay scene and more romantic walks than you can shake a stick at. Plenty of gay bars await you in the Marais district in the 4th arrondissement of Paris. You’ll find lots of gay friendly bars and restaurants – and no one will bat a eye if you hold your lover’s hand in public – ah gay Paris!
by Matthew Payne / Jake Hook
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UK Government updates advice for LGBT travellers to Russia
The UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has updated its advice for gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans travellers to Russia after new anti-gay laws take effect in Russia.
After TheGayUK contacted the FCO on Friday last week, the Government has updated its advice for LGBT travellers to Russia.
A Spokesperson for the FOC said:
“We have updated our travel advice for Russia to reflect the new law and to give British travellers the information they need to make their own informed decisions about travelling to Russia. The travel advice can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/russia.”
The advice on the FOC website includes a warning from the FCO against travelling to Chechnya, Ingushetia and Dagestan and the districts of Budyonnovsky, Levokumsky, Neftekumsky, Stepnovsky and Kursky in Stavropol Krai.
The news comes as 4 Dutch tourists were detained in Russia after being suspected of promoting homosexuality after the Russian government signed a law banning the promotion of “non-traditional sexual relationships”
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TRAVEL GUIDE | Melbourne
I fully expected to be greeted by a throbbing crowd of Hemsworths when I got off the plane at Melbourne Tullamarine airport a few months ago. That didn’t quite happen – but there are still plenty of hotties to stare at…
CREDIT: Pixabay / Skeeze Unlike its sister city and rival for tourists attention Sydney, Melbourne doesn’t scream gay. It simply comments on it every now and then without overstating. I think the best way of describing gay Melbourne is to picture how gay you are throughout the week. If Sydney is you being gay on a Saturday, Melbourne is how gay you are on Monday. You’re still plenty gay but you’re less likely to be dancing in a parade in skin-tight silver hot pants on a Monday … Less likely but still could be.
So the gay things you enjoy mid-week are what Melbourne has to offer in spades! Fantastic restaurants, a barrage of cafés on every street corner, wine bars and wineries, spas, museums, theatres, concert halls and festivals. Melbourne is everything a trendy gay could ever want.
CREDIT: Pixabay / Wimkantona Let’s start with Chapel Street, a stretch of road that runs through several of Melbourne’s precincts that if you can remember their names you’ll sound less like a tourist. It runs from South Yarra through Prahan (pronounced puh-ran… seriously), Windsor and St Kilda. If you’re ever feeling homesick for trendy shopping and pretentious twink shop assistants this is the place for you. Famously the home of Melbourne’s first Top Shop as well as a myriad of other brand-name stores, restaurants and cafes, this may be the reason all the gays flock here. Or the fact that all the gays flock here is why they opened a Top Shop; chicken vs egg.
If you’re in the mood to have a few drinks and people-watch or get together over dinner and bitch about what people are wearing, this is where I’ll be doing just that so come join me.
Another thing that Melbourne does well is a good festival. It seems that pretty much every weekend the city centre is shutting down in celebration of one thing or another, and for 3 weeks in the summer Melbourne celebrates all things gay with the Midsumma Festival. A huge range of shows, exhibitions, concerts and events culminating in the Pride March in St Kilda (the area by the beach where all the Brits and gays tend to flock) topped off with a massive beach party towards the end of March.
At the same time of year, there is also the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, Melbourne Queer Film Festival and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival (See I told you they do a good festival.) This makes January – March an ideal time to visit with so much going on and weather in which short-shorts are almost compulsory.
CREDIT: Pixabay If you fancy a break from the hustle and bustle of the city, Daylesford is just a 90-minute drive away and is more than gay-friendly; in fact it’s gay-centric. The area boasts the highest concentration of mineral springs in the country and so spa breaks, massage and holistic treatments are in abundance out here combined with breath-taking mountain views it makes for the perfect little romantic getaway.
Clubbing:
Having said all that, you’re gonna want to go out and get drunk at some point and while there is no dedicated gay area as in some cities there are still some great haunts for a great gay night out.The first venue that people mention is the Greyhound Hotel, this is a massive venue with several different rooms within and always a great show to be seen. The greyhound is a gay venue from Wednesday – Sunday but it open for other events and functions throughout the week.
Another great venue is The Peel Hotel over in Collingwood (not quite in the city centre or as the Melbournians call it the CBD but close enough to walk/stumble). The Peel is a great venue if you want a wide variety of music throughout the night and, as it opens at 9pm until 8 am, it’s usually the place to go after you’ve been kicked out everywhere else.
The imaginatively titled Poof Doof is a Saturday night event held in the CBD (central business district, in case you didn’t know) on Little Collins St. Not so much a gay club Poof Doof is held in the equally suggestively titled Bottom End Pub, which believe it or not isn’t a gay bar! It’s just a cool, trendy pub/bar/dance floor that is transformed into a perfectly seedy gay disco from 11 pm on Saturdays.
There’s a hidden upstairs entrance that I could not find the first two times I went there and a strict “no photos” policy which means what happens in the disco, stays in the disco.
Other gay venues include but are not limited to: IQ in Collingwood, Pretty Please in St Kilda and Love Machine over in Chapel Street; all of which have been described as young and a bit pretentious… which maybe your thing or not.
Lesbian club-wise there are a few gay-friendly and centric venues geared towards the ladies such as Alia bar in Collingwood and DnM in South Yarra. Having said that when I was there, DnM had a drag show with hot male AND female dancers, alongside Carly Rae Jepsen remixes and break-dancing miniature lesbians … now that was a fun night.
Melbourne is a fantastic city and one of my absolute favourites in all the world; and just because it isn’t in your face gay, doesn’t mean it can’t be.
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HISTORY: Manchester Canal Street
Manchester Gay Village has a long history that makes it truly vintage. Starting as an underground scene in the sixties, through the decades it has transformed to what it is today: one of the most vibrant gay scenes in the UK. In this article, we’ll cover the significant events that led to this transformation, describe the Village today and briefly contemplate its future.
In the 60s the area that would become the Village was deserted following the collapse of the cotton industry. Having been industrialised it was a gloomy part of the city with little life. The night visitors to the area were either men looking for prostitutes or the prostitutes themselves.
At this point it was still illegal for men to have sex with men, gay people were isolated, not seen as part of society and often encouraged to conform and get married to someone of the opposite sex.
The New Union Pub started out as a place for men to meet female prostitutes, but it soon started to attract a small number of gay men. Female prostitutes and gay men might sound like an odd combination, but it was a relationship of mutual legal protection. If the Police ever raided, the prostitutes would pretend to be the gay men’s girlfriends so that neither could be arrested for their respective crimes: prostitution or men that are having sex with men.
In 1967 after campaigning in Manchester, London and other cities the law was changed so that men having sex with men were no longer doing anything illegal, but societal attitudes would take longer to change.
In the 70s the civil rights movement in Manchester continued to campaign for equality. The Rembrandt Pub opened as well as one or two others; but these few venues were regularly raided by the police aiming to catch gay men engaging in sexual activity in public places. The police applied the law unfairly, as it was only applied to gay men and often the attitudes of police officers were perceived as homophobic.
Then the early 80s came and along with it HIV/AIDS. This caused an increase in homophobia in society but caused the gay community to stand together. In the Village the Thompson Arms seemed to have opened at around this time, if not slightly earlier.
By the late 80s more gay people were coming out. In Manchester protests against Section 28 took place that passed through the city centre, the Village and ended at the town hall. At one of these Manchester protests around 20,000 people marched and what was significant was that: they weren’t all gay. In the Village New York, New York, Queen Club (now Company Bar) and Napoleons opened at around this time. The New Union and Rembrandt were still going strong.
In the late 80s Manchester Pride was also born, although it wasn’t named as that until many years later. It started with the owners of Rembrandt, Napoleons and the New Union wanting to do something on the August Bank Holiday weekend, the main event in the first year was an afternoon bring and buy sale. The vigil aspect came a few years later, when the gay people of Manchester started losing their friends, lovers and life partners to HIV/AIDS.
The 90s brought a glass-fronted revolution started by the newly opened Manto bar. Before Manto the Village had a very “behind closed doors” feel to it, and this glass-fronted venue was symbolic of being: out and proud. New bars sprang up including Metz, Prague 5 (now G-A-Y), Vanilla and Via Fossa. Poptastic and Cruz 101 clubs opened around this time as well.
The late 90s brought Queer As Folk, a TV programme that dramatised life of three gay men in the Village. It was aired on Channel 4 and signified that there had been a major shift in societal attitudes towards gay people.
By the noughties the Village was similar to as it is now but the construction of The Beacon of Hope was significant. The Beacon of Hope stands on the edge of the canal in Sackville Park. It is a beautiful artistic steal structure that lights up in the evening symbolic of remembrance. Although we’ve moved on, we’ve not forgotten our gay brothers and sisters who’ve been lost to HIV/AIDS.
The Village today is a clean and bright setting with plenty of bars and clubs that gives it a vibrant atmosphere. It has the Village Business Association (business owners group), the Lesbian and Gay Foundation (a charity aimed at improving the health & well-being of gay people), Manchester Pride (one of the biggest pride events in the country) and a myriad of community groups around every sort of leisure activity you could imagine. If you want to find out more about Manchester Gay Village, see our guide to gay Manchester
Looking at the Village’s history one thing that is clear: it has always brought the gay community of Manchester together. Once together gay people have always instigated the change they want to happen. As long as the Village continues to bring the gay community together, be a part of the changes and keep up with them, it’s future will remain secure.
Antony Simpson, writer of this article wasn’t born until the mid-eighties. So in addition to speaking to some of his older friends who witnessed to some of the historic events in this article, he would also like to reference the following sources:
Gaydio: Your Story Radio Documentary, available:http://yourstory.gaydio.co.uk/documentaries/
Guardian: Village people by Beatrix Campbell, available:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2004/aug/07/gayrights.communities
Channel 4 OD: Queer As Folk
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/queer-as-folk/4od
Wikipedia: Canal Street (Manchester), available:
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canal_Street_(Manchester)
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TRAVEL GUIDE | Valencia
A Gay In Valencia
CREDIT: TheGayUK The sun poured down upon me as I stepped off the jet for my 36 hours non-stop whirlwind tour of Valencia. Now this is the kind of article I like to write. Sun, sea and Spain. I was in Valencia, Spain’s third largest city, for the launch of Ford’s brand new Kuga, but why not kill two birds with one stone, look at the car and marvel at its wondrousness and secondly get some quality time in Spain and write about one of the most gay friendly cities in Spain.
Even though it was the 1st of February the temperature soared above 26 degrees and even the locals admitted it was a bit of a rarity for so early on in the year, however I didn’t mind having only just hours before left the grey, dank and ever so depressing 4.00AM morning of Great Britain.
Almost a second home for us Brits, Spain has it all, great wines, great food and abundance of sunshine and the lesser known destination of Valencia is an incredible jewel on Spain’s eastern seaboard, nestled a few hundred miles below Barcelona. It has it all, azure seas, miles of soft, spongey sands, bustling cafes, shopping, culture and art.
Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències by Marcp Dmoz First stop on my gay in Valencia was the iconic and otherworldly Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències (City of Arts and Sciences). Extraordinary in their design, these incredible structures rise out of crystal pools of water and house an array of the weird and wonderful. Take a moment to just marvel at the sheer engineering of these iconic buildings, you could be on the set of a futuristic Hollywood blockbuster. The first of these sheer enamel coloured forms is the L’Hemisfèric which was completed in 1998, it houses Valencia’s IMAX, Planetarium and Laserium, other buildings include L’Oceanogràfic (the largest open air oceanographic park in Europe, and the immense El Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia, Valencia’s own opera house, giving even Sydney’s superstar Opera House a run for its money.
CREDIT: TheGayUK After lunch, hot foot it over to the Institut Valencià d’Art Modern (Valencian Institute of Modern Art) to catch up on the latest and greatest from the world of modern art, however if this is all too much like hard work, you could always grab a coffee at one of many downtown cafes and simply watch life go by.
After a quick refreshment, off to the shops to emerge yourself in the many little boutiquey fashion outlets, many of them carrying some rare vintage pieces, and the owners are always happy to help, and even converse in English if Spanish isn’t your strongest talent.
CREDIT: TheGayUK If you want to get trendy, then head over to Ruzafa, which is the place for all your exclusive, concept shopping needs. You simply must check out Caroline, one of coolest places in Valencia. The shop aims to boost designers’ profiles, but allows only products that fall into Caroline’s exclusive product philosophy. Whilst there check out Garage Vintage for vintage 70s, 80s and 90s clothing and Gnomo, where you can find decor, lighting toys and all manner of gadgets. However if you’re looking for more recognisable high-street names then head over to Colon, which is the main shopping street.
The marvellous thing is that almost everywhere in Valencia is walkable and because the weather is usually so fine, it’s lovely to meander down the back streets of this ancient, dusty romantic city.
So onto dinner, well Valencia isn’t short of a few places to eat and if your into extreme dining pleasure than I can only recommend dining at the 3 Michelin starred Vuelve Carolina for some sensational cuisine. The chef upon hearing I was vegetarian, did not scream obscenities at me and chase me down the street with a carving knife in one hand and a leg of pancetta in the other – but made a bespoke, gorgeous plate of fresh sea vegetables and fresh baked breads, hummus and other tapas delights. Don’t forget the Spanish don’t tend to eat till late so don’t expect the party to get started until ten.
After dinner you might want to experience a bit of the gay nightlife in Valencia, well there are some great little hotspots in town. The majority of Valencia’s gay area is centred around the old town in the Barrio Del Carmen. Valencia is said to be more liberal than both Madrid and Barcelona. There are plenty of bars, clubs, saunas and accommodation options in Valencia.
CREDIT: TheGayUK I stayed at the five-star Hotel Santos Las Arenas, a beautiful, plush hotel which boasts sea views and is planted right on the beach front. The bedrooms are cool and decorated in typical elegance, whilst you can lavish and de-stress in your room’s shower/bathroom, with high end cleansing products. I’ve never quite experienced a shower like it, you’ll just have to believe me when I say, even your feet will thank you for the hydro massage. The numerous spas, pools and relaxation spaces will invigorate as well as rejuvenate the senses before you leave for a brisk walk along the promenade taking in the sites of beach life in Valencia, catch early morning joggers and yoga practitioners as they shape up for the day ahead. The staff are trained to an exceptional level and nothing is too much trouble and many, if not all, are multi lingual. You can call the hotel directly at +34 963 120 600.
Before you head off back home make sure you visit the Modernist Mercado Central, it’s one of
CREDIT: TheGayUK Europe’s largest indoor markets. The vendors and stalls sell a remarkable array of goods from fresh fruits and vegetables to robust wines and brawny cheeses, and in the middle of it all you’ll find a Tapas haven, perfect for a spot of lunch before boarding the jet back to Blighty.
SwissAir, Iberia, British Airways, Ryanair and easyJet all fly to Valencia from various airports around the UK, from £48 return RyanAir Flights leaving on Saturday 20th April – Tuesday 23rd April 2013, or £110 /£191 easyJet / AirFrance
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HOTEL REVIEW | The Wensleydale Heifer
★★★★★ | The Wensleydale Heifer
They say no-one expects the Spanish Inquisition. They would probably also not expect a rather splendid fish restaurant and boutique hotel in the landlocked Yorkshire Dales.
Nestling in the ample bosom of the picturesque Dales, the Wensleydale Heifer is admittedly off the beaten path, situated in the tiny village of West Witton, but it’s well worth the drive to experience what is one of the finest dining experiences my partner and I have had in a long time.
The hotel itself comprises a number of themed bedrooms all playfully but tastefully decorated. We had the Whiskey Room for our night’s stay, which was pleasantly warm and inviting, incorporating distillery memorabilia around the walls with tartans and a wee dram of complimentary whiskey which greeted us on arrival (not a great whiskey fan I instead devoured the marvellous complimentary home made cookie and pondered what delights the people in the next door Chocolate Room were enjoying. Would they ever leave the room?)
Dinner was in the fish restaurant after making our menu selections in the informal warmth of the lounge. A nice touch when we reached the table was the two small hors d’oeuvres to whet our appetites. Service was good and what they very occasionally lacked in professional finesse they made up for in attentiveness.
My starter was Japanese panko crusted goats cheese fritters with jam, pine nuts and rocket salad. My partner had Whitby crab, gravalax, potato, shallot and chive tian, salmon, pink grapefruit vinaigrette and salad. Both were excellent, well presented with a nice contrast in taste. For mains I had tarragon and white truffle crusted hake with parmesan and rocket risotto and shallots and my partner had Roast Cornish turbot fillet, tagliatelle of Venus clams and brown shrimp, white wine and garlic fresh pea shoots and pea oil. We loved both. You could tell that this is a restaurant that loves its fish. The wine and garlic cream gave the latter a nice body without it being too heavy and both mains were excellently presented with lovely flavours. The hake was fresh and though it’s very easy to over serve risotto, they got the quantity just right.
Looking forward to dessert I plumped for the ice cream brownie and my partner the stem ginger parfait, both of which were very good.
After retiring for the night we had the English breakfast that though didn’t quite match the fine dining of the night before, was still very welcome.
Overall The Heifer is highly recommended whether you fancy a few days retreat in exclusive and quirky surroundings or just booking a classy meal out. Even if you don’t think you’re a fish fan you can’t fail to be bowled over by the combination of flavours and styles in each dish which, combined with a stylish contemporary setting and excellent accommodation should put it on every foodie’s menu.
To book the Wensleydale Heifer call: 01969 622322 or visit: http://www.wensleydaleheifer.co.uk
