Tag Archives: Travel

Gay travelers have good reason to be wary of the Caribbean Islands.  While some islands are more tolerant than others, most are influenced by conservative Christian churches and many have a terrible track record with regards to LGBT rights.  Affluent, gay North American and European travelers aren’t subjected to the same overt discrimination that residents are but it might be smart to read, Global Gay Boyz post for LGBT travelers if you have never traveled to the Caribbean before.

Despite its wealth, The Cayman Islands remains a conservative society and while they are more tolerant than most Caribbean nations, overt forms of PDA are not wise. There isn’t any gay life to speak of in the traditional sense of a defined neighborhood or designated gay bars.  However, O Bar near Seven Mile Beach is a popular hang out where gay locals and travelers will frequent.  For more details visit O Bar’s Faceebook page.

While there is no gay beach, some will meet by the Royal Palms (restaurant and bar) or Calico Jack’s along Seven Mile Beach.  According to locals, Royal Palms “Industry Night” hosted each Wednesday, as well as Friday night and Sunday during the day are when Royal Palms will be busiest.  Calico Jack’s best night is Saturdays.

Regardless of where you go, it is easy to have  great time in Grand Cayman. There are many places to visit, dine and relax.  Should you be planning a trip and have questions, feel free to reach out to me by leaving a comment below or email me.

The Cayman Islands are a tiny collection of three islands nestled in the Western Caribbean nearest Jamaica and Cuba.  The largest island, Grand Cayman, is 20+ mile long.  Grand Cayman is unlike most other Caribbean islands in that  off shore banking is actually the largest industry – not tourism. This means that you will find an affluent population of professional ex-pats (mostly Canadian) living there.

BosGuy and his coconuts

We visited two friends who are now Caymanians (yes that is what they are called); one originally from Trinidad & Tobago and the other from Scotland by way of Canada. While staying at our friend’s beautiful home we were able to really see the island through the eyes of locals.

I’ll write more about Grand Cayman this week including:

• What to do if you arrive by cruise ship
• Places of interest
• Where to dine

Please share your experiences if you’ve visited before.  If you are contemplating a visit to Grand Cayman and have questions reach out to me by leaving a comment here on my blog or emailing me directly.

Sergio and I returned from spending a week in the Caribbean where we visited friends who live on Grand Cayman.  The trip was just what we needed.  We spent time exploring the island, meeting people and soaking up some much needed warmth and sun before returning to Boston.

I enjoyed our time there and will be sharing posts later this week about our experience, including travel tips should you decide to visit this tiny island.  If you have any questions about visiting the Cayman Islands, feel free to reach out to me by leaving a comment in this post or emailing me directly.

Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman Island

Later today Sergio and I leave the frozen tundra Boston to visit a friend who lives on Grand Cayman Island.  We’ve never been to this tiny Caribbean island and we are excited not only to see Steve but to also visit someplace new.

Blogging may slow down a bit while we are away so apologies in advance for anyone who may be waiting on a comment to be approved or if I don’t follow up as quickly as I normally do through the other channels that I push my content.

I promise to take many pictures and will have plenty to share upon my return.

Stay Warm

Earlier this month work brought me out to California. Rather than flying home right away, I decided to cash in some loyalty points and stay at the Westin Market Street in San Francisco’s SOMA district for a night so I could visit a friend I’ve known since grade school who now lives in North Beach.

When given the choice, I like to stay in SOMA.  The neighborhood is convenient to touristy destinations like the waterfront and Union Square as well as the financial district and plenty of gay bars (one needn’t only spend time in The Castro).  The Westin San Francisco is situated between Mission and Market Street.  The property was clean and well managed, and I would return to without hesitation. My 24th floor hotel room offered me a lovely view of Union Square which is about four blocks away.  The property backs up to the Contemporary Jewish Museum, Four Seasons and a very popular Equinox gym.  Additionally, a pedestrian walkway called Yerba Buena Lane has a half dozen upscale bars and restaurants all within a 2-3 minute walk.

If you are contemplating a visit to SF or have a pending trip planned, this may be a great property for you to consider booking.  The hotel is large and steps from the Moscone and just a few blocks from the financial district.

Five months from today El Al airlines will start flying non-stop from Boston to Israel. Unfortunately that won’t be in time for anyone attending Tel Aviv Pride, but I’m happy to see another international carrier coming to Boston’s Logan Airport.

El Al airlines joins a growing list of international carriers that have been wooed by Boston’s demographics and our former Governor, Deval Patrick, to start flying to Boston.   New international carriers who in recent years have started flying from Boston include: Copa Airlines (Panama Carrier), SATA Airlines (Azores), Turkish Airlines, Emirates, Japan Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Hainan Airlines (China) just to name a few.

Do you have plans to travel internationally in 2015? If so, do tell – where?

If money and time was not an issue, what one destination would you put on your “Must See” list for 2015?  I often write about traveling but only get away from New England one or two times a year for pleasure.

There are so many places I would like to see that it would be tough to limit my answer to just one location.  However, I’ve always wanted to visit Cape Town South Africa and I do regret not having visited New Zealand when Sergio and I went to Australia back in 2009 so those two destinations would rank high on my “Must See”.  Where would you like to visit if you could go anywhere in the world and why?

Perhaps you have not noticed but the US Dollar is surging against most world currencies, making it more affordable for Americans to travel abroad.   However, the favorable exchange rate has no impact if you travel within the United States.

A good example of this savings is comparing my recent trip to Brazil.  Everything cost approximately 35% less than it did when we traveled to Brazil a year earlier due to the strength of the dollar.

Book Your Travel Abroad Now!

If you are unsure where you might like to go, I would suggest you check out Google Flights.  In early December I wrote about Google Flights website because it shows travelers the prices of multiple destinations near and far from one web page.  If you can find a deal to Europe, Caribbean, South America or elsewhere consider taking advantage of the strong US dollar.

Unsure of where you might like to travel? There are plenty of great travel sites; some that focus on LGBT travel. Book air travel for later this year and you can probably secure an affordable airfare.  And most importantly, keep me posted on your travels. I’m always interested in checking out new places to visit.