Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Best Cities For Gay And Lesbian Travel

Untuk beberapa orang yang punya kocek tebel neh, trus pengen liburan bersama partner. Sementara tempat wisata lokal dah semua di datengin enggak ada salahnya juga mencoba mendatangi beberapa tempat di bawah ini. Menurut sebuah majalah travel, Amsterdam, Barcelona, London dan New York adalah tujuan wisata yang populer di kalangan gay dan lesbian. Amsterdam telah menduduki peringkat nomor satu untuk waktu yang cukup lama, namun Barcelona baru-baru ini menjadi populer sebagai tujuan wisata gay dan lesbian. Barcelona telah menjadi pusat budaya gay di Spanyol selama bertahun-tahun. Dan, popularitas kota tersebut sangat meningkat setelah disahkannya perkawinan sejenis di Spanyol pada 2005, yang membawa kota ke posisi kedua, di atas London dan New York. Coba kita lihat lebih dekat, apa yang membuat kota-kota ini menjadi yang terbaik dan paling gay dan lesbian di dunia.

Amsterdam, terkenal karena luas dan beragam gay dan lesbian, juga memiliki masa lalu yang kaya homoseksual. Organisasi tertua di dunia yang memperjuangkan hak-hak gay dan lesbian (COC) yang didirikan di Amsterdam pada tahun 1946. The Gay Games yang dilaksanakan di sini pada tahun 1998 sukses besar. Pernikahan pertama gay dan lesbian di dunia dilakukan di Amsterdam pada tahun 2001. Amsterdam menawarkan sekitar 100 gay bar dan klub, pihak gay khusus dan museum, pertunjukan di dekat pantai. Semua ini budaya unik yang dikombinasikan dengan budaya toleransi dan kebebasan dari Belanda, dan itu sebabnya mantan walikota Amsterdam Schelto Patijn bangga disebut Amsterdam "The gay way to Europe"

Barcelona, berkat Antoni Gaudi pantai Mediterania arsitektur dan kebudayaan, Barcelona selalu menjadi tujuan utama di Spanyol dan Eropa pada umumnya. Tetapi, pada tahun 2005 kota menempatkan dirinya pada peta gay juga. Tahun itu Katolik Spanyol mensahkan perkawinan sejenis, yang tentu saja menarik banyak wisatawan gay, dan menjadikannya nomor satu negara tujuan wisatawan gay dan lesbian. Barcelona memiliki komunitas gay dan lesbian yang begitu besar, yang tentu saja menawarkan LGBT (lesbian, gay, biseksual dan waria) wisatawan setiap bentuk kenyamanan dan hiburan dari banyak gay bar, restoran gay, hostel dan berbagai klub-klub kecil. Plus, 35 km sebelah selatan dari Barcelona, hanya setengah jam naik kereta api, ada tujuan wisata - Sitges. Sitges adalah sebuah kota pantai kecil yang menawan. Kehidupan malam yang menyenangkan, pantai yang indah (pantai gay terkenal Platja de la Bossa Rodona adalah salah satunya) yang dibuat Sitges gay yang sangat populer resor pantai, dengan populasi gay hampir 30%.

London, menjadi ibukota negara dengan populasi gay dan lesbian terbesar di Eropa, yang paling mungkin telah membuka mata atas kehidupan malam gay di dunia. Dengan 200 gay bar dan klub, London Pride Festival tahunan, London Gay dan Lesbian Film Festival, kota gay dan lesbian yang menarik wisatawan dari seluruh dunia. London adalah tujuan utama tertinggi para wisatawan gay dan lesbian Amerika. UK memiliki sejarah gay yang luas dengan banyak orang terkenal GLB (Raja James VI, Elton John, Virginia Woolf) dan untuk pertama kalinya hak gay demonstrasi di Britania pada 27 November 1970, di Highbury Fields, London Utara.

New York City, dengan reputasi kota yang berpikiran terbuka dan kota liberal dan menjadi pusat budaya, bisnis dan kehidupan malam di Amerika Serikat, menarik banyak wisatawan gay dan lesbian tidak hanya dari Amerika tetapi dari seluruh dunia. Greenwich Village, West Village, East Village, Hell's Kitchen, Chelsea gaya hidup ramah lingkungan di kota dengan banyak lounge modern, restoran romantis dan bar trendi. Plus, ada banyak galeri di sekitar lingkungan tersebut untuk memuaskan sisi artistik kamu. Dan, tentu saja, New York lebih banyak menawarkan semua hal yang menarik untuk para wisatawan gay dan lesbian. Komunitas LGBT dapat ditemukan di seluruh kota.

Well Girls, guys… siapa yang tertarik…? Dah tunggu apa lagi... Siap2, pesan tiket, jemput partner... jangan lupa di rencanakan dengan matang... so... selamat bersenang2...

Monday, January 18, 2010

An Alzheimer's Love Story...

Throughout History "LOVE" seems to be what we all crave and what has kept the world going round. No matter what or whom you believe in it seems, it's Love that makes our Hearts sing, flutter and hurt.

On a shelf at the entrance to his room, he had placed his Photograph, as most residents did . His room was at the end of the hallway on the first floor and so he did the walking that was so necessary to get him to his meals and to the social events the home provided. Although being afflicted not only with Dementia he also suffered from Parkinson's disease as well as Vertigo so the use of a walker was the only way he could slowly and methodically reach his destinations.
His knowledge of Airplanes was well established. He had been a Jet Pilot in his younger days as well as a fighter pilot for the Air Force during the war and a handsome Gentleman to say the least.

On the shelf at the entrance of her room she had placed a plague with her name on it, a small figurine of a cat and a vase of plastic flowers. Her room was on the second floor, located in the middle of the hallway and near the laundry-room . She really was physically quite able and a fast walker, using the stairs each trip she made to her meals and the social events. Dementia was what she suffered from, along with denial she was never to let go of.

The assigned table they were used to sitting at and enjoying their meals was switched one day ; which is how they actually met and then the romance began. Age is of no signifigance to many people and this was no different.

He was a loud spoken gentleman and she a quiet small lady, hard of hearing and so at first silence from her was a mystery to him. Introducing themselves and enjoying some small chatter this first meal of many to come, was enjoyed . Being the gentleman that he was he said, "I'll be looking for you tomorrow at breakfast" , she shyly smiled her acceptance.

Upon awakening this morning, she had this fluttering in her stomach and was curious as to the reason why? Finding herself searching through her clothes for a nicer dress to wear, double checking her hair and vigorously brushing her teeth she seemed anxious to go have breakfast. In the hurried frame of mind she was in , it went un-noticed that she had put two different color shoes on her feet ( the styles were identical, sales are such a bargain ).

Once satisfied with how she looked she grabbed her purse and locked her door and left to go eat in the dining-room. When she arrived it was empty, no one was even there, and usually it was buzzing with people. Servers, cooks running here and there and her friends all chatting. Nurse's passing out meds, wheelchairs and walkers all parked near their owner's. Confusion rapidly entered her mind and she turned in a hurry to go back to her room. As if in a dream, lost in space or had she imagined all this.

At this juncture, in walks a hungover bartender , also known as the breakfast chef for the community, he directs her to her room, and as she catches a wisp of his breath it flashes her back to the memories of her alcoholic first husband.

Arriving back at the door to her room and reaching in her purse to locate the keys (which actually were worn on her wrist on a spiral type elastic bracelet), she realized it was like 3 a.m. and it was too early for breakfast because everyone was still sleeping.

"Oh well, since I am awake and dressed" she thought to herself, "I might as well just sit here and watch the sun come up". Her room faced the Mountains and the lush front yard of the Facility and she enjoyed watching the people and the birds and the world coming to life as she sat there.

RING...RING...! ! ! the phone startled her from the sleep she had drifted into, and as she reached for it, she dropped her purse on the floor , it fell open and emptied the contents onto the floor. "Hello" she quietly said. "Hi , and how is my lovely lady this fine morning?" was what she heard. " "Oh dear you must have the wrong number" she replied, hanging the receiver back in it's cradle.

Slowly and with a definate purpose he walked the long hallway from his room, passed the dining room, now buzzing with excitement, entered the elevator and walked the hallway to her room. He stopped for a bit , straightened his hair, took a deep breath and placed a mint in his mouth before knocking on her door. Realizing she was hard of hearing he knocked louder to make sure she could hear the sound. Slowly she opened the door , just a crack to see who was there and when she saw him a big smile came to her face. "Are you hungry as I am" he questioned. "And may I escort you to the dining room" he asked. Plumply she accepted the invitation.

Opening the door wider she invited him in, and explained that she had spilled her purse and would he mind waiting while she picked up the mess. In the process of all this she began to realize why she had felt the way she did this morning. They were about to walk out the door when he asked " do you know you have two different color shoes on?" Looking down she began her girlish type laugh and they both got the giggles. Turning around to go change her shoes they faced each other and hesitated, just a moment, and a breathless chill ran through her. "Even in a less-than-accurate recounting, there may be a revelation about how they are feeling"
He offered her his arm and together they strolled down the halls to enjoy their breakfast .

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Colors Of Love...

Love can be red, like the intense heat of a passionate kiss
.....the color of sweetness
.....the color of strawberries
Love can be blue, like the comfort we take in a pair of denim jeans
.....the color of strength
.....the color of perfect skies
Love can be yellow, bright and warm like the morning sun
.....like the sounds of laughters of children on the merry-go-round
.....like the sounds of fun from the boys flying kites in the open
fields
Love can be green, peaceful and serene I can hear your heart beats
.....it is the feeling of a loving hand that touch a grieving heart
.....it is the whispering of trusting words to a distressing soul
Love can be orange, the loudness of it can drive you up a wall
.....it can drive you to sing like nobody is listening
.....it can drive you to dance like nobody is watching
Love can be purple, the courage we need to love bravely and unselfishly
.....the moment I first kiss you i know that i am not afraid to risk involvement .....the day the declaration of your love for me was made known to the world

I love you


I love you for all the times your heart listened and understood.
I love you for believing in us even when the word challenged our dream.
I love you for loving me like no other, and for making our fairy tale come true.
I love u so much...

She

She was born. I was born
We met.
We became friends.

She smiled at me.
She held my hand.

She kissed me.
I kissed her.
I held her in my arms.
I cried. she wiped my tears away.
She called me honey.
She say good morning every morning.
She called me after work.
She took me to dinner.
We make love...
She was just amazing.

Saturday, January 9, 2010

If you want it, create it

People often ask me how I stay so relaxed and happy, or how I never manage to get upset.
The answer is simple: Drugs. Lots and lots of drugs hehehe... That’s a joke.

I am only relaxed because that is the state I enjoy the most. I don’t enjoy being stressed or angry or bitter, so I am not any of those.

The difference is probably one of two things. First, some people like being upset or unhappy. It sounds counterintuitive, but it’s very true. So, some people gravitate towards that state.
Second, a lot of people don’t realize the choices that life is filled with. If someone cuts in front of you, you don’t have to be upset. You make the choice to be upset. You could just as easily decide not to be upset, and to think that perhaps that person is in a rush because of some circumstance in their life. A lot of our responses are conditioned, so we aren’t even aware of the choice. If it rains, and you have beach plans, you don’t have to be upset.
You can just go with the flow and find something else to do. Clearly the universe has something even better in store for you — you just have to be open to it.
So, if in your heart of hearts you want to be happy, relaxed, or anything else, well then, make that choice now. And, throughout the day, become aware of the choices you make, and make decisions that uphold whatever outcome you desire.


Really, the world is yours to create. You will get out of it whatever you put into it. It’s as simple as that.

Friday, January 8, 2010

Love it


I will love the universe unconditionally
because I love and accept myself,
totally and completely,
and I recognize that the distance between me
and the world “around” me is,
of course,
zero.

Given

I thought that love would be softer, sweeter and kinder. I found out with my first love that those thoughts were just a happy delusion. Fall...