Amman is a vibrant sprawling capital city of about 3 million people. Since the peace accord with Israel in 1994 it has seen steady growth uninterrupted by politcal uncertainty as well as the smooth passage from the beloved King Hussein to his son, King Abdullah in 1999. Amman has all the amenities and advantages of
Vietnam – Hanoi and North
A two week drive around the northern third of Vietnam brought us to Hanoi, Halong Bay, the northwest mountains, Dien Bien Phu and Sapa. This abridged gallery does little justice to the beauty of the land and the variety of hill tribes in these areas. Read the stories about gay Vietnam
Mongolia – Ulan Bator and Drive to White Lake
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East-Central Asia. It borders Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest city, is home to about 38% of the population. Mongolia’s political system is a parliamentary republic. At 1,564,116 square kilometres, Mongolia is the nineteenth largest, and the
Jamaica – Kingston
Jamaica is formerly a Spanish possession known as Santiago, it later became the British West Indies Crown colony of Jamaica. It is the third most populous English-speaking country in the Americas, after the United States and Canada. Jamaica slowly gained independence from the United Kingdom and in 1958. Jamaica’s prosperity has dimished since the 1980s
Cuba – Havana: City (1)
Cuba was in Spanish possession for almost 400 years (circa 1511-1898). Its economy was based on plantation agriculture, mining and the export of sugar, coffee and tobacco to Europe and later to North America. The political and military history of Cuba in the 19th and 20th centuries has been tumultuous. On December 2, 1956 a
Dominican Republic – Santo Domingo (1)
The Dominican Republic is the site of the first permanent European settlement in the Americas; its capital Santo Domingo was also the first colonial capital in the Americas. It is the site of the first cathedral, university, European-built road, European-built fortress, and more. For most of its independent history, the nation experienced political turmoil and
Australia – Sydney City
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia, with a metropolitan area population of approximately 4.28 million. It is noted for the Sydney Opera House, the Harbour Bridge, and its beaches. To gay people it is one of Asia/Pacific’s premier LGBT destinations with great festivals including the famous Mardi Gras every year. It was host
Haiti – Port au Prince
Haiti occupies the island of Hispaniola, along with the Dominican Republic, in the Caribbean The total area of Haiti is 27,750 square kilometres (10,714 sq mi) and its capital is Port-au-Prince. Haiti’s regional, historical, and ethnolinguistic position is unique for several reasons. It was the first post-colonial independent black-led nation in the world, as well
Canada – OutGames: Opening Ceremony (1)
About 11,000 athletes from 60 countries marched into the 1976 Olympic Stadium to open the OutGames before an audience of 75,000. The featured speakers were the mayor of Montreal, Olympic swimming medalist Mark Tewksbury and tennis champ Martina Navratilova. The featured openly lesbian singer was k.d.lang.
New Zealand – North Island
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island) and numerous smaller islands, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands. The indigenous Ma¯ori named New Zealand Aotearoa, which is commonly translated into English as The Land of the Long White Cloud.
Jamaica – Noel Coward’s House
Noel Coward, the multi-talented British playwright, actor, songwriter raconteur, first visited Jamaica in 1944 on a two week holiday. The and peace of mind he found in Jamaica caused him to refer to it as his "dream island" and he vowed to return one day. Four years later he rented fellow author Ian Fleming’s estate,
Peru – Lima City and Lake Titicaca
Peruvian territory was home to the ancient Norte Chico civilization, one of the oldest in the world, and to the Inca Empire, the largest state in Pre-Columbian America. The Spanish Empire conquered the region in the 16th century and established a Viceroyalty, which included most of its South American colonies. After achieving independence in 1821,
Cambodia – Phnom Penh, Seam Riep
Cambodia – Phnom Penh, Seam Riep
Jamaica – North Coast
Jamaica is formerly a Spanish possession known as Santiago, it later became the British West Indies Crown colony of Jamaica. It is the third most populous English-speaking country in the Americas, after the United States and Canada. Jamaica slowly gained independence from the United Kingdom and in 1958. Jamaica’s prosperity has dimished since the 1980s
Jamaica – Montego Bay
Jamaica is formerly a Spanish possession known as Santiago, it later became the British West Indies Crown colony of Jamaica. It is the third most populous English-speaking country in the Americas, after the United States and Canada. Jamaica slowly gained independence from the United Kingdom and in 1958. Jamaica’s prosperity has diminished since the 1980s
Chile – Punta Arenas to Atacama Desert
Chile Gallery A – Tierra del Feugo, Punta Arenas, Atacama Desert Chile is one of only two countries in South America that does not have a border with Brazil. The Pacific forms the country’s entire western border, with a coastline that stretches over 6,435 km. Chilean territory extends to the Pacific Ocean which includes the
Argentina – Tucuman city, Ushuaia, Moreno Glacier
Argentina Gallery B – Tucuman city, Ushuaia, Moreno Glacier Argentina is the second largest country in South America by land area, and eighth in the world. Its continental area is 2,766,890 km2 (1,068,302 sq mi), between the Andes mountain range in the west and the southern Atlantic Ocean in the east and south. Argentina has
Mexico – Playa del Carmen and Tulum
Playa del Carmen and Tulum Playa del Carmen is a busy coastal city popular with tourists. It is the center of the Riviera Maya concept, which runs from south of Cancún to Tulum and the Sian Ka’an biosphere reserve. Playa is a stop for several cruise ships which dock at the nearby Calica quarry docks,
Mexico – Coba Village and Coba Mayan Ruins
The ruins here date from about 500-800 CE and are spread across many kilometers. The site contains several large temple pyramids, the tallest, known as Nohoch Mul, being 42 meters in height. The bulk of Coba’s major construction seems to have been made in the middle and late Classic period, about 500 to 900, with most of the dated hieroglypic inscriptions from the 7th century. However Coba remained an important site in the Post-Classic era and new temples were built and old ones kept in repair until at least the 14th century, possibly as late as the arrival of the Spanish
Cuba – Havana: City (2)
Cuba was in Spanish possession for almost 400 years (circa 1511-1898). Its economy was based on plantation agriculture, mining and the export of sugar, coffee and tobacco to Europe and later to North America. The political and military history of Cuba in the 19th and 20th centuries has been tumultuous. On December 2, 1956 a
Mexico – Chichen Itza
Chichen Itza Ruins The ruins at Chichen Itza date from about 600-900 AD and are a mix of Mayan and Toltec styles. Chichen Itza is a large pre-Columbian archaeological site built by the Maya civilization located in the northern center of the Yucatán Peninsula, in the Yucatán state, present-day Mexico. Archaeological data, such as evidence
Mexico – Ek Balam Ruins
Ek’ Balam is a pre-Columbian archaeological site in Yucatán built by the Maya civilization. There are 45 structures, including the Acropolis, the largest structure at Ek’ Balam. It contains the tomb of Ukit Kan Le’k Tok’. It measures 146 meters across, 55 meters wide and 29 meters tall. Read the story about gay Mexico
China – Shanghai, Wuhan, Xian
Shanghai (photos 1-20) is the largest city in China in terms of population and one of the largest urban areas in the world, with over 20 million people in its extended metropolitan area. The city is mainland China’s center for commerce and finance, and has been described as the "showpiece" of the world’s fastest-growing economy.
Indonesia – Sumatra – Lake Toba
The village of Tuk Tuk on the eastern shore of Samosir Island in the middle of Lake Toba is a real getaway place that hardly exists. A handful of shops, hotels and eateries cluster along the water’s edge offering little to do but breathe in the beauty of nature. At the small Juwita cafe Hedi
Indonesia – Sumatra – Bukit Lawang Village
In northern Sumatra lies the village of Bukit Lawang, known for its laid back lifestyle and rustic beauty along a mountain river. It is home to an orangutan ‘orphanage’ where abandoned or injured orangutans are healed and sheltered before returning to the jungle. In addition, the orphanage has a feeding station in the hills where