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Gay Vacation Destinations In China
March 2nd, 2010 by VERNE HOWARD, under Travel and Leisure. No Comments
As a communist-led country steeped in old-world traditions that influence even the most modern, advanced cities in the nation, China may not seem like the ideal location for gay vacations; however, travelers will find that there is a vibrant scene in China, including pride celebrations, clubs, bars, neighborhoods and a level of acceptance that is on the rise as the visible, well-organized LGBT community grows. From exceptional food and fashion to beautiful landscapes and rich cultural experiences, China offers a wide variety of options and is an ideal location for gay vacations.
Hong Kong and Shanghai are perhaps the most popular destinations in China for gay tours. With visible, well-organized LGBT communities, numerous clubs, saunas, bars, restaurants and other establishments, annual pride celebrations and LGBT community events throughout the year, both of these large metropolitan areas have much to offer for LGBT travelers. Visitors will find a number of beaches on Hong Kong Island that are popular with men, as well as several neighborhoods including Hong Kongs Soho, Lan Kwai Fong and Tsim Sha Tsui in nearby Kowloon. Shanghais club scene is largely located in the French Concession district and offers a variety of options from dimly lit lounges to dance clubs.
Beijing is another large city that is both a hub for business and a center for world-class shopping, dining and fashion. Although Beijing does not have the vibrant nightlife found in Shanghai or Hong Kong, a number of bars, clubs and restaurants are beginning to appear throughout the city, the most popular of which is a dance club called Destination. Destination has a mostly male clientele, but many women also frequent this LGBT hotspot. Within walking distance are also several friendly eateries including the trendy fusion bistro, Alameda, as well as Mare, a Spanish restaurant with a romantic atmosphere.
China is a great chance to have new experiences. Get as much as you can on your gay vacation tour by using a travel agent to plan your trip.
You will make new friends and explore China with a group of people in an environment that allows you to be yourself. If you are not sure you are ready to take on China with a group, working with a travel agency that regularly organizes gay tours in China will assist you in planning the vacation of a lifetime.
The author of this about China post is Howie Holben. Howie caretakes Spirit Journeys, a gay mexico vacation firm. Spirit Journeys offers spiritual gay travel guide world wide.
categories: metaphysical,education,spirituality,travel,vacations,self improvement,gay,society,inspiration,motivation,health,fitness
Gay Yoga Benefits
February 20th, 2010 by VERNE HOWARD, under Travel and Leisure. No Comments
Yoga is a form of exercise, a discipline, and a lifestyle. It has its roots in Vedic India and is actually a school of seven different disciplines for training one’s mind and body to be as pure as possible. In India there are still practitioners of all forms of yoga, but in the West the most popular style of yoga is based on physical poses, or flowing yoga. This yoga is used primarily for fitness purposes, but until like other forms of exercise it also concentrates on mental relaxation and is a low-impact exercise that is good for people of all ages and physical levels. On that note, yoga is also a very personal form of exercise even though it most often done in group classes. Because of this, many efforts have been made to make yoga classes feel as comfortable as possible. For instance, classes might be geared toward people of a similar community such as yoga for women, prenatal yoga, or even gay yoga classes.
From the moment that you walk into a yoga class, you should feel comfortable. Instead of worrying what the other students or the instructor are thinking about you and your fitness level, you should be clearing your mind in preparation for the task ahead. The atmosphere of the studio is important for this.
The room should be welcoming, and usually will have soft lighting and maybe even soft music playing at the before the session begins. The floor should also be both supportive and cushioned so you don’t have to worry about straining your joints as you go through your poses. A good yoga instructor will also be someone who can put you at ease both before and during the session.
They should have both a firm but comforting tone that challenges you to work your hardest but doesn’t make you feel bad if you aren’t as advanced as the other students. Of course, being with students who share your physical level or interests is also important.
You might even do some refreshing breathing exercises to cleanse your system before you start moving. Then, once you have eased into the class, you will start to do more and more difficult poses. Y
You might even find that you class combines traditional yoga with Pilates exercises to strengthen your core muscles. In this case the work will become more and more challenging until right before the end of the class.
Just when you think you can’t work anymore, you will be given a chance to some simple cool down moves and mediation exercises before leaving the class.
Since the whole point of yoga is to calm your mind and reduce stress through physical work, the entire yoga experience should be comfortable for you. This is why the atmosphere of the class is almost just as important as the exercises themselves. If you don’t feel safe enough to try new things you won’t get the full benefit of the yoga experience. Therefore, the rise of specialized yoga classes, such as gay yoga, should not be surprising. For those that want to learn more there is gay tantra yoga.
Thoughts authored by Howie Holben. Spirit Journeys focuses on gay spirituality and has resources to assist on spiritual journeys.