Florida Agenda

By Paul Rubio

Beyond South Bali’s crowded shorelines, life quickly changes heading east.

Frenetic traffic gives way to isolated roads bordered by stacked rice terraces and lush jungle. Scenes of daily village life quickly usurp the fast food and motorcycle calamity. Circumventing the eastern coastline towards the traditional villages of Manggis, Cadidasa, and Tenganan, colossal vines and palm trees vie for space along dramatic cliffsides. Secluded beaches usher in the rising tides from the Straits of Lombok.

Navigating this shoreline feels like a journey back in time. Women stroll along roadsides, balancing buckets of salak (snake fruit) on their heads, and children weave delicate floral arrangements called banten canang as religious offerings for life cycle ceremonies within the village. The colors, the smiles, and the sounds – they’re all so vibrantly expressive. Many of these traditional scenes stem for the Balinese devotion to their own version of Hinduism – Agama Hindu Dharma. This fidelity has resulted in an island of “1000 temples,” none more important than east Bali’s 11th century Mother Temple of Besakih, the inspiration for every temple found in Bali’s countless villages.

Unobtrusively situated in this land of time bygone, east Bali’s most prized resort, the 34-villa Amankila (amanresorts.com) serves as an ambassador and gateway to the island’s coastal stronghold of anthropology and ecology, fostering cross-cultural interactions in near-by villages and facilitating day trips throughout the magnificent countryside. Amankila, or “peaceful hill,” is romanticized utter seclusion at its finest, tranquility in the shadow of the island’s apex, Mount Agung.

The majority of guests at Amankila strive for equilibrium between tropically breezed, unabashed pampering and immersion in Bali’s nature and traditions; and the resort offers the best of both worlds. An early morning sunrise trek to picturesque Gumang Hill or a snorkeling cruise aboard Aman XII is complemented by an afternoon of spa treatments and a beachside private candlelite dinner.

Likewise, a full afternoon of exploring villages, frolicking in renowned water palaces, and bargaining in local markets, often begins with a picnic breakfast on top of the world at either of Amankila’s romantic satellite bales and later ends with a Rijsttafel dinner, a ten course Indonesian dining extravaganza. For those wanting to simply enjoy the understated elegance and outstanding amenities of the resort, opportunities for sheer relaxation are infinite – whether in-suite, beachfront, hilltop, or hillside. Your best memories may well surface as long afternoons, sampling each level of the three-tiered infinity pool or nursing glasses of fine wine at the exclusive beach club amidst a coconut grove.

Next to Amankila, here in the rustic East, you’ll also find Alila Manggis (www.alilahotels.com/manggis) a moderately priced hotel offering exceptional value in a tremendous location. The hotel’s extensive list of activities – from treks to snorkeling trips to visits to uninhabited nearby islands – are experiential and dutifully capture the essence of east Bali.

IGLTA: Countdown to Convention – Part Three of a Six-Part Series

By Cliff Dunn

Although he might not be consciously aware of it, Reece Darham is an exponent of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s admonition that “there are no second acts” in life. This can be witnessed in the almost monomaniacal way the chairman of the Rainbow Business Coalition (RBC) of Greater Fort Lauderdale is overseeing preparations for the Consumer Trade Show and Expo his group is sponsoring as part of the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association’s (IGLTA) upcoming convention in Broward County.

Darham and his band of gay business and community leaders have focused on the IGLTA event as a means of promoting both immediate and long term growth in Greater Fort Lauderdale’s still-struggling economy. When IGLTA selected Fort Lauderdale as the host city for their 28th Annual Global Convention, dubbed “Unleashed,” the RBC saw the opportunity to highlight the area’s thriving LGBT community, the nation’s second largest.

RBC was formed almost two years ago (under its original, informal working name, “Think Tank”) by  a small group of LGBT business owners and community leaders who realized an opportunity to join together to promote unity, leadership, and common goals.

As Peter Clark, Publisher of Hotspots magazine and a founder of RBC, pointed out at a recent board meeting, the group “is not a Chamber of Commerce, but a business league,” in which members “share information and best practices “ to grow their businesses and “generate awareness that will elevate Greater Fort Lauderdale as a top LGBT community and destination.” The organization soon had a new name, and a substantial and enthusiastic member base of over 90 LGBT businesses.

These businesses and their owners have staked much of their hopes on the upcoming convention of IGLTA delegates, which starts on Tuesday, May 10, and continues through Sunday, May 15. At that time, around 800 travel professionals from more than 80 countries will descend on the Hilton at 17th Street Causeway for what organizers and locals alike hope will be the first of many such interactions and trips.

“The goal is for the IGLTA delegates to leave craving for more of Fort Lauderdale,” Darham says. “For them to tell their clients, friends, and family about our hidden gem, and to send many tourists into our businesses.”

A major element of that strategy will be held in Wilton Manors on Friday, May 13. Each year, the IGLTA convention conducts a Consumer Trade Show that allows attendees  –  including tour operators, hoteliers, media, destination resorts and communities, airlines, and travel agents, among others, to promote their businesses to the host city’s LGBT community.

According to John Tanzella, President of IGLTA, “this year’s travel-themed Consumer Trade Show is particularly dynamic thanks to the support of the RBC, which joined forces with IGLTA to produce the free expo. Guests at the expo can visit travel vendors from around the globe.”

The event, “Celebrate Fort Lauderdale,” which runs from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., will open with a Parade of Flags on Wilton Drive featuring the global delegates.

The parade, which will be led by Wilton Manors Mayor Gary Resnick, will culminate in Hagen Park, next to City Hall, followed by a free concert from international recording artist Kristine W. That performance has been underwritten by Jackson Paget and Mark Negrette, owners of Wilton Manors-based Georgie’s Alibi and Bill’s. Decorations for the park itself have been provided by Wilton Manors’ Boom nightclub. Local businesses wishing to purchase tables in the consumer show should contact the IGLTA offices (www.IGLTA.org).

The RBC’s Darham, whose time is split between his RBC chair duties and his full-time job as owner of Wilton Manors-based Island City Health & Fitness, knows that the benefits of the convention and trade show are likely to accrue in waves.

“I would love to see the community and local cities embrace this opportunity wholeheartedly, as this convention is infusing our local economy and benefiting everyone,” he notes. While he may sell some temporary guest memberships to delegates and t

heir friends, the true payoff is likely to be felt later.

“Our whole purpose is to create sustainable economic growth for Greater Fort Lauderdale and the LGBT community,” agrees Greg Hardy, Vice President at Oakland Park-based Solutions Insurance Services and an RBC member.

“This is an unprecedented opportunity to showcase why we all choose to call this our home,” he adds.

More information on “Celebrate Fort Lauderdale” and “Unleashed” can be found at  www.IGLTA.org and www.RainbowBusinessCoalition.com.