Florida Agenda

By ROBERT ELIAS DEATON

There is one thing you can’t miss when you visit Denver. The great outdoors beckons not only you, but every other person in the town. Runners abound; bikers cruise by; hikers have their backpacks ready to climb; and all invited by air as crisp as the first bite of an apple. Denver is the capital of Colorado and a quick way to orientate yourself in the city is to go to Colorado State Capitol Building (200 E Colfax Ave.; 303-866-2604).

Climb to the Rotunda and glimpse a view of the 200 mountains visible from the dome. You’ll also get a visual on the layout of the city, which will help you when you take to the streets— and, yes, some alleys. Biking around town is made easy with the 850 miles of paved off-road trails.

The city has a great system of B-Cycles that allows you to rent a bike in one location and leave it on the street at any of the more than 50 drop stations. For more information on B-Cycles in Denver visit denver.org/what-to-do/ sports-recreation/denver-b-cycle-rides. While we’re the first to admit that the concept of bus tour leaves us cold and shivering, don’t let that stop you from booking aboard Banjo Billy’s Bus Tours.

The “bus” is more like a rolling hillbilly shack with couches, recliners and horse saddles to make anyone feel at home. The tales heard aboard Banjo Billy’s run the gamut from ghosts to prostitutes to gangsters long in heaven, so prepare yourself (banjobilly.com).

Despite its conservative reputation, Denver knows how to throw a party. We always start a fun night at Charlie’s Denver for its mix of gay and straight clientele (okay, mostly gay and mostly men, but hey, it’s a country-western party). There’s line dancing, karaoke, trivia contests, and pool parties— without a pool (gotta love it).

Charlie’s Denver is located in Capitol Hill (900 East Colfax Ave.). Boyztown Denver will be remembered by the old-timers as The Brig. It’s now a sexy, gay strip club with a cabaret element and more than a touch of the old-school about it. Translation: young twinks, old admirers, and lots of numbers and dollar bills going back and forth (117 Broadway). For the leather crowd, and those that like them, the Denver Eagle brings that tradition to life in an authentic, rough, and stud sort of way.

You’ll get more attention if you wear a harness or something that says you know your way around a set of wrist and ankle cuffs. The Eagle appreciates the nuance (1475 36th St.). For great music and let’s-break-a-sweat dancing, head directly to Compound (145 Broadway at W 2nd Ave). It used to be called Compound Basix, and then tried Compound Denver. Now, either a part of the sign fell off, or it’s just plan Compound.

Any way you call it, it’s a super friendly place with sexy, sexy bartenders. When it’s time to do something other than drink, think Racines (650 Sherman St.). It’s a classy joint that’s been round for decades, is gay owned, and is open until midnight most nights (which in Colorado time is akin to four a.m.) Love the omelets at Racines, washed down with the strongest margarita in town.

There’s a local outlet of Hamburger Mary’s Bar & Grill here as well. Located at 700 E 17th Ave., Mary’s has the best patio dining in town for lunch or dinner. While it serves the usual suspects in the form of burgers and wraps, the food is as fresh as the camp a la Denver.

By ROBERT ELIAS DEATON

Mention Denver, and everyone always has some story to tell. Like the time the city bid for the 1976 Winter Games, and then turned down the Games after winning the honor once they found out how much it would cost! (Innsbruck, Austria ended up hosting the Games.) Or how about the one that showcases Denver as “the pride of the Rockies,” even though the mountain chain ends just west of the city, which is actually located on the grassy plains. And then, of course, there was that ugly period in the 90s when Colorado passed Amendment 2, which allowed for discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodation on the basis of sexual orientation. Lesbians and gays got worked into a lather, along with quite a few straights, and got Amendment 2 overturned in the U.S. Supreme Court, but not before tourism went down the toilet and the state was judged the black hole of bigotry and injustice.

Well, we’re happy to report, things are quite a bit better today in Denver as well as other parts of Colorado, though Colorado Springs and its neighbors were hit by raging forest fires last month that are still not completely extinguished. Other than some blow-by smoke, Denver, Queen City of the West, was undamaged.

Your visit to Denver begins by landing in one the world’s most elegant and picturesque airports, Denver International. Because it has been built to handle future business, it always feels half full, which is a good thing, and allows you plenty of time to check the art and concourse restaurants and businesses.

When clearing security at Denver International always try to go through Terminal A. It’s the least crowded and all terminals are connected by a tram that zips you around the entire place in a few minutes.

Our favorite hotel in the city isn’t the largest, but simply the best. It’s the Brown Palace Hotel and Spa (321 17th Street), and, built in 1908, has one of this country’s first atrium designs. While the rooms are as-you’d-expect spectacular, it is the spa at the Brown that keeps us coming back.

The architecture of Denver International was designed to mimic the Rocky Mountains

We particularly like the Gentlemen’s Body Treatment Imagine, if you will, 50 minutes of Deep Tissue Massage followed by a half-hour full body sugar exfoliation. (It may cost $155, but when you’re finished, you’ll feel 20 years younger and want to move in.) The hotel is in the downtown area, near everything, including a gay bar–Denver Wrangler (1700 Logan Street), a cross between a cow palace, a bear barn, and a rodeo roundup. The slogan here is “Where Real Men Come to Drink.”

Just southeast of downtown is Cheesman Park where the annual gay pride parade begins. No surprise there, since it’s the “gayest” park in Denver and the neighborhood surrounding it is fabulous.

What will come as a shock to even locals is that the whole place used to be a cemetery whose location soon made the land more valuable than for what the plots could be sold. That’s what we love about Denver, a few snaps of the fingers and hundred dollar bills, and bodies were being transplanted and posies planted in their place.

While Cherry Creek is the most elegant neighborhood, the most fun section is definitely Stapleton. Located just east of downtown, where Stapleton Airport used to be, it’s been totally redeveloped by the gays, who renamed the place Gaypleton in their honor. That’s what happens when you take over the place.

Cheesman Park (the “gayest park in Denver”), the starting point of Denver’s gay pride parade

Next week, we’ll cover outdoor activities in the region, and the favorite secret spot in the whole city. Yes, you’ll have to wait.

By ROBERT ELIAS DEATON

All good things must come to an end, and so it is with our final installment of travel within the Hawaiian Islands. No island adventure on Hawaiian soil is complete without experiencing at least one Luau. And the one we remember most fondly is the Royal Kona Resort’s Lava Legends & Legacies – Journeys of the South Pacific Luau (75-5852 Alii Drive Kailua-Kona, HI 96740, 808-329-3111). It is a feast of tropical delicacies, song, and dance celebrating the legends and lore of Polynesia. More than that, it is an incredible sunset experience at one of the most perfect spots on all of Kailua Bay. The featured dish, of course, is the roasted whole Kalua pig, cooked in an underground imu oven.

Accompanying entrees include island fish with black bean sauce, island chicken, Lomi Lomi Salmon, and Pulehu (teriyaki) beef. The torch lighting begins on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at 6:15 p.m. with an open bar from 5-7 p.m. Fire dancers, hula dancers, and ukulele musicians make for a perfect blend of culture, entertainment and great all-you-can-eat dining. (Well worth the price at $65.00.)

Our local guru of all things Big Island, Uncle Don Sanders, called in to say that his own personal favorite gay-owned private tour is Kapohokine Adventures (808-964-1000), on the Hilo side of the island. Kapohokine offers a variety of zip-line experiences, volcano lava tours, hiking, waterfalls, complete with a chicken barbecue on a macadamia nut farm. Some tours last as long as 12 hours, so some advanced planning is needed for this one. Uncle Don says “Personal, private, super fantastic, fascinating guides, and places you’ll never forget.” Lest you missed it—fascinating guides.

For those whose idea of fun includes a snorkel dive, remember Dolphin Discoveries (808-322- 8000). Word from the scene is that this is a mom and pop operation that will yacht you to their secret dive destinations by Zodiac boats. The tour includes snorkel gear in case you’re traveling light, with sea caves, coral reefs and pods of wonderfully charismatic dolphins.

If you have a free Wednesday evening, we highly recommend an Evening at Kahua Ranch (808-882-7954). This tour is headquartered on an historic 8,500 acre working cattle ranch located 3,200 feet above sea level in the Kohala Mountains. The ranch provides transportation for area hotels, with buffet, beer, wine, singing, line dancing and cute paniolos (Hawaiian cowboys) Closer to Kona town, Big Island Grill (75-5702 Kuakini Hwy, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740, 808-326- 1153) is a local secret that serves up huge portions at reasonable prices. With all the décor of a Hawaiian diner, this place puts the emphasis of delicious. Try the Saimin for a brothy noodle soup that doesn’t overload you with salt. For larger-thanlife appetites, there’s a always the loco moco— three kinds of meat served on a platter the size of Dodge Pickup. For more traditional fare, you can’t go wrong with kalua pig and cabbage.

For a short two-hour side trip across ancient lava flows, head north along Highway 19 north, stopping at Hapuna Beach for a swim. Continue past the Mauna Kea Beach Resort another two miles and branch off on Highway 270 into Kawaihae town (don’t blink). Stop for a bit at Café Pesto (61-36653 Hawaii 270) for our favorite Crispy Coconut Crusted Calamari served on a slaw of arugula, won bok and pickled ginger (14.95). And while you’re there, say hi to chef “Moki” Tavares.

Continue north, and you’ll discover the hidden secret of Mahukona, with its old sugar cane port, broken down pier and perfect beach-side snorkeling. A hui hou

Also Read the Previous 3 Hawaii Travel Articles at the links below:

The Big Island Hawaii’s Largest Treasure Part III

MAUI The Valley Isle. Hawaii Series Part II

HAWAII – Pick an Island, They’re All Paradise

By ROBERT ELIAS DEATON

Nothing on earth quite matches the stunning spectacle of an erupting volcano. All power, heat, and lava- -unleashed in a formidable display of Mother Nature so incredible that even witnessing the act fails to convince the viewer that there is an authority so almighty that it is capable of producing such a show.

Yet here, on the Big Island of Hawaii, it is a daily performance, hurled skyward by Pele, goddess of fire, lightning, and wind, who makes her home in the caldera of the 4,190-foot Kilauea volcano. In a constant state of active eruption since 1983, this Hawaiian hot spot is the most active volcano in the world. Lava leaving the volcano is so hot (calculated to be over 2,000 degrees F) that the Hawaii Volcano National Park has closed previously open access to the active lava flow area.

Currently, the best way to view this unbelievable spectacle of nature is via plane. Big Island Air (808-329-4868) provides an hour-and-a-half tour that leaves from Kona International Airport , five times a day including the incredible sunset tour, when the lava of Kilauea flames brilliance even against the incredible Hawaiian sunset.

While many gravitate to helicopters and Paradise Helicopters (808-969-7392) provides an excellent service, Big Island Air is less expensive, provides first class all-window seats, and a longer tour, so the choice is yours, but do not miss the opportunity to see this wonder of nature.

The Big Island may not be as sophisticated as Maui with its grand homes and lavish golf courses, or as gay intense as Oahu with its clubs, bars and bath houses, but Hawaii’s largest island has its own special charm of undeveloped rain forests, hiking trails, waterfalls, and some of the loveliest beaches in the world.

Hotels on the island range from the ultra-extravagant Four Seasons Resort Hual?lai at Historic Ka‘?p?lehu ( fourseasons.com/hualalai) and Fairmont Orchid on the Kohala Coast ( fairmont.com/orchid) to the budget based Marriott Courtyard King Kamehameha (marriott.com/ hotels/travel/koacy-courtyard-kingkamehamehas- kona-beach-hotel ) on the beach at Kona.

There’s also a variety of bed-and-breakfast accommodations throughout the island, many in off-thegrid exotic locales. Since there is no such thing as avoiding the sun in this cow-paddy of paradise in the Pacific, you might as well head to the most delicious of beaches on the Big Island.

Local sun worshipper and palm expert Donald Sanders (Uncle Don, to you) assures us that Magic Sands Beach Park , a smidge past the Four Mile Marker on Alii Drive in Kona on the West side of the island is a prime spot close to many of the major hotels.

Personally, we’ve always had a fondness for Kua Bay, officially known as Manini’owali Beach Park since they’ve pave the entrance road (directly across the Veteran’s Cemetery at Mile Marker 19) and added paved free parking. The pale blue water luxuriates against the white sand, with lots of muscled boogie boarders to keep you amused and spellbound.

For the more ecological among us, we can’t rave enough about Big Island Eco Adventures (808-889-5111). They operate nine zip lines across the jungle treetops and waterfalls. The cost is currently $176.04, and worth every single penny.

It’s so much fun, you may double dip and go back for more, or try Hawaii Forest and Trail (808-331-8505) with their own zip lines and hiking tours, including an evening volcano summit tour. Next week, we’ll get more tips from Donald Sanders, the ultimate in Big Island savvy, who will talk food and trips to the wet East side.

Check on Donald’s latest book: “ Farrah Fawcett—A Photo Essay ” (mixbook.com/photo-books/ stories/farrah-fawcett-a-photo-essaycopy- 7453041 ). Priceless.

By ROBERT ELIAS DEATON

Swaying palm trees, the sound of distant waves lapping upon pristine white or red or black sand beaches, tropical sunsets silhouetting hula dancers in flowing grass skirts. Yes, this is paradise, otherwise known as Hawaii.

Often referred to as the ultimate in vacation destinations, Hawaii is more diverse than any state in the union—and the only state comprised entirely of islands numbering in the hundreds. Of these, seven are inhabited, and each has a charm unique to its position in the island chain.

The most populated and gay famous is Oahu (The Gathering Place), the home of Waikiki beach, Honolulu, high-rise condos, and the only royal palace on U.S. soil.  ’Iolani Palace, built in 1879 for King Kal?kaua, isn’t grand by international palace standards. It is, however, unique as the only example of Hawaiian Renaissance architecture. Located at 364 S King Street, the palace is in downtown Honolulu and is open to the public.

The Royal Hawaiian Hotel (2346 Kalakaua Ave) has a long history of celebrity guests, its pink façade welcoming heads-of-state, financiers, and movie stars. But despite repeated restorations, the hotel is no longer the Queen of Waikiki Beach, though a visit to the lobby is always a pleasant journey back in time. For the height of luxury accommodations, there is none finer than the Halekulani Hotel (2199 Kalia Road) which has been ranked among the top five-star hotels in the world since its opening in 1997. With Hawaii’s acceptance of civil unions in January of this year, the hotel has become the favored spot for beach-front ceremonies and receptions.

The gay beach in Hawaii is a few blocks away from Halekulani (toward Diamond Head volcano) on Queen’s Surf Beach near Kapiolani Park. Before you get too excited, the name derives from Hawaii’s last royal, Queen Liliuokalani. Her beach house and pier were once positioned at the exact spot where current day lesbians and homosexuals paddle board and sun. On weekends, the adjacent park area becomes Sunset on the Beach, with movies shown under the stars. Too much fun.

Right around the corner, you’ll also find Hula’s Bar and Lei Stand Waikiki (134 Kapahulu Ave), the Hawaiian version of Stonewall. It’s been a fixture on the Honolulu gay scene since Adam and Eve did their thing, or perhaps longer some say.

Our dear friend Jack Law (otherwise known as Da Kine or Big Daddy) is the owner of the joint, which is located on the second floor of the Waikiki Grand Hotel (a good inexpensive choice if you want to say close to the action). At dusk, the bar’s sliding glass windows glide open and transform this gem into a visual postcard of people watching, sunsets and passing catamarans. The drinks are strong, the music is upbeat, and the clientele a mixture of cute, rugged, muscled locals with a few paunchy tourists advertising themselves by their sunburn.

If you’re in a hiking mood, from Hula’s follow Kalakaua Ave. along the beach toward Diamond Head until it turns into Diamond Head Road.  Four blocks ahead watch for the turn-off on your right to Beach Road. This takes you to Diamond Head Lighthouse, which was completed in 1917 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. It’s a great spot of soak up the sun. You might even meet some new friends, since this is a hot gay rendezvous point.

An extra bonus: on the way home, you’ll pass right by Hula’s again. It’s the perfect time to visit Jack, and tell him Guy Magazine says Howzit?

By ROBERT ELIAS DEATON

We’re a sucker for Brazilian butts. And nowhere on earth are there more on display then in the incredible city of São Paulo. It’s not only the largest city in Brazil; it’s the largest city in all of South America, and the seventh-largest city by population in the world.

It’s just another example of the fact that size matters. At last count, the population of São Paulo was just over 11 million—three million more than NYC.

Ah, and the people. Attractive, friendly, open, and happy. And, lest we forget the most charming part, they speak Portuguese—but with an Italian accent, in case you’re relying on your Rosetta Stone. They’ll be rattling it off at such a machine-gun pace that there is no point in trying to keep up your end of the conversation. It’s all part of the adventure in this city named after Saint Paul—as in the Apostle, not Minnesota.

Getting to São Paulo can be a bit of a headtrip since it’s an eight-hour flight from Miami (or ten hours from New York) non-stop as the crows fly via the national airline TAM Linhas Aereas. Translation: two full-length movies, a fourcourse dinner and a three-hour nap. It gives new meaning to the phrase: somos nós lá ainda? (Are we there yet? for the Baptists among us.)

Upon landing at the São Paulo/Guarulhos– Governador André Franco Montoro International Airport, take a deep breath and plunge head first into the excitement. You get to the city via taxi (there is a bus, but you’re gay, remember?). This will set you back exactly 85 Brazilian reals, or $42 in real money. Buy a prepaid taxi voucher in advance, since the traffic will be monstrous. Though it’s only 19 miles to São Paulo, it could take as long as an hour to get there. You don’t want to be in the back seat when that meter is ticking.

Our favorite hotel in São Paulo is the Mercure São Paulo Alamedes Hotel. It’s not the most luxurious hotel in the city, but it is one of the most convenient and reasonably priced at $139 per night. It has everything you could possibly need—room service, a good gym, rooftop pool with a view, a fantastic cute staff, and wi-fi service.

It is centrally located in the most fashionable part of town, called the Jardins district, which not only has the most exclusive shopping street in the country—it’s called Oscar Freire (think Rodeo Drive), it has the majority of the gay clubs as well as the São Paulo Museum of Art.XXX On the club scene, spending Sunday at Dorothy Parker (Alameda Lorena, 2119 – Jardins) is must do. During the rest of the week, it’s a very very private club with a guest list. And no, you’re not on it. On Sunday, however, they open the doors to extremely cute gay guys who like dancing flesh to flesh beginning at 11 p.m. and hanging out until 2 a.m. or so.

Not far away is the Ritz (Alameda Franca, 1088 – Jardins), a fun burger and pizza joint where you can people watch all night, and linger over a cappuccino. Afterward on Fridays and Saturdays, head across town to Flex Club (Ave. Marquês de São Vicente 1767 – Barra Funda)—an enormous hanger-like structure that holds 2,000+.

While that may sound like a large number, wrap your head around 4 million! That’s the number of gays expected to attend the Parada do Orgulho Gay GLBT de São Paulo on June 10. Translation: Gay Pride, São Paulo style. Prepare to sweat—and grin ear-to-ear.

Robert Elias Deaton is a world-traveling epicure who enjoys the finer things in life.

By ROBERT ELIAS DEATON

In case you’ve been living in a foxhole lately, things haven’t been going well for the LGBT community in North Carolina these days. First, the fair citizens of the 12th state in the Union decided to amend its constitution, declaring “marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this state.” Given that North Carolina already had a law on its books that prohibits same-sex marriage, it was a bit of overkill.

On top of that, a few days later, the pastor of the Providence Road Baptist Church in Maiden gave a sermon in which he advocated that lesbians and gays should be surrounded by an electrical fence and left to die off from natural attrition. The Providence Road Baptist Church (which happens to be located on Williams Street—figure that one out) is not to be confused with the Providence Baptist Church in Charlotte, whose own pastor went online to declare that in his church, they offer the “same grace, mercy and love to all people.”

The natural reaction of the LGBT community is to boycott the state, and that is precisely what you should not do. Just because they’ve given gays and lesbians a drop-kick to the gonads does not mean that there isn’t much to see and do in North Carolina.

The capital of Raleigh is known as the “City of Oaks”, and is linked with the neighboring Durham and Chapel Hill in a triangle that may not be gay, but is still very sweet. Beside the aforementioned oaks, there are over 150 incredible gardens, parks, and lakes. The most friendly and stylish hotel in town is the new Aloft (1001 S. Hamilton Rd) in Chapel Hill. With soaring ceilings, 42-inch flat screen TVs, and complimentary Internet wireless, there’s little not to like in this modern hotel run by the Starwood chain.

When it’s time to go clubbing, think of Flex (2 S. West St., Raleigh). The place requires a membership, but that’s taken care of with a $5 bill. It’s the kind of place that hangs a urinal on the wall, fills it with peanuts, and calls it class. No Southern Belles here. If you want something a bit more upscale, try Legends (330 W. Hargett St., Raleigh), with its live drag shows and top-notch DJs. Pecan sweet.

Across the state on the border with “South Caroline,” you’ll find the second largest financial center in the U.S., otherwise known as Charlotte.

It’s both the home of Bank of America and the east coast headquarters for Wells Fargo. Charlotte is nicknamed the “Queen City”—not because it’s so gay, but rather because it was named after Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the wife of England’s King George III. Since few in town seem to know this fact, use it as an instant entre to all the best places.

Count among those: the Woodshed Lounge (4000 Queen City Dr.) where Thursday nights, the boys dress in boxer shorts to get happy hour prices on drinks (and show off their pale legs). Or better yet, try Petra’s Piano Bar & Cabaret (1919 Commonwealth Ave.), where you can sip Mint Julips between sing-alongs to Broadway anthems. They do things like that in the South.

The point of this chatter is that North Carolina needs to be experienced to be truly appreciated. It’s the same thing with gays and lesbians. Go—in droves. Once they get to know us, they might just like us. Even at the Providence Road Baptist Church.

Robert Elias Deaton is a world-traveling epicure who enjoys the finer things in life.

By ROBERT ELIAS DEATON

Part II—The Hotels, The Clubs, The Adventure

In November 2001, Klaus Wowereit became mayor of Berlin. Now in his third term, Klaus’s favorite color is pink, and he is not subtle in showing his preference for it.

Klaus, you see, is gay— which in Berlin is no big deal. In fact, it helped Klaus get elected, having admitted to his cheering fanbase, “Ich bin schwul, und das ist auch gut so.” (“I’m gay, and that’s a good thing.”)

The city has been a center for gay and lesbian intellects, playboys, and creative types for nearly a century, so there’s no shortage of bars, restaurants, hotels and clubs catering to them. The trick is in the sorting, ranging from hot, really hot, to sizzling hot–just like the customers themselves.

Hotels

Axel Hotel Berlin (Lietzenburger Str. 13/15, Schöneberg) Our favorite hotel in all of Berlin is the trendy Axel. With other locaations in Barcelona and Buenos Aires, the “hetero friendly” gay Axel Berlin is centrally located in Schöneberg and right up the straße from the Wittenbergplatz subway station. The minimalist rooms are designed with an open shower for the ultimate in showing off for your traveling companion or overnight guest.

WIFI is free throughout the hotel, with the Urban Bar within the hotel, and a rooftop hot-top with spectacular views. Book through the hotel directly for preferred rates. (http://www.axelhotels. com/berlin) When clean and cheap is the order of the day, we recommend the ArtHotel (Fuggerstr. 33, Schöneberg) where $94.00 gets you a room for two.

Late risers alert: the free breakfast buffet is served at the ArtHotel until 4 p.m. At check-in, receive a free pass to Boilers Sauna (see below) and Connections Club next door plus a Vodka Redbull cocktail to supercharge your first moments in Berlin. Flat screen TV, DVD players, and Ipod stations are standard in this no smoking hotel.

Clubs

Mutschmann’s (Martin-Luther- Straße 19) is a fetish cruise bar with an international reputation. It has a strict dress code of leather, rubber or military on the weekends when it opens its doors at 10 p.m. Should you be one of the unfortunates that forgot to pack leather, the club opens to the curious on Wednesday nights and welcomes all. (www. mutschmanns.de) Tom’s Bar (Motzstraße 19) has been around since the 90s, and fancies itself as “the” first-stop on any gay man’s sweep of the gayborhood.

Lately, it’s instituted a rather amusing door policy where humiliation seems to be part of the technique. (No, we were not turned away, silly rabbit. However, we did witness many hot men who were.) Triebwerk (Urbanstraße 64) This club specializes in underwear and naked nights to such an extent that you’re only allowed to wear head-to-toe clothing on one night—Mondays. Even then, you may be the only one dressed, but at least you’ll get in.

KitKatClub (Köpenicker Straße 76–entrance Brückenstraße) The club is truly legendary and worth a visit just for the matchbooks alone. Opened in the mid-90s by porno producer Simon Thaur and his GF Kirsten Krüger (Miss Kitty is usually manning the door), this place is the site of the most intense fetish parties in town. Themes change daily so check its website. (www.kitkatclub.org/Home/Club)

Saunas

Boiler (Mehringdamm 34) The newest bathhouse in Berlin opened in September of last year to compete with the established and larger Apollo Splash Club (Kurfürstenstraße 101).

Both saunas provide the essential wet steam, dry sauna and cruising rooms, with enough hot men to pack the joints starting in the late afternoon right through to sunrise. Enhale the excitement.

By ROBERT ELIAS DEATON

Part One—In and Around

Berlin is a city best approached with a very open mind. Forget any image you might still possess of a graffiti-covered Berlin wall being toppled, or guarded gates separating East and West. While Berlin of the present is one very much rooted in its past, there is a sense of celebration in the air here that carries with it the scent of liberation.

Getting There

There’s good news and there’s good news about flying to Berlin. The city is not only easy to reach by non-stop flights on Air Berlin from Miami, it happens to be more affordable than any other European city to book. Round trip airfares can be purchased for just over $900 any time of the year directly through Air Berlin’s website (www. airberlin.com).

Until a few years ago, there used to be three airports in Berlin—Tegal located five miles northwest of the city; Tempelhof to the south; and Schönefeld, outside the city in Brandenburg, bordered by the famous gate. Tempelhof was closed to the pubic in 2008, and the first week in June 3, 2012, Tegal and Schonefeld will close as well.

On the same day, a new airport called Berlin Brandenburg will open in their place using the airport code BER. Like all things German, it will be executed with precision, having been in the planning stages for years.

The rail system has already been rerouted to include a stop directly underneath the new main terminal, with trains to the center of Berlin taking just under a half hour, and departing every 15 minutes. It’s about the same amount of time to make the journey by cab, but far less expensive. So if you don’t mind a little hassle with carting your bags, use the train and save the dough for some Wiener schnitzel.

 The Neighborhoods

To get your bearings in this metropolis of some 300,000 gays, think of the city as a big round pie. In the center is the neighborhood known as Mitte, German for “middle” and the hub for tourist traffic.

It’s the place to find what little remains of old Russian rule, including Alexanderplatz,- -the center of the old Communist Berlin— as well as Checkpoint Charlie—the crossing point at the Berlin wall, and now a museum that’s you’ll definitely want to make a point to visit.

On the West side of Mitte is the Tiergarten district, famous for the botanical gardens whose groomed lawns are the perfect place to find nude sunbathers—all perfectly legal in this city of abundant decadence.

On the East side of Mitte is Friedrichshain. This is a transition area that was once the center of East Berlin’s concrete slab dwellings and warehouses.

Consider this neighborhood as Berlin’s version of New York’s Lower East Side and Soho combined.

For those who like it on the rough side and want to see skinheads and white supremacists in the wild, continue east at your own risk.

Prenzlauer Berg is to the northeast of Mitte, an historic neighborhood of lovely old townhomes and trendy street cafes and coffeeshops that will appeal to the more traditional artistic types and classy gays of a certain vintage. There’s yuppy wealth all around the place in Prenzl’berg, so prepare to spend some cash while there.

Aim for the south of Mitte and find Kreuzberg, home to the area’s largest lesbian population and a growing commune of anarchic punks. Even under the former Communist rule, it was always a place where the cool congregated. That much hasn’t changed; just gotten a bit more gentrified.

Head further south still and reach Neukölln—Kreuzberg on steroids. Artists find the inexpensive housing a draw, and there are lots of local galleries to prove the point.

And then there is Schöneberg. We’ve saved the best for last for a good reason. To think Gay Berlin is to think Schöneberg.

It was in front of Schöneberg’s town hall that John F. Kennedy made his famous “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech, and meant it. You too will feel at home. This is a neighborhood with more rainbow flags than cafés, and first-time visitors may never venture outside its confines, so plentiful is the assortment of goodies provided within.

But that would be a shame. Berlin is a city that needs to be explored for all its flavors.

It’s a huge, sprawling wonderment of variety and inbred tolerance. So inbred, in fact, that it was over ninety years ago that the first gay club was opened here. It was in Schöneberg that Christopher Isherwood wrote his “Berlin Stories” that became the hit musical “Cabaret.” And you, too, will be singing “Willkommen” before you can stop yourself.

Grub and Such While most Germans speak fluent English, the majority of German restaurants will print their menus in their native tongue.

This is particularly true in the smaller kaffees, which you should not hesitate to frequent. These small restaurants are not only some of the best places to meet the locals, they are also the source of some fantastic regional cuisine.

There are over 1,500 types of sausages in Germany, with some 300 of them made in Berlin alone. Look for the word wurst if sausage is your thing. Bratwurst is usually made from pork; blutwurst is as well, though it’s been darkened with blood; and darker still is schwarzwurst, which often is made using the blood from geese.

Fortunately, it tastes better than it sounds.

If you’re in the mood for fish, look for local trout or salmon listed as forelle and lachse. Spargel is the local name for white asparagus; spätzle is a large, flat noodle; knödel is a delicious potato dumpling; Kartoffelpüree are mashed potatoes; and pizza is, well, pizza. Some things are just too good to change.

German breads are as fantastic as they are plentiful. Look for roggenbrot if you like rye; mehrkornbrot if multi-grain is your taste; and kürbiskernbrot if the concept of pumpkin seeds inside dark rye sounds interesting.

Since Berliners and the tourists that love them play night and day, fast food is available 24/7. While you’ll notice the familiar signs for McDonald’s and Burger King, the real favorite here is doner kebabs, the German version of gyros served on pita bread with a yoghurt sauce.

All the better to eat and run.

Next week, Part Two—the Clubs, the Hotels, the Adventure. It’s worth the wait, liebling.

La Dolce Vita Italian Style

ROBERT ELIAS DEATON

As Italian cities go, Venice is more dramatic than gay. While in America, the two qualities often go hand-inhand, in Venice there is a certain chaotic energy that never really sleeps. Even in the middle of the night, voices can be heard drifting from secret alleys where laundry is hung between buildings and gondolas with tiny silver bells navigate the canals taking reclusive dowagers to bed before sunrise, lest someone actually see them in the daylight.

It is not enough to visit Venice; one has to absorb it. Only then can you appreciate the food, wine, art and architecture, and the little family squabbles that overflow unto the street with the appearance of minor wars. These are actually just discussions in the guise of skirmish, for as we said, drama is everywhere here and continues to rise, right along with the tide in the romantic canals, and the cost of living everywhere else.

There’s nothing in Venice that’s reasonable priced, particularly hotels, which think nothing of charging 400 or 500 dollars a night for a room the size of a walk-in closet. Venice is a city of islands connected by bridges, but there are bargains to be found, if you know which bridge to cross and where to look. Our favorite gay bed and breakfast is the Fujiyama (Calle Lunga San Barnaba 2727A in the Dorsoduro sestieri of Venice. It’s a superb place to unwind from the aforementioned drama of Venice, taking its cue not from Italy, but from Japan where the zen is all about calm, and teas, and things like that.

At the Fujiyama, you can get a room from a low 60 euros during off-season, including AC, a private bath, continental breakfast with fresh cornetti and marmalade spreads, and share a lovely Japanese tea garden, with its fragrant jasmine and wisteria flowers, over which the largest room (The Shanghai) looks. Your hosts are Carlo and Wen-yu, and the boys will make you feel both Italian and Japanese within fifteen minutes of your arrival.

Smaller, but with better views, the gayowned Corte Gherardi (Cannaregio 5558) is in the San Marco sestieri just around the corner from the bridge over the Ponte di Rialto.

Rooms here begin at 90 euros, with free wi-fi, and breakfast in bed. It doesn’t get much more mio amore than this.

You can walk from both the Fujiyama and the Corte Gherardi to all the visual treats that Venice offers including Piazza San Marco, where the throngs go to feed the pigeons and buy their T-shirts. The place is named for the Bysantine confection at the far end of the square—the Basilica di San Marco, where the gold-laidened alter, the Pala d’Oro, is housed.

Of course you’ll do the tourist thing in Piazza San Marco. Feel free to walk the streets in the neighborhood, losing yourself in the ambiance that is Venice and throwing yourself into haggling over prices on everything from bologna to designer knock-offs (which make great presents, but are frowned upon at customs).

At Bacino Orseolo 1192), discover the smallest Hard Rock Café in all of Europe. It’s a photo op waiting to happen since the café is located at a gondola terminal—the blue-tarped boats lined up in show-stopping perfection. The bar/café serves all the menu items Americano style, calories included.

Hard Rock Café Venice

Do not miss a side trip to the Palazzo Ducale (Piazza San Marco 1), the one-time home of the Dogé who was the grand poo-pah of Venice way back when. Now it’s a museum to the excess of Venice when it was the center of all things civil.

For lunch, walk around the corner and find Vinovino (Ponte Delle Veste 2007/A) where gondoliers mix it up with baronesses to fight over the breadsticks and glasses of wines that number in the hundreds.

And do not miss the opportunity to take the Vaporetta 1 (the water taxi that hits the hottest tourist spots) to the Riva di Biasio stop where you’ll find I Due Girasoli (San Stae 1908, Santa Croce), owned by two lesbians and is the only gay bar in town.

Vaporetta 1 will also take you across the lagoon to the Lido di Venezi, which was featured in the film “Death in Venice,” and the closest thing to a gay beach in town.

From the gondola stop, walk to the Adriatic side of this six-mile long sandbar, where you’ll find the Petit Palais Lido di Venezia (Lungomare Marconi 56), a delightful boutique hotel where everyone seems to be either gay, gay-friendly, or gay adjacent. It’s where the boys are, doing their thing surfside.

If you really want to party, pack your bags and head to Padua (locally called Padova) which you can get to by train in less than half-an-hour. This walled city is home to the Scrovegni Chapel with its frescoes by Giotto, and the Basilica di Sant’Antonio where you must not miss the frescoes by Altichiero da Zevio in the St. James Chapel.

The hotel value in the center of Padova is the newly remodeled Hotel Milano (Via Pilade Bronzetti 62), which mixes old and new in a seamless couture. Nearby is the largest café in all of Italy and perhaps the world. The Caffè Pedrocchi (Via VIII Febbraio 15) has a labyrinth of rooms in varying styles, all created in the 19th century by Italian architect Giuseppe Jappelli. At night, the gay scene in Padova thrives.