South American Gay Couple Marries in Hvar, Croatia

Two guests from South America, Jose Armando and Manuel, got married in Hvar, Barkun.hr reports. The South American gay couple held a symbolic ceremony and exchanged rings, after a five-day celebration in company of about 20 friends.

Jose and Manuel have been together for ten years, and they chose Hvar as place for their wedding, because during former visits on the island, they found and incredibly romantic atmosphere.

Among the guests there was also a gay couple who managed to seal their relationship in marriage in Panama. The wedding ceremony in Hvar ended with the throwing of the bouquet, which the Manuel and Jose threw together.

Makarska - summer paradise for gays

According to gay tourists, Makarska has been identified as one of the most gay friendly destination on Croatian Adriatic. "I am proud at my town's citizens, and when we start a gay association, this will be one more achievement for our tourism", says Ante from the initiative for the constitution of local branch of "Drugi korak" in Makarska, one of Croatia's nationwide gay organizations, in an interview to Slobodna Dalmacija newspaper.

Ante says that in Makarska could happen some unpleasant situations, just like anywhere in the world, but as a general Makarska has become a very tolerant in accepting gay tourists.

In the article beach "Cvitacka", west from the town, has been mentioned as well known gay beach, but not exclusively so because it is used by other people as well. It is unwritten rule that everybody enjoys them selves there and that nobody disturbs no one. There are no restrictions for any kind of fun. Cvitacka is know as a place where Makarska's straight guys come in search for foreign girls, as well as place where boys come to meet sun tanned foreign boys. Also the rumor is that the beach is visited by married men who hide there with their female lovers. So, Cvitacka has been recognized as a place of absolute love freedom, says the article.

Croatia Gay Club Radio

First Croatian Gay Club Radio, has started whit his work on 10.04.2006. as local internet radio project for gay population in Croatia. In the beginning radio was good accepted and has rouse big media interest! They broadcast 24/7 and to listen the radio visit their home page.

Croatia 16th in the world according to the quality of life

According to the annual Quality of Life list for 2007, released by International Living (http://www.internationalliving.com) the world's #1 travel publication, Croatia has positioned place #16, which is 7 places better than last year. The first place is reserved second year in a row for France .

There are 193 countries on the list which have been marked by 9 different criteria: cost of living, leisure & culture, economy, environment, freedom, health infrastructure, risk & safety and climate.

Croatia is sharing its 16th place together with Finland , Malta , Lichtenstein , Portugal and Monaco .

Top 10 countries are France , Australia , Netherlands , New Zealand , USA , Switzerland , Denmark , Italy , Luxembourg and Argentina on the 10th place. Argentina is a newcomer on the list.

Comparing with other ex-Yugoslavian countries, Croatia is highest ranked. Slovenia is #32, Bosnia and Herzegovina #91. One place below Bosnia is country that doesn’t exist anymore – Yugoslavia (probably they meant Serbia ). Interesting is that for category “freedom” Bosnia got poor score – only 58, Yugoslavia is a bit better – 77, while Croatia and Slovenia got maximum of 100 points.

Totally, Croatia got 77 points, which is 10 less than leading France . Comparing with France , Croatia has been scored scientifically lower for economy and health, and to the some point in environment. Comparing with our neighbours Slovenia , Croatia got less point for economy, but more for infrastructure, climate and environment.

Magazine has not taken into the account only official country data, but also opinions of their local magazine’s correspondents in order to make the list more correspondent to the actual conditions and real life, and not only according to the statistics.

At the bottom of the list are Yemen , Somalia and Iraq .

Read about this year’s list here: http://www.internationalliving.com/issues/2007/2007_article.html.

Complete list is available only for subscribers of International Living, but if you want to check out last year’s list, you can find it here:

http://www.il-ireland.com/il/qofl06/index.php

Croatia water polo players with style

Water polo players from Split's team Jadran have become stars of New York Times. Not because of their play, but because of their perfect hard bodies presented in designer clothes on the pages of famous newspaper's fashion section.

In their sport club in Split guys have posed in clothes by fameous designers such as Dries Van Noten, Ralph Lauren, Luis Vuitton, Versace etc. Story is a result of a last August's study trip to Split by editor Bruce Pasko and photographer John Balsom.

First Croatia's natural beauties have inspired American fashion line The Territory Ahead, which has published in its spring catalog photos of Croatia and named clothes after Croatia's tourist areas, and now this linkage of sport and fashion is a step further in sophisticated promotion of Croatian tourism in the USA.

I mean, you have to admit, guys are looking great! As the NYT article says:
this season, nothing beats a great pair of legs!


Front row, from left: Marko Corvilo, Ivan Brnas, Andelo Setka, Ivan Milardovic and Miro Skiljo all wear Emporio Armani Bermuda shorts, $198 to $298. SIn background are their teammates Viseslav Saric and Ivan Bebic. (photo: John Balsom, NYTimes)


Condition training by Calvin Klein and Prada. (photo: John Balsom, NYTimes)


Ralph Lauren and and Bottega Veneta locker room. (photo: John Balsom, NYTimes)

See the slideshow here.

Queer Zagreb 2007

The Queer Zagreb festival is an spring cultural festival which celebrates queer identities through art (dance, music, film, photography, fine arts, literature, , theory and activism. The festival, which is the largest festival of this type in East and Central Europe, has been organised since year 2003. It attracts local people as well as LGBT people from all around the globe.
In 2007. the festival will be held from 07-12 May.

Gay Scene

There are not many official LGBT venues in Croatia. Thoe whole country has just two gay dance clubs, Global Club in Zagreb (the capitol) and Labyrinth in Rovinj (in Istria).

If you're into tolerance, Global is your place for it operates in just such a spirit (it's their motto). As such, the vibe is exceptionally friendly and not so annoyingly meat marketed. Global Club is situated not far from the Central Station [Glavni kolodvor] and Zagreb centre. It is the most popular gay club/café in Zagreb and Croatia. During the day, Global Club is working as an Internet-café. On Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, the café turns into a popular Night Club. A special club-card, which can be bought on Global Club, is needed to enter the Night Club. For further information regarding opening hours and prices, please visit the website of Global Club.
In Zagreb there is also a gay bar Denis where you can stay ove rnight. This is, as they say: cruising bar and video rooms with an offer which would most certainly meet all your needs. Next to that, we are offering Bed & Breakfast service with prior telephone reservation.
If you are into gay sauna scene, Zagreb has two gay saunas: Bumerang and David, both centrally located.

Club Labyrinth is the only official gay club that can be found on the Adriatic coast. The new location of the club is between Rovinj and Rovinjsko selo. [Previously the club was situated in Rovinj centre.] If you are in Rovinj you have to go by car or scooter on the road towards Rovinjsko selo, a village situated only some kilometres west of Rovinj. The club can be found approximately 1 km outside Rovinj centre, in an area called Turnina. If you are coming from central Croatia [Rijeka and Zagreb] you have to pass Rovinjsko selo. The club can be found on the road before you enter Rovinj.

In Osijek, a town in north-east Croatia, a new gay bar has been opened. The place is called Time (Bartola Kasica street 52, near railway station). It is a very small place popular among both gay men and lesbians.

And I think this is pretty much about everything when it comes to gay exclusive venues in Croatia. But most places in Croatia are unofficial meeting-places. LGBT people in Croatia generally meet each other outdoors in public places, which are known to be gay friendly but don't specifically count as being gay.

If you're visiting Croatia during summer you'll have the best chance to meet LGBT people by visiting some of the beaches. Good web site about gay nude beaches is Croatia Gay Dreams, already presented on this blog.
In public places homosexuals tend to act "straight" and therefore hard to "detect" while they're much more relaxed on the gay-friendly beaches.