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You can be straight at Valencia’s Gay Games

3rd June 20263rd June 2026 funtime65

Las Fallas brings out the sniggering schoolboy in all of us which only proves you can be straight in Valencia’s Gay Games.

The 12th iteration of the GG, which dates back to 1982, will be held under the sun from June 27-July 4.

And here’s the interesting thing, straights are welcome to compete, which is as it should be.

Just like modern Modern Games are now inclusive, so are Gay Games.

All of which is in keeping with the original Olympians in Ancient Greece.

For whom brotherly love in combat was a blood bond.

Ya dancer

GG features many of the events we know and love from Olympic Games in its 39-sports roster.

But which self-respecting Gay Games could not include DanceSport, same-sex ballroom?

Or The Pink Flamingo, a playful team event combining aquatics, theatre, and comedy.

Or cheerleading… Ole Valencia.

Spectators too are included with everybody encouraged to join in the 3km International Rainbow Memorial Run.

There’s music, fashion, film and The Memorial Quilt Exhibition and countless other events.

Transvia the way to go

Our amigos at Transviasport are the go-to travel providers for the Games.

With Olympia Ronda I and II coming in at €66 and €68 a night.

Our amigos in Valencia have helpfully mapped out the best places to enjoy ourselves while we’re there.

With the gay-friendly Piccadilly Downtown Club in Ruzafa a magnet for indie, pop, rock, and disco fans.

Or Deseo 54 in the Sagunto District, for international house and pop and commercial music.

If it’s cocktails and cakes you’re after, and it always is, then Cafe de las Horas in El Carmen District.

And which combines old palatial stables with a baroque design in a cosmopolitan atmosphere.

A Fetish for fun

Hand in hand: Through Valencia’s streets

While how could the Fetish Morning’s Social Club not stop us in our tracks?

Popular after party for the LGBTI+ crowd.

Which despite its name is not a fetish club and is welcome to mixed ages.

And with that we’re away to train… for the cocktails and the dancing.

Countries, Deals, Europe, Music

Good times with CHIC in Marbella

2nd June 2026 funtime65

Leave your cares behind, these are the good times in Marbella with CHIC at the Starlite Occident Festival.

Rick Astley and John Legend will also be there and Kool & The Gang and Lenny Kravitz and rock legends Deep Purple.

And you can be too and stay at the best billet at the El Fuerte Marbella, 15 minutes from the festival site.

Stars come out at night

The only 5* in Marbella Old Town, built in 1957 and reimagined in 2023, has long been a favoured retreat for the stars.

With Penélope Cruz and Walt Disney among the famous names to have stayed within its walls.

Now in its 14^th iteration, Starlite Occident has earned its reputation as one of Europe’s most exclusive boutique festivals.

The best arenas we know are of the open-air amphitheatre.

And Occident is set within a former quarry.

Music to our ears

Beyond the music, the festival is billed as a complete lifestyle experience.

With award-winning restaurants including Tanabata, Temazo, Sandra’s Caviar Bar and Ánima.

Plus the Starlite Night Club, where DJs and special performances keep the party going into the early hours.

Highlights of the 2026 line-up include Lenny Kravitz (29 June), Gipsy Kings (3 July), Maroon 5 (7 July), Rick Astley (10 July), Anastacia (14 July), John Legend (20 July), Kool & The Gang (23 July) and Nile Rodgers & CHIC (26 August).

El of an hotel

El Fuerte Marbella’s quiet elegance is evident throughout the hotel, where each space reflects a balance of style and comfort.

The rooms and suites feature chic design with a soothing, relaxed feel, thoughtful amenities and Molton Brown products.

Take a dip in either or both of the two swimming pools set in landscaped gardens – including one reserved for adults.

An outdoor hot tub, a beach club, a gym, and inviting indoor-outdoor areas that flow seamlessly together.

For guests seeking wellness experiences, Spa by Clarins offers a subterranean haven.

With a serene, low-lit hydrotherapy pool, sauna, steam room and six treatment rooms.

Feed your soul

El Fuerte Marbella has a strong emphasis on gastronomy, showcasing local Andalucian ingredients wherever possible.

A sumptuous breakfast buffet at Soleo Beach Club is complemented with views of the Med, and tastes, in Le Marché.

Levante takes guests on a culinary journey that combines Andalucia’s abundant pantry with global ingredients.

And, of course, for celebrity watchers, the El Puerto Deportivo hotspot is also nearby.

Make my Day

El Fuerte Marbella has introduced a brand-new Day Pass experience for 2026.

Priced from €79.50pp, the pass offers non-resident guests access to an exclusive premium sunbed by the pool.

Or the beach from 11am-7pm, plus entry to the hotel’s VIP area.

Even better, 50% of the booking value is included as credit to spend at Bar Levante.

Prices at El Fuerte Marbella start from €390 per night in a Standard Double, with breakfast included for two people.

America, Countries

Walk the Walk in LA

31st May 202631st May 2026 funtime65

The carazy residents of the City of Angels fear to tread we are oft told but not us, we walk the Walk in LA.

It’s understandable in a city that spans nearly 300 miles, which for those of us on our northern isle is Inverness to Newcastle.

That you might want to jump in the car, or take the Uber.

But it would be wrong to think that the locals are lazy as trekking is all part of the Angelenos culture.

Walk like an Angelenos

So, when in LA do what the Angelenos do, get the walking boots on and take a hike.

Better still let somebody else take you, which for us means Bikes and Hikes LA Tours.

Our LA hosts take us through Griffith Park to the Hollywood sign vantage point and a picnic.

Now for all that you will need to be driven out to many of the iconic LA sites, Santa Monica, Venice Beach, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills.

There will be be walking at the other end, with the most famous, of course, the Walk of Fame.

Downtown funk

But other less well-known walking tours, which again is where B&H help out.

With its Downtown LA Walking Tour which we should have availed of when we were last in the heart of the city.

B&H’s Downtown dander will take you through the historic Bunker Hill district and surrounding landmarks.

You’ll meet up at Pershing Square before heading for the Bradbury Building.

Which B&H bills as LA’s most breathtaking Victorian interior.

And a film location you’ve seen a hundred times without knowing its name.

Think Double Indemnity (ask your grandparents), Chinatown (your parents), Blade Runner or Lethal Weapon.

On the right track

There’s another surprise at your next stop, the world’s shortest railway, at 298ft, the aptly named Angels Flight.

You’ll immerse yourself in artsy LA at The Broad & MOCA, the contemporary art institutions side by side on Grand Avenue.

DTLA’s cultural mile in full force.

Take in too the Disney Concert House and Bunker Hill, once lined with Victorian mansions.

And now one of the most dramatic urban skylines in the country, just ask your guide.

In footsteps of history

Your two-hour saunter will end at the Grand Central Market where you will have no shortage of refuelling stops.

And maybe at your leisure take a step back in time to where it all started in El Pueblo de Los Angeles.

Or El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles de Porciúncula to give it its Sunday name.

Either hop on the Metro Rail (B or D Line) for $1.75 or take a 15-minute walk.

Countries, Deals, Music, UK

London Paddington Musical tour which is simply the zest

30th May 202630th May 2026 funtime65

And here’s something to get your teeth into… the London Paddington Musical Tour which is simply the zest.

Now nobody has done more to promote the orange-flavoured preserve than the Peruvian teddy bear.

Apart maybe for Elizabeth Windsor although I’d pitch Dundonian James Keiller.

As it was Jamesie who invented the first commercial marmalade as far back as 1797.

All of which you can chew on as you follow in the Great Bear’s paw steps around London.

With our pals at Irish holiday provider Keith Prowse Attractions.

Meet the Browns

You’ll join Paddington on a journey from ‘deepest, darkest Peru’ to London and revel in his misadventures.

KP is also offering packages including tickets to the interactive Paddington Bear Experience on London’s South Bank.

Where your mission is to save Marmalade Day.

The Paddington Bear Experience has recreated the whole world from the moment you arrive at Paddington Station.

And take the train to meet the Browns at 32 Windsor Gardens.

Deepest, darkest Peru

What makes this trip extra tangy is that you’ll be transported to Peru.

To retrieve oranges and turn them into marmalade on Montgomery Clyde’s marmalade making machine.

All to serve the Marmalade Day Festival Street Party at Windsor Gardens where you’ll be Paddington’s guest of honour.

A nice appetiser, of course, for the main fare, your Paddington the Musical spectacular at The Savoy.

Bearly believable deals

ESCAPE TO LONDON WITH PADDINGTON!:

July 17-19 from €319pps

Package includes:

Ticket to The Paddington Bear™ Experience
2 nights at the President Hotel
Breakfast included

SEE PADDINGTON LIVE ON STAGE!:

May 21-23 2027 from €497pps

Package includes:

Stalls ticket to Paddington the Musical
2 nights at the Copthorne Tara Hotel London Kensington
Breakfast included

THE ULTIMATE PADDINGTON WEEKEND:

November 6-8 from €592pps

Package includes:

Ticket to The Paddington Bear™ Experience
Stalls Ticket to Paddington The Musical
2 nights at the Royal National Hotel
Breakfast included

FAMILY PADDINGTON ADVENTURE IN LONDON:

December 16-19 from €2,564 per family (2 adults & 2 kids)

Package includes:

Tickets to The Paddington Bear Experience
Stalls Tickets to Paddington The Musical
2 nights at the Hilton London Metropole (Family Room)
Breakfast included

*Flights can be added at time of booking for best price options

Countries, Europe, Food

Swiss big cheeses party until the cows come home

29th May 202629th May 2026 funtime65

We’re all different and, while the English roll their Wensleydales down their hill. the Swiss big cheeses party until the cows come home.

Who knows why the English do what they do, and 35 years living with one in The Scary One, I’m no nearer getting to the nub of that.

But perhaps if you’ve got mountains of cheese at your disposal.

You won’t have to throw yourself down the Copper’s Hill for a wheel.

In the Swiss canton of Vaud that would just cheese them off as they prefer to take life at a slower pace.

Nestled in the picturesque Vallée de Joux, the annual Vacherin Mont-d’Or Festival brings together thousands of visitors each September.

Quel fromage

Held in the Swiss village of Les Charbonnières for more than 25 years,.

The festival is a long-preserved tradition which marks the return of cows from their Alpine pastures.

And the official start of the Vacherin Mont-d’Or season.

Produced exclusively in the Vallée de Joux between September and April, Vacherin Mont-d’Or received AOP (Appellation d’Origine Protégée) status in 2003.

Recognising its protected regional origin and traditional production methods.

Into the Vallee

Blow your own: Switzerland is music to the ears

The rich, soft cheese, known for its distinctive flavour and creamy texture, remains highly seasonal.

With cheese lovers returning year after year to enjoy the first batches of the season.

Today, more than 6,000 visitors attend the gourmet festival annually.

Enjoying local food markets, traditional entertainment and tastings of the season’s first Vacherin Mont-d’Or.

Set against the forests and rolling landscapes of the Vallée de Joux, the event, takes place on 26 September.

And offers travellers an authentic glimpse into the relaxed charm and culinary heritage of the Swiss Canton of Vaud.

So maybe join in as the Swiss big cheeses party until the cows come home.

With flights to Geneva and an hour and a half on those clockwork Swiss trains.

Countries, Flying, Ireland, UK

Iolar where the Aer Lingus eagle dares again

27th May 202627th May 2026 funtime65

Is it a bird, is it a plane… no it’s an Irish plane Iolar where the Aer Lingus eagle dares again.

Should you have been out for a stroll around Bristol in the West Country of England on May 27, 1936 then you’d have been in for a shock.

When a Havilland DH.84 Dragon, or Iolar or Irish eagle in Gaelic parlance, flew over your head.

If you’re still around today of course, you won’t bat an eyelid at metal birds flying over your heads.

But sometimes it does no harm to turn the clock back.

And that’s what Aer Lingus has done, flying the EI-ABIIolar from Dublin to Bristol as part of its 90th anniversary celebrations.

The craic was 90

Green for go: Aer Lingus cabin crew members Laura Stapleton and Nicola Crimmins. Picture: Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland

Back in 1936, Aer Lingus was a fledgling airline with one aircraft, one route, five passengers, driven by an ambition to connect Ireland to the world.

Since then, the airline has flown everyone from Popes to Presidents, proudly providing an enduring connection between Ireland, the UK, Europe and North America.

Aer Lingus’ de Havilland DH.84 Dragon, EI-ABIIolar, is one of the last remaining aircrafts of its type and represents Ireland’s rich and storied aviation history.

As Aer Lingus’ first aircraft, EI-ABI Iolaroperated for two years with the newly-formed Irish airline, before it was sold and later lost during World War II.

Today’s Iolaris, a sister aircraft to the original, which was welcomed into the Aer Lingus fleet in the 1960s.

It was first restored for the airline’s 50^th anniversary in 1986. Now re-registered as EI-ABI, Iolar remains an enduring symbol of Aer Lingus’ heritage.

The Irish Volunteers

Landed: Laura and Nicola emerge from EI-ABI, Iolar. Picture: Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland

Iolar had been proudly on display in Aer Lingus’ maintenance headquarters at Dublin Airport in recent years.

With preparations to return the aircraft to its former glory commencing ahead of Aer Lingus’ 90^th anniversary.

The four‑month restoration, carried out by Midland Aviation at Abbeyshrule Aerodrome in County Longford, was supported by a dedicated group of Aer Lingus volunteers.

The skilled team combined archival research, engineering expertise and traditional craftsmanship to restore the aircraft.

‘While preserving its structural integrity and historical authenticity.

The restoration work included maintenance and certification checks, including full top overhauls of both engines and careful cosmetic restoration of the airframe.

With the skills of one of Ireland’s last aviation carpenters playing a vital role in preserving the aircraft’s authenticity.

Around the world with Aer Lingus

Flying Aer Lingus: My go-to Transatlantic carrier

Lynne Embleton, Aer Lingus Chief Executive Officer, said: ‘I am incredibly proud of the dedication and expertise shown by our colleagues and partners in bringing Iolar back to life.

‘And preserve an important piece of our history for future generations.

‘As we mark our 90th anniversary, we’re conscious not only of where we have come from, but how far we have progressed over the past nine decades.

‘From that first flight carrying five passengers across the Irish Sea, the airline today connects Ireland to over 100 destinations across Europe, the UK and North America.’

Of course, much as we would like the intimacy of a five-passenger flight we recognise times change and will relent to share our experience with others.

Even when liquored-up rugger buggers (and England’s west country is full of them) think it’s a great wheeze.

To chuck nuts at each other and past our heads.

Thankfully though Aer Lingus’s angels in the air are always there to intervene on our behalf.

Countries, Deals, Europe, UK

The best of times in London and Paris

24th May 202624th May 2026 funtime65

It was the best of times in London and Paris it was… well, time heals the scars from even the most stressful family getaway.

Which may very well be the best argument for going it alone.

So you don’t have to spend your mornings battling to get kids changed and out.

Arbitrating in arguments on les rues et boulevards and stopping every other hour so they can graze.

Thankfully then there’s a specialised tour provider, Solos, who will think only of you.

London calling

And seeing we’re all being adults about this, which means starting your London leg of your tour with a traditional pub welcome dinner.

And also putting on classic experiences including Westminster Abbey, the London Eye and a Thames River cruise.

All made easy with included public transport access.

Paris light

All before you travel by Eurostar to Paris.

Where naturellement you’ll visit to the Eiffel Tower.

And see how the other half lived before the Parisians embarked on their spring of hope…

Mais oui, a full-day visit to the Palace of Versailles.

This being the City of Light you can walk the streets of Montmartre with élan, or Alain or Elaine…

This is your Solos holiday after all.

You’ll admire Notre Dame, and dip into the Louvre, before rounding things off with a farewell dinner cruise on the Seine.

Just the ticket

A seven-night London and Paris Multi-City Break departs on 1 October.

From £3,525pp including Eurostar from London to Paris, flight from Paris to London, airport taxes and charges,

You’ll get the London Oyster card with £20 credit, Paris Vistre travel card zone 1-5.

Breakfast daily and two dinners, a welcome drink and informal welcome meeting.

Entrance to Westminister Abbey, standard experience on the London Eye and a Thames River Cruise.

The Eiffel Tower ticket to the top, entrance and Vox audio-whispers.

The Palace of Versailles Palace State Apartments & Gardens, standard visit including audio-whispers to Cathedral Notre Dame de Paris.

Dinner cruise with Bateaux Parisiens and an experienced Solos Tour Leader.

Countries, South America

The Galapagos are turtley the ultimate in slow travel

23rd May 202623rd May 2026 funtime65

A shout-out here to our heroes in a half-shell on their special day because the Galapagos are turtley the ultimate in slow travel.

Now, as you well know by now, we’ve been spending years poking our noses underwater and into turtles’ lives.

Only to discover we only had to take ourselves out to Turtle Nirvana, the Galapagos, where they’re given right of way on the roads.

With tour guides holding up traffic signs to keep motorists at bay and allow our slow creepers to cross the path.

Darwin and a few species

Our friends at The Internet Traveller have put together a 12-night Ecuador and Galapagos special from £4755pps.

Where you can channel your inner Charles Darwin and get up close and personal with the Giant Turtles.

Of course, because this is slow travel so we’re in no hurry and are glad to sample the joys of Quito in Ecuador.

Stroll through the cobble street UNESCO-listed Old Town.

And take a ride on the TelefériQo for jaw-dropping views of the city and beyond.

Your tour will see you rest up at the Dann Carlton Hotel, because tomorrow, the real jungle adventure begins.

Head in the clouds

Big reveal here though The Internet Traveller wants us to do a bit of work now for our rewards.

If you can call it that as next stop is Ecuador’s cloud forest, Mashpi Lodge.

You’ll wake up to the calls of howler monkeys and the flutter of over 400 bird species.

Hike through misty trails, chase waterfalls, and glide through the treetops on the unique Dragonfly canopy ride.

While nightfall brings a whole new spectacle – bioluminescent fungi and the eerie glow of nocturnal creatures.

Your hosts will give you an overnight back in Quito to prepare you for your meeting with the turtles.

And snorkel up at Tijeretas cove where you’ll have the chance to swim alongside sea turtles, rays, and sea lions.

Our big beast

You’ll get a day to yourself on Isla San Cristobal and perhaps take a boat excursion to Kicker Rock or Isla Lobos.

And again pop in on the sea turtles, eagle rays, and the gentle (phew!) Galápagos shark.

Before visiting Isla Santa Cruz and a reunion with the big beast of the origin of the species… remember him!

You’ll arrive by speedboat after a riveting two and a half hour journey.

The Charles Darwin Research Station would make the old beardie one proud.

With its ongoing conservation efforts to protect the unique ecosystem.

And the perfect opportunity to have up-close encounters with the majestic giant tortoises.

A different breed

Later that day you’ll venture to the highlands where you’ll see the tortoises roam freely in their natural habitat.

There’s always another island, of course, and Isla Isabela is the largest in the Galapagos.

And one of the most volcanically active on Earth and you’ll get the chance to hike 17km up to Sierra Negra Volcano.

While an excursion to Las Tintoreras will give you the chance to observe white-tipped sharks at rest and see where marine iguanas nest.

Now because there is something admittedly voyeuristic here don’t overthink what you’re doing at the Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre.

Because if David Attenborough can…

Show me your boobies

There’s a whole sea of exotic creatures in and around Isla Santa Cruz and here you’re allowed to play out your inner kiddie.

And seek out the blue-footed boobie sea birds and pelicans.

Which is as good a place to complete your slow travel odyssey before making your way back slowly to Quito.

And on to London and quicker than Charlie and his Beagle who took a year to get home.

Countries, Culture, Sport, UK

Stonehenge really did host the first football match

22nd May 202622nd May 2026 funtime65

And who hasn’t speculated that the stones make perfect goals, well perhaps we weren’t wrong after all and Stonehenge really did host the first football match.

We’ve come a long way, of course, since the old slabs of stone were put up in the west of England.

And each generation has added to the legend of Stonehenge by putting their own spin on it.

The latest comes from Win Scutt, who oversees Stonehenge for English Heritage.

And he believes our prehistorians ancestors held sporting gatherings there some 4,500 years ago.

To go along with the religious or ceremonial occasions, giving tribute to the elements and praying for nature’s rewards.

Greece is the word

Hellas for leather: Rhodes Ancient Games

Now Winn references the Classic Greeks, always makes you come across as knowledgeable,.

He says: ‘I think there were probably games, just like the Panhellenic Games.’

But despite being a prehistoric nerd, he seems steeped too in the modern world.

As he proffers that our forbears might have been participating in a reality TV type contest.

‘I think there might have been a sport in getting these stones here,’ he said.

‘Teams of people, a bit of competition, a challenge.’

Cursus games

No VAR: Stonehenge football. Pic: Kintish website

With the wind in his sails by now.

Awith historian Dan Snow on his tail for his TV docu Stonehenge: The Discovery with Dan Snow, he lets loose.

‘With the Stonehenge Cursus (circle), I think we should at least consider that this was not simply a route or a boundary,’ he added.

‘It may have been a place of gathering, display, movement and performance, perhaps even competition.’

The next goal

Can you dig it? Archaeology at Stonehenge

All of which tempts us to pay another visit to the old stones.

We are, of course, a little blase about standing stones (one of the old father-in-law’s fave days out).

With the Callanish Stones in Lewis and the Orcadian Ring of Brodgar up here in Scotland.

While the older Avebury standing stones, near to where my own Druid goddess was raised in Berkshire is our New Age go-to site when we head to her relatives.

But we’ll promise ourselves now to hang a turn to the Stonehenge Visitor Centre and of course I always have a football in the boot of the car just in case.