Travel
Eat Gay Love: 5 Weeks, 6,000 Miles, and the Queerest Road Trip in America
Looking back on a cross-country LGBTQ+ road trip from Chicago to Seattle to San Francisco: trains, mountains, wine country, and the Castro.
Wandering With Pride
The Blog
Travel stories, professional insights, and creative projects. The things I'm thinking about and working on.
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New Orleans: The Grand Finale
The final stop on Eat Gay Love: the French Quarter, beignets, jazz, po’boys, and a proper goodbye to the queerest road trip in America.
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The Sunset Limited: Across the Desert to New Orleans
Amtrak’s Sunset Limited from Palm Springs to New Orleans — two days crossing the Arizona desert, through Texas, and into the Deep South.
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Palm Springs: Desert Heat and Rainbow Flags
The desert oasis with mid-century modern architecture, LGBTQ+ resort culture, and heat that hits you like opening an oven door.
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Los Angeles: WeHo, Beaches, and the Scene
A few days in Los Angeles — West Hollywood’s rainbow crosswalks, Santa Monica at sunset, and the particular energy of queer LA.
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The Coast Starlight: Down the California Coast
The final leg of the Coast Starlight from Emeryville to Los Angeles — through San Jose, along the Central Coast, past Santa Barbara, arriving in LA at sunset.
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San Francisco: Last Days Before Heading South
Final days exploring San Francisco — North Beach, the Embarcadero, one last night in the Castro — before boarding Amtrak south to LA.
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The Castro and the Mission: San Francisco’s Heart
Walking through LGBTQ+ history in the Castro, Mission murals, Dolores Park, and the neighborhood where queer America found its voice.
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The Drive to San Francisco: Golden Gate and the Castro
Crossing the Golden Gate Bridge, cable cars at Powell Street, and arriving in the Castro for the final chapter of the trip.
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Downtown Petaluma and Penngrove
Victorian iron-front buildings, the Petaluma River, and the tiny village of Penngrove. Last full days in wine country.
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Glen Ellen and Kenwood: The Quieter Side of Sonoma
Day trip to the Sonoma Valley: oak-dotted hills, Jack London country, and wineries without the crowds.
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Napa Valley: Wine Tasting Day
A day of wine tasting in Napa: vineyards, bougainvillea, Yountville, and the golden hills of California wine country.
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Petaluma: Small-Town California at Its Best
Walking downtown Petaluma: historic buildings, the river, and the charm of small-town Sonoma County.
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Bodega Bay and the Sonoma Coast
Driving Highway 1 along the Sonoma Coast: Bodega Bay, dramatic cliffs, and the cold Pacific fog.
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The Coast Starlight to the Bay
Waking up on the Coast Starlight in California: Mt. Shasta at dawn, the Sacramento Valley, Emeryville, and the drive to Petaluma wine country.
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The Coast Starlight: Seattle Through Oregon
Boarding Amtrak's Coast Starlight in Seattle and riding south through Washington and Oregon: Puget Sound, the Cascades, and the Willamette Valley.
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Mt. Rainier: 320 Photos and One Perfect Mountain
The trip’s biggest photo day: old-growth forests, alpine meadows, wildflowers, and the raw beauty of Mt. Rainier.
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Rest Day and the Road to Rainier
A couch day with the dogs, then driving from suburban Tacoma into the alpine world of Mt. Rainier.
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Seattle: Pike Place, Capitol Hill, and the Emerald City
168 photos in one day: Pike Place fish throwing, Capitol Hill’s gayborhood, Pioneer Square, and Seattle at its summer best.
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Exploring Tacoma and Olympia
Bars, schnauzers, and the south Puget Sound: a relaxed day exploring Tacoma and the Olympia area.
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Tacoma: Family, Dogs, and Lake Sunsets
First full day in the Pacific Northwest: family, schnauzers, and swimming in a lake as the sun goes golden.
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The Empire Builder: Mountains to the Sea
Final day on the train: Montana morning, Idaho, the Cascades, and arriving in Washington State.
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The Empire Builder: Across the Plains to Glacier Country
155 photos from the observation car: North Dakota plains, Montana mountains, and Glacier National Park at golden hour.
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Boarding the Empire Builder: Chicago to the Prairie
Union Station departure, a roomette on Amtrak, and watching the Midwest roll by as the Empire Builder heads west.
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Two Days in Chicago: The Loop, The Lake, and Boystown
Exploring Chicago before the train: the Loop, the lakefront, and Boystown’s rainbow pylons on Halsted Street.
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Arriving in Chicago: The Starting Line
Flying from DC to Chicago to kick off the Eat Gay Love road trip. The Ohio House, the Loop, and the anticipation of five weeks on the road.
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The Big Med: A Gay Bear Cruise Through the Mediterranean
Looking back on a Cruise4Bears voyage through Italy, France, and Corsica: the food, the ports, the community, and the moments in between.
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Marseille: Notre-Dame de la Garde and Au Revoir
Climbing to the top of Marseille for golden mosaics and city panoramas, exploring Palais Longchamp, and saying goodbye.
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Arles: Roman Ruins in Provence
A day trip from Marseille to Arles: a Roman amphitheater, underground cryptoportiques, and street art between ancient stones.
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Marseille: First Night Ashore
Disembarking into the streets of Marseille: the Vieux-Port, a spiral staircase, gnocchi at La Table d’Augustine, and the Hôtel de Ville at night.
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Corsica: Citadels and Coastline
The last port of call: a clifftop citadel, a sun-drenched marina, and rugged Mediterranean coastline.
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The French Riviera: Nice, Monaco, and Villefranche
Monaco’s superyacht harbor, Nice’s flower markets, and golden hour over Villefranche-sur-Mer.
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Florence and Pisa
Two Tuscan icons in one day: the art and architecture of Florence, life-changing lasagna, and the obligatory Leaning Tower photo.
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Rome in a Day
A whirlwind day in Rome: the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, and a cappuccino at one of Rome’s most iconic LGBTQ+ bars.
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Elba: Island Fortress and Italian Sunsets
First port of call: Napoleon’s exile island, with its hilltop fortress, pastel architecture, and an unforgettable sunset from the deck.
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Bears, Beaches, and Barcelona: Looking Back on Spain
Twelve days in Spain changed how I think about travel, food, joy, and what it means to feel welcome somewhere. A retrospective.
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Days 11 & 12: Last Night in Madrid
The last night of Bear Week on the promenade, the train back to Madrid, and one final night in the city where it started.
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Days 8, 9 & 10: Bear Week
Bear Week in Sitges. Cabaret shows, drag performers, rainbow bars, thousands of guys on the promenade, and a town that fully embraces it.
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Day 7: Girona
A last-minute day trip to medieval Girona. The widest Gothic nave in the world, the Jewish Quarter, city walls, and Plaça d'Espanya at night.
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Day 6: The Coast
A slow day on the Sitges waterfront. The Mediterranean, a sailboat on the horizon, and a truffle dinner that required a moment of silence.
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Day 5: The Sagrada Família
A day trip to Barcelona for the Sagrada Família. The stained glass, the spiral staircase, and the Passion Facade. Nothing prepares you for it.
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Day 4: Settling Into Sitges
First full day in Sitges with no agenda. A terracotta patio, bao buns that changed me, the promenade at golden hour, and Sitges after dark.
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Day 3: From Madrid to the Mediterranean
Last morning at the Reina Sofía with Guernica, then the train south to Sitges. First night on the Mediterranean.
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Day 2: Palaces and Plazas
The Royal Palace, Plaza Mayor, Mercado San Miguel, Sabatini Gardens, and the realization that Madrid has been showing off for centuries.
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Day 1: Hola, Madrid
First day in Madrid. Brunch with mimosas, razor clams that ruined me for all other razor clams, and a drag show at LL Bar until 4 AM.
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The Last Sunset
The final evening on the island. Rocky coastline, waves, and one sailboat in exactly the right place at exactly the right time.
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The Rum Bum and the Iguanas
A boat called the Rum Bum, Hurricane Irma wrecks still in the harbor, and iguanas that have no business being that orange.
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The Art of Doing Nothing
Mid-trip rest day. Cruise ships from the balcony, roosters that own the resort, and a sunset that stopped everything.
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Thirty-Six at the Top of the World
Birthday dinner on a mountaintop, a missed champagne cruise, and five hours stuck in protest roadblocks. Saint Martin in November 2021.
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The Night Side of the Island
The harbor after dark, a tortoiseshell cat in neon light, and the moment a trip stops being tourism and starts being something else.
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Philipsburg and the Dutch Side
The boardwalk, the murals, an Indian restaurant I did not expect, and the statue of a man who died at 33 on a hill where his family planted a flag.
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Landing in Saint Martin
Arriving on the smallest inhabited island divided between two nations. Roosters, cocktails, and the realization that hurricane season is not technically over.
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A Thousand Hills, A Thousand Smiles, and A Thousand Pictures
4,690 photographs from 19 days in Rwanda. Every memorial, every mountain, every moment, organized by day.
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Day 18 & 19: Coming Full Circle and the Long Road Home
Revisiting genocide memorials one last time, witnessing 20th anniversary observances, and the long journey home from Rwanda.
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Day 17: Sickness in Musanze
Sometimes travel means a day in bed with ciprofloxacin. A short one.
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Day 16: Hiking Volcanoes to See the Monkeys
Golden monkey tracking through bamboo forest at Volcanoes National Park, and hundreds of children walking to pay respects during a genocide remembrance.
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Day 15: Boats, Cars, and Volcanoes
Lake Kivu by boat, hot springs, the orphanage from Gorillas in the Mist, and drumming with Twa musicians.
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Day 14: A Boat Ride, Travel, and Gisenyi
Island exploration, fruit bats, the Gishwati field station, and Gisenyi's local market.
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Day 13: Travel and the Bisesero Genocide Memorial
Unpaved roads to a memorial where 50,000 people tried to hide. The remains of 1,040 victims in a tin shed, and plans for something more permanent.
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Day 12: Monkeys, Hiking, and Defying Gravity
Tracking the largest known group of Colobus monkeys and crossing a suspension bridge canopy walk through the rainforest.
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Day 11: Hiking to the Waterfall
Steep trails down to the falls, 30 minutes of photos, and the switchbacks from hell on the way back up.
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Day 10: Chimpanzee Tracking
A 5 a.m. start, a wrong turn that added an hour, and 20 minutes watching a chimp in a tree. Worth every muddy step.
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Day 9: Butare, Lessons in the Ethnogram
Practicing wildlife observation with vervet monkeys, a campus genocide memorial, and a Rwandan student's unexpected dedication.
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Day 8: University of Rwanda Cultural Exchange
Meeting students at the University of Rwanda. One survived the genocide at age six and lost ten family members. He wanted to share his story.
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Day 7: Our Lady of Kibeho & Tribal Dancing
Africa's only Vatican-approved Marian apparition site, where one vision reportedly predicted the genocide. Plus tribal dancing and being called Muzungu.
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Day 6: Murambi Genocide Memorial & Butare Museum
Preserved remains, France's Operation Turquoise, and a tour guide who revealed he was a genocide survivor.
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Day 5: Traveling to Butare
The King's Palace, ceremonial long-horned cattle, and the stark contrast between traditional Rwanda and German colonial architecture.
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Day 4: Nyamata Memorial & Millennium Village
A church that sheltered 10,000 people, a reconciliation village where survivors live next to perpetrators, and a basket cooperative rebuilding community.
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Day 3: Umuganda & Kigali Genocide Memorial
Clearing roadsides with machetes alongside locals during Rwanda's monthly community service, then visiting the memorial holding 250,000 victims.
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Rwanda's Natural History & A Day in Kigali
The Natural History Museum, goat and plantains for lunch, and visiting the real Hotel Rwanda where 1,200 refugees were sheltered.
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A New Day, A New Continent
24 hours of travel, a sprint through Doha airport, and first views of a landscape that's hard to put into words.
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The Best Laid Plans: Packing and the Things You Forget
Weeks of preparation and I still forgot the hat, the fleece, and the boots. Classic.
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Quick Shout Out
Graduating Monday, leaving for Rwanda in weeks. Plus a plug for Dr. Gaydosh's faculty blog.
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Stocking Up and Shipping Out
Final vaccinations, anti-malaria meds, cooling gear, and a needle-and-suture kit. Packing for a place with limited internet and no safety nets.
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Yellow Fever, Typhus, and Malaria. Oh My.
Comps passed, flights booked, and arms full of vaccines. Getting closer to Rwanda.
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Trouble in Tech Town
Two defective cameras, a firmware recall, and the question of whether a GoPro is in the budget. Trip tech problems.
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First Rwanda Tech Purchase
An action camera for POV shots in Rwanda. Not a GoPro, but it has potential.
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Oh, the Places You'll Go
A Google Maps itinerary with every stop in Rwanda pinned and color-coded. Follow along.
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A Quick Update
New blog, first real attempt at blogging. Three ideas for what to write about. Open to suggestions.
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One Step Forward: Trip Itinerary
Funding secured, itinerary set. 19 days across Rwanda: genocide memorials, national parks, universities, and the land of a thousand hills.
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Just a Quick Hi
The first post. A grad student in Holocaust and Genocide Studies, heading to Rwanda for 19 days on the 20th anniversary of the genocide.
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Europe 2011: What the Trip Taught Me
Three countries, six memorial sites, and a question I still haven't finished answering. Reflections on studying the Holocaust across Germany, the Czech Republic, and Poland.
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Warsaw: Rebuilt and Restless
A city destroyed and reconstructed from paintings. Political protests in the streets, an American wreath at a Polish memorial, and a quiet courtyard before the flight home.
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Krakow: Kazimierz and Schindler’s Factory
The Remuh Cemetery, the Krakow JCC, and a Talmud quote on the wall of Schindler’s Factory: “Whoever saves one life, saves the world entire.”
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Auschwitz-Birkenau
Two days at the place where the industrial logic of the Holocaust is most visible. The gate, the barracks, the ruins of the crematoria, and 1.1 million people who did not leave.
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Terezín and the Vltava at Dusk
A day trip to the Nazi ghetto north of Prague—propaganda films, children’s art, and hidden resistance—followed by a sunset boat ride on the Vltava.
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Prague: Wenceslas Square and the Old Jewish Cemetery
First days in Prague: the energy of Wenceslas Square and the haunting, layered gravestones of the Old Jewish Cemetery—twelve layers deep, seven centuries of a community.
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Buchenwald
A full day at the concentration camp on the hill above Weimar. The gate, the grounds, the museum, and the weight of standing where 56,000 people died.
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Weimar: Goethe, Bratwurst, and the Road to Buchenwald
A day in Weimar—the city of Goethe and the Bauhaus, a giant bratwurst stand, and the Soviet memorial at Buchenwald.
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Berlin: Wannsee to the Reichstag
The Wannsee Conference House, the Jewish Museum, Brandenburg Gate at sunset, and the Reichstag dome at twilight. Berlin’s full range in a single day.
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Berlin: The Holocaust Memorial and Topography of Terror
Concrete stelae, excavated basements, and the weight of a city built on top of its own history. Berlin hit different.
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Kassel, Waldeck, and Frankfurt
Treetop walks above the Edersee, a dam with a complicated history, a castle courtyard in the clouds, and Frankfurt’s Alte Oper glowing at night.
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Arrival and Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Landing in Germany, riding the S-Bahn with no idea where to go, and walking into a medieval town that looked like a film set.
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