SEPTEMBER 16, 1994 GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE B-5

BOOKS

Cruising the world with discernment

Volleyball with the Cuna Indians

and Other Gay Travel Adventures by Hanns Ebensten

Viking, 335 p. $22.00 hardcover

reviewed by Timothy Robson For years I have seen the advertisements in the Advocate and other gay publications: "Cruise the Nile with sixteen gentlemen of discernment." The ads always said, "please state that you saw this ad-

vertisement in the

Advocate."

Hanns Ebensten Travel has become synonymous with discreet travel for small groups of wellto-do gay men, for whom (one infers from the ads) political statements are not of high priority. The Nile, the Galapagos Islands, the Andes, whitewater

VOLLEYBALL CONVADE AV

The child of a Jewish industrialist and a Christian step-mother, Ebensten got his first taste of exotic travel as a child when his family fled Nazi Germany to South Africa, where his father was investigating the purchase of a tin mine. After World War II, a return to Europe led to his residence at various times in Paris and London prior to moving to New York in the 1960s to work for Lars-Eric Lindblad.

CUNA INDIANS

AND

rafting in the Grand Canyon. All are places which Hanns Ebensten has led tours.

Volleyball with the Cuna Indians is a charming memoir of Ebensten's forty years in the tour business, first as a traveling companion to British aristocrats (some wealthy, others in genteel poverty), then as a member of the distinguished Lindblad Travel firm, and finally, from 1972, as a pioneering organizer of tours for gay men.

OTHER

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ENTURES

As does any well-seasoned traveler, Ebensten has hundreds of stories to tell about his life and travels. He relates these tales with the passion and disdain a professional traveler has for the ignorant mass-market tourists who now fill every corner of the globe.

Among the more entertaining stories are his descriptions of

an encounter with pajama-clad Colonel Manuel Noriega; the Caribbean island gourmet dinners which turned out to be made from pet food; and the visit to Mount Athos

Biliane london

ita

UNDERGROU

in Greece, a religious community where is perceived by the tourist as rudeness

women are prohibited and the monks are very friendly. The book is filled with sensible tips for touring in unusual places. One is constantly reminded of the lack of sense and respect many

Among the stories is his description of Caribbean island gourmet dinners that turned out to be pet food

tourists show to their hosts. This lack of respect is returned in kind through what

Confused by your accounting?

and poor service.

Although Volleyball with the Cuna Indians is perhaps not of the caliber of some of the finest in the travel writing genre (for example, the books of Jan Morris), it is a delightful entertainment—a fine way to pass a latefall, re-living Hanns Ebensten's encounters in many exotic locations.

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DONALD RESSEGUIE, CPA

216.228.1572

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(...ahh!!...a bookshop!

BEST SEL

JACKIE

COLLINS

MONEY TO BURN

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Dykes To Watch Out For

NO PICNIC

IS IT ALJUST ABOUT IS THIS MOST DONE?IVE FOR THE DOMESTIC GOTTA BE AT A PARTNERSHIP MEETING IN AN BENEFITS BILL? HOUR.

1994 learne franson ...Ooops! Almost walked in with my backpack!! They'll think I'm a thief! I don't want to be searched on my way out

YEAH. WE VE GOT A PRETTY SOLID COALITION OF COMMUNITY GROUPS BEHIND US. NOW WE'RE GEARING UP FOR LOBBYING AND HEARINGS. YOU SHOULD THINK ABOUT TESTIFYING!

JEEZ, ELLEN. I CAN'T TAKE ANYTHING ELSE ON. I'M WORKING SIXTY HOUR WEEKS" AS IT IS.

here... take my bag...

IT WOULD TAKE FIVE MINUTES! YOU COULD BRING RAFAEL UP TO THE PODIUM WITH YOU! IT'LL BE PERFECT!

COME ON! THE DOMESTIC PARTNERS REGISTRY IS A CRITICAL STEP TOWARDS GETTING OUR RELATION SHIPS RECOGNIZED!

BOMB!! RUN!! BOMB

LOOK, I THINK IT'S GREAT YOU'RE DOING THIS, BUT GETTING THE GOVERNMENT INVOLVED IN MY PERSONAL LIFE IS NOT HIGH ON MY LIST OF PRIORITIES RIGHT NOW.

DID I TELL YOU I MIGHT BE GOING UP AGAINST THE UNION CARBUNCLE CHEMKAL CORPORATION? WE FOUND A LUST AT THEIR SOUTH END PLANT, AND I THINK IT'S CONNECTED TO THE HIGH CANCER RATE OVER THERE.

LEAKY UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANK. IT'S CON TAMINATING THE GROUND WATER.

HEY, IF YOU'RE SO WORRIED ABOUT CONTAM INATION, QUIT POKING MY TOFU WITH THAT CHICKEN FORK.

1195

I KNOW HER JOB'S IMPORTANT, BUT I'M NOT SURE I CAN GO ON LIKE THIS! SHE'S HARDLY EVER HOME! I MIGHT AS WELL DE A SINGLE BARENT.

HUH, JUST BE GLAD YOU'RE NOT MARRIED TO MS PUBLIK SERVANT OVER THERE.

:6.

WHAT'S

GOING ON?

I THOUGHT YOU

TWO WERE SO

HAPPY!

I DUNNO. FOR A LONG TIME I FELT REALLY ATTRACTED

TO HOW DRIVEN AND HIGHPOWERED SHE IS. I MEAN, SHE THE EXACT OPPOSITE of

BUT POLITICS IS HER LIFE. THE CITY COUNCIL, COMMUNITY PROJECTS, BOARD MEETINGS, FUNDRAISING... I FEEL LIKE I'M JUST ANOTHER COMMITMENT SHE HAS TO FIND TIME FOR.

ብዬ

WOW. SHE JUST TOLD US YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT LIVING

TOGETHER.

I KNOW. SHE'S SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP BILL. I HAVEN'T HAD THE HEART TO TELL HER I DON'T WANT TO BE HER DAMN DOMESTIC,

PARTNER.

COME AND

GET

IT/

THERE'S MY TIGER BOY! ARE YOU READY

FOR YOUR

CHICKEN?

LUST?

CLARICE, HE HASN'T EATEN CHICKEN FOR WEEKS

NOW. THE ONLY THING

WE'LL TOUCH IS BERTS

WITH PEANUT BUTTER.

HARRIET,

I HAVE TO

LEAVE IN

TWENTY

MANUTES,

DON'T ASK ME. I DIDN'T SPEND ALL DAY BAR.

BECUING THIS

NICE MEAL

OKAY?

FOR YOU.