Me, Me, Me

Instantanés

Nightmare

I find myself again in this small town in the south of France where I promised to not put my feet again, my experience there has been so unhappy. There is this big party organized in the open space area a bit outside the city. I walk along, look what’s happening, stop a while in front of ateliers, there is of course lots of people. I small talk with known people but we don’t have much to say to each other. I have my camera with me but I don’t use it very much. I just take some pictures of the location, wondering what we could do with if It was in Berlin. The disco will start soon in a big warehouse with a big open door. People come and go inside and outside of it following the music they like. Suddenly a big muscled guy takes me apart ordering me to stop taking pictures (though my camera is in my pocket). I ask him to go away but he starts to insult me saying that he hates gay people while taking my head in his strong hands. He smells very strong alcohol and I start looking around me for help but nobody seems to notice what is happening to me. His friend, also very strong and muscular, follows him like a dog while savoring the show he’s giving. He is more and more threatening and I fear the fight coming slowly though I have little chance to win facing him. I succeed to escape and find someone who I ask who is responsible of this site. I’ve been answering the mayor himself, which seems a bit strange. I ask to be introduced if he is here at the time. He is and I start talking to him explaining my activity in the city years ago and finally explaining the last event of the evening. He suggests to go to meet those men angry against gay people and we start looking for them on the site, disturbing some bands around. Unfortunately without success, we carry on looking for them but I notice a bit too late that we deviated and are now a bit far from the crowd. I don’t have time to ask myself questions that suddenly the mayor is in my back, holding me strong against him, so near that I can feel his bulge getting hard in his suit. How am I suppose to react ? I now find myself with a stranger in the middle of nowhere, shouting will do nothing and knowing people of the neighborhood, they are coward enough to not hear a sound. Running backwards is not yet an option as I still fear to meet again the two men who want my scalp. The risk is big. I decide to enter the game and while starting it, I make up my plan, though with no intention of it, knowing that I can fuck with the mayor. I then start to undress him, put him on his back and drop his pants to his knees, so if he wants to stand up again and run after me, he will have to put his pants back or fall on the floor head first. That gives me some precious seconds. That I do. I face his hardened cock and I just have the time, completely terrified, to watch over him and to notice the group of men coming towards us. I start to run, fixing my pants that the mayor unzipped a minute before, as fast as I can. I arrive face to a wall but notice that It is not that high so helping me with the opposite wire netting, I manage to pass it over. I hear the mayor shouting to his dogs to let go, being certain that they will never see me again in town. I reach my car, drive to the hotel, pick up my stuff et go back to the car driving to the motorway without a look back. I swear, of course, never to come back in this city where, decidedly, nothing good happened to me.

Instantanés

The book of the faces

My friend A has a friend E. My friend M has a friend O. I can see O is befriended with E. Should I tell A his friend E knows E so they can friend as well ?

Usedom

Usedom

Some weeks ago in May, I planned with my man to go to Usedom for a week-end. It is an island north of Berlin, 3 hours with the train, at the Ostsee (sea of the east). There are things I want to come true since a long time. In my first german school book, the image of a strandkorb on white sand and blue water always made me dream. A strandkorb is this very particular german basket specially made for the beach. It is a very common here (because of the climate, you need to protects yourself from the wind) and It is very comfortable for 2. You rent it for an hour, a day or a week and it closes with a key. So here I am, checking the meteo for a week. They said It won’t be bad with a cool weather on Saturday and sunny on Sunday (of course). Friday evening, we took the train ticket, very easy to use. It’s called the “Ostsee ticket” and for 36 euros, you can travel, return, to the island, whenever you wish, on every train. We decided to walk up early, I wanted to enjoy so much the week-end. We are in the train at 6:30 and the journey lasts 3 hours. The thing is that when we left Berlin, It was sunny. The more we travel north, it becomes grey and starts to rain reaching the point. I am very sad to see that but just a little check up at the hotel, put some warm clothes and so here we are on the bicycles riding on the beach heading to the forest. There is nothing else to do anyway. But It’s a good way to discover the island. It is a never ending beach of about 40 kilometers. Of course we did not drive the whole way but enough to have a good view of the place. Very interesting indeed, fresh (and good) air, stops by the sea and discovery of the surroundings. To come back, we decided to drive through the land and what is very interesting is the fact that the land is surrounded between the sea and lakes. I let you imagine the richness of the wildlife there. You never can have enough. Back to the hotel, we had a nap. When we woke up around 8:00 p.m., I noticed that almost all people are going out of the restaurant, meaning they already had their evening dinner. When we decided to go out around 9:00 p.m., we just found nothing to eat, and even less something warm. All is closed, even for a Saturday evening. Walking, we reached the next village and found again nothing, outside a cold fish sandwich, luckily with a glass of wine. We tried to go farther to the next (what we thought) the trendiest village of the coast but everything was already closed as well. So we walked back by the sea and found next to the hotel a bar, opened late (let’s say it like that, It was even not 10:00 p.m.) because there was a football match. But once It was the last minute of the game, the bar closed. So It was bedtime. It means of course that the next morning, Sunday, we can wake up very early. What we do of course, thanks to the good air of the sea. I even can see the people already making their exercises on the beach when I even don’t have my breakfast. Anyway, same weather as the day before, so we rent the bicycle again and this time drive to the south in Poland. It is incredible to see that the frontier still “exists”`in a way. I must say that It is a strange feeling to cross a border on a beach driving a bicycle reaching the forest. But the barriers still are into place just for you to make you an idea of what It was before. We decided to drive farther in Poland until the end of the island, down south. It is a small town but at least It shows more life than on the German side, which has been confirmed later on. Tip : if you wish to spend some time on the island of Usedom, go to the Polish side. It is maybe not that nice (though It’s getting better with renovation but It is much cheaper and the bars are opened. I checked the price of the cigs but I didn’t change money (Poland still has Its own currency, though in European community). So I paid in Euro but It is not that interesting. I think next time I’ll change some and see the difference. So here we are driving back to Germany and planning to head back on Berlin because the weather is a bit better but not enough to stay one more day. We give back the bikes, we pack the bags and go to the station. Half way in the train, the sun comes out. Because you are never far from the beach, we decide to stop where we are and to put our feet in the sea, then facing the sea in the Strandkorb (already talked about it before). Sun lasts so we decide to stay one more night. Again we must have dinner early so after a quick shower and put warmer clothes because of the wind, we chose one of the two pizzerias on the main place where we were the last ones. A little “after dinner” walk teaches us that there is nothing else to do so back to the room we watched planet of the apes that I didn’t see for a long time. The next morning, back to Berlin. Next time I guess, if ever I go to Usedom, I will try the polish side. I heard there are more things to do there than on the German side, at least to have a drink in the evening.

Hot week-end

Transgeniale 2010 was almost the same as every year, outside the main subject for which people demonstrate. Nevertheless, I enjoy every year going there because I keep on meeting people, no friends, but acquanitances, that I don't meet the rest of the year. At this very moment, we are all happy to meet each other and share a drink watching all kind of man, woman, gay, lesbians, transgender among other. It means that under the sun, the mojitos have a quick effect and when the concerts start, we are in the good mood. This year again, the weather was with us to party and we could stay up late in the street. Can't wait for next year's event.

This week-end

After the street parade 2 weeks ago in Motzstrasse and the CSD last week-end (worlcup oblige, Brandenburger Tor is already booked for tomorrow), this week-end we are on the move again : Saturday, don't miss the Transgeniale. The pendant of the CSD, but no politics, no advertising, only a strong movement for the "fight for your rights", will start this year from Rathaus Neukölln und will end as usual Oranienstrasse, where I will have, with a few friends, drinks at the Roses bar and meet some other ones. Please come, we expect a lot of people this year as CSD was last week. You will meet people at this demonstration who really need your support in a friendly attitude. The party will carry on at SO36 but don't go back home too early in the morning (though the sun will shine from 4:00 a.m. because the next day, Sunday, before going for a nap at the lake, you will need to go to Neukölln (again) at 48 Stunden Neukölln. Once a year Neukölln really proves its quality as an upcoming neighborhood and turns into a giant gallery with exhibits in the old Postal Office, lots of open houses and a stage at Richard Platz. And no, it is not dangerous. I would like to point out one exhibition in particular. Kunstraum T 27 shows a memorable exhibitions with works about the human memory with works by Anke Göhring, Jens Hanke, Mirjam Dröge and Anja Sonnenburg. I know Mirjam, she's making photos at this very moment in South Africa during the world cup for the TV channel ARD and her work is amazing (plus she is a lovely person). Then, to recover, you may go to the lake, whichever around the city to rest and finally enjoy the last hours of your week-end !

Let homosexual marry

5 clever plans in Berlin

How to discover the city by avoiding clichés, bad addresses and already out-of-date spots. Berlin was already fashionable for some time, but the craze reached its peak with the twenty years' fall of the wall celebration. Between massive tourists' landing who come to party and the germanophil aesthetes regretting past Berlin, the image of the city eventually blurred that you don't recognise it anymore. Is it really the Mecca of festivities, freedom, techno music, the temple of "Currywurst" (the sausage in the curry sauce Compared with Paris or London, Berlin looks like a Promised Land. For 800 € a month, we can find a 3 rooms' flat of 100 m2 in the center. The Berliners pay a little more than 5 € m2 for the rent against 20 € in Paris and 35 € in London. In other words, a student or an unemployed person (numerous over there) can find decent accommodation without having to appeal to a thankless casual job or living in a hole with rats. Other local particularity: the apartments of ex-GDR where lived at the same time several families and which serve now as huge co-rents. As Alexander, age 20, law student in Humboldt Universität, who lives with his five roommates, "in 300 m2 and in a rather festive atmosphere. My parents lived there before, but as it was too big, they preferred to rent it and to settle down in a smaller apartment". The number of these impossible squats tends to reduce, but there are still paradises for young corents. Despite of these happy news, the city is not saved from rent's increase : since the end of the 90s, the price of real estate increases 2,5 % every year. The change concerns especially the east central districts (Mitte, Prenzlauer Berg) who were very cheap. Verdict : the tendency is at the increase, but it is indeed always easy to find cheap accommodation in Berlin. Cultural, cheap and charming Berlin is former East Berlin. Whereas the West does not distinguish itself much of another German city, the East is a Babel's tower towards which hurl themselves count of foreigners, to begin with the French people, who are approximately 20 000 to live in the city. So, I am fast submerged by my fellow countrymen, until being upset when I meet my office colleagues under the dome of the Bundestag. Except the cultural visits, i would suggest to avoid Mitte, the central district where are national buildings and very beautiful museums, as well as Prenzlauer Berg, where French is the official language. The ghettoïsation of these districts urges Berliner with less money or trendier to migrate to the off-centered districts, formerly only inhabited by poor families or by immigrants. In the North, Wedding and its big family apartments begins to be invaded by young people seeking for a job or of an artistic recognition. Other fashionable district, Neukölln, where no more than 20 % of the population has the German nationality, having until recently a reputation of marginal zone, became a privileged place of the Berlin night-life. Verdict: do not miss the tourist districts by fear of the French Diaspora. But no need to carry on there. Berlin, as any big capital, has its renowned clubs (among others, the Weekend, Golden Gate, Berghain) where the electro and techno musical program is attractive, but where the man at the entrance is hardly different from those we know in France. Outside these, another way of partying develops itself: the Berliners take over permanently new places that you might discover if you know the right person. A web site gives every evening a list of about fifteen events - more sixty by weekend-, vernissage, private viewings, before, evenings, even very hidden squats. Again, you will not get too much information on these evenings which have to remain secret. Come here and we'll see what we can do for you. "Last time, we squatted in a cash dispenser, connected a refrigerator filled with beers, put the platins, and DJ took turns until security guards dislodge us. As a result, we went some blocks farther to another bank." Other possibility : to pay a small fee to be allow to cross a fence by a breach where is improvised a party (with alcohol) in the middle of an old factory. You only need to find someone who can help you to find the “door” and let you in, maybe someone like a trendy Berliner. Verdict : you need to have the right acquaintances. But never mind : famous clubs will do. Berlin is seen to be the most tolerant city of Europe if you respect the local laws. Drink in public transport to warm up: no problem. On weekends, the passengers without beer in the hand are seen as eccentric minority (I'm part of it !). Since July 2008, an antismoking law punishes the Berlin social places : in theory, no cigarettes in bars and restaurants. But these always have the right to have a separate place reserved for smokers. In a lot of cafés, the hut for smokers is actually the whole room, and the antismoking activists can only go anywhere else. Despite of what we observe in clubs, Berlin is not Amsterdam and no drug is allowed. Unmistakably, some seem to make the use of it and the law sends the dealers to prison for five years. Most of the clubs close only at dawn. The number of after-parties exceeds the ones at night. In Paris, night people start to create a network structured enough to assure a safe return the home after the last train. The Berliners made simpler: since a long time, the local public transport network drives all night during weekends and before bank holidays. Ultimate refinement, most of the stations have an opened industrial bakery where you can purchase "Schinkenkäsecroissant", croissant with cheese and ham or a "döner". Verdict : you can party until dawn at a lower cost, walk with beers in the hand and smoke like a chimney. It is normal. The German gastronomy is not certainly the most considered, and the French people often have a sensitive tongue. We shall not thus make the praises of the German typical dishes, because it is true that "Schinkenkäsecroissant" and "Currywurst", and other "Frikassee", the Berliner way, do not spread treasures of subtlety in your mouth. But the Berliners are not stupid, and it is the reason why it is so easy to eat well. The Thai, American, Italian, Chinese, Japanese restaurants are almost everywhere in the city and proposes a fine, cheap and big cooking. In Berlin, for 10 €, we can make a good dinner. The local best remains the brunch where, for about 10 euros, it is possible to spend the day eating, filing your plate with "Brötchen", salad or tiramisu. Verdict : it is easy to eat well for not much in Berlin. To drink well also. And to put on weight while being at it.

Berlin's castle : victim of budget's cut

The construction site of the castle of Berlin will not begin before 2014. Tageszeitung reports, following the decision of the chancellor Angela Merkel to delay the works which had to begin at the beginning of 2011. The first effects of the rigor thus are to be seen on the culture programs. The chancellor justifies this decision, confirming that the country simply can't afford it. The project of reconstruction of the facade would cost up to 552 million euro, so is a very consequent budget. Impossible to reconcile this expense with budget cuts, according to the government. Indeed, Berlin announced on Monday to want to save 80 billion euro by 2014. The main savings will not be realized in the cultural domain, but in the social domain: the social budget will be amputated by 30 billion euro. The German chancellor announced cuttings in the social-security benefits, new taxes and job losses in the public service. But It's not the first polemic for Berlin's castle, far from there. Alternately symbol of former Prussia, and GDR, the ancient Palace of the Republic was closed following a contamination in the asbestos in 1990. After several years of procrastination on the future of the building, it had been decided to reconstruct the facade on the baroque model. For some people, it is the choice which privileges the Prussian inheritance to the East German inheritance. For the mayor of Berlin, Klaus Wowereit, member of the opposition, this decision to postpone the works is unacceptable: "It is the symbol of the poverty of this cultural policy". In the left of the left, on the other hand we are delighted of the news. An ex-assistant in the Cultural affairs of Berlin, member of the Left-wing party (Die Linke), says it is a precious time gained to think to alternative architectural projects. And ironically, there is indeed a castle on the place but only in picture. The information pavillon presenting the project of the Humboldt's forum which must be sheltered behind the litigious facade was made on time.

Instantanés

Do models make us "manorexic” ?

The ads show more and more boys with unlikely body. Skinny fashion, ultra slim belly, will men suffer the same anxieties than women so far ? It is a fact: aside of the women with improbable thin bodies, advertising proposes more and more very slim male models. Is this trend going to lead the boys to share the complexes from which the women suffer since generations? Will men also make everything they can to make their body look if they were 17 years old until they retire ? Rootstein, a manufacturer of models based in London, announced the release of his new model "the new man". To be distinguish : fine face lines and a 27 of the waist. A perfect model to present skinny jeans. But newspapers report Beat's anxieties, a charity association which helps those who suffer from eating disorders. The anorexia and the bulimia are in strong progress in men population, and according to Beat, the arrival of these models is not going to arrange the situation. Look at the evolution of the sizes of the models taken out from Roostein since 1967, when they wore 33, then 31 in 1983, and 28 in 1994. The same for the chest measurement, from 42 to 35 over the years. A study shows that 10 % of the Americans suffering from food disorders in 1990 were men, when they are 25 %. You will soon hear about Manorexia and this "manorexia" settles down itself as another kind of disorder in the men's appearance, as well as the well known "bigorexia" which consists in wanting to be always more muscled developed. The emergence of the "metrosexual" man could explain this movement. A doctor interviewed explains that "ten years ago, the women and the gays had the same risks of having problems connected to their image. The heterosexual men said "if we have a belly, it is because we drink beer, because we are men, and we don't care. "But it changed radically." Relieved by the metrosexual marketing, a new image of the thin and muscular man is henceforth widely shown at all the corners of the streets, at television, in front windows of the shops, at the cinema. That makes the gay population even more exposed. "There is now so much pressure on men as on women to have a certain shape of body, notices a representative of Beat. These images which present a purpose to be reached, the skinny styles, the more and more thin sizes, it is dangerous." From his part, the model's brand forbids itself to incite to anorexia. "It is a collection dictated by the current fashion, the skinny jeans and the very narrow cuts, as we see it everywhere at Gucci or in trendy magazines says the designer. But I am sure that muscular boys will soon make their return." But to go from very skinny bodies to muscular ones, is It really this that will resolve the problems of self respect ? nothing is less sure. I am so happy to have love handles and hairs, to smoke, drink and eat what I want.

Instantanés

Trivial pursuit

I guess we all played this game. But who asked himself who was the creator of it ? Chris Haney, the onetime Montreal Gazette photo editor who parlayed an idea sketched out on barroom napkins into one of the most successful board games in history – Trivial Pursuit -- has died in Toronto at the age of 59 after a long illness. In Dec., 1979, Christopher Haney, a Welland, Ont. native, and his Canadian Press colleague, sportswriter Scott Abbott, drafted the rough concept of a trivia-based board game over beer, during a lunch-hour game of Scrabble. They later rounded up some 32 small investors, who paid as little as $1,000, and used the proceeds to create a test-market version of the game. All of those early investors subsequently grew rich on the annual royalties. The first 1,100 copies of Trivial Pursuit were released commercially in November, 1981, at $15 each. Initially, it was a money-losing proposition for investors, since the cost of manufacturing was $75 a piece.

Eurovision

I wish you had a look the other Saturday at the Eurovision song contest. Of course, if you don’t live in Europe, you can’t understand. This is the one time of the year that all countries and people are supporting their chosen singer to win the competition. Mean people say It is very gay, maybe because we like to dress up just for fun. Frankly said, I agree with the fact that since 1974’s ABBA winner, the costumes almost stay the same, sometimes worse for our time. But nevertheless we like to meet all of us at a bar (luckily this year was fabulous) and we could stay at the full packed terrasse where they put 2 big screens so we could follow live. What an amazing night. First, we need to listen the 39 songs of the finalists. So it lasts a while and of course you prepared yourself weeks before with your own view of the winner. Then you hear and read critics to make your update on the tendency. Once you listened and loudly participate to the show with tenth of people doing exactly the same, comes the so awaited moment : the scores. I remember the time when all countries where asked to give their points from 0 to 12 (so if you say the name of a country and then “12 points”, I know you’re a fan) for each participant and It lasts and lasts and lasts that you almost fall asleep before reaching the winner. They made it shorter and all countries still have to communicate their points but starting at 8 and still finishing at 12 points. Youcan't help yourself thinking at the same time that the votes sometimes are political choices. Cyprus gave maximim points to Greece and Turkey when the same countries gave the same to each other and strangely Greece gace nothing to germany ! (if you followed the economical context, you know why). And every country of ex Soviet Union block gave also maximum points to each other. And I can’t explain you the riot after the show when It was clear this year that Germany will win. Actually, I am so happy that next year, it will take place, hopefully, in Berlin.