My days have fallen into a pattern of starting and ending later. I will be back on the road soon, but beyond Copenhagen and Oslo I find it difficult to decide where to go. I find myself rather rudderless most days, thinking that I should be checking out all the attractions of the city while I'm here, but I'm not really into it most days. Getting up at a later hour doesn't help.
I call a Servas host in Copenhagen, Kresten Andersen, and arrange to stay with him for a couple nights. Kresten is the first Servas host I have seen who has listed in his interests the topic 'gay activism'. I have no issue staying with straight hosts but I have a keen interest in how gays in other countries are coping and how their communities have developed. Kresten is 41, has traveled in 49 countries and lived in the US and South America.
I stroll through the Tiergarten and down a couple streets I haven't seen before. So much of the city has been rebuilt since the heavy bombing of 1945 that its historic elements are sparsely scattered compared to many other cities. It has a very vibrant feel, but also a more modern one.
I have coffee at Mann-o-Meter, dinner at the hotel and a beer at HIP before making the 30 minute walk to Anderes Ufer. I wait there ten minutes for Andres to show. He's walks in and looks around, bursting into smiles when he sees me. We embrace and settle into a conversation. The bartender has attitude and the service sucks so after our first drink we decide to try another bar. He leads me one across town called the Philharmonie Kleine. Getting there requires a subway ride, my first subway ride since Paris. The system in Berlin is totally on the honour system. It costs 2.70 DM for a ride with the ticket good for tow hours.
The Philharmonie Kleine is a relaxed bar with a lounge atmosphere, which makes it easy to talk. I much prefer hanging out with Andres over going to another noisy dance where Lutz said he will be tonight. We find a comfortable couch and cuddle until Andres spots his ex-boyfriend. His presence upsets Andres so we stop cuddling in case his ex creates a scene. I try to keep him engaged in lively conversation to distract him a she is reluctant to leave after making the effort to come here.
His ex left him in September for another man and Andres hasn't been able to stomach being friends since then. I thought he should just make a show of being with me in front of him, but I didn't say that. After a couple more non-alcoholic drinks, we go to his flat and he puts on Wagner. We cuddle, talk and finally go to bed.
PHOTO 1: central East Berlin
PHOTO 2:
PHOTO 3:
PHOTO 4:
PHOTO 5: last remaining section of the Berlin Wall
PHOTO 6: Berlin Wall marker (where it used to be
No comments:
Post a Comment