About Gay Pride Berlin 2018

I used to have mixed feelings about gay pride events.
Yeah, they’re fun and stuff but do they have be so… over-the-top? I used to think that being ‘in your face’ about the sexuality harms the acceptance of the LGBT+ community. But soon after I’ve realized that these events are supposed to be crazy and wacky. That’s the only way to show people who are not accepting their own sexuality that how they feel is OK. CSD events are also a statement to show the world that being part of the LGBT+ community is nothing to be ashamed of. We can truly be proud of the way we had to go to enjoy the freedom we have nowadays. Too bad this isn’t the case in all countries over the world. All the more reason to celebrate gay pride!

Terribly cute Street Art in Berlin

Berlin Gay Pride is the cherry on top of the crazy.
You know, I come from a small city. So, I’m not used to seeing (completely) naked people on the streets or people dressed as horses dragging along a carriage with someone in it. I felt like I was in an overly sexualized Wonderland. Everything was a little off and weird but I’m not against any of it. One thing I don’t understand though is how people can wear a full bodysuit of rubber or latex and run around all day in the bright sun. How do they even get out of their gear at night?

At the CSD Berlin parade 2018

Gay bears need to dance a whole lot more. 
The long parade consisted of 60 wagons by various clubs and sponsor. I particularly enjoyed the wagons by booking.com, club Griessmühle and the fetish wagon Easter Berlin. Behind Easter Berlin was the bear truck, which also had really nice music. However, the bears didn’t seem to be in the mood for dancing. Later on, the ones who actually came to party joined the fetish wagon, making the crowd even more interesting.

That time I was at a balcony BBQ overviewing Berlin from the rooftop.

Besides that, I also had an amazing time exploring Berlin alternatively.
I travelled to Berlin alone, which was the first time I did any kind of vacation on my own. I did, however, meet some old friends in the city (because everyone moves to fucking Berlin) and met some hometown friends for the CSD after-parties. As this was my fifth time in Berlin, I didn’t visit any tourist crap locations but I did go to RAW, the Holzmarkt, the art center Lichtenberg aka the ‘new’ Tacheles and some other places. Berlin has so much to offer and even if I spent a year there I’d probably still have a lot left to explore.

Memorial, RAW, Holzmarkt, Køpi

There’s downsides to Berlin as well.
Berlin is an amazing city, very lively, with amazing art, wonderful places to relax and great techno clubs. But, besides missing beloved people from home, I also felt that Berlin is a very busy and stressful city. Even if you sit down in a café, you never really get to relax. I loved laying back at the riverside and enjoying some drinks, but it never feels as laid back as I would have liked it to. Also, people from Berlin seem to be obsessed with their looks and I always felt like my way of dressing as a ‘colorful hobo-hipster’ never really fit in with the Berlin ‘avant garde-hipster’ style. (I hope that explanation is comprehensible somehow).

I know, I will be back very soon as I hope that some work-related connections will be coming through. I’d love to work in Berlin part-time, maybe even for a couple of months. But would I enjoy living there? I guess, I’d have to find out.

BenLeander