MyGayGermany

Funky, Fun, Futuristic Architecture

2010-12-14T01:00:00.001-08:00

While Lotte Jeffs is glamming it up on Berlin’s avant-garde lesbian scene I have commandeered the intellectual high ground to better cast an eye over some of Germany’s equally forward thinking modern architecture.

It’s hard to believe that it has been 20 years since the reunification of Germany. I can vividly remember seeing the Berlin Wall being torn down on the television; it’s hard to forget such monumentous events. As well as signalling the end of the Cold War this was also a beginning too though. A new reunified Germany was getting ready to rebuild itself and with some pretty radical results as I found out.

Architecture has always mirrored the political and social ideology of the time in which it was built and the events of 1988 inspired a new wave of enlightened and positive German construction. 20 years on I decided to take a look at some of the iconic landmarks that were inspired by the optimism surrounding German reunification.

Perhaps the most historically significant of these is Berlins renovated Reichstag which housed Germany’s Parliament from 1894 until it was destroyed by a fire 1933. The home of Germany’s democracy stood derelict and forlorn (rather symbolically) for years right on the boundary between East and West Berlin until it was renovated during the 1960s. In 1990 a buoyant Germany held the official reunification ceremony here, but it was the subsequent renovation by Norman Foster for which the building is now widely recognised.

You can’t help but notice the new Reichstag building, virtually all that is left of the original building is the ornate facade, but it is Sir Norman’s glass dome which really grabs your attention, especially at night when it glows on top of the building. This gleaming metal and glass structure comes complete with a ramp which spirals around the outside of the dome giving unparalleled views of the Berlin Sky line.

The dome overlooks the debating chamber for the Bundestag, a design feature which focuses on making the process of government more transparent. Perhaps our own government should be taking note and well they might, the design strongly influenced Fosters design for London’s county hall on the South Bank.

Foster is far from the only brilliant architect to be invited to come and strut his stuff in Germany though. Frank Gehry’s unique style of deconstructionism has been responsible for the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao and LA’s Walt Disney Concert Hall. His equally eccentric contributions to the German skyline can be seen both in Hamburg and on Düsseldorf’s waterfront where three buildings collectively known as Der Neue Zollhof stand.

These office blocks trick the eye from a distance challenging both perception and perspective. They are wavy undulating creations that lack any conventional form and are both playful and funky at the same time, you could be forgiven for thinking that they had slipped right of the pages of a Manga comic book. Conventional these buildings are not but I like them, so much more interesting than the angular, uniform office spaces you see in so many other cities.

If Gehry’s buildings are funky then Iraqi born architect Zaha Hadid’s brand of deconstructionism on show at the Phaeno Science Center in Wolfsburg defines hip, in fact it’s positively groovadelic. The centre resembles some huge off-worldy leviathan that has made an unscheduled stop for some reason in Lower Saxony. So fascinating is this building that I defy anyone not to want to explore further, and this is where the fun really starts. The inside spaces are as futuristic as the science exhibits it houses, this structure just gets ‘curioser and curioser’.

I have only just scratched the surface of some of Germany’s Innovative and forward thinking buildings here, but it’s great to see so much humour and pioneering spirit in some outstanding design. Great buildings need inspiration I suppose and it would seem that in the last 20 years Germany has provided that in spades, and the results are right here for everyone to see.

Your shout – leave a comment!Let me know if you have any recommendations for funky, fun or futuristic buildings in Germany.

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Berlin New Year

2010-12-02T03:04:00.001-08:00

Darren Cooper relives Berlin’s New Year celebrations 2009 at the Brandenburg Gate.

Every city has their landmark attraction where revellers celebrate the end of the old year and the start of the new one. New York has Times Square, London has the fireworks from the London eye and Berlin, well Berlin’s main New Year extravaganza takes place in front of the Iconic Brandenburg Gate.

There’s something very symbolic about this as a venue for discarding the old and ushering in the new. This was of course one of the main gateways between East and West, Checkpoint Charlie in fact, one of the most potent symbols of the entire Cold War. Of course crossing here wasn’t quite as easy as nowadays and many people died, or were killed just for trying.

It’s been 20 years since the wall came down, a fact that was celebrated in Berlin with a yearlong celebration of events, exhibitions and of course parties. So you could say that this is the climax of those celebrations, certainly something that I think is worth participating in. So with that in mind I surfed along to the Lufthansa site and booked a return trip to the German capital.

I love Berlin at any time of the year to be honest but December is one of my favourite times to visit. Although Christmas has passed the city is still decorated to the nines and there’s a really festive atmosphere as the New Year looms. It’s crisply cold too, not that damp kind of cold that you get in London at this time of the year. It’s properly frosty even with the sun shining brightly it doesn’t have the strength to raise the temperature much above freezing.

I’ve arrived on New Year’s Eve itself which gives me just enough time to check into the Axel hotel for a quick relax before getting ready for the evening. The official celebrations in and around the Brandenburg gate start at 6.30 and I plan to make the most of the evening so head off for the start of the action.

There are several areas where there is free entertainment for an expected crowd of 1 million people who come to see the new year in here every year. The main stage is in front of the gates itself on Pariser Platz and it’s a very impressive site to behold. There’s already a large crowd assembled and the party is well and truly underway with a band blasting out tunes to an enthusiastic crowd and a very impressive light display from the top of the gates themselves.

It’s down the Straße des 17. Juni between Brandenburger Tor and Siegessäule that I head for though. This two kilometer long road through the Tiergarten has an overall space of 80,000 square meters which is full of show stages, video screens, party tents, food and refreshment stands and light and laser performances.

There’s all manner of entertainment to watch, the party tents give respite from the cold and make the perfect place to join the jubilant party atmosphere. It doesn’t take me long to start talking like a native, well I can manage Happy New Year in German "Guten Rutsch" which is a start at least.

The party rolls on gathering momentum until the countdown to the New Year begins and the place to be apparently is outside. It’s not hard to see why once the crowd collective roars “Drei, Zwei, Eins!” and the fireworks start. It’s certainly an impressive pyrotechnic display that reaches several breathtaking climaxes before the final roaring crescendo.

The end of the fireworks seems to only signify the start of the real partying and the street seems to pump with an even greater energy. It’s quite clear that the party is going to go on until well into the small hours and it’s difficult to resist joining in. Eventually it’s time for bed and the warm hotel room that awaits.

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Berlin Night Watch

2010-11-29T01:10:00.001-08:00

I've been pretty suprised by the diversity of Germany and just like my idol Marlene Dietricht, now 'I always keep a suitcase in Berlin'.

Happy reading!

Lotte Jeffs gets her glad rags on for five nights of hedonism in lesbian Berlin.

You know those nights that start out as a quick drink and end with you staggering bleary-eyed and a bit baffled into the early morning light, not knowing quite what just happened but being pretty sure, whatever it was, rocked?

I just had one of those nights. In fact I had a whole five of them in a row. Because, well, because I was in Berlin and that’s just kind of what happens.

The dyke scene in the German Capital is like nothing I’ve ever experienced before and the music, fashion, décor and clientele all made me feel like I’d at last stumbled upon the pot of gold at the end of Europe’s lacklustre lesbian rainbow.

For a start the girl bars and club nights are as good, if not better, than the gay guy scene which makes a welcome change from all things lesbian usually being the trendy boys’ ugly sister.

Women don’t leave the club at 11pm because they have to feed their cats. They wouldn’t dream of even arriving until past midnight….

….They don’t wear practical shoes for the walk home – they get their limited edition Nikes or glam girly points on for a night of non-stop dancing….

…And far from the usual lesbian cliqueness, women actually talk to you. Yep, you’re at the bar and instead of elbowing you out the way, the hot girl next to you says ‘hallo’!

It’s a breath of fresh air. Heck, it’s a whole bloody oxygen tank of the stuff.

I started my first night at Drama www.dramabar.de, a fab kitsch little bar with a great mix of boys, babes and butches. Here I met queen of the Berlin lesbian scene Angela Schmerfeld who runs some of the cities most popular girl nights. Checkout http://www.megadyke.de/ for more info.

The main queer spots in Berlin are Kreuzberg, Schöneberg, Mitte and Prenzlauer Berg. But to really be in the know I’d recommend picking up a copy of free lesbian rag L-Mag for all the latest listings.

Since the pre-war years, when the Berlin nightlife attracted the likes of Josephine Baker and Greta Garbo to its ‘divine decadence’ and risqué cabaret clubs, the city has been known as a hotbed of hedonism. Head out after-dark today and you won’t be disappointed.

Angela took me to Schwuz club (schwuz.de) where the “Search and Destroy” night plays dirty indie rock that puts London’s ‘alternative’ scene to shame.

During my whirlwind week in the city I also managed to check out these incredible parties:

Barbie Deinhoff's – artsy, queer with heavy electro and gender-bending fierceness.

www.myspace.com/barbiedeinhoffs

Girls Town (2nd Saturday of the month, every 2 months at Kino International) – good mix of music, a bit less achingly hip than Barbie Deinhoff's but quirky and cool nonetheless. The covered patio is lovely on a balmy late-summer night.

http://www.girlstown-berlin.de/

Gold Lion Parties – Ok, now I like to think I’m kinda trendy, kinda cool and up to date on what’s hot in the lesbian demimonde but my god did this party make me feel like the slightly dowdy out-of-towner – and I loved it! Offering up "indie, electro, fag'n'roll and punk" this occasional, lesbian-run knees-up puts the A-mazing into A-lternative.

www.myspace.com/goldlionparty

Mermaids – one word: INSANE. Get a special shuttle bus to the island Insel der Jugend in the Spree river that runs through Berlin, or if you’re really daring – swim-up for free entry! Expect hot and sweaty girls in vest-tops dancing to everything from Pink to post-punk.

www.myspace.com/mermaids_berlin

This is a mere snapshot of my five nights in the party capital. There’s way more to explore and whether you’re looking to shoot some pool in an old-school dyke dive or wear Vivienne Westwood and dance to Telepathe (www.myspace.com/telepathe) you’re guaranteed to have a gay old time in the city that never, ever sleeps.

Your shout – leave a comment!

Let me know if you have any top tips for places I can visit next time!

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Out on the Dussel

2010-09-27T03:31:00.000-07:00

Dusseldorf is Germany’s fashion centre. Yes, really! Berlin might be edgy and über trendy, but it’s D-dorf – capital of North Rhine- Westphalia, that boasts one of Europe’s most elegant shopping boulevards – Königsallee – where designer boutiques jostle for attention from the city’s glamazons.

Money – lots of it – oozes out of every manicured street. From the Media Harbour, where starchitect Frank Gehry built three stunningly asymmetric bastions of modernism, to the quaint and characterful old town – Dusseldorf is the affluent Grand Dame of Deutschland.

Its gay scene, unfortunately, is a bit like the poor relation – consisting of a mere handful of generic Eurotrash boy bars. But as the German government continues to invest in projects such as the recently opened LGB youth centre (http://www.puls-duesseldorf.de/), it’s surely only a matter of time before the city’s young lesbians demand something more. And in the meantime, who doesn’t love a night dancing to Kylie and watching dudes in leather disappear into a dark room?

Thankfully I was in Dusseldorf with one of my best gay boys, Sam – a guy who matches his socks to his underpants, and neckerchief, and insists on carrying a scented fan with him at all times. If Dusseldorf wasn’t exactly the gayest of German cities when we arrived, it sure was by the time we left!

We were staying at the ultra fabulous Breidenbacher Hof, which couldn’t have been better located, in the central shopping district – a Manolos throw from Königsallee.

The hotel is all gilt, satin and black marble – truly sumptuous and gloriously camp. The fact that a hot lesbian couple from Brooklyn were staying at the same time as us makes me confident in declaring

Breidenbacher Hof officially dyke-friendly. And goodness gracious the service was EXCEPTIONAL – friendly, efficient and really personal. A hand-written note from the hotel manager welcomed Lotte

Jeffs, not Mr Jeff, which is how I’m often inexplicably referenced in the world of hospitality.

After a super-quick easy-jet flight from Gatwick, we were picked up from the airport by one of Breidenbacher’s beautiful boys in a beautiful black Mercedes. Pulling up outside the gold doors of the hotel, where a bunch of Dusseldorfians were huddled sheltering from the (sadly relentless) rain, we couldn’t help feel a little bit special as we sashayed in.

After a quick outfit change for Sam, who when from jet-set cas’ to citybreak chic, while I just slapped a bit more wax in my hair and wondered if my sensible shoes were sensible enough, we major gay clichés hit the town.

First stop was the Media Harbour – which is cool, and a bit like London’s Southbank. Design-lovers will get their kicks from the Frank O Gehry, Vasconi and Chipperfield stuff. I liked the giant inflatable rat, that was part of some kinda festival happening at the harbour ‘cos he looked a bit stoned.

From the top of Media Harbour's Rhine Tower, a dizzying 240.5m high, you can see 360 degrees of Dusseldorf. The most impressive thing is how damn NEAT it looks from above. The Rhine weaves its way through the city and because it’s against the law to build anything directly on the banks of the river, there are all these luscious green meadows you long to skip over hand-in-hand with a girl in a dirndl.

Wandering around the old town some more - and after a very strange encounter with a local man and a water pistol – Sam and I headed to the trendy Fligern area. This is the edgiest, most young, cool and consequently queer bit of the city.

Beethoven café is a must for lattes and cheese cake, http://www.beethoven-flingern.de/, Hausfreund sells cool kitsch knick knacks – great for gifts – and there are loads of quirky little design shops up and down Ackerstrasse to explore.

Before our big gay night out we stopped for a couple of hits of the local specialty spirit Killepitsch – made from 90 different fruits berries, herbs, and spices – at the bar Et Kabüffke Killepitschstube in the old town. It set us up for a looong night.

Nahkorbchen i(karins-naehkoerbchen.de) is a fun gay café/bar to start the night. K1 Club (http://k1-dusseldorf.de/) plays pop music and mainstream RnB and Club Musk is where to get jiggy with Germans in a back room. Lesbians, you’ll have to wait until the monthly Frauenschwoof women-only party (zakk.de/frauenschwoof) rolls into town before getting your chance to grope German hotties.

Five hours and fifty Alt beers later we were back in the hotel bar drinking martinis. Morning rolled around pretty quick and after some espressos, Asprin and eggs benedict we were whisked off to what I consider Dusseldorf’s major selling point – its incredible modern art galleries.

K20 and K21 http://www.kunstsammlung.de/ contain an eclectic mix of modern masters – some great Pollocks, Rothkos and Jasper Johns – plus intriguing works from more up-and coming artists, all displayed in wonderful bright, open and impressively large gallery spaces.

If you want to hook-up with lesbians I’d say the best time to visit Dusseldorf is for Christopher Street Day (3-5 June 2011) where this chic city gets its gay on. In the meantime go, enjoy the art, the shopping, oh – and the Japanese quarter which I’ve not had time to mention. It’s an upmarket, interesting spot for a citybreak – just don’t forget to pack your gay best friend.

VISIT http://www.duesseldorf-tourismus.de/ for more info

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Let The (Gay) Games Begin!

2010-08-02T09:30:00.000-07:00

The first time I ever went to Germany was to Cologne - and believe it or not I drove there for a long weekend! Actually it's not as crazy as it sounds when you realise that it's actually closer to London than Edinburgh as the crow flies, and once through the Chunnel, you can speed along on blissfully empty continental motorways.

This was also pre Euro-zone (showing my age again!) so Francs, both French and Belgian, Dutch Guilders and Deutschmarks were essential. When you include the good old British Pound that was five currencies and five countries in just 500 kilometres; thank heavens for the Euro!

As it turns out Cologne was a great city to start my introduction to Germany and that first visit has inspired many return trips to the country, which has become a favourite destination of mine. There are plenty of reasons why Cologne should be high on the list for LGBT travellers - the city prides itself on being the most liberal city in Germany, which unsurprisingly has helped foster a large and visible gay scene to rival even Berlin - tick!

It's also the media capital of Germany, and we all know what those 'meedja' types are like, right? Arty, artistic individuals who just couldn't exist in a city without a healthy quota of designer brand boutiques, funky nightspots, cool eateries, art galleries and a vibrant café culture with frapochinos on tap, and yes you've guessed it, Cologne has all of these in abundance - tick!

Since bagging Europride in 2002, on the back of an annual Pride event that attracts a staggering 1 million people each year (That's the same number of people as the entire population of the city by the way) Cologne has firmly staked its claim as an international and cosmopolitan homo-hotspot too - tick!

And - from the 31 July to 7 August Cologne is also hosting the Gay Games, the largest sporting and cultural jamboree on the planet. With 10,000 sporty guys and gals from 70 countries (plus thousands of spectators) arriving in Cologne for a week of competition, partying and celebrations, Cologne is about to go off even more than usual - tick, tick , tick!

Right, it's about time I got on a flight to Cologne then - you didn't really think I was going to drive again, did you?!? Thank you Lufthansa.

The first thing that you'll notice on approaching Cologne is the cathedral, the most recognisable landmark in the city. As mightily impressive this huge Gothic church is, Cologne's largest erection will have to wait until another time, the Games beckon.

As it turns out you don't have to be Sporty Spice to get a kick from the Gay Games, and arrival in the centre of town proves it. A series of stages has been set up in various locations throughout the city that make up the Gay Games Village, which are hosting a series of free concerts and events.

I'm lucky enough to catch a sing-a-long performance of the Sound of Music hosted by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence on my first visit, what luck! A quick glance at the programme shows everything from daily yoga sessions to choral and rock concerts, bodybuilding, various lectures and there's even guided tours of the cathedral too I notice.

The stages are the main gathering points for visitors to the Games and there are plenty of people, of all shapes, sizes, colours and sexualities milling around. During the evenings open-air dance parties have also been scheduled in the villages at Neumarkt and Rudolfplatz, I earmark both on my city map for a return visit later.

My visit is unfortunately only taking in the first weekend of the games, so I'll miss out on climax of the weeks events, the closing ceremony and parties planned for the last weekend. That doesn't mean that there isn't plenty going on right now though and the opening ceremony is about to kick start proceedings.

The venue, Cologne's impressive RheinEnergieStadion makes a suitably grand arena for the spectacular and most of the 35,000 spectators have already arrived as I waltz up at 7pm. There's a great atmosphere already which peaks as the competitors enter the stadium to hear the athletes oath, which is presented by Olympic gold medallist Matthew Mitcham no less!

It's a moving moment and one that really emphasises the spirit of the games. Queer athletes can compete, and win at every level of sport. Cue the start of the party as hundreds of performers, drummers, dancers, acrobats and fire breathers turn out a fantastically choreographed show, complete with fireworks and music from Agnes and Taylor Dayne.

As shows go this is pretty high-octane stuff and very impressive too, but this is just the start of the evenings entertainment and the opening party at the Laxness Arena turns out to be just as inspiring a production. As large dance parties go this is top notch with five floors of dancing, shows and music with Tony Moran and Steven Redant spinning the tunes.

Proceedings have a distinctly sporty theme, and instead of drag queens and go-go boys, lean and lithe sports men and women throw themselves around the podiums striking impossibly elastic poses in skin tight Lycra that leaves little to the imagination - who'd have thought clubbing could be so healthy (and titillating!)

As the next day dawns, which is around mid-day for me I feel like I have just run the half marathon, which incidentally is scheduled for the last day of the Games. Perhaps I should have started my training regime of staying up all night dancing and drinking a little earlier. Thankfully I don't have to compete and so only have to drag my stiff limbs and sore head to spectate.

This is the first day of competition and there's a choice of sports to watch from basketball and bodybuilding to softball, swimming and water polo. I plump for the diving, hoping that the competitors have taken inspiration from our Olympic patron, Mr. Mitcham.

The venue for the diving is at the Sportpark Muengersdorf situated 5km from the centre of the city. This sports complex is also home to the German Sport University, another impressive venue that the city of Cologne has given the Gay Games access to.

The diving certainly is astonishing to watch, but the emphasis is on taking part and there is a real range of ages and abilities on show. There's a huge amount of support for everyone taking part and the atmosphere is fun and the overall feeling is one of encouragement.

I do hope that Cologne keeps on hosting these large international gay events, the city certainly can organise them excellently. I'm certainly not going to wait another 8 years until the next one for a return visit though, that's for sure.

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Things are looking up

2010-07-23T04:03:00.000-07:00

Lotte Jeffs takes a tour of Germany’s fantastic modern architecture and meets some equally well constructed gay gals in the process

There’s one thing I like as much as perving over hot girls, and that’s perving over beautiful buildings. The fluid lines, the small, perfect details and that gasping sense of awe both can elicit. I could extend the metaphor to include the similarly satisfying sense I get on entering – but that would just be crass.

So, where in the world am I’m guaranteed to find sexy architecture and equally well-built girls? Germany of course!

This is my whistle-stop tour of the country’s starchitecture – filling you in about the Bavarian babes I took to each place is another story entirely!Start off in arty Braunschweig where you’ll find the joyfully named ‘Happy Rizzi House’. And ‘happy’ it indeed is – in fact it’s like you gave a six-year-old a massive bag of jellybeans, a pint of Coca Cola and some coloured marker pens and asked him to design you a house. Actually, it’s designed by New York artist James Rizzi who collaborated with architect Konrad Kloster to make these six storeys of brash, bold and delightfully irreverent FUN come to life. The building is currently being used for offices, but you can take a guided tour.
www.rizzi-haus.de

Next, head over to Wolfsburg, where my FAVOURITE female architect put her inimitable stamp on the city’s science museum phæno. It’s an incredible structure – enthroned high above street-level, it liberates the ground below as a new kind of urban space, that works as a covered artificial landscape with undulating hills and valleys. Remember TellyTubby land? Well it’s like that, but better. Inside the museum is well worth a look too.
www.phaeno.de

And talking of iconic architects, one surely can’t forget Mr James Sterling, who’s addition to Stuttgart’s Staatsgalerie in 1984 turned the design world’s attentions to this modest German city. Sterling’s annex is connected to the main gallery by a bridge that integrates with the sloping landscape, and respectfully works with the existing historical elements of the Old Staatsgalerie. This seminal structure is something to be seen to be believed.
www.staatsgalerie.deAnother of my favourite buildings in Germany is the Hans Otto Theatre in Potsdam. Architect Gottfried Böhm was inspired by the Sydney Opera House – bringing some of its sublime charm – albeit on a smaller scale – to the Prussian arcadia of the Potsdam-Glienicke landscape. This flame-red, ultra-modern and architecturally challenging theatre has roofs that soar from the banks of the Havel like one of Lady Gaga’s hats. It’s hugely impressive and even incorporates an old chicory mill and a former gasometer. If you happen to be in the area – this is the perfect first date building, with plenty of nooks and crannies for post-opera canoodling.
www.hansottotheater.de

Of course, Berlin is really where it’s at for building watching. Start at The Sony Center – a modern masterpiece of steel and glass in Berlin’s new centre – it’s an international hub for commerce, communication and culture on Potsdamer Platz and the result of a 1991 competition to redesign Berlin’s historical centre.

Then there’s Am Kupfergraben 10 – a fab gallery designed by David Chipperfield
on the Kupfergraben canal, overlooking the Lustgarten and the Museum Island. The intention was to build a modern building, which incorporated but did not replicate the past. And Chipperfield’s done a pretty good job – I’m sure you’ll agree! Oh, and you should also check out the British Embassy, in the Central West part of the city it’s another building set to satiate your structural desires.

I could go on, but frankly there’s not the hours in the day to list all of Germany’s amazing architectural achievements – but this super-cool new website does a pretty good job:

www.creative-germany.travel

If you’d like me to take you on a personal tour of my favourite German buildings, leave a comment and you could be my next Deutschland-design-date! Trust me, the buildings will leave you awe-struck, even if I don’t!
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Germany's Queer Year

2010-06-30T02:46:00.001-07:00

From subversive street demos to glamorous parties, Pride marches to sport tournaments, Germany’s gay calendar is packed like a Drag King’s trousers.

First up it’s Christopher Street Day (CSD) in Berlin. Named after the iconic New York Street on which the Stonewall Riots kick-started the gay Pride movement, this massive party has hit up the German capital every summer since 1979. The massive opening party took place on 18 June this year with plenty of talent and loads of hotties turning up to party as usual. Things came to a decadent dénouement as usual on the 19th June after the parade where the closing night party at The Dice Club turned out to be one of the highlights of Berlin's legendary party scene,
Check-out www.csd-berlin.de for more info.

Forget Independence Day, 4th July is all about Cologne Pride. The main events leading up to the epic street parade are Fantasy Pride in the theme park Phantasialand (19 June) – where you can totally get your freak on, and also WomenPride which features the usual lesbian melange of cultural, sports and social stuff. The big day sees fabulous floats, fierce outfits and a whole load of gays commandeer the picturesque old town. www.csd-cologne.de has more info.

Who doesn’t look good in lederhosen I ask you? See for yourself in Munich on 17 July when hotties hit the streets in the traditional German garb for some serious ass shaking. As well as boys in braces, expect some of the country’s most fabulous trannies and a truck load of lesbians. The CSD party attracts some high-profile DJs and international artists. Who? I hear you ask. Find out at www.csd-muenchen.de

If you’ve been to Munich, done Pride, got the Tshirt, why not celebrate CSD in another equally fabulous German city? Frankfurt’s big gay parade attracts over 100,000 people and the route takes in the best of the city – around Goetheplatz and Roßmarkt (www.guetlich-event.de/csd)

Or how about stylish Stuttgart? Where the crème de la crème of the south-west German scene assemble for a week of pride festivities, including a gala opening show (25 July), a parade (1 August) and some banner-waving political events. Fierce.

In other non-CSD news, the Gay Games in Cologne is a great chance to get sporty, support fit gays and realise it’s about time you started working out. With 34 athletic disciplines in total, the Gay Games Cologne takes over the city for an Olympic Games-style celebration of sport and culture. Games kick off on 31 July and go on until 7 August. www.games-cologne.de

If you didn’t think you had any plans for the summer – you do now! Enjoy!
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Stadtfest a Go-Go

2010-06-14T04:13:00.000-07:00

After my recent tour of The Ruhr, (European Capital of Culture for 2010) I have decided to let my hair down, and what better place to par-tay than Berlin? Capital of a nation, the source of Germany’s ample creative juices, epicentre of cool, axis of awesomeness. There’s no other city quite like Berlin, which is why I always keep coming back for more.
My mission - other than to party of course - is also to chill, and this is just the weekend to do both, Berlin style of course. The arrival of half a million people for Berlin’s 18th Stadfest festival (www.regenbogenfonds.de) which takes place on 12-13 June this year should take care of the first part of my plan. I’ve decided to hit the beach too, but “in Berlin” I hear you cry?

No, I haven’t lost my marbles - yet. Berlin is leading the urban beach revolution that is currently sweeping across Europe. My research tells me to expect imported Baltic sand, palm trees, sophisticated cocktails and an achingly hip beach club vibe at numerous locations dotted throughout the city. I’m also imagining hordes of buff Teutonic totty tanning in Karl Lagerfeld sunnies and Boss swimming briefs. Sorry - but it’s the truth - I just can’t help myself!

I’ve booked (once again) at the Axel Berlin (www.axelhotels.com) because, as an achingly hip Euro-poof I fit right in, and also because it’s right in the heart of the action. Located in Schöneberg, this western district of the city is also the premier queer nucleus of Berlin with loads of bars, cafes, shops and clubs within in a short stroll. It’s also a stiletto’s throw from Nollendorfplatz where 20,000 square metres has been designated a gay stomping ground for the weekend of Stadfest in and around Motzstrasse, Eisenacher Strasse, Fuggerstrasse and Kalckreuthstrasse.

No time for malingering then, there’s a party out there with my name on it. The helpful Axel staff point me in the right direction, which wouldn’t have been hard to deduce given the flood of urbane homosexuals striding purposefully in one direction. I’m definitely on to something, “nice one Sherlock”, and join the throng.

Half a kilometre later and I arrive at the entrance on Berlin’s queerest stretch of concrete, Motzstrasse. This street is home to Berlin’s favourite bars, the Blue Boy bar, GOYA, Nah Bar and Tom’s, to name a few and are all packed to overflowing and there’s a healthy trade being done at the stalls and food kiosks too. I also discover that there are stalls for Berlin CSD, (www.csd-berlin.de) Folsom Fair Europe, ((www.folsomeurope.com) and the Cologne Gay Games, (www.games-cologne.de) My next holidays all taken care of then!

It’s thirsty work, time for a stein (or two) and Tom’s Bar seems to have a nice selection of hirsute gentlemen, time to mingle. You can never beat a bit of local knowledge in my experience and luckily Dieter and Roedi, two Berlin locals are soon filling me in, so to speak, with the best beaches in and around the city.

The first beach-style venue to open its doors to the public was the Strandbar Mitte, in Monbijou Park in Hackescher Markt. This urban chill out zone definitely has a beach atmosphere and waterfront location, but no swimming. The Bundespressestrand which faces the Reichstag in Mitte comes complete with palm trees, deckchairs, two pools and cold beers on its 100 tons of Baltic sand. There’s even a volleyball court, although this seems a little strenuous if you ask me.

The beach at the Box Bar is right in the heart of the beautiful Tiergarten, but Monday is the dedicated gay night here which apparently lures people into the open from the hunting grounds of the Tiergarten’s Tuntenweise. It’s also Mondays that’s gay night at Traumstrand Berlin right by the central station, perhaps on another visit then. The Freibad Plötzensee close to Tegel Airport is the most central location in the city for a lakeside swim, and there’s even a nudist section for those brave enough to bear all.

Apparently though if I want the best gay beach, and I do, then a trip to Wannsee Beach in the south west of the city is a must. Wannsee is a huge lake which is best reached by the S-bahn on the S1 line. Confusingly you get off at Nikolassee S-Bahn station, not Wannsee station, which is the next stop, which is only a dozen stops from Potsdamer Platz, once there the beach is a 10 minute stroll away.

Turning right onto the beach you pass the FKK (Frei Korper Kultur = nudist) section and arrive at the gay section shortly after. It seems that not all of Berlin’s gay community are living it up in town and the sun has drawn a good number of people to the lake shore.

The beach of fine sand shelves gently into the huge lake and there are views of the wooded hills in the distance, it’s hard to believe I’m just 40 minutes from central Berlin. There’s a few ducks waddling in between the groups of sunbathers, oblivious to the fact that their home has been invaded for the day. They seem quite happy until a duck fight breaks out over the remnants of a sandwich from one of the beach bars. It’s the only squabbling I see all day though, everyone else is far too relaxed to even notice.

The end of the day sees me join the exodus back to town where the Stadtfest is still in full swing. I have to admit that I did get waylaid in the disco tent for a couple of hours, damn that Disco Inferno. Eventually I make it back for a nightcap at the Sky Bar on the roof of the Axel though, a great end to a perfect day.

I can’t decide quite what to plan for tomorrow to be honest. Perhaps I’ll give the Disco tent a wide berth lest Gloria Gaynor kidnaps me for another couple of hours. Perhaps I’ll just head back out to Berlin beach though, and see if those ducks have decided to make up.

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Pretty in Pink!

2010-05-21T01:32:00.000-07:00

Ruhr-ing into Action

2010-05-12T06:05:00.000-07:00

Ruhr Valley, European Capital of Culture – The future recycles the past.

Darren Cooper heads to the European Capital of Culture and finds a phoenix rising from the ashes of Germany’s former industrial heart.

When heading to Germany on a short break the first area that many of us consider visiting probably isn’t the post-industrial heartland of one of the world’s most industrialised nations. That is exactly where I have just returned from though, finding more than a few surprises along the way during an action packed weekend with a difference!

The reason for my visit to Germany’s Ruhr Valley was in fact not to explore some post apocalyptic industrial wasteland, quite the opposite in fact. The whole Ruhr Valley region has apparently been the beneficiary of a massive regeneration project over recent decades and is now home to over 1,000 industrial monuments, 200 museums, 100 arts centres, 120 theatres, 100 concert venue as well as hosting more than 250 festivals and fairs too.

As if that wasn’t reason enough the Ruhr Valley is also the European City of Culture for 2010 and the region will be hosting over 2,500 different events over the coming year making it the essential cultural destination for 2010! So, interest suitably peaked, I packed my bags and headed to the airport for the short hop across the channel to see for myself.

Luckily my new found spirit of adventure stands me in good stead for the short flight to Dusseldorf. The twin propellered aeroplane isn’t quite what I was expecting if I‘m honest, but after a rather noisy and shaky start we are airborn and Germany bound. Although this aircraft is much smaller than any planes I’ve flown on before it also proves (rather suprisingly) more enjoyable than a larger jet engined plane and is a suitably exhilirating start to the trip.
My first stop after touching down at Dusseldorf airport is the town of Essen which is located in the heart of the Ruhr. Essen is playing a central role in the Capital of Culture programme, the official name being 'RUHR.2010, Essen for the Ruhr' and this is the first time that an entire region, rather than a city has held the prestigious Capital of Culture title.

Situated in the west of Germany, close to the Dutch border the Ruhr is a rather unique metropolis and home to over 7 million people. This actually makes it the largest urban agglomeration in Germany and the fourth largest ‘city’ in Europe after Moscow, London and Paris although the population density is much less than other urban centres of a similar size. It’s hard to believe you are in such a huge ‘city’ when driving through the area as there’s a huge amount of open space and the characteristics are very different from somewhere such as London.

The reason for this is the polycentric nature of the Ruhr which actually consists of over 50 different towns and cities which have all grown independently and finally, merged into one large urban landscape. There are still several distinct city and town ‘centres’ throughout the Ruhr, but essentially it is one, rather spread out city that now flows seamlessly from Duisburg and Oberhausen in the east through the towns of Essen and Bochum to Dortmund and Hamm in the West.

After arriving and safely ensconcing myself in the Sheraton, conveniently located in the centre of Essen it’s time to explore, first stop the World Heritage listed Zollverein museum. This former coal mine on the edge of Essen is now one of the most impressive industrial monuments in the Ruhr and was once dubbed ‘the most beautiful coal mine in the world’. The enormous pithead is one of the most recognisable landmarks in the area and still towers above this huge Bauhaus building, the last coal mine to operate in Essen.

It’s a rather poignant and magnificent memorial that now houses several important cultural and leisure facilities. The Red Dot Museum’s contemporary exhibition of design is housed in Shaft 12, one of the most architecturally important buildings of Zollverein. Another of the old Bauhaus mine buildings houses Pact Zollverein, a dance centre that also has a programme of theatre, film and art and a visual arts centre.

It’s the fluorescent glowing orange escalators that disappear up into the main building that really grab my attention though. It’s impossible to resist climbing into these glowing amber walkways that disappear into the bowels of the former coal washing plant. The heavy machinery that used to run day and night here is now silent and provides the setting for The Ruhr Museum, and extensive collections on the geology, archaeology, history and photography of the Ruhrgebiet.

After exploring the several floors of exhibits and the stunning panoramic views from the roof top terrace I discover that it isn’t just the past that is celebrated at this site. The Zollverein School of Management & Design is the first new building to be constructed here, the suitably modernist design; a huge glowing cube is a stunning addition to this huge leisure park.

We finish the evening with dinner in the equally impressive restaurant, Casino Zollverein. Once again the functional architecture has been used to dramatic effect. The former compressor hall now houses one of the most talked about eateries in the Ruhr which more than lives up to its reputation for excellent modern cuisine with an excellent wine list.

The following morning – destination, Duisburg. This city in the west of the region sits at the confluence of the Rhine and Ruhr rivers and is still an important port and transport hub with the largest inland port in the world. En-route via Bochum there’s time for a quick stop at the Bergbau archaeological Museum, which charts the regions medieval history and also an art exhibition held in an old World War 2 bunker! These two very different pit-stops hint at the enormously varied and diverse venues that are being used for the multitude of events planned for RUHR.2010.

Our destination in Duisburg is the cities inner harbour, once another casualty of the industrial decline the waterfront here has been the beneficiary of a stunning facelift, by Sir Norman Foster no less! The collection of modern waterfront apartments, offices and converted warehouses are now some of the most desirable in the Ruhr and this quayside development is a magnet during the evenings and weekends for Duisburg’s party set.

The harbour is also home to the internationally acclaimed Museum Küppersmühle. This former industrial building retains the brick facade but the transformation inside into an art and exhibition space was undertaken by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron. Fifteen rooms of the MKM are devoted to key works from the Ströher Collection and contain works of influential German artists since the 1950s with an emphasis on painting. International artists are also represented with retrospectives of established artists and topical group exhibitions in collaboration with other international art institutions.

Unfortunately our allocated time to linger at the Museum Küppersmühle is too short, another time hopefully as the Duisberg-Nord Landscape Park beckons. This 200 hectare site is now home to several venues in the former factory buildings; the Engine House, Blower House and Cast House boast stages that are used for music gigs, theatrical and dance performances, exhibitions and many other events all throughout the year.

The centre piece of the park is undoubtedly the massive decommissioned metal works that stands in the middle of the park. The fluorescent illuminated chimneys and gas towers are the first structures that come into view as the sun sets and up close the park resembles the set of a Mad Max movie. Rather than demolish this gigantic steel processing plant the local authority transformed it into a leisure park with some very interesting facilities. An old gas holder has become the biggest artificial diving centre in Europe, alpine climbing gardens have been created in the former ore storage bunkers, and an extinct blast furnace has been developed into a panoramic tower.

It’s the latter of these that (thanks to our guide) we are invited to experience, and what an experience it is. The only way to reach the top is to climb, and the staircase runs precariously up the outside of the building all the way to the top, 67 metres above the ground. I’m not that big on heights it has to be said, the reward though is not only a great sense of achievement, but a fantastic view of the illuminated park and Duisburg as it lights up for the evening.

Overnight once again at the Sheraton but this time our scheduled destination is within walking distance of the hotel. The Folkwang Museum is one of the most renowned German art museums with outstanding collections of painting and sculpture of the 19th Century, classical modernism, and post-1945 art and photography.

Although the museum was founded in 1902 a new museum building has been constructed for the start of RUHR 2010. An international architectural competition was won by David Chipperfield architects; the resulting building offers acres of space, clean lines and galleries flooded by natural light thanks to the floor to ceiling glass walls. It’s a fantastic exhibition space and for me the highlight was definitely the post-1945 art and photography exhibition which was outstanding.

Once again I had to tear myself away from another excellent Ruhr museum, this time for the last stop on the itinerary, the town of Oberhausen. As well as being home to the Centro shopping centre, which is the largest in the country the town is perhaps best known for the quirky and eccentric Gasometer, a major attraction on the European Route of Industrial Heritage.

This former gas storage facility is yet another former industrial building given a new lease of life thanks to the Ruhr’s regeneration. Standing 117 metres high the Gasometer is certainly an imposing fixture on the Oberhausen landscape. The building now serves several functions, firstly the viewing platform on top (this time thankfully serviced by a lift) provides stunning view of the area.

Once inside though the building’s proportions can be truly appreciated. Accessing the interior two floors below the roof (once more thanks to another scary external staircase) a glass lift descends into the interior of the building which is open apart from the bottom two floors. The ride down isn’t recommended for those prone to vertigo and passes a giant model of the moon suspended in the middle of the tower. This is the centre piece in the exhibition 'Out Of This World - Wonders Of The Solar System' that occupies the bottom floors of the Gasometer.

The former gas pressure disc now splits the bottom two floors at a height of 4.5 metres. The space below is now a 3,000 square metre gallery and exhibition space. Above the disc supports a stage and auditorium that can seat up to 500 people. It’s another stunning reinvention of a former industrial relic that has been transformed to show the optimism that this region has for 2010 and years to come.

Different, quirky, original and thought provoking, Essen and the Ruhr more than lives up to its Capital of Culture status. It’s just these kind of destinations that the Capital of Culture programme should be highlighting and it is definitely living up to the standards set by previous hosts.

For more information on RUHR.2010, Essen for the Ruhr visit the European City of Culture website of the German National Tourist Board website.

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Life's a Beach

2010-05-03T09:22:00.000-07:00

I'm travel editor of the UK's biggest and best lesbian magazine Diva, which means when I'm not hunting down Deutschland's hot spots, I'm exploring the great and the glamorous gay scenes around the world.

I've been pretty suprised by the diversity of Germany and just like my idol Marlene Dietricht, now 'I always keep a suitcase in Berlin'.

Happy reading!

For more information on what's happening right now visit GayGermany.co.uk - the official gay and lesbian site of the German National Tourist Office

The L Word
Lotte Jeffs joins the beach babes at Germany’s hottest lesbian party

It was going to take more than a cloud of volcanic ash to keep me away from L-Beach, Germany’s equivalent to the Dinah Shore weekend – and Europe’s biggest lesbian party.

I’ll spare you the details of my 24hour journey by train and bus while air-ravel was at the mercy of an Icelandic volcano. Suffice to say the thought of 5,000 hotties, incredible DJs, live shows and the famous Saturday Pool Party was enough to keep morale up en route.

I arrived in the North German beach resort of "Weissenhäuser Strand", eventually, on Friday night and checked straight into a gorgeous room at the four-star hotel (imagine an up-market CentreParks) right by the Baltic Sea. Sublime.

I love this part of Germany, and was last here to explore the historical city of Oldenburg in Holstein, which is an easy drive from Hamburg. The white sand beaches around the area are perfect in the summer and are well known for attracting sexy surfer chicks – trust me!
Anyway, this time I was back for one thing, and one thing only…some good old-fashion Deutschy, dykey fun. And there was no time to lose. Friday night saw the likes of Betty (the girls behind the L Word theme tune) and the gorgeous Sarah Bettens take to the stage. While elsewhere in the resort things were really hotting up in the clubs where you could choose to get your rocks off to everything from Pop to electro, Hip Hop to Indie music in the choice of party rooms. My favourite was the White House dance floor which looked out on to the dunes and had a huge outdoor terrace where there was some bratwurst barbeque action!

There was an amazing vibe throughout the weekend – particularly at Saturday’s bikini-fest of a pool party! At one point, walking along the white sandy beach where girls frolicked – literally FROLICKED – hand in hand, I felt more like I was in Miami than North Germany!

Which is what I absolutely love about this part of the country – it’s such a surprisingly chilled-out beach-chic kinda place. I can’t wait to go back to L-Beach next year, when hopefully there’ll be no natural disasters making the usually super-quick journey from London a real labour of love!

In the mean time, there’s a whole caboodle (note to self: use this word more often) of hot girl gay events happening around Germany this summer, and beyond. There’s Pride season – of course, which kicks off in June with the fabulous St Christopher’s Day Parades. Then there’s all the big cities’ LGB film festivals, which get the arty crowd out in force… plus all the fashion, arts and culture events, which you really shouldn’t miss.

But don’t worry, you can rely on me to be reporting back from everything, as it happens – so watch this space girls!

Chuse x

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A Long Night at the Museums.

2010-04-07T04:04:00.000-07:00

One of the great challenges facing cultural and art institutions has always been how to attract new patrons and visitors. More and more we are seeing increasingly interactive displays and imaginative exhibits aimed at engaging visitors in different ways. Improving accessibility is also proving a great way to attract new audiences, especially when a whole evening of fun, entertainment and music are thrown into the equation.

The Long Night of the Museums (Lange Nacht der Museen) does just this, and has been a hugely successful cultural phenomenon. The ideas was started in Berlin in 1997, home to the hugely impressive Museum Island to introduce new individuals to just such cultural institutions. So successful has this innovative concept been that the concept has also been rolled out to other Germany cities with Cologne, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Düsseldorf, Munich, and Kassel all now holding similar events.

Each of these cities now opens hundreds of museums and other cultural venues all evening and late into the night on various Saturdays throughout the year for an informal evening of enjoyment. With plenty of extra entertainment laid on for visitors too you could say this is ‘rock ‘n roll’ meets renaissance. This certainly is a novel and inventive concept that is proving hugely popular in attracting visitors, and it’s certainly a whole lot of fun too.

My own nocturnal cultural jamboree took place in Stuttgart, the first Germany city to open after hours for art lovers. With 90 galleries, museums and exhibition venues throwing open their doors for over 30,000 visitors, Stuttgart’s annual late night culture-fest has become one of the most anticipated events of the year. Taking place in the capital of the sate of Baden-Württemberg this region is also well known as the home of iconic German institutions such as Porsche, Mercedes-Benz and the enchanting Black Forest.

With so many venues participating in the event it is of course impossible to visit them all in one evening. Thankfully a dozen carefully thought out routes have been planned complete with a map to download with travel instructions for the nearest bus and tube stops. Tickets for fifteen Euros each not only gain access to all of the venues on your chosen route but also allow you to use the free shuttle buses laid on for the evening.

My own route is the Karlsplatz / Schlossplatz which is also the most central and therefore easily navigated on foot. Starting at 7pm the route takes in some of Stuttgart’s most renowned museums as well as some events put on especially for the occasion.

The tour starts at the Schlossplatz, Stuttgart’s beautiful central square around which are situated some of the city’s most important museums and historic buildings, a good place to start then. The Kunstmuseum, a giant glass cube which has stood in the central Kleiner Schlossplatz since 2005. The museum provides over 5,000 square metres of exhibition space for classical modernism to contemporary art and photography and is magnificently lit on this pleasantly spring like evening.

Inside the crowds are already taking in over 15,000 works of art from the city’s municipal art collection. The main draws are photography exhibitions by Stuttgart natives Elger Esser and Gerda Taro, whose photos documenting the Spanish Civil War are viewed accompanied by a selection of tapas from the museums OT Bar.

Back out on the Schlossplatz the crowds are wandering between the Württembergischer Art Association - where the unique take on social and political issues through the lens of Cologne artist Bettina Lockeman are on show - and the fairy tale backdrop of the Landesmuseum Württemberg. Once the seat of the Earls and Dukes of Wurttemberg this German Renaissance castle now houses the Württemberg State Museum. The Landesmuseum has numerous collections of historical importance, exploring this turreted fortress with its beautiful inner courtyard is enough to keep any visitor enchanted though.

The castle is also being used as one of the central locations for many of the activities in the evening’s programme of events which makes for a stunning backdrop to proceedings. The guided tours being shown around the castle are straining to hear over a live blues band at one point and nimbly manoeuvre around a salsa class at another, it’s all part of the entertainment.

Moving on the ifa-Gallery Stuttgart is home to the Institute for International Relations which brings together people from different cultures through its exhibitions. This institute showcases art, architecture and design from Africa, Asia, Latin America as well as Eastern Europe as well as being a leading German institution for international art exchange with exhibitions from the German art world.

The most thought provoking exhibition is a ‘post oil city’ which looks at the environmentally friendly and energy efficient buildings that are fundamental issues for architects and town planners today. It’s a serious topic and but the exhibition in interesting and well thought out. I especially enjoyed the soundtrack of acoustical impressions from the metropolises of the world provided by DJ Axel. It’s not often that you get to wander around a museum in the middle of the night and get a funky ethnic soundtrack to do it to, is it?

Long night of the Museums takes place in the following cities in Germany throughout 2010.

Stuttgart Saturday 20 March 2010 http.www.lange-nacht.de
Frankfurt Am Main Saturday 24 April 2010 http://www.nacht-der-museen.de/frankfurt
Düsseldorf Saturday 8 May 2010 http://www.nacht-der-museen.de/
Munich Saturday 8 May 2010 http://www.muenchner.de/cms/front_content.php
Berlin Saturday 28 August 2010 http://www.lange-nacht-der-museen.de/
Kasseler Saturday 4 September 2010 http://www.museumsnacht.de/
Cologne Saturday 6 November 2010 http://www.museumsnacht-koeln.de/

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Berlin New Year

2010-03-22T10:26:00.000-07:00

Darren Cooper relives Berlin’s New Year celebrations 2009 at the Brandenburg Gate.

Every city has their landmark attraction where revellers celebrate the end of the old year and the start of the new one. New York has Times Square, London has the fireworks from the London eye and Berlin, well Berlin’s main New Year extravaganza takes place in front of the Iconic Brandenburg Gate.

There’s something very symbolic about this as a venue for discarding the old and ushering in the new. This was of course one of the main gateways between East and West, Checkpoint Charlie in fact, one of the most potent symbols of the entire Cold War. Of course crossing here wasn’t quite as easy as nowadays and many people died, or were killed just for trying.

It’s been 20 years since the wall came down, a fact that was celebrated in Berlin with a yearlong celebration of events, exhibitions and of course parties. So you could say that this is the climax of those celebrations, certainly something that I think is worth participating in. So with that in mind I surfed along to the Lufthansa site and booked a return trip to the German capital.

I love Berlin at any time of the year to be honest but December is one of my favourite times to visit. Although Christmas has passed the city is still decorated to the nines and there’s a really festive atmosphere as the New Year looms. It’s crisply cold too, not that damp kind of cold that you get in London at this time of the year. It’s properly frosty even with the sun shining brightly it doesn’t have the strength to raise the temperature much above freezing.

I’ve arrived on New Year’s Eve itself which gives me just enough time to check into the Axel hotel for a quick relax before getting ready for the evening. The official celebrations in and around the Brandenburg gate start at 6.30 and I plan to make the most of the evening so head off for the start of the action.

There are several areas where there is free entertainment for an expected crowd of 1 million people who come to see the new year in here every year. The main stage is in front of the gates itself on Pariser Platz and it’s a very impressive site to behold. There’s already a large crowd assembled and the party is well and truly underway with a band blasting out tunes to an enthusiastic crowd and a very impressive light display from the top of the gates themselves.

It’s down the Straße des 17. Juni between Brandenburger Tor and Siegessäule that I head for though. This two kilometer long road through the Tiergarten has an overall space of 80,000 square meters which is full of show stages, video screens, party tents, food and refreshment stands and light and laser performances.

There’s all manner of entertainment to watch, the party tents give respite from the cold and make the perfect place to join the jubilant party atmosphere. It doesn’t take me long to start talking like a native, well I can manage Happy New Year in German "Guten Rutsch" which is a start at least.

The party rolls on gathering momentum until the countdown to the New Year begins and the place to be apparently is outside. It’s not hard to see why once the crowd collective roars “Drei, Zwei, Eins!” and the fireworks start. It’s certainly an impressive pyrotechnic display that reaches several breathtaking climaxes before the final roaring crescendo.

The end of the fireworks seems to only signify the start of the real partying and the street seems to pump with an even greater energy. It’s quite clear that the party is going to go on until well into the small hours and it’s difficult to resist joining in. Eventually it’s time for bed and the warm hotel room that awaits.

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Berlin Christmas Shopping

2009-12-07T00:55:00.001-08:00

Darren Cooper, travel editor for Beige Magazine gets into the festive season in Berlin's sparkling Christmas markets.

Being a typical bloke (when it comes to Christmas shopping that is) I was delighted to get the chance to hit the shops early this year to find a few perfect little Christmas gifts. My usual frantic dash down the Kings Road has become something of an annual tradition and one that I could well do without the stress of repeating this year.

Thankfully Lufthansa have come to the rescue and whisked me to Berlin to experience the festive season, which gives me the chance to scour the city for some original and inventive gifts for my nearest and dearest.

What better place to start than Berlin’s Christmas markets, yes there’s more than one. In fact a quick visit to the Berlin Info Store informs me that there are over 50! First stop is the market located at the beginning of the Kurfurstendamm, which as luck would have it is also one of West Berlin’s most famous shopping streets too. The Weihnachtsmarkt an der Gedächtniskirche (Christmas Market at the Memorial Church) really evokes the traditional spirit of Christmas, the centre piece of the market is an enormous Christmas tree that looks over the 100 or so stalls.

There’s all manner of scrumptious treats on offer, colourful sweets and food, all beautifully packaged and traditional wooden toys and crafts destined for lucky kids. The whole nostalgic atmosphere is topped off by the spicy aroma of mulled wine, hot apple pies and hot chocolate. The perfect Christmassy accompaniment to browsing the stalls.

I am reliably informed by some in the know locals whilst browsing that the Weihnachtsmarkt in Opernpalais on Unter den Linden should definitely be the next stop on my Christmas bonanza and who am I to argue? The trip over to what was East Berlin takes me past the beautifully illuminated Brandenburg Gate and down Friedrichstrasse, another up market shopping street lined with tempting, top end boutiques and brasseries. My stroll up Friedrichstrasse also takes me past the WeihnachtsZauber on Gendarmenmarkt, another Christmas market which also seems worth exploring, despite the 1Euro entrance fee.

Luckily I am not disappointed; the Gendarmenmarkt is possibly the most beautiful public square in Berlin flanked by the concert hall and both the German and French cathedrals. The square’s beauty is only enhanced by the cheery illuminations and an immaculate, sparkling white Christmas tree. The vendors stalls here prove no less impressive as there’s an emphasis on art, photography and sculpture as well as elegant toys, gifts and jewellery too. There’s also respite from the winter chill in the heated craftsmen tent where you can watch toymakers, goldsmiths, and wood carvers at work, well worth the small entrance fee which also seems to have kept the crowds to a manageable throng too.

Detour over, I carry on up to another of Berlin’s famous streets, the wide boulevard of Unter den Linden. This wide avenue is named after the Linden trees that run its full length and have been wrapped with lights for the winter making the perfect backdrop to the market itself. Either side of the road are the majestic buildings of Humboldt University, the State Opera and numerous Embassies too. The atmosphere is indeed nostalgic with horses pulling carriages and puffing huge plumes of steam as they do, and a Ferris wheel that gives an excellent panorama of the city skyline.

The stalls here are also laden with local crafts and gifts not only from all over Germany but also the Czech Republic too offering an overwhelming choice of Christmas goodies, knick-knacks and stocking fillers. The Käthe Wohlfahrt Company which sells its famous and unique brand of kitsch Christmas treats is particularly hard to resist.

The largest of the Christmas markets in Berlin though is located in the large square of Alexanderplatz, next to the main train station. It’s possibly the most child friendly market with a whole host of rides and carrousels to enjoy, there’s certainly no age limit though and the atmosphere seems to bring out the big kid in everyone. There’s also an ice skating rink which seems like the ideal place to soak up the atmosphere, safe in the knowledge that I won’t be needing to get my own skates on my return to London.

A quick check of my Christmas list reveals that I have found some great pressies for just about everyone, even those notoriously difficult to please individuals (you know who you are.) It’s a great, yet unusual feeling of relief.

I wonder if they’ll miss my traditional yet manic last minute dash around London this year?

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Christmas Markets

2009-11-27T06:53:00.000-08:00

I'm travel editor of the UK's biggest and best lesbian magazine Diva, which means when I'm not hunting down Deutschland's hot spots, I'm exploring the great and the glamorous gay scenes around the world.

Being a self-confessed ‘recessionista’, this year Christmas shopping is all about being chic and cheap and finding some beautiful, unique gifts that don’t look like they’ve come straight from the Argos catalogue.

So, this month instead of traipsing New Bond Street or the boutiques of Portobello Road, I’ve jumped on the first Lufthansa flight I could find and touched down, (having been thoroughly pampered with the blue-grey elegance of Business Class), in Frankfurt.

I’ve given myself just five days to hit Germany’s top three Christmas markets and buy my very demanding family and friends some extra special presents.

I’ve come for the beautiful wooden crafts, the candles, the lambskin blankets and of course, the festive thrill of a nice glass of mulled wine and baked apple while I browse.

Despite the amazing retail opportunities, Deutschland’s famous Christmas markets resist the tacky taint of commercialism because they have a history and tradition far holier than Oxford street’s.

The centuries-old tradition reaches back to a time when regular seasonal markets took place throughout the year. Christmas Markets were a welcome distraction during icy winter months. They would have been mainly held around the city’s main church to attract a holy crowd. The markets were so popular that apparently, in 1616 a priest in Nürnberg complained that no one attended the Christmas Eve service.

I imagine Christmas Markets got way more popular once religious reformer Martin Luther instituted new customs for Christmas. Before Luther, the exchanging of presents took place on the saint days of St. Nicholas, December 6, or of St. Martin, on November 11. But Luther suggested that children receive presents from “the Christ child,” hence the name “Christkindlsmarkt”, which many of Germany’s Christmas markets are known as today.

Ok, history out the way. Back to shopping.

I started off in Frankfurt because, I love this city. Particularly in December when fairly lights and sparkling Christmas trees make everywhere just seem a little more magical.

The Frankfurt Christmas Market has been going for over 600 years, making it one of the oldest and most popular. In fact, it’s so good there’s even a Frankfurt Christmas Market in Birmingham.

No offense, but I know where I’d rather be any day (even if there is a Harvey Nichols in Birmingham!)

So, I bought some gorgeous wooden toys for my nephew and some snug slippers for my dad before heading to my favourite gay bar in the city Luckys Manhattan
(http://www.luckys-manhattan.com/) where I befriended a lovely lesbian couple and we showed off our purchases.

Cologne was my next shopping stop. There are seven Christmas markets in total here, but I head straight to the one at Cologne Cathedral where I bag some more hand-crafted bargains and fill up on mulled wine.

The Gay Games are being held in Cologne next year, so its good to get to know the city now.

Feeling all warm and fuzzy after a couple of glasses of hot red I headed to my favourite gay bar in the city Max Bar http://lithowerk.de/maxbar/index.html it’s packed with gay boys but is totally lez-friendly.

The final must-see city on my Christmas markets marathon is Munich which has it’s very own gay or ‘pink’ Christmas Market. Held at Stephansplatz this is the place to pick up quirky gifts for your queer mates. And of course, the town-centre’s more traditional Christmas Markets mean you’ll find something for mum too!

Happy Christmas gays and gals, and happy shopping!

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20 Years Of Reunification

2009-11-17T10:39:00.001-08:00

Darren Cooper, travel editor for Beige Magazine reflects on the 20 years since the Berlin Wall came down and why it still has relevance for the worldwide LGBT community today.

It's hard to believe that it’s been 20 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall. I can still vividly remember watching events unfold on TV in 1989 and the sense of a new age dawning. At 17 it was hard not to be caught up in the swing of things. Young and idealistic at the time it seemed that at the dawn of this, a new decade, change like at no other time in history was afoot and of course it was.

Back at home things seemed a little less optimistic, the Poll Tax was introduced in Scotland, Iran had broken off diplomatic ties with the UK over Salmon Rushdie’s Satanic Verses and, perhaps most worryingly of all, Kylie and Jason topped the charts with ‘Especially for You’. So the fall of the Berlin Wall, reunification of Germany and the imminent end of the Cold War was definitely something worth celebrating.

In fact it wasn’t just in Germany in 1989 that people were rejecting the old and standing up to tyranny and oppression. Poland’s first free elections ushered in the Solidarity Party and Hungary dismantled the first section of the iron curtain to fall along a 150 mile stretch of their border with Austria. The impetus for the Velvet Revolution, also in 1989 in the Czech Republic came in part at least from East German’s catching the train to Prague and then on to West Germany. The fall of the wall in November may have made this detour redundant, but the images of Czech citizens facing up to heavily armoured riot police are still as relevant today as they ever were.

In still more troubling protests, innocent and peaceful demonstrators were killed in both Tiananmen Square and Tbilisi's central square in Georgia, simply for demanding the human rights that we now take for granted. This kind of struggle is surely not lost on the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities. For most of us at least those images of someone offering a line of riot police a flower, or a single student standing with arms outstretched in the way of a tank is something that we as a community can and should especially identify with.

The fall of the Berlin Wall wasn’t something that just happened on its own, and of course while this was part of a much larger transformation that was happening all over Eastern Europe, Berlin seemed to solidify the feeling that was taking place all over the world. This was the start of something big, the aftershocks of which are still being felt all over the world today, people matter.

There’s something further about the events of 9 November 1989 that should also resonate with the LGBT community today too. The first people to arrive at the wall on that day 20 years ago were few, but what started as a trickle soon developed into a deluge. Normal, every-day people started to turn up in their hundreds, then thousands to protest against injustice and division and changed history, sound familiar?

I think that it’s no coincidence that gay rights group Stonewall was also founded in 1989, an organisation that sought to take down the walls of intolerance and bigotry brick by brick starting with the notorious section 28. It’s no secret that Margaret Thatcher was in favour of keeping the Berlin Wall, as well as denying equality for everyone. Thankfully though what happened in Berlin gave hope and showed that a few ordinary people, a trickle can turn into a deluge that changes the world despite what politicians and regimes think.

As I watched the celebrations that took place in Berlin this November I couldn’t help but look back at the optimism I felt 20 years ago and reflect on how both I and the world have changed over the last 2 decades. I’ve now been to Germany, many times and have found it to be one of the least divided places in the world to travel as a gay tourist. There’s not only a great scene to be enjoyed all over the country, which is one of the most progressive and avant-garde in the world but also great culture, art, history, nightlife and people too.

Germany has taught us all something very important; walls are for houses, not for people. The unification of Germany wasn’t just about connecting people geographically; it was also about connecting people socially and integration too, something that everyone ultimately benefits from.

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Walls Come Tumbling Down

2009-11-11T08:38:00.000-08:00

I'm travel editor of the UK's biggest and best lesbian magazine Diva, which means when I'm not hunting down Deutschland's hot spots, I'm exploring the great and the glamorous gay scenes around the world.

I know I can come across as a little flighty and shallow with all this talk of spas and gay bars, but every now and then something a bit more meaningful captivates my attention and puts all these glam jaunts around Germany into perspective.

I’m in Berlin this week, and sure, I’ve been to Checkpoint Charlie and posed in front of the graffiti-clad remnants of the Wall before, but for some reason this visit I’ve really stopped to think what this behemoth of a barrier meant for my favourite city.

I’m so used to hopping on a bus and going from the upmarket West to the über cool East, I just can’t imagine what life was like at a time when a barricaded border severed the two sides of the city, creating a political and ideological wall as much as a literal one.

I can’t help feeling that it’s this richly complicated history that makes Berlin such a complex, edgy and fascinating place.

2009 marks the 20th anniversary of the Peaceful Revolution and the fall of the Berlin Wall. These events triggered drastic changes around the world, marking the end of the Cold War and of the division of Europe.

On a smaller scale, the fall of the Wall meant the city had a lot of catching up to do, and fast. This has contributed to the sense of constant kinesis I always feel from Berlin. It’s making and remaking itself as new on such a regular basis that it is without a doubt Europe’s most exciting city.

Berlin’s young, fashionable gay scene is equally fresh. Parties and ‘places to be’ are driven by trends and are as mutable as Kylie Minogue. Nothing hangs around long enough to seem tired or outdated, meaning every time I visit Berlin there’s something new to experience on the scene.

I’m in town for the Festival of Freedom (7 to 9 November) which is celebrated on both sides of the Brandenburg Gate. The highlight of this event is the multimedia staging of the symbolic fall of the Wall using a 'domino effect'. Amazing, and so powerful.

I also made time this trip to visit the Berlin Gay Museum (www.schwulesmuseum.de) which holds a fascinating collection documenting Germany’s often-troubled GLBT life, as well as Berlin’s history as Europe’s post-war queer capital, which reached its heyday in the 1920s. I learnt that the reawakening of Berlin’s gay subculture happened slowly throughout the 1950s, culminating in 1968 with the abolition of Paragraph 175 which had outlawed homosexuality.

What I really respect about Berlin is that it doesn’t shy away from its past. There’s the beautiful Holocaust Memorial of course, but also just across the street, at the entrance to Tiergarten Park, you’ll see a slightly off-kilter cube set by the side of the path. Read the sign, which proclaims that this newest of memorials (inaugurated in 2008) honours the GLBT victims of the Nazis and stands as “a lasting symbol of opposition to enmity, intolerance, and the exclusion of gay men and lesbians”.

As this year, marking the 20th anniversary of the reunification of Germany, draws to a close, there’s no better time to visit Berlin and discover its fascinating pre and post-war history. Learning more about Nazi rule, the Berlin Wall and how a vibrant gay and lesbian community didn’t just survive, but went on to thrive, put today’s scene in context for me.

It meant that later that evening while I was sipping a cocktail in Rosa’s bar I felt not just part of a trendy, emerging gay Berlin but also connected to the people and places that defined the city’s colourful queer past. And somehow it made that Mojito taste so much the sweeter.

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Spas in Her Eyes

2009-10-07T03:35:00.000-07:00

I'm travel editor of the UK's biggest and best lesbian magazine Diva, which means when I'm not hunting down Deutschland's hot spots, I'm exploring the great and the glamorous gay scenes around the world.

I've been pretty suprised by the diversity of Germany and just like my idol Marlene Dietricht, now 'I always keep a suitcase in Berlin'.

Happy reading!

For more information on what's happening right now visit GayGermany.co.uk - the official gay and lesbian site of the German National Tourist Office

Spas in her eyes
Lotte Jeffs takes some time out in Germany’s fabulous spas

Jet-setting really can take its toll. After a solid month flitting from plane cabins to hotel rooms, dancing in dyke bars around the world, being plied with cocktails by well-meaning locals who also insist I sample a certain dish (or seven), and waking up without remembering when or how I managed to get to bed – there was only one thing for it…

Detox!

The problem was, I didn’t want to sacrifice my gloriously nomadic lifestyle to be holed up in the priory for two weeks. No, I’d need to find a destination that I could explore via its spas and wellness retreats.

So once again, Germany came a calling.

Right across the country, traditional mineral spring resorts meet five star spas, offering something for every kind of detox junkie out there.

I started off in Bad Driburg, a quaint little town about 100km from Düsseldorf. I’d heard the Gräflicher Park Hotel Spa (http://www.graeflicher-park.de/) had been given a fab makeover and the spa now takes advantage of the beneficial effects of the local natural spring water and the rich mud cut from the region’s bogs. I simply had to check it out.

I chilled in the spa garden, got involved in some complicated bathing rituals, and let a rather attractive German lady pummel me senseless with hot stones.

Next stop Bad Pyrmont, near Hanover, and the Hotel Fürstenhof – opened in 1783 it’s said to be the first “Kurhaus” (spa hotel) in the world. I love a bit of history so took my still weary body for a good soak in the Jacuzzi and made time for a little full-body massage.

Although a trip to Café Caldo (Hanover’s iconic gay bar) was tempting, I spent the night in a room here with only The L Word season 5 box set for company, and actually I felt far better for it.

And talking of traditional spa towns, Baden-Baden (so good they named it twice), is where royalty and European aristocrats hung out in the 18th and 19th centuries – today it appeals to queens of a different kind who get a taste of the high life at places like Brenner’s Park-Hotel & Spa (http://www.brenners.com/).

Delving even further into the Black Forest (ooh err!) I find Hotel Traube Tonbach (http://www.traube-tonbach.de/).

Here I experienced a traditional German hay wrap – a detoxifying treatment where you’re wrapped in wet, organic hay for twenty minutes. Not as glamorous as I’m used to perhaps, but I’m always up for trying new things!

By this point I was feeling buffed, coiffed and thoroughly detoxed – but I couldn’t even contemplate going home before heading to my spiritual home – Berlin – and spending an afternoon at one of my all time fave spas in the world.

The Liquidrom (http://www.liquidrom-berlin.de/).

The most bananas thing about this spa is its underwater concerts. Float weightlessly in the 34°C saltwater pool and be soothed by meditative underwater music and surreal projections. It’s like being cradled in Mother Nature’s bosom. Mmmm….

For just €80 you get day admission for the sauna and spa, two visits to the tanning solarium at 6 minutes each and a 30 minute massage of your choice – bargain! This is by far my top tip for German spas, so what are you waiting for girls? Grab a dressing gown and slippers and indulge in some well-deserved R&R.

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Oktoberfest

2009-09-28T02:54:00.000-07:00

This month saw me heading over to Munich for the world's largest beer festival, Oktoberfest, Prost!

By Darren Cooper.

I’ve never been shy of having a little drink (or two), so when the chance to go to Oktoberfest reared its frothy head, well, let’s just say that I didn’t need all that much persuading.

For most people Oktoberfest probably conjures images of busty wenches serving hordes of moustachioed, lederhosen clad men singing bawdy Bavarian drinking songs. “That all seems rather macho” I hear you thinking, especially for a devotee of Abercrombie & Fitch from West London.

Luckily for me however there is respite from all of that machismo, not that I am adverse to a little machismo you understand, in the shape of ‘Gay Sunday’. This is Oktoberfest’s campest get-together, (although that would be a matter of some debate in my humble opinion considering the afore-mentioned lederhosen/moustachioed proclivities of the locals), with 5,000 homos packing the famous Braurosl Tent, intent on boozing and singing the day away, bottoms up I say!

This isn’t my first visit to Munich; in fact I have been lucky enough to visit Bavaria’s chocolate box capital city on a few occasions previously. This is though the first time that I have been here during what is the world’s largest fair which attracts a staggering 6 million people every year. My flight into Munich courtesy of Lufthansa was a steal at just £49 each way, and this is just one of 7 German cities that can be reached from several airports in the UK at prices that start this low. Certainly there seemed to be plenty more Brits on the flight taking full advantage of the offer for a bargain weekend break in Bavaria.

After my arrival and some hasty unpacking I decide to get my bearings and take a walk into the centre of Munich. Once on the street I start to think that they must have underestimated the amount of people who attend Oktoberfest, it’s heaving.

Thankfully I have done a little homework before arriving and I know just the place to head for, or so I think. The Hofbräuhaus is Munich’s most famous beer hall and considering the nature of the trip it seems like a good idea to get some practice in before the main event. However arriving on Am Platzl, one of Munich’s central squares, it appears that everyone else seems to have the same bright idea and I am going to have more chance of getting a beer in an AA meeting than here.

Luckily the Hofbräuhaus isn’t the only drinking hall in the area, in fact the city is inundated with such establishments, for a full list click here.

Undeterred by a seemingly impenetrable wall of rosy cheeked revellers I decide to check out Ayingers Speis und Trank, which although equally busy seems like my best bet of getting a drink any time soon. This is no time for normal pub etiquette and orderly British queuing it would seem, hold on chaps, I’m going in.

My passage to the bar is hard fought but eventually I wedge myself, limpet like into a cosy corner, a beer held triumphantly in hand. The beer festival hasn’t officially started yet, but no one seems to have noticed so I pass a couple of hours in preparation for tomorrow’s activities.

Hair of the hund, they say is the best cure for the rabid dog that bit you, so with that in mind I head out early the next morning in order to secure for a prime position at Oktoberfest’s opening ceremony. The honour of tapping the first keg is given to Munich’s mayor, and the ceremony is conducted with suitable pomp. This is a significant moment and one I feel privileged to be part of. I’m surrounded by complete strangers and the only real reason we are celebrating is that there’s 7 million litres of beer out there, but a few have each and every one of our names on them, Prost indeed!

It’s taken me a while, but I can finally say that I have learnt to pace myself. It’s hard not to get caught up in the whirlwind of excitement that surrounds the opening rituals and I allow myself briefly to get caught up in the enthusiastic toasts that follow the official breach of that first of oh so many kegs. I have my eye on bigger fish though, namely Gay Sunday so extract myself from the mêlée and head out in search of some much needed nourishment.

If there’s one word that describes Bavarian cuisine it’s substantial and food of the hearty variety is definitely your ally when planning an offensive on such colossal amounts of alcohol. Hunks of roast pork and chicken are the staple fare, along with Würstels as long as your arm served with generous portions of potato, dumplings and of course the ubiquitous Sauerkraut. This is cheery, comfort food and as jovial and good-humoured as the atmosphere it’s served in.

Fed and watered it’s time to retire for a good night’s sleep even though the party is just getting started. In order to get a seat in the Braurosl Tent tomorrow an early start is essential, and this is one party that I am not going to miss for anything.

9am seems a little early to be waiting outside a bar for it to open, I’m not saying it hasn’t happened to me before, let’s just say that I don’t make a habit of it. There are exceptions though and Gay Sunday at Oktoberfest would obviously be one of them. There’s an eclectic crowd already assembled to get their bums on the allocated free seats, perhaps booking package with tickets included would have been a better idea but this is all part of the fun.

The assembled crowd is a rag-tag bunch, some fresh and sprightly, others certainly didn’t find their way to their own beds last night and some wear the evidence of yesterdays drinking badly, but the mood is upbeat and optimistic. I am pleased to say that the lederhosen on show are worn with obvious irony, but then how else should one wear embroidered leather shorts?

The queue shortens slowly, but eventually I make it inside and on to one of the long tables set up in this huge marquee. There’s room for 5,000 people inside and by 10am the place is pretty much full and the beer is well and truly flowing. On my table a group of local guys fill me in on the history of the event which was started to commemorate the marriage Crown Prince Ludwig (later King Ludwig I) and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen in 1810. I’m a little intrigued about why Oktoberfest begins in September and am informed that the festival was lengthened into September because of the good weather, which stimulates the thirst of the visitors, not that anyone needs much encouragement from what I can see.

My history lesson is cut short by the start of the traditional Bavarian band which strikes up on the podium in the centre of the tent; this it would seem is what everyone has been waiting for. Drinking in Bavaria is nothing it would seem without singing and if proof was needed that the language of music is universal, the evidence is plain for all to see. The band takes us trotting around the globe, firstly with ‘Viva Espania’ much to the excitement of a nearby Spanish table and when ‘It's a Long Way to Tipperary’ strikes up the Brits go predictably loco. It’s a great atmosphere and no matter where you’re from it is impossible not to feel included, wunderbar!

As the day progresses the mood gets noticeably jollier and the drinking is only briefly interrupted by the arrival of scores of roast chickens. It’s a token effort at mopping up the alcohol though, Betty Ford would be horrified!

Despite the presence of so much beer there’s a code of conduct which goes something like this. Getting tipsy, enjoying the atmosphere and having gallons of fun is expected, getting Fetznrausch, so totally drunk, that you can do whatever you want because you have already made a fool of yourself is not so cool. As far as I am concerned this is a good thing, knowing your limits (and sticking to them) is the key to everyone having a good time here and people keep the right side of merry so that everyone can enjoy the party. The band strikes up ‘Waltzing Matilda’ and we find ourselves Down Under, much to the joy of the Aussie contingent on the far side of the tent who get their turn to lead the singing and the rest of us don’t need any encouragement to lend our friends a hand.

Have you been to Gay Sunday at Oktoberfest? Then why not let us know your stories and top tips for enjoying the world’s greatest beer festival.

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Berlin Night Watch

2009-09-10T02:15:00.001-07:00

I'm travel editor of the UK's biggest and best lesbian magazine Diva, which means when I'm not hunting down Deutschland's hot spots, I'm exploring the great and the glamorous gay scenes around the world.

I've been pretty suprised by the diversity of Germany and just like my idol Marlene Dietricht, now 'I always keep a suitcase in Berlin'.

Happy reading!

Lotte Jeffs gets her glad rags on for five nights of hedonism in lesbian Berlin.

You know those nights that start out as a quick drink and end with you staggering bleary-eyed and a bit baffled into the early morning light, not knowing quite what just happened but being pretty sure, whatever it was, rocked?

I just had one of those nights. In fact I had a whole five of them in a row. Because, well, because I was in Berlin and that’s just kind of what happens.

The dyke scene in the German Capital is like nothing I’ve ever experienced before and the music, fashion, décor and clientele all made me feel like I’d at last stumbled upon the pot of gold at the end of Europe’s lacklustre lesbian rainbow.

For a start the girl bars and club nights are as good, if not better, than the gay guy scene which makes a welcome change from all things lesbian usually being the trendy boys’ ugly sister.

Women don’t leave the club at 11pm because they have to feed their cats. They wouldn’t dream of even arriving until past midnight….

….They don’t wear practical shoes for the walk home – they get their limited edition Nikes or glam girly points on for a night of non-stop dancing….

…And far from the usual lesbian cliqueness, women actually talk to you. Yep, you’re at the bar and instead of elbowing you out the way, the hot girl next to you says ‘hallo’!

It’s a breath of fresh air. Heck, it’s a whole bloody oxygen tank of the stuff.

I started my first night at Drama www.dramabar.de, a fab kitsch little bar with a great mix of boys, babes and butches. Here I met queen of the Berlin lesbian scene Angela Schmerfeld who runs some of the cities most popular girl nights. Checkout http://www.megadyke.de/ for more info.

The main queer spots in Berlin are Kreuzberg, Schöneberg, Mitte and Prenzlauer Berg. But to really be in the know I’d recommend picking up a copy of free lesbian rag L-Mag for all the latest listings.

Since the pre-war years, when the Berlin nightlife attracted the likes of Josephine Baker and Greta Garbo to its ‘divine decadence’ and risqué cabaret clubs, the city has been known as a hotbed of hedonism. Head out after-dark today and you won’t be disappointed.

Angela took me to Schwuz club (schwuz.de) where the “Search and Destroy” night plays dirty indie rock that puts London’s ‘alternative’ scene to shame.

During my whirlwind week in the city I also managed to check out these incredible parties:

Barbie Deinhoff's – artsy, queer with heavy electro and gender-bending fierceness.
www.myspace.com/barbiedeinhoffs

Girls Town (2nd Saturday of the month, every 2 months at Kino International) – good mix of music, a bit less achingly hip than Barbie Deinhoff's but quirky and cool nonetheless. The covered patio is lovely on a balmy late-summer night.
http://www.girlstown-berlin.de/

Gold Lion Parties – Ok, now I like to think I’m kinda trendy, kinda cool and up to date on what’s hot in the lesbian demimonde but my god did this party make me feel like the slightly dowdy out-of-towner – and I loved it! Offering up "indie, electro, fag'n'roll and punk" this occasional, lesbian-run knees-up puts the A-mazing into A-lternative.
www.myspace.com/goldlionparty

Mermaids – one word: INSANE. Get a special shuttle bus to the island Insel der Jugend in the Spree river that runs through Berlin, or if you’re really daring – swim-up for free entry! Expect hot and sweaty girls in vest-tops dancing to everything from Pink to post-punk.
www.myspace.com/mermaids_berlin

This is a mere snapshot of my five nights in the party capital. There’s way more to explore and whether you’re looking to shoot some pool in an old-school dyke dive or wear Vivienne Westwood and dance to Telepathe (www.myspace.com/telepathe) you’re guaranteed to have a gay old time in the city that never, ever sleeps.

Your shout – leave a comment!
Let me know if you have any top tips for places I can visit next time!

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Funky, fun, futuristic architecture!

2009-09-02T04:06:00.001-07:00

Life’s a beach in Germany

2009-08-21T06:32:00.000-07:00

Intrepid reporter Lotte Jeffs dives right in and discovers life's a beach in Northern Germany. Come on in, the water's just lovely!

I’m sipping a piña colada, looking out over sparkling blue seas while a hot girl in a skimpy bikini fans me with a palm leaf.

Ok, ok. I made that last bit up – but seriously, guess where I am. Barbados? No. The Bahamas? No. Believe it or not I’m actually sunning myself in Büsum, a tranquil little seaside resort on Germany’s North Sea coast.

I’ll leave it to you to insert the inevitably smutty puns about me getting a good feel of Büsum, as frankly I don’t have time for such easy innuendo!

What I do have time for though is Germany’s surprisingly idyllic beaches. See, it’s not all about Büsum where hikes, watersports, spas and shopping are the order of the day.

Sylt – Germany’s northern-most point is a lovely island in the North Sea. Its sandy beaches are divine, especially if stripping off’s your thing.

The island is famous for its nudist beaches, more poetically known as FKK areas, which translates as ‘free body culture’. This is as gay as it gets and although the ‘free body’ beaches are no Fire Island there’s a great sense of open-mindedness from all.

When you’ve had enough ogling (the views, of course) take a trip inland to one of Sylt’s fabulous restaurants, like Jörg Müller, which brings a dash of elegance to seaside life with fancy Swiss/ German fare and gorgeous surroundings.

Next stop on my beach-hopping tour of Germany is Helgoland, a Frisian island off the northwest coast. It started off belonging to Denmark, then Britain got its hands on it, before it was finally ceded to Germany in 1890 – and if you ask me, anywhere this coveted must be good. As well as a rich and fascinating history, this quirky island is a tax haven, so shopping is a must!

Heligendamm is Germany’s oldest seaside resort and is known for its beautiful white classical villas – kinda Key West meets The Hamptons. And who knew? In 2007 home to the G8 summit! But don’t let the fact George Bush dipped his toes in the water here put you off, it’s a super sophisticated spot for sojourn by the sea.

The northeastern island of Usedom, on the boarder with Poland, has spanking white sand that could rival the Caribbean. There are a host of gay-friendly hotels dotted around Usedom and some fab spas. Over in Kühlungsborn, a gorgeous seaside resort town on the Ostsee, 19th century architecture (there are no hideous high rise hotels here) and nearby pine forests make for a chilled-out beach break.

There are so many hidden gems of beaches in Germany, this quick round-up far from covers all the options. But I’ve got to say – my favourite of all the country’s seaside spots has got to be Berlin’s Urban Beach.

For a start it’s where you’ll find all the cutest gay guys and gals showing off their trendy swimwear. Strandmarkt is one of 30 beaches that have sprung up in Berlin It’s a crazy country-and-western style beach, bar and play area.

Also worth taking a bucket and spade to is Strandbar Mitte, the first modern urban beach to open in the centre of Berlin. Its super well-organised, clean and slam bang in the heart of the city’s gayest and most fashionable area.

Right, that’s about all I’ve got time for this month sun-lovers. So pour me another piña and bring back the girl with the palm because Ich bin ein beach-goer and I’ve got me some German rays to catch.

Tschüss!

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Berlin Park Life

2009-08-19T08:30:00.000-07:00

Darren Cooper gives it the old razzle dazzle as he finds out just where it's all at in Berlin this August. Want to find out more? Read on for the low down on Berlin's high life!

Friedrichshain Festival.

It’s that festival time of year again and the whole country has once again gone mad for some live external entertainment. From Edinburgh to the Isle of White the annual summer festival exodus has become something of a rite of passage. A modern day pilgrimage to spend 4 days in a wet field knee deep in mud with dubious toilet facilities, all for the privilege of seeing some scarcely visible figures bounce around on a distant stage.

This year instead of following the great unwashed across the British Countryside I decided to head for foreign climes and pastures new. The continent beckoned and with the thought of trading my tent for a hotel I didn’t need much encouragement to head for Berlin and the annual Friedrichshain gay and lesbian festival.

Berlin is no stranger to holding large scale events and celebrations. Anyone who has been to a Love Parade will know just how voracious this city’s appetite is for partying. Berlin’s Pride http://www.csd-berlin.de/ in June is also one of Europe’s largest (and wildest) which is preceded the weekend before by the awesome Lesbisch-Schwules Stadtfest http://www.regenbogenfonds.de/ (Lesbian and Gay City Festival) so there’s a packed queer calendar in this city.

The Friedrichshain Festival is a one day event that took place on Saturday 15 August this year so I had some time to explore the city too. I managed to get a room at Europe’s newest ‘hetero friendly’ hotel, the Axel (http://www.axelhotels.com/) which is strategically placed in Schöneberg, Berlin’s largest gay district. Unsurprisingly the hotel is all sleek lines and contemporary finishes, but I didn’t have time to admire the decor with Schöneberg waiting.

Schöneberg was the inspiration for the movie Cabaret when in 1930s Berlin this was a hotbed of debauchery and wantonness, so affecting my best Velma Kelly strut I headed out to Razzle Dazzle ‘em.

My first stop was Motzstrasse which has a dizzying array of bars, shops, cinemas and cafes. The atmosphere is relaxed and it’s busy, one of the benefits of being here during a gay festival I guess.

You could be intimidated by the scene here which can be rather heavy on the leather side; however jeans and a t-shirt seem to be just as acceptable. Anyone interested in adding to their leather wardrobe though will find plenty of hide on sale. I checked out the Mr. B shop where there is a mind boggling array of items on offer. After a good browse I leave decidedly better educated but only have the courage to buy a leather wristband.

Feeling more appropriately dressed it’s time to hit some bars. Tom’s Bar was the first on my list which seems to follow a fairly standard format for the bars in the area. It’s a testosterone fuelled romp with a bar in front and darker more private spaces the further you venture inside. I met couple from just outside Amsterdam who are regulars to Berlin for the scene and are unaware of the Festival tomorrow. It seems there’s much more to tempt visitors to this city than a party in a park, no matter how large it is.

There are lots of similar bars in and around Schöneberg and I end a rather eventful bar crawl (the less said about that the better!) around 2am and head back to the tranquillity of the Axel.

The festival doesn’t start until 3pm, which thankfully gave me ample time to use the fitness and wellness facilities at the Axel. There’s nothing like a workout and a Jacuzzi to clear away the remnants of a hangover and refreshed I head out the door once more.

It’s a short cab ride to Volkspark Friedrichshain which is the second largest park in Berlin after the vast Tiergarten. Friedrichshain is more manicured than the Tiergarten and I join a steadily growing throng of queer folk as we ambled past statues and fountains glistening in the sunshine as we headed for the entrance to the festival.

The festival actually takes the same format as a pride event, without the parade. The atmosphere is jovial and celebratory even if the themes for these events are based on discrimination against the LGBT community.

I was torn between finding a patch of grass close to one of the stages to stretch out on and make some new acquaintances, (everyone here just loves to talk English!) and the dance tents that shudder with each new bass beat. In the end the tempo of the tents proves too irresistible and I headed into the mass of bodies buoyed up by thudding upbeat techno.

The party got me thinking about where I’ll be spending the rest of the evening. Berghain www.berghain.de was recently voted the best club in the world by DJ mag in London, so that’s a must I think. Then if I have the energy Kit Kat, which was incidentally named after one of those infamous 1930s establishments, and quite rightly too is also a possibility. Perhaps that’s the subject of another blog though and I’ll just focus on what’s here right now, it seems more than fun enough to be getting on with.

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Welcome to MyGayGermany!

2009-08-14T06:05:00.000-07:00

Welcome to MyGayGermany, your gateway to the best news, information, updates and advice on all the wonderful things GayGermany has to offer to lesbian and gay travellers.

MyGayGermany is a new interactive initiative aimed at giving you real time, honest information on what’s hot and happening in queerest Germany right now.

We have sent two intrepid explorers deep into the heart of Germany to check out a multitude of experiences.

From the secluded beaches of northern Germany to the mountains of Bavaria, Lotte and Darren will be posting their thoughts and ideas on where to go, what to see and when is the best time to visit a whole host of regions, cities and districts.

There’s a wealth of gay culture available to tourists travelling in the country including some of the best nightlife and most exciting festivals and parties in Europe, but don’t just take our word for it!

Leave your own thoughts, ideas, tips and recommendations on what to see and do in your favourite German destinations.

Where do you like to party, where are your most exciting spots to play, where are your favourite places to eat, where do you like to stay?

Find out all you need to know on gay and lesbian travel to Germany, and please leave your own recommendations so that others can benefit from your knowledge.

More information?

Visit GayGermany.co.uk - the official gay and lesbian site of the German National Tourist Office

Videos are at YouTube.com/MyGayGermany

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