7 August 2009

Watching the World Go By

Parade Watchers
Copenhagen has just hosted the World OutGames - the largest sport and art festival for gay and lesbians - the LGBT community as it's called. It lasted a week and there were around 5000 guests in Copenhagen. What a party. There were serious sports events and crazy ones, too, as well as a host of cultural events. Non-stop. 24-7.

Gay Pride Parade Watchers

It all peaked at a parade through the city on the penultimate day and I went down with the kids to have a look and to walk along with the masses towards the City Hall Square.

People lined the streets along the whole festive route and, not surprisingly, bicycles were involved.

Copenhagen - Gay Spot of Europe
The whole affair puts a new meaning on this classic tourism poster from the 1940's, back when gay meant something quite different.

City Hall Square
A few days later, after things had quietened down, there was still ample opportunity to watch the world go by on the City Hall Square. From the foreground: An elderly chap on his standard-issue electric scooter, the Fruit Bike selling fresh fruit cups, the Paradis ice cream bike and, in the background, a long row of cycle taxis.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

lovely bikes. esp the yellow one!

Kiwehtin said...

Too bad we weren't quite as bikey around here when the first OutGames started here in Montreal in 2005!

dyrlægen said...

paradis!
as in heaven, not vanessa.
i got the pronunciation all wrong first time and hilarity ensued.
i looked a fool.

nice "is", though.