This was originally posted on October 22nd, 2007.
A ruling by Ireland's highest court may lead to a change in the law with regards to the rights of trans people to have a new birth certificate issued.
At the High Court in Dublin Mr Justice Liam McKechnie ruled that the failure of the Irish government to provide proper recognition of the female identity of Dr Lydia Foy is a violation of the European Convention of Human Rights. He said that the system of birth registration in Ireland is incompatible with the convention as it prevents Dr Foy's registration as female at birth.
The government will now have to outline how it intends to comply with Article 8 of the convention, respect for private life.
The test case concerned Dr Lydia Foy, a dentist from Athy, Co. Kildare. Dr Foy changed her name to Lydia in 1993 and has previously been issued with an Irish passport and driving licence in which she is identified as female. She also obtained a Gender Recognition Certificate in the UK, but the High Court in Dublin questioned the relevance of the document in the Republic of Ireland.
When obtaining the certificate, Dr Foy stated that she was unmarried, despite the fact that she married in 1977 and fathered two daughters.
In 2002, Dr Foy was refused a direction by the courts to the Registrar of Births to describe her as female on her birth certificate.
Just days after that High Court decision the European Court of Human Rights ruled on a landmark case. The UK's refusal to give transgender people new birth certificates breached their rights to marry and to respect for privacy under the Convention, the European court ruled.
At that time the High Court in Dublin urged the Irish government to take action, but nothing has been done in the intervening five years, so Dr Foy has returned to court.
In his 70-page judgment, released on Friday, Mr Justice McKechnie criticised the government for not bring forward legislation when the case arose in 2002.
In April counsel for Mrs Foy argued that ruling in Dr Foy's favour could "enormous uncertainty" and put in a unique position, as the Irish state only recognises a marriage between people of the opposite sex.
Dr Foy will now be able to claim compensation.
May 13, 2011
Halifax is "some good"
The flight from Vancouver to Halifax takes about 6 hours - via Montreal - and I try to get some sleep, but as usual I can't. I don't like flying. I like night flights even less. This surprises people, since I'm generally known as someone who travels a lot, but there you go.
Anyhoo, I'm tired when the plane touches ground in Halifax. I follow fellow passengers to the exit, and when I go down the escalators I can see Krista waiting for me.
It's funny to finally meet someone in real life and see that they're not exactly what one's expected; even though she's said she was about my height, I somehow always imagined her taller. And demure *lol*
It doesn't take me long to realize Krista's anything but demure, and then I know my time in Halifax would be a good one. Krista takes this picture of us before exiting the airport. Can you tell I'm jetlagged?
After picking up my backpack from the luggage belt we drive to downtown Halifax for some food (I skipped breakfast, so I was hungry). Krista takes me to a little place called Paper Chase, which is a place where one can pick up newspapers or magazines but has a little eatery on the second floor. I can't exactly remember what I had (I think Krista and I ordered the same thing, but she coffee with hers and I had tea with mine), but I do remember that it was good.
While we're enjoying the food Krista's greeted by friends (I think they're mostly people she knows through Dalhousie University). After we finishing our food we join a bunch of her friends at adjacing tables. All nice people, but I soon find myself struggling to stay awake; like a little child I was rubbing my eyes - as if that helps...
Krista picks it up and after exchanging tickets she had for a play we're driving to her place. I still can't get over the fact she drives such a wicked vehicle: a Jeep :)
At home we're greeted by her cat Sheba. She looks like a blow dryer exploded in front of her, but she's such a sweetie. The apartment is nicely furnished and has a homely feel to it. I put my stuff in the guest room and make sure Sheba doesn't follow me into the bedroom. It's a curse to like pets, but be allergic to them *sigh*
After a power nap and a shower I'm all set to go and venture Halifax. Krista, however, had something else in mind. Something way more fun: she grabs my butt to see the September Classic in Lunenburg (it's a bit of an illegal race...) organized by Krista's friends Tom and Edward. By the time we leave the race has already started, so we decide to go to the afterparty. Sounds rock star like, doesn't it? Well, if rock stars were sailors and pirates this is how a party could be like :) Loads of alcohol (rum's the main ingredient) and food. The food isn't bad, and Krista's friend Brian "the pilot" Penney is noticed first (by me) by the brown paper wrapped bottle in the pocket of the coat he's wearing *lol* It turns out he got himself a bottle of red wine, which he ends up sharing with me.
Also, upon entering the party Krista introduces me to another friend of hers, who is a resident of McNabs Island. (I feel silly now I can't remember his name.) One of the first things he says to me is that I have a twin. Say what? I almost blurt out "male or female?" but I don't. Interesting, though... I also have a twin in Ottawa, ON. Long story :p
Last year, Krista got drunk enough to go to her Jeep and sleep through the infamous Tiki Torch Race. This year, she had me (Goody Two Shoes, she calls me) at her side and the good thing that came out of it: she actually witnessed the entire race from beginning to end :) I can tell you that race is crazy fun. I certainly had a very good time!
I'm tired after that, and so Krista and I sort of sneak out.
Krista let me sleep in (sweet isn't it? I really needed that.) and I got an intro to Cat Psychology 101: Sheba, who by the way is the demure one, was at my door asking to be let in. She did that in such an endearing way (not the usual annoying "Meow!") that I had a hard time ignoring her. Krista explained that Sheba's usually not interested in the guestroom at all, but since the door is closed the kittie thinks there's a great party going on and wants to join. Curiosity... Killed the cat. Pun intended. Basically, she's like a little kid, eh?
It's nice and sunny outside as Krista and I drive to "The word on the street" book fair. Three words: I. Love. Books. And I have the hardest time refraining myself from buying books. Two things help: I have limited cash in my wallet and limited space in my backpack. I end up getting a few.
We head back home for a quick nap (well, Krista naps, I play ball with Sheba, update my travel journal a bit and go online) before visiting Krista's mom; we're invited for dinner. Once we get there we find out she's cooked a delicious meal: clam soup and ham. Seafood and pork both go not well with me, so we decide to go back to Krista's place. How unfortunate. (No sarcasm intended.)
Krista cooks us a nice pasta meal and we watch Monsters Inc. *G* Initially, Krista doesn't want to drive back to her mom's place but I remind her it's the last night her uncle and aunt from Alberta are here.
Here's a picture Krista took of me and her family (me, Cecil, Krista's mom, her aunt Phyllis and her uncle Eldred):
They're all really nice. And her uncle Eldred's funny.
Krista and I get up early on Monday morning. This is the only day during my visit she has to work (which is totally fine with me) and we agreed on communting to the university together the previous night. Krista gives me a quick tour before speeding off to a meeting and I set off to the Public Gardens. It's still early in the morning and it's nice and quiet in the park, and most ducks are still sleeping :)
I take a couple of pictures in the gardens. A cute chica walks up to me and asks me if I'm part of the group. Huh? I think she's looking for a photography class or something.
From there on I walk to Citadel Hill and do the tour. It's very windy up there and it's the first time since I got there that I get the feeling I'm freezing my butt off. I make a mental note to buy a heavy sweater...
After my visit to the fort I go to the ticket office to try and get tickets to a performance called "DRUM!". Unfortunately, there's no show on Monday.
By that time - nearing noon - I am hungry and decide to look for a place to eat. After walking around for a bit I find a place called "Satisfaction Feast". The menu looks absolutely yummie! I have a BLT and a banana soymilk smoothie, and it is indeed very tasty :)
Then I visit the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. There's some stuff that's from the Titanic, an exhibit on Sable Island (which Krista has visited shortly before my visit), stuff about the big Halifax explosion... And Merlin the talking parrot. Funny bird that is! Cracked me up a couple of times.
I meet Krista's friend Lara, who has a production company (Topsail Productions? I think...) and she tells us the most hilarious and disgusting story I have ever heard. Honestly! When she starts to say she's seen something that grossed her out completely, her jaw dropped, both Krista and I are thinking "Bring it on." But nothing prepares us for a human version of Shrek. Really.
Imagine a guy behind the wheel digging into his ear... To put the "contents" of it into his mouth. Ew-ew-eww! Krista and I don't know whether to cringe or to howl with laughter, but the way Lara tells it ("Delicious!") cracks us up. OMG! She's right; she needs to try and write that into a script. Talking about a lasting impression, eh?
Krista's warned me she doesn't like shopping - that's ok, I don't either; I mostly wear my clothes till they're faded and holes appear. Visibly... (And then I HAVE to go and buy me something decent.) So imagine the look on my face when she anounced she'd take me to the "Shoe Shop". Whaaat?! Krista saw the look on my face and explained it isn't an actual shop *exhale sigh of relief... LOL*
Anyhoo, the food was good and we had an interesting conversation...
Another early rise on Tuesday: we have to leave the place before the cleaners arrive. And we do. We also go in search for food for Sheba (she's on a special diet). Now that's like going on a quest! (Really, we had no idea it was so hard to come by. Oops.)
Krista takes me to a breakfast place. I forgot the name (it's a chain), but I remember the chickens. They were everywhere: on the wallpaper, on the place mats, on shelves... The food was good (I had a spinach and cheese pancake, Krista had something equally delish).
Later that morning Krista and I go to Pier 21, which is the port where all the immigrants came through upon entering Canada, way back when. Krista insists of getting me a "girly" present (wait till she sees my collection of stuffed animals - Elmo's not alone!): a cute little moose. Then we hurry to the Neptune Theater to see a play called "The Miracle Worker"... Only to find out there's no 4pm show, but an 8pm show *lol*
It's not a bad thing, actually: it gives us time to drive out to Peggy's Cove. Krista initially didn't want to go, but her friend Lara also recommended it, so :)
I actually like the landscape that so vastly differs from the sceneries I've seen the previous days. Huge boulders, left behind by glaciers.
We have dinner at the Sou'Wester Restaurant; I have a veggie patty with a salad, while Krista goes for a simple pasta dish. I'm very disappointed by what is called "salad"... Then we trundle through the giftshop, especially Krista ;) Even though she said we need to go back to make it on time for the play. It was time for a little payback: I'm always hot (unless I'm sick and/or suffering from serious lack of sleep) and so at one point during my stay I said "I'm hot", to which Krista replied "Yes, you are." It took a split second, but when my mind registered what she was saying, that remark shut me up. And made me blush. Heh. (My friends who know me and who read this are probably roaring with laughter right now...)
Anyhoo, payback time ;) Krista's watching stuff and hangs around that shop a little too long for my taste, so I dryly say (bear in mind we watched Monsters Inc): "Googely Bear, we gotta motor." And with a "Oh, yea, right," she follows me out the store. The - priceless - look on the face of the woman looking at trinkets in our vicinity *lol*
The Miracle Worker is a great play (I'm so glad Krista's not really into musicals either) and I really enjoy it. The Miracle Worker is about Helen Keller and her teacher Annie Sullivan. The lead actresses are great! At home Krista shows me pictures of the house and the actual water pump, and then some *G*
All too soon my last day in Halifax arrives. Krista's thoughtful to let me sleep in, given the fact I have a long journey ahead of me later that day. We're glad we put off boating till the very last day; it's 27C outside and nice and sunny :) We are greeted by Krista's friendly neighbour, as we set out to take off the top of the Jeep. When Krista and I arrived at her place on my first day, a friend of hers was sitting in a chair next to her, which so reminded me of Waldorf and Stattler (of The Muppet Show - in a good way, though).
We drop off two rolls of film at WalMart before driving to Krista's mom's place to pick up the boat. I take a couple of quick snaps of Mrs. Olmstead and Cecil (I think they turned out nicely) and soon we're driving back to Halifax.
It's lovely out on the water. The thing that strikes me immediately is that the view from the water is so different from the view I'm used to. I like it very much. Krista take me to McNabs Island where, as Krista puts it, "time melts away". That is so very true. Krista shows me around a bit, points out stuff and time does fly. If I hadn't slept in and we were at McNabs at the break of dawn, we might have spotted Bambi (or: deer, in general), but I've taken a rain check on that :) I did see a seal!
Then it's time to boat back to the mainland, drive the boat back and drive to Anie. Anie is another friend of Krista, who has invited us over for a BBQ. Since we're running late, I quickly fresh up at Krista's mom's place (I needed to rinse off all the dried up salty water, and I hope I haven't made a mess in there).
Krista'd told me a few things about Anie (all good), preparing me for her welcome (or, as Krista puts it: "She's French"). Still when the door opens and I'm pulled into a warm embrace (and greeted avec une bisou) I find myself blinking like a freshly scrubbed puppy. Wow. Her friend Nancy greets me with equal zest.
It soon turns out Anie and Nancy have their own petting zoo at home. And I have come without any anti-histamines *gasp* Thankgawd, Nancy hooks me up with some Benadryl :p (Her dog - looks like a cross between a Lab and a Border Collie - is such a sweetie, gently leaning its head against my knee as I pet it.)
In the meantime Anie tries to fire up the Q for the steaks, but for some unknown reason it isn't functioning. Night is slowly falling and it's getting chillier, so we all move back indoors. Anie decides to throw the steaks in a pan... Because of an overload of pets, my body starts to riot. To my surprise Anie recognizes my cough and offers me her puffer. The thing is I know it's probably better to take meds so I can breathe easier, but I refuse. I've been doing alright without them all my life and I don't want to start to rely on them now... Yup; I'm stubborn.
Anyhoo, I like them. They're cool. They're funny. Nancy's an army lady (I really hope she doesn't get shipped off to Afghanistan), but she doesn't want to take me on. She asks me to flex my biceps, but as soon as she gets a glimpse she backs off entirely. I still think she can actually take me on; I'm not really strong (although I think Krista will disagree), just incredibly clumsy.
The food is very good, the company excellent. I am having such a good time, I lose track of time and almost miss my plane.
Anyhoo, I'm tired when the plane touches ground in Halifax. I follow fellow passengers to the exit, and when I go down the escalators I can see Krista waiting for me.
It's funny to finally meet someone in real life and see that they're not exactly what one's expected; even though she's said she was about my height, I somehow always imagined her taller. And demure *lol*
It doesn't take me long to realize Krista's anything but demure, and then I know my time in Halifax would be a good one. Krista takes this picture of us before exiting the airport. Can you tell I'm jetlagged?
After picking up my backpack from the luggage belt we drive to downtown Halifax for some food (I skipped breakfast, so I was hungry). Krista takes me to a little place called Paper Chase, which is a place where one can pick up newspapers or magazines but has a little eatery on the second floor. I can't exactly remember what I had (I think Krista and I ordered the same thing, but she coffee with hers and I had tea with mine), but I do remember that it was good.
While we're enjoying the food Krista's greeted by friends (I think they're mostly people she knows through Dalhousie University). After we finishing our food we join a bunch of her friends at adjacing tables. All nice people, but I soon find myself struggling to stay awake; like a little child I was rubbing my eyes - as if that helps...
Krista picks it up and after exchanging tickets she had for a play we're driving to her place. I still can't get over the fact she drives such a wicked vehicle: a Jeep :)
At home we're greeted by her cat Sheba. She looks like a blow dryer exploded in front of her, but she's such a sweetie. The apartment is nicely furnished and has a homely feel to it. I put my stuff in the guest room and make sure Sheba doesn't follow me into the bedroom. It's a curse to like pets, but be allergic to them *sigh*
After a power nap and a shower I'm all set to go and venture Halifax. Krista, however, had something else in mind. Something way more fun: she grabs my butt to see the September Classic in Lunenburg (it's a bit of an illegal race...) organized by Krista's friends Tom and Edward. By the time we leave the race has already started, so we decide to go to the afterparty. Sounds rock star like, doesn't it? Well, if rock stars were sailors and pirates this is how a party could be like :) Loads of alcohol (rum's the main ingredient) and food. The food isn't bad, and Krista's friend Brian "the pilot" Penney is noticed first (by me) by the brown paper wrapped bottle in the pocket of the coat he's wearing *lol* It turns out he got himself a bottle of red wine, which he ends up sharing with me.
Also, upon entering the party Krista introduces me to another friend of hers, who is a resident of McNabs Island. (I feel silly now I can't remember his name.) One of the first things he says to me is that I have a twin. Say what? I almost blurt out "male or female?" but I don't. Interesting, though... I also have a twin in Ottawa, ON. Long story :p
Last year, Krista got drunk enough to go to her Jeep and sleep through the infamous Tiki Torch Race. This year, she had me (Goody Two Shoes, she calls me) at her side and the good thing that came out of it: she actually witnessed the entire race from beginning to end :) I can tell you that race is crazy fun. I certainly had a very good time!
I'm tired after that, and so Krista and I sort of sneak out.
Krista let me sleep in (sweet isn't it? I really needed that.) and I got an intro to Cat Psychology 101: Sheba, who by the way is the demure one, was at my door asking to be let in. She did that in such an endearing way (not the usual annoying "Meow!") that I had a hard time ignoring her. Krista explained that Sheba's usually not interested in the guestroom at all, but since the door is closed the kittie thinks there's a great party going on and wants to join. Curiosity... Killed the cat. Pun intended. Basically, she's like a little kid, eh?
It's nice and sunny outside as Krista and I drive to "The word on the street" book fair. Three words: I. Love. Books. And I have the hardest time refraining myself from buying books. Two things help: I have limited cash in my wallet and limited space in my backpack. I end up getting a few.
We head back home for a quick nap (well, Krista naps, I play ball with Sheba, update my travel journal a bit and go online) before visiting Krista's mom; we're invited for dinner. Once we get there we find out she's cooked a delicious meal: clam soup and ham. Seafood and pork both go not well with me, so we decide to go back to Krista's place. How unfortunate. (No sarcasm intended.)
Krista cooks us a nice pasta meal and we watch Monsters Inc. *G* Initially, Krista doesn't want to drive back to her mom's place but I remind her it's the last night her uncle and aunt from Alberta are here.
Here's a picture Krista took of me and her family (me, Cecil, Krista's mom, her aunt Phyllis and her uncle Eldred):
They're all really nice. And her uncle Eldred's funny.
Krista and I get up early on Monday morning. This is the only day during my visit she has to work (which is totally fine with me) and we agreed on communting to the university together the previous night. Krista gives me a quick tour before speeding off to a meeting and I set off to the Public Gardens. It's still early in the morning and it's nice and quiet in the park, and most ducks are still sleeping :)
I take a couple of pictures in the gardens. A cute chica walks up to me and asks me if I'm part of the group. Huh? I think she's looking for a photography class or something.
From there on I walk to Citadel Hill and do the tour. It's very windy up there and it's the first time since I got there that I get the feeling I'm freezing my butt off. I make a mental note to buy a heavy sweater...
After my visit to the fort I go to the ticket office to try and get tickets to a performance called "DRUM!". Unfortunately, there's no show on Monday.
By that time - nearing noon - I am hungry and decide to look for a place to eat. After walking around for a bit I find a place called "Satisfaction Feast". The menu looks absolutely yummie! I have a BLT and a banana soymilk smoothie, and it is indeed very tasty :)
Then I visit the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. There's some stuff that's from the Titanic, an exhibit on Sable Island (which Krista has visited shortly before my visit), stuff about the big Halifax explosion... And Merlin the talking parrot. Funny bird that is! Cracked me up a couple of times.
I meet Krista's friend Lara, who has a production company (Topsail Productions? I think...) and she tells us the most hilarious and disgusting story I have ever heard. Honestly! When she starts to say she's seen something that grossed her out completely, her jaw dropped, both Krista and I are thinking "Bring it on." But nothing prepares us for a human version of Shrek. Really.
Imagine a guy behind the wheel digging into his ear... To put the "contents" of it into his mouth. Ew-ew-eww! Krista and I don't know whether to cringe or to howl with laughter, but the way Lara tells it ("Delicious!") cracks us up. OMG! She's right; she needs to try and write that into a script. Talking about a lasting impression, eh?
Krista's warned me she doesn't like shopping - that's ok, I don't either; I mostly wear my clothes till they're faded and holes appear. Visibly... (And then I HAVE to go and buy me something decent.) So imagine the look on my face when she anounced she'd take me to the "Shoe Shop". Whaaat?! Krista saw the look on my face and explained it isn't an actual shop *exhale sigh of relief... LOL*
Anyhoo, the food was good and we had an interesting conversation...
Krista takes me to a breakfast place. I forgot the name (it's a chain), but I remember the chickens. They were everywhere: on the wallpaper, on the place mats, on shelves... The food was good (I had a spinach and cheese pancake, Krista had something equally delish).
Later that morning Krista and I go to Pier 21, which is the port where all the immigrants came through upon entering Canada, way back when. Krista insists of getting me a "girly" present (wait till she sees my collection of stuffed animals - Elmo's not alone!): a cute little moose. Then we hurry to the Neptune Theater to see a play called "The Miracle Worker"... Only to find out there's no 4pm show, but an 8pm show *lol*
It's not a bad thing, actually: it gives us time to drive out to Peggy's Cove. Krista initially didn't want to go, but her friend Lara also recommended it, so :)
I actually like the landscape that so vastly differs from the sceneries I've seen the previous days. Huge boulders, left behind by glaciers.
We have dinner at the Sou'Wester Restaurant; I have a veggie patty with a salad, while Krista goes for a simple pasta dish. I'm very disappointed by what is called "salad"... Then we trundle through the giftshop, especially Krista ;) Even though she said we need to go back to make it on time for the play. It was time for a little payback: I'm always hot (unless I'm sick and/or suffering from serious lack of sleep) and so at one point during my stay I said "I'm hot", to which Krista replied "Yes, you are." It took a split second, but when my mind registered what she was saying, that remark shut me up. And made me blush. Heh. (My friends who know me and who read this are probably roaring with laughter right now...)
Anyhoo, payback time ;) Krista's watching stuff and hangs around that shop a little too long for my taste, so I dryly say (bear in mind we watched Monsters Inc): "Googely Bear, we gotta motor." And with a "Oh, yea, right," she follows me out the store. The - priceless - look on the face of the woman looking at trinkets in our vicinity *lol*
The Miracle Worker is a great play (I'm so glad Krista's not really into musicals either) and I really enjoy it. The Miracle Worker is about Helen Keller and her teacher Annie Sullivan. The lead actresses are great! At home Krista shows me pictures of the house and the actual water pump, and then some *G*
All too soon my last day in Halifax arrives. Krista's thoughtful to let me sleep in, given the fact I have a long journey ahead of me later that day. We're glad we put off boating till the very last day; it's 27C outside and nice and sunny :) We are greeted by Krista's friendly neighbour, as we set out to take off the top of the Jeep. When Krista and I arrived at her place on my first day, a friend of hers was sitting in a chair next to her, which so reminded me of Waldorf and Stattler (of The Muppet Show - in a good way, though).
We drop off two rolls of film at WalMart before driving to Krista's mom's place to pick up the boat. I take a couple of quick snaps of Mrs. Olmstead and Cecil (I think they turned out nicely) and soon we're driving back to Halifax.
It's lovely out on the water. The thing that strikes me immediately is that the view from the water is so different from the view I'm used to. I like it very much. Krista take me to McNabs Island where, as Krista puts it, "time melts away". That is so very true. Krista shows me around a bit, points out stuff and time does fly. If I hadn't slept in and we were at McNabs at the break of dawn, we might have spotted Bambi (or: deer, in general), but I've taken a rain check on that :) I did see a seal!
Then it's time to boat back to the mainland, drive the boat back and drive to Anie. Anie is another friend of Krista, who has invited us over for a BBQ. Since we're running late, I quickly fresh up at Krista's mom's place (I needed to rinse off all the dried up salty water, and I hope I haven't made a mess in there).
Krista'd told me a few things about Anie (all good), preparing me for her welcome (or, as Krista puts it: "She's French"). Still when the door opens and I'm pulled into a warm embrace (and greeted avec une bisou) I find myself blinking like a freshly scrubbed puppy. Wow. Her friend Nancy greets me with equal zest.
It soon turns out Anie and Nancy have their own petting zoo at home. And I have come without any anti-histamines *gasp* Thankgawd, Nancy hooks me up with some Benadryl :p (Her dog - looks like a cross between a Lab and a Border Collie - is such a sweetie, gently leaning its head against my knee as I pet it.)
In the meantime Anie tries to fire up the Q for the steaks, but for some unknown reason it isn't functioning. Night is slowly falling and it's getting chillier, so we all move back indoors. Anie decides to throw the steaks in a pan... Because of an overload of pets, my body starts to riot. To my surprise Anie recognizes my cough and offers me her puffer. The thing is I know it's probably better to take meds so I can breathe easier, but I refuse. I've been doing alright without them all my life and I don't want to start to rely on them now... Yup; I'm stubborn.
Anyhoo, I like them. They're cool. They're funny. Nancy's an army lady (I really hope she doesn't get shipped off to Afghanistan), but she doesn't want to take me on. She asks me to flex my biceps, but as soon as she gets a glimpse she backs off entirely. I still think she can actually take me on; I'm not really strong (although I think Krista will disagree), just incredibly clumsy.
The food is very good, the company excellent. I am having such a good time, I lose track of time and almost miss my plane.
Cut, inked, and wet.
This was originally posted on September 21st, 2007.
Warning: before you start reading, make sure you're comfy and have a cup of your favorite brew at hand - whether it's tea or coffee or juice. Or something else... Enjoy!
On Monday I mail the postcards I got when Kelly and I were strolling through Chinatown and onwards to the library on Friday; several years ago I started a little tradition by sending my grandfather postcards from every holiday destination. He loves it very much and when I visited him in 2004 he proudly showed me every single card I'd sent him up to that point. I decided then that I would continue doing that.
It's a 30-minute walk from my hotel to Commercial Drive, but the sun is shining and it's really nice out. I go out in search of Electro Ladylux Tattoos (I remember reading something about it and it being on The Drive). I walk North past lots of eateries with vegetarian and vegan options galore, and my gaydar's suddenly working overtime ;) Plenty of eye candy, too.
At the end of the strip that has all the shops (lots of organic food to buy here), eateries (they even have a joint that sells real Belgian Fries!) and whatnots I frown: I haven't seen the aforementioned tattoo parlor. Where is it? Up ahead I see a store called Womyn's Ware and I go there to ask for directions. The tattoo place turns out to be next door, practically. But, the cute dark haired sales lady tells me, a lot of people come in and ask for directions since Electro Ladylux apparently is a place that's easy to miss... Unfortunately, when I get there the sign in the door tells me the place is closed on Mondays. That's just my luck :p I sit down on the steps debating on what to do next: get some food in my body (apart from a bottle of water, I hadn't had anything to eat or drink) and come back on Thursday to ask if they do walk-ins.
Having skipped breakfast I settle at Juicy Lucy's for a yummie lunch: a sun burger (vegetarian, of course) and a ginseng power (a non-dairy smoothie containing oranges, banana and ginseng). I take my time enjoying lunch and update my travel journal. On my way back to the hotel I pass a few hair dressers/barbershops on The Drive. Most of 'em are busy, but then I almost pass a small one with a rainbow sticker in the window and prices that aren't discriminatory (price differences between hair cuts for men and women were small - and let me assure you I have seen huge differences).
This guy does walk ins and so I wait my turn as he is almost done cutting the hair of a customer. When it's my turn I ask him to cut my hair into a faux hawk :) We talk: he fled from Vietnam because there was no democracy and saying "the wrong things" meant you'd have to pay for it dearly. There's a picture of a dark haired baby and I ask if it's his. It is. He ask me about my country and I'm pleasantly surprised when he sums up a few Dutch football players (soccer players, to the Americans). He ask me about life in my country. And he tells me not to use any hair gel anymore, but wax, because I have such fine hair. FINE hair?! That's the first time anyone has said that to me. Kelly has fine hair; I can't remember what happened that made me pet her hair (she said it was fine and leaned in a bit, so maybe that was why). Anyhoo, I was petting a slightly tipsy Kelly when she said: "Don't expect me to start purring now." That cracked me up.
The cut costs me CAN$15 - which is dirt cheap. (I later wonder if he didn't charge me for a men's hair cut.) I meet up with Kelly after her shift has finished around 8pm to go to her friend's place for another bubble tea.
I start Tuesday with an early lunch at SushiYama; the veggie box is yummie, too! (And Sarah McLachlan's "Ice cream" was on the radio.) Kelly and I agreed to meet in the hotel lobby at 2pm to go to Stanley Park and the Aquarium :)
Stanley Park is nice, but it started raining in the evening Kelly and I didn't go for a walk after visiting the Aquarium. Kelly points out the better seats at the Beluga show (we didn't get wet), and we also see the dolphin show. The sea otters are definitely my faves (they're Kelly's already) and so we spend most of our time watching and enjoying them. They're cute and funny. And one of the older ones (Nyac or Milo, I don't know) is definitely watching me - as Kelly notices *lol* I think you all have seen that cute video on YouTube of Nyac and Milo holding paws. Kelly even gets me a fridge magnet of Milo and Nyac. Isn't that sweet?
We go to Japanese fusion restaurant The Eatery on 3431 W Broadway (and actually pass the Lotus Land tattoo parlor - even by taking the bus I realize it indeed was a long way out - very close to UBC) where we meet up with Alison; she's a friend of Kelly and I befriended her through Facebook. They both go for sushi, while I have a gigantic pancake that has noodles, veggies and chicken in it. It's very good!
Then it's on to Commodore Ballroom on Granville to see Hot Hot Heat. The venue indeed looks like a ballroom, and it's definitely a place I would like to play at with "my" band.
Hot Hot Heat have two opening acts, one of which is a band called The Dudes. I enjoy their performance a lot: with a red bandana tied around his head the singer reminds me of like Springsteen in his "Born in the USA" video. He also has a pleasant singing voice. And a nice sense of humor.
Then came Hot Hot Heat. Even though I only know "Bandages" and their current single "Let me in" I enjoyed it very much :) Musically, The Dudes appealed to me the most. Even Kelly admitted they were good. Too bad there was no representatives at the merchandise stand, so I couldn't buy a cd. Talking about missed opportunities. Dudes.
The next day Kelly and I go to Granville Island (oh, the delicious looking food) and the weather is fabulous! We both have a cream cheese bagel with tomato and sprouts at the waterside. Just heavenly :) After strolling around for a bit more we take the ferry to Lonsdale Quay where I meet her friend Mike, who works at his mom's stand selling yummie pies. Every Wednesday.
Kelly and I share a BeaverTail (never had those). I settle for a classic one: with a cinnamon and sugar topping. It's good, but I don't want to think about the calories intake... Then we take the bus to the Capilano Suspension Bridge.
My heart was racing as I approached it - since I'm afraid of heights - but since I like to challenge myself from time to time I stepped on that bridge and walked to the middle. Then I looked down, concentrated on my breathing till I relaxed and felt calm enough to cross to the other side. There we did an eco tour and the "treetops adventure" (really a piece of cake after crossing the Capilano Suspension bridge!).
We meet up with Mike back at Lonsdale Quay Market & Shops. After closing up we head out to pick up his friend (Ken, I think his name is - I forgot) and drive to Coquitlam to have dinner with Ken's friends. Mike, who's from Peru (not Cuba) is a nice guy. I like him. I tell him about my plans to go to San Francisco with my friend AJ in June next year, and he's all for it :) Kelly told me that he and Mike have been talking about traveling together, and San Francisco is not as far away as Beijing, China. So, who knows we meet up in San Francisco next year, eh?
Ken's also nice and his friends, too. The greatest thing at the restaurant (it's a family restaurant) is that they have paper and crayons on the tables. Needless to say that Kelly and I were drawing in no time :)
Kelly had a yummie looking veggie burger, while I settled for a grilled chicken burger. Very tasty as well.
Kelly and I sleep in before heading for The Drive. Owner Teresa at Electro Ladylux does walk ins (thankgawd) and after I explain I'm flying out the next day (Friday) she fits me in at 6pm. Kelly seizes the opportunity and asks if she can be inked as well. Apparently, the 6 pm appointment of fellow tattooist Steve has been cancelled, so Teresa books that slot for Kelly. Talking about killing two birds with one stone :)
We then visit the Vancouver Art Gallery. Unfortunately, the Monet/Dali exhibition had been closed down the previous Sunday. So we check out the rest of the exhibits. In the meantime, outside it stops raining and the sun is fighting its way to the forefront.
After the Art Gallery we go back to the tattoo parlor. Steve is putting the finishing touches to a sleeve. The result is stunning. Even more stunning is when I see her elbow completely inked up and Steve telling us that the women never even so much as cringed. Blimey!
It takes Teresa about an hour to tattoo that tiger, but I don't have time to get bored in the meantime. There's a classic rock station playing and we all find ourselves either singing along to the songs or talking about "the good old days". Teresa is surprised I know all that stuff (musical trivia). I explain that I'm a total music dork, and Kelly thinks Magnus (from the SiP forum) and I should sit down with a beer or something and talk music. Frankly, that sounds exciting :)
I like the friendly atmosphere, and Kelly told me she's heard good things about the place. Teresa is crazy in a good way and she cracks me up by making up lyrics and singing them to the actual classic rock songs. I like that.
It takes Steve almost the same amount of time to tattoo the sunflower, that Kelly originally desgned herself, on her hipbone; he has to stop a couple of time because it hurts. I can only imagine... In the end we're both happy with the results :)
Freshly inked we take the bus to the Kits to have dinner at The Naam. (The funny thing is that the history of that place tells us that Naam stands for "name", so I tell Kelly that naam is name in Dutch, too.) The Naam has been winning awards for years and it doesn't surprise me: the food is very good, and it indeed is a place you can take your non-vegetarian friends to as well!
I have an entree that's called "Buddha's feast", and the dish is yummie but big. So in order to save some room for dessert (Hot Apple Crisp) I don't finish that huge plate.
One of the waitresses notices my taped arm and asks if I got a boo-boo. Huh? She repeats her question and Kelly is actually the first one to catch on and answers that I indeed have a new tattoo *lol*
Not to sound dramatic, but while enjoying our dinners I realize it's our last night together. I tell Kelly I had a great time visiting Vancouver, and I might come back. I like Vancouver for its vast diversity in people :)
Back at the hotel I pack my stuff (check out is at 11am in the morning) and watch an episode of L-Word (season 4) in which Shane first meet Paige...
UPDATE 10/6: the tattoo costs CAN$100, but since I didn't know about the tipping policy I didn't tip. I felt silly when Kelly asked me how much I tipped. I E-mailed Teresa to say that I was going to sent her a little prezzie instead. She was fine with it. And now a pack of mini stroopwafels is on its way :)
The check out next morning goes quick, and after getting my backpack (I still don't have a "regular" suitcase to the boiler room (there's no cloak room to store luggage in) I set off to a restaurant on 12th called Friendly Banners. Kelly buys me breakfast and tells me she sometimes goes here for a bite and to nurse her hangovers :)
I finally meet her kitties Hathor and Demeter I've heard so much about. Hathor is the smaller and youngest one, and is usually very cuddly. Demeter is usually the shy one. Today they've decided to switch roles: Demeter checks me out and sniffs my hand and decides I'm ok, while Hathor sticks close to Kelly. Funny kitties... I get online while Kelly takes a shower, and Hathor then decides I'm alright as well *lol*
Kelly really doesn't want to go in for work but has to; she used me (I approved) to get a family day yesterday... So we quickly say goodbye (I hate doing that).
It's raining in Vancouver and I go back to Our Town for a cup of yummie cranberry tea and to update my travel journal.
My last dinner in that town is at a place called Zocalo. It serves contemporary mexican food, and while locals my find it expensive it's actually more like what I'm used to in my country.
I can't remember exactly what I had, but the blonde waitress with the nice tattoo was very attentive.
Back at the hotel I get my backpack from the boiler room and kill some time by reading one of the magazines I bought. Apparently, Friday night is karaoke night at the Howard Johnson on Kingsway, but after a few songs I can't take it anymore and I put on the headphones of my MP3 player; there's a man and a woman singing, but they're really bad.
I feel a little melancholic, like I always do when I leave a place and people I like/enjoyed. The good thing is I have another friend waiting for me in Halifax :)
Warning: before you start reading, make sure you're comfy and have a cup of your favorite brew at hand - whether it's tea or coffee or juice. Or something else... Enjoy!
On Monday I mail the postcards I got when Kelly and I were strolling through Chinatown and onwards to the library on Friday; several years ago I started a little tradition by sending my grandfather postcards from every holiday destination. He loves it very much and when I visited him in 2004 he proudly showed me every single card I'd sent him up to that point. I decided then that I would continue doing that.
It's a 30-minute walk from my hotel to Commercial Drive, but the sun is shining and it's really nice out. I go out in search of Electro Ladylux Tattoos (I remember reading something about it and it being on The Drive). I walk North past lots of eateries with vegetarian and vegan options galore, and my gaydar's suddenly working overtime ;) Plenty of eye candy, too.
At the end of the strip that has all the shops (lots of organic food to buy here), eateries (they even have a joint that sells real Belgian Fries!) and whatnots I frown: I haven't seen the aforementioned tattoo parlor. Where is it? Up ahead I see a store called Womyn's Ware and I go there to ask for directions. The tattoo place turns out to be next door, practically. But, the cute dark haired sales lady tells me, a lot of people come in and ask for directions since Electro Ladylux apparently is a place that's easy to miss... Unfortunately, when I get there the sign in the door tells me the place is closed on Mondays. That's just my luck :p I sit down on the steps debating on what to do next: get some food in my body (apart from a bottle of water, I hadn't had anything to eat or drink) and come back on Thursday to ask if they do walk-ins.
Having skipped breakfast I settle at Juicy Lucy's for a yummie lunch: a sun burger (vegetarian, of course) and a ginseng power (a non-dairy smoothie containing oranges, banana and ginseng). I take my time enjoying lunch and update my travel journal. On my way back to the hotel I pass a few hair dressers/barbershops on The Drive. Most of 'em are busy, but then I almost pass a small one with a rainbow sticker in the window and prices that aren't discriminatory (price differences between hair cuts for men and women were small - and let me assure you I have seen huge differences).
This guy does walk ins and so I wait my turn as he is almost done cutting the hair of a customer. When it's my turn I ask him to cut my hair into a faux hawk :) We talk: he fled from Vietnam because there was no democracy and saying "the wrong things" meant you'd have to pay for it dearly. There's a picture of a dark haired baby and I ask if it's his. It is. He ask me about my country and I'm pleasantly surprised when he sums up a few Dutch football players (soccer players, to the Americans). He ask me about life in my country. And he tells me not to use any hair gel anymore, but wax, because I have such fine hair. FINE hair?! That's the first time anyone has said that to me. Kelly has fine hair; I can't remember what happened that made me pet her hair (she said it was fine and leaned in a bit, so maybe that was why). Anyhoo, I was petting a slightly tipsy Kelly when she said: "Don't expect me to start purring now." That cracked me up.
The cut costs me CAN$15 - which is dirt cheap. (I later wonder if he didn't charge me for a men's hair cut.) I meet up with Kelly after her shift has finished around 8pm to go to her friend's place for another bubble tea.
I start Tuesday with an early lunch at SushiYama; the veggie box is yummie, too! (And Sarah McLachlan's "Ice cream" was on the radio.) Kelly and I agreed to meet in the hotel lobby at 2pm to go to Stanley Park and the Aquarium :)
Stanley Park is nice, but it started raining in the evening Kelly and I didn't go for a walk after visiting the Aquarium. Kelly points out the better seats at the Beluga show (we didn't get wet), and we also see the dolphin show. The sea otters are definitely my faves (they're Kelly's already) and so we spend most of our time watching and enjoying them. They're cute and funny. And one of the older ones (Nyac or Milo, I don't know) is definitely watching me - as Kelly notices *lol* I think you all have seen that cute video on YouTube of Nyac and Milo holding paws. Kelly even gets me a fridge magnet of Milo and Nyac. Isn't that sweet?
We go to Japanese fusion restaurant The Eatery on 3431 W Broadway (and actually pass the Lotus Land tattoo parlor - even by taking the bus I realize it indeed was a long way out - very close to UBC) where we meet up with Alison; she's a friend of Kelly and I befriended her through Facebook. They both go for sushi, while I have a gigantic pancake that has noodles, veggies and chicken in it. It's very good!
Then it's on to Commodore Ballroom on Granville to see Hot Hot Heat. The venue indeed looks like a ballroom, and it's definitely a place I would like to play at with "my" band.
Hot Hot Heat have two opening acts, one of which is a band called The Dudes. I enjoy their performance a lot: with a red bandana tied around his head the singer reminds me of like Springsteen in his "Born in the USA" video. He also has a pleasant singing voice. And a nice sense of humor.
Then came Hot Hot Heat. Even though I only know "Bandages" and their current single "Let me in" I enjoyed it very much :) Musically, The Dudes appealed to me the most. Even Kelly admitted they were good. Too bad there was no representatives at the merchandise stand, so I couldn't buy a cd. Talking about missed opportunities. Dudes.
The next day Kelly and I go to Granville Island (oh, the delicious looking food) and the weather is fabulous! We both have a cream cheese bagel with tomato and sprouts at the waterside. Just heavenly :) After strolling around for a bit more we take the ferry to Lonsdale Quay where I meet her friend Mike, who works at his mom's stand selling yummie pies. Every Wednesday.
Kelly and I share a BeaverTail (never had those). I settle for a classic one: with a cinnamon and sugar topping. It's good, but I don't want to think about the calories intake... Then we take the bus to the Capilano Suspension Bridge.
My heart was racing as I approached it - since I'm afraid of heights - but since I like to challenge myself from time to time I stepped on that bridge and walked to the middle. Then I looked down, concentrated on my breathing till I relaxed and felt calm enough to cross to the other side. There we did an eco tour and the "treetops adventure" (really a piece of cake after crossing the Capilano Suspension bridge!).
We meet up with Mike back at Lonsdale Quay Market & Shops. After closing up we head out to pick up his friend (Ken, I think his name is - I forgot) and drive to Coquitlam to have dinner with Ken's friends. Mike, who's from Peru (not Cuba) is a nice guy. I like him. I tell him about my plans to go to San Francisco with my friend AJ in June next year, and he's all for it :) Kelly told me that he and Mike have been talking about traveling together, and San Francisco is not as far away as Beijing, China. So, who knows we meet up in San Francisco next year, eh?
Ken's also nice and his friends, too. The greatest thing at the restaurant (it's a family restaurant) is that they have paper and crayons on the tables. Needless to say that Kelly and I were drawing in no time :)
Kelly had a yummie looking veggie burger, while I settled for a grilled chicken burger. Very tasty as well.
Kelly and I sleep in before heading for The Drive. Owner Teresa at Electro Ladylux does walk ins (thankgawd) and after I explain I'm flying out the next day (Friday) she fits me in at 6pm. Kelly seizes the opportunity and asks if she can be inked as well. Apparently, the 6 pm appointment of fellow tattooist Steve has been cancelled, so Teresa books that slot for Kelly. Talking about killing two birds with one stone :)
We then visit the Vancouver Art Gallery. Unfortunately, the Monet/Dali exhibition had been closed down the previous Sunday. So we check out the rest of the exhibits. In the meantime, outside it stops raining and the sun is fighting its way to the forefront.
After the Art Gallery we go back to the tattoo parlor. Steve is putting the finishing touches to a sleeve. The result is stunning. Even more stunning is when I see her elbow completely inked up and Steve telling us that the women never even so much as cringed. Blimey!
It takes Teresa about an hour to tattoo that tiger, but I don't have time to get bored in the meantime. There's a classic rock station playing and we all find ourselves either singing along to the songs or talking about "the good old days". Teresa is surprised I know all that stuff (musical trivia). I explain that I'm a total music dork, and Kelly thinks Magnus (from the SiP forum) and I should sit down with a beer or something and talk music. Frankly, that sounds exciting :)
I like the friendly atmosphere, and Kelly told me she's heard good things about the place. Teresa is crazy in a good way and she cracks me up by making up lyrics and singing them to the actual classic rock songs. I like that.
It takes Steve almost the same amount of time to tattoo the sunflower, that Kelly originally desgned herself, on her hipbone; he has to stop a couple of time because it hurts. I can only imagine... In the end we're both happy with the results :)
Freshly inked we take the bus to the Kits to have dinner at The Naam. (The funny thing is that the history of that place tells us that Naam stands for "name", so I tell Kelly that naam is name in Dutch, too.) The Naam has been winning awards for years and it doesn't surprise me: the food is very good, and it indeed is a place you can take your non-vegetarian friends to as well!
I have an entree that's called "Buddha's feast", and the dish is yummie but big. So in order to save some room for dessert (Hot Apple Crisp) I don't finish that huge plate.
One of the waitresses notices my taped arm and asks if I got a boo-boo. Huh? She repeats her question and Kelly is actually the first one to catch on and answers that I indeed have a new tattoo *lol*
Not to sound dramatic, but while enjoying our dinners I realize it's our last night together. I tell Kelly I had a great time visiting Vancouver, and I might come back. I like Vancouver for its vast diversity in people :)
Back at the hotel I pack my stuff (check out is at 11am in the morning) and watch an episode of L-Word (season 4) in which Shane first meet Paige...
UPDATE 10/6: the tattoo costs CAN$100, but since I didn't know about the tipping policy I didn't tip. I felt silly when Kelly asked me how much I tipped. I E-mailed Teresa to say that I was going to sent her a little prezzie instead. She was fine with it. And now a pack of mini stroopwafels is on its way :)
The check out next morning goes quick, and after getting my backpack (I still don't have a "regular" suitcase to the boiler room (there's no cloak room to store luggage in) I set off to a restaurant on 12th called Friendly Banners. Kelly buys me breakfast and tells me she sometimes goes here for a bite and to nurse her hangovers :)
I finally meet her kitties Hathor and Demeter I've heard so much about. Hathor is the smaller and youngest one, and is usually very cuddly. Demeter is usually the shy one. Today they've decided to switch roles: Demeter checks me out and sniffs my hand and decides I'm ok, while Hathor sticks close to Kelly. Funny kitties... I get online while Kelly takes a shower, and Hathor then decides I'm alright as well *lol*
Kelly really doesn't want to go in for work but has to; she used me (I approved) to get a family day yesterday... So we quickly say goodbye (I hate doing that).
It's raining in Vancouver and I go back to Our Town for a cup of yummie cranberry tea and to update my travel journal.
My last dinner in that town is at a place called Zocalo. It serves contemporary mexican food, and while locals my find it expensive it's actually more like what I'm used to in my country.
I can't remember exactly what I had, but the blonde waitress with the nice tattoo was very attentive.
Back at the hotel I get my backpack from the boiler room and kill some time by reading one of the magazines I bought. Apparently, Friday night is karaoke night at the Howard Johnson on Kingsway, but after a few songs I can't take it anymore and I put on the headphones of my MP3 player; there's a man and a woman singing, but they're really bad.
I feel a little melancholic, like I always do when I leave a place and people I like/enjoyed. The good thing is I have another friend waiting for me in Halifax :)
Hello from Vancouver
I originally posted this on September 14th, 2007.
When I finally arrive in Vancouver, BC, I'm tired and hungry. I'd traveled about 15 hours - thanks to a delayed connection in London, UK. Another disappointment was finding out the plane didn't have personal entertainment systems built in into the backs of the chairs (like I'm used to on transatlantic flights). Fortunately, there is one movie I found worth watching; "Meet the Robinsons".
Check in goes quickly, and after freshening up I find myself checking out the neighborhood of 395 Kingsway, SoMa (that is SOuth of MAin). With the help of my Lonely Planet guide I find a nice little sushi place around the corner (about a 10-minute walk away) called "SushiYama".
Also around the corner and across from SushiYama there's Kingsgate Mall, with a library, a Shoppers Drug Mart (yay!) and a couple of other stores.
The next morning I'm wondering how to get in touch with my friend Kelly, when she calls me. Perfect timing. Even though she's not a morning person (neither am I) she agrees to meet me for breakfast. How sweet is that? Since I'm staying at a hotel that is on her way to work downtown we first meet in my room.
She's taller than I am. Slightly lanky. I give her a box containing Dutch sweets/delicacies. (I know she loves "stroopwafels"!)
We have breakfast (or rather; brunch) at a little place close to the hotel, and after that we walk to Chinatown (a 30/40-minute walk). We visit Dr. Sun Yat-sen's classical Chinese Garden. It's very nice and tranquil there. Kelly finds a beautiful red Chinese dress, and buys it with the intention of wearing it to the cruise on Sunday... (She also shows me where she works, so I know where to wait for her to come out, then.)
detail of the public library
Kelly suddenly remembers she needs to be in for her shift earlier than she thought, so our get together ends rather abruptly.
On my way back towards Broadway I pass RX comix on Main St where I buy the last TPB of Strangers in Paradise (and later on I'd stay up late just to finish it).
I set off to Lotus Land Tattoos on W Broadway. I had looked it up at home and according to Google Maps it was just 5.5 K away (about an 1-hour walk). However, after walking for an hour and a half I was about half way! And I was starting to think the 5.5 kilometers were more like 5.5 miles :(
Later, I have crispy duck for dinner at "King & I" on E Broadway. It wasn't bad, but I've certainly had better than that.
The next day I have a little brunch at "Our Town" on the corner of Kingsway and Broadway; the vegetarian breakfast burrito is delicious and the cranberry tea is heavenly! That totally made my day already :) I like the relaxed atmosphere, friendly service, the diversity in people. Thank you Kelly for recommending me the place.
I spend some time in here updating my travel journal. I notice I'm a bit sore, and I suspect it's because my bed's too "bouncy"...
My friend Kelly
Kelly and I meet for dinner at a sushi place in Main (near Broadway). I settle for udon noodle soup with beef and egg. It's nice and filling. Also, I find food is cheaper than I expected. Another plus for this great city.
After dinner we take the Skytrain to Gastown (I didn't get a ticket *gasp!*) and we make it to the steam clock in time to hear it chime like the Big Ben in London.
Steam Clock
Kelly wants to show me the night market in Chinatown, only to find out after roaming about for an hour that we just missed the last Night Market of this year. Shucks!
We then wander off to Davie St, where all the gay boys party. Kelly tells me she sometimes go dancing at Celebrities, and a few other spots when she wants to have a good time without being hassled by men.
We then go to the Bubble Tea Shop (on Expo Dr. if I remember correctly) of a friend of Kelly's. I marvel at how much she's remembered about me - me and my bad short term memory :(
We sort of got lost, a bit, and ended up at the marina. Where all the wealthy folks of Vancouver live with their yachts out front ;p
I have a yummie honey green tea with tapioca pearls, and Kelly and I continue our way back to SoMa, while enjoyng our drinks. When we get to BC Stadium a pre season game (I don't know who the Canucks were playing against) had just ended...
I arrive at the hotel around 1 in the morning, and this being a Saturday night I find people all dressed up in the lobby while I head for my room. To get some sleep. Kelly was tired, too. Fortunately, she lives a 15-minute walk from the hotel.
My Lonely Planet lists a tattoo place called Ink Bomb on Main St - not far from where I'm staying. I decide to check it out, despite the drizzle. I quickly find out the place isn't there anymore, so I decide to go for a very late breakfast (at was close to 3 in the afternoon) at Slickety Jim's on Main St. A funky little place. And I'm seated at a table by the window with a type writer. I settle for a "Mean Teen Queen" and a grapefruit juice.
I arrive at Costco early, and there are a few other colleagues of Kelly who are waiting for her, too. When she finally comes out she looks goood.
Keith Urban is playing at the stadium, so we dodge his fans on our way to the boat.
The food was very good (Kelly and I loved the chocolate cake) and people were having a good time. Too bad the sun wasn't out; that would've made it even better!
I was holding back on the booze (just a couple of JD on the rocks n' Coke, and a Jager Bomb offered by a colleague of Kelly's), but Kelly got a bit tipsy. She's cute when she's tipsy.
When I finally arrive in Vancouver, BC, I'm tired and hungry. I'd traveled about 15 hours - thanks to a delayed connection in London, UK. Another disappointment was finding out the plane didn't have personal entertainment systems built in into the backs of the chairs (like I'm used to on transatlantic flights). Fortunately, there is one movie I found worth watching; "Meet the Robinsons".
Check in goes quickly, and after freshening up I find myself checking out the neighborhood of 395 Kingsway, SoMa (that is SOuth of MAin). With the help of my Lonely Planet guide I find a nice little sushi place around the corner (about a 10-minute walk away) called "SushiYama".
Also around the corner and across from SushiYama there's Kingsgate Mall, with a library, a Shoppers Drug Mart (yay!) and a couple of other stores.
The next morning I'm wondering how to get in touch with my friend Kelly, when she calls me. Perfect timing. Even though she's not a morning person (neither am I) she agrees to meet me for breakfast. How sweet is that? Since I'm staying at a hotel that is on her way to work downtown we first meet in my room.
She's taller than I am. Slightly lanky. I give her a box containing Dutch sweets/delicacies. (I know she loves "stroopwafels"!)
We have breakfast (or rather; brunch) at a little place close to the hotel, and after that we walk to Chinatown (a 30/40-minute walk). We visit Dr. Sun Yat-sen's classical Chinese Garden. It's very nice and tranquil there. Kelly finds a beautiful red Chinese dress, and buys it with the intention of wearing it to the cruise on Sunday... (She also shows me where she works, so I know where to wait for her to come out, then.)
detail of the public libraryKelly suddenly remembers she needs to be in for her shift earlier than she thought, so our get together ends rather abruptly.
On my way back towards Broadway I pass RX comix on Main St where I buy the last TPB of Strangers in Paradise (and later on I'd stay up late just to finish it).
I set off to Lotus Land Tattoos on W Broadway. I had looked it up at home and according to Google Maps it was just 5.5 K away (about an 1-hour walk). However, after walking for an hour and a half I was about half way! And I was starting to think the 5.5 kilometers were more like 5.5 miles :(
Later, I have crispy duck for dinner at "King & I" on E Broadway. It wasn't bad, but I've certainly had better than that.
The next day I have a little brunch at "Our Town" on the corner of Kingsway and Broadway; the vegetarian breakfast burrito is delicious and the cranberry tea is heavenly! That totally made my day already :) I like the relaxed atmosphere, friendly service, the diversity in people. Thank you Kelly for recommending me the place.
I spend some time in here updating my travel journal. I notice I'm a bit sore, and I suspect it's because my bed's too "bouncy"...
My friend KellyKelly and I meet for dinner at a sushi place in Main (near Broadway). I settle for udon noodle soup with beef and egg. It's nice and filling. Also, I find food is cheaper than I expected. Another plus for this great city.
After dinner we take the Skytrain to Gastown (I didn't get a ticket *gasp!*) and we make it to the steam clock in time to hear it chime like the Big Ben in London.
Steam ClockKelly wants to show me the night market in Chinatown, only to find out after roaming about for an hour that we just missed the last Night Market of this year. Shucks!
We then wander off to Davie St, where all the gay boys party. Kelly tells me she sometimes go dancing at Celebrities, and a few other spots when she wants to have a good time without being hassled by men.
We then go to the Bubble Tea Shop (on Expo Dr. if I remember correctly) of a friend of Kelly's. I marvel at how much she's remembered about me - me and my bad short term memory :(
We sort of got lost, a bit, and ended up at the marina. Where all the wealthy folks of Vancouver live with their yachts out front ;p
I have a yummie honey green tea with tapioca pearls, and Kelly and I continue our way back to SoMa, while enjoyng our drinks. When we get to BC Stadium a pre season game (I don't know who the Canucks were playing against) had just ended...
I arrive at the hotel around 1 in the morning, and this being a Saturday night I find people all dressed up in the lobby while I head for my room. To get some sleep. Kelly was tired, too. Fortunately, she lives a 15-minute walk from the hotel.
My Lonely Planet lists a tattoo place called Ink Bomb on Main St - not far from where I'm staying. I decide to check it out, despite the drizzle. I quickly find out the place isn't there anymore, so I decide to go for a very late breakfast (at was close to 3 in the afternoon) at Slickety Jim's on Main St. A funky little place. And I'm seated at a table by the window with a type writer. I settle for a "Mean Teen Queen" and a grapefruit juice.
I arrive at Costco early, and there are a few other colleagues of Kelly who are waiting for her, too. When she finally comes out she looks goood.
Keith Urban is playing at the stadium, so we dodge his fans on our way to the boat.
The food was very good (Kelly and I loved the chocolate cake) and people were having a good time. Too bad the sun wasn't out; that would've made it even better!
I was holding back on the booze (just a couple of JD on the rocks n' Coke, and a Jager Bomb offered by a colleague of Kelly's), but Kelly got a bit tipsy. She's cute when she's tipsy.
Welcome to a different era
This was originally posted on September 5th, 2007.
SUMMARY: Mohamad Sofian, named Mazinah at birth, had mistakenly been allowed to change her name to a male one on her identity card, Islamic lawyers said.
A Malaysian court has annulled the marriage of a Muslim couple after ruling that both were women even though they lived together as husband and wife, a lawyer said Tuesday.
An Islamic Shariah court in southern Malacca state ruled that Mohamad Sofian Mohamad and Zaiton Aziz, both in their early 40s, would have to separate because doctors found that the husband, who sports short-cropped hair and dresses as a man, had female sexual organs, said Mohamad Mokhtar Karim, a lawyer for the state.
"From the examination results, he's entirely a woman," Mohamad Mokhtar told The Associated Press. "Mohamad Sofian was born a woman. He dresses like a man, but if you look at him, personally, I think, he looks like a woman. He has got breasts and everything."
The lawyer said Mohamad Sofian, originally given the female name Mazinah Mohamad after birth, had mistakenly been allowed to change her name to a male one on her identity card.
Same-sex marriages are neither allowed under Shariah law, which governs civil matters for all Muslims, nor recognized by Malaysia's secular laws, which apply to ethnic Indians, Chinese and other non-Muslims, who make up 40 percent of the country's 27 million people.
Mohamad Mokhtar said the question of whether the two women were lesbians was not raised in court and was "speculation."
The couple married in a mosque in Malacca in 2002, but the state's Register of Marriage filed a lawsuit against the couple following complaints by the bride's family that the groom was a woman, Mohamad Mokhtar said.
In 2005, the Malaysian government declared a same-sex marriage between an ethnic Chinese transwoman -- still legally a man -- and her male partner invalid. (AP)
SUMMARY: Mohamad Sofian, named Mazinah at birth, had mistakenly been allowed to change her name to a male one on her identity card, Islamic lawyers said.
A Malaysian court has annulled the marriage of a Muslim couple after ruling that both were women even though they lived together as husband and wife, a lawyer said Tuesday.
An Islamic Shariah court in southern Malacca state ruled that Mohamad Sofian Mohamad and Zaiton Aziz, both in their early 40s, would have to separate because doctors found that the husband, who sports short-cropped hair and dresses as a man, had female sexual organs, said Mohamad Mokhtar Karim, a lawyer for the state.
"From the examination results, he's entirely a woman," Mohamad Mokhtar told The Associated Press. "Mohamad Sofian was born a woman. He dresses like a man, but if you look at him, personally, I think, he looks like a woman. He has got breasts and everything."
The lawyer said Mohamad Sofian, originally given the female name Mazinah Mohamad after birth, had mistakenly been allowed to change her name to a male one on her identity card.
Same-sex marriages are neither allowed under Shariah law, which governs civil matters for all Muslims, nor recognized by Malaysia's secular laws, which apply to ethnic Indians, Chinese and other non-Muslims, who make up 40 percent of the country's 27 million people.
Mohamad Mokhtar said the question of whether the two women were lesbians was not raised in court and was "speculation."
The couple married in a mosque in Malacca in 2002, but the state's Register of Marriage filed a lawsuit against the couple following complaints by the bride's family that the groom was a woman, Mohamad Mokhtar said.
In 2005, the Malaysian government declared a same-sex marriage between an ethnic Chinese transwoman -- still legally a man -- and her male partner invalid. (AP)
US to hold personal data on EU travellers until 2022
This was posted originally on July 26, 2007.
European Liberal Democrats have expressed concern over an EU agreement to give the US Department of Homeland Security unprecedented access to the personal information of passengers on transatlantic flights.
The European Commission quietly approved the agreement on Monday. [Which, I think, is not a good thing.]
It gives the DHS access to the personal information of anyone on a transatlantic flight, which could include details of their sexual orientation.
Detailed passenger information was originally required as an anti-terror measure, but the DHS now insists on the right to use the information for disease control, and there are fears that gay passengers may be singled out as possible HIV risks.
Jo Swinson MP, Lib Dem spokesperson for women and equality, told PinkNews.co.uk: "That the EU could hand over sensitive information about transatlantic passengers, including sexual history, is deeply worrying. The Liberal Democrats in the European Parliament have been highly critical of this measure, which seems unnecessary and lacks any democratic legitimacy."
Today a Ministry of Justice official denied that any passengers will be asked about their sexual orientation under the new system.
The US can now retain the personal information of passengers from the EU on file for up to 15 years. The data can also be accessed by any US law enforcement agency in pursuit of "serious crimes."
The US is not required to provide similar information about its citizens to EU border police. At present the DHS accesses payment details, home addresses and in-flight meal choices.
The new agreement now gives them access to 19 possible categories, which could include information on ethnic origin, political and philosophical opinions, credit card numbers, trade union membership, sex life and details of the passengers' health. Notes that travel agents, for example, make about your booking, such as a gay or lesbian couple requesting a double bed, will be covered by the new arrangements. Any information about your health needs, or if you travel as a member of a group, will also be recorded and stored.
The PNR agreement allows all the different agents within the air industry, from the travel agent and the computer reservation systems (CRS), to the carrier and the handling agents at the airports, to recognise each passenger and have access to all relevant information related to his or her journey.
The EU said the information will be stored by the US for seven years from the date of collection in an active database, following which the data will be moved to an inactive status for eight years, to be accessed only in exceptional circumstances and under strict conditions. That means the US government will retain information on an EU citizen taking a flight this year until 2022.
"I can't see any valid reason why [DHS] would need to retain PNR data for that length of time," Graham Titherington, principal analyst at Ovum, told vnunet.com "But the primary concern is not the length of time but that the data is being exchanged at all. This information will be hacked; it will leak at some point."
The Ministry of Justice has responsibility for data protection issues. A spokeswoman for the department told PinkNews.co.uk: "By no means will passengers be asked for their sexual orientation. That is not information you give out when you book a ticket. There's an open field, so if you tell your travel agent, "I'm disabled," or "I need a halal or kosher meal" they can put it in that open field. The only way to infer issues like political opinion is if the Labour party, for example, pays for your ticket."
Peter Hustinx, the European data protection supervisor, has written to the Commission expressing his 'grave concern' that there is no mechanism for EU citizens to challenge misuse of personal information and that there is no legal precedent in this area.
"Data on EU citizens will be readily available to a broad range of US agencies and there is no limitation to what US authorities are allowed to do with the information," he said, according to The Observer.
"I have serious doubts whether the outcome of these negotiations will be fully compatible with European fundamental rights, which both the Council and the Commission have stated are non-negotiable."
The Ministry of Justice stressed there are checks and balances in the new information sharing agreement.
"These safeguards include a provision stating that sensitive data will be filtered out and not used by DHS, except in an exceptional case where life is at risk."
The Ministry of Justice declined to comment on why the EU's data commissioner had expressed serious doubts about the data sharing or explain why the DHS would need access details of a passenger's sexuality or meal choices in life-threatening situations.
The US Department of Homeland Security feeds the data supplied by airlines into a computer system, called the Automated Targeting System, which assigns people travelling to the US a numeric score. The system detects whether people have, for example, bought a ticket very close to the departure date or missed bookings in the past. These factors would be considered suspicious and increase a passenger's score. [Eh? Someone clearly needs to get a life.]
The system also considers more subtle patterns, such as where a passenger chooses to sit on the plane. Travellers with a high score are interviewed on arrival, or barred from entering the US altogether. [Really, do they get off on that?]
LINK TO PASSENGER NAME RECORD (PNR): FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
European Liberal Democrats have expressed concern over an EU agreement to give the US Department of Homeland Security unprecedented access to the personal information of passengers on transatlantic flights.
The European Commission quietly approved the agreement on Monday. [Which, I think, is not a good thing.]
It gives the DHS access to the personal information of anyone on a transatlantic flight, which could include details of their sexual orientation.
Detailed passenger information was originally required as an anti-terror measure, but the DHS now insists on the right to use the information for disease control, and there are fears that gay passengers may be singled out as possible HIV risks.
Jo Swinson MP, Lib Dem spokesperson for women and equality, told PinkNews.co.uk: "That the EU could hand over sensitive information about transatlantic passengers, including sexual history, is deeply worrying. The Liberal Democrats in the European Parliament have been highly critical of this measure, which seems unnecessary and lacks any democratic legitimacy."
Today a Ministry of Justice official denied that any passengers will be asked about their sexual orientation under the new system.
The US can now retain the personal information of passengers from the EU on file for up to 15 years. The data can also be accessed by any US law enforcement agency in pursuit of "serious crimes."
The US is not required to provide similar information about its citizens to EU border police. At present the DHS accesses payment details, home addresses and in-flight meal choices.
The new agreement now gives them access to 19 possible categories, which could include information on ethnic origin, political and philosophical opinions, credit card numbers, trade union membership, sex life and details of the passengers' health. Notes that travel agents, for example, make about your booking, such as a gay or lesbian couple requesting a double bed, will be covered by the new arrangements. Any information about your health needs, or if you travel as a member of a group, will also be recorded and stored.
The PNR agreement allows all the different agents within the air industry, from the travel agent and the computer reservation systems (CRS), to the carrier and the handling agents at the airports, to recognise each passenger and have access to all relevant information related to his or her journey.
The EU said the information will be stored by the US for seven years from the date of collection in an active database, following which the data will be moved to an inactive status for eight years, to be accessed only in exceptional circumstances and under strict conditions. That means the US government will retain information on an EU citizen taking a flight this year until 2022.
"I can't see any valid reason why [DHS] would need to retain PNR data for that length of time," Graham Titherington, principal analyst at Ovum, told vnunet.com "But the primary concern is not the length of time but that the data is being exchanged at all. This information will be hacked; it will leak at some point."
The Ministry of Justice has responsibility for data protection issues. A spokeswoman for the department told PinkNews.co.uk: "By no means will passengers be asked for their sexual orientation. That is not information you give out when you book a ticket. There's an open field, so if you tell your travel agent, "I'm disabled," or "I need a halal or kosher meal" they can put it in that open field. The only way to infer issues like political opinion is if the Labour party, for example, pays for your ticket."
Peter Hustinx, the European data protection supervisor, has written to the Commission expressing his 'grave concern' that there is no mechanism for EU citizens to challenge misuse of personal information and that there is no legal precedent in this area.
"Data on EU citizens will be readily available to a broad range of US agencies and there is no limitation to what US authorities are allowed to do with the information," he said, according to The Observer.
"I have serious doubts whether the outcome of these negotiations will be fully compatible with European fundamental rights, which both the Council and the Commission have stated are non-negotiable."
The Ministry of Justice stressed there are checks and balances in the new information sharing agreement.
"These safeguards include a provision stating that sensitive data will be filtered out and not used by DHS, except in an exceptional case where life is at risk."
The Ministry of Justice declined to comment on why the EU's data commissioner had expressed serious doubts about the data sharing or explain why the DHS would need access details of a passenger's sexuality or meal choices in life-threatening situations.
The US Department of Homeland Security feeds the data supplied by airlines into a computer system, called the Automated Targeting System, which assigns people travelling to the US a numeric score. The system detects whether people have, for example, bought a ticket very close to the departure date or missed bookings in the past. These factors would be considered suspicious and increase a passenger's score. [Eh? Someone clearly needs to get a life.]
The system also considers more subtle patterns, such as where a passenger chooses to sit on the plane. Travellers with a high score are interviewed on arrival, or barred from entering the US altogether. [Really, do they get off on that?]
LINK TO PASSENGER NAME RECORD (PNR): FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Scissor Sisters are gaying it up
Well, everybody, happy Independence Day!
Tweety and I went to a Scissor Sisters concert - and met up on site with Mirthe, and her partner whom I call "Bob" since I have trouble remembering his correct name, Erik-Jan. (Luckily, he doesn't mind).
The thing is the concert was in a park in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, but it has been raining - no, make that pouring - on and off the past couple of days. So, naturally, we hoped it wouldn't be raining during the concert.
Tweety and I had dinner at a place just off the site called Pacific Parc ; the food was simple but fresh and tasty. I was wearing my new Wicky the Viking t-shirt (pictured above) and it sure attracts attention. People at work (I had the afternoon off) smiled upon seeing Wicky... And a Dutch celebrity called Chris Zeegers was definitely checking out my t-shirt! (A lot of Dutch women thinks he's hot - I just plain ignored him.
)
Groove Armada was the opening act, but they really did more than just open: GA played a full 90-minute setlist. We got two bands for the price of one :) I didn't expect GA to perform with a full band, but they did and they're quite good. I had a really good time dancing and joking with my friends.
Then it was time for the Scissor Sisters to show the audience a good time (or, as Ana Matronic said: "It ain't a party till the tits come out."). I think I read somewhere the concert in the park was sold out. Even though they've only released two albums so far, it seemed like a greatest hits concert (meant in a good way).
Jake Shears is certainly like a little show pony, literally strutting up and down the stage at times, and he and Ana know how to entertain the audience. Ana Matronic thanked the audience in Dutch every now and then (she certainly got brownie points for that). She dedicated "Kiss you off" to all the women in the audience, to which Jake added "And to all the lady boys" - woo-hoo!
Towards the end of the show Jake joked about the band playing Bette Midler songs from that moment on till the end
Starting with "Wind beneath my wings" and followed by "The Rose" (the younger folks in the crowd didn't get the joke...). He then proceeded to sing the latter song - with completely different lyrics. I can't remember any (something with disease and liver) but Mirthe and I were roaring with laughter.
Tweety and I were doing silly dances, laughing our heads off - basically having a blast. And all too soon the Sisters were through their 90-minute setlist and it was time to drive home (not before downing an energy drink).
Btw not only do I have a Wicky the Viking t-shirt (trust me: Wicky is a boy. Really.) I also have this one of "Der Maus" (German for the mouse - which is a fun educational kids' program... PBS, anyone?)
Tee-hee-hee!
Tweety and I went to a Scissor Sisters concert - and met up on site with Mirthe, and her partner whom I call "Bob" since I have trouble remembering his correct name, Erik-Jan. (Luckily, he doesn't mind).
The thing is the concert was in a park in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, but it has been raining - no, make that pouring - on and off the past couple of days. So, naturally, we hoped it wouldn't be raining during the concert.
Tweety and I had dinner at a place just off the site called Pacific Parc ; the food was simple but fresh and tasty. I was wearing my new Wicky the Viking t-shirt (pictured above) and it sure attracts attention. People at work (I had the afternoon off) smiled upon seeing Wicky... And a Dutch celebrity called Chris Zeegers was definitely checking out my t-shirt! (A lot of Dutch women thinks he's hot - I just plain ignored him.
) Groove Armada was the opening act, but they really did more than just open: GA played a full 90-minute setlist. We got two bands for the price of one :) I didn't expect GA to perform with a full band, but they did and they're quite good. I had a really good time dancing and joking with my friends.
Then it was time for the Scissor Sisters to show the audience a good time (or, as Ana Matronic said: "It ain't a party till the tits come out."). I think I read somewhere the concert in the park was sold out. Even though they've only released two albums so far, it seemed like a greatest hits concert (meant in a good way).
Jake Shears is certainly like a little show pony, literally strutting up and down the stage at times, and he and Ana know how to entertain the audience. Ana Matronic thanked the audience in Dutch every now and then (she certainly got brownie points for that). She dedicated "Kiss you off" to all the women in the audience, to which Jake added "And to all the lady boys" - woo-hoo!
Towards the end of the show Jake joked about the band playing Bette Midler songs from that moment on till the end
Starting with "Wind beneath my wings" and followed by "The Rose" (the younger folks in the crowd didn't get the joke...). He then proceeded to sing the latter song - with completely different lyrics. I can't remember any (something with disease and liver) but Mirthe and I were roaring with laughter. Tweety and I were doing silly dances, laughing our heads off - basically having a blast. And all too soon the Sisters were through their 90-minute setlist and it was time to drive home (not before downing an energy drink).
Btw not only do I have a Wicky the Viking t-shirt (trust me: Wicky is a boy. Really.) I also have this one of "Der Maus" (German for the mouse - which is a fun educational kids' program... PBS, anyone?)
Tee-hee-hee!
Beth Hart rocks Paradiso again
I originally posted this one November 7th, 2007.
All the concerts on her Dutch tour are sold out, except for her "New Years Eve Special" (my mom will attend that one with me and a couple of friends!) on December 31st. Anyway, a lady by the name of Tracy Curtis (I don't know if I spelled her name correctly) opened up for Beth. Very chatty. Her songs were alright; lyrics that were politically charged (Iraq) and songs that would have fit at a hippy concert.
I don't know why, but everything was running a bit late, so Beth and her band were late, too. They started off with "World without you" and everything after that is basically a blur (they played a mix of old and new songs). The venue was packed (it was sold out) and the fans were loving every second of it. The fans also know that Beth feeds off the response of her audience, and so there's lots of interaction.
All too soon the show was over (Beth and her band came back twice for encores, and played "As good as it gets" and "Waterfalls") and the audience kept trying to call her back for another encore. Alas... One of the roadies got booed when he finally started to unplugged Beth's keyboard.
I had a great night!
All the concerts on her Dutch tour are sold out, except for her "New Years Eve Special" (my mom will attend that one with me and a couple of friends!) on December 31st. Anyway, a lady by the name of Tracy Curtis (I don't know if I spelled her name correctly) opened up for Beth. Very chatty. Her songs were alright; lyrics that were politically charged (Iraq) and songs that would have fit at a hippy concert.
I don't know why, but everything was running a bit late, so Beth and her band were late, too. They started off with "World without you" and everything after that is basically a blur (they played a mix of old and new songs). The venue was packed (it was sold out) and the fans were loving every second of it. The fans also know that Beth feeds off the response of her audience, and so there's lots of interaction.
All too soon the show was over (Beth and her band came back twice for encores, and played "As good as it gets" and "Waterfalls") and the audience kept trying to call her back for another encore. Alas... One of the roadies got booed when he finally started to unplugged Beth's keyboard.
I had a great night!
Canada: 40 years of gay rights activism
This was originally posted on November 9th, 2007.
On November 7, 1967, the Supreme Court of Canada rejected the appeal of George Everett Klippert, who had been condemned to indefinite imprisonment for consensual sexual relations with other men.
The next day, Tommy Douglas, the first leader of Canada's New Democratic Party, rose in the House of Commons and called for homosexuality to be decriminalised.
Since then, the NDP has led the pack in defense of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights.
New Democrats succeeded in banning discrimination based on sexual orientation, tirelessly worked for equal marriage and are fighting today for international LGBT rights and for an end to discrimination based on gender identity.
As proof of its firm resolve to stand up for full equality and human rights, the NDP marked this important anniversary by unanimously adopting a comprehensive range of policies on LGBT rights during its Federal Council in Winnipeg last weekend.
"This action by the NDP federal council gives us the clearest and most comprehensive policies on LGBT issues of any party," Bill Siksay, MP for Burnaby-Douglas and NDP spokesperson for LGBT issues, said in a release.
These policies, sponsored by the NDP-Quebec Section and by the Burnaby-Douglas (British Columbia) and Trinity-Spadina (Ontario) riding (constituency) associations, go to the heart of the struggles the LGBT community face.
In particular, they call for policies that protect young LGBT people from the hatred and social inequity that causes such appalling rates of suicide and homelessness among them.
They also take a clear stance against the discrimination faced by refugees fleeing homophobic discrimination and violence; for legal protections and equity for transgender and transsexual people; and for the Canadian government to meet its responsibilities to work for human rights for LGBT people around the world.
According to Siksay, "Canada has led the world in equality and participation of gay and lesbian citizens. But challenges remain.
"Transsexual and transgender Canadians need full human rights protections, and LGBTT people in Canada and around the world suffer prejudice and discrimination, even to the point of violence and death. Our work is not yet done."
Chrys Hudson © 2007 GayWired.com; All Rights Reserved.
On November 7, 1967, the Supreme Court of Canada rejected the appeal of George Everett Klippert, who had been condemned to indefinite imprisonment for consensual sexual relations with other men.
The next day, Tommy Douglas, the first leader of Canada's New Democratic Party, rose in the House of Commons and called for homosexuality to be decriminalised.
Since then, the NDP has led the pack in defense of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights.
New Democrats succeeded in banning discrimination based on sexual orientation, tirelessly worked for equal marriage and are fighting today for international LGBT rights and for an end to discrimination based on gender identity.
As proof of its firm resolve to stand up for full equality and human rights, the NDP marked this important anniversary by unanimously adopting a comprehensive range of policies on LGBT rights during its Federal Council in Winnipeg last weekend.
"This action by the NDP federal council gives us the clearest and most comprehensive policies on LGBT issues of any party," Bill Siksay, MP for Burnaby-Douglas and NDP spokesperson for LGBT issues, said in a release.
These policies, sponsored by the NDP-Quebec Section and by the Burnaby-Douglas (British Columbia) and Trinity-Spadina (Ontario) riding (constituency) associations, go to the heart of the struggles the LGBT community face.
In particular, they call for policies that protect young LGBT people from the hatred and social inequity that causes such appalling rates of suicide and homelessness among them.
They also take a clear stance against the discrimination faced by refugees fleeing homophobic discrimination and violence; for legal protections and equity for transgender and transsexual people; and for the Canadian government to meet its responsibilities to work for human rights for LGBT people around the world.
According to Siksay, "Canada has led the world in equality and participation of gay and lesbian citizens. But challenges remain.
"Transsexual and transgender Canadians need full human rights protections, and LGBTT people in Canada and around the world suffer prejudice and discrimination, even to the point of violence and death. Our work is not yet done."
Chrys Hudson © 2007 GayWired.com; All Rights Reserved.
Reunion
I originally posted this on November 10th, 2007.
The Maastricht office of the COC celebrates its 35th birthday. Every person who have volunteered over the years were invited to come and celebrate; I accidentally became one after writing a paper on the legal position of the non-biological mother in a lesbian relationship. (Eventually, it formed the basis of my thesis.)
I "Hyved" a few friends I knew from those days, but hadn't seen in years. (Hyves is the Dutch version of Facebook. Sorta.) They in turn notified people they knew from back then... I was looking forward to seeing old friends and reminisce.
This picture was taken 10 years ago, at COC Maastricht's 25th birthday bash. And a party it was!
Can you spot me? (I'm the one who adds some color to the bunch *snickers*) This was taken after the Sunday brunch. I think it really is too bad the picture is that small!
After we got name tagged (which also enables us to get free drinks throughout the evening) we each got a slice of (fruit) pie and a cup of tea or coffee. Old footage was being shown in two rooms (from way before my time), and someone had made several collages from old photographs and news clippings. I suddenly found myself looking at a younger and slimmer version of myself. I'm not sure who made the collage, but that picture was so me: I was playing the guitar... The things that bugged me a little bit was that I couldn't remember for the life of me when that picture was taken or whose guitar it was. Cos it certainly wasn't mine!
It was great catching up with old friends. At one point I wished Krista was there, so she could hear firsthand from a couple of friends I'm not as straight laced as I appear to be!
Seeing my buddy Ro felt like seeing a brother I hadn't talked to in a long time. It was great, and it felt a little like old times. We reminisced about the our days at the COC, and concluded that some memories were shrouded in an alcoholic haze *lol* We both remember drinking an entire bottle of whiskey during one weekend. And then going back to college/university on Monday morning. Sober.
I also caught up with several female friends from those days, but I somehow ended up chatting with the gents for the greater part of the evening. One of them (whose name just escaped me) put an arm around me and confessed that if only I were a boy... Well, some things never change ;p What did change was that a friend of ours - we considered her "top dyke" - is now in a relationship with a man. If it had been any other lesbian friend I wouldn't have been as surprised...
Ro and I went for sushi for dinner, and caught up some more. He's still that sweet guy from back then. Too bad it was raining, otherwise we would've gone for a walk through a nocturnal Maastricht. Now we went for coffee and tea at another place we used to frequent back in the days: de Perroen.
When we got back some time around 21:30 hours, there was room to boogie (only I didn't feel like dancing...) I had another whiskey - for old times' sake, as Ro would put it *lol* but after midnight I started yawning and felt it was time for me to drive home. I offered Ro a ride to his parents place (he's traveled in to attend the reunion) and that basically concluded my Saturday.
Ro and I are planning on keeping in touch: he's going to the Sarah Bettens concert at the Paradiso, too!
The Maastricht office of the COC celebrates its 35th birthday. Every person who have volunteered over the years were invited to come and celebrate; I accidentally became one after writing a paper on the legal position of the non-biological mother in a lesbian relationship. (Eventually, it formed the basis of my thesis.)
I "Hyved" a few friends I knew from those days, but hadn't seen in years. (Hyves is the Dutch version of Facebook. Sorta.) They in turn notified people they knew from back then... I was looking forward to seeing old friends and reminisce.
This picture was taken 10 years ago, at COC Maastricht's 25th birthday bash. And a party it was! Can you spot me? (I'm the one who adds some color to the bunch *snickers*) This was taken after the Sunday brunch. I think it really is too bad the picture is that small!
After we got name tagged (which also enables us to get free drinks throughout the evening) we each got a slice of (fruit) pie and a cup of tea or coffee. Old footage was being shown in two rooms (from way before my time), and someone had made several collages from old photographs and news clippings. I suddenly found myself looking at a younger and slimmer version of myself. I'm not sure who made the collage, but that picture was so me: I was playing the guitar... The things that bugged me a little bit was that I couldn't remember for the life of me when that picture was taken or whose guitar it was. Cos it certainly wasn't mine!
It was great catching up with old friends. At one point I wished Krista was there, so she could hear firsthand from a couple of friends I'm not as straight laced as I appear to be!
Seeing my buddy Ro felt like seeing a brother I hadn't talked to in a long time. It was great, and it felt a little like old times. We reminisced about the our days at the COC, and concluded that some memories were shrouded in an alcoholic haze *lol* We both remember drinking an entire bottle of whiskey during one weekend. And then going back to college/university on Monday morning. Sober.
I also caught up with several female friends from those days, but I somehow ended up chatting with the gents for the greater part of the evening. One of them (whose name just escaped me) put an arm around me and confessed that if only I were a boy... Well, some things never change ;p What did change was that a friend of ours - we considered her "top dyke" - is now in a relationship with a man. If it had been any other lesbian friend I wouldn't have been as surprised...
Ro and I went for sushi for dinner, and caught up some more. He's still that sweet guy from back then. Too bad it was raining, otherwise we would've gone for a walk through a nocturnal Maastricht. Now we went for coffee and tea at another place we used to frequent back in the days: de Perroen.
When we got back some time around 21:30 hours, there was room to boogie (only I didn't feel like dancing...) I had another whiskey - for old times' sake, as Ro would put it *lol* but after midnight I started yawning and felt it was time for me to drive home. I offered Ro a ride to his parents place (he's traveled in to attend the reunion) and that basically concluded my Saturday.
Ro and I are planning on keeping in touch: he's going to the Sarah Bettens concert at the Paradiso, too!
Tori's American Doll Posse
I originally posted this on June 10th, 2007.
I drove to Amsterdam (with my mom, who came along) and what normally is a 2-hour drive turned into a 3.5-hour drive due to a road block on one of the main highways (A2) in the country. Spending an hour and a half in a traffic jam in the blazing sun and a hot breeze is one of the few moments I wished for air conditioning in my car.
English folk singer Seth Lakeman was Tori's opening act; good looking and a very talented musician as well (besides being the singer, he played the violin and the guitar).
Then it was Tori's turn. She was a fashionably ten (or was it fifteen?) minutes late. Tori came up as her alter ego Pip, starting off with a couple of songs from her new album ("Big wheel" being the opening song of the set). From the moment she and her band started playing I was enthralled (this was my first Tori concert), and my mom was enjoying the concert, too.
She had altered the intros of her songs, so it sort of turned into a guessing game for me - in a good way. Even though I have five of her albums, I like the first two best ("Little earthquakes" and "Under the pink"). It was interesting to hear how she performed them live.
Tori changed her outfit once, a third into her show I think, and she also talked to her audience.
Tori might have been a little late, but she made up for it by playing for more than the usual 90 minutes (closer to two hours). I didn't even notice until my mom asked me for the time when the lights came on again. My mom came along to a Melissa Etheridge concert a few years ago, so that's the only other artist she can compare it to - and for those who have never been to a Melissa Etheridge concert: some people run a marathon, that woman plays a marathon! Most of her concerts last over two hours :)
Anyhoo, Tori's encore started with two songs off her first album - "Precious things" and "Tear in your hand" - and she finished off with "Bouncing off clouds". Here's the setlist.
My mom and I had a great time at the concert, and walking back to my car my mom said that the way Tori plays her piano makes people want to have sex. Trust me when I say it's not a typical response from her, and it made me roar with laughter
I drove to Amsterdam (with my mom, who came along) and what normally is a 2-hour drive turned into a 3.5-hour drive due to a road block on one of the main highways (A2) in the country. Spending an hour and a half in a traffic jam in the blazing sun and a hot breeze is one of the few moments I wished for air conditioning in my car.
English folk singer Seth Lakeman was Tori's opening act; good looking and a very talented musician as well (besides being the singer, he played the violin and the guitar).
Then it was Tori's turn. She was a fashionably ten (or was it fifteen?) minutes late. Tori came up as her alter ego Pip, starting off with a couple of songs from her new album ("Big wheel" being the opening song of the set). From the moment she and her band started playing I was enthralled (this was my first Tori concert), and my mom was enjoying the concert, too.
She had altered the intros of her songs, so it sort of turned into a guessing game for me - in a good way. Even though I have five of her albums, I like the first two best ("Little earthquakes" and "Under the pink"). It was interesting to hear how she performed them live.
Tori changed her outfit once, a third into her show I think, and she also talked to her audience.
Tori might have been a little late, but she made up for it by playing for more than the usual 90 minutes (closer to two hours). I didn't even notice until my mom asked me for the time when the lights came on again. My mom came along to a Melissa Etheridge concert a few years ago, so that's the only other artist she can compare it to - and for those who have never been to a Melissa Etheridge concert: some people run a marathon, that woman plays a marathon! Most of her concerts last over two hours :)
Anyhoo, Tori's encore started with two songs off her first album - "Precious things" and "Tear in your hand" - and she finished off with "Bouncing off clouds". Here's the setlist.
My mom and I had a great time at the concert, and walking back to my car my mom said that the way Tori plays her piano makes people want to have sex. Trust me when I say it's not a typical response from her, and it made me roar with laughter
Politician sets an example
I originally posted this on June 10th, 2007.
Japan's first openly lesbian politician celebrated her same-sex partnership on Sunday, a month before elections for Japan's upper house.
Kanako Otsuji, 32, is a candidate for the Democratic Party of Japan in next month’s election for the House of Councillors. She tied the knot with her partner of four years, Maki Kimura, 32.
Their wedding took place in Ikeda Park in Nagoya, the country’s third largest city, during an HIV/AIDS prevention festival called Nagoya Lesbian & Gay Revolution. Some 1,000 guests attended the wedding.
The leader of the Democratic Party of Japan, Ichiro Ozawa, the Secretary General of the Party, Yukio Hatoyama, and Fusae Ota, the Governor of Osaka all sent congratulatory telegrams to Miss Otsuji.
Miss Otsuji said in her wedding speech that the wedding would be the most unforgettable memory of her life.
After the wedding, Miss Otsuji told GayJapanNews: “Gays and lesbians are hiding themselves in society to protect themselves. I want people to know that gays and lesbians exist in society by looking at us.”
The couple's union is not legally recognised as Japan does not have same-sex marriage or civil partnerships.
The election for the Upper House is scheduled for 22 July. Miss Otsuji said that she and Miss Kimura would have to concentrate on the election for the coming month.
She added she wanted to create a society where people live differently but can live together, and she would begin to think about her life with Maki after the election.
Only four countries allow same-sex marriage; the Netherlands, Canada, Spain, Belgium, and South Africa. The state of Massachusetts in the US also allows same-sex marriage.
Japan's first openly lesbian politician celebrated her same-sex partnership on Sunday, a month before elections for Japan's upper house.
Kanako Otsuji, 32, is a candidate for the Democratic Party of Japan in next month’s election for the House of Councillors. She tied the knot with her partner of four years, Maki Kimura, 32.
Their wedding took place in Ikeda Park in Nagoya, the country’s third largest city, during an HIV/AIDS prevention festival called Nagoya Lesbian & Gay Revolution. Some 1,000 guests attended the wedding.
The leader of the Democratic Party of Japan, Ichiro Ozawa, the Secretary General of the Party, Yukio Hatoyama, and Fusae Ota, the Governor of Osaka all sent congratulatory telegrams to Miss Otsuji.
Miss Otsuji said in her wedding speech that the wedding would be the most unforgettable memory of her life.
After the wedding, Miss Otsuji told GayJapanNews: “Gays and lesbians are hiding themselves in society to protect themselves. I want people to know that gays and lesbians exist in society by looking at us.”
The couple's union is not legally recognised as Japan does not have same-sex marriage or civil partnerships.
The election for the Upper House is scheduled for 22 July. Miss Otsuji said that she and Miss Kimura would have to concentrate on the election for the coming month.
She added she wanted to create a society where people live differently but can live together, and she would begin to think about her life with Maki after the election.
Only four countries allow same-sex marriage; the Netherlands, Canada, Spain, Belgium, and South Africa. The state of Massachusetts in the US also allows same-sex marriage.
A first in Japan
This was originally posted on May 23, 2007.
Japan’s second largest political party, the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), announced that Kanako Otsuji, the first openly lesbian politician in Japan, will be one of the party’s official candidates for this summer’s National Diet (parliament) election.
Ms Otsuji, 32, was elected as an Osaka Assembly Member in April 2003. In August 2005, she came out of the closet in her book Coming Out and marched in the Tokyo Pride Parade (formerly known as Tokyo Lesbian & Gay Parade) along with about 2,500 people.
In her book, Ms Otsuji said:
"I believe coming out (as a lesbian) is the best thing that I can do for society to encourage people...
I want to establish a society where everybody can be who they really are."
In May 2006 she worked with the organisers of Tokyo Pride, the Rainbow March In Sapporo and GayJapanNews for Act Against Homophobia.
The following month, she visited Washington D.C. and San Francisco through the International Visitor Leadership Programme operated by the US State Department.
Ms Otsuji has a good record of fighting for gay rights in Japan.
The major political parties in the country, including the DPJ, are reluctant to directly support gay rights, preferring instead to concentrate on wider discrimination issues.
Homosexual male sexual conduct is not illegal, but some regions (prefectures) have an unequal age of consent. The age for heterosexual consent is 13.
In October 2005, Osaka Prefecture started the House Sharing System which allows gay couples and other forms of couples that are not legally recognised as family to live in residences managed and operated by Osaka Housing Supply Corporation.
In 2005 and early 2007, Ms Otsuji submitted two statements about people with Gender Identity Disorder in cooperation with the New Komeito Party and other groups.
These statements were adopted by the Osaka Assembly.
Ms Otsuji didn't run in April’s local election because she had already decided to run for the upcoming national election.
In the local election, one gay and three transgender candidates campaigned, but only one transgender candidate, Aya Kamikawa, was re-elected to her second term. Ms Otsuji says she thinks that she has to bring LGBT people’s voices to the National Diet and has made it her goal to seek a seat for that end.
DPJ leaders said they decided to endorse Ms Otsuji as an official party candidate to "bring society’s attention to the discriminated people."
If she wins, she’ll be the first openly LGBT national politician ever in Japan.
© GayJapanNews
Japan’s second largest political party, the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), announced that Kanako Otsuji, the first openly lesbian politician in Japan, will be one of the party’s official candidates for this summer’s National Diet (parliament) election.
Ms Otsuji, 32, was elected as an Osaka Assembly Member in April 2003. In August 2005, she came out of the closet in her book Coming Out and marched in the Tokyo Pride Parade (formerly known as Tokyo Lesbian & Gay Parade) along with about 2,500 people.
In her book, Ms Otsuji said:
"I believe coming out (as a lesbian) is the best thing that I can do for society to encourage people...
I want to establish a society where everybody can be who they really are."
In May 2006 she worked with the organisers of Tokyo Pride, the Rainbow March In Sapporo and GayJapanNews for Act Against Homophobia.
The following month, she visited Washington D.C. and San Francisco through the International Visitor Leadership Programme operated by the US State Department.
Ms Otsuji has a good record of fighting for gay rights in Japan.
The major political parties in the country, including the DPJ, are reluctant to directly support gay rights, preferring instead to concentrate on wider discrimination issues.
Homosexual male sexual conduct is not illegal, but some regions (prefectures) have an unequal age of consent. The age for heterosexual consent is 13.
In October 2005, Osaka Prefecture started the House Sharing System which allows gay couples and other forms of couples that are not legally recognised as family to live in residences managed and operated by Osaka Housing Supply Corporation.
In 2005 and early 2007, Ms Otsuji submitted two statements about people with Gender Identity Disorder in cooperation with the New Komeito Party and other groups.
These statements were adopted by the Osaka Assembly.
Ms Otsuji didn't run in April’s local election because she had already decided to run for the upcoming national election.
In the local election, one gay and three transgender candidates campaigned, but only one transgender candidate, Aya Kamikawa, was re-elected to her second term. Ms Otsuji says she thinks that she has to bring LGBT people’s voices to the National Diet and has made it her goal to seek a seat for that end.
DPJ leaders said they decided to endorse Ms Otsuji as an official party candidate to "bring society’s attention to the discriminated people."
If she wins, she’ll be the first openly LGBT national politician ever in Japan.
© GayJapanNews
Hij/Zij
10 mei 2007:
Het College voor Zorgverzekeraars (CVZ) zet het mes in zorg aan transseksuelen. In het pakketadvies voor 2007 stuurt het CVZ erop aan dat zorgverzekeraars operaties aan onder anderen borsten, adamsappel en baardgroei niet meer vergoeden.
De gevolgen voor transseksuele patiënten worden volgens het COC geheel buiten beschouwing gelaten. Met de voorgestelde maatregelen wordt een kleine, kwetsbare groep onnodig leed toegebracht en op hoge kosten gejaagd. CVZ wil dat in de toekomst alleen operaties aan primaire geslachtskenmerken, penis en vagina, worden vergoed. “Wat is een transformatie van man naar vrouw waard als de vrouw vervolgens met baardgroei door het leven moet? Of als man met borsten?”, stelt COC-voorzitter Frank van Dalen.
De gedachte van het CVZ achter het advies is dat operaties aan deze lichaamsdelen voor niemand worden vergoed. Het College gaat hierbij voorbij aan het feit dat de situatie van transgenders met geen enkele andere te vergelijken is. Zo is er een verschil in medische noodzaak tussen een borstenoperatie voor een transvrouw geboren met een mannenlijf en een borstvergroting bij andere vrouwen. Borsten zijn voor transvrouwen een belangrijk uiterlijk kenmerk om zich ook daadwerkelijk vrouw te voelen. Daarnaast staan ook overgebleven mannelijke kenmerken zoals adamsappel en baardgroei dit geluk in de weg.
Uit recent Engels onderzoek onder 850 transgenders blijkt dat bijna drie kwart regelmatig te maken heeft met negatieve reacties. Het Europees Hof voor de Rechten van de Mens heeft daarom in 2003 besloten dat geslachtsaanpassende operaties de enige werkzame behandelmethode is en dat deze medische noodzakelijkheid door verzekeraars moet worden vergoed. De nieuwe maatregel is volgens het COC ook niet kostenefficiënt. Het VUMC behandelt op jaarbasis maar een kleine 100 personen. Bovendien wijzen verschillende wetenschappelijke onderzoeken van onder andere het Genderteam van de VUMC uit dat operaties kosteneffectief zijn, omdat een ongeopereerd lichaam voor transgenders ondragelijk kan zijn. De ogenschijnlijke kostenbesparing staat in geen verhouding tot het leed dat het met zich meebrengt. Uit andere landen waar operaties voor transgenders niet worden vergoed, is bekend dat patiënten naar alternatieven zoeken om hun zorgkosten te betalen. De ene helft belandt in de prostitutie, de andere in het criminele circuit. “Dit mag in een beschaafd land als Nederland niet de dagelijkse praktijk worden”, aldus Van Dalen.
Het College voor Zorgverzekeraars (CVZ) zet het mes in zorg aan transseksuelen. In het pakketadvies voor 2007 stuurt het CVZ erop aan dat zorgverzekeraars operaties aan onder anderen borsten, adamsappel en baardgroei niet meer vergoeden.
De gevolgen voor transseksuele patiënten worden volgens het COC geheel buiten beschouwing gelaten. Met de voorgestelde maatregelen wordt een kleine, kwetsbare groep onnodig leed toegebracht en op hoge kosten gejaagd. CVZ wil dat in de toekomst alleen operaties aan primaire geslachtskenmerken, penis en vagina, worden vergoed. “Wat is een transformatie van man naar vrouw waard als de vrouw vervolgens met baardgroei door het leven moet? Of als man met borsten?”, stelt COC-voorzitter Frank van Dalen.
De gedachte van het CVZ achter het advies is dat operaties aan deze lichaamsdelen voor niemand worden vergoed. Het College gaat hierbij voorbij aan het feit dat de situatie van transgenders met geen enkele andere te vergelijken is. Zo is er een verschil in medische noodzaak tussen een borstenoperatie voor een transvrouw geboren met een mannenlijf en een borstvergroting bij andere vrouwen. Borsten zijn voor transvrouwen een belangrijk uiterlijk kenmerk om zich ook daadwerkelijk vrouw te voelen. Daarnaast staan ook overgebleven mannelijke kenmerken zoals adamsappel en baardgroei dit geluk in de weg.
Uit recent Engels onderzoek onder 850 transgenders blijkt dat bijna drie kwart regelmatig te maken heeft met negatieve reacties. Het Europees Hof voor de Rechten van de Mens heeft daarom in 2003 besloten dat geslachtsaanpassende operaties de enige werkzame behandelmethode is en dat deze medische noodzakelijkheid door verzekeraars moet worden vergoed. De nieuwe maatregel is volgens het COC ook niet kostenefficiënt. Het VUMC behandelt op jaarbasis maar een kleine 100 personen. Bovendien wijzen verschillende wetenschappelijke onderzoeken van onder andere het Genderteam van de VUMC uit dat operaties kosteneffectief zijn, omdat een ongeopereerd lichaam voor transgenders ondragelijk kan zijn. De ogenschijnlijke kostenbesparing staat in geen verhouding tot het leed dat het met zich meebrengt. Uit andere landen waar operaties voor transgenders niet worden vergoed, is bekend dat patiënten naar alternatieven zoeken om hun zorgkosten te betalen. De ene helft belandt in de prostitutie, de andere in het criminele circuit. “Dit mag in een beschaafd land als Nederland niet de dagelijkse praktijk worden”, aldus Van Dalen.
Gulf authorities pay for gender reassignment
This was originally posted on November 27th, 2007.
I came across this interesting article today:
The Bahraini government has agreed to pay for a trans person to undergo gender reassignment surgery in Thailand.
According to daily English-language newspaper Gulf Daily News, 32-year old Hussain Rabie is due to fly out to Thailand on Thursday to undergo female-to-male surgery on Sunday.
Rabie, who is partially blind in his right eye, hopes to return to represent the Bahrain Disabled Sports Federation in the men's shot put and discus. His trip to Thailand is being fully funded by the Bahrain Health Ministry and he also has a court order to protect him if he is questioned by immigration officers.
The Health Ministry will pay more than BD5,000 (£6,400) for his operation, accommodation, plane ticket, food and drink while he is there.
When he returns, his final hurdle will be the Bahraini courts, where he is battling for the right to be recognised as a man and officially change his name to Hussain.
"I am so happy that the ministry offered to pay for the operation," Rabie told Gulf Daily News yesterday. "I was very concerned as to how I would manage - I didn't know where to get that amount from."
He said that he wrote to former Health Minister Dr Nada Haffadh asking for support, but could not believe it when the ministry responded.
"I would like to thank the ministry for their help and support."
He added: "I am still not officially Hussain, but hopefully after the operation I will get a court order stating that I am a male and then all my identity cards and passport will change and I will officially be a man."
As a result of his decision to have the operation, he has now been suspended from his job as an operator at GPIC, been shunned by peers, separated from his husband and stopped from going to the gym.
However, he said although society is slowly starting to accept his situation after he went public, people are still opposed to him having the operation.
"People are still not aware of the kind of surgery being carried out," he said. "The community accepts homosexuals, so why are they against me? What they are doing is legally and religiously prohibited, but I have seen so many people who are leading a normal life and working. Everybody around them accepts them. I am medically unfit and I want to correct my problem."
Rabie first approached a lawyer in August 2005 and legal papers calling for him to be legally recognised as a man were filed in June last year. He submitted medical reports from Al Khalidi Medical Centre, Jordan, Ibn Al Nafees Hospital and Shifa Al Jazeera Medical Centre, Bahrain, at two court hearings last year.
The High Civil Court also ordered for a medical report to be compiled by a Public Prosecution doctor. That report states that he is suffering from a gender identity problem and has no female reproductive organs. He has had a mastectomy and will travel for Thailand for his final operation.
I came across this interesting article today:
The Bahraini government has agreed to pay for a trans person to undergo gender reassignment surgery in Thailand.
According to daily English-language newspaper Gulf Daily News, 32-year old Hussain Rabie is due to fly out to Thailand on Thursday to undergo female-to-male surgery on Sunday.
Rabie, who is partially blind in his right eye, hopes to return to represent the Bahrain Disabled Sports Federation in the men's shot put and discus. His trip to Thailand is being fully funded by the Bahrain Health Ministry and he also has a court order to protect him if he is questioned by immigration officers.
The Health Ministry will pay more than BD5,000 (£6,400) for his operation, accommodation, plane ticket, food and drink while he is there.
When he returns, his final hurdle will be the Bahraini courts, where he is battling for the right to be recognised as a man and officially change his name to Hussain.
"I am so happy that the ministry offered to pay for the operation," Rabie told Gulf Daily News yesterday. "I was very concerned as to how I would manage - I didn't know where to get that amount from."
He said that he wrote to former Health Minister Dr Nada Haffadh asking for support, but could not believe it when the ministry responded.
"I would like to thank the ministry for their help and support."
He added: "I am still not officially Hussain, but hopefully after the operation I will get a court order stating that I am a male and then all my identity cards and passport will change and I will officially be a man."
As a result of his decision to have the operation, he has now been suspended from his job as an operator at GPIC, been shunned by peers, separated from his husband and stopped from going to the gym.
However, he said although society is slowly starting to accept his situation after he went public, people are still opposed to him having the operation.
"People are still not aware of the kind of surgery being carried out," he said. "The community accepts homosexuals, so why are they against me? What they are doing is legally and religiously prohibited, but I have seen so many people who are leading a normal life and working. Everybody around them accepts them. I am medically unfit and I want to correct my problem."
Rabie first approached a lawyer in August 2005 and legal papers calling for him to be legally recognised as a man were filed in June last year. He submitted medical reports from Al Khalidi Medical Centre, Jordan, Ibn Al Nafees Hospital and Shifa Al Jazeera Medical Centre, Bahrain, at two court hearings last year.
The High Civil Court also ordered for a medical report to be compiled by a Public Prosecution doctor. That report states that he is suffering from a gender identity problem and has no female reproductive organs. He has had a mastectomy and will travel for Thailand for his final operation.
Springsteen's "magic"
I posted this originally on December 1st, 2007.
Springsteen killed! It was obvious to me he was still suffering from a cold, but his voice was alright. I can't remember when I couldn't stop grinning at a concert. Heh.
After kicking the show off with "Radio nowhere" he segued into "No surrender". I couldn't believe my luck; it used to be my favorite Springsteen track back in high school.
Here's a clip in which you can witness how tight his show was. "No surrender" was followed by "Lonesome day".
The fact that "Tunnel of love" was on the set list as well was another surprise.
He appologized - twice - for the delay (his wife Patti was absent, so I figured she was still suffering from a severe cold, but I didn't mind). Another great moment was that he got informed about "Sinterklaas" and got the entire stadium to sing "Santa Clause is coming to town".
So even though the concert only lasted a little over two hours (instead of the usual three hours, I know I'm spoilt) I went home a happy camper!
Here's the setlist:
Radio Nowhere
No Surrender
Lonesome Day
Gypsy Biker
Magic
Reason To Believe
Candy's Room
She's The One
Livin' In The Future
The Promised Land
Darlington County
Tunnel Of Love
Night
Devil's Arcade
The Rising
Last To Die
Long Walk Home
Badlands
Girls In Their Summer Clothes
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (Tour Premiere)
Thunder Road
Born To Run
Dancing In The Dark
American Land
Springsteen killed! It was obvious to me he was still suffering from a cold, but his voice was alright. I can't remember when I couldn't stop grinning at a concert. Heh.
After kicking the show off with "Radio nowhere" he segued into "No surrender". I couldn't believe my luck; it used to be my favorite Springsteen track back in high school.
Here's a clip in which you can witness how tight his show was. "No surrender" was followed by "Lonesome day".
The fact that "Tunnel of love" was on the set list as well was another surprise.
He appologized - twice - for the delay (his wife Patti was absent, so I figured she was still suffering from a severe cold, but I didn't mind). Another great moment was that he got informed about "Sinterklaas" and got the entire stadium to sing "Santa Clause is coming to town".
So even though the concert only lasted a little over two hours (instead of the usual three hours, I know I'm spoilt) I went home a happy camper!
Here's the setlist:
Radio Nowhere
No Surrender
Lonesome Day
Gypsy Biker
Magic
Reason To Believe
Candy's Room
She's The One
Livin' In The Future
The Promised Land
Darlington County
Tunnel Of Love
Night
Devil's Arcade
The Rising
Last To Die
Long Walk Home
Badlands
Girls In Their Summer Clothes
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (Tour Premiere)
Thunder Road
Born To Run
Dancing In The Dark
American Land
Sarah Bettens got me star struck. Again.
I originally posted this on December 3rd, 2007.
Dinner at Wagamama will never be the same again; going in for a pre-concert dinner I got seated at the table next to Sarah Bettens and her band! OMFG...
Even though it was last year when I met Sarah face to face for the first time (I have been to several K's Choice concerts and Sarah solo concerts) I didn't think I'd be star struck. Again. Dangit, why do I dork out everytime I meet her?!
When she - they - finished she did turn to my friends and I (we were halfway through our meals) and said with that cute Flemish accent "Tot straks". She then turned to me and said "See you later"
Woo-hoo!
She set the tone of the show by kicking it off with Amy Ray's "Put it out for good". I was pleasantly surprised to find this track on her new album "Shine"; even though it's an audience favorite, I didn't thought she'd record it. (Whereas the original is a little more "punk", Sarah's a bit more "rock", and I don't mind a bit either way
)
Like last year in Berlin she caught my eye, held it for a bit longer and did some barely seen nod to acknowledge she's seen me. Isn't that nice?
She divided the crowd into boys and girls to sing the chorus to "Scream". You can guess the outcome: there weren't many boys singing. Heh.
She also joked about "Feel me break": I explained to my friend Mirthe that people were guessing about what it's about on the forum (someone thought it was about sex, to which bass player Eric replied "That's correct". Bwahahahah).
She ended the night with a new song called "I can do better than you". (I noticed that one particular line got lost in translation: I certainly got it and I snickered, but I doubt whether the rest of the audience got it
)
Anyhoo, Sarah announced she'd be signing at the merch stand... So, I got something signed as well; I didn't have much in my wallet, and in a spur of the moment grab a Canadian $10 bill.
Heh... I'm going to frame this sucker.
Her "Hey!" before signing definitely sounded like she recognized me. Yea, kinda hard to miss that little Asian dork... I'm glad this time my mom didn't ask whether I got Sarah's number. Heh.
PS here's the setlist:
put it out for good
fine
shine
come over here
daddy's gun
not insane
just another day
it's alright
believe
chasing cars
go
not an addict
paved away
feel me break
scream
I can't get out
--
favourite adventure
everything for free
--
I can do better than you
Dinner at Wagamama will never be the same again; going in for a pre-concert dinner I got seated at the table next to Sarah Bettens and her band! OMFG...
Even though it was last year when I met Sarah face to face for the first time (I have been to several K's Choice concerts and Sarah solo concerts) I didn't think I'd be star struck. Again. Dangit, why do I dork out everytime I meet her?!
When she - they - finished she did turn to my friends and I (we were halfway through our meals) and said with that cute Flemish accent "Tot straks". She then turned to me and said "See you later"
Woo-hoo! She set the tone of the show by kicking it off with Amy Ray's "Put it out for good". I was pleasantly surprised to find this track on her new album "Shine"; even though it's an audience favorite, I didn't thought she'd record it. (Whereas the original is a little more "punk", Sarah's a bit more "rock", and I don't mind a bit either way
) Like last year in Berlin she caught my eye, held it for a bit longer and did some barely seen nod to acknowledge she's seen me. Isn't that nice?
She divided the crowd into boys and girls to sing the chorus to "Scream". You can guess the outcome: there weren't many boys singing. Heh.
She also joked about "Feel me break": I explained to my friend Mirthe that people were guessing about what it's about on the forum (someone thought it was about sex, to which bass player Eric replied "That's correct". Bwahahahah).
She ended the night with a new song called "I can do better than you". (I noticed that one particular line got lost in translation: I certainly got it and I snickered, but I doubt whether the rest of the audience got it
) Anyhoo, Sarah announced she'd be signing at the merch stand... So, I got something signed as well; I didn't have much in my wallet, and in a spur of the moment grab a Canadian $10 bill.
Heh... I'm going to frame this sucker.
Her "Hey!" before signing definitely sounded like she recognized me. Yea, kinda hard to miss that little Asian dork... I'm glad this time my mom didn't ask whether I got Sarah's number. Heh.
PS here's the setlist:
put it out for good
fine
shine
come over here
daddy's gun
not insane
just another day
it's alright
believe
chasing cars
go
not an addict
paved away
feel me break
scream
I can't get out
--
favourite adventure
everything for free
--
I can do better than you
Rain and shine
I originally posted this on January 20, 2008.
The past week has been anything but boring. I'll recap the good parts for you.
After getting a referral to a neurologist I finally got to see one on Wednesday; an older guy who apparently is used to treating Asians - or more specifically, Indonesians.
He asked me several questions to get some insight.
More about the symptoms: headaches and dizziness. The thing is I really don't know what is up with that. I suddenly started back in Oct. 06 - I never had headaches nor dizzy spells before, but suddenly I did and I was sick literally (throwing up and walking into walls and door posts) for a couple of days. Then I decided to not be such a baby and popped a few pills that are comparable to a combo/mix of ibuprofen and Tylenol or Panadol and went back to work.
After that I occasionally get headaches (imagine someone slowly pushing an ice pick through the back of your skull, and equally slowly extracting it). There are no signs to what causes them (it could be anything from working out to reading a book, or walking through a hallway - and I even checked with foods). The same goes for the dizziness. I just don't want to be driving down a highway and get a dizzy spell, only to find myself "parked" against a metal railing on the other side of the road. After getting back from my Hong Kong trip in March last year I went to see my doctor who was convinced I just needed a nice warm Summer.
I had a nice Summer in Vancouver and Halifax, Canada, but despite wonderful weather the symptoms came and went randomly. All I could do was hope I wouldn't stagger down the streets like some drunk.
Anyhoo, I got a nasty flu in December last year, that reminded me how bad the headaches and dizziness got (24 hours a day for several days straight). So I decided to wait out the flu, then go back to see the doctor and demand a referral to a neurologist. I got one - without having punch my little fist onto the doc's desk. Heh.
So, I went to see the neurologist Wednesday. Had to do some test; some with my eyes open, some with my eyes closed, he checked my sense of balance, my reflexes and my hearing (he found out I have excellent hearing *LOL*) but that didn't disclose anything. He told me the headaches are probably "classic" (regular) headaches but he couldn't find the reason for my dizziness, so he referred me to a radiologist for a brain scan *sigh*
Cross your fingers around noon this Friday!
On Thursday I met up with Tweety (and her boyfriend Johan - who I then met for the first time); we were going to book our NYC trip :)
I had been urging to meet up and book ASAP since some time last year but somewhere something in our communication went wrong, so we lost a lot of precious time. And money. Don't get me wrong, Tweety's a good friend and usually very timely. But with about three months to go till the start of our (planned) trip and the TriBeCa film festival running it was mighty high time to book.
The girl from the travel agent's was a good help and managed, despite the fact that all the cheaper hotels (the Gershin and Thirty-Thirty were our first choices) were solidly booked, to get Tweety and I a fairly good deal at the Radisson!
Even though we were both glad to have arranged the whole trip, we were both shocked at the amount of money it was costing us as well (Tweety even more so than I was). We could've saved about €500,-/€600,- (about a month's rent) by booking last year, but I reminded Tweety it was a temporary set back: US$ is cheap, and there are plenty of places where food is good and cheap. And shopping on the North American continent is cheaper, too.
I hope I'll be able to meet up with my friends Doug and "nuke" (and his family).
The past week has been anything but boring. I'll recap the good parts for you.
After getting a referral to a neurologist I finally got to see one on Wednesday; an older guy who apparently is used to treating Asians - or more specifically, Indonesians.
He asked me several questions to get some insight.
More about the symptoms: headaches and dizziness. The thing is I really don't know what is up with that. I suddenly started back in Oct. 06 - I never had headaches nor dizzy spells before, but suddenly I did and I was sick literally (throwing up and walking into walls and door posts) for a couple of days. Then I decided to not be such a baby and popped a few pills that are comparable to a combo/mix of ibuprofen and Tylenol or Panadol and went back to work.
After that I occasionally get headaches (imagine someone slowly pushing an ice pick through the back of your skull, and equally slowly extracting it). There are no signs to what causes them (it could be anything from working out to reading a book, or walking through a hallway - and I even checked with foods). The same goes for the dizziness. I just don't want to be driving down a highway and get a dizzy spell, only to find myself "parked" against a metal railing on the other side of the road. After getting back from my Hong Kong trip in March last year I went to see my doctor who was convinced I just needed a nice warm Summer.
I had a nice Summer in Vancouver and Halifax, Canada, but despite wonderful weather the symptoms came and went randomly. All I could do was hope I wouldn't stagger down the streets like some drunk.
Anyhoo, I got a nasty flu in December last year, that reminded me how bad the headaches and dizziness got (24 hours a day for several days straight). So I decided to wait out the flu, then go back to see the doctor and demand a referral to a neurologist. I got one - without having punch my little fist onto the doc's desk. Heh.
So, I went to see the neurologist Wednesday. Had to do some test; some with my eyes open, some with my eyes closed, he checked my sense of balance, my reflexes and my hearing (he found out I have excellent hearing *LOL*) but that didn't disclose anything. He told me the headaches are probably "classic" (regular) headaches but he couldn't find the reason for my dizziness, so he referred me to a radiologist for a brain scan *sigh*
Cross your fingers around noon this Friday!
On Thursday I met up with Tweety (and her boyfriend Johan - who I then met for the first time); we were going to book our NYC trip :)
I had been urging to meet up and book ASAP since some time last year but somewhere something in our communication went wrong, so we lost a lot of precious time. And money. Don't get me wrong, Tweety's a good friend and usually very timely. But with about three months to go till the start of our (planned) trip and the TriBeCa film festival running it was mighty high time to book.
The girl from the travel agent's was a good help and managed, despite the fact that all the cheaper hotels (the Gershin and Thirty-Thirty were our first choices) were solidly booked, to get Tweety and I a fairly good deal at the Radisson!
Even though we were both glad to have arranged the whole trip, we were both shocked at the amount of money it was costing us as well (Tweety even more so than I was). We could've saved about €500,-/€600,- (about a month's rent) by booking last year, but I reminded Tweety it was a temporary set back: US$ is cheap, and there are plenty of places where food is good and cheap. And shopping on the North American continent is cheaper, too.
I hope I'll be able to meet up with my friends Doug and "nuke" (and his family).
Beth Hart's New Year's bash
I originally posted this on January 1st, 2008.
I arranged the afternoon off from work and had another pre-concert dinner at wagamama with friends. A young lady called Lizzie was to be our waitress that evening. She started off in Dutch, but I was joking with my friend Mirthe in english and Lizzie easily switched to it as well. Turns out she has an awesomely flawless British accent.
EJ told us she's nice, after we were seated and waiting for our orders. She is.
She also has a good sense of humor; at one point Mirthe and EJ were ready to order dessert and spotted Lizzie cleaning off tables. They started calling her name in semi sing-song whispery voices. She actually heard them and said she'd be with us in a bit.
When she did come over Mirthe positively gleed like a little child, so I quipped: "My pet's taken with you." Lizzie responded very well, leaving my friend Mirthe slightly startled and at a loss for words. Or rather: a snappy reply - in english *lol*
EJ went for a potty break and Mirthe and I decided to personally give Lizzie a tip, instead of putting it in the collective tip jar. We did so while we waited for EJ to return. Apparently Lizzie appreciated the gesture (and our fun and easy banter) so much she gave us both a hug!
Then it was on to Paradiso - which is practically next door.
For those who aren't familiar with Paradiso, but have read about it in my blog, check out this link for more info on the venue - and to see some pics of it.
We were early. Mirthe and I had decided we were going to take seats on the balconies, while EJ was alright with mingling with the crowd on the ground floor. For once... No, let me rephrase that: this was one of the few opportunities I was able to take to have a nice overview of the stage. I was glad I'd decided to have a seat. For once.
Beth and her band were a little late when they finally took the stage, but they kicked off with a bang. Beth looked positively radiant and happy. She interacted with people in the audience, like she always does, and she paid extra attention to a group of people who'd flown in especially for the concert - and to additionally celebrate New Year's in Amsterdam. I'm sure that even when Beth gets more famous she will remain very approachable for her fans.
Anyhoo, she was joking on how Dutch coffee is so much stronger than the stuff she's used to in the US (she's not the first one to notice this - my friend Kelly in Vancouver might like Dutch brew a lot) and before performing "LA song" she tells the audience about one night with a great guy and his "jingle berry". THAT totally cracked me up. She even explained her Dutch audience what a jingle berry is, and I just about died from laughter.
As always Beth made sure everybody had a good time, but when she and her band came back for an encore it was clear there wasn't enough time to do all three songs like planned: "As good as it gets", "Am I the one" and "Whole lotta love". She had the audience vote, but they were pretty much all tied (they took out a poll, where fans could vote for their favorite song, and Beth would play the top 10). Unfortunately, she ran out of time and wasn't able to do "Whole lotta love". Is that song cursed? I had to miss out on that last time she performed it! :(
When I started my drive home I knew it was going to be misty - as it was predicted by the weather people on radio and tv. However, since no fog alert was issued I totally wasn't prepared for the density of fog I encountered. By the time I got in the middle of it I was halfway home and didn't feel like turning and drive back to Mirthe's and EJ's place.
I was dead tired already and the conditions weren't exactly helping me get home quick. At one point I actually drove over the line that seperates the shoulder from the right lane; that was the only way for me to continue my way. Needless to say I was incredibly relieved when I arrived home in one piece.
I arranged the afternoon off from work and had another pre-concert dinner at wagamama with friends. A young lady called Lizzie was to be our waitress that evening. She started off in Dutch, but I was joking with my friend Mirthe in english and Lizzie easily switched to it as well. Turns out she has an awesomely flawless British accent.
EJ told us she's nice, after we were seated and waiting for our orders. She is.
She also has a good sense of humor; at one point Mirthe and EJ were ready to order dessert and spotted Lizzie cleaning off tables. They started calling her name in semi sing-song whispery voices. She actually heard them and said she'd be with us in a bit.
When she did come over Mirthe positively gleed like a little child, so I quipped: "My pet's taken with you." Lizzie responded very well, leaving my friend Mirthe slightly startled and at a loss for words. Or rather: a snappy reply - in english *lol*
EJ went for a potty break and Mirthe and I decided to personally give Lizzie a tip, instead of putting it in the collective tip jar. We did so while we waited for EJ to return. Apparently Lizzie appreciated the gesture (and our fun and easy banter) so much she gave us both a hug!
Then it was on to Paradiso - which is practically next door.
For those who aren't familiar with Paradiso, but have read about it in my blog, check out this link for more info on the venue - and to see some pics of it.
We were early. Mirthe and I had decided we were going to take seats on the balconies, while EJ was alright with mingling with the crowd on the ground floor. For once... No, let me rephrase that: this was one of the few opportunities I was able to take to have a nice overview of the stage. I was glad I'd decided to have a seat. For once.
Beth and her band were a little late when they finally took the stage, but they kicked off with a bang. Beth looked positively radiant and happy. She interacted with people in the audience, like she always does, and she paid extra attention to a group of people who'd flown in especially for the concert - and to additionally celebrate New Year's in Amsterdam. I'm sure that even when Beth gets more famous she will remain very approachable for her fans.
Anyhoo, she was joking on how Dutch coffee is so much stronger than the stuff she's used to in the US (she's not the first one to notice this - my friend Kelly in Vancouver might like Dutch brew a lot) and before performing "LA song" she tells the audience about one night with a great guy and his "jingle berry". THAT totally cracked me up. She even explained her Dutch audience what a jingle berry is, and I just about died from laughter.
As always Beth made sure everybody had a good time, but when she and her band came back for an encore it was clear there wasn't enough time to do all three songs like planned: "As good as it gets", "Am I the one" and "Whole lotta love". She had the audience vote, but they were pretty much all tied (they took out a poll, where fans could vote for their favorite song, and Beth would play the top 10). Unfortunately, she ran out of time and wasn't able to do "Whole lotta love". Is that song cursed? I had to miss out on that last time she performed it! :(
When I started my drive home I knew it was going to be misty - as it was predicted by the weather people on radio and tv. However, since no fog alert was issued I totally wasn't prepared for the density of fog I encountered. By the time I got in the middle of it I was halfway home and didn't feel like turning and drive back to Mirthe's and EJ's place.
I was dead tired already and the conditions weren't exactly helping me get home quick. At one point I actually drove over the line that seperates the shoulder from the right lane; that was the only way for me to continue my way. Needless to say I was incredibly relieved when I arrived home in one piece.
May 11, 2011
Museumn8 2007
4 november 2007:
Ik had met Mirthe en Bob afgesproken op Amsterdam Centraal - ik had voor dat weekend een slaapplaats geregeld bij vrienden in Hilversum (dankje wel Sjoerd en Julia!). Vandaar uit liepen we naar het Leidseplein (we zouden gaan eten bij Wagamama) waar we via het UIT Buro eerst kaartjes kochten voor het Beth Hart concert op 31 december :)
We begonnen de avond met een bezoek aan het Van Gogh museum. Ik leerde er dat deze goede man ook geinspireerd was door Japanse kunst; dat heb ik nooit geweten. Er was een kleine expositie met Japanse (druk)kunst, en ondanks dat sommige stukken tenminste een eeuw (!) oud is kon je dat er absoluut niet aan zien. Het stuk met sterren was mijn favoriet - heel sober en simpel, maar een knap staaltje vakmanschap.
Vandaar uit gingen we naar Huis Marseille, een klein fotomuseum. Het feit dat er, volgens het boekje, een fotografe aan het werk was die bekend stond om haar foto's van transeksuelen en drag queens trok me wel. Helaas hingen die werken er niet, wel andere. Ik heb ook even de fotografe in kwestie aan het werk gezien. Estaetisch mooie, statische portretten en headshots met allemaal nauwkeurig poserende modellen.
Daarna wandelden we naar het Allard Pierson Museum waar we een lezing bijwoonden over "300" dat ging over hoe de strip een film werd en de historische nauwkeurigheid. (Die rammelt aan alle kanten - quel surprise.)
Na een frietje (er zaten 5 uur tussen avondeten en frietje, en in de tussentijd hadden we heel wat kilometertjes gelopen) sloten we de avond af in de Hortus waar een souk was en een sprookjestuin. Helaas; de souk viel tegen (ik waande me niet terug op een Egyptische souk) en de sprookjesvertellers waren tegen de tijd dat wij kwamen gevlogen. Die 1001 nachten waren geen 1001 minuten.
Het was een geslaagde avond (leerzaam en leuk). Ondanks dat ik nooit in Amsterdam heb gewoond, ben ik wel iemand van de recht toe recht aan "short cuts" en die houden we de volgende keer ook aan :) Deze MuseumN8 was wederom uitverkocht (onze kaartjes waren via de voorverkoop geregeld), en ik hoop volgend jaar weer van de partij te zijn!
Ik had met Mirthe en Bob afgesproken op Amsterdam Centraal - ik had voor dat weekend een slaapplaats geregeld bij vrienden in Hilversum (dankje wel Sjoerd en Julia!). Vandaar uit liepen we naar het Leidseplein (we zouden gaan eten bij Wagamama) waar we via het UIT Buro eerst kaartjes kochten voor het Beth Hart concert op 31 december :)
We begonnen de avond met een bezoek aan het Van Gogh museum. Ik leerde er dat deze goede man ook geinspireerd was door Japanse kunst; dat heb ik nooit geweten. Er was een kleine expositie met Japanse (druk)kunst, en ondanks dat sommige stukken tenminste een eeuw (!) oud is kon je dat er absoluut niet aan zien. Het stuk met sterren was mijn favoriet - heel sober en simpel, maar een knap staaltje vakmanschap.
Vandaar uit gingen we naar Huis Marseille, een klein fotomuseum. Het feit dat er, volgens het boekje, een fotografe aan het werk was die bekend stond om haar foto's van transeksuelen en drag queens trok me wel. Helaas hingen die werken er niet, wel andere. Ik heb ook even de fotografe in kwestie aan het werk gezien. Estaetisch mooie, statische portretten en headshots met allemaal nauwkeurig poserende modellen.
Daarna wandelden we naar het Allard Pierson Museum waar we een lezing bijwoonden over "300" dat ging over hoe de strip een film werd en de historische nauwkeurigheid. (Die rammelt aan alle kanten - quel surprise.)
Na een frietje (er zaten 5 uur tussen avondeten en frietje, en in de tussentijd hadden we heel wat kilometertjes gelopen) sloten we de avond af in de Hortus waar een souk was en een sprookjestuin. Helaas; de souk viel tegen (ik waande me niet terug op een Egyptische souk) en de sprookjesvertellers waren tegen de tijd dat wij kwamen gevlogen. Die 1001 nachten waren geen 1001 minuten.
Het was een geslaagde avond (leerzaam en leuk). Ondanks dat ik nooit in Amsterdam heb gewoond, ben ik wel iemand van de recht toe recht aan "short cuts" en die houden we de volgende keer ook aan :) Deze MuseumN8 was wederom uitverkocht (onze kaartjes waren via de voorverkoop geregeld), en ik hoop volgend jaar weer van de partij te zijn!
Happy Halloween y'all!
I posted this originally on October 31, 2007.
The Netherlands, doesn't have a Halloween tradition. (Yet.) But having friends on the North American continent means I'm no stranger to it.
This year I got my very first Halloween card. A kick ass one, I must add. And a secret ghoul at the Strangers in Paradise forum got me some lovely gifts, including this one that made me snicker like a 15-year-old:
My friend Tweety and I went for sushi and a hilarious performance at the theater in Maastricht earlier tonight. And we had a great time - as usual. On our way to the train station we passed two Americans (the accents and their Halloween outfits gave them away), so in passing I wished them a happy Halloween. Boy, they were close to ecstatic! It turned out, in short, I was the first and only one who have that to them. They held out their treat bag for me (they were that grateful, bless 'em) and Tweety and I had some Halloween candy. That was weird, since it should be the other way round. Good thing the male half of the couple handed me the bag, and then they shouted "TRICK OR TREAT!" *lol* I'm so glad I could make their night a little bit better!
The Netherlands, doesn't have a Halloween tradition. (Yet.) But having friends on the North American continent means I'm no stranger to it.
This year I got my very first Halloween card. A kick ass one, I must add. And a secret ghoul at the Strangers in Paradise forum got me some lovely gifts, including this one that made me snicker like a 15-year-old:
My friend Tweety and I went for sushi and a hilarious performance at the theater in Maastricht earlier tonight. And we had a great time - as usual. On our way to the train station we passed two Americans (the accents and their Halloween outfits gave them away), so in passing I wished them a happy Halloween. Boy, they were close to ecstatic! It turned out, in short, I was the first and only one who have that to them. They held out their treat bag for me (they were that grateful, bless 'em) and Tweety and I had some Halloween candy. That was weird, since it should be the other way round. Good thing the male half of the couple handed me the bag, and then they shouted "TRICK OR TREAT!" *lol* I'm so glad I could make their night a little bit better!
May 10, 2011
Trans man legally changes sex identity under new Spanish law
This was originally posted on April 12th, 2007.
Julio Cuesta, a 50-year-old trans man, has become the first individual in Spain under a new law to legally change his or her biological sex on official documents without undergoing a sex-change operation. The law, which took effect last month, allows trans people to have their sex change reflected on documents like driver's licenses even if they have not had surgery.
It requires trans people seeking to change their sex identity to show a medical certificate indicating their trans status as well as documentation that they have been receiving hormone treatments for a minimum of two years. Previously, trans people were allowed to change their sex identity legally only after undergoing sex-reassignment surgery and receiving a court's permission.
Cuesta, born a woman, will now be referred to as a man in papers at the civil registry office in Valencia. (The Advocate)
Julio Cuesta, a 50-year-old trans man, has become the first individual in Spain under a new law to legally change his or her biological sex on official documents without undergoing a sex-change operation. The law, which took effect last month, allows trans people to have their sex change reflected on documents like driver's licenses even if they have not had surgery.
It requires trans people seeking to change their sex identity to show a medical certificate indicating their trans status as well as documentation that they have been receiving hormone treatments for a minimum of two years. Previously, trans people were allowed to change their sex identity legally only after undergoing sex-reassignment surgery and receiving a court's permission.
Cuesta, born a woman, will now be referred to as a man in papers at the civil registry office in Valencia. (The Advocate)
Part 2: ... and it's back to my ordinary life
I originally posted this on March 17th, 2007.
Another night of jetlag makes sure I manage to get 3.5 hours of sleep, before I wake up at 06:30 *groan* (some tour guide’s picking me up at 07:10), but I tell myself that today’s the last tour. Once I step into the bus, it appears I’m the second pick up. There are several more – a bunch of US Navy people (serving on the SS Ronald Reagan) rounding it off. One of the women sort of reminded me of Tasha of the L-word (season 4)…
At the ferry terminal we all get tickets to assigned seats at the ferry. Macau, like Hong Kong, is a semi-independent province, and roughly lies 65-70 km west of Hong Kong (“attached” to mainland China). And until recently Macau was ruled by the Portugese. Oh, by the way: there will be festivities on July 1st to commemorate the handover of Hong Kong by the British to China.
It takes an hour to get to Macau by jet ferry. When its engines were start up it was convinced the whole thing would take off from the ground in a matter of moments ;p
The tour guide’s a cheeky man – his english is limited compared to the one who showed Lantau Island, but his sense of humor more than makes up for it. I learn that Macau’s really small: just 27 km2 and it currently has 25 casinos. (Yes, it’s the Atlantic City or Las Vegas of China. And a couple of new ones are being built as we speak!) There’s a group of assorted Australians and a few of the older women (two of ‘em retired) took a liking to me, joking with me and all :)
The tour starts at the Macau museum: History 101, people. It’s small, but interesting. Then it’s on to St. Paul’s church. Or: what’s left of it after a huge fire destroyed everything but the front facade. It’s currently being rebuilt. Right next to the church is a little temple; the Chinese do not have laws prohibiting any religion. Another interesting thing is that the Jezuits built the fort to keep the Dutch at bay (not really my ancestors, since I’m Dutch by birth and not by blood – the Dutch also invaded Indonesia).
Then it was time for lunch at the restaurant of some casino (no surprise there). The food’s good! I have fried rice, rice noodles, lots of fresh veggies, some chicken and several slices of watermelon to “fill up the holes”. The guide allows us some time to wander off (preferably to go and play at some casino), before going to Macau Tower. I walk around, wishing I could go back to the ancient heart of Macau with its narrow cobble stoned streets. It has a Mediteranean vibe. Walking back isn’t really an option: it’s on the other side of the Island, and I don’t have that much time. I suddenly see an almost perfect replica of some Dutch merchant houses, the kind you see in Amsterdam! Needless to say I took a couple of pictures of those :)
I didn’t go up CN Tower in Toronto, but I go up to the observatory level of Macau Tower – bracing myself. Once I step off the elevator and walk to the 360 windows, I notice the gentle swaying of he tower. I make myself look down throught the plexiglass floor (or whatever material it’s made of). The first few seconds I feel a little nauseous looking down, but it passes as I concentrate on taking pictures. And soon I feel confident enough to stand up (I actually sat down on some steps) and walk around. A Fillipino woman, visiting with her husband, has it really bad. I tell her not to worry, that I’m scared of heights too, and that the swaying of the tower is a good thing. It’s the moment it stops swaying you have to worry about, I assure her.
I watch two girls bungee jump from the tower (!) and the retired Australian ladies are trying to get me to jump, too, thinking it’s totally up my alley. It’s so totally not! (I kept looking out for any male daredevils… But they were nowhere to be seen.)
I bought small presents for my mom and my brother (they’ll be getting them for Christmas) and two boxes of almond cookies – I know they’ll remind my mom of Indonesia.
***
I skip breakfast the next morning in favor of sleeping in. I do pop another Benadryl to help combat the rash in my neck and face. (I sleep for another three hours, solid.) When I get out in search of late brunch slash lunch I enjoy the sun – the first rays of sun I have since arriving here. This is exactly what my skin needs in order to make the eczema go away. I notice that now the sun’s shining it’s also stifling: humidity in the air is 85%, so there you go.
I pick up the pictures and I’m pleasantly surprised: several of time turned out really well. I decide to have lunch at “Light Vegetarian Restaurant” on 13 Jordan Road, Kowloon (my hotel’s around the corner), but the moment I step into the place and see it’s packed I change my mind. But then I opt for take out… Apparently, a few Buddhist monks frequent this, too, so I figure it can’t be bad. The fried rice with sweet corn is good – not the best I’ve ever had, but really tasty.
Then it’s on to Pacific Coffee Company (it’s similar to Canada’s Second Cup or Starbucks) where they have internet terminals. They only thing one has to do is buy a beverage and/or a snack and you’re free to internet. A Candian couple from Calgary ask if I can spare a few minutes; they’re expecting an E-mail from their daughter. I understand that that’s important and let them have a moment at the terminal…
Later on I walk towards Mody Road near the harbor; during one of the drop offs at the end of a tour I noticed that there are lots of shops there. I really need a new pair of shoes (the soles of the pair I’m wearing now have worn thin, and it’s really a matter of walking another couple of miles before holes appear). And some clothes (so the ones with holes can be chucked away). Since I’m not a shopaholic myself I find myself switching modes, psychologically steeling myself against the drag that comes with shopping.
However, I’m very fortunate: the first shop I walk into (the sports brand with the three stripes – “Walk this way”) has a cute pair of skateboarder’s sneakers on sale. It’s the last pair and it happens to be my size, so I bought them. Woo-hoo! That was easy :) After that I had a look at the HMV, just to see the avarage price for a CD: about €10,- which is pretty much like in Canada and the US (= cheaper than in the Netherlands!).
On my way back to the hotel I decide to pick up some bread rolls at Yamazaki Bakery. It’s a Japanese chain that sells sweet and savory bread rolls and sandwiches. Pick up a tray and tongs at the entrance and you’re set to go. I picked up a French Garlic bread roll, a cheese bun and a chocolate and almond roll (€1,50 / $2). And back at the hotel I finish the last of my fried rice with the French Garlic bread. Yummm…
***
The next days I basically wander through the streets of Kowloon and Mong Kok, watching people, eating good food… And buying stuff.
I visit Yoshinoya again for another quick and tasty meal, before continuing my way north to Mong Kok. Fa Yuen Street is also called “sneaker street” and sneakers I did see! OMG… Unfortunately, I wasn’t as lucky as the night before. So after 2 hours of sneakers shopping I decide to head back to Kowloon. Walking back I notice some shops that appeal to me, and before I know it I walk back to the hotel with a bag of new clothes *LOL* I drop the bag off at the hotel freshen up and head out again. I walk south on Nathan Road, back towards the harbor, and decide to hop into some shops for more clothes. And about 2 hours later I sit down at The Spaghetti House (another chain) for dinner – with a couple of bags with clothes in tow. Dinner’s very yummie: “angel hair” spaghetti with two kinds of mushrooms, grilled green peppers and sun dried tomatoes.
I have another 2 rolls of film developed and, again, a couple of the photographs turned out just wonderful! I also have dinner at Main St. Deli, a restaurant in the sub basement of the Langham hotel. It serves delicious looking kosher food (Nuke!) and I consider coming back for a bagel. At that moment I decide to have a hamburger, no cheese. The dish came with non greasy French fries and super crispy onion rings. The hamburger and the fries were lovely, but, unfortunately, the onion rings weren’t tasty at all. Despite the crispy outside, the rings themselves were incredibly bland. I didn’t like those at all :( Since Main St. Deli is located in a more touristy area, prices are acordingly: €25,- (which is about $29,- I guess). Btw, by touristy area I mean the area near the harbor where all the big hotels (Marriott, Hilton, Holiday Inn etc.) and the expensive shops with the exclusive brand names (Fendi, Gucci, Versace, Louis Vuitton etc) are. In the end spent about €400,- and got 3 pairs of (baggy) pants, a pair of jeans and 7 (T-)shirts, a sleeveless vest and 2 pairs of sneakers :) It all barely fits in my backpack – there was plenty of room when I left home… I am a bit taken aback; "at home" I have trouble finding clothes that fit me, which makes shopping a nasty task.
***
The last day in Hong Kong I go in search of an internet terminal, so I can do the online check in in advance (I figure that’ll save me some time when I check in at the Airport). Since the post office is nearest by the hotel I go there. Only to find out it’s offline. Shucks. I hop into another Yoshinoya for a “beef bowl” (the beef is incredibly tender) before walking south to the Pacific Coffee Company. I enjoy being outside even more: the sun is shining, and it’s lovely out. I’ve been passing several hair dressers the past days and since it’s nice and warm outside I decide to treat myself to a haircut – mind you, I wouldn’t set foot in a “caucasian” hairdressers salon: I’ve done that a couple of time, but the results somehow have never been well. I get my hair washed (second time that day), conditioned and a heavenly scalp massage. All before the actual hair cut. A good looking young man, who barely speaks English, cuts my hair. We communicate using our hands *lol* I get another quick wash before he blow dries my hair, and sculps it into something… Sophisticated. OMG! I ask him if he could change it into something more spunky, gesturing him what I want. He laughs – I probably embarrass him a bit by asking him for a non-conventional hairdo – but complies. He even briefly molds it into some kind of Beckham faux hawk, which we both have a good laugh over. After paying my €7,- I leave the place contently.
Then it’s on to Pacific Coffee Company. It’s pretty packed and I have to wait a while till I get my turn at an internet terminal. I check my E-mail for the third and last time in Hong Kong and do an online check in, reserving a seat on the plane. I’m disappointed to find out that all the window seats were already taken, so I settle for an isle seat. I’m pleasantly surprised when I read an E-mail of a bass player I know who’s invited me to jam with her band :) Also, a Finnish friend of mine (“lumi”) wants to come and visit the Netherlands a couple of days before Queen’s Day.
After that I head for Kowloon Park for a few hours of relaxation – my last few hours in this vibrant place. The park definitely makes a great getaway from the hustle and bustle of Kowloon’s busy streets.
I check out in time, and wait in the lobby for my 20:10 airport transfer. One that never arrives. To make a long story short: I manage to get another ride to the Airport with the help of the young lady at reception and the bell boy. The latter makes sure I get on the right taxi (yes; TourAsia arranged a taxi to the airport) and tells me not to worry about the fare; it will be paid for me. (He also hands me a note with a name and cell phone number – just in case.) A cute Chinese girl is waiting for me at the airport and helps me to the right terminal. She, too, thinks I’m an American *gasp* (It’s probably my accent. Although, some Americans think I’m Canadian *lol* ). She’s then off again to help other tourists.
The flight back took a grueling 13 hours - I managed to sleep 3 hours. I watched another episode of "Lilo & Stitch" (tee-hee), "Running with Scissors", "Casino Royale" and episodes of "Missing", "CSI" and "CSI: Miami"...
Hong Kong is a wonderful place to be: friendly people and good food, and absolute heaven to shopaholics. It’s also known as a very safe place to be – single women can walk around at all hours of the day without being harrassed. Especially when one blends in like I do ;p
Another night of jetlag makes sure I manage to get 3.5 hours of sleep, before I wake up at 06:30 *groan* (some tour guide’s picking me up at 07:10), but I tell myself that today’s the last tour. Once I step into the bus, it appears I’m the second pick up. There are several more – a bunch of US Navy people (serving on the SS Ronald Reagan) rounding it off. One of the women sort of reminded me of Tasha of the L-word (season 4)…
At the ferry terminal we all get tickets to assigned seats at the ferry. Macau, like Hong Kong, is a semi-independent province, and roughly lies 65-70 km west of Hong Kong (“attached” to mainland China). And until recently Macau was ruled by the Portugese. Oh, by the way: there will be festivities on July 1st to commemorate the handover of Hong Kong by the British to China.It takes an hour to get to Macau by jet ferry. When its engines were start up it was convinced the whole thing would take off from the ground in a matter of moments ;p
The tour guide’s a cheeky man – his english is limited compared to the one who showed Lantau Island, but his sense of humor more than makes up for it. I learn that Macau’s really small: just 27 km2 and it currently has 25 casinos. (Yes, it’s the Atlantic City or Las Vegas of China. And a couple of new ones are being built as we speak!) There’s a group of assorted Australians and a few of the older women (two of ‘em retired) took a liking to me, joking with me and all :)
The tour starts at the Macau museum: History 101, people. It’s small, but interesting. Then it’s on to St. Paul’s church. Or: what’s left of it after a huge fire destroyed everything but the front facade. It’s currently being rebuilt. Right next to the church is a little temple; the Chinese do not have laws prohibiting any religion. Another interesting thing is that the Jezuits built the fort to keep the Dutch at bay (not really my ancestors, since I’m Dutch by birth and not by blood – the Dutch also invaded Indonesia).
Then it was time for lunch at the restaurant of some casino (no surprise there). The food’s good! I have fried rice, rice noodles, lots of fresh veggies, some chicken and several slices of watermelon to “fill up the holes”. The guide allows us some time to wander off (preferably to go and play at some casino), before going to Macau Tower. I walk around, wishing I could go back to the ancient heart of Macau with its narrow cobble stoned streets. It has a Mediteranean vibe. Walking back isn’t really an option: it’s on the other side of the Island, and I don’t have that much time. I suddenly see an almost perfect replica of some Dutch merchant houses, the kind you see in Amsterdam! Needless to say I took a couple of pictures of those :)
I didn’t go up CN Tower in Toronto, but I go up to the observatory level of Macau Tower – bracing myself. Once I step off the elevator and walk to the 360 windows, I notice the gentle swaying of he tower. I make myself look down throught the plexiglass floor (or whatever material it’s made of). The first few seconds I feel a little nauseous looking down, but it passes as I concentrate on taking pictures. And soon I feel confident enough to stand up (I actually sat down on some steps) and walk around. A Fillipino woman, visiting with her husband, has it really bad. I tell her not to worry, that I’m scared of heights too, and that the swaying of the tower is a good thing. It’s the moment it stops swaying you have to worry about, I assure her.I watch two girls bungee jump from the tower (!) and the retired Australian ladies are trying to get me to jump, too, thinking it’s totally up my alley. It’s so totally not! (I kept looking out for any male daredevils… But they were nowhere to be seen.)
I bought small presents for my mom and my brother (they’ll be getting them for Christmas) and two boxes of almond cookies – I know they’ll remind my mom of Indonesia.
***
I skip breakfast the next morning in favor of sleeping in. I do pop another Benadryl to help combat the rash in my neck and face. (I sleep for another three hours, solid.) When I get out in search of late brunch slash lunch I enjoy the sun – the first rays of sun I have since arriving here. This is exactly what my skin needs in order to make the eczema go away. I notice that now the sun’s shining it’s also stifling: humidity in the air is 85%, so there you go.
I pick up the pictures and I’m pleasantly surprised: several of time turned out really well. I decide to have lunch at “Light Vegetarian Restaurant” on 13 Jordan Road, Kowloon (my hotel’s around the corner), but the moment I step into the place and see it’s packed I change my mind. But then I opt for take out… Apparently, a few Buddhist monks frequent this, too, so I figure it can’t be bad. The fried rice with sweet corn is good – not the best I’ve ever had, but really tasty.Then it’s on to Pacific Coffee Company (it’s similar to Canada’s Second Cup or Starbucks) where they have internet terminals. They only thing one has to do is buy a beverage and/or a snack and you’re free to internet. A Candian couple from Calgary ask if I can spare a few minutes; they’re expecting an E-mail from their daughter. I understand that that’s important and let them have a moment at the terminal…
Later on I walk towards Mody Road near the harbor; during one of the drop offs at the end of a tour I noticed that there are lots of shops there. I really need a new pair of shoes (the soles of the pair I’m wearing now have worn thin, and it’s really a matter of walking another couple of miles before holes appear). And some clothes (so the ones with holes can be chucked away). Since I’m not a shopaholic myself I find myself switching modes, psychologically steeling myself against the drag that comes with shopping.
However, I’m very fortunate: the first shop I walk into (the sports brand with the three stripes – “Walk this way”) has a cute pair of skateboarder’s sneakers on sale. It’s the last pair and it happens to be my size, so I bought them. Woo-hoo! That was easy :) After that I had a look at the HMV, just to see the avarage price for a CD: about €10,- which is pretty much like in Canada and the US (= cheaper than in the Netherlands!).
On my way back to the hotel I decide to pick up some bread rolls at Yamazaki Bakery. It’s a Japanese chain that sells sweet and savory bread rolls and sandwiches. Pick up a tray and tongs at the entrance and you’re set to go. I picked up a French Garlic bread roll, a cheese bun and a chocolate and almond roll (€1,50 / $2). And back at the hotel I finish the last of my fried rice with the French Garlic bread. Yummm…
***
The next days I basically wander through the streets of Kowloon and Mong Kok, watching people, eating good food… And buying stuff.
I visit Yoshinoya again for another quick and tasty meal, before continuing my way north to Mong Kok. Fa Yuen Street is also called “sneaker street” and sneakers I did see! OMG… Unfortunately, I wasn’t as lucky as the night before. So after 2 hours of sneakers shopping I decide to head back to Kowloon. Walking back I notice some shops that appeal to me, and before I know it I walk back to the hotel with a bag of new clothes *LOL* I drop the bag off at the hotel freshen up and head out again. I walk south on Nathan Road, back towards the harbor, and decide to hop into some shops for more clothes. And about 2 hours later I sit down at The Spaghetti House (another chain) for dinner – with a couple of bags with clothes in tow. Dinner’s very yummie: “angel hair” spaghetti with two kinds of mushrooms, grilled green peppers and sun dried tomatoes.
I have another 2 rolls of film developed and, again, a couple of the photographs turned out just wonderful! I also have dinner at Main St. Deli, a restaurant in the sub basement of the Langham hotel. It serves delicious looking kosher food (Nuke!) and I consider coming back for a bagel. At that moment I decide to have a hamburger, no cheese. The dish came with non greasy French fries and super crispy onion rings. The hamburger and the fries were lovely, but, unfortunately, the onion rings weren’t tasty at all. Despite the crispy outside, the rings themselves were incredibly bland. I didn’t like those at all :( Since Main St. Deli is located in a more touristy area, prices are acordingly: €25,- (which is about $29,- I guess). Btw, by touristy area I mean the area near the harbor where all the big hotels (Marriott, Hilton, Holiday Inn etc.) and the expensive shops with the exclusive brand names (Fendi, Gucci, Versace, Louis Vuitton etc) are. In the end spent about €400,- and got 3 pairs of (baggy) pants, a pair of jeans and 7 (T-)shirts, a sleeveless vest and 2 pairs of sneakers :) It all barely fits in my backpack – there was plenty of room when I left home… I am a bit taken aback; "at home" I have trouble finding clothes that fit me, which makes shopping a nasty task.
***
The last day in Hong Kong I go in search of an internet terminal, so I can do the online check in in advance (I figure that’ll save me some time when I check in at the Airport). Since the post office is nearest by the hotel I go there. Only to find out it’s offline. Shucks. I hop into another Yoshinoya for a “beef bowl” (the beef is incredibly tender) before walking south to the Pacific Coffee Company. I enjoy being outside even more: the sun is shining, and it’s lovely out. I’ve been passing several hair dressers the past days and since it’s nice and warm outside I decide to treat myself to a haircut – mind you, I wouldn’t set foot in a “caucasian” hairdressers salon: I’ve done that a couple of time, but the results somehow have never been well. I get my hair washed (second time that day), conditioned and a heavenly scalp massage. All before the actual hair cut. A good looking young man, who barely speaks English, cuts my hair. We communicate using our hands *lol* I get another quick wash before he blow dries my hair, and sculps it into something… Sophisticated. OMG! I ask him if he could change it into something more spunky, gesturing him what I want. He laughs – I probably embarrass him a bit by asking him for a non-conventional hairdo – but complies. He even briefly molds it into some kind of Beckham faux hawk, which we both have a good laugh over. After paying my €7,- I leave the place contently.
Then it’s on to Pacific Coffee Company. It’s pretty packed and I have to wait a while till I get my turn at an internet terminal. I check my E-mail for the third and last time in Hong Kong and do an online check in, reserving a seat on the plane. I’m disappointed to find out that all the window seats were already taken, so I settle for an isle seat. I’m pleasantly surprised when I read an E-mail of a bass player I know who’s invited me to jam with her band :) Also, a Finnish friend of mine (“lumi”) wants to come and visit the Netherlands a couple of days before Queen’s Day.
After that I head for Kowloon Park for a few hours of relaxation – my last few hours in this vibrant place. The park definitely makes a great getaway from the hustle and bustle of Kowloon’s busy streets.
I check out in time, and wait in the lobby for my 20:10 airport transfer. One that never arrives. To make a long story short: I manage to get another ride to the Airport with the help of the young lady at reception and the bell boy. The latter makes sure I get on the right taxi (yes; TourAsia arranged a taxi to the airport) and tells me not to worry about the fare; it will be paid for me. (He also hands me a note with a name and cell phone number – just in case.) A cute Chinese girl is waiting for me at the airport and helps me to the right terminal. She, too, thinks I’m an American *gasp* (It’s probably my accent. Although, some Americans think I’m Canadian *lol* ). She’s then off again to help other tourists.
The flight back took a grueling 13 hours - I managed to sleep 3 hours. I watched another episode of "Lilo & Stitch" (tee-hee), "Running with Scissors", "Casino Royale" and episodes of "Missing", "CSI" and "CSI: Miami"...
Hong Kong is a wonderful place to be: friendly people and good food, and absolute heaven to shopaholics. It’s also known as a very safe place to be – single women can walk around at all hours of the day without being harrassed. Especially when one blends in like I do ;p
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)