The Faces of (the) AIDS (conference)

The weird and the wacky: The First MALACAs

Welcome to the First Marc-André LeBlanc AIDS Conference Awards

Best session title
Sex, Cellulite and Large Farm Equipment

Best co-presenter names
Chi-Chi Undie and Do Dang Dong

Best reaction to being presented with a "Rectal Pride for Microbicides" sticker
"HOLY SHIT! You expect me to wear that?!?"

Worst Performance by a Health Minister
Leona Aglukkaq, for stating that the Canadian government will not support the Vienna Declaration, a call for drug policy to be based on scientific evidence

Best original protest chant
"We need disaggregated data!"

(More winners to be announced soon...)

Living an historic moment

The conference got off to a rather subdued and sleep-inducing start. Other than famous classical Viennese music, the opening ceremonies were 3.5 hours of wall-to-wall speeches.



However, things got decidely more exciting mid-week when we heard the ground-breaking news that MICROBICIDES WORK, MICROBICIDES WORK, MICROBICIDES WORK!

This news is a HUUUUUUUUUUUUGE development in the field of HIV prevention. Major elation and emotions from those us working in this field. I think it will be truly remembered as a key moment in the history of one of the world's worst epidemics.

As if that wasn't enough, we also got treated to a free concert from Annie Lennox at the end of a human rights march. And in a truly spectacular setting: the Hofburg Palace.

Hop on the Hogwarts Express to Vienna!

After a 5-hour train ride without AC on the Hogwarts Express [seriously, look: Hermione was even riding with us!] we arrived in Vienna.

Griche-Poil got comfortable in our faaaabulous air-conditioned boutique hotel room.

Tariq and I checked out the neighbourhood, home of the St-Stephen Cathedral and a giant spider that dangles off the end of Pinocchio's nose while he sits in a really high chair next to a lamp-post with a neon cigarette on it. You know, that kind of thing. Maybe it's baby Aragog??

"I'm ready for my close-up, Mr. Demille," Prague

Prague has to be the most photogenic city I've ever seen. Stunning. Beautiful. Gorgeous. And other such words.

PLEASE take a look through the photos in my Prague album on Flickr (link to the right). Those 185 are just some of the best from well over 500 photos that Tariq and I took over just 2 days.


Here are 3 photos and a video just to whet your appetite.

No worries! I bought some směs ořechŭ s brusinkami

[We might have a problem with the local language here in Prague. Czech is not easy. The above means "trail mix".]

The last day in Berlin was write-off. It was just too damn hot to do anything, and I was starting to feel decidely unwell due to the heat and lack of sleep. Griche-Poil agreed. He spent the whole day like this, trying to cool off.


He insisted that I shave all his hair off, but I told him that would make him rather unattractive. He mumbled something about being a polar bear, and this heat was not part of the deal, and he'd never go on a trip with me again...

All day yesterday, I just hopped from whatever air-conditioned place I could find to another in Berlin. That is pretty much limited to Starbucks and a multiplex. The evening and night at my hotel were hellishly hot. Almost no sleep...

Today was the train trip to Prague, with Charles Manson as my travel companion. I spent the whole aftenoon and evening in the air conditioned hotel, recuperating. Tariq is here too, which is very nice. :) Tomorrow: time to visit the city!

Tariq is travelling with Tip-Toe. He and Griche-Poil decided to get acquainted. They hit it off right away.


Tip-Toe was ready to go visit the town immediately, but Griche-Poil was having none of it. He wanted maximum face time with the AC. Tip-Toe climbed on his head and said: "Giddy up, bear!" But Griche-Poil is pretty determined once he makes up his mind... He didn't budge.

Can one be at once wilted and crispy?

One must. I am.

Heatwave + exposure to glaring sun all day - AC = wilting caused by sweating 23 litres + scorched skin.

Still, I saw many amazing things today by hopping on and off a hop-on/hop-off bus. They're handy that way. As my Berlin 2010 photo album (link on the right-hand column) will attest, there were:

• Stunning views of the Fernsehturm Tower (aka a golf ball on a knitting needle) in former East Berlin's famous Alexanderplatz

• Views of the impressive renovated Reichstadt and its clear cuppola that has a winding viewing ramp


• The surprising Sony Centre in Postdamerplatz, with its covered atrium that looks like the outline of Mount Fuji from the outside, and just plain funky on the inside

• A few remaining sections of the Wall, and Checkpoint Charlie



• The imposing Bradenburg Gate



• The remarkable Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe



• and much, much more!