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!

First Berlin experiences: The World Cup and a Palace

I arrived in Berlin from Amsterdam, where the evening before the city was celebrating the Dutch World Cup victory that guaranteed their place in the finals. I thought: why not watch my first football match here in Berlin? If they win, they'll go nuts too. It'll be a blast!

So I headed to the local Spandau citadel, following the throngs of German-flag-laden fans. They lost. Very anticlimactic.

Today, I visited the spectacular Schloss Charlottenburg (schloss = palace). Take a look at my Berlin 2010 photo album (link in right-hand column) for views of the stunning place.

Willkommen Bienvenue Welcome!

I have arrived in Berlin! I'm staying in the very old and very lovely town of Spandau, just West of Berlin. Basically, take the U-Bahn (metro) as far as it goes, and here I am. Take a look at my Berlin 2010 Flicker album -- the link is on the right-hand colum -- for a view of Spandau streets. 80s music geeks may wish to sing "True" by Spandau Ballet while they do so.

You'll see a couple of photos of my hotel, situated in an 1800 burgermeister home.

Pop Quiz!

You're a Canadian tourist in Amsterdam, and you decide to visit the lovely Museum Gift Shop situated between the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum. You should expect the security guard holding the door open to have the following reaction:

a) Smile and say "Welcome"

b) Ask you if he can interest you in any of the great specials they have today

c) Warn you to "Please watch your step"

d) Give you a stern look and belch out "We're CLOSED!"

Amsterdam Hotel

Since it was 35C when I arrived, and there is no air conditioning in the hotel, I was very happy that my incredibly large hotel room had many big windows that opened.
















The view of Oostenpark and the Tropenmuseum (Tropical Museum) next door is not too shabby either!



Griche-Poil checked his Facebook account while Marc-André took an extended nap.

Laat het goede tijdenbroodje! ("Let the good times roll" in Dutch... according to BabelFish)

3 flights and 13 hours later, I have arrived in Amsterdam for the beginning of a 22-day European Extravaganza!

This is what I looked like for my 3-hour London stopover...

Fresh!

I am in Amsterdam to facilitate a consultation on "New HIV prevention technologies: Implications for People Living with HIV" for the Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+)... which rocks!

Afterwards, I will spend a few days in Berlin and Prague to enjoy these two fabulous cities for the first time... and frankly, to avoid having to do 3 cross-Atlantic flights in 10 days.

Finally, I'll make my way to Vienna for the International AIDS Conference, aka AIDS2010, aka the busiest week in AIDS-dom, aka AIDS-apalloza, aka a circus.