On the streets with the queer.. for equal rights, against discrimination

Two weeks ago Reykjavík was celebrating the Gay Pride Festival 2011. Reykjavík is a place pretty liberal and open minded. The annual Gay Pride has become a fairly big event which is internationally recognized. It was fun to see all the colorful people at the parade and to feel the good mood.

The start of the parade at the bus terminal, Perlan, the hot water reservoir, in the background.

Yes, that is what everybody was looking for this day. Jesus, save me (before I become infected by the 'gay disease')!!!

...

The parade on its way through the city center.

Spending time in Reykjavík

Yes - I am still alive. Even though I am struggling.. The time since my arrival more than two weeks ago has been very productive. Besides the work, however, I try to suck in as much of this country's beauty as I can. Let me give show you some impressions..

Tjörnin - the city's lake at the town hall. In the background you can see Askja, the Biology Department of the University of Iceland.

This building at Aragata 9 is where I am working. It belongs to the University, too.

Reykjavík at night (with some color changes). But yes: It is not really getting dark at the moment. However, the days are quickly getting shorter already.

This Building is the Hússtjórnarskólinn of Reykjavík. Instead of a social or ecological year, in Iceland the women can learn cooking and knitting etc. in the year after finishing school. That is the place I was staying at for the first 2 weeks. Now the school has started again after the summer break and I had to move out. Until the second world war this has been the German embassy in Iceland.

See: I am getting perfectly adapted. In the background you see some of the drawings I am stuffing this lab full with.

Another week, another place: Reykjavík, Island

Only a week ago, I was in Sydney. My location changed dramatically in many ways. Now, I am in the small capitol Reykjavík of the tiny country of Iceland, or 'Island' in the local language. Not only is this place as far away from Sydney as it could be on this planet and somewhat different in its dimensions. Iceland is a strong contrast. For one thing, it is 7pm now and still day light (while in Sydney right it would be pitch black) and the traffic uses the right side of the road but that is not, what I mean by contrast. Everything seems so different here. Is it the colors? The colors are more pale. Everything seems to be somewhere between green and grey. There are so many shades I never realized before. Is it the shadows? Because of the low solar altitude there seems to be a very intense contrast. Is it because of the wide visual range? Only volcanoes in the distance limit your sight. Human buildings and plants alike are usually little in grows as if they are awaiting the next storm. Golden plovers sitting on elevated rocks, watching.

Well, I am stunned by this place!

At Daisy Hill Coservation Park

In the conservation park in Daisy Hill we did some bush walking and tried to see a Koala in the wild. We weren't successful but they had some in an outdoor enclosure. Wildlife was plenty, though, and we spotted Wallabies, Parrots and other birds.

Torben 'hunting' animals at Daisy Hill. Pic: (c) J.Ruch

The Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen) is one of the most common birds in the parks and backyards in the city. We also saw them at Daisy Hill.

A Red-necked Wallaby (Macropus rufogriseus) mother with a baby in the pouch.

Somebody definetely wanted one of those Wallabies for herself..

A Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) in the Daisy Hill Koala Center outdoor enclosure. Pretty active this one - for a Koala: Scratching itself while keeping the eyes shut.

Finally, youngster got out of the pouch.. Here we see it drinking..

Bananas

Just to show you that it is reality: Since the Queensland floods last summer the prize for a kilogram of Banana is ridiculously high. 13.98 $ is nothing uncommon at the moment. I haven't had a banana since more than 2 months.

Final impressions from Brissie

Our two weeks of holidays in Brisbane are over now. We had a really good time in and around Brisbane and with Harry (thank you so much, Harry!!!). Unfortunately, Sydney has really bad weather right now.. However, enjoy some nice impressions of Brisbane:

The skyline of Brisbane as seen from South Bank.

Sunset at Kurilpa Bridge

Australian job creation schemes

These signs are very common in Australia and for themselves they are no reason to get excited or to wonder.

Associated with these signs, however, are usually one or more people in bright orange safety dress holding signs that say ' STOP' or 'SLOW'. Those poor people seem to be replacements for the old fashioned stands on which signs are commonly attached in other parts of the world. A reason to wonder for me.. or maybe just a desperate job creation scheme?