Ok, I was a lazy blogger lately.
but as I expected, my life here got more busy and less time is left for blogging. Some of you wrote me mails, if I witnessed the "unrest -again" at the "Schanzenfest" Indeed I was at the fest, but not at the streetfights, sorry. But I can give you some impressions of what happened nevertheless.
OK: last saturday:My bicycle needs some minor repairs, so I take it to go out to the next bike store, which are plenty:
-its Hamburg after all-
When I ride through the "Schanze", I am surprised: all the streets are packed with people, and a big fleamarket is taking place, together with food stands and DJs playing music in the streets..... Its very nice! And I had no idea, or I would have come earlier! here some initial impressions:
No, the smoke is NOT from burning barricades or tires or cop cars. Its from the turkish food vendors preparing Köfte and Adana Kebap. ;-)
So my plans with fixing my bicycle quickly change towards wandering the fest/flea market. Its not as much fun alone, especially when it comes to drinking beer in the streets
(YES!!! its EUROPE!!!)
so I am texting a few people to see if anyone is up for it. Alex, my tech is replying and we arrange to meet at the S-Bahn station. Also Manuela is interested in coming, she has to accomodate her kids first though. I met Manuela at the institute outing about a week ago and we stayed in loose contact. She's a tech working in the "clincal half" of the institute, has three girls and is originally from Portugal. She's fun. I am glad she's coming.
While waiting, I am browsing the stands. A guy pushing a cart walks next to me in one of the side streets, he's just getting started. I decide to be his first customer, which he appreciates: "Danke! Da mach ich mir auch gleich eins auf" "Thank you! I'll have one for myself as well!" Thats the right attitude! ;-)
When the others arrive, we have more beer and some crepes. In front of the "Rote Flora"is a political stage, people giving speeches about gentrification and the likes. I kind of sympathize with that part, but I do not see how anything they say will change a thing.
On the stage is a big poster, it says:"Schwarze Blöcke statt Runde Tische"="Black Blocks instead of Round Tables", which refers to announced talks between the city and the local inhabitants. As I am mentioning the "Black Blocks":
After a while a rather strange band is starting to play. At the end of the performance, a group of people in black Jackets, some with motorcycle helmets enters the crowd through the stage. Immediately the disappear between the people. I just saw it from afar: "Hey, have you seen?Entry of the Black Block"...I am commenting to Alex and Manuela. Some guys we see late have a special gear: face mask (like in the OP, at the hospital, however in black and with steel SPIKES(!) guess its from a sextoy-store in St Pauli. Manuela makes faces as the guys pass us by, they do not look friendly and obviously believe to be the coolest guys in the world. I do not take pictures, don't think they would like that. And do not want my canmera trashed, because som weirdo thinks I am an undercover-guy taking pictures for the police. A -pretty drunk- woman (middle -aged) starts yelling indiscriminately at the crowd:
"WHATS THE MATTER WITH YOU PEOPLE? YOU ARE SO LAME! YOU DON'T DESERVE THIS"
I guess she's dissappointed that the whole thing is so peaceful. However depite of her efforts the evening stays peaceful and after dinner and some hanging out in the "Dual Bar" (Dual being a German Record player-HiFi Company from the 60's into the 80's, at about 1 am we decide to head home. Up to then I am convinced nothing will happen, however when I'm home I can see a helicopter circling the area... (well actually THAT brings back memories of my first year in San Diego, when a PB party was ended by the police using maze spray and a Helicopter circled the area, advising people to "go home now" and "The party is over" In Hamburg, however, the "party" is still ongoing. I do not go bak for observation, sorry to disappoint you guys! But in the motrning I am reading online that the cool guys from the "Block" have tossed a heavy concrete sidewalk plate ito a policecar-window, which agitated the cops enough to move their entire 2000 people waiting forces into the "Schanze" and end the party. I found a video in YouTube:
Because nobody at the party witnessed the policecar-stone-action, everybody is rather confused/angry about the police marching in so vehementtly.The end of the video with the water cannons is pretty much the same what I have seen the first time, so the "tradition" is kept alive. But personally I don't like the "Black Block Guys", essentially they ruined a nice party to get their piece of action. :-(
OMFG...pure heavy Industrial...whish i could have been there too!!! :)))
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