Yesterday was Christopher Street Day! Happy Gay Pride Berlin!

The start of the CSD Parade feautred flags from around the world, with rainbow flags added.

a boy — he’s got a metal chain attached and his owner is behind him. Both were having a great time.

Shoe switch — She couldn’t take the heels any longer, so she switch with a boy…

There’s nothing quite like a good parade – and yesterday I watched two Christopher Street Day parades.

“Red Card for Homophobia” — it seems that the modern gay allows for football/soccer references to be inserted into their lingo.

This adorable boy stopped at the end of the parade to talk to these two lovely ladies to our left –he was a very nice boy. I got a high five out of him.

A gentle reminder for non-German viewers, “Christopher Street Day” is actually a German phrase that, when translated into English, means “Gay Pride Day.”

What an awesome rig — she brought the entire table with her, for the entire parade!

This security guard has the all too appropriate label, “Super Geil” attached. He also looks super bored.

The day was, for me, fantastic – much better than last year when CSD managed to coincide with one of my worst spring allergy attacks. Further, I went to my favorite spot along the main parade route – a place where you can sit before the parade gets to you and a place where you can stand up and be above the crowd—but only if BVG security aren’t assholes—like they were last year. Happily they were not assholes this year and I had a great time.

The US Embassy had a float this year–one of four embassies to participate in Berlin’s CSD parade! (The UK, Canada, and New Zealand also shared one float…)

Intense discussion amongst the stars for the US Embassy Float.

However, it sure felt like the main parade was a lot shorter. The only political party marching were the Pirates, and beyond a few corporations, there were only a four embassies participating and a couple of dance parties (although every float is a dance party, at least during the parade). The group that came from the furthest away was the Seattle Gay Men’s Chorus – appropriately it was raining as they passed my spot.

Seattle Men’s Chorus

Bush Lover!

Call the cops — using your rotary phone….

Dutch Police marching the Berlin CSD parade.

Dildo King — which of these three likes to give and which like to receive?

The second parade I hit up was the Kreuzberg CSD along Oranienstrasse. This parade was short – like four or five tiny floats short, but had an enthusiastic crowd. It appears to be geared toward reigniting the flame of grassroots politics and against white (hetero) male culture. However, K-CSD, did not pass without counter protest.

“I’ve had enough”

Cherry-o-kie during the KCSD parade.

Local residents upset with the KCSD parade.

I, however, noticed a bench, and sat down – quickly discovering that I didn’t want to stand up again.