Berlin5. Ich Libe Dich, Berlin

Sorry for the 19 days gap since the last post. This month has been crazy. I thought I won't be busy, but it is one of the worst. I have 3 summer jobs to pay for my summer semester. Thankfully, they are the best summer jobs ever. One of them is a class assistance for a OCADU student art residency at Toronto Islands. I get to ride my bike in the fog, watch the fog on a boat, walk the long walks on the beach, sketch, listen to the forest sounds and cook. I almost froze to death, but man, I wish it was my permanent job. I can't believe I get paid to do this. Any job that you commute with a boat, is the best job ever (of course, my opinion would've been drastically differ if it's during the winter...).

It is painful to write about the last day in Berlin. I tried to enjoy the last day, but I was sad from the impending departure. I wanted to stay one more week. I've already booked a train to Amsterdam months ago. My return flight was from Amsterdam. I didn't have a choice but to leave my beloved Berlin that night.

On the last day, I overslept, but still, not enough sleep. I woke up and head towards a flea market in Mauer Park. Apparently, there is a public karaoke in the Mauer park on Sundays. I could hear some music, but didn't actually saw the karaoke.

Just follow the crowd!

This guy was WEARING a hotdog stand on his shoulder and sold hotdogs.

Although I had to walk quite a bit in order to get to the market, I did not get lost. Everyone who got off the subway were heading towards Mauer Park. I just followed the crowd. It reminded me of the time I went to Portobello market in London England, two years ago. Portobello market was famous for some romantic comedy with Hugh Grant in it. A girl I met at the hostel told me that it's hard to find. However, once I got off the subway, there were a lot of people heading towards the market. It was like attending a very popular rock concert. My feet didn't touch the ground because it was so jammed (okay, little exaggeration here).
There were A LOT of people heading towards Mauer park too. I was expecting a small, neighbourhood flea market because I heard this is one of the smaller ones. Boy, I was wrong. It was MASSIVE. I don't want to imagine what the city's bigger flea markets look like.

My randomly bumped into my friend. He was going to hang out after some shopping. He invited me a long. I told him, "Yeah, I'll see you around the market and we'll hang together." At that point, I was naive and still thought it was a small market. I quickly got lost in its massiveness and never saw my friend again.

Fresh orange and grape fruit juice stand. Pack your own water because the juice was VERY sour

There were juice stands, but the fresh squeezed orange juice was very sour. I don't like sour things... There also were small cafe tents and trucks. Although I've never tried those, but I was impressed how they all had expresso machines. I hardly ever drink coffee, so I didn't try, but I think Berlin is coffee people's heaven. They also had soymilk! It's weird to see soymilk option in tent coffee shops.

Cute jars filled with different old fashioned candies

Again... asking a random stranger to take my photo

A lot of people sitting around Mauer park. Outdoor Karaoke happening somewhere

Mauer park flea market shopping tip: if you see something you like, just buy it right there and then. It's a pathetic waste of time if you do what I did. The chances are, you won't find the same thing or better. I was thinking, 'Okay, I like that book, but I'm going to look around more, think about it and see if there are better ones.' I walked for a very long time and came back to purchase whatever I saw first. And it took very long because the place was filled with people, crowd moved ever so slowly.

Here is the shit I bought list:
1. 101 year old book

Uncle William - 101 years old book. Letter pressed cover

All in blackletters!

Hundred-year-old book. I have no idea what it's about. The man who sold it to me told me it's in old German, so he can't read it well either. He was so friendly. When I first saw the book, I was scared of the seller, so I walked around the flea market for an hour before coming back to buy it. You'd think the sellers would be unfriendly because they must get jaded by the huge crowd. But everyone I've encounter was so nice! Anyways, back to the book, the only reason I bought it was because it was in beautiful blackletters (the cover is also beautifully letter-pressed). I LOVE blackletters. Back of my ipod is engraved with a blackletter (my parents have an engraving store, so I engrave whatever I want, wherever I want). Anyone who loves blackletters as much as I do, I recommend this book, Fraktur mon Amour. Like some dumb kitty looking at a humidifier all day, I waste a lot of time looking at blackletters.

2. Children's scarf

It was very cheap, 50 cents, but I still regret buying it. I bought it because it was cold. But come on! It is not even a bunny or an owl scarf. The smiley was not in the proportion I want (eyes should be further or closer and mouth should be closer to the eyes, etc. etc.). Anyways, it kept me warm in Amsterdam.

3. Tiny Koh-I-Noor orange lead holder with built in sharpner

I love this thing. Currently drawing a comic with it. The built-in sharper is a wonderful touch. If it was in red colour, that would've been perfect, but orange is good enough. So cute!

4. Old photos of random strangers

I felt strange buying these. They must have been someone's precious memories. Now you can just buy them in piles at flea market. Don't these people want those memories? Or are they all dead? Some were quite intimate too. They are photo-collaging artists' dream.
My mom brought over bunch of black-and-white family photographs from Korea few months ago. My grandma gave them to her. My grandma scratched off my grandpa's faces with razor blades on each of those photographs (there are some funny stories between them). Haha... I guess one day those photographs will end up in flea markets and confuse people. Or just in landfills.

Those were all I bought. I suspect I won't visit any flea markets for a long time. I sometimes love crowded places with strangers, but I got a bad headache afterwards. Why on earth are there so many people in flea markets?!?

On to the next schedule... I rode the bus route 100. It is very popular among tourists because it passes through most of the major tourist sites in Berlin. It leaves at Berlin Zoo station. The whole trip took me about thirty minutes. I was meeting my friend for dinner, so I could barely fit it in (I overslept in the morning, so my schedule was tight).

I was so excited to ride this bus, it was ridiculous. I adore double deckers. Lemme tell you, it's awesome to ride on the second floor. I don't know why, but it's just awesome. Now you can ride on double decker GO buses in the suburbs of Greater Toronto Area, if you are lucky. Anyways, the route 100 was so much fun. I watched sites and attractive people. Oh, is it too touristy? I don't give a fuck. If I were a musician, I'd write a song about Berlin Route 100. Just like Spadina Bus song. I didn't take many photos during the ride because my photographs always look bad if taken through windows.

I met up with a friend and went to a small park on Weinbergsweg. I sat on the grass, with a paper underneath, of course. I'm crazy like that. There were a lot of people in the park, sitting around, in that sunny afternoon. I didn't even remember the last time I sat in the park (probably because we have 6 months winter in Toronto). Basking in the sunlight, I really didn't want to leave this city.

Cool chopstick holders

Bits of interior

Tofu dish

My friend bought me a dinner at Yumcha Heroes. It was a strange place. Dumpling houses in Toronto are all kind of dirty and smell like Dettol. (I HATE you, Dettol!) It wasn't the case in Berlin. Yumcha Heroes looked really clean and cool. Very slick-looking interior. They had a very strange and small bathroom behind a secret door, looked like an air plane bathrooms. Everything in the bathroom was yellow. I thought the toilette papers were yellow, but it could just be the lighting. The tab was motion activated, I didn't know. As I was complaining about no water in the bathroom (and pulling out my hand sanitizer), my friend said, 'it's automatic.' Didn't look automatic... I knocked over bunch of stuff with my petticoat, going back to the bathroom. Food was... a bit strange-tasting. Tasted sort of like Chinese medicine with soysauce. I was actually planning to go to Veggie in Charlottenburg for a vegan pekking duck. But I felt guilty dragging my meat-eating friend to a middle of nowhere for a vegan food (my dear omnivore friends, tell me the truth. You hate going to vegetarian restaurants, right?). Who cares, I should've dragged my friend to Veggie. I was at the halfway around the fucking globe. Meek vegans suffer.

Working at St.Oberhotz

After a brief walk, taking photos of street art, I sat at St.Oberholz, waiting for my train time. I was to leave for Amsterdam via 12:10AM sleeper train. I actually had to do some work for my teaching job. Answering student emails, updating class sites, etc. etc. St. Oberhotz is a popular internet cafe. It was my first time being there even though it was right across from my hostel. What a nice place! It opened very late and free wifi (and soymilk!). If this place was near my home, I'd go there very often to work. I sat there alone at night, feeling strange. I contemplated not going to Amsterdam. Why don't I just stay here a few days more and then go to the Amsterdam airport on the night before the flight (back in December, I stupidly booked my flight departing Amsterdam)? I knew I'd love Berlin. I've always wanted to come here and it was more than I expected. Of course it's not all sunshine and lollipops. Young people are very friendly here, but some old German men, I know they want me out of the their country. More than once, I felt hostile stares on the subways. I get that in Canada sometimes too, but if I stare back, they usually back down. But in Berlin, even if I stare back, they kept staring. Dude, relax! Lemme just spend my hard-earned money at your cosmopolitan city and get the fuck out. No worries though, I am very used to racism (I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing?).

I have to come back to Berlin next year. I didn't get to do many things I wanted to do. I didn't even pay my proper dues. The city is loaded with history (they are all heavy shit too) and I didn't have time to visit places I was suppose to visit. It's too embarrassing how little I saw, so I am not going to list the places I should've paid my dues.

Hbf train station

My sleeper train was delayed for two hours. I waited and waited at the cold train station. I tried to numb the pain of leaving Berlin by watching Community. There were many couples and friends sitting in the platform chairs, keeping each other warm. I felt lonely. I don't know if I ever want to travel alone again. Finally the train came. There were no instructions nor help on how/which section to ride, so you have to be careful. I ran around dragging my suitcase, looking for my section. For the sleeping train, I actually got the bed compartment. It's a shared compartment for two. I kind of hoped I don't have to share, and my wish came true! I got the whole sleeping room for myself. There was another bed on top, and I settled in the bottom one.

Bottom bed!

Top bed was empty. Yeah~!

Dangerously resting bed-side table

Everything was so simple and foldable. There was a weird table-like thing. I wanted to use it for my bedside table, so I took it out. But it only had 2 legs. Um... how am I suppose to use it?!? There was no instruction, nothing. Seriously, they don't tell you anything at all. (I didn't even know there was a special bathroom for sleeper train guests. I was told after I went to the other train's regular bathroom) A simple instructional pamphlet would've been nice. I didn't want to disturb my neighbours too much, so I just rested the table dangerously beside my bed. Side of my bed was being the third leg of the table, but the train was shaking. I was scared that the train guy would come and yell at me for using the table. He never came. Oh and I read in many guide books that the train person takes my passport and give it back to me at the end of the trip (to pass the country border). It wasn't the case. He didn't take my passport at all and nobody looked at it when we crossed the border.

Sitting in my bed with my legs stretched, watching the Dutch scenery

Cold breakfast. I didn't know breakfast was included in the ticket... maybe because I don't know any German. The only thing I could eat in here was bread. I didn't mind.

I always wanted to try the sleeper compartment, and it was totally worth the price. I can't remember how much it was, but it wasn't that much considering it includes hotel-like atmosphere plus train ride. When I opened a little closet-thingy, there was a wash basin with individually wrapped water cups. Fresh towels and linen... bottled water... In the morning, there was a cold breakfast and tea! Most importantly, I slept well. I didn't want to lose another sleep worrying about my luggages being stolen. The alarm in the train automatically rang an hour or so before the destination. I was grateful for that. There was a nice communal shower compartment at the end of the hall, but I didn't get to use it. I just sat in my bed and watched the scenery. I always wanted to do that ever since I was a child. It was fun and relaxing to watch the passing landscape. I could ride sleeping train for DAYS. Alas, I had to get off.

..and hereby, my pathetic days in Amsterdam begins.

Berlin4. Rock Me Amadeus

The greatest gift a person can give to me is time. While travelling, my friends and acquaintances had been very generous with their time. I'm very grateful for all of you, who didn't leave me alone and dry. I hope to reciprocate to those who visit my city.

Here is the log of Berlin Day Four.

I woke up early for a brunch with wonderful Pauline of Hylé Subtle Materials. Pauline constructs walls with socio-environmentally conscious building materials. 

Before leaving for brunch, I stood in front of the window, watching the streets. The guys in black windbreakers, are they public transit ticket enforcers? As soon as I arrived at the airport, I bought a 7-day Berlin public transit pass. I later learned that a lot of people just don't pay for the public transit. There are no gates, nothing. And I've never seen a ticket-checking people. When I told people that I bought the 7-day pass, someone told me, "wow, you are a very honest person." No, that's not true. If I knew they don't really check... I'm kidding. 

How can a public transit system run like this?? 

I feel bad for the ticket checking officers. I kept thinking about a Hungarian movie, Kontroll.

Berlin public transit was amazing. Everything was connected extremely well. There were subways, buses, streetcars and 2 trains. They all worked like clock works. I worship you, BVG (Berlin Transport Services).

A store show window at Mitte

Gnomes...

 Eve & Adam was a wonderful salad place with very cute swing chairs. I've never eaten a salad/lunch there, but I bought some desserts. Their desserts were heavenly. It was right beside the Pictoplasma venue, so I got desserts here a couple of times. I also loved their club card design. (I'm too sick to take a photo of it now)

Eve & Adam

Eve & Adam flyer

I thought I won't have time to go to Liquidrom, but I got to go! I had a little bit of time left, so I quickly head over to this great swimming pool. It has heated salt-water pool, different kinds of saunas and a hot tub. After I paid for it, the front desk lady looked straight in my eyes and said, "You are to wear bathing suit in the pool. There are saunas, but you have to be completely naked in the saunas." Hm... Is she stressing the point because I am an Asian? Or is it because I speak English? Probably both. I looked straight back and said, "Yes."
Everything would be fine as long as I don't know anybody there. If the building catches fire while I'm in the sauna, I just cover my face and run outside, right?
I went into the change room. There were separate doors for men and women. I don't know why they bothered because inside of both change rooms were completely open and connected. Naked men just walked around in women's area. I thank Sheridan College for all the life drawing sessions. I remember the first year life drawing class in Sheridan. On the first day, I had to work very hard to keep cool. Since the first day, I quickly became numb about nudity.

At the change room, I bumped into a friend's friend. I made awkward joke about how it'd be weird to try sauna. She was on her way to leave, so I was relieved. I do not want to be naked with people I know! The salt water heated pool was so nice. You get floaty noodles and just float around, while listening to the sound under the water (they play music under the water). It's a little dark in the pool, and they shoot abstract light shows on the concrete dome ceilings. It was very relaxing and meditative. Salt water stings eyes and was a bit irritating for my skin, but I didn't care much.

Liquidrom

 The subway station at near Liquidrom, Anhalter Banhof was in blackletter type. I love blackletters. They are so impractically beautiful. And I'm all for forms over function.

Liquidrom is at Anhalter Bahnhof station. Note the blackletter type

Few days prior, I saw a subway advertising about Mozart's Requiem Japan Benefit Concert. I was staring at that advertisement. Mozart's Requiem is one of my favourite music, but I've never heard it live. TSO (Toronto Symphony Orchestra) never plays it. I'd love to hear Lacrimosa in person... my heart was pumping fast with excitement. But the concert time conflicted with the evening Pictoplasma events. \( ; o ; )/ Oh god, why! I contemplated skipping the conference for Mozart's Requiem. Painfully, I head towards Pictoplasma. Keita Takahashi (a game designer who made Katamari Damacy) was speaking that evening, and I just could not miss that for the world. Also... I don't know... is it okay to go for the enjoyment of Requiem, when Japan is going through a tragic time?

Photos of Pictoplasma:

Crazy-creepy paintings by Jeremy Dower

Ben & Julia is a crazy film maker couple. They had a giant rat sitting in a sofa on the stage. Ben guy talking about how much he loves Julia was quite sweet. Their creations are completely crazy and awesome.

Ben & Julia

 KEITA TAKAHASHI! He was a very funny guy. He'd draw things on Photoshop while he talks. What an oddball. I absolutely loved his talk.

Keita Takahashi's room. Look at his table

The table can be transformed into a robot. Keita Takahashi made it

Keita Takahashi's new project, Suponuts. He didn't show us much because it's still in progress

I was still carrying around swimming supplies, so I had to run to my hostel to drop them off. When I made it to the Missing Link show, the cinema was packed. It was held at historical Volksbühne theatre. It was HUGE. I sat at the very back, nose-bleed seat. People in front of me were taller than I, so I couldn't see much. Jet lagging and general lack of sleep (I had to bring work to the trip. So during night, I'd be on Photoshop, falling in and out of sleep) got better of me. Motomichi's wonderful DJ show was going on, but I could not keep my eyes often. I normally never fall asleep in theatres. I finally abused my body enough for it to give up.

Motomichi

 After that, a starkly beautiful-sounding Berlin musician, Maximilian Hecker sang his heart felt songs with a piano. A woman beside me cried.

Dancers - please marvel at the amazing zoom power of my point-and-shoot camera

After the blur of Missing Link show, there was a closing party. The parties were in 3 (I think?) different places within the theatre. I felt increasingly isolated, felt like being under the water. Again, everyone else was drunk except me. People were playing ping pong. I joined and made an ass out of myself. I was oblivious of the rules. 

It was especially cold in my hostel room that night. I brought disposable hand warmers that I bought from Mountain Equipment Coop (I bought some weird ass stuff from MEC for this trip, and hand warmers were the least weirdest). It was small, but it helped me fall asleep.

Sorry, it was a magical/weird night. My writing is all over the place as I'm coughing and falling asleep from flu medicine. Good night, and more to come.

Berlin3. If Vices Define a Person

I'm coughing sick, please send me virtual pity hugs. And some spare lungs. Nonetheless, let's continue the ride. It is a race against my deteriorating brain.

In the morning of day 3, April 8th, I went out searching for things I didn't bother to bring, but were essential: cheap sandals/flipflops for hostel showers (they were clean, but floors were... slimy), hair brush (I was already having unwanted dreads by this point - note to myself, fingers are NOT combs), body lotion without paraben (paraben is a preservative that also is a xenoestrogen), tissues and a hand sanitizer. I found everything else except a body lotion and a hand sanitizer.

No hand sanitizers in drug stores?!? I showed my last drop of sanitizer to the storekeeper. I demonstrated how to use it and everything. She apologetically said no, they don't have it. What, didn't you guys get Swine Flu and Bird Flu scares? I was worried a little, but could forget about it (that's a lie, I actually NEVER forgotten about it) after a while. Time moves fast, we move slow, just let things be. I continue to live without sanitizers after I got back, and now I'm sick. Aaaanyways.

So, the third day was the day I move out of my prison cell. I didn't know how the new ensuite room would look like. For all I know, it is the same prison cell with a toilet bolted to the ground without toilet seats. I packed everything, put my luggages in a locker and head out to Pictoplasma. It gave me this unsettling feeling that I'm always in transit. Not having a safe room to go back to is unsettling. I'm kind of person who's constantly in and out of my room during the day. I don't know how people go on backpacking for a whole year. I don't enjoy living out of suitcase even for a week.

I kept falling in and out of sleep during the talk because of jet lagging. I don't quite remember having it this bad. The entire trip was delirious. Did I really love Berlin, or was it all a dream?

More photos from Pictoplasma:

Ryan Quincy, lead animator of South Park

SFA. I love these guys

I love cobble stone streets in Europe. My kitty shoes have seen better days...

In the afternoon, I ran to the hostel to check into my new room. Holy shit. For 10 euros more, you get a pretty nice room (yes, it is small though)! It didn't smell, plenty of lights, cute closet and a nice & clean bathroom! I know for some people, it doesn't matter where they sleep because it's just for sleeping. But when I sleep in a nicer place, I am much happier. One negative thing about it was that the internet connection was barely there. I learned from my friend Hieng (after I got back to Toronto) that there is this thing called Air BnB. They list hostel/hotels run by regular people. I wish I knew about it before. Renting an entire apartment would've been cheaper than staying in a hostel. FML.

Nonetheless... I absolutely loved it while I was staying there. The location was amazing, looking down on Torstraße street. I'd sometimes stand in front of the window and watch the street, the people. It was on top of Rosenthaler Platz, where five streets collide. I loved this platz (is it called platz?). It reminded me of Korea. I don't know why some things in Berlin reminded me of Korea, other places in the world never remind me of Korea. This place brought out a vague memory of the poor town in Seoul I grew up in. I was five years old, I'd be sent to buy cigarettes for my grandpa. I'd walk unpaved roads. The pharmacist's seven year old son would take me upstairs to show me his room in one of low-rise buildings, where three streets collide (everything looked bigger then).

 The white building is StOberholz, apparently a famous restaurant/cafe. People are on their laptop all the time there. I finally got to check it out on my last day. Very friendly people with nice chai latte with soymilk. If I lived around here, I'd work here everyday

There was no seats for woodcut printing workshop with Roman Klonek again. I gave up and set out to get some vegan treats at Kreuzberg.

Eissalon Tanne B had a few vegan icecream options, and VEGAN WAFFLES! Yeah, I went all the way there for soy icecream. Oh the things I'd do for soy icecream... I wanted to try vegan waffles a la mode, but I didn't feel like eating there alone. Icecream waffles are the sort of things that you sit with your friend and eat them while having a conversation. This place would be so much fun under the hot summer afternoon sun.
It was a residential area. Kids seemed to be just off school, moms were picking them up and having an icecream on the way home. There was a playground right in front of the shop.

If it weren't so cold, I would've tried one more flavour

Soy chocolate icecream

VEGAN WAFFLES!! I don't know a word of German, but "Waffeln" must be 'Waffles"?

By chance, there was a farmer's market happening. Or maybe there is a farmer's market everyday. It was a small, neighbourhood market. I bought those picked shredded carrots and quinoa salad and had them for dinner later.

Farmer's Market

I don't know why people are so nice almost everywhere in Berlin. Owners of the vegan store, Veni Vidi Vegi, explained each kind of vegan bread spreads in detail. And gave me directions for two nice vegan restaurants to check out. I never got to go to those restaurants. One was a Chinese restaurant that serves vegan pecking duck. I'm going there next year for sure.

Vegan store, Veni Vidi Vegi

Stuff I bought from Veni Vidi Vegi - things I don't need, but I buy anyways.

The Vegan store had other store's bags

Suppose to be a spicy sausage. Still in my refrigerator. Not spicy at all

Salty spreads

I had to buy it because it's a Spacebar, dude! It wasn't very good, but it helped me survive long plane ride back without starving

Er.... so-so. Sad to say, but I make better vegan sausages. Now I feel all cocky

I think Barlauch is wild leeks my mom and I forage in spring. The shop owner cut a leaf from her plant and made me try. It's so-so. I don't eat much bread, so why did I get so many spreads?!?!

I accidentally bought another one of these, the same flavour too. But it's very delicious

Very good soymilk. I love strawberry soymilks. I KNOW looked especially strange when I pulled out soymilk packs out of my bag and drank it in mid-conversation. I don't usually do that at home (maybe I should more often). Travel makes a person even stranger

Why did I buy spreads, why?!

Cute napkins from the icecream shop. 

The vegan store person gave me flyers of vegan restaurants. I wanted to try both, but didn't have time

I was so thirsty. Having a tea

More photos of Pictoplasma:
I was in and out of sleep again. Dark, warm place plus jet lag wasn't a great combination.

Nick Cave. Interesting artist who makes crazy costumes. He was so eloquently spoken

El Señor

My favourite creation of El Señor: slimy cute monster

After the Pictoplasma talks, Arv (founder of the amazing motion graphic company, Pyramid Attack. He had a screening at Pictoplasma) and his cool friends kindly hung out with me. I am not sure if I were a creepy creep who just followed these cool people around. If so, my apologies. Arv's friend took us to White Trash. It was a very strange, yet fun place. A whole building was an entertainment, bar, restaurant, tattoo(?) centre. Basement was a dance club, upstairs was a restaurant/bar. Loud music filled the whole venue. A kind of place I'd never go normally, but in Berlin, I felt quite alright. Maybe it's the sleep deprivation, maybe it's this magical city. I felt pretty relaxed. And this Swedish band, Chuck Norris Experiment, who was playing at White Trash was AWESOME in live. 6 euro cover charge was totally worth it. People were dancing, but no mosh pit, thank goodness. I hate mosh pit. Get your sweaty paws off of me.

Looking around, I realized I might be the only completely sober person here. I was once again reminded of what a boring person I am. I don't drink, smoke and I'm a vegan. I seldom drink coffee. If vices define a person, I'm the most boring person ever. I often get, "What?!? What do you do for fun?"
"I read books and watch movies...?" And long walks on the beach. I'm kidding. There is no beach near by where I live. But please don't get creeped out by me. I have good and valid reasons why I don't drink and smoke. I tried drinking, man. You have no idea, I TRIED. I get really bad allergic reaction because I lack ALDH2, so can't break down alcohol. I went blind once, and that's when I just stopped trying.

Some decor at White Trash (Caution - Boobs):

Pinball machine! I love pinballs games! Video games, I mean

On the weekends, people party all night in Berlin. I must say, it was fun even for a boring person like me. I read somewhere about Toronto's club scenes dying. I don't really party, but it's kind of sad, I guess? It is my neighbourhood, so I am contributing to the area gentrification (actually, I'm few streets up). Apparently, long battle between the residents in the area and the club district is coming to an end. As a resident, I really don't mind seeing people party and puking here and there. Why would people move here without accepting that, it's a club district! I like watching pretty people scantly dressed in cold winter nights. Arv told me some Toronto DJs have moved to Berlin and do well there. Good for them.

Walking back, we saw a rave (?) at a basement of this old building covered in scaffolding. A guy waved us to come in. It was like walking into an old crypt. Haha.. sausage party. We left right away. I was tired and had to attend the conference in the next day.

That concludes day 3. More to come. It's a very scattered writing, but who cares, I'm sure not many people's reading. Now I'm going to cough my lungs out and enjoy the sunshine.