Pretty in Pink!

I'm travel editor of the UK's biggest and best lesbian magazine Diva, which means when I'm not hunting down Deutschland's hot spots, I'm exploring the great and the glamorous gay scenes around the world.

I've been pretty surprised by the diversity of Germany and just like my idol Marlene Dietricht, now 'I always keep a suitcase in Berlin'.

Happy reading!I hate Mondays. Normally they mean a throbbing hangover and a mad busy day where I forget the weekend ever existed as I’m thrust headfirst into the working week. But there’s one Monday I always look forward to and make sure I book the surrounding days off to prepare for and recover from it, and that’s Düsseldorf’s Pink Monday.

This big gay day is just one part of a nine-day fair that takes place on the banks of the Rhine in my second favourite German city, and I have no qualms declaring it the very best day of this annual event.

So what happens is, ‘Rheinkirmes’ (which means ‘the biggest fair on the Rhine’ in an uncharacteristic instance of something taking less letters to say in German than English) comes to town every third week in July, which is the 17-25th this year fact fans.

There are beer tents, OBVIOUSLY, and a big fairground and all sorts of other good-old-fashioned family-friendly fun stuff. Then 50,000 gays move in and things really hot up.

What’s great about this event is that the straights don’t just disappear on Pink Monday. They’re still enjoying everything Rheinkirmes has to offer, only there are suddenly a lot of attractive, well-dressed guys, gals and drag queens enjoying it with them.

This makes for a great vibe, where anything goes and everyone just lives and lets live a little. In credit to Düsseldorf, this diversity and equality has always defined this city – it’s just brought to the fore at Rheinkirmes, so I’d recommend a city break here at any time of the year. In fact, I’m heading back in August to tell you all about its fab shops, galleries and gay clubs – so watch this space.

There’s only one hotel where I’ll rest my weary head after a shocking pink Monday and that’s the ultra luxurious Breidenbacher Hof. Seriously, this place is grand on a royal scale – perfect for queens and discerning dykes alike.

There’s not much more I can say about Düsseldorf’s Pink Monday without going into great detail about the hot German girl I met there last time who wined me, dined me and thoroughly ‘Rhined’ me. We arranged to meet in the same spot on the banks of the river this year, so I’ll let you know if she turns up! Basically, just book your Lufthansa flight asap because you don’t want to miss this essential event on Deutschland’s queer calendar.

Ooh, and talking of future planning – don’t forget to head to Munich on 19th September for the gay day at Oktoberfest which means beer, bears, butches and a big Bavarian knees up. I love it!

Visit GayGermany.co.uk - the official gay and lesbian site of the German National Tourist Office Videos are at YouTube.com/MyGayGermany
Join our Facebook fans page
Follow us on Twitter