Reeperbahn

Reeperbahn = The suburb where Gary's apartment is and consequently, where I am staying. I took this pic at the railway station so that I would know where to return to on the slim chance that I would get lost at some stage!
I have discovered that it has amazing culture but not the sort I expected! Those of you who are my vintage or older, will remember St Kilda in Melbourne as it used to be 30+ years ago.....A reknowned Red Light area where night turned into day whilst women worked the streets choosing their partners. Fitzroy Street, St Kilda's main street, was alive with 100's of people on a mission...with blinding neon lights drawing eveybody into their dens of  luxury and  fun times.....Today St Kilda still retains that culture however, today, as you move further away from Fitzroy St you will find it has become a very trendy area with gorgeous little wine bars and many cafes.....thriving with life and very sought after from people in all walks of life.......
Reeperbahn resembles the St Kilda of old!..........This areas is known as 'The Mile of Sin'. There are bars and taverns of all shapes and sizes, sex-cinemas and peep shows, and I guess....everything a Red Light district offers..............(not that I'm that familiar with them but I did spend my Uni days living in East St Kilda!) 
..................Mum, PLEASE DON'T stress.............................

I am very safe and, as I am aware of the culture which, like St Kilda, is only blatantly eveident after dark, I am intrigued by it....not threatened at all....! Although I must admit, Gary was very grateful to have me by his side as we made our way home last night....Just at the end of our street the girls were working! They looked as though they had just been to the footy, not dolled up as I imagined they would be....but there was atleast a dozen of them positioned from one side to the other of the entrance of our street.....If Gary hadn't held my hand he would have been propositioned by several of them before he could get through!!!!
Now that the weather is improving the streets have become alive with activity! Thurday, having slept the afternoon away, I wokeabout 5pm to VERY LOUD singing and chanting....I thought I was at the footy...The soccer match between Germany and England was to be played not far from here and the fans were well and truly charged with alcohol and adrenaline...ready for the match!! As a result of this we witnessed van after van of Riot Police arriving and positioning themselves with their shields and batons in readiness for the fans departure to the game as well as for their return.....It resulted in a non-violent night but the fans were still revelling and very noisy when Gary went to work Friday morning!
Drinking alcohol anywhere, anytime is the norm! All takeaway shops....of which there are many around here.....sell beer and spirits very cheaply...so consequently people wander the streets around here drinking......
This IS definitely a culture shock for me but it is really only evident in REEPERBAHN!
Good live music is accessible eveywhere....Molly Malone's, 2 doors down from here has artists every night A dance hall...a smaller version of St Kilda's Palais....Grosse Farenheit 36.... is in a little side street around the corner....apparently it's where the Beatles started their world career! This is where we spent last night squashed in, standing only, grooving to the beat of the recently reunited ULTRAVOX....It was pretty challenging being 5'41/2"when the average height of everyone around me was 6'6".......but sight wasn't essential as the sound was fantastic!