Art, Partying and Summer

On Friday, I went to see the "Female Trouble" exhibition at the Pinakothek der Moderne - fotos, paintings, installations by women from Julia Margaret Cameron to contemporaries like Cindy Sherman, Tracy Moffat, Sarah Lucas (below), and by some men who want to be women. It was all rather heavy and suffering, two of the artists have died young and somewhat inexplicably. The work I liked best was a video by Pipilotti Rist about dealing with anger. It was actually funny.

Now, it is finally warm enough to take off the socks at night. Washing dries in no time on the balcony. I go swimming every day (after spending time at the hospital with my Mum, who is fine now), and I am getting a tan.

B.'s birthday garden party last night was not rained off for a change, and a roaring success. They got a bit carried away and organised a mini-festival with African drummers, a bouncy castle, a belly dancer and Capoeira performers (magic!).

There was also a free bar from whence 15-year-olds, and myself, carried off gigantic Caipirinhas. Anna and Fionulla came from London, adding a further cosmopolitan touch to the Brazilians, Egyptians, Africans and other nationalities represented there. It was the best summer party this side of the Channel I have ever been to.

Today was predictably slow and hot, a swim in the local pool (with a very elegant nudist area, behind thick wooden fences), and a cycle ride to the Botanical Gardens to show M. the flowers.