Gay Games Amsterdam 1998 Pictures - Uncle Donald's Castro Street

Uncle Donald's Castro Street
FRIENDSHIP '98
Gay Games V

Amsterdam, The Netherlands
August 1st to 8th 1998

FRIENDSHIP THROUGH CULTURE AND SPORTS

PICTURES FROM AMSTERDAM
August 1 - 8, 1998

THE CITY OF AMSTERDAM

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A beautiful bell tower built in 1614 contains 52 bells.

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This is an unusual sight for most Americans. Europeans don't have so many inhibitions concerning the body. This certainly is an efficient porta-potty!

REGULIERS DWARSSTRAAT was part of my daily route between the #2 Tram stop and Friendship Village. APRIL and HAVANA, two of the popular gay clubs are here as well as THE OTHER SIDE COFFEESHOP, one of the many shops that offer marijuana and hashish.

LEIDSESTRAAT is a main street in the city center where cars are not very welcome.

A typical TRAM - narrow, clean, and covered with advertising.
Notice the black van alongside the tram.

I caught up with the CONVERSE van again the next day.
Here's a closer view for you sports fans.

The HOMOMONUMENT, dedicated in 1987 as a tribute to the many gays killed by the Nazis, and to all who suffer oppression because of their sexual orientation.

The Tram stop at HOOFDDORPPLEIN.
There's Uncle Donald on the right in the yellow 'FRIEND' shirt.
The others are NICK, WENDI, and DERREL.

THE CANAL PARADE

The following pictures of the Canal Parade were provided by
CHE HEUVEL of Amsterdam.

OPENING CEREMONIES

The athletes entering the AMSTERDAM ARENA at the OPENING CEREMONIES.
This is a composite of two pictures.

The Weather Girls performed their song IT'S RAINING MEN at the opening ceremonies, accompanied by over 100 dancing sailors shown above.
The picture below shows the sailors at the end of the song.

The picture below shows some of the 15,000 participants waiting to enter the Arena. The blue hats are the teams from Switzerland. Teams entered in alphabetical order except Team Netherlands, the host, entered last.

After the ceremonies, many people walked to the nearby Metro station. The platform was packed near the center but empty toward both ends. The station attendant announced in his best English over the loud speakers; "Will everyone please walk off the ends of the platform!"

AMSTERDAM NIGHTS

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'AmsterDAM Nights' at Dam Square. A'dam5.jpg

There was a full moon on Wednesday, August 5th.
I got this picture after the concert at the Dam.

FRIENDSHIP VILLAGE

FRIENDSHIP VILLAGE, typically crowded.

It was sad to return to the Village on Monday after the Gay Games were over. Sunday at the airport must have been a zoo because the city streets seemed almost empty. Monday was more depressing. I took one last walk through Friendship Village, on the way to the train station. It was a busy place, but not a happy busy place. Crews were dismantling booths. People were carrying boxed computers and office equipment out of the building. Open boxes on the ground contained memoriabilia, free for the taking. Official Programs, brochures, maps, FRIENDSHIP newspapers, KLM postcards; they were all being grabbed up and carried off as souvenirs. It was time to go.

OTHER SITES WITH GAY GAMES PHOTOS

GaySport.Org
has pictures of ceremonies, sport events, and people
-and- THE FRIENDSHIP WALL
(from the Gay Games Amsterdam website)

GayBoyLACA
has pictures of ceremonies and the Canal Parade

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This page created September 1, 1998
and modified April 25, 1999
• UD Graphics • San Francisco •