Eastercon: what we thought of it so far

[shewhomust]

After a couple of days, I still don't feel I have much of a handle on Bradford. We are staying at the Midland Hotel - all Victorian splendour, and very central - which has the disadvantage of putting us a shuttle bus away from the Con, but gives us the opportunity to explore the city centre. But where is the centre? There are canyons between cliffs of sandstone warehouses, there is a City Hall with a bell-tower worthy of a Flemish wool town, and a Wool Hall that looks like a gothic church (but is actually a Waterstones bookshop), architecture on an inhuman scale alongside vast levelled areas and the hole in the ground left by failed development - the whole made even more surreal by a thick layer of snow. There are shopping precincts, mostly looking very down at heel, but we haven't found a central shopping area; cafés and chain restaurants (we ate cheap and cheerful café food at Lahore, in 70s retro style) but no central restaurant area. There's also the Media Museum, which we visited briefly: some very interesting displays of early televisions! and early cameras! and thoughtful presentations about the social impact thereof. I would have enjoyed it more if they had not felt the need to provide audio commentary at all points, mostly on a non-stop loop.

Two days into the con, I feel on much surer footing. Yesterday I went to panels on The Magical British Countryside (which never quite took off), comparing and contrasting E. Nesbit and C.S. Lewis (a big warm bath of sharing books I love with other people who love them and can talk intelligently about it), Underground London (in which the panelists were having more fun than is consistent with the very best session, but luckily the audience were having fun too, so they got away with it) and Just a Minute (there is a reason why the radio show only runs half an hour - an hour was too long, but it was also too late in the day for me, so don't take my word for it). Today there was a talk about Con Ghost of Honour J.B. Priestley, a book group about Fan GoH Edward James's The Origins of France: from Clovis to the Capetians 500 - 1000 (best quote, from panelist Shana Worthen, that this was the sort of fantasy novel by the end of which we have visited all the places on the map - but that the world building is rather too visible), and a panel on the value of SF awards which was diffuse but interesting. After which I declared myself panelled out for the day, and came back to the hotel in search of sandwiches.

I have given myself permission to enjoy the Con in my own way, which includes accepting that I don't have to limit that to enjoying the Con itself. So I was quite relieved that there was nothing unmissable on this afternoon's programme, and that I could take things easy with the internet (and the pounding beat rising from the ballroom immediately below our room). At other times, of course, there are two or three things scheduled in parallel and I'd happily go to all of them.

And now it's nearly time for Doctor Who.

Comments

[weegoddess.livejournal.com]

there is a City Hall with a bell-tower worthy of a Flemish wool town

Egad, you're right!

It sounds like a lovely time, lack of central eating notwithstanding.

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

Much fun, little caffeine...

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

We have just had breakfast with hairyears, and discussed dangerous cheeses.

[weegoddess.livejournal.com]

Such a gathering! Did you see K too?

I hadn't realized (realised) that you knew each other. But of course you must. Please give Sir Hairyears my very best regards. I'd send a hug but I'm not sure of the correct etiquette.

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

No, we didn't know ech other. But we got talking over breakfast...

[weegoddess.livejournal.com]

My goodness! I couldn't have picked more perfect people to meet if I'd tried! You do realize that you (collectively) are among my favourite people in the UK? When I mentioned that you'd all met, Jonathan's reaction was similar to mine, which was along the lines of 'now THAT would be a wonderful conversation!'.

Since you knew to mention him to me, should I assume that my name came up somehow? I'm wondering what context would have brought it about. ;-)

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

We said we came from Durham, that's all it took!

[weegoddess.livejournal.com]

I figured that it had to be something like that. And now the UK has shrunk even smaller. I hope that you guys keep in touch; I can vouch for the wonderfulness of all of you. ;-)

[hairyears.livejournal.com]

It was indeed a wonderful conversation.

Also: Hello shewhomust!

[gillpolack.livejournal.com]

It sounds good. (And here I am at the other end of the world, whether Eastercon's style is affected by it being International Hug a Medievalist Day today, and with Medievalists being so thick on the ground there.)

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

Thanks to this comment, I have been hugged this morning!

[gillpolack.livejournal.com]

My nefarious influence reaches far!

I've had many virtual hugs, but will only get to see one person all day (and that's at dawn and dusk, for a friend is unexpectedly staying during the folk festival - she's the one who supplies me with Oxenham)