Table of Contents
- Crosswise through Germany
- The Place
- Day 1 ~ The Beginning of an Era
- City Caching
- Day 2 ~ Joining the Pack
- Around the Alster
- Day 3 ~ Furry Tails
- A Hurried Hustle
- Day 4 ~ All Cats are Beautiful
- The Retrospective
- The Terminating Train Trip
- The Road Ahead
Once again, and after a long time, it is time for a a furry convention. The last one that I attended was the EF 25 in 2019, taking place in Berlin (see Book III ~ Chapter 9 ~ Busy in Berlin). Then, in 2020, when the Green Shnolz struck, the Eurofurence that year was cancelled, and there wasn't another one until 2022, which I opted not to attend on account of my Philippines trip that year, and the uncertainty about how things would progress between me and Elgen from there on out. In retrospective, not going was probably actually a good choice, because apparently the location in Berlin had degraded over the pandemic years, and there was a bit of a falling out. As a result, this year's EF is no longer in Berlin but in Hamburg, which means a whole new place for me to explore. And this year around, the theme is...
Despite me having already been to a number of Eurofurences before, this is still a premiere for me in a number of ways. Not only is my first time in Hamburg, but it is also the first time I go to a furry convention since moving to the Fox Loft, and since having cats. As such, I must make certain preparations, and with this trip being back-to-back with yet another, bigger trip that is yet to come, I actually have to prepare for yet another absence of almost three weeks. As such, I stock up on rows of cat food and take every possible precaution in order to make it as easy for my catsitter as possible to feed them the right amount of food. Because while the lady feeding my cats in my absence is sweet, she is also getting old, and has that habit of feeding the cats way too much. So this time around, as a last attempt to get it right, I schedule each can for consumption, and even add a stop-sign to the extra cans that I intend to feed the cats for the days after my return.
That, and another handy feeding checklist are as much precautions as I can reasonably think off, and after that, it is time for me to embark on a journey...
Crosswise through Germany
3-September-2023
Departing relatively early on a Sunday morning, I make my way to the Untermenzing S-Bahn station without meeting all too many people...
...from where I take the S2 to get to the Munich central station.
Arriving there, I see that the renovation works are well underway. The entire front atrium has been closed off and stripped to its bones, and all through the main hall there are little islands of ongoing construction where the food stalls once were. Good thing I prepared provisions for the ride in advance.
As I head towards my platform, I come across a curiosity: I have heard of people buying and selling used cars and such, but apparently, there's a market for buying and selling used trains just as well. If your finances allow for it, you can buy electric locomotives, double-decker wagons, multi-unit trains and many others. Don't ask me how much one of those is though. The prices are not displayed on the website, and most likely fall into the "if you gotta ask then you can't afford it" category.
I for my part am travelling with a less used and more modern ICE train today. Normally, I'd take advantage of the now-existing 49€ ticket, which lets my use all the regional trains in Germany, but since my destination is on the other side of the country, I'm relying on one of our Inter-City Express trains this time around.
My route today takes me squat through the middle of Germany... quite literally. In fact, I pass right through Eisenach, and thus between two of the centers of Germany that I visited together with Robert two years ago (see Book IV ~ Bonus Chapter Part 2 ~ Through the Middle). Before that, it also takes me though Ingolstadt, which I did finally reach by bike a little over a year ago (see Book V ~ Chapter 6 ~ Project Petal Part 7 ~ Into Ingolstadt). Also, until today, the train tracks I travelled still had a gap between Hanover and Hamburg, which this trip neatly bridges. So with this trip, I have now not only travelled all around Germany, but also crosswise through the very center.
As for the train, it is kinda full, but since I have a reserved seat that's not a problem.
Approximate Distance: 820km
Average Speed: 117km/h
The ride itself is pretty straightforward, with no train changes required, and takes me though most biomes that are present in Germany, predominately fields and forests, with the Mittelgebirge ("middle mountains") adequately in the very middle. At the beginning the train passes over the Donau and first through Ingolstadt and later Nürnberg. There's a lot of tunnels and bridges alternating in the middle, making it hard to get good shots, but I managed at least one. Leaving Bavaria behind, one can quickly spot the many windmills of literally every other state, some of which are switched off, by the way, because Bavaria vetoed the construction of power lines to the south, meaning that the excess renewable energy produced in the regenerative north of Germany never makes it to the conservative south, which in turn makes electricity more expensive there. Oh well. Anyway, eventually, the train transitions through the terminal flat lands of northern Germany, and as it arrives in Hamburg crosses over the river Elbe, which at this point has actually already split into several arms that encase a part of the city.
(Click here to view the video if the website fails to load it)
As I pass by Eisenach I decide it's about time to eat my humble lunch, which consists of a Streichkäsesemmel ("Cream Cheese Bread Roll") and a Müsliriegel. Not much, but since I'm not exactly expending a lot of energy sitting here in the train, I figure it'll do.
Amazingly, the train arrives in Hamburg with barely any delay, and so I find myself on the busy central station of Hamburg for the first time since passing through here with Robert on our ride from Sylt to Bremen (see Book IV ~ Chapter 9 ~ Waves of Wind and Water).
The true premiere, however, is that this time, this terminates the train trek for today, for from here on out I walk towards my stay place for these next few nights, which is an Airbnb approximately 6 STEPs away from the Station.
And I do find it without any problems. Nothing special, just one apartment out of many, but that is all I need, really.
I am quick to check in, which I suppose is as good a time as any for telling you about...
The Place
The first thing I notice when entering the building is the old stairwell, which features a modern elevator... but only after a flight of 6 initial stairs. Oh well, I suppose it still helps if you need to get to one of the upper floors. Meanwhile, I take the stairs even with all my luggage since the Airbnb is only on the 2nd floor.
There, I do have a nice little plank-floored room with view on the street outside...
...as well as a complimentary pitcher of lightly sparkled water and a scented candle.
The bathroom is shared and most importantly contains a shower, which is absolutely essential for me to follow the 6-2-1 rule, which is a general rule for all conventions: 6 hours of sleep, 2 good meals and 1 shower every day.
Ironically, the kitchen which I normally am keen to use in Airbnbs is pretty irrelevant for that, since I should end up spending most of my time at the convention, which includes eating my meals there too.
But it's good to have the option, anyways. Especially when the kitchen also contains a bunch of little curiosities, such as a translation sheet for all sorts of fruits & vegetables. I think the languages are English, French and Spanish.
There's also complimentary tea, which is stored in a very cute and fitting Alice-in-Wonderland-themed tea box.
And finally, the kitchen also features a balcony which overlooks a small, yet very green courtyard.
I do not linger there for very long after my initial arrival. After all, I have to hurry over to the place where the Eurofurence is being held if I am to make in in time for...
Day 1 ~ The Beginning of an Era
3-September-2023Though my Airbnb is within extended walking distance of the place where the Eurofurence is being held, I am in a bit of a rush right now. The opening ceremony is supposed to start at 17:00, and it's now already 16:15, and I still need to pick up my badge and all. So, I opt to go for what I figure is the fastest way, and hop onto a bus...
...which fortunately turns out to go to the Hamburg central station...
...where I subsequently get lost only once before managing to find an S-Bahn going into the direction of my destination. Not being native to these parts, I get a little bit confused and end up in the second-to-next train to depart instead, thus further delaying my arrival.
Fortunately, it's not a long ride once the S-Bahn finally gets moving. In fact, it's literally only a single stop to the Dammtor ("Dam Gate") station, which as it turns out is also a stop for the ICE. I'll have to make sure and remember that.
The location for the EF this year is the CCH (Congress Center Hamburg), which is very conveniently located just outside the Dammtor station.
And any lingering doubts about whether I've found the right spot are quickly dispersed not only by the amount of floof present, but also the Eurofurence logo being displayed above the entrance in big, friendly letters.
The inside is very fluffy, spacious, as well as decorated, and conveniently, there isn't any queue whatsoever at the registration desk, so I am able to pick up my con badge without any hassle or delay.
But if I was afraid I'd miss out on the EF's N°1 fun activity - namely queuing - my concerns are quickly alleviated as I find that the seating for the opening ceremony has not yet started, and the queue stretches all the way to the CCH's entrance, and beyond.
Eventually, the queue starts moving, and eventually I reach the main stage. Naturally, as a result of me being so far back in the queue, I don't manage to grab a good seat, so instead I find a valid place to stand behind the chairs, which actually results in me having a fairly unobstructed view of both the stage and the screens. And let me tell you that the hall itself is already quite impressive, what with rainbow-colored LED stalactites covering the ceiling, and presently dipping the whole hall in a magenta-and-cyan light.
A cute show-starter image gives a first impression of what is soon to come...
...and then the lights dim, and the opening ceremony starts. Parts of it are conducted by people on-stage giving the usual event-opening speeches with a bit of furry and wizardry flair to it...
...but he clear highlight is the furry animation, which accompanies the entire ceremony. First, there's an opening, then there's little scenes in between each of the speakers, and finally there's a finale which also serves as the official starting signal for this year's Eurofurence.
(Click here to view the video if the website fails to load it)
Apart from the cute animation, this opening ceremony is also where a whole new era starts for me. I already came with a light inclination for becoming a volunteer helper at the EF this year, and Cheetah - the EF's chairman - also called out for volunteers during the opening ceremony. And if that wasn't enough to fully convince me, then walking out of the opening ceremony and right into one of these recruitment posters definitely pushes me clear over the volunteering-threshold.
So my next stop is the info desk where I leave my contact info and generals times when I'll be available the next few days so they can plan me in. Very much looking forward to helping out these next few days already, I next hit the food stalls in front of the CCH to get my first substantial meal for the day. Tonight, I go for a Midos Spezial Burger with some chili cheese fries, both of which turn out to be quite tasty.
After that, I spend some time exploring the location and surroundings
while it's still light outside.
(Click here to view the video if the website fails to load it)
While exploring, I come across a poster for an event that I'm very much looking forward to: The Pawpet Show. I'm already very curious what it's gonna be about this year. But regardless of the theme, I'm sure it'll be great as always.
And speaking of a show, there's in fact one going on right this evening, though it is not related to the EF: There's a musical fountain light show being held in the nearby park, and it is in fact the last time tonight, since after tonight the fountain organ is going to be under maintenance until further notice. Naturally, this was announced during the opening ceremony, and so it happens that a crowd of unsuspecting commoners is suddenly ambushed by a pack of furries several hundreds strong. It's easy to tell who's a furry and who not even in the dark, because the furries are all watching the fountain light show, while the non-furries are watching the furries. The theme for tonight's music, by the way, is "soundtracks from movies and TV".
(Click here to view the video if the website fails to load it)
After that, it's already plenty late for my taste, so I head back to the Dammtor station, and am not the only fur to do so.
Fortunately, that station is a lot more straightforward than the Hamburg central station, so I easily find the platform from where my S-Bahn departs, which around this time is empty enough for people to take their bikes for a ride.
And that's it for my arrival day here at the Eurofurence 27 in Hamburg.
Naturally, I should return tomorrow, but not before doing a bit of...
City Caching
4-September-2023Distance: 8.2km
Ascents: 35m
Duration: 2h
5/7🎁︎ (+2 passed)
I start the next day with some breakfast that I picked up on the Dammtor station's bakery late last night, going for a Rosinenschnecke ("Raisin Snail") and Croissant, along with tea from aforementioned stylish tea box. And as I do, I take a look at the very stylishly designed con book.
After that, I set up on a geocaching stray around Hamburg, intending to see a bit of the city and potentially find some caches along the way. The first sight awaits me right outside the door, where I notice an interesting work café named Hugs and Plugs.
From there, the stray should first take me south and east in pursuit of the first few caches, before swiveling to the northeast. I get as far as Mundsburg ("Mouth's Castle") before turning back southwest and heading to the CCH following an arc-shaped park that dodges the Außenalster ("Outer River") - a shallow lake with a maximum depth of only 4.5m that yet covers a total of 164 hectares in the middle of Hamburg, and along with the Elbe is one most prominent features of central Hamburg. It is, in fact, an artificial lake that was formed in 1190 as a reservoir to fuel a large water mill for grinding corn.
Walking through the yet relatively empty streets I soon come across a number of curiosities, such as this neat rainbow road crossing...
...or this very colorful mural, which spans the entire front of an old 5-storey house.
Afterwards part of my way takes me through the Lohmühlenpark ("Grove Mill Park")...
...where I come across a very interesting modern building, which is at the same time somewhat reminiscent of Tetris, and then yet again not.
Moving further through the city, I cross over one of Hamburg's subway lines, which at that very point emerges from its tunnel and proceeds to continue above ground...
...which is probably a good idea, considering how the ground around the area where I am now is progressively getting more saturated with rivers and channels. Presently, I am crossing over Eilbekkanal ("Hurry Bas Channel") by means of the Wartenaubrücke ("Waiting Meadow Bridge"). One interesting detail here is the permanent floating houses on one side of the channel.
After that, my way takes me through the district known as Uhlenhorst ("Lamprey Forest")...
...before taking me back to the very same subway track that I just crossed previously. By now the underground-by-name has clearly risen above its station.
Next, I pass by St. Gertrud church, a neo-Gothic church...
...which is idyllically located on the shore of the Kuhmühlenteich ("Cow Mill Pond"). Quite a lot of mills around here, it seems.
That is about my turning point, and from there on out every step takes me closer to the conventions. However, I should yet see a few sights along the way, such as yet another huge mural, this one apparently celebrating good neighborship...
...as well as a number of artfully painted utility boxes. Sadly, however, it turns out that despite their aesthetic value, they are not entirely immune to graffiti.
Eventually, I reach the shore to the Außenalster, where I find an impressive amount of small sailing boats moored at the docks. I wonder if they are only for use on this little lake, or if there's a connection to the Elbe via bridges that are tall enough for these sailing boats to pass through. Furthermore, behind the masts of all those boats, I can already see the TV tower of Hamburg, and to the left of it the monolithic block of the hotel adjunct to the CCH.
From here on out, I follow the shore of the Alster, making my way mostly through a lakeside park...
...and eventually crossing over the channel connecting the Außenalster with the smaller Binnenalster ("Inland-River") by means of the Kennedybrücke ("Kennedy Bridge"). This separation of the two segments of the Alster-Lake is a remnant of the city walls that were only built in the 17th century, and thus a good 500 years past the initial formation of the lake. Before, the two lakes were one, and today the site of the former city wall forms a convenient causeway that pedestrian, car and train bridges lead across.
Incidentally, I do not only go over but also under that bridge, using an opportunely placed underpass along the side of the channel connecting the two lake fragments to make my way on the other side of would otherwise be two major roads and a railroad line separating me from my destination. As a direct consequence I also get a good view of the Binnenalster, the shores of which are directly bordered by the old houses of downtown Hamburg.
From there on out, I follow a park and a bridge for a little while...
...and before long I find myself in front of the CCH with its adjunct monolithic hotel tower.
I've also gotten the timing down pretty nicely, because thanks to some really impressive impromptu planning last night, I've already got my first shift at ConOps this morning. And that means, I'm now on the verge of...
Day 2 ~ Joining the Pack
4-September-2023My first assignment is right front and center at the Info Desk, where I do my best to answer the questions of all the other fluffs with the information that I have, as well as my co-furries. Turns out that's actually not all that hard, since many questions are pretty repetitive, with the N°1 common question being "Where are the Radisson Blu rooms?". As a matter of fact, I anticipated this question already while looking over the con book this morning, because while there is a floor plan, the Radisson Blu rooms are displayed as floating in nowhere, with a stair leading to them from somewhere, but no explanation how to get there.
As such, I did spend the last minutes before my shift doing some reconnaissance, and after running through the length of the convention and adjunct hotel twice finally found the rooms atop a spiral staircase that I did not consider the first time around since the map clearly featured a straight staircase. Having found the answer in advance, I can now naturally help all those poor furs still looking for those rooms, and after the 50th time the question has been asked one of my co-furries suggests writing a sign. And so it happens that I draft up a crude but functional sketch of what we've been telling several dozen furries in this morning alone.
I also do some legwork to get copies of that sketch made to hand out, and also ask Inari Fox - another ConOps furry to whom I unsurprisingly take an immediate shine - to make a more high quality version if possible. All in all, it is a very joyful and fulfilling morning helping out at ConOps. I finally feel like I have a place where I belong here, and I get to live out my Flirial nature helping others. And all the while, I also get to see all the spontaneous acts happening at the open stage in the lobby.
Also, it is kinda fun to see how the queue for the Dealers' Den - a prime attraction at the EF where furry artists and crafters can peddle their various furry wares - gradually extends from all the way back at the entrance to the Dealer's Den to the Info Desk and then even out and beyond the doors. And that's even before the Dealer's Den opens, just so they can get in as fast as possible. Eventually, most of them sit down and wait. This sort of event camping is really not something that I can relate to, but as long as they're happy I suppose that's alright.
Fun though it was, eventually my first shift comes to an end, and it is time for me to go out and get some food. This time I hit the stall next to the burgers, and get a nice and healthy bowl filled with rice, salmon, avocado, cucumber, tomato and a bunch of other stuff. I've never been much of a bowl eater myself, but that is mostly on account of demand and supply. If someone were to sell tasty bowls like this in a place where I regularly come by while hungry, why I'd become a regular in no time!
After that, I spend a bit of time leisurely straying all over the place, feeling quite happy and at peace with so many tails and so much fluff around.
Among other things, I run into the Dutch Angel Dragon meetup, which is one of several panels where fursuiters of a specific species meet up. As for Dutch Angel Dragons in particular, they are type horse-like feathered furry dragon, and if you're curious about them, then you can learn more about them here. As a matter of fact, since they can make cute squeaking noises not unlike the ones that I can somehow strangely produce naturally, I always get along just fine with them.
Another curiosity that I come across is a kangaroo which has a tail that conveniently can also feature as a stool to sit on. Very practical!
Since the weather is nice (and I am still wearing my geocaching tails today), I take the chance to go for a stroll through the nearby Planten un Blomen ("Plants and Flowers") park, which is conveniently located just outside the CCH, further adding to the auspiciousness of this venue. In fact, you could say that it surrounds the CCH on up to four sides, since even the hall in which the Dealer's Den is located has a garden on top that is seamlessly integrated with the park (even if that particular garden is a wee bit lackluster).
More impressive by contrast are the Rosengarten ("Rose Garden") with its rounded, bulbous shape...
...as well as the Apothekergarten ("Apothecary's Garden") with its hexagonal architecture.
Back at the EF, it is finally time for me, too, to subject myself to the proper con experience, which means getting into a line to see an event. Fortunately, since we're all furries here, it's really easy to strike up a conversation with the people around you.
The event in question is a back-to-back double-dounce event of Uncle Kage - chairman of the Anthrocon, one of the USA's biggest furry conventions - holding first the Charity Show and then his famous Story Hour. As for what that is, it's pretty much an iteration of many funny stories that Uncle Kage has to share, told in a very humorous way. He's got some assistance in the form of the dragon Tien Long sitting with him in full suit all through the Charity Show and Fox Amoore providing musical backup through both parts. One of the core stories told is about how Anthrocon came to move from Philadelphia to it's current location of Pittsburgh, and he draws parallels between that and how the EF moved to Hamburg this year.
(Click here to view the video if the website fails to load it)
In the evening, I strike out again, this time further in order to explore
a more remote food mile that a fellow fur recommended to me, and while
doing so I walk past... uhh... a house with a roof... except not how you
think.
And it literally is a food mile from there all the way to the very impressive Russian orthodox church of St.John and beyond, so the main question is not if I'll get something to eat here, but which place to decide on.
As it happens, I end up at a burger place again, primarily because I randomly decide to tag along with another furry and he has his friends waiting at that place. It's really amazing how you can just randomly walk up to people in this community and instantly be friends. It's also really amazing how delicious the burgers at this place are. The burger yesterday was already pretty good, but the one today (it's a champignon burger too!) is absolutely divine! So I'm marking this place down on my map, vowing to return here next year, and if you ever get into the area make sure to try out Dulf's Burger just across from aforementioned church.
Returning to the convention centre afterwards, I am one of the lucky tails who is in for some really snuggly Noivern hugs...
...and then I also walk by the virtual con room, which is a webcam coupled with what I assume is a Second Life room. As far as I understand this is a means for people who could not make it to the con to still connect with the people on-site, and every now and then a spontaneous dance or other antics unfolds on this side of the camera.
Since I had lots of fun helping out at ConOps this morning, I return to the Info Desk to see if there's more I can help with, and am thrilled to see that in the meantime Inari Fox did really get around to whip up a more professional version of my earlier quick scribble guide to the Radisson Blu rooms, which is now on display to be a help for everyone.
Also, naturally there's always more to be done, such as spreading one thousand little LED candles all over the convention centre to create a magical atmosphere.
I am told to get creative with what I do with them, and so creative I get. Roping a few more people into helping, we have the lights distributed in no time, and arranged some of them in various interesting patterns too.
And with that, my second day at this year's Eurofurence is coming to an end. The convention is still at full speed by the time I leave, but I suppose I'm just not much of a nightlife tail. As it is, I leave with a nice and warm feeling in my chest, and can't wait to get back again tomorrow and help out more.
After just one day, I can already say that joining as a volunteer was definitely the right thing to do. With all that's been going on in my life last year, I really haven't felt this good in a long, long time. Truly, this wonderful feeling is really all the compensation that I need, but even so I also got a cute little volunteer pin to boot.
So much for today. I can't wait to see what amazing things the Eurofurence has in store for me tomorrow, but before I return there, I should go on yet another stray leading me...
Around the Alster
5-September-2023Distance: 6.9km
Ascents: 30m
Duration: 1.75h
I start the day with something that one of the local tails recommended to me: A Franzbrot ("Francis Bread"), which is a local specialty. A type of sweet pastry similar to cinnamon roll, I have to say it is not bad. To go with it, I have yet another croissant (because the selection when I picked it up late at night again was pretty limited), as well as some more tea.
Once again, I have some time before I need to be at the EF, so I have decided to take the scenic route around all of the Außenalster. That means I head straight for the shore, turn right, and then follow the shore (more or less) until I get within striking distance of the CCH. This time around, I'm not looking for any Geocaches along the way, just a relaxed walk along the lakeshore, that is all.
Striking out through the streets that separate me from the lake, I come across a stylish pet supplies shop that speaks directly to its end users...
...and shortly thereafter, I am already back at the shore of the Außenalster, and in fact not far from where I first reached it yesterday too.
But just to make sure that I have not accidentally walked towards the wrong body of water, there's a convenient sign nearby telling me that the Alster is, in fact, very nearby. The Elbe is naturally also a river that I'm familiar with, but the Bille is a new one for me. Turns out that unlike the majestic Elbe, this is a rather short river that flows down a meager 65m of altitude in just as many kilometers before finally flowing into the Elbe in the middle of Hamburg, upstream from the Alster.
Following the lakeshore, I come across many birds on land and many more in the water...
...as well as this bridge which is apparently still in lockdown mode.
I also come across a bunch of other junk, such as the garbage bins of Hamburg that pack their very own flair, sporting slogans such as "Got a bag of shit?", "Open 24 hours", "Put it in, baby" or "When I grow up, I wanna be a container".
Another thing that I walk by is something that is quite the rarity in Germany: A public water fountain! Whereas they are commonplace in other parts of the world, here each of these one is a bit of a curiosity.
Eventually, I reach the northern end of the Außenalster, where I cross over the river Alster by means of the Kurgkoppelbrücke ("Pot Paddock Bridge"). From here on the Alster extends upstream for a little less than the Bille's total length, and also only ascends half as many meters.
Slightly wary of the sun - which did already give a few fellow furries sunburns yesterday - I proceed south along the western shore, passing through a nice and spacious park as I do.
Along the way I spot a bunch of cormorants perched on a row of stones in the lake. Being birds of the sea, we don't really have those back in Munich (although we do have seagulls near the Isar), at least not in these numbers and in places with so many people.
Shortly after my encounter with these birds, I take a right turn and leave the Alster behind, continuing on through a park where clearly the path could not decide on whether it wanted to pass to the left or right of a tree, and simply did both.
I am now already quite close to the Dammtor station, but I have yet to overcome an obstacle of which there are many instances in Hamburg: Traffic lights. Now, I realize that many cities have them, but of all the cities I've been to, Hamburg clearly has the most obnoxious traffic lights for pedestrians, because they stay green for literally three seconds before turning red again for well over a minute! And while that is annoying but still basically okay in most places, the road crossing in front of the Dammtor station is designed in such an irritating matter that I have to stop and wait a total of three times before making it to the other side!
However, once I finally manage to make it across, it's only a short walk from there until I'm finally back at the Eurofurence again.
Since I'm still there relatively early (read: 10:15), there's not all that much going on yet. However, this is only the beginning of a very fun day that should be dominated by...
Day 3 ~ Furry Tails
5-September-2023Today should feature a very furry experience, even by EF standards. But let's ease in with something simple, such as this matching pair of black and white dragons.
There was already quite a lot going on yesterday, but today seems to be especially busy. In fact, it would be no small understatement to describe the lobby of the CCH as anything other than "Furry Crowded".
That's another thing I love about the fandom. Everything is just so colorful! The people, the art, the outfits, why, even the lava lamps at the open stage are colorful!
Today features not just one, but two major events, and the first one of these is just about to come up: The Fursuit Parade! Always a highlight of every Furry convention, this is something that eventually got cancelled at the EF's last location at the Estrel in Berlin because of reasons. However, here in Hamburg, the Fursuit Parade is not only back, but better than ever! With the spacious Planten un Blomen park just in front of the doorstep, not only do we have a scenic and shady route for the parade, but there's also the opportunity for some silliness along the way. Most amazingly, however, the route leads everytail straight through a playground, giving a bunch of lucky kids the experience of a lifetime!
(Click here to view the video if the website fails to load it)
Following the Fursuit Parade, I ask at ConOps if there's something I can do, and it turns out there is: All the LED candles that were spread around the convention have to be turned off so that their batteries will last for the two more nights to come. I get right to it, and by the time I finish it's already about lunchtime. Having espied a nice little lunch place in the middle of the Planten un Blomen park earlier, this is where I go and have my obligatory Currywurst mit Pommes Rot-Weiß ("Curry sausage with french fries red-white"), because obviously you can't go to northern Germany and not have this dish at least once. And it doesn't disappoint either, being both tasty and filling.
Afterwards, my next shift at ConOps is soon to begin. This time around I help out with Locker Service, which is basically storing bags, backpacks and other luggage for fellow furs. That does actually remind me a bit of the eternal fetch quest at the Spielwiesn (see Book III ~ Chapter 12 ~ A World of Games), only a lot less busy.
Following that, there's a few formalities that need to be settled in order to formally welcome me into ConOps, but after those are taken care of, I get a neat little ConOps key chain as well.
I'm about to get busy again, but before I do, I get myself a crepe, because somehow I think that's just a part of a convention.
Now, the second main event today is the Furry Tails/Furry Drama Company theatre piece titled "Deomonormicon". This troupe has actually only been around for one year, so I didn't see the their debut performance at the EF 26, but I've heard many good things about it. Naturally, this year I wanna be there to witness the event myself.
And now, here's one of the perks of being part of the staff. Since we're always quite busy with this and that, we get a few perks, such as being able to cut queues entirely. Not that I'd need to, since one of the things that I'm busy with right now is helping Fox Inari prepare and arrange the seat reservations. Naturally, that means I also get to reserve my very own seat with only very little restrictions.
Now, as for the event itself, this turns out to be a fully-sized and original theatre piece with the actors all wearing fursuits. The piece is a typical magical high school drama involving, demons, romance, humor, mystery, as well as funny little details. The only thing that's a little bit weird is that the Furry Tails troupe is not wearing any furry tails.
Also, choreographies, and quite a bunch of them too, along with one pre-recorded "service announcement" about what to do when you've been possessed by a demon. As for the choreographies, we've got the opening, a summoning ceremony, the Walpurgisnacht dance, as well as the ending. All things combined, this makes for a very interesting and amusing experience, and the three hours of this event seem to be over in no time flat.
(Click here to view the video if the website fails to load it)
After that, it's already quite late for my taste, so I make my way back to the Airbnb. Fortunately, the trains are operating quite regularly from the Dammtor station, so I don't have to wait long.
And that concludes my third day at this year's Eurofurence. There's just one more day to come, and that day should start with...
A Hurried Hustle
6-September-2023Distance: 2.7km
Ascents: 15m
Duration: 0.5h
Breakfast on this fourth day consists of... nothing. For one, I completely forgot to pick up something from the bakery on my way home yesterday, but that's alright since there's also been a bit of an urgent situation: Another helper on early duty got stuck in a traffic jam, and now they need someone to fill the gap. And guess who spontaneously volunteered to scramble?
As such, I make my way to the CCH in a relatively direct line today. Not perfectly direct, since I actually do have a bit of extra time, but still way more direct than the two days before. Basically, I just make a bit of a detour to the central station in order to avoid having to walk along the busy main road, and then pretty much walk parallel to the train tracks to the convention center. With a bit of more time I might have taken the slightly more scenic route around the Binnenalster, but oh well. Gotta leave a bit of territory to explore for years to come anyway.
This stray takes me across yet more rainbow road crossings...
...as well as what appears to be a very grateful door.
Next, I take a stroll through the Wandelhalle ("Stroll Hall") of the Hamburg Central Station...
...which is also where I take the opportunity to grab some breakfast from a bakery.
Once south of the tracks, I soon pass the Hubertus-Wald-Forum, which sure looks impressive, although I have no idea as for its purpose.
I am guessing it has to do with art, however, since soon thereafter I come across this artificial cliffscape which is kinda interesting to navigate.
Moving on, a caravan of bicyclers crosses my path just as I cross between the two Alster lakes...
...and I subsequently arrive in the Planten un Blomen park at precisely the right time to relish rising Radian's rays reflecting from the mist of the presently activating water sprinklers.
I arrive at the CCH in time... too in-time actually, because the doors are still closed. Fortunately, we helpers have been told of an alternate way to get in, so this is as good a time to try it out as every.
So In by the backdoor I get, only to find out that the tail I was supposed to cover for has gotten here in time after all, and so I now got some time on my paw. Works for me, because that means I can finally sit down and have some breakfast after that rush here. What I got for myself is a Schlemmerstange ("Feast Stick") and a chocolate croissant. It would appear I'm on a sort of croissant-roll right now.
Anyway, so here I am, quite a bit too early for any events to start, but yet willing and ready to help out with whatever needs doing. This marks the beginning of the final day of this year's Eurofurence, where the whole convention should learn that...
Day 4 ~ All Cats are Beautiful
6-September-2023With me being here so early, the convention center is about as empty as I've ever seen it.
Also, something has changed, because today the Eurofurence is overlapping with another event, the Deutsche Hautkrebskongress ("German Skin Cancer Congress") taking part in the upper floors of the CCH. And while appropriate labels exist, some of that congress' attendees still end up at the Eurofurence Info Desk, most likely because it is located right under the "Check-In" sign. Fortunately, they are for the most part easy to tell apart from the furries, and we can just send them up the stairs.
As a result of this, some of the furry art in the main hall had to be taken down too. Fortunately, we still have ample space to put those on display in other parts of the CCH.
And the complications seem to find no end. For some reason, the registration desk is not staffed, and yet furs looking to purchase day tickets show up. And much as I'd like to help them, since registration and payment is another process entirely, there's little that I can do other to send them over to the security team and hope they can field a solution - with them being the pack in charge of making sure only registered attendees roam these halls. There is some back and forth, and eventually the security team manages to work out a crude, but functional solution - much to the delight of the tails waiting to attend.
Apart from that, my kinda impromptu early shift at the Info Desk is pretty much what you'd expect at a furry convention. Full of fluff, with interesting sights, and considering that this is the final day and most people by now know where the Radisson Blu rooms are located also not particularly busy.
After my shift, I proceed to visit the Protogen meetup. Protogens are another original furry species, being a sort of furry reptilian cyborg species the most striking feature of which is the visor on which facial expressions are displayed. This makes for great fursuits since it allows a much wider range of expressions than a normal stiff fursuit headpiece, which is probably one of the reasons for their popularity. The other being that they are just absolutely adorable.
(Click here to view the video if the website fails to load it)
After that, I head over to the food mile for some lunch. It goes without saying that I can't do so without running into a whole bunch of other furries along the way.
My lunch destination today is Vietnamese restaurant that I marked down on my first pass of the food mile, and getting in there I am instantly taken by the little shrine they gave at the entrance.
Since I didn't have anyone to go with (I really need to work on figuring out how to socialize without Flirial teleempathy... or Protogen networking for that matter), I take my food to go. On the way back I pass by the Japanese Gardens, yet another area of the Planten un Blomen park, and one that I've been wanting to visit ever since I arrived. And yet, it somehow always slips my mind. I resolve to make sure and visit them later today, yet once again should totally forget about it with everything else that's going on. Oh well, another thing to do next year I guess.
Anyway, back at the CCH, I finally sit down and have the lunch I bought from the Vietnamese place: A tasty bowl of Pho noodles. Well, not as tasty as the Pho I experienced back in Toronto (see Book V ~ Chapter 2 ~ Trecking Through Toronto ~ The Food), but still good.
Following lunch, I stray around the convention for a bit more, experiencing a miniature-furpile...
...as well as an impromptu musical performance at the open stage.
(Click here to view the video if the website fails to load it)
Time flies, and the final grand event is gradually creeping up. Time for me to grab a last bite to eat. Incidentally, by now I learned that there is such a thing as a staff room, and that it features free food for friendly furry volunteers such as myself. Granted, it's nothing fancy, but it'll certainly do.
Following that, I am back in duty doing what I as an accomplished papercrafter do best: Helping Fox Inari with the seat reservations once again, both the cutting part...
...as well as spreading them around the seats in the main stage.
Once again, it's a good thing that I get to reserve my own seat here, because unsurprisingly the entire hall soon enough is about as full as it gets in anticipation for today's main event.
Said main event is actually a combination of two separate events. The first is the closing ceremony, which features a funny little spoof of a certain song from a certain movie.
(Click here to view the video if the website fails to load it)
Oh, and by the way, that's not a camera...
...that's a camera!
Following the closing ceremony, the crowning event of the Eurofurence is the Pawpet Show. This time, it is a story inspired by reality, about racial discrimination and police brutality, mapping the tale of the Black Lives Matter movement into the canine-dominated furry city of Los Lobos where cats and other minority races suffer under a rule of canines. Personally, I did prefer the more fantastic tales they spun in the past, but even so, the piece is still excellent, with lots of attention to story, detail, and also the occasional humorous antics for comic relief.
(Click here to view the video if the website fails to load it)
A major pivotal plot point of the show is how a whole city block that is the semi-legal home of many members of "lesser races" is supposed to be torn down to make room for a luxury mall, and although that is per se heavy stuff, the humorous branding still manages to somewhat take the edge off.
Another such spoof is the completely neutral and objective news reports of the DOGS NEWS, which, as they dogmatically state, "have no agenda". Those audio-only reports serve as fillers between scenes to get the stage crew time to prepare the next setting.
Fortunately, there's also another "network" filling in the gaps from a different perspective, and that is HISS RADIO, which puts things in contrast by showing the other side's perspective. Unfortunately, I don't know if this one is supposed to be a reference to something as well.
There's also a number of background details and little funny things, such as a Demon HunterZ poster, which is a reference to the Pawpet Show of the last Eurofurence that I visited...
...or the totally random tentacle monster out of an abandoned waste bin that gets effectively countered by a handy ACME 1000 tons weight.
Apart from the smaller redecoration breaks that are covered by the audio-interludes, there's also one big break in the middle where they show a number of cute little animation videos. Here's a really sweet one that touched my heart and made me cry.
(Click here to view the video if the website fails to load it)
In the end of the Pawpet Show, justice triumphs over discrimination, the town block is saved, the corrupt police captain gets what he had coming, and the protagonist wolf and cat get their happy ending.
And with that, this year's Eurofurence is coming to an end to me. On the way out, I exchange many hugs with my new-found pack at ConOps, and it is with tears in my eyes that I leave this place behind, already looking for when I'll return next year and be part of the pack again. Next year, I resolve to come earlier and stay longer so that I can also help with setup and teardown, which I'm sure I'd enjoy very much as well.
Of all the EF days, today was the one that stretched furthest into the night for me, and so it's not entirely surprising that the trains do not run quite as regularly at this hour. I mean, it's still pretty regularly, but since I am also within extended walking distance of my stay place, I figure I might as well walk instead of waiting for 15 minutes.
It is a nice night for a walk, and as I cross over the Kennedybrücke again, I get to behold the beautiful view of the moon shining over the Außenalster, with the lights of the far shore glimmering above the lake, and even a few stars visible in the sky.
And after that, it's a relaxed and quiet stroll through the nightly streets all the way back to my stay place.
With that, this day comes to a close. It was an amazing and fitting finale for a fantastic Eurofurence, and it left me with a wonderful afterglow that I am sure to carry for hopefully a long time to come. With that being said, let us now proceed to...
The Retrospective
I had my own room in a shared apartment, with a bed that was basically okay. Food was not included, though there was a kitchen with basic cooking supplies and free tea. The atmosphere was very friendly, and I had a nice chat with Michael about the Eurofurence on one of these evenings. The bathroom had everything I needed, but it was shared too. Location-wise, this place was really close to shopping and public transport, and the Außenalster was not too far away. The free WiFi worked well, and the temperature was comfortable too. However, the price was a bit steep for my taste, amounting to over 55€ per night, which feels like at least twice as high as it should be. Factoring all this together, this place ranks somewhere in the middle of all the places I've stayed at.
Now, all that's left is the way back home, which should yet be an unexpectedly exciting adventure which I should forever remember as...
↑ to topThe Terminating Train Trip
7-September-2023Since my train departs relatively early (and since I did not get the chance to buy breakfast last night on account of how late it got), I have to make do with one last cup of tea this morning.
Afterwards, I am quick to pack up, leaving behind yet another empty room.
It is only 7:30 by the time I leave the Airbnb and make for the station...
...by means of roads that should unexpectedly lead me past a very slutty part of Hamburg.
I reach the station well in time, and as such have the luxury of browsing the bakery's fresh-baked goods without having to rush, picking out a few goodies to munch along the ride. However, I clearly am still too tired from staying up well past midnight in order to upload some Scramble Mix vids of the Eurofurence to Youtube, because I end up buying only two pieces instead of four, completely forgetting that this will be both breakfast and lunch for me.
On the platform, I have a pleasant run-in with some fellow furs, and we end up chatting until their train arrives. I'm gonna miss having these nice run-ins with like-minded people that result from the presently high concentration of furries in this area. Anyway, my train is the next to arrive. Once again, I have booked a direct connection from Munich to Hamburg via ICE... or so I thought.
I have no inkling that something is going to go wrong at this point, but as a matter of fact, this train should not take me all the way to Munich as I had assumed it would, but only to Erfurt ("He-Ford" (the most powerful ford in the universe!!!)) and no further. It also takes a different route than the train to Hamburg, going via Berlin instead of Hannover. Distance-wise, that's a bit of a detour, but since that route is completely covered by high-speed tracks (unlike the bit between Erlangen and Hannover), it still takes about the same amount of time... or at least it should. Anyway, the train does not stop at all between Hamburg and Berlin, and after that, there's only two more stops between there and Erlangen, namely Wittenberg ("White Mountain") - birthplace of the Protestant church on account of Martin Luther nailing his 95 theses on the door of the castle church here - and Leipzig ("Limetree").
Approximate Distance: 540km
Average Speed: 114km/h
Anyway, for starters, the ride is nice and uneventful. The train is not terribly full...
...and so I can quietly enjoy my breakfast, which on account of my earlier little mess-up consists only of a Franzbrot today. But it's a tasty one, I have to admit that!
Anyway, this first part of my ride home should take me mostly through the flat lands of northern Germany. Most fields have already been harvested by now, and there's a few forests, rivers and cities in between, but for the most part, the area is pretty clear, and dotted with many, many wonderful windmills. It is not until around after Leipzig that I start seeing the first foothills of the Mittelgebirge.
(Click here to view the video if the website fails to load it)
Incidentally, it is also roughly around that time that I pull out the second part of my provisions and have my lunch, which today takes the form of a cheese croissant and a humble Müsli bar. And yes, maybe it's time to admit that I have a croissant-problem. =^,~'=
And then it happens, shortly after lunch. The train is standing at the Erfurt station, making no move to depart. Eventually, the announcements begin, starting with "Our departure will be slightly delayed", continuing over "considerably delayed", and eventually reaching "delayed until further notice". Good thing I have booked a direct train, so I won't have to worry about missing any connecting trains, right? ...right?
Hahah! I wish! Eventually they escalate to "delayed indefinitely" and have the passengers leave the train altogether. The reason, as it turns out, is the accursed construction of the 2nd S-Bahn trunk line all the way over in Munich, which we've had to suffer for many years since and will have to suffer for many years yet to come, on account of German governments being incapable of organizing construction works anywhere near as efficient as the Japanese. As it happens, a crane managed to cut an overhead wire, which ended up falling onto an S-Bahn in Munich, and - dig this - the German railway network is so delicate that this causes disruptions literally halfway across Germany! I mean, I'm still over 300km away from Munich as the catapult shoots, and this is where my train ends because of that! The ensuing rush on the local travel center is appropriately cataclysmic.
Waiting in that queue takes forever, and while I was one of the first few dozen people who got there (there mus be at least a hundred or more behind me), it doesn't look like I'll get to the front in the foreseeable future, with the woefully understaffed service deck team taking forever to deal with people on an individual basis. Fortunately, one person who got serviced is hearty enough to call out to the people in the queue that they have a schedule for how to get at least to Augsburg, and since I figure waiting in line here is most likely an exercise in futility, I decide to join them. As a result, I soon find myself on the platform again, waiting for the next ICE headed for Munich, hoping that it will at least get me within striking distance.
Naturally, it's not just me, but also all the other people whose travel plans got disrupted who eventually appear on the platform, so it quickly gets quite crowded. Fortunately, I appear to be one of those few people level-headed enough to realize that this ICE is going to be really long, and I can just walk to a less crowded portion of the platform, which will likely also increase my odds of being able to grab a seat. Meanwhile, most people apparently prefer to keep standing right in front of the stairs.
The ICE eventually arrives at the station...
...and I am happy to report that my plan works out. Having walked almost to the end of the train, I easily manage to grab a seat, and there's even some left to spare. And yet, the train fails to depart. How come? Well, remember all the people stacking near the stairs? Of course, they all boarded the ICE right there, leading to an overcrowding in the train which causes the train crew to refuse departure until the people spread more evenly through the train. Several announcements ensue, asking the people to get off again, walk down the platform to the ends of the train, and board the less crowded wagons, such as the one I'm in. That whole circus delays our departure by another 20 minutes or so, but then we're finally moving again.
Things should stay exciting from there on, with the train crew giving us regular updates on the situation in Munich, and how far they expect they'll be able to get. For most of the ride, it seems like I'll get as far as either Nürnberg ("Only a Mountain") or even Ingolstadt ("In Gold City"), though there's that one prolonged stop at Bamberg ("Tree Mountain") where they ask people to please, please get off and consider alternate options. Me and my seat neighbor - having spontaneously connected over being both stuck in this Odyssey together - figure that since we're among those who actually have seats, we might as well stay on the train and see how far it takes us.
Amazingly, it turns out that the train should, in fact, take us all the way to Munich, which is actually amazing. In fact, I have been stressing out quite a lot since this debacle began on account of me having booked a back-to-back vacation about which I will write starting with the next chapter, and the flight for that departs the day after tomorrow, with me having literally just the one day in between to get everything in order. So imagine my relief when I learn that we are going to be arriving in Munich after all, albeit with considerable delay.
Approximate Distance: 380km
Average Speed: 84km/h
This last laggy leg of this journey should take us through the Mittelgebirge, which by necessity contains a lot of bridges and tunnels, with fields and forests in between, and also a few cities. Eventually we pass through Ingolstadt and then continue through the Holedau, where this year's hops harvest is coming along nicely. At that point, we're on the home stretch, and the next stop is finally Munich.
(Click here to view the video if the website fails to load it)
Along the way, I also take note of the service announcement saying I can get a refund for this delay, and my aforementioned seat neighbor also says that while that used to be a hassle in the past, by now it's gotten reasonably convenient. I should eventually do that after my return, and indeed get a refund worth roughly half of what I paid for the ride. Not too shabby.
Then again, I suppose that's only justified, considering how the train should occasionally slow to such a crawl that we're getting passed by joggers.
But anyway, eventually we reach Munich with a total delay of approximately 4 hours...
...and from there I take the U-Bahn to the Westfriedhof ("Western Graveyard"), where my father offered to pick me up after I've gotten in touch with him about these rather stressful events.
While waiting for my father to pick me up at the Westfriedhof, I spot a rather unusual... uh... "car"... being parked there. It's got three wheels, but two of them are in front, so I don't know if the word "trike" is adequate here.
But anyway, my father eventually picks me up, and while we drive the rest of the way home I tell him both about my good time at the EF, as well as the not-so-good time travelling back here. By now it's already so late that we're literally driving into the sunset.
He drops me off just outside the fox loft, and I am glad to be back home again, if only for two short nights.
Back at the Fox Loft, Jamie and Toledo are happy and hearty, gladly welcoming me.
Unfortunately, that's about it for the pleasant welcome, because I soon find that my cat-sitter has not only completely ignored the schedule, but also fed way more cat food than intended. Also, there's a puddle of cat pee next to the toilet, and the less said about the kitty litter boxes the better. It would seem my cat-sitter completely neglected to clean them at all.
Also, my cats did manage to shred another one of the posters I put up on the walls. This time, it's a filler pic from the Faux Pas web comic that had a nice slogan on it.
As such, the first thing I have to do upon returning is spend some time to get the Fox Loft back in reasonable shape. This does not exactly make me optimistic about my next, considerably longer journey. But at this point, there's little I can do. With only a single day to get things in order before I next depart, I am already well underway on...
The Road Ahead
My next journey is a big one again. As you might recall, I had long since intended to visit Japan again, and had actually already made very concrete plans with bookings and all when the Green Shnolz laid it all to waste (see Book IV ~ Prologue ~ Of Chains and Chances). Now, it is finally time to recapture this dream. My next destination is, once again, the land of foxes. It should be a long and eventful journey, which I am going to cover in the next couple of chapters on the Travelling Fox Blog. So stay tuned, and be of great cheer!
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