![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Worldcon 75
Sep. 15th, 2017 12:49 pmOn Wednesday morning I caught the train to Pasila - Bole; single ticket was 2,90€, got to Messukeskus - exhibition centre by 9:43.
Went through registration in minutes.
Had a wander and chats. Read new Bujold Novella in food court. The iOS app program guide uses WCON75, and there is free wi-fi in the centre. I'll make some general comments then a daily breakdown, list of programme items I attended can be found here.
There were a few things that weren't up to snuff, the most important that the number of attendees was higher than expected (over 6000) and many program items were over subscribed. (Despite queuing and 3 additional large rooms, I didn't get in to any of the NASA program items!)
This was probably due to the high number of first time attendees. Long time con attendees frequently only attend a couple of program items (not including ones they are on). I, however enjoy programming and try to get to as many as I can, in addition to viewing the art show and trawling the dealers room and fan areas. (Details of the programs I actually attended are in a separate post).
The newsletter was not reprinted, so if you missed its original publication you didn't get a copy (there is a PDF version on website though), the app program guide was awesome & regularly updated. The on site food was better than the usual fast food, though there was little nearby, (the train to the city centre ran regularly and only took 5 minutes - so all restaurants there were easily accessible).
Also kudos to the con organisation, as they had arranged for free public transport during the convention (saving me about 20-30€). Generally prices in Helsinki were high, partly due to the country, but also that it is the capital. So rather than spend 5-15€ for each meal I went shopping in Lidl's and bought milk & cereal for bfast and bagels & cream cheese + apples for lunch for the whole stay, for less than the price of 2 meals. As my hotel had a shared kitchen, with free tea and coffee, and a fridge for storage, I was well situated. I only had to buy a single meal per day at the food court.
This con had 49 program items uploaded to YouTube so you could have a more programmed Worldcon than I did (sadly the Hugo Award's appear to have been lost). I can just be glimpsed at the end of Pre-Potter Wizarding School.
Apart from the video recording, and the Hugo for series work (won by Lois McMaster Bujold) the most unique appearances were the blacksmith setup out side and the number of local choirs that performed in the program, and as flash mobs around the con.
I met a number of listies around the con, excluding the James B curry meet on Thursday. Discovered on Saturday that one of the other people staying in the hotel also going to Worldcon so we had a chat before bed. On Saturday I got my first experience of 3D VR - circus acrobat, got really close up without fear of getting hit by a flying limb! Upgraded my Dublin 2019 membership to attending after they won the bid. Went to both the Hugo's & the Masquerade (started queuing early for the latter) in the big auditorium - fairly packed.
And then it ended on Saturday afternoon, and back to my hotel room for the last time (from the station).
For the rest of my trip see the August entry.
Went through registration in minutes.
Had a wander and chats. Read new Bujold Novella in food court. The iOS app program guide uses WCON75, and there is free wi-fi in the centre. I'll make some general comments then a daily breakdown, list of programme items I attended can be found here.
There were a few things that weren't up to snuff, the most important that the number of attendees was higher than expected (over 6000) and many program items were over subscribed. (Despite queuing and 3 additional large rooms, I didn't get in to any of the NASA program items!)
This was probably due to the high number of first time attendees. Long time con attendees frequently only attend a couple of program items (not including ones they are on). I, however enjoy programming and try to get to as many as I can, in addition to viewing the art show and trawling the dealers room and fan areas. (Details of the programs I actually attended are in a separate post).
The newsletter was not reprinted, so if you missed its original publication you didn't get a copy (there is a PDF version on website though), the app program guide was awesome & regularly updated. The on site food was better than the usual fast food, though there was little nearby, (the train to the city centre ran regularly and only took 5 minutes - so all restaurants there were easily accessible).
Also kudos to the con organisation, as they had arranged for free public transport during the convention (saving me about 20-30€). Generally prices in Helsinki were high, partly due to the country, but also that it is the capital. So rather than spend 5-15€ for each meal I went shopping in Lidl's and bought milk & cereal for bfast and bagels & cream cheese + apples for lunch for the whole stay, for less than the price of 2 meals. As my hotel had a shared kitchen, with free tea and coffee, and a fridge for storage, I was well situated. I only had to buy a single meal per day at the food court.
This con had 49 program items uploaded to YouTube so you could have a more programmed Worldcon than I did (sadly the Hugo Award's appear to have been lost). I can just be glimpsed at the end of Pre-Potter Wizarding School.
Apart from the video recording, and the Hugo for series work (won by Lois McMaster Bujold) the most unique appearances were the blacksmith setup out side and the number of local choirs that performed in the program, and as flash mobs around the con.
I met a number of listies around the con, excluding the James B curry meet on Thursday. Discovered on Saturday that one of the other people staying in the hotel also going to Worldcon so we had a chat before bed. On Saturday I got my first experience of 3D VR - circus acrobat, got really close up without fear of getting hit by a flying limb! Upgraded my Dublin 2019 membership to attending after they won the bid. Went to both the Hugo's & the Masquerade (started queuing early for the latter) in the big auditorium - fairly packed.
And then it ended on Saturday afternoon, and back to my hotel room for the last time (from the station).
For the rest of my trip see the August entry.
