Dusseldorf and Fedcon

NON-SCIENCE FICTION FAN WARNING: I am really geeking out here and it may be embarrassing for you, so you are welcome to leave now. Or at leas keep the eye-rolls to a minimum.

For three years in a row, my partner and I had been attending a Doctor Who convention in Los Angeles called Gallifrey One. Moving to Europe got in the way of attending this year, so we wanted a consolation prize. FedCon, Europe’s largest science fiction convention held yearly in Dusseldorf, Germany, seemed like an adequate substitute. This con was less specific than the primarily Doctor Who themed Gallifrey One, and promised scads of stars from a variety of shows, including Star Trek (both Deep Space Nine and Voyager), Doctor Who/Torchwood, Battlestar Galactica, etc. Overall, there were some disappointments and guest cancellations, but we made the best of it by getting out and seeing the city when the schedule thinned out. Getting to meet John Barrowman, Eve Myles, and a few Voyager cast members made it worthwhile, but it really made us appreciate and miss the extremely well-run Gallifrey One.

Bette and Joan: The Divine Feud by Shaun Considine

This book is required reading at the National Organization for Offensive Gay Stereotypes (along with my previously reviewed Get Happy), but I didn’t just read it to get the free caftan. I have been obsessed with old Hollywood biographies for a while now, and had heard from several trusted sources that this was one of the best. Now that I’ve read it, I couldn’t agree more. The best biographies offer both juicy details and extensively researched facts, and this book is bursting at the seams with both. Even if you’re not typically interested in biographies and claim not to care about these two megastars, you will find yourself caring within a few dozen pages. It’s that well done.

Doctor Who Series 7: Nightmare in Silver

I was torn about this episode long before I even watched it. On the one hand, I adore Neil Gaiman. This is the guy who wrote Neverwhere and American Gods, and had even written a really great episode of Who already (“The Doctor’s Wife”). On the other hand, from last week’s epilogue and preview, I saw that two young children would be companions in this story. The sneak peek seemed to indicate that the personalities and acting talent of the children would leave many fans wishing they hadn’t complained so much about Matthew Waterhouse or those twins from Colin Baker’s first episode. Given I felt pulled in both ways, I dove into the episode being as open-minded as possible. Let me now make it clear: I no longer feel torn.

Spring Vacation Part 3: Budapest

The third and final leg of our trip (after a brief pause in Frankfurt to catch a plane), was to Budapest, Hungary. It was especially exciting, as neither my partner nor I had been before. While we were there (the end of April), the temperature was in the mid 70s to 80s (mid to high 20s for you Celsius folk); it was absolutely perfect after the long, cold winter we’d had in Luxembourg. And though Paris and Amsterdam both had pleasant weather, this was the first time we actually felt summer heat. Add to that the gorgeous landscape of the city (especially near the Danube) and the varied architecture, this could easily be in the running for our favorite spot so far (though I am withholding that proclamation until we’ve traveled a bit more). Did I mention it’s cheap? All the beauty and activity of the more typical travel destinations like London, Paris, or Amsterdam, at about 1/3 to 1/2 the price. Seriously, it was that cheap.

Spring Vacation Part 2: Return to Amsterdam

This giant teddy bear was blowing bubbles outside one of the first shops we saw after arriving in Amsterdam. As we are easily impressed and admittedly are sometimes drawn to cheesy gift shops, we had to pause. My partner’s mother shopped (I won’t judge, as that’s what my mom tends to do as well). I had to capture it on film (or whatever the digital equivalent of that is), because I am under the impression (as are most bloggers) that people want to see hundreds of random photos of my vacations. If only it were the 70s and I had a slide projector…

Anyway, as with Paris, our second trip to Amsterdam was more laid back, and a good time was had by all. And by laid back/good time, I of course mean boats on a canal, beer tours, and museums. Nothing else. Because that would be illegal and wrong. Are we clear?

Spring Vacation Part 1: Return to Paris

My partner’s parents visited us for the last few weeks of April, and opted to see three cities: Paris, Amsterdam, and Budapest. With an additional brief stay in Frankfurt before catching a plane to Hungary, things were pretty hectic. It was pretty amazing, though. Seeing Paris again was considerably more relaxed this time, as there was less pressure to see certain tourist spots. We still hit several touristy spots, but it was a bit more laid back than our trip over the holidays. We also had the chance to catch a few new experiences, a couple of which we would not have thought to visit on our own.

Doctor Who Series 7: The Crimson Horror

Before getting caught up on my Doctor Who viewing, I had heard several fellow fans rave about this episode as the best so far this series. I want to withhold such a judgment until I’ve had more time to ruminate, but this was definitely a very strong episode. Written by Mark Gatiss, who also brought us the very enjoyable “Cold War,” it successfully brings together all of the elements of a really great Who episode. I’m not happy about the last scene, but let’s save that for a moment.