Theme: Traumfabrik Hollywood
Location: Ringberg Hotel
Finally, this is pretty much the first proper furry convention (apart from FBL) since COVID started!
Originally I was supposed to drive with Tabbie and Yamavu in Tabbie's car, but sadly Tabbie couldn't make it because he was sick, so the day before I scrambled to borrow my mom's car. Since Flo, a friend of Sertro, needed a ride it ended up being me, Yamavu and Flo on the ride to EAST. Both of them arrived around 8:00 and we managed to drive out at around 8:30. The ride was surprisingly smooth, barely traffic and almost no construction sites!
We stopped at the rest stop "Bayrischer Wald" - which according to Google Maps is the place we usually stop at on this route - for lunch. I had a bagel and some coffee and finished some things for work still.
We arrived at REWE at around 16:00 and spent 60€ on drinks and snacks, then we drove up on the Ringberg. We dumped our stuff in front of the hotel and I parked our car on the more remote free parking lot. At the hotel entrance I ran into BBF, we chatted for a little bit, then I got our room key and hauled my junk onto the pre-chilled panorama suite. Today it was 37°C so having one of the few rooms with an air conditioner was a blessing.
I unpacked, inflated some pool toys and one chair after which my pump died and prepared the desk in our room for Henrieke to use, as she missed a deadline for work and still had to finish inking a Donald Duck comic at the con.
Downstairs I saw Shorty who was busy at the con registration line. I sat together with Rakipu and Mlice a bit and drew a quick sketch that Atkelar requested for use in his videos. Yamavu and Atura (in fursuit) dropped by for a bit as well.
Henrieke, Eko, Mag and Yotie arrived at around 19:40 and I was ready to help them unload with a cart. After hauling all our stuff up to the room, Henrieke took a shower to cool down while I unpacked her things. We then went down to the BBQ, which was okay. I'd have expected more for 25€ but it was filling. We sat together with Shorty and across the table from BBF and Cheetah, who were both GoHs at this con. Tillikum was there as well.
Shortly before 21:00 Mag, Ekorren and Yotie also came down to the terrace. They opted to not go to the BBQ, which they regretted since none of the restaurants in Suhl delivered at this time of day anymore and the hotel bar also offered no food (except some gross pre-packaged sandwiches).
We spent some time in our room and played Burnout Legends on the 3 PSPs I brought. Henrieke wanted to sleep so we moved downstairs. In the pool there was a rave party going on, which looked fun, though I don't think I would've enjoyed the strobe light which was turned on the entire time.
The view from the Ringberg was beautiful as always. I recently got a Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5g, which has very nice cameras, so I could take a nice night photo of Suhl. Back at Eurofurence 15, you wouldn't have been able to see Suhl from this point, but apparently a lot of the trees on the Ringberg are dying and were cut down.
We played some more GTA on the PSP inside, then moved outside on the pool beds, which was really chill. Eventually it got too cold and we went inside again and scribbled a bit. Mag drew a bit on my Remarkable. I spent some time chatting with Mag in front of ConOps while waiting for Shorty, then went to Shorty's room to pick up stuff he brought for me (A Jornada Palm-Size PC, a Jornada 720 and some duct-tape I forgot I asked him to buy, but came in handy because Henrieke needed tape to tape her lightbox to the standee anyway). Just as I left Yamavu also came to the room since he was rooming with Shorty. I said good night, went to our suite and went to bed at 2:30.
We got up at 10:30 and went to breakfast with Ekorren and Mag. Henrieke joined as well and we ended up staying at our table until 13:00. The buffet itself was open until 12:00, which is great for people like us who love to sleep in!
I went up to the room and then went to the pool with Mag and Ekorren. Yotie also joined a bit later. There were lots of big pool toys and I took some video with my action cam as well. Just as we left, Yamavu, Atura, Sertro and Zed also arrived at the pool.
After heading back to our room, I went to the Dealers Den with Mag, who had a table planned in. Since he didn't show up at the set-up, they didn't put a table ready for him and told him they would figure out something tomorrow. I checked out the Dealers Den a bit which was spread over 3 panel rooms this time.
The video game was being set up and I chatted a bit with Zefiro who was guarding the entrance. I spotted Cheetah having fun with an Amiga CD32 in there already. Then I sat in the lobby with Mag and Ekorren and art-jammed a bit. We also jammed a bit on the little Casio Keyboard that Mag had brought. I went back to the game room which was open by now, and it was really nice. They had lots of old systems, Commodora, Amiga, 90s Sega and Nintendo consoles, Wii and many more!
We ordered some Döner/Pizza which took about 30 minutes to arrive, then we ate together in our room with Henrieke, Mag, Ekorren and Yotie. After dinner got into suit. Baseball could not miss the inflatables panel which featured many adorable inflatables! Of course the highlight of every inflatables panel is the cute Sea Dragon, which was once again here, owned by Silvi, a friend of Sertro. Baseball was busy for a while rating all the pool toys for Sertro, and Mag took a bunch of photos of Baseball.
Baseball then said hi to Shorty at ConOps, who promptly gave him a donation can and sent him to get some money for the charity in the lobby. This was made much easier by the fact that the hotel only allowed cash payments, so almost everyone had plenty of spare change to donate to "Tierisch Grenzenlos E.V.". After about 15 minutes Baseball had collected about 95€ and delivered the can back to ConOps. Since the dance was already going on, Baseball dropped by there for a bit and met Yamavu, Sertro and Atura. He also ran into Krauti, who told him that he'd be DJing soon.
Baseball then took a short break in the room. I chatted a bit with Mag, then Baseball went down to flap his wings a bit at Krauti's dance. He also met Zed there. After it got a bit too warm, Baseball went up again and I took a quick shower. Henrieke, Mag, Ekorren, Yotie were there, and Yamavu, Atura and Turiv joined later. Yotie had brought Wavelength, which we played together. Chibinoms also dropped by in suit and since his voice reminded me of the "Fortnite Cola" kid, I showed him the video which he ended up quoting the rest of the con. After 2 rounds of Wavelength we switched to playing Jackbox on Yotie's Steam Deck connected to the big TV in our room. We played some Faking It, Quiplash and Split the Room.
At around 2:00 everyone left and I went to bed, while Henrieke stayed up to work on her comic.
We went to breakfast at 10:45 and found a nice breezy spot with Ekorren and Yotie. Sertro also dropped by for a little bit.
At 12:00 we went to the Dealers Den to see Mag's table. Henrieke went to the room to scan the comic she finished inking last night. Yotie, Mag, Ekorren and I went to REWE in the meantime to stock up on drinks and snacks.
We got back to the hotel at 13:30. We put the stuff in the room, then I sat outside together for a bit with Yamavu, Sertro, Turiv, Chibinoms and others. Yotie and Ekorren joined as well. I drew a postcard or Titash that I planned to send after the con. Henrieke was still working on her scans.
I went inside again as it was really hot outside and inflated the second inflatable chair in our room with a pump I borrowed from Silvi. Henrieke was done with her comic by now, so we went downstairs. The Dealers Den was already closed, so we went to the Game Room and played some Mario Kart Wii. Then we sat in the lobby with Ekorren Mag and Yotie and had some mediocre burgers. I left early as Sertro and Silvi were at the pool, and the Sea Dragon was there too!
Yotie and Mag joined as well later. We had a lot of fun in the pool and left at 19:40. I got the room key from Henrieke who was sitting outside with Ekorren and BBF. I quickly changed out of suit but sadly just missed BBF who promised to film a bit at the 90s party which just started. I met Chibinoms downstairs and gave him a Cola which he very much appreciated, then figured that Baseball should be at the 90s party. He went there with Mag and had some fun times. Baseball also played some amazing tunes on Mag's Casio keyboard and impressed BBF with his musical talent.
BBF was setting up his equipment for a trance set outside, and Baseball was waiting for it to start with Cyrilius. It took quite a while, so Baseball took a bit of a break in our room. I chatted a bit with Ekorren, Henrieke, Mag and Yotie, then Baseball went down a bit to dance to some classic Trance tunes by Cheetah and BBF. Baseball went to the room again and I took a quick shower.
We then played some more Jackbox games. Yamavu and Sertro also joined and we played some more Faking It, Role Models and Trivia Murder Party while the floor was vibrating from the room party below us.
We went to bed at 2:20.
I got up at 9:50 and went to breakfast. Henrieke, Mag and Eko were already there, though Mag had to leave for the Dealers Den already. I went down to Mag's table and we chatted a bit, then I went back to the breakfast buffet to look for Sertro. I found him and we talked a bit. Sadly Cindy, his girlfriend, would only come to the con for an hour on Sunday, maybe next year she'll actually see some of the con!
I went back to the room and cuddled a bit with Henrieke after preparing Tyler and Baseball for the fursuit parade. I wore Baseball with the giant wings, Henrieke wore Tyler, who hasn't been at the Ringberg for quite a while! Baseball and Tyler were just in time for the start of the parade. They also met Luno Roo, another native Australian critter. The media was present and they filmed a piece for MDR.
The parade was nice, just like at the last EAST I've been to, buses full of people came to the hotel just to see all the animals! The kids loved it!
Tyler and Baseball joined in the group photo, then wandered around a bit and got a picture taken for Croc, who they missed at this con! Mag took some more photos inside, then it was time for Baseball and Tyler to go up again. After a quick shower, Henrieke and I went to the pool to cool down a bit for 45 minutes. After that we went back to the room and took a while getting people together for an order at the Asia Bistro. 40 minutes later we got our food and ate in our room with Henrieke, Yamavu, Atura, Yotie, Ekorren and Mag.
Eko played some Cuphead on Yotie's Steam Deck. Everyone except Ekorren and Henrieke left at 19:30 and we agreed on meeting at the pool in an hour. Yotie and Mag went downstairs to take some photos and Baseball joined them soon, getting some slav-squat photos taken and joining some people playing Beach Volleyball. I guess Baseball Bat changed to Beachvolleyball Bat for a while.
Baseball Beachvolleyball Bat.
Baseball asked if any more charity collection was needed, but since someone just did that it didn't make too much sense so he went back to the room. Then Henrieke, Mag, Eko, Yotie and I went to the pool. Yamavu and Atura also joined later. I brought my inflatable dolphin and fish. Some other people also brought inflatables, including a huge inflatable stealth bomber that was right up Yotie's alley.
We saw a nice sunset from the pool as well and played with beach balls. We stayed until 20:20, then went back to the room. I took a shower, and the TV showed Cheetah's set. We started playing some more Wavelength and Jackbox and a round of Eat Poop You Cat. Later Yamavu, Rakipu and Mlice joined. Sadly I was too exhausted to make it to BBF's set.
We played until 2:00 and finally went to bed at around 2:40 after the party downstairs moved to the lower floor of the convention space.
We got up at 9:00, packed most of our stuff and met with Eko, Mag and Yamavu at breakfast. Shorty dropped by for a bit too and told us how many refundable cans and bottles they already collected for charity.
Collecting old bottles was both conventient for attendees and provided a great chunk of extra money for charity! We got back to our room shortly before 11:00, packed the rest of our stuff and put it downstairs.
We checked out at around 12:00, then I went to get and we did some luggage Tetris. It was time to say good-bye to Henrieke, Mag, Yotie and Ekorren who were all headed towards the Netherlands.
Yamavu and Atura were going to Hamburg and I was driving to Vienna with Kazzador and Flo. The drive back was fairly smooth, apart from an accident that cost us about 25 minutes. We stopped at Suben for some food, which is the rest stop we would always stop at when driving home from EF13-EF15. Sadly the stop was a bit run-down by now and they also did not have any nice plushies. My favorite Kangaroo plushie was from this rest stop, I bought it after EF14!
We arrived in Vienna at around 20:00, I fueled the car, Kazzador and Flo helped me unload and I dropped them off at the subway after. Then I returned the car to my mom, cooled down in the pool for a few minutes, then went home and pretty much passed out. 6.5 hours of driving is way more than I'm used to.
I had an absolute blast at EAST this year and got to do just about anything I set out to do. It was so great hanging out with so many friends again in my absolute favorite convention hotel! We didn't art jam as much as I hoped, but I suited, danced, played games, chatted and had lots of fun in the pool.
I'm definitely planning to be at EAST 11 again!
A huge thanks goes out to all the hard-working staff who made this convention possible, everything went smoothly and all the effort they put in really showed!