DAEDALUS CON - MY FIRST FORAY INTO THE WORLD OF CONVENTIONS.

After having completed the private signing session for Mark Dermul, Derek Lyons informed me that he had received an invitation from a convention he had attended the previous year, to attend again and to suggest further guest(s) - me!

As I already mentioned, Derek had worked his magic with images of me and Mark Dermul had kindly agreed to me using the images he had previously supplied, too. Suddenly, I had a stock of photographs and I was ready for my first lesson from Derek in how to deal with the public!

We laughed our way through one heading after another until it was time to travel to Germany and meet our hosts at Dortmund airport, Markus Tchenschel and Ralph Pripanow. Thomas Riepergerste and his lovely wife Bianka would meet us at the venue. Immediately it became obvious they were as eager to please me as I them and so we settled down and drove into the suburb where our convention was to take place. The area seemed quite charming and our hotel proved to be perfect - a family-run affair with super-friendly owner and staff who remembered Derek, and a brilliant menu, cooked to order by the owner/chef!

The following morning, Ralph came to pick us up and drive us to the venue - a modern Community Hall, built as a rotunda. The very first thing I saw was an old Trabant outside, an old East German car of ingenious design - the Communist version of the 'Peoples' Car' - and an answer to the West German and much more famous 'Peoples' Car' - the Volkwagen! My first encounter with a Trabbie was in East Berlin, whilst filming 'Shining Through' with Michael Douglas, Melanie Griffiths and Liam Neeson in the late 90's and being taken to a secret location by an East German General, willing to sell me army boots at 50 pence a pair from a shed on an allotment, with windows covered by newspapers!!! That trip was eventful enough in itself, nevermind the smell of burning oil, petrol and Russian cigarettes! LOL.

Anyway, there it stood before us and before I left I was determined to get a picture of it.

Me beside the plastic 'Peoples'Car', the Trabant.

In the course of getting to meet everyone present, Derek introduced me to a truly awsome character by the name of Frank Klepke - Conan incarnate! :o) Frank attends conventions all over Europe and his immense good humour and booming voice make a lasting impression on all who meet him! :o) He's a super guy and his postings on Facebook inevitably always make me smile... :o)

Frank the Barbarian and Derek Lyons!

I had curiously been asked to attend the convention in my Henry VIII costume, which I had used in staging shows for the British Army, corporate shindigs and lookalike bookings. Not naturally being a shrinking violet, I agreed, so be prepared for some alarming costume combinations in the following shots! HAHAHA!

Henry VIII (me), Derek, Frank and a costumed visitor, winner of the costume competition.

A lovely lady Vulcan and Henry VIII

Der Klingolaus (German Klingon Santa!!!), Derek Lyons and Henry VIII !

There were talks, games, demonstrations and role-play performances and I was having a whale of a time. And then, I felt ill! I had a raging thirst and no matter how much I drank to try to assuage the thirst, I got worse!

Assuaging my thirst with an unlikely pack-shot of Coca Cola.

I had suddenly come down ( as it turned out when home in England and at the hospital Emergency Department) with Diabetes - a nuissance I am still getting used to!

We completed the convention with a signing session, at which I looked like I had stepped inside from a downpour! 

Sweating for England and signing for a great guy called Jens, who had driven all day to reach us!

I had the pleasure that night of meeting some of the members of the German Garrison of the 501st costuming organisation, when Derek arrived back from a dinner given in his honour, at which he was presented with an Honourary Membership.

Amongst some of the fans attending, I had the great pleasure of getting to meet some stalwarts of the German convention scene and truly some of the nicest people! Uschi Heyn, a biker-chick with loads of great one-liners. Uschi claims to speak little English, but she has a command of English that made me smile at her apparent innocence, as she came out with toe-curlingly funny expressions!!! And to cement her in my affections further, she was accompanied by the love of her life, 'Baby' - a vintage motor bike of some quality!

Me, Comedian Freddy Bee, Derek and Uschi

Me with 'Baby'

All in all, we had a great time and I was recovered enough before we left to have a Turkish Pizza (recommended) before flying home. Only Ralph had any problems dealing with the crisp thin pizza base...

My especial thanks go to Markus, Ralph, Thomas and Bianka, Inge and Klaus for looking after us so well! I look forward to returning later this year (November) and seeing everyone again!