EJC 2022

Maria - 2022-08-17 19:13:03 UTC #

EJC 2022

Finally, three years from the last EJC, time to meet again!

So... EJC Tres Cantos.

I had a great week! Stayed at a hotel this time because I wanted air-conditioning, didn't regret that choice.

The weather was hot. Each day as hot as the Swedish heat record.

The site was... Well... Spread out, rather than large. A lot of walking between the different gyms, bars, camping spaces and shows. The electric scooters helped, towards the middle of the week there seemed to be more of them, usually available at all the places where the jugglers were.

Air-conditioning in the main hall didn't work well enough to keep it cool. Sure, it was better than outdoors... The 12h gym was better, but still warm.

I spent most of the days in the 12h gym, which was claimed by the passers as passing zone already on the second day. That was a nice gym. That's where I started my days, after buying breakfast on the way. The distance to the main gym meant I usually didn't go there until in the evenings. Which also means that I didn't really see the workshop boards. I didn't participate in a single workshop this year.

The main site bar was kind of boring, the only drinks offered were beer or soda, and I don't like beer. The bar at the fire space was somewhat better, also offering Cuba libre and yin lemon. I bought cider at the supermarket instead.

Food options on site were limited, basically pizza or noodles. The pizza was not bad, but the non-existent queue system meant it was difficult to get food there at the most busy times (like, right after a show). There were restaurants nearby, though, so I went off-site for dinner with friends most evenings.

There were quite a few things that could have worked better, but mostly minor things. Inconsistent maps, where the printed map showed the wrong location for the 12h gym. Program changes that were sometimes announced online, sometimes on info boards in the main hall, and you weren't always sure which information was the latest. That got better towards the end of the week, though. Shows, music, renegade was initially planned for after midnight, but had to end at midnight for "legal reasons". This made them move the renegade to the main gym, pretty much the only indoor space they could use, but that made the hall noisy and, together with the heat, not a very nice place for late night juggling. And it was the only place for late night juggling.

I also noticed that badges were not always checked when entering areas where there was supposed to be badge control, like the main camping.

Shows? I didn't watch that many shows.
Air-conditioning in the big top worked really well. Almost too well... But, well, at least it was a break from the heat.
The Mediterranean show was good, the second act (three people, one unicycle, a few juggling clubs) was great!
The gala show was okay, some good acts, but nothing extraordinary. I liked the ring juggling act (the solo act) best. The trapeze act was also good. The bounce juggling was probably good on another stage, where the audience is all in the front, but not very interesting from the side.

I only visited the Traders to get my clubs serviced by Henry's. Would probably have gone there to look around a bit at some point, too, had it been closer to where I was juggling all day.

Anyway, the people is what makes the EJC, and this years event was as filled with wonderful, friendly people as always. And since I have been to every EJC since 2014, and a few other conventions, too, I now know enough people to often be able to find someone I know even when the people I know best are doing something else.

So, the best thing for me was probably that for once I can't remember any point during the event when I felt lonely. Probably has more to do with a few friends of mine than anything else, but still. That usually happens to me even at large events...

#EJC2022TresCantos #ConventionReview