The Early Days of a Better Nation

Posted 5:12 pm by Ken

Back from Deepcon 26

I had a great time at Deepcon 26, with four nights in Fiuggi at the Ambasciatori Place Hotel and a night in Rome at the Hotel Villa San Pio courtesy of the organisers. Special thanks to: Flora Staglianò and Gabriella Gregori; to Gino who met me at the airport and drove me to the hotel; and to Emilio, who drove me and other guests around in Rome and drove me from the hotel in Rome to the airport.

Deepcon is focused on DS9 and the Star Trek universe, hosting many big names from on screen or behind the scenes over the decades it's been running, but as you can see from the guest list it includes other writers and artists from Italy and elsewhere. Its motto is 'Science fiction from A for Asimov to Z for Zardoz.' Food is a big part of the con: lunch is from 13:00 to 15:00, dinner from 20:00 to 22:00 and both involve two starters, a main and dessert. Wine and water are in copious supply. I came back a kilogram heavier. Casey, Eric and his wife Debra, and Flora and Gabriella were good company at the table, along with an ever-changing group of fans.

Apologies to those I've missed out, or failed to photograph. One such omitted highlight was meeting again my good friend Francesco Verso, who had an impressive stall from which I bought Solar Punk Short Stories, so I hope he'll forgive me.

Nicola Marco Camedda talks about his new book:

I brought along dozens of #TinyKoalas for the Brisbane 2028 Worldcon bid. All of them found a lanyard or lapel to cling to before the end of the con.

During the con, #TinyKoalas went foraging, but couldn't find eucalyptus.

Fuiggi has a distinctive pavement (sidewalk) pattern:

The square facing the hotel:

The terrace of fond memory, where Carol and I finished off many a half-empty bottle of wine with an after-dinner cigarette or vape back in 2016:

The interior decoration:

Manu and her partner by their stall:

Gaia Valeria Patierno with a flyer for her latest novel:

Mark S. Ray with his novel, Neanderthal:

Wandering around the neighbourhood:

Flora introduces Eric Stillwell on his life in Star Trek:

With Casey Biggs, Flora, and Eric Stillwell:

Star Trek birthday cake:

Mandalorian meets Straker:

A walk in the park with Casey, a man of infinite cool and great wit and wisdom. Here, he has just beamed down to an advanced but deserted civilization.

In Rome I saw many impressive sights, none more so than a hotel greater than which no hotel can be conceived:

Eric and I passed Hotel San Anselmo on our way to visit the nearby Keyhole of the Knights of Malta, a literal keyhole through which, famously, you can see three countries: a territory of the sovereign order itself, Italy, and the Vatican. I couldn't get a good camera view through the keyhole, but this is the view from about a metre to its right:

Here's a better view:

And then home, across the Alps:

I had a brilliant time at Deepcon 26. Many thanks to all who made it possible!