Pre-departure thoughts
There’s something about fairgrounds
that always makes my heart skip a beat (in the most positive way of course).
Whether it’s the whirlwind of colours emulating from the carousel, the
over-enthusiastic screams of children, teens, and adults on rapid rollercoasters,
or even the smells of freshly made strawberry candyfloss and toffee popcorn, I
can’t help but feel like a little kid in an awkwardly shaped adult’s body once
again. I also think it’s due to my liking for international acts, particularly
if it’s by the circus. So, I guess that by now you’re expecting me to launch
into commenting heartily about my recent visit to Le Cirque du Soleil or a
local British funfair. Think again.
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| A firefighting masterpiece |
Ladies and gentlemen, I present to
you my review of Interschutz 2015.
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| Photos from (a very sunny) day 1 |
Clearly, this is a foreign event
(the name gives it away immediately). But it’s not the sort of stereotypical
fairground event I was describing earlier. This one was about fire engines (and
boy was there a lot of them). Just look at all my pictures.
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| Interschutz spectacles |
And I’ll also have to add, each and
every one of them were uniquely remarkable, although my photos show a couple
that caught my eye in particular!
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| Highlights of the exhibition |
During the event
I found the variety of visitors the
most interesting. There was a definite antithesis in atmosphere between those
that were discussing a potential purchase in detail, and others that were simply
buzzing about which show or vehicle they wanted to see and try on next. This
contrast was further emphasized by the types of clothing that each group adorned
(think business suits versus t-shirts and jeans – a clear distinction between
those doing business and the fans of each company).
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| Wandering through one of the many exhibition halls |
To me, the entire week was a
highlight. However, if you are desperate to know what I enjoyed the most, I’d
say the live demonstrations hands down (never realized how tricky it was to
save someone from a burning building and the incredible range of equipment
you’d need to do this – very interesting). My only issue with them was that
they weren’t always in English (I got the gist of it thankfully).
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| Simply stunning |
At the same time, there was also an
interesting array of non-fire specific industrial products, my favorite of
which was definitely the aerial platform whose cage could shoot up to around
100ft high!! And for Hello Kitty lovers, there was a very cute fire
extinguisher on display.
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| Fire extinguishers plus Hello Kitty |
Of course, no exhibition is complete
without freebies. From pens to posters, to sweets and freshly-baked pretzels,
it’s no wonder that Interschutz was more than just a large business convention.
It was an event for everyone, whether young or old, and be it for business or
educational tourism.
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| Treats and Merchandise |
A tip in case you ever plan on going is to wear
comfortable shoes (seriously, the place was so big that it took me three days
to walk through the entire arena!!); I did see some people on bikes and
scooters so they’re helpful alternatives.
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| One of my most favorite logos at Interschutz |
Final opinion?
Interschutz, I look forward to
visiting you again in 2020.
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| Electronic dinosaurs on display |
