F1 Frenesie

F1 Frenesie

So last week-end was the F1 race of the season and the event was in Shanghai… and you-know-who managed to get invited to attend the race!

So, off on a plane Pete and I went and escaped from the routine and enjoyed a wonderful weekend in Shanghai. In the morning, we had some time to kill so we queued up to get Villeneuve’s signature. As we are waiting, I overhear some quebecois and I look to see how big the quebec delegation is… turns out that I actually know Melanie ~ we were in the same class at les marcellines! She’s with hubby and lives the expat life in Shanghai with her newborn son… Comme le monde est petit on dit toujours.

And yes!... even if I had to jab a few people in the ribs with my elbows to get through, I did manage to get his signature on my entry ticket. “merci Jacques!”- I chirped. He simply smiled-back…

Browsing around the kiosks filled with F1 merchandise, I am astonished by how many people spend small fortunes on clothes, caps and other memorabilia. A very simple bmw sweater was going for $80US and a cap for $50US!!! And it wasn’t only the expats buying this stuff…Remind me again that China is a developing country?!?…
I actually helped the local economy by spending $6CDN on a Team Renault/Alonso cap at the shanghai market (the knock-off market) this morning…what can I say… I too got swepped-up by the F1 frenesie.

So I’m traveling back to the Ollo. It’s 2000hrs and it’s pitch black outside. The driver is only doing about 140km/h….Wish I was back in Shanghai…