on air diary...
Floods and september sunshine
posted by Lee McKenzie on 29/05/2008
WHAT a strange week - flooding in Monza, beautiful September sunshine for the Davis Cup at Wimbledon and now I have just arrived in Cologne for Toyota F1 in the midst of a Nazi demonstration.
I started this from Germany where Nazi’s were protesting against other religions. A really dark cloud over a beautiful city.
Speaking of dark clouds, I have never seen so much rain in such little time as in Monza. I was in the GP2 hospitality at the time, which was over a foot deep in water. Mechanics made boats out of any spare parts which could float, the chefs emerged from the kitchen clutching fish (from the fridge) like it was a fresh catch - only in Italy! Whilst respectable members of the media were left sitting on tables giggling like excitable school kids, wondering if they would get a day off (no names, although think of the UK’s biggest Motorsport Magazine)!
Sunday night saw the GP2 and Winning Attitude Awards, the rain stopped and a beautiful outdoor ceremony took place in the grounds of the Sporting Club Monza. The star of the show was this year’s Champion Giorgio Pantano, who will be a real loss to the series when he moves on next season.
After an emotional moment throwing a pair of wonderful, but flood and mud-ruined pair of silver shoes in the bin, I left Monza thinking ‘if there had been flooding in Italy when it is normally sunny, it must have been apocalyptic back home’! So….sunshine? Amazing!
Wonderful September sunshine greeted those who went to watch the Davis Cup at Wimbledon. It is an intimate, relaxed event where the people can watch some great tennis at relative ease. Alex Bogdanovic put up a brave fight and played some top class tennis whilst fellow-Scot, Andy Murray blew everyone away. Sadly after the three days the tie went Austria’s way and Britain were left to wonder where it all went wrong.
Since then I have had a quick trip to Monaco where I met Prince Albert at a launch event I presented during the Monaco Yacht Show. It rained although no floods there!
And now I am writing from Scotland where - it is sunny! What’s going on? Enough typing that’s for sure, I’m off out to enjoy it whilst it lasts!
Lee x
