Something completely amazing and totally unexpected happened today.
There was a display of total... efficiency.
Yes, I'm still in Italy. I had to pinch myself, I thought maybe I'd fallen asleep during the GP2 race or something.
Upon returning to the shuttle pick up point to Monza station this afternoon, they had fences up, so people lined up. And people controlling it so they did line. And buses were waiting. I think there must have been a foreigner in charge, but still. There may be hope or Italy yet.
Of course, there were even less trains going to Monza this morning than yesterday, and four times the people headed there - every two hours or so, and no more shuttles take you to the track.
Despite the 'information' person at the central station - and I use the word information very loosely - saying that was the best station for going to Monza, I think they were wrong. The trains coming back from Monza go to a different station in Milan, on a different line, and leave every 10-15 minutes or so, so surely the case is the same in the morning. At any rate, I'm trying my luck there tomorrow. It couldn't be any worse - right???
Also, if you ask one of the conductors on the platform if the particular train is going to Monza and they say no, and you ask them which line and train does, the very helpful response is always "not this one".
In all, if someone official or in any sort of position of authority here tells you something, you can be pretty sure the opposite is true, I've found. The hotel receptionist (the nice one) couldn't even mark the correct street on my map for the hotel. Hmm...
Speaking of my hotel, I have noticed that once I started heading out in my Ferrari gear in the mornings, their attitude has improved. Which, IMO, is totally wrong, but I'll take it. And although it's going against every fibre in my being, I'm trying to be as friendly as I can to the nasty receptionists, and greet them as I come and go. It's killing me, but I actually got a smile this evening. Maybe they will successfully call me a taxi Tuesday morning after all...
The GP itself is good - no where near the support races that Melbourne has, but then the quality of the support races is so much better - GP2 being the main, obviously. Around the track there isn't a lot to see or do in general, also a huge contrast to Melbourne. I walked around a bit today with the great unwashed, but it really was packed full of unwashed, so I retreated back to my area pretty quickly.
Speaking of unwashed, when you are squished onto shuttle buses and generally at the height of other people's armpits, you really do realise how many people don't shower in the morning. In this day and age of running water, this is totally unacceptable. Have showers in the morning, people! You may not smell yourselves, but believe me, everyone else will...
If you ever come to Monza, get a seat in the Centrale Grandstand, it really is worth the extra money. There is a proper (although expensive for what it is) sit down restaurant, bar and, thankfully (after poking my head into the other options around the track...) real, permanent, clean toilets. It's clean, and not overcrowded, the seats are great, and you can easily get to the centre of the track via a series of tunnels rather than having to trek around.
It would be really funny if Schumacher wins tomorrow, in a Mercedes. He's still much loved in the grandstands, that's for sure.
So long as Alonso doesn't win, please don't let Alonso win. I'd even take a Webber win instead... actually, Kubica winning would be more fitting.
Err... Forza Ferrari!
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