Friday, June 1, 2012

Working the Monaco Grand Prix

Well, I got through it! That is the charter I worked on at the Grand Prix. For those of you who think that the Monaco Grand Prix has anything to do with racing well you would be right, but it is a teensy tiny bit of it. Mostly I think the racing gets in the way of the social activities, which are by far the focal point of the event.
The yacht I was working on had been hired for 5 days over the Grand Prix. There is accommodation for 12 guests on board but room for many many visitors, a cocktail party for 150 being the largest function we tackled. There were a steady stream of guests right from breakfast through to the toasted sandwich munchie run at 4 in the morning. 
The staff worked round the clock with the answer 'no' never being an option. The guests were taken care of in every possible way and I am told were over the moon with their stay. They have booked the yacht twice more in the year to come already. 
I managed to take a few pics on my way in to work and the next time I had time to think of getting my camera out was on the night of the last day of the event. We were manic!

My ride in to work.
With the race track being on the actual streets of Monaco, we could only reach the yacht by tender boat. I was most certainly not complaining. What a spectacular way to start the day!

One of the sites on my way to work - Oceanographic Museum of Monaco

View up to the Princes Palace from the port. 

Can you see the yellow and red thing dangling from a small crane from the yacht in the foreground?
Well that's what I got hoisted up onto the yacht in. 

Super quick pasta dinner, for two beyond exhausted girls.
We got back to the flat at about 20h30 on Tuesday evening 100% exhausted. Luckily there were a few goodies in the fridge. Enough to make a pasta to eat over a few episodes of House and then on to a 13 hour dead sleep!

The pasta a la Thekla consisted of about 20 ripe halved cherry tomatoes, gently fried in a pan on medium high heat with about 4 tablespoons of good olive oil and one clove of chopped garlic; some salt and pepper to taste. Once the tomatoes start becoming saucy, I added a little chopped fresh chilli; 5 slices of parma ham sliced into strip and a hand full of fresh basil roughly chopped. I let it heat through and then tossed with some fussili pasta and loads of grated Parmesan. It was delicious. 

5 comments:

  1. sounds awesome Thekla - enjoy it all xx Taryn

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    1. Thanks Taryn - is has been a phenomenal experience so far!

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  2. Lee dowling griffinJune 1, 2012 at 5:06 PM

    I am following your journey with bated breath - how exciting, I am so envious of you but so happy for you, keep posting. Travel and food - my two favorite things in Life! Yum

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    1. Thanks Lee! Exciting it certainly is, especially for me who has hardly spent any time out of Cape Town. The blogging is also keeping it all grounded for me. Such a great outlet.

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  3. Oh wow, loving the updates! Looks like you are having an encredible time. Well done!

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