FORMULA 1 VALENCIA
So, the Valencia Formula 1 Grand Prix is nearly upon us! Well, to be precise, it is this weekend and, as you know, is held in the city itself. This provides you with the perfect opportunity to see Valencia city – whilst enjoying what is sure to be an exciting race.
For the record, the timings for the Valencia Grand Prix are:
Friday 24th June Practice (10.00 – 11.30 and 14.00 – 15.30)
Saturday 25th June Practice (11.00 – 12.00)
‘ ‘ Qualifying (14.00)
Sunday 26th June Race (14.00) hrs
I was lucky enough to have been given free grandstand tickets to last year’s Valencia Formula 1 practice which was hugely enjoyable. As always, there is nothing like seeing something ‘live’ and it was real privilege to be really close to Formula 1 cars as they roared past, making so much noise that my whole body vibrated. Terrific! I can hardly imagine what it must be like to be close to the start when they race…
However, the reason I have entitled this Post as ‘take care’ is that, for the first time in my life, last year some thieves stole my wallet – as I was leaving the Valencia Grand Prix Practice. So, I think it only fair to state that if you are going to see the Valencia Formula 1 live then be careful. There are many sneak thieves and pick pockets about and you need to be extremely vigilant.
Certainly, my wallet was taken with great panache as I was blocked by a huge man who kept preventing me from joining my wife (who was a few feet away from me) on the tram taking us away from the Valencia Formula 1 circuit. Realising that something was not right, finally I forced my way past the ‘giant’ only to find that she was alright – but that my wallet had been taken whilst I had been distracted.
Unfortunately, just as we realized what had happened the tram doors closed just as the huge fellow, who had been blocking my way, stepped off into the street. Clearly, he was, if not the thief, then his accomplice! Maddening.
Actually, it was worse than maddening – it was the ruination of what had previously been a very happy day!
Still, on the basis of ‘nil desperandum’ my wife and I got off our tram at the next stop and returned to where we had been when my wallet had been taken. Well, to our surprise, who should we see a few hundred yards away – but the big ‘accomplice’?
Of course, we quickly went to a Policia Nacional officer nearby and reported what had happened, whilst pointing out the ‘accomplice’ and a smaller second man (the thief?) who was with him. Sadly, the officer had no intention of moving and little interest in our predicament. Meanwhile, the two thieves were starting to move out of sight. This, needless to say, was galling (to put it mildly) so my wife and I followed them as they started to move away from the Valencia Grand Prix area into the back streets of the city.
They realized that we were following them but we managed to catch them quite quickly before ‘persuading’ them that they should return my wallet. This was duly done and, to our great surprise, nothing was missing – not so much as a credit card! This was a great success, albeit somewhat nerve wracking (I think for all parties!).
So, everything ended happily (for us, at least).
What can we draw from this? Well:
- Be very careful of thieves and pickpockets at the Valencia Grand Prix.
- If something is happening that is odd – it is and you are probably being robbed.
- Do not give up if you have been robbed and go back to where you thought it happened.
- Look around and see if you recognize anyone and tell the Policia Nacional if you have any suspicions (there are normally lots around).
- Avoid a direct confrontation as that is only for those who are totally mad (i.e. my wife and I).
- Check all the bins for a couple of hundred metres around. The chances are that any thief will have taken your purse or wallet and dumped it as soon as they have removed the cash. If they are doing a lot of thieving at the Valencia Grand prix they will not necessarily have wanted your credit cards (evidence if they are caught) and so you may, at least, be able to retrieve these.
- FERRARI (OF COURSE) READY FOR THE VALENCIA GRAND PRIX
I am sure that you will really enjoy the Valencia Grand Prix – but few things spoil a day like being robbed. So, take care and have a great time…
Nick Snelling - Culture Spain
How remarkable that you got your wallet back, minus nothing! You and your wife are better persons than I, Gunga-Din. I’ve been in many places where you don’t want villains to know you have seen what they are doing, let alone be their victim.
I think the police in UK would been horrified and not a little miffed that you confronted the tea-leafs. There are an awful lot of knives around these days …
I have a #2 wallet which I use for situations such as you describe. A little cash – including impressive-looking but virtually worthless notes [Malaysian Ringits are good for this - and US $1 bills!] and no credit cards but miscellaneous plastic that looks interesting but isn’t, like expired c/cards and old retail ‘loyalty’ cards. I save these for this purpose. That’s all wallet #2 needs to contain. So far, so good -wallet #2 has not been needed.
Have you any idea what Valencia proposes to do when the 7 races Bernie has contracted to run there have been run? The European GP, as the Valencian race is billed, will rotate around other circuits in the years after the 7th Valencian GP.
It would be very disappointing if the race track goes the way that the America’s Cup setup looks to be heading – a weedy desolation. Having walked the whole area, I am not at all confident that anything worthwhile will be created. There’s nothing there now and with finance the way it is, not much likelihood of anything happening in the future.
Chris, it was a result. I put it all down to ancient Viking blood!