My Dearest Monaco ...

So, what do a jet setter from the Hamptons, a hardcore Man City Fan from Manchester, England, and a community organizer from Pasadena, California have in common, besides an acute case of the travel bug?

Well, fast cars, of course.

Danny and I first met Ron on the bleachers of the 2019 Monaco Formula One Grand Prix. Ron was a strapping fellow and the only thing bigger than his personality was his smile. We connected instantly, and next thing we knew, we were swapping road war stories over a pizza pie.

It's been a little over four years since that encounter, and we’ve managed to stay in touch via social media. Over the years, we’ve observed our paths crisscross on several occasions, the closest being this past January when Danny and I missed Ron in Paris by less than a handful of hours. Now I was here at Calgary Airport waiting for my connecting flight to Paris. This trip, however, will not consist of Eiffel Towers or museum visits, but rather Le Mans for the car race of the century – literally. Naturally, I called both Danny and Ron and both agreed to meet me there. I couldn’t resist the element of surprise, so I didn’t tell Danny that Ron would be joining us. Surprise or no surprise, both were equally excited to see the race that Steve McQueen, in Le Mans (1971) and Matt Damon, in Ford vs. Ferrari (2019) made legendary.

Race Day

As thrilling as these films are, I can say with all honesty, there’s nothing like watching the races in person. I’ve always had an interest in cars, which I’m sure stemmed from watching race car movies starring Elvis Presley, John Travolta, and James Dean. That same curiosity led me to my first big race: Monaco in 2019.

Danny and I stayed in Nice, in more affordable accommodations than could be found in the city and took the train into Monaco. I can’t imagine a more scenic speedway overlooking the Côte d'Azur in the French Riviera. Coming from California, I found race day tickets to be surprisingly affordable, with tickets at every price range available. The race is in such a condensed area, winding through the streets, that I don’t think it’s possible to have a bad seat. We managed to snag up some moderately priced tickets, that turned out to be very close to the racetrack. I thought, one flip of a car and we’d end up with one on our lap. Danny and I were novices and didn’t even understand what all the free ear plugs were for. It didn’t take long after the first blaring roar of the engines to figure that one out! We didn’t know what we were doing, but Ron sure did.

Alternate Transportation

Ron had landed in Nice as we had, but opted for a helicopter ride into Monaco – now why didn’t I think of that? It gave him a bird’s eye view of the racetrack, spectators, and yachts perfectly lined up for the week’s activities. And so, there we were enjoying the races, no longer as strangers, but as friends, even commenting on the drivers as if we were pros. We watched, snacked, and chatted. When I tell people about the Monaco Grand Prix, I tell them it’s one of the best experiences I’ve had.

It's difficult to explain – it’s not about the glitz or the glamour. On the contrary, it’s about admiring these incredible feats of engineering, enjoying the scenic beauty, listening in on the passionate conversations of hardcore fans, but more importantly, it’s about hanging out with old friends and making new ones. And that is what made this trip so memorable.

And with that, my dearest Monaco, I must say how much I love the company you keep. Until our next rendezvous, cheers!

Love always,

Susana Porras