British powerboat grandprix

Its been a great weekend here in plymouth...the temperature has been right up there and it feels atleast as warm as one would feel in India....and i constantly get asked the question if i`m reminded of home.
Whats made this weekend more interesting is that Plymouth is playing host to the Honda sponsored Bristish powerboat grand prix. An amazing event of boat racing where awesome million pound boats race it out at upto 160 miles per hour during an 18 lap course.

As usual the venue once again is the plymouth Hoe and i set out to find out what the buzz was all about. As i set out from my room i could already hear the roar of the engines as they begun the qualification laps and i was yet a mile away.
I was intrigued to find out what the response of the public would be, because although everyone seemed to be aware on this annual event, there seemed to be no hype about it.
my first view of the boats was as i came over a hillock and caught an overview of the boats whizzing past and away from sight to disappear as specks into the horizon. i wondered if such spectacles could keep the british public occupied throughout the weekend.
It was only when i got there and spent a few hours observing things that i realised that the thrill was not in the event itself.... For Honda it was a great opportunity to display their wares and test their latest powerboat technology and even clich a few sales, but for the people the race seemed to be only of secondary significance.
I began to understand that most of them were only using the event as an excuse, to congregate, to laze around, to lie in the sun and feel good...with such amazing weather, that was always going to be the case....the spirit of a british weekender....make hay while sunshines.

Although the boats with their awesome power did put on some great displays i soon lost interest in them and the crowd continued with entertaining themslves while occasionally diverting their attention to the event at hand.

There were side displays and events too, not the least of which was a band of boys and girls who had created musical instruments from junk like barrels, and metal pipes. they clearly stole the show and had the crowds cheering.( for those with an interest in vintage cars , do check out the photoalbums by clicking the link on the right column)
After a while of my own sunbathing and lazing around and when i had my fill of the noisy boats i headed back to my room, a little bit wiser on the attitudes of the general British public.( dont ask me who one the race..i dont care and i dont think half the crowd do anyway!)