How to avoid Parking Charges - and Would I go again ?

Off early in the BMW again as I worried about parking - but someone had plan ...

The interesting trick was Jeremy and his electric car. I was still concerned about finding a parking place but he just found a charge point - reduced the charging rate on the battery and we stayed there 'free' all day - slowly charging.

Here we are smugly parked up in the town - lets ignore the fact that it does not fit in the bay.

So what of the actual Zoute Grand Prix ? We arrived early and already it was very busy. Confusing and Chaotic and Mostly Modern as far as we could see. Cars revving and burning up the street. Obviously a very rich town. Lots to look at though. Like this beauty.

As to the Zoute Grand Prix (again). The first part we found was along the beach promenade where the modern car companies were trying to pair their new (mostly electric) models with classics. Oddly the first one we came across was this Mazda Cosmo.

'If I want to see one of those I'll go to Shotley' I said.

Having wandered past a few we went to watch the start of one of the exclusive tours. Mostly modern cars at the front again - ok modern like a Bugatti Veyron and an Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato - so special, but that was not what I'd come to see so I decided to go to the Concours instead.

The Concours was mixed. A few pre-war cars - but mostly classics and more modern supercars. Much smaller than Hampton Court but just as expensive. The BMW art cars were nice but not many of those were on show either. I liked this one though.

So I busied myself trying effects in-camera on the models. This was good I thought.

I finished the concours (and the whole event) a bit flat to be honest. Researching later I found out that the 70 special vintage and modern cars were hidden away in the 'exclusive' e.g. €400 - hospitality area. Shit.

We wandered back to the car via the crowds, modern supercars and shops. Arriving back at the car it just ticked up to 100% charged. We drove back to the house to find Matthew and Eva had arrived in a very nice BMW 4 series convertible they had rented.

So would I go again ? It would be much better to be part of a tour - but probably - on balance ... no.