Funkengroovin - Passport Trip

Last week VB went to the American Embassy to get her passport renewed. The trip from Maadi to Garden City, didn't take that long, but the wait at the Embassy takes awhile, even when you get there early. Strange at it may seem, VB never set foot in the Embassy in Abu Dhabi. She visited the embassy in Baku once, to have pages added to her passport. Next week she returns to pick up her passport. After that, she needs a visa, and then she's seriously thinking about getting an Egyptian driver's license. She doesn't drive here, but you never know when you just might have to, and with the new traffic laws, she would be better off having one in her possession. Besides that, it is another form of I.D.


(Below 3 photos): A couple of vans along the way.







(Below): Tire rims and hubcap shop. Some cars have rims on them that cost more the their car did originally. You will often see taxis, trucks, cars all banged up with the flashiest rims they could find.


(Below): VB tried to get a shot of a yellow VW Bus, but this bus driver sped his way into the photo. You can barely make out the VW Bus in the background.


(Below): Beetle on the street, ahead of us.


(Below): Closer to home, on the streets of Maadi, a bright yellow Beetle.


(Below): A nice cabriolet. Sometime in the future, VB hopes to get some better pics.


(Below): Another drive by close-up.


(Below): Partially covered MG Midget.


(Below): The owner of this blue Beetle is well aware of the new law. Notice the slow moving vehicle sticker on the rear. On the other hand, that does break the law: "Sticking posters, or writing, or drawing or adding any other kind of information on the vehicle body or any of its parts or its plate."

NEWS:

Wheels: What Did Maxwell Smart Drive?

"Unlike Auto Egoista, Joann Cohen, Maxwell Smart owned more than one car. He drove a Sunbeam Tiger, VW Karmann Ghia and others in the opening credits of the 1960s spy-spoof sitcom "Get Smart.""

VB wishes she had known about this sooner, as she would have made a trip to The Mena House to check out all the old cars. Anyone who has seen Peking to Paris 2007 on the Travel Channel will relate. They will be doing the Peking to Paris trip again in 2010, and we hope they will return to Egypt, as well.
DRIVERS, REV UP YOUR (CLASSIC) ENGINES

"After enduring several grueling days in the dusty, dry Sahara desert, a team of European drivers arrived in Cairo’s luxurious Mena House Oberoi hotel under the shadow of the Pyramids. But this is no Formula One race and these cars are not equipped with electronics, aerodynamics, or revved up engines.

These devoted drivers like their cars classic.

The 15-day competition called The Nile Trial was organized by the Britain-based Endurance Rally Association, which organizes rallies for classical cars. The journey is putting these vintage cars to the test in the merciless heat of the Tunisian, Libyan and Egyptian deserts."

More information here: The Nile-Trial


BIG BLUE'S ONLINE CARBURETOR: "AN ONLINE VW ADVENTURE"

NASA retiree makes his own electric car out of rusted VW Beetle

"He asked a neighbor if he knew of any VWs for sale. That’s how he learned of another neighbor’s rusted 1972 Beetle that hadn’t been used in over five years. Hendrickson bought it and parked it in his garage.
“It wasn’t much to look at,” he said. “It was full of snakes and fire ants. We had to cut small trees that were growing up through it, and drag it out of the woods.”
The car had no fenders or wiring and the body needed a complete overhaul."

Every week, VB sees mention of a showing for Yishai Orian's movie The Beetle. When it was showing in the USA, and near VB's home, it was usually when she was not in town. It's traveling around now, to small film festivals. VB asks: When will the rest of us get to see this movie!? Another related movie, Automorphosis, by Harrod Blank, has recently been on tour around the US, as well. The artcar blogspot has amazing photos of all sorts of vehicles transformed with a variety of "artistic" techniques, which is the subject of the movie. VW specific pages can be found here.

This was published after last week's Funkengroovin.
Valentine's Day Cars For Lovers by Drivin' Ivan

"Of course besides camping the VW is also perfect for a rustic, romantic getaway. This brings me to my second fond memory revolving around the VW Bus. Actually it is about the two best bumper stickers I've ever seen and they were both on a Volkswagen Camper. One read, "if this van's a rockin' don't come a knockin'". This to me was very funny especially because it was on a beat up VW Bus that looked as though it might have followed the Grateful Dead on a few tours back in the day. The other bumper sticker outfitted to a similar looking VW read, "Don't laugh your daughter might be in here"."

Camper Van Doormat

From Jalopnik:
DOTS-O-Rama Sunday, San Francisco Edition: Rover 105S, With Bonus Gulf Oil Beetle

Funny VW Ad Mixes Hyenas With Basset Hounds

Finally, a link VB loaded previously and had all but forgotten. Yes, it's a bit late for New Year greetings, but for those of us looking forward to spring and summer, this might help with some sunny thoughts.
Happy New Year - here's a planter made from a discarded Volkswagen


The Band - When I Paint My Masterpiece