Funkengroovin - Two Blue Buses and Sleeping Dogs

A couple of weeks ago, we walked over to the Degla part of Maadi (basically through the nearby roundabout). Out shopping, we passed two blue Buses (below: 4 photos.)

A new shop selling cheese has opened.  VB's not sure when it opened, as she just returned to Cairo the third week of December.  The cheese selection resembles what VB has seen at the Gourmet Egypt shop, near Carrefore.

Below:  The open refrigerated shelves with pre-packaged cheeses, and jars of yogurt.

Below:  The larger cheeses, behind the counter.

After checking out a few shops, we stopped at the "HubblyBubbly Cafe and Restaurant" for Lattes.  They make it with illy.  No sheesha for us on this date.  Just coffee and conversation.

For some fun, more "dogs on cars".  These photos were taken at The Khan.  The woman in the blue scarf passed VB as she was taking a photo and remarked, 'You're taking a picture of a dog, why not me?"
VB's thought bubble answer, "You're not sleeping on a car now, are you."

 

Beware The Dark Alleys of Cairo

About two weeks ago, we trekked down to Road 9, to do some last minute shopping for one of the kids.  As usual we passed a VW parked on the street, so here's a few complimentary Bug photos since VB's been remiss at the Funkengroovin posts lately.  (We had the whole family here for awhile, plus entertained another five people who are our neighbors back in Connecticut.  So we've all been preoccupied.)

Below 3 photos:  Different views of the same Beetle.

On our walk, we discovered the bakery at the Metro overpass had closed up shop.  It always had full stands of bread and sweets.  Then the bread riots came and VB heard they were baking bread for the government.  As time went on, the amount of products they offered dwindled.  And now this - nothing.  So where to get freshly baked goods? 

While we were shopping near the Metro Market area of Road 9, VB could smell some enticing odors coming from a dark alleyway.  She looked up, saw a sign, and a man standing outside said, "bakery."  It smelled so good, VB had to visit, even over the protests from the kids.  So we went into the dark alleyway.   Below:  Wooden shelves containing  some of the breads, and crackers, including bread sticks. 

Looking beyond the the shelving a man was napping in an airy courtyard, where sheesha is served.

Below: Freshly baked rolls.

Below:  The reason we ended up staying longer.  They had a package of small pizzas made with puff pastry.  The baker said he would have fresh ones coming out of the oven in a few minutes, and the kids wanted fresh, warm pizza.  They didn't want to stop here to begin with, and now we have to wait so they can have it straight from the oven.

They also sell cookies exactly like Greek Koulourakia.

Below: These are called "S" and have an orange flavor.  Others have anise, and some are slathered with sesame seeds (VB's favorite.)

Much of the cooking around the Middle East, southern and eastern Europe is so similar, probably due to the Ottomans who had control of the territories for ages.  It's typically the first bits of a new language VB learns, since the words are so similar.

The bread below is called Tsorek, and tastes exactly like Greek Tsoureki, a bread usually baked for Easter.

Below: The shop sign.  This has become one of VB's favorite food stops.  Everything we've tasted is delicious, and disappears quickly.   We left with two packages of small pizzas (about 2-3 dozen), one tsoureki, one batch of "S", two large fateers, and two packages chocolate filled eclairs and puff pastries, for less than 100LE (about $17.00).  Quite a deal.

Most photos were taken with VB's iPhone, another one of her favorite things.  (No this is not a copy of "Oprah's Favorite Things", but they "Good Things" too.)

 

Funkengroovin Christmas 2009

 It's that time of year again.  Time to buy those gifts for your funkengroovin friends.  VB's been looking for items that might appeal to just about everyone, and has compiled her yearly list.  Sadly, no Pier 1 car ornament this year.

No news items today, and probably not for awhile, at least until after VB returns to Cairo.  

Below: What VB woke up to this morning here in Connecticut. 

 Holiday Shopping:

 BoBoo Reflector from Marimekko, and here

VW Beetle

VW Beetle & Camper Van USB Memory Stick Cars.

More here

VW Beetle Eraser

Build Your Own Vw Beetle

Build Your Own VW Bus

Dreams VolksWagen Camper Van Type 2 Radio

Dreams VolksWagen Type 2 Keylight

VW Bus Speaker

Pink VW Beetle Cabriolet Surf Moneybox Ornament - Hand Painted

VW Beetle gifts from Etsy

VW Bus gifts from Etsy

VW BUS RADIO CONTROLLED HUGE !!!!!

Advanced Graphics 631 Fillmore - VW Bus Life-Size Cardboard Stand-Up

Vw Bus With Camper (1:87/HO Scale)

Volkswagen Bus 2010 Square Wall (Wall Calendar) (Multilingual Edition) (Calendar)

Vw Camper Mugs

Japanese Toys Club Bus Ride

Limited Edition Pope Designs Christmas Bus and Dairy Delivery

VW Bus Hanukkah Lamp

Wheeling Groovy Menorah - VW Bus

Ceramic Hanukkah Menorah (VW Bug)

Volkswagen Christmas Tree Ornaments Cutouts

Silver Dream Volkswagen VW Style Camper Van Ornament

NEW Lenox Christmas - cookie molds / car (VW Beetle) ornament - $10 (rogers park)

Numerous VW gifts, including a Max model car

Blown Glass Van / Woody with Surfboard Ornament

Red Surfboard Volkswagen Woody Van VW Bug Surf Surfing

VW Bus Glass Ornament

VW Christmas ornaments Mercury glass   Price: $10 to $25

Schuco Piccolo Volkswagen Beetle, Gold-Plated Christmas 1997

Recycled VW Beetle Model Car - "stylish love bug made in Madagascar from recycled cans"

VW BEETLE CONV CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS - $5 (MAYSLANDING NJ)

HERBIE VW BEETLE LIGHT SWITCH

Decorate your VW with:

TampaLights  > 2008 > Volkswagen Beetle,

another example here.

Volkswagon VW Bus Mosaic Window Sticker

Wrap gifts with:

Christmas VW Bug - Custom - Wrapping Paper

Make your own cards:

Royalty-Free (RF) Clipart Illustration of Santa Flying His Red Convertible Vw Bug Through The Blue Christmas Night Sky

Reindeer Games Whimsical Christmas Graphics

 Wear it:

VW Beetle (Custom D) T-Shirt

Volkswagen Camper Van Hand Warmers - Set of 2 Heat Packs

Flower Power VW Bus T-Shirt

VW Hippie Bus T-Shirt

VW Beetle Kippah

Use it:

VW Beetle Icons by Zapato

Eat it:

Gingerbread Bus,  (Template)

VB's Last Two Weeks

VB apologizes for being incommunicado awhile. Two weeks ago VB returned to the US. That, as usual, entails a few hectic days before departure, doing last minute shopping, and getting doggie certified for export. VB has plenty of VW / Funkengroovin posts, but hasn't been of the mind to actually write about them. So, you ask, "What the hell have you been up to?"

Last minute shopping trip to the Cairene labyrinth known as "The Khan." We were in search of a specific item. It was featured in USA Today just before Obama's visit. We ended up going shop to shop with photo in hand asking if anyone knew where we could find this item.


(Below): We get close, but no cigar.


(Below): We end up on amazing streets in The Khan that we had never seen before.


(Below): Finally we arrive at the shop. At the end of the road of gold dealers stand a few small shops with an assortment of goods, including gold jewelry.


(Below): The item we were seeking. A cartouche of Obama, and metal design of him as King Tut.


These (we bought three) get packed and cause much trouble at the airport during security screening. They and VB survive and get through, along with Doggie. We arrive in the States, only to have a full week of torrential rain.


It was so bad, it made some of us climb the walls - well at least the screen doors.


(Below): During those few hours of dryness, VB was able to catch a some photos. Tobacco season has started.


(Below): Some fields have already been planted, while others await. Here shade tobacco is just a couple of weeks old. By mid-late August, these plants will be poking through the tops of the tents.


(Below): Since it has rained so much, we decided to proceed with phase two of our kitchen work, involving IKEA cabinets. This entails coming up with an IKEA Hack. We've done this before, but not to the extent involved with the cabinets. For more of this insanity, check out VB's Instructable.





We have a bit more work to do, so until the dust settles, there will probably fewer posts. Besides, VB just came down with a case of hives (verified by the dermatologist next door), and it ain't pretty.

The Glass Factory - The Glass Blower

A continuation of our shopping trip to Mokkatam and The City of the Dead. In The City of the Dead, we visited a glass factory. We had to wait some time, as it appeared a tour group was visiting. It's a small shop, located across the street from the Qaitbay Mosque.

VB knows virtually nothing about glass blowing, except what was explained to her at the factory. For those of you, as uninformed as VB, here's a good article from Wiki on glassblowing.

(Below): The work area. The glass blower was busy with the tour group.


(Below): There's molten glass already in the oven. He's fetching some here.


(Below 2 photos): After he pulls it out, he shapes it on a slab of stone.




(Below): Now the blowing starts.


(Below) More shaping, as he holds it down to droop a bit.


(Below): More blowing. Now it's actually starting to look like glass.


(Below): More shaping, now of the lip part.


(Below 2 photos): A bit of reheating.



(Below): As he holds the vase in the oven to get reheated, he's grabbing (with his right hand) more molten glass, of a contrasting color, from a much smaller oven opening.



(Below 2 photos): He wraps the bright orange glass around the vase, for a decorative effect.




(Below): The artist with his finished product. The light you see reflected down on him is from an opening in the roof. We didn't ask, but VB guesses it's for exhaust. The fumes in the factory are quite strong, for those of us not used to them.


(Below): The rear of the oven. Oven temperature is regulated with the use of bricks. To turn up the temperature, he blocks the rear opening; and to reduce the heat, he opens it up. The pipe leads to canisters of natural gas.


(Below): The ad for their shop, out on the street.


Mamlukes Factory
El Souk St., Front of Qaitbay Mosque - Cairo

The City Of The Dead

Tonight VB leaves for a short visit to the States. Several weeks ago, she and The Boss Man took a trip to Mokkattam to buy some alabaster lamps to take back to the States. We then ventured on, into The City of the Dead, for a visit to the Mameluke (glass blowing) Factory. Here are a few scenes, from our visit. There will be a Funkengroovin follow-up for Wednesday, after that comes the glass blower, and then finally the shops themselves.

(Below): Donkey drawn cart on the highway. You will see this old man, the kid and this cart again.


(Below): A typical scene, with people crammed into the back of an open truck, except this truck is ginormous.


(Below): We were stuck in back of a garbage truck maneuvering it's way through a slender street, in front of this gated apartment building.


(Below): The Qaitbay Mosque dome, which is pictured on the 1 LE note here in Egypt. We stopped by to visit a glass factory, which seemed like it had some sort of tour group visiting. So as we waited outside, VB took some shots of the scenery.


(Below): Obviously, the cock of the walk.


(Below): A street scene - love the pink and black car at the bend in the road.


(Below): The upper entry to the Qaitbay Mosque.


(Below): A colorful cart adjacent to the glass making studio.


(Below): The entry to Qaitbay Mosque, as seen from the side.

(Below): These garbage collectors provided entertainment to us and the exiting tour group. No they're not dancing, but they look like it. They emptied large bags of garbage onto an open truck, leaving VB to comment, "That shit is just going to fly all over the place!" The Boss Man replied, "That's called recycling."


(Below): Another part of the Qaitbay Mosque.



(Below): The man with the donkey led cart arrives on the scene.


(Below): After we finally get into the factory, and leave we find this tourist taking a photo of a woman walking in front of him wearing a hijab. Did he just get off the bus?! (A lot of women here wear a hijab.)


(Bottom): Another common scene in The City of the Dead. Not only do they have quite a few mausoleums, but they apparently provide a home for dead cars, as well. Looks like these have been picked piecemeal for parts. (Or just left to rot?)