Funkengroovin Wednesday - A Day In The Life

And a day, and a day....

A week or so ago, VB decided to go out for some Italian bread. At first she was going to drop in on the Fino Bakery, but decided, at the last minute to go around the corner and up the street, to the new Italian store, La Bottega Italiana. It's a tiny shop in Degla, located on Road 231, just between Crabs Corner (don't ask) and the Maadi Duty Free. BTW, just a note for those of you living in Maadi, a Subway is opening across from the Duty Free. Ever since the Quiznos on Road 9 closed quite suddenly (Wonder what happened? Maybe something like this.), VB has had a hankering for a subway style sandwich. She doesn't usually eat them in the States, but for some odd reason, craves things that aren't readily available here in Egypt. (When she has money, she can never find anything to buy, and when she's broke everything is appealing. It's that sort of mentality that is ruling VB's desire for a subway sandwich.)

La Bottega Italiana, to quote from the menu: "Il Supermarket dei prodotti italiani D.O.C. Formaggi, panini, colazioni e piatti pronti." Or, from their English translation: "Supermarket of Italian D.O.C. products. Cheese, sandwiches, breakfasts and pre-cooked dishes." Or in VB's words: fresh homemade pizzas, breads, salads, cakes, along with an assortment of pastas, cheeses, and real Italian salamis. VB bought some bread, salami and vegetarian pizzas, as it was a Thursday afternoon. Plus, The Boss Man was supposed to be going out for a beer after work, and he was not sure when he'd be home for dinner. The pizza was good, and able to deal with extra microwave time (melting the cheese), without getting rubbery.

This collection of photos pretty much represents a day in the life of VB, but read beyond, as this day turns into one long weekend.

(Below 3 photos): A VW Bus broke down near VB's apartment.






(Below): After purchasing her goods from La Bottega Italian, VB decided to trek on over to Road 216, where she has seen a silver Beetle parked. On the way she encountered an interesting two-tone Bug.


(Below 3 photos): The silver Beetle - It has two flats, thus the reason why it hasn't moved for awhile. VB has only seen this car while driving by, and wanted a better look at it.






(Below 4 photos): Rather than walk back on Road 216 along Victory College, which is busy, and has a roundabout, VB decided to cut through some side streets. The Brown, and the very dirty, yellow Bug below, are what VB found.








(Below 3 photos): A s the day grew into night, VB spotted this Bug parked near her apartment. She converted the original photo to the "antique" effect offered on iPhoto, as the color came out too dark on the car. It was a very light shade of blue, which distorted under the flash. This actually shows a truer shade.

As VB was taking the photo, a young man walking down the street decided to chime in. It turned out, he was in Cairo for training with a company he just joined. He asked VB if she was married to the black man, from Aswan, wearing a gellabaya, joking with her (the boab). VB was wearing jeans, sneakers, and a sweater. "No," she laughed at this stranger, and they began to chat. It turned out that the stranger was staying nearby, in the same business as The Boss Man, and VB told him to stop by for a visit. As it turns out, the stranger did - the next night, while The Boss Man and VB had just started to watch Burn After Reading. The stranger is German, (from East Germany,) and was very happy with his new job. He will be traveling to London, Dubai, and Huston, Texas just to name a few places. He doesn't drink or smoke, and is a vegetarian. He's pretty new to worldwide business associated travel, and the possibility of moving his family to a new country. We spent the rest of the evening talking with him. His visit was the beginning of our strange weekend.







The next night, while we tried to watch Burn After Reading again, a neighbor stopped by to drop off a piece for a Blaupunkt radio his dad had given The Boss Man earlier in the day (for our Beetle renovation). The radio is an original VW installed Blaupunkt, from the early 60's.

Back to the movie.

Then The East German dude stops by to drop off his business card on his way to the airport.

Back to the movie.

A while later, the doorbell rings. VB thought, "Oh finally - this must be our Nestle water delivery." (We hadn't had a delivery for three weeks.) No it's not the water. A man who speaks no English hands VB a cell phone. The man on the other end, who sounds like he's at wit's end, says, "You are on road number..., building number...yes!" VB (with a totally confused look on her face): "That's right." Caller: "Would you kindly point to the white villa next door, for this man!?" VB turns and points to the villa next door, while wondering if someone is watching. The non-English speaking man nods, takes the phone, and walks away. Since we live on the ground floor, we are often the ones who answer the main doorbell, particularly on Fridays when the boab is off and the main building door is locked; Or it's our doorbell everyone rings because they're looking for someone else (the mailman, delivery people - especially McDonald's for the kids upstairs.) But, this was one of the weirder visits we've received.

Back to the movie - finally!

After getting through, Burn After Reading, we proceeded to finish off the whole weekend with RocknRolla and Bottle Shock. All three are excellent movies. Well, okay - RocknRolla is a typical Guy Ritchie movie. After watching a scene from Bottle Shock, where Alan Rickman eats KFC in his car, we decided we absolutely needed a bucket of greasy, fried chicken to finish off the weekend. (They deliver everywhere, except in the USA.)

(Below): Shots from Bottle Shock, which is set in 1976 and has all sorts of French and American (and a few VW) cars in scenes. (Now if VB could get rid of those noisy rainbow TV lines that show up in the photos.)

(Below): An intern to the winery shows up in a Beetle that looks like it was plucked from the streets of Cairo. She drives in with a flat, a missing headlight, two-toned, and plenty of dents.




(Below): Sorry, I think your axle's bent.




The Beatles -- A Day in the Life

Funkengroovin' News and A Dog On A Car

Remember the Dog On The Car mentioned here, here, and here? Well, there's a new dog in town, just about a block away from the other one, along Canal Road, in Maadi. The old Dog On A Car hasn't been on top of a car for some time now. We think he's a pet Baladi, whereas the one below is definitely a street dog.

NEWS:

The 5 Most Dangerous Cars for Teens

There's always VW accidents throughout the news, when VB does her weekly search for articles. This one involves a diplomat, and for those of us who have lived overseas, who are subject to the local laws, diplomatic immunity is always a thorny issue.
'Drunk diplomat's wife' kills man

"Adonis Ndudule, 24, from Ormonde View in the south of Johannesburg, stopped a few hundred metres before the 14th Avenue offramp when the engine of his Volkswagen Beetle started giving trouble."

"A member of ER24's emergency services apparently passed the Beetle just before the accident and had seen the car with its flashing hazards parked in the emergency lane.

Ndudule was inspecting the engine, which is mounted in the rear of the Volkswagen Beetle, when he was hit from behind by the Clio. He died on impact."

"A search on the eNaTIS vehicle system revealed that the Clio was registered to the Malaysian embassy."

""We were not allowed to arrest her at the scene - even though she may have been reckless - because she has diplomatic immunity," said Inspector Edna Mamonyane, Johannesburg' s metro police spokesperson."

From Jalopnik:
The Car That Started Murilee On His Vehicular Downward Spiral: Hubert The Hatred Bug

"Here's a story I've been meaning to tell since I started writing for Jalopnik: how it came to be that I love junkyard-built, low-budget, primered-out heaps so much. You can blame this '58 Volkswagen!"

Irvine, California:
21st Annual VW Classic Weekend - Kit Car Event Coverage

Meyers Manx Dune Buggy - A Legend Returns

"Well, he is back...and back with a stylish vengeance. Meyers took the simple Manx dune buggy design and has brought it to the next level-the Manxter 2+2. The Manxter 2+2 takes the original concept into the 21st century with tried-and-true ideas and cutting-edge technology and style."

Check out the photo of the "VW bus his company takes to trade shows."
Growing company makes scents

"Tom Conroy knows what Bank of America smells like.

He can also tell you the scents for Macy's, McDonald's and Westin Hotels.

Conroy is chief executive officer of ScentAir, a Charlotte company that creates aromas and sells them for use in stores, museums, at special events and other venues."

Porsche 911 still roars after all these years

"The 911 was revealed in 1963 as an updated, more powerful version of the Porsche 356, which was essentially a Volkswagen Beetle wearing running shoes. Like its VW ancestor, the 911 had an air-cooled, rear-mounted engine, but it was a larger flat-six engine whose signature off-beat growl was a far cry from the unmusical flatulence of the Beetle."

"Consider this though (and leaving aside the barn-burning GT3 and GT2 racing models for now), a modern 911 Carrera- has 385 h.p. and is available with a twin-clutch PDK transmission that lets it rocket to 100 kilometres per hour in slightly more than four seconds with a top speed of 302 km per hour. Yet it will only burn slightly more than eleven litres of fuel for every 100 km of city driving: about the same as a V-6 Honda Accord. It's quiet and refined as only a German sport-luxury car can be, but open it up on a twisty road and the lively spirit of the '60s original can be felt underneath all the satellite navigation and heated seats."

Mercury? De Soto? Call It a Winner

"Combining a 1998 Mercury Grand Marquis sedan and panels from 11 different cars, including a 1957 De Soto, Steve Heller won the Collectible Car of the Year contest."

U.S. Cash for Clunkers? Not Yet

"The concept of retiring old cars met opposition from car enthusiasts concerned that classic models, valued either as restoration projects or as sources of spare parts, might be scrapped. But it has the backing of public transit advocates, environmentalists and economists, and is seen by some legislators as a better use of tax money than making loans directly to failing automakers.

Under a Senate proposal called the Voluntary Retirement of Fuel-Inefficient Vehicles, consumers who voluntarily turn in cars or trucks that get less than 18 miles a gallon would receive vouchers worth up to $4,500 to help them buy more economical replacements."

From the Washington Post:

"How much do you know about car safety? Take our quiz and test your knowledge -- what you don't know could hurt you."

(Below): Homemade sheesha pipe.




LOST!
The new season starts here in Cairo tonight, on Showtime Series channel. VB is going to dinner, with an out of town guest. Showtime usually (but not always, as is the case with The Tudors) reruns programs the following afternoon. VB would like to see the VW Bus, as it shows up again this season. She's not sure she wants to try keeping up with a show she hasn't watched for several seasons, which was confusing to begin with. Maybe she'll just check out episode "316" (link below) when it airs, and leave it at that.

Who's VW bus is used in television show LOST?

(Old, but with photos of the Bus.)
LOST finds the VW Bus

Lost Episode Recap: "316"

(Below): A scene from Road 9, Maadi.



Tomorrow (Wednesday) there will be a non-news Funkengroovin'.

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

Talkin' Traffic - Word On The Street, Now Word In The News

(Below): Everyone wants to turn at the same time. We just want to go straight. (If you enlarge the photo, you can make out another car, behind to the red one, also attempting a turn.)


Word on the street says the police are serious about enforcing the new traffic laws. We reviewed these laws earlier. Word has it, an Egyptian man was arrested, jailed for seven hours, released after consultation with an attorney, and an agreement to pay the stated fine. What was his crime? Driving the wrong way down a one way street! Truly, who hasn't seen someone drive the wrong way down a one way street in Cairo? Who hasn't done this?! Yes, even VB and The Boss Man have committed this atrocious crime, since, at times, it's the only way out!

(Below): Like this?

A very recent article in The Daily News Egypt states that, no, this is actually not one of those rumors streaming through the expat community, but a fact:

"This is where the popular Egyptian saying 'the law is on vacation' derives its validity and endurance. For example, how ironic it is that, on one hand, nobody has been held accountable for the death of the some 1,000 passengers who were aboard the Salam 98 ferry that drowned in the Red Sea three years ago, but, on the other, hundreds of drivers were, in the blink of an eye, arrested and sent to court for violating traffic laws?"

Also: NEW TRAFFIC LAW SENDS 144 DRIVERS TO COURT

"CAIRO: Cairo's motorists are starting to feel the pinch of the new traffic law: 144 drivers were recently arrested for driving on the wrong side of the road, reported state-run Al-Ahram.

Cairo's Investigation Department ordered their detainment for four days and referred them to court.

Earlier this week, Prosecutor General Abdel Meguid Mahmoud referred 58 people to criminal prosecution for violating traffic laws, for which they can receive jail sentences.

Mahmoud emphasized the importance of taking legal action against drivers who violate traffic laws, especially driving on the wrong side of the road, driving without a license or motorcycle drivers not wearing helmets."

Saturday (Valentine's Day), at the intersection of Road 216, Zahraa, and Laselky Street, in Maadi, was harass white expats day. Anyone white, driving an S.U.V. (usually an expat with a company car) was pulled over for a check, including The Boss Man. Vehicle I.D. and driver's license required. As usual, the street was partially blocked by metal barricades, forcing drivers to merge into one lane. A man dressed in street clothes, with a walkie-talkie, would point out cars as they approached the merge, and the police would pull them over for a check. Not sure if anyone was caught breaking the law, but it was coincidental, as VB had just been discussing the licensing procedure with The Boss Man. (VB only has an International License.) What's interesting is when VB first moved to Cairo, she was told by another expat wife, not to bother with the local license. The expat wife said it was, "Bullshit! They never check."

Perhaps this contempt, or superiority complex, is too well ingrained amongst us white expats, so much so, that we flaunt it a bit too much, and we are now considered a part of the problem. Well, it's certainly part of the new law, and VB suggests you not drive without a license: "Driving without a driver’s license or without the vehicle license," comes to a fine of "100-1000" LE, "Or jail for a period not more than 6 months."

Since VB is pretty shocked about the possibility of jail time. Traffic violations are a common occurrence around here. Let's look at some of the other, possibly more dangerous traffic transgressions going on, that are totally ignored by the authorities. Some of these laws apply to more than one of the photos below.

(Laws are in bold and quoted verbatim.)

"Using the vehicles in purposes other than what is stated in the license."

(Below): See this? No it's not a riot by American hating protesters blocking the road.


(Below): It's two trucks, overloaded with men and women (obviously transported separately). Just imagine if one or both of these trucks were in an accident. As The Boss Man says, "there would be assholes splattered everywhere!" The biggest ass being the individual who came up this ingenious idea of transporting people in the back of an open truck.

"Polluting the streets by throwing leftovers, or construction wastes or any other stuff"

(Below): Fresh orange juice?



(Below): Even though every single restaurant in Cairo delivers, many retailers of appliances do not. Or, perhaps, this is the delivery method, via taxi.


(Below): Would you like Bebsi with that hole in your windshield? (No, they are not tied down.)


(Below): Let's discuss what happens when you get egged - or maybe let's not.

"Driving a vehicle where substances are flying out of it, or with inflammable or harming substances leaking out of it, or substances that could affect the competency of the road in a way that could nail the road safety or forming any kind of danger for the road users"

(Below): Garbage! Just a bit over the top.


(Below): Here the poor guy watching the trash, leans inward to say, "Dude, the garbage bags are flying all over the place!" How does VB know this? One flew under her car, was dragged, until it split open, and blew all over the street.

"Violations made by the truck drivers in terms of weight, height, width, or length that are permitted and in relation to the approved cargo"

(Below): Yes, that's right. In addition to the overloaded truck, there's a bicycle on the highway (look to the right,) and people dashing back and forth, to catch buses.

"Non-adherence to the right sight of the road as assigned for driving for both directions"

(Below): A common question drivers in Cairo ask themselves: Do we drive on the line, or between it?

"If the vehicle driver did not follow the instructions and traffic signs as well as the traffic officers instruction related to organizing the traffic flow"

(Below): Not only do public buses come way too close for comfort, they often cut you off.

"Non providing the vehicle with the reflecting triangle"

(Below): The bread delivery man is obviously not using the "slow moving vehicle" symbol triangle, as specified by law. Plus, it's questionable as to whether he can actually see where he's going, with all that bread piled in front.

"Delaying or obstructing the traffic flow in any way"

(Below): Broke down and doing work right on the road. Okay, let's face it - there's no AAA here, so what's a person to do?

"Non using of the protecting helmets while driving the motorcycles"

(Below): Obviously flaunting their disregard for the law, neither of these riders is sporting a helmet. No a hijab is not a helmet! And, on top of that, she is wearing a frilly skirt (with a leather / pleather hem?), riding side saddle.

"Driving a vehicle that produces a thick smoke or non-environmental exhaust and/or bad smell"

"Anyone who allows persons under the age of 18 to drive a vehicle in case a death, or injury or any form of damage occurs to others"

"Driving of a vehicle with a speed that is less than the minimum speed, in case it causes obstruct of traffic in the street"

(Below): One: He's going the wrong way. Two: Can this guy even control that horse? Three: He's cutting us off! Damn it! That happens all the time. We're always getting cut off, and now, by a horse!


(Below): Bicycle deliverymen usually get through traffic faster than anyone else.


(Below): VB thinks we should thank our stars that the foam goods are draped over the back windshield, and not the front. Well, VB didn't actually see the front, and it does look like the driver was just cut off by a taxi.

More:

SAD STATISTIC: TOURISTS’ TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS IN 2008

"Majority of the accidents happened in Ukraine (11), then in Egypt (10), Russia (9), Turkey (7) and Austria (5). Most of the injured tourists were in Egypt (192 people), China (99), and Turkey (97). Egypt also took the first place in a general death-roll – 40 dead, second is Turkey with 25 dead. After the tragedy near Israeli Eilat (24 managers from Russian tour agencies died when a bus driver lost control of the vehicle), the country takes the third place in the sad statistic."

Sirens of Failure

"There is a real need for efficient and effective emergency response services in this country. An Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC) study reported that in 2006, Egypt had one of the highest death rates in car accidents in the world, with 156.3 deaths for every 100,000 vehicles. To compare, Switzerland had 8.7 deaths and the US 18.9 deaths. Egypt even beat India, which had 125.7 deaths per 100,000 vehicles. In 2007, 6,700 people died in car crashes in Egypt and more than 30,000 were injured."

INSIDE THE SUBCULTURE OF EGYPT’S TAXI DRIVERS

"The taxi driver subculture has also developed its own traditions, separate from religion, with more mysterious and superstitious elements. Some of these may be rooted in rituals that were practiced in the drivers’ home town or village.

“When we buy a new taxi, we like to offer a sacrifice to ensure that we will always have good luck,” said Eid. “Sometimes drivers would slaughter a rabbit or small animal and spread the blood on the car with their hands.”"

TRUCK DRIVERS STAND AGAINST NEW TRAFFIC LAW

"Last month, the Ministry of Interior rejected a request by several MPs to amend the two contentious articles.

Opposition MP Sabry Amer said that even if the new law makes sense technically, it cannot be implemented for economic reasons. Coupled with the current economic situation, the law would threaten the only source of income for a large number of Egyptian taxi drivers.

In addition, the article regarding trailers will mean a loss of around LE 120,000 for truck drivers, which is the approximate cost of each trailer, according to Amer."

Accidents the norm

"Deficiencies in national transport were again in the spotlight. In the governorate of Matrouh 44 people were killed and 35 injured after a truck pushed waiting traffic into the path of a speeding train. A further 13 people were killed and 24 injured when a bus and truck collided head-on south of Cairo in October. More than 60 people were killed and 10 injured when their bus plunged into a canal south of Cairo at the end of the Eid Al-Adha celebrations last month. It was the deadliest road accident in Egypt since 1987.

More than 6,000 people are killed and 26,000 injured every year on Egypt's roads according to the World Health Organisation. Yet last August's new traffic law, despite official assurances it "will be scrupulously enforced to improve the traffic situation" -- Major-General Sherif Gomaa, assistant to the interior minister -- has yet to improve the situation."

going green with cabs in cairo

"Many Egyptians are less optimistic that the rule of law will govern on the streets of Cairo:

"It won't work for sure," says Adil Abdel Rahman, 48, a driver of a Soviet-era Lada. The police, he said, would likely target only the poor for fines, allowing the rich to dodge responsibility."Everyone plays with the law here," he said."

Lastly, a not so dangerous law, that's so ambiguous, anyone with the smallest sticker on their vehicle could be charged (that would be everyone in Egypt). This could likely be applied to all those cars with "For Sale" signs stuck to the windows, as well. It's silly, to say the least.

"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"

(Below 2 Photos): Very popular sticker - The Black Eyes.