Monday adventures

Any time Elaine says "Be up early. We're going on an adventure." I'm all about it. So bright and early Monday morning we were on the road, headed south on Carr. 2 toward Mayaquez. Then past Mayaquez. Past Hormiqueros and past the turn-off for La Parquera. Past the turn-off to Guanica. We are farther down Carr. 2 than I've ever been.

"Take the next exit and turn left."

We're in Yauco, which is a big coffee growing region so I'm thinking "hmmm - coffee plantatation?"

"Nope. Turn right! Turn right!"

Suddenly, there it is - Volkylandia! It doesn't look like much from the outside, except for that blue VW Beetle up on the post. Inside, it is the largest privately owned Volkswagon museum in the world.

We got there early on a holiday and we're the first ones there.  That turned out to be a good thing for us. Israel and his wife speak mostly Spanish so having a "private" tour was helpful.We could  work with Israel to understand. I'm sure we missed some of it but we did understand a lot.

Even with the language issue, Israel's passion for his cars is unmistakable. He started this collection about six years ago, a collection that includes things I didn't even know VW made. He has an original VW van ambulance, the VW "Thing" that was Tom Cruise's character's getaway car in the film "Valkyrie," and a commandeered "Thing" in U.S. Army green from the post-war occupation.  The original VW van fire truck from one of the Puerto Rican municipios (I don't remember which one). The pump pulls out through the side door of the van and is powered by - what else? - a VW engine. There is an amphibious VW and a very limited edition four-wheel drive VW. A custom-built miniature Hummer dropped on to a Beetle chassis makes a Humbug., There is a 1973 Beetle just like the one I used to own except mine was orange. And, there is the last VW built, from Mexico.

If you're a Beetle lover like I am, it's pretty amazing and wonderful. The visit did make me want a Bug all over again. Dumbest thing Volkswagon ever did was getting rid of the Beetle. Sorry - the New Bug is only slightly better than New Coke. Although, Israel does have a New Beetle body dropped on an old Beetle chassis. There just isn't much you can't do with those things!

You can see them on Facebook.