Text Size
Writing Samples
Budapest, "The City of Statues"
Following the M-1 freeway in our rented Opel Vectra station wagon, the four of us breezed in to Budapest, a busy city of 2 million people. Travel brochures refer to this city as the Paris of the East.
Executing the “Latino style driving technique”, as outlined in the Budapest Visitor’s Guide “Need to Know” section, “driving in Budapest should never be tackled lightly and certainly not by the fainthearted. There is a Highway Code, though few seem to give it much regard. Armed with that information we looked for the small blue signs with a white “i”(symbol for tourist information center). We wound our way over the Danube River that divides the flat “Pest” (pronounced pesht) side from the hilly “Buda” area of the city. Buda and Pest were officially amalgamated to form Budapest in 1872.
Shakes, rattles, squeaks & thunks…(Anti-freeze)
We have an inherent nature within each one of us that tends to put important things off. When it comes to maintaining our vehicle’s health, we know certain things need to be done, but the prevailing attitude for most of us seems to be: “I’ll get around to it later, …not right now.” Does that sum up your attitude, for the most part? It does for me.
The winter cold will soon be upon us and whether we like it or not, it’s time to check the condition of our vehicle’s anti-freeze. Our car or truck’s coolant condition tends to be a low priority item, and other than giving the level on the side of the opaque overflow bottle a casual glance to see if it is within the cold and hot range, we tend to ignore it. We give a much higher priority to the oil level in our vehicles as we gas up at any full-serve station, when the attendant asks you if he or she should check the oil.
Ask the man who owns one
 |
In 1941 The Packard Motor Car Company introduced the first of the handsome Clipper Line of cars. A 245.3 cubic inch six cylinder and a 282 cubic inch straight-eight version were produced. These cars were designed by “Dutch” Darrin and modified by Packard stylist Werner Gubitz. The Clipper was the first major departure from the traditional square-box styling used in previous models. The flowing fenders, hidden running boards, tapered rear end and narrow vertical grille, all came together, and resulted in the most stylish models the company had yet produced in its’ long history. This model came in only one body style, a four-door sedan, priced at $1420. The Clipper model sat squarely between the One Twenty and One Sixty and had a 127 inch wheelbase.
Page 3 of 3
Writing Samples
How to buy an article
Editors or Publishers wishing to purchase an article please e-mail a freelance writing agreement or contract to gficke@okanagan.net or mail to:
Gordon H. Ficke
3455 Gates Road,
Westbank, B.C.
V4T 1A2 Canada