Thursday, August 31, 2017

The Last For August

I made it back , to close out August. August was a good month, postcard wise, having received 50 cards for the month. I have the last 6 cards of August here now ready to go.

I'll start with this card from Malaysia. The card shows a 1989 postage stamp of Thailand.



Shin used 2 definitives stamps issued in 2016. On the left is a Flower definitive issued in a set of 6. On the right is an International definitive , 1 of 8 in a set.




My second card today was issued by the Saskatchewan Western Development Museum. It shows a 1913 Locomotive # 1158 of Canadian National Railways. The museum has branches in North Battleford, Moose Jaw, Saskatoon and Yorkton, all in Saskatchewan.



This card is the result of a swap with Jason of Ottawa. He used an older selection of Canadian stamps - a mini collection in themselves.  On the left is a 1982 stamp from a set of 12 Canadian Painters' Art. The Ladybug stamp is from the Low Value Definitives set of 5 issued in 2007. Underneath the ladybug is a 1978 stamp , 1 of 4 in a set of Inuit Forms of Travel. Then on the far right are 2 copies of a Canada Day stamp issued in 1981. Finally the Curling stamp from 1969.




The little guy on this next card , from Russia, appears a little embarrassed about mailing a letter. Perhaps its a valentine to someone special. Looks a little cold for shorts though. Just saying.



A Postcrosser named Ksenia sent this card. She used 2 nice and large stamps. The left stamp is from 2016 and highlights Traffic Safety starting from Childhood.  The other stamp , issued in 2015, is 1 of 4 in a set showing FIFA World Cup Stadiums for 2018. The 21st FIFA World Cup will be held in Russia in 2018.




Here's a card , the first of 2 , from Belgium. On this one we can see Gembloux Abbey, a Benedictine abbey founded in 922.




Johan used 2 First Day of Issue stamps on this card. They are from the set of 5 Sealife In Danger, issued on August 21st, 2017.




Johan's second card also shows scenes of Gembloux.


There's another First Day of Issue stamp on this one. Again it's August 21st, 2017. It's a large Train Design stamp from a set of 5. A really nice set.



Be sure to check out Johan's great postcard blog called what else but " johan postcards  "


Now it's time for card # 6 - the last one for today and for August.
It's from Germany and shows a happy looking group of 4 musicians. I can hear the music all the way over here.



Denise used a Flower definitive along with a 2017 stamp commemorating the 200th Anniversary of the Invention of the Bicycle by Karl Drais.



That's it for this time and this month. Hope you enjoyed your time here - do drop by again.
Thanks for cards today go out to Shin, Jason, Ksenia, Johan and Denise.

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Is This the Last For August

Well I don't know yet, let's see what happens tomorrow. Today is today and I have cards to show and write about today. Here goes.

Let's start with a card from Czech Republic. Meelis sent it from Trebon, a town in South Bohemia, known for its spas and therapeutic treatments. Dating from the middle of the 12th century, the town is famous for it lakes, hiking and biking trails and for fish. If you go to Trebon, you have to have the fish.



Meelis used 2 stamps on his card. On the left is a stamp issued in 2000 for the World Bank. On the right is a 2015 stamp issued for the World Cup of Ice Hockey.




My second card for today is from Dushanbe, Tajikistan. Dushanbe is the capital and largest city in the country. It's population is just over 800,000. The city's name , Dushanbe, means Monday in the Tajik language. I've been collecting postcards for over 11 years now but this is just the 2nd one from Tajikinstan. Almost as rare as hen's teeth.
The card shows the Palace of Nations, also known as the White House. It is the official residence of the President of Tajikistan. Atop the palace , built in 2002, in the middle of the dome is the second-tallest flagpole on Earth. The pole cost 3.5 million dollars and has a height of 165 metres and flies a 30m x 60m Flag of Tajikistan weighing 700 kg.  



David used a stamp ( the top one ) from 2013 showcasing Mobile Communications in Tajikistan. It is 1 of 3 in a set. The 2 smaller stamps are from a 2016 set of 4 , all showing buildings or structures in Dushanbe.




Next is a card from Mytishchi, a city located just northeast of Moscow.  It's famous for its aqueduct, built in the 18th century by order of Catherine the Great. Olga's card show the Bridge of Four Lions in St. Petersburg, Russia. It is a 28 metre-long pedestrian bridge over the Griboedov Canal. It was constructed in 1825. With it being that old, as the card shows, I'm sure it's  been snowed on many , many times.



Olga used a nice mini selection of stamps on her card. The large stamp on top is from 2015. It highlights Norilsk Nickel, the world's largest producer of nickel and palladium. THe small stamp on the left was issued in 2006 showcasing World Nature Heritage. It's from a set of 4. The last stamp , from 2008 shows Saint Basil's Cathedral.



It's time for the last card of the day. It arrived from Eindhoven, Netherlands. Subject of the card is Hula Hoop Girls. Not quite sure if they are ready for a public performance just yet.

 

Ans used 1 of the 10 stamps in a 2016 set issued for Postcrossing. It's always nice to get a Postcrossing stamp.



That's it for this time but there's always tomorrow, with luck. Today my thanks for cards go out to Meelis, David, Ogla and Ans.

Tuesday, August 29, 2017

The Last of The Abundance

Good day folks. Here's the last of that abundance of postcards that seemed to be hanging around. Today's cards are from Finland, Norway, Japan and France and who knows where else.
First up is this great Aviation themed card from Finland. While it's not Finnair or even Aero Airlines, the plane appears to be a military aircraft from around 1942. Note the machine gun mounted about mid aircraft and the torpedo attached underneath.



Sabine , a Postcrosser from Helsinki sent this card and used a stamp issued on June 9th. It is a mourning stamp issued for Mauno Koivisto, Finland's ninth president.




A card from Norway is next. It arrived from the city of Sandnes just south of Stavanger. On Heidi's card you can see the Kjeragbolton, a huge boulder located on the Kjerag mountain. The 5 cubic metre rock is wedged in a mountain crevasse and is suspended over a 984 metre deep abyss.

 

Now I know that if I ever get to Stavanger, and I hope to within the next 1-2 years , I'll be heading out to Kjerag and have my picture taken atop Kjeragbolten. I'm pretty sure, though,  that My Lovely Teena may try and talk me out of such a stunt. If it indeed happens, you'll see the picture here first.

Heidi used a Posthorn stamp and a Marine Life stamp . The marine Life stamp was issued in 2006, in a set of 2.




Today's third card is from Japan. It shows Train 104 of the Hakone Tozan Railway, a mountain railway , operating in the Hakone region. The railway started operations in 1919. It is capable of climbing one meter vertically for every 12.5 meters of horizontal distance. The line also has three switchbacks to ascend particularly steep sections.



Mariko used a recent Letter Writing Day stamp. It is 1 of 5 in the set.




My next card is also from Finland. The picture in entitled  " Lynn in Her Mom's Corvette " .  What can I say - I always liked corvettes, even Mom's.



Mervi used 2 copies of one of the 2007 Christmas Stamps.





The Chateau of Villandry is the subject of this next card. Known for its beautiful gardens, it is one of the most visited chateaux in France.  The chateau , opened in 1536 , was once the meeting place where King Philip II of France met Richard I of England to discuss peace.



Dominique used 2 stamps from the past - 1967 on this card. On the left is a stamp celebrating the National Congress of Philatelic Societies, and on the right , one celebrating the Orleans Flower Show.




That's another update in the books. Thanks for cards today go out to Sabine, Heide, Mariko, Mervi and Dominique. There are still 2 days left in the month, so I'm hoping to get at least one more update in before month's end. Join me, won't you ? Take care.

Sunday, August 27, 2017

More of That Abundance of Great Cards

Here we go again with more great cards. I kind of ended my last update a little more quickly than I had intended, so hopefully today goes a little longer.
I want to start today with a card from Genoa , Italy. Genoa is the 6th largest city in the country and was once one of the so-called Maritime Republics. The republic of Genoa existed from 1005-1797. Part of the old town of Genoa was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2006.
Carla's card is an old time photograph of an old railroad in Genoa.



Carla used a rather large stamp from 2017. It celebrates 70 years of the Lambretta.




Next is a card from Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan - the capital and largest city of the country. David's card shows the Aykol Manas Monument at The State Historical Museum of the Kyrgyz Republic.



Kyrgyzstan has two official Postal Services - the Government one and a private one called the Kyrgyz Express. This card was sent via the Kyrgyz Express as can be seen from the postmark.

 David used 2 Flower stamps issued in 2017.




This next card is another from the Memorial to Charles de Gaulle. It depicts a scene of the May 1968 period - a period of great demonstrations, massive general strikes, and student strikes and occupations across France.



Dominique used a fine Aviation themed stamp on his card. It's an A300 Airbus issued in 1973.





It's on to South Korea now, with a card showing Royal Azaleas surrounding Mount Halla, the highest mountain in the country. Mt. Halla rises up from the center of Jeju Island and was designated as a national park in 1970.


Here's the stamp info . On the right is 1 of 4 stamps in a 2017 set featuring Must Visit Tourist Destinations for Koreans. I have no info on the small stamp on the left.





My next card arrived from Viersen, Germany. I might title this card  " Get a Room " , but in fact it's called " We are Family ! "



Dirk, a Postcrosser used 2 stamps with structures on them. On the left is a 2014 stamp commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the Minden Lock. Then on the right , a 2009 issue commemorating the 500th Anniversary of Frankenberg City Hall.





Finally, the last card for today. It's a fantastic photograph showing the 25 de Abril Bridge in Lisbon. This suspension bridge was built in 1966 and named the Salazar Bridge after the country's dictator. After the Carnation Revolution of April 25th , 1975, the bridge name was changed to " 25 de Abril " .
This bridge is often compared to the Golden Gate in San Francisco because it is a suspension bridge and also because of its similar coloring.



Margarida used 1 of 5 stamps in a 2017 set commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Rally de Portugal.




That's six cards and all for today. Thanks for cards going out to Carla, David, Dominique, Dirk and Margarida. Hope you enjoyed today's cards and stamps and that you'll find time to drop by again. Hoping to get 2 or 3 more updates in for August.

Tuesday, August 22, 2017

An Abundance of Great Cards

How's it going today? We all survived the eclipse. I resisted the urge to look at the Sun without eye protection, so I'm good to go. I have lots of great cards for this time. They're from all over , so without further ado, let's get to them.
First up is a local card , local to the area I live in. It's from down the road so to speak.It shows a drawing of the Canadian Pacific Railway Station in Beiseker, Alberta. The building was constructed in 1911 and after the CPR discontinued train service to the town, the building went into disrepair. It was restored by the Village of Beiseker and is now a lovely museum.



My Lovely Teena and I recently had lunch in Beiseker and then toured the museum. We had a great time and as she always does , My Lovely Teena dropped a card in the mail to me. There actually wasn't a big choice of cards , but I'm happy with this one. That's Nelson Mandela on the stamp issued by Canada Post in 2015.

 


We go across The Pond for my next card. It's from Ham, Belgium. Ham is a town of between 10 and 11 thousand people in the Belgium province of Limburg. Gerda's card gives us a look at the old rectory in the town.



Gerda used 3 stamps on her card. On the left is 1 of 20 from a 2002 Turn of the Century set. In the middle is a 2001 stamp of Pedagogy- Ovide Decroly and on the right , 1 of 10 in a 2009 Books & Authors set.





We're off to Benin, Africa next. A nice view of a couple of lions, a market and a mud house.


It's great to get a card from such a faraway place as Benin, and I have to say this one was totally unexpected, as was one from Mali , back in Feb of this year. Both cards were from a "Mike" and then at the bottom of the cards was " Taowvik Bowkari " . I really don't know who Mike is or who Taowvik Bowkari is but all I can say is Thanks and if you find yourself in Central African Republic, DRC Congo, Gineau-Bissau, Liberia, Sierra Leone or South Sudan, be sure to drop me a card.
Great stamps on this card. On the left is a 2016 issue commemorating the 95th Anniversary of the Nonvitcha Festive Association. Then on the right is a 1971 Dahomey Stamp overprinted for use in Benin. I'm not sure what year it was used, but lower values of the same stamp were used in 1993.



So Mike and or Taowvik Bowkari , if you read this I would love to get an email from you , telling me who you are, where you are and how you move around Africa.

That's it again, the last card for today, a rather short update for me. Thanks for cards today go out to My Lovely Teena, Gerda and Mike and Taowvik.   Take care and I 'll be back soon. Cheers !

Monday, August 21, 2017

Two Postcards from David, Two From Dominique and a Single from Sven

Hello again on this Solar Eclipse Day 2017. No I don't have any cards showing eclipses, I guess they exist , but I haven't received any. Today's card arrived from Japan, Germany, and France.
Let's start with one from Japan. Here we see the beautiful scenery of Sapporo, on Hokkaido Island, Japan. Hokkaido is the second largest island of Japan and Sapporo, its capital is the largest city on Hokkaido. The island lies just 43 km south of Sakhalin Island. That's Sakhalin Island of Korean Air Flight 007 fame.



David used  2 stamps from the Sea Life Series of 2017.




My next card, from Germany, showcases Reichenau Island, an island in Lake Constance in southern Germany. The island was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000 because of its monastery, the Abbey of Reichenau, founded in the year 724. Nowadays the island is famous for its vegetable farms as is evident from the card. I hope the ladies make it safely to where they are going. Doesn't look like a lot of room for passengers.



Dominique used a stamp from the 2017 set of 2 Classic Cars. This stamp shows the Opel Manta A. Nice socked-on-the-nose cancel.




Here is another card from Hokkaido, Japan. This time it is Shiretoko, located in the north east of Hokkaido. The site is globally important for threatened seabirds and migratory birds. On the card you can see rare and endangered Steller's sea-eagles and white-tailed eagles. The Shiretoko Peninsula was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list in 2005.



On this card David used 2 of the 12 stamps in the Natural Monuments set of 2017. There are Flowers , Birds and Mammals in the set.




Next is a card from the Musee des Blindes ( Museum of Armoured Vehicles ) in Saumur, in the Lore Valley in France. It's one of the largest tank museums in the world.  On the card is an American M24 Chaffee or Light Tank used during World War II and the Korean War.



Dominique used a 1973 stamp called Heroes of World War II.




We're almost there- the end is in sight.

The last card for today is from Germany and shows the Intercity-Express or ICE, a high speed train in Germany. It has been operating since 1985. Surprisingly the bus service here in Airdrie , running to Calgary , is also called ICE or Intercity Express. Who know ?



This card is from a Postcrosser named Sven in Dusseldorf. He used the same Opel Manta A stamp that Dominique used on his earlier card.

So, that my friends is GemWorldPostcards for this time. Thanks for cards going out to David, Dominique and Sven.
Hoping to be back here again tomorrow. Take care.