Tuesday, July 24, 2018

A Little More July Cards

I'm back again - so soon you say. Not like me some might say. I just have four cards on hand so thought what the heck, let's do it. And what better way to start, than with an Airline / Aircraft themed card, and a new airline to me - Karhumaki Airlines. Founded in 1947, Karhumaki started scheduled services in June of 1951. Karhumaki was renamed Kar Air in January of 1957 and later became part of Finnair in September  1996.



A Postcrosser named Juha sent this card. He wrote that his first flight was on a Kar Air Airbus A300 , flying from Helsinki to Faro, Portugal, when he was just a 10 year old kid. My first flight was on an Eastern Provincial Airways DC-3 , when I was 15, flying from Gander, Newfoundland to Wabush , Labrador. Here's a thought - tell me about your first flight, how old you were, when you flew,  what type of plane, if you know, and where you flew from and to . Leave a comment.
Back to Juha's card. He used 2 stamps, the left one is from 2017, 1 of 4 in a Birds set. The right stamp is 1 of 6 in a set issued in 2018 , commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the Finnish Defence Forces. It's a little difficult to see, but the card received a special Havis Amanda cancellation. Maybe it's not special, I really don't know and I don't know why it received this cancel, maybe it has to do with the location it was posted.
Havis Amanda is the name of Finland's most famous statue. It's a nude mermaid statue, sculpted in 1906, erected in Helsinki.





Today's second card gives us a look at Saint Martin Church in Colmar, northeastern France, 64 km from Strasbourg, near the German border. The church was completed in 1365.



Dominique used a stamp from 2016 showing Notre-Dame-Des-Mission, a Roman Catholic Church.





My next card arrived from Australia. On it we can see five Surf Sirens resting on Manly Beach, New South Wales sometime around 1940.



Helena used a couple of stamps on her card. On the left is a 2018 stamp celebrating the birth of a Royal Baby - HRH Prince Louis of Cambridge. The right stamp was issued in 2017, 1 of 3 in a Water Plants set.





It's last card time for today. It arrived from Cambodia. On it we see the North Gate of Angkor Thom, the last and most enduring capital city of the Khmer empire. It was founded in the late 12th century.


Ravindra used a 2017 stamp on his card. It is 1 of 5 in a set showcasing Khmer Culture.


Well that's it for this time. Thanks for today's card go out to Juha, Dominique, Helena and Ravindra.
But before I go, let's take a minute and go back to the Australia stamps on Helena's card. Looks like the dreaded pen canceller struck again. And I used to think that this was a Canadian phenomenon, I guess not. Sad though, this pen/pencil affliction seems to be.  If only I was close, he or she would certainly get a blast. Someday when I have a little spare time I'm going to go thru my cards and see if I can find a country that this condition hasn't spread to. I'll keep you all informed. Sounds like winter work to me. Now, that's the end. Take care, See you again soon.

Sunday, July 22, 2018

More July Cards

Hey there, what's happening ? My last update was Tuesday, today is Sunday, so I guess it's time for another . Let's start with this card from Aribe. This is a very small village in the Navarre region in the Pyrenees Mountains of northern Spain. Small indeed, with a population of just 42. From the picture on the front of the card, it looks like a great place to just relax and get away from everything and anything.

 

Josep & Assumpta sent this card along. They have a great postcard blog called " cartes i postals d'arreu " or " Letters and Postcards from all over " in English. You can check it out right here . Their stamp choices include , on the left - a Simonia Perez designed stamp and on the right - 1 of 4 in the Classic Cars set- this one a Volkswagen Beetle.




Up next is this fine Cat card from Kenya. It's from the Olare Mara Kempinski Masai Mara , a luxury safari lodge in the Olare Motorogi Conservancy.



Bruce used 2 stamps along with a rather nice Kenya Airways Air Mail sticker.  The left stamp is from 2001, 1 of a set of 12 stamps showing Crops - in this case Peanuts. The stamp on the right was issued this year, 1 of 4 in a set of Northern White Rhinoceros. A beautiful set.




Now for 2 cards for New Caledonia. Both are from David - from his recent trip in June.
The first one is from La Foa, a commune in the South Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. David's card shows the local view and a few of the sights.



The stamp here is from 2014 and celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the House of Fighters.



Now  the 2nd card : Palm trees, white sand and clear blue waters. Just the way I remember New Caledonia. The card pictures a beach area on Ouvea, a commune on one of the Loyalty Islands in the archipelago of New Caledonia. David posted this one in Fayaoue, the commune's settlement and administrative centre.




This card's stamp is from 2018 , 1 of 2 in an architecture set.


I do like the great circular cancellations here and the wonderful socked-on-the-nose.

The End - There it is , another one in the books. Thanks for today's cards go out to David, Bruce and Josep & Assumpta..
Great cards folks .

See you readers again soon.

Tuesday, July 17, 2018

Cards That Arrived in July

Howdy again - I can say that now , now that Stampede's over. I wouldn't want anyone to think I was a Stampede bandwagoner. This year's Stampede was a great success, huge crowds , and  outstanding weather. One of the good ones for sure.

Now on to the postcards - some that I have received this current month. Let's start with one from Russia. This one shows a fine deer in a flowering field. That's a fine rack indeed - hey , I can say that here.



This card arrived from a Postcrosser named Tanya. She used a nice World Cup stamp issued this year. It is from a really nice set of 8.




Speaking of Postcrossing - This wonderful postcard club just celebrated its 13th  Anniversary on July 14th. Here are the big numbers - 728,000+ members, in 217 countries and 47,723,156 postcards received to date. Congratulations !


The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad is the focus of my second card. This railroad started in 1882 and has continuously operated steam locomotives on its 72.7 km of tract between Durango and Silverton.  The card shows Locomotive 743 northbound through the Animas Canyon entering Elk Park.

 

Ray used a large selection of stamps on this card issued between 1975 and 2018.  I especially like the baseball themed stamp in lower left. It's one of twenty in a set issued in 1996 for the Atlantic Olympics. The top right stamp is one of ten Bioluminescent Life stamps issued in 2018. Others include the 1975 Christmas Stamp, a Star Trek stamp from 2016, a Pacific 97 triangle stamp from 1997 and a Mountain Lion from 1987.

 



Here's another railway card , without the railway, just the tracks. This card arrived from Slovakia.



Pavel who hails from Bratislava used 2 stamps on his card. The left stamp is from 2009 , 1 of 11 in a Cultural Heritage of Slovakia set. The set is a recurring issue with a single stamp issued each year since. The larger stamp on the right , from 2018, is a Europa Stamp featuring a Bridge.




After two railroad cards, it's time for an Airline / Airplane card - a Cargolux B747. Based in Luxembourg, Cargolux is one of the largest scheduled all cargo airlines in Europe.



Valerie used 3 stamps on her card.   On the left is 1 of 4 Postocollant Stamps issued in 2013. The middle stamp, is 1 of 4 in a 2015 Flowers set. The stamp on the right , also from 2015, is 1 of 3 in a Vegetable of Yesteryear set.

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What's Up ? Well, it's that time, last card time . This one is from France. It's a bird delivering a letter -  cheaper than a mailman I guess.


Fanny used a new 2018 stamp featuring Lucie and Raymond Aubrac. It honors their actions and memory. They were united in their commitment to the French Resistance against the Nazi occupation. 



That's all for today. Thanks for cards go to Tanya, Ray, Valerie, Pavel and Fanny. Take care, see you back here soon. 

Friday, July 13, 2018

Lucky Friday the 13th

Yes, it's Friday the 13th - hope you can stay away from black cats and manage to not pass under any ladders. If either of those strike fear in you - you may be suffering from paraskevidekatriaphobia. That's a mouthful for sure.

Moving right along :

It seems like another week and then some has gone by. I'm not sure how that happens, but it does . Before I get to a few cards for today, I have a little followup to take care of from my last posting. In it I asked if anyone knew who the lady was pictured on a Greek stamp that I showed. I had 2 comments left regarding the stamp , but nobody guessed who she is , so it's time for the big reveal. Just to refresh here is the stamp in question :

Her name is Rita Wilson. She is an actress, singer and producer  and wife of Tom Hanks. So there you have it. The answer you've all wanted for a week and some . Just kidding !

Now on to today's cards.
My first card today arrived from Sabah - a state of Malaysia located on the northern portion of Borneo Island.



Michael's card shows a Bamboo-pipe band at Kampong Baru Jumpa . This form of entertainment is often described as " sheer tropical magic " .

Michael used 2 copies of a 2016 stamp from a set of 8 International definitives.






My next card is from Bermuda, a place I haven't been back to for many years. Guess it's time to go again. The card is another one for my Airline / Aircraft Postcard Collection. This one is a British Airways Boeing 777. It has a capacity of 383 passengers and has a range of 11,560 km.



Jean Pierre used a stamp from 2016. It is 1 of 4 in a set showcasing the Lifecycle of the Monarch Butterfly. The stamp used highlights the 2nd stage.





Here's another card from from Bermuda, from Jean Pierre and another Airline / Aircraft card. Lucky me !
Here we have a British Airways Boeing 767, registered as G-BNWR. This aircraft had its first flight March 2, 1991. It is now stored at Victorville, Calif, as of Oct 2013.



Jean Pierre again used a 2016 stamp. This one is from a set of 6 saluting World War I .






We're off to Melbourne, Australia for my next card. Here we see a tramcar  of the City Circle Tram. This is a zero-fare tram running around Melbourne City Centre. Aimed mainly at tourists, the route passes many Melbourne attractions.




David's stamp is from 2017, an International Rate,  Flower / Water Plant stamp.



A couple of cards from France, sent by Dominique are up next. First is this fine view of Marseille and the Basilica of Notre-Dame de la Garde. It opened in 1864 and is the most visited site in Marseille. The city is France's largest cruise port - maybe I'll get to sail in or out of there someday.





Diominique used a semi-postal stamp from 1986. It was issued for Stamp Day of that year and features a Berline Carriage.






Dominique's second card is of la maison du Sel in Wissembourg, a small village on the border with Germany. Built in 1448, this place has been a hospital, a salt deposit, and a slaughterhouse. It is now a private residence and not open to the public.

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Dominique 's stamp on this one is from 1982 and commemorates the 300th Anniversary of the discovery of Louisiana by Cavelier de la Salle.





It seems we have enough time for another Bermuda card, featuring HM Queen Elizabeth II on the occasion of her 90th Birthday celebrations.




Jean Pierre used great looking stamps which received a wonderful clear circular cancellation. Always great to see. The left stamp, featuring The Queen was issued  in 2017, in a set of 3 marking her reign as the Longest Reign.  The stamp on the right is 1 of 3 issued in May to celebrate the Wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.


It certainly doesn't take very long to get on a stamp if you marry a Royal !

That's it for this time. Thanks for cards today go out to Dominique, David Jean Pierre, and Michael. Thanks guys. Couldn't do it without you.

Tuesday, July 3, 2018

Cruising Thru Postcards # 10

Well it's that time again - time for Cruising Thru Postcards 10 - my report of postcards that I sent while on our last cruise. It seems all cards have returned Home. So it's time to blog. It'll be a little long so you might want to get a coffee or tea and settle in.
Obviously, since we live on the Prairie, taking a cruise always means flying somewhere to join the ship. On Wednesday May 16th we ( My Lovely Teena & I ) flew from Calgary to Toronto . We overnighted there and met our other 4 travel companions at Toronto Airport. Then on Thursday , May 17 we flew from Toronto to Venice , landing at Marco Polo Airport. After just over an hour ride on the water bus, we arrived at San Marco, where our hotel was located.

Our cruise was a 7 day cruise from Venice with stops in Croatia, Greece and Italy. We sailed on MSC Sinfonia which was built in 2002 at a cost of $245 million. Our captain was Roberto Leotta.  Sinfonia has 13 decks, and carries 721 crew and 2,679 passengers.  That's enough of the technical details , now it's on with the show, sorry the cruise.

We departed Venice at 4:30 PM , Saturday 19 May and sailed 218 nautical miles to Split, Croatia, arriving at 7:00 AM on May 20th. Split is the second-largest city of Croatia. It lies on the Dalmation coast, on the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea.  We opted for a walking tour of the old city, visiting the historical quarter of Split. One of the highlights of Split is of course the limestone and marble Diocletian's Palace, built at the turn of the 4th century . It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.

My first card shows Diocletian's Palace and the Cathedral Of Saint Domnius.


The stamp - But first I should point out that I previously purchased stamps for the different countries before I left home. You never know if you'll get to a post office or if it will even be open when you are there. Even doing this I did have a hic-up or two, which I'll eventually get to. The stamp on this card was issued in 2017 for the 50th Anniversary of the Golden Spin of Zagreb.




As she always does , My Lovely Teena also picked up a card and prepared it for me. Hers show a number of scenes along the beautiful Dalmation Coast.



Teena used a 2016 Say No To Hate stamp.



I didn't make it to a post office in Split but managed to get back to the ship in time to hand my cards in at the ship's customer service . I was assured they would go out with the ship's mail to their agent MSC Krstarenja doo for posting. Look's like it worked.
We departed Split at 5:00 PM , heading for Santorini, Greece,  670 nautical miles away.

Monday  May 21st was a sea day so we just enjoyed the sun and the ship.
At 7:00 AM on Tuesday May 22nd we arrived in Santorini. It looked as beautiful as the postcards show it. We took a bus through Santorini to Oia, a typical Greek village with narrow streets, and white churches with blue domes. Oia is famous for its view over the Gulf of Santorini and it certainly lived up to it. Rather than take the bus back down, we opted for the cable car in the small village of Fira and that gave up a different perspective going back down.

Captain Leotta sailed the Sinfonia from Santorini at 3:00 PM

The postcards of Santorini look like the postcards of Santorini we have all seen. Lots of white and blue. This first one , from My Lovely Teena is typical - blue seas with white building and blue domes. Teena wrote that maybe we could return for a week - sounds like a good plan to me.


Teena's stamp is from 2016 - 1 of 4 in a set commemorating 2016 as the Year of Greece in Russia.



Here's a few other cards from Santorini.
Blue doors were quite common also. The top one on this card looks like it leads to Nowhere or certainly a big drop down.


The stamp is from 2017 and highlights the Sanctuary of Amartnthia Artemis.



This next card shows the docking area where we tendered in . You can see it in the lower right corner. We then took a bus up those zig-zag roads you can see there. Santorini and Oia are both located high above the sea.



The stamps used here are from a set of 5 issued in 2016.  They feature Greek Personalities Living Abroad. But who is the lady on this stamp ?

Try guessing who she is, without resorting to the internet, or your stamp catalogues, it's no fun if you just look her up. Leave a comment with your guess- if you're really honest and I'm sure you will be, the first correct guess might even win something - some great philatelic treasure I'm sure. It's all just fun, so enjoy and have some. I'll give the answer in my next update.

Here's the last card from Santorini or Oia. An aerial view- close quarters for sure. And people here think we live close together!



The stamp - from a set of 4 issued in 2014. They showcase ecological transportation - Bicycles.


I didn't have a lot of time here , so what to do about mailing cards ?
Well let's just say I did it my way . Sounding a little like Old Blue Eyes himself. Let's just say the cards from Santorini, Mykonos and Dubrovnik all returned with me back to Canada. They were then mailed backed to the appropriate post office and dispersed out to you all.

Captain Leotta sailed the Sinfonia from Santorini at 3:00 PM Tuesday afternoon enroute to Mykonos , 71 nautical miles away, hoping to arrive at 8:00 PM. 
We arrived a little after 9 PM so that sort of cut down on our excursion time here in Mykonos - A Night Out In Mykonos , experiencing Greek hospitality, Greek food and Greek music and  entertainment, some great Ouzo. Ater all that, even though it was dark, we had a guided tour of Mykonos town.  We got to see the whitewashed houses, the narrow lanes and the area often called
 " Little Venice " .
Considering the late hour I didn't think I would find any postcards in Mykonos. Luckily just before returning to the bus around 12:30 AM I found a small shop just closing up. The owner agreed to let me buy some cards and here are 2 of them. This first one shows the area called Little Venice.



The stamp used on this card was issued in 2015 to showcase the ESPO Conference in Piraeus , Greece. ESPO is the European Sea Ports Conference.



The second Mykonos card is one from My Lovely Teena. It shows the harbour area, the white buildings and three of the windmills on the ridge. The windmills can be seen from every point of the village of Mykonos. Most of the windmills were built by the Venetians in the 16th century. There are currently 16 windmills on the island of which 7 are on the ridge overlooking the village.



Teena used another of the Year of Greece in Russia set issued in 2016.



We sailed out of Mykonos  at 3:00 AM on Wednesday May 23rd. So all day Wednesday it was another sea day, until we arrived in Dubrovnik at 1:00 PM Thursday, May 24th, having sailed 601 nautical miles. I was certainly excited about Dubrovnik, having heard it was a beautiful city, lots of history, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
We toured the famous city walls with its towers, bastions and fortifications surrounding the entire city. Built in the 12th century and then modified in the 13th and 14th centuries , Dubrovnik's 1,940m of walls are some of the most beautiful and best preserved in Europe. We also took the cable car up Srd Mountain, behind the city. Atop the hill is Fort Imperijal at 412m, it was built from 1806-1816.  Walking around the city on the walls was amazing and then walking around inside this medieval walled city was something else.
I have 2 cards showing this wonderful and beautiful city. The first one is a look at the old city harbour.


Teena used 1 of the 4 Cat stamps of 2018. It was a set entitled Children's world of Cats.



The second card shows Dubrovnik's fortifications at night.




Another of the Cat stamps on this one.


I have a question for anyone in the know out there. All of the Dubrovnik cards arrived with that large black letter T on them . Anyone know what it means ? Leave a comment if so.


The last card from Dubrovnik gives us a look at The Church of St.
Blasius. It was built in 1715.



Here's a stamp from 2017 celebrating The 100th Anniversary of the Faculty of Medicine.



The Sinfonia left Dubrovnik at 8:00 PM enroute to the Italian city of Ancona, a distance of 218 nautical miles, arriving at 10:00 AM on Friday , May 25th.  Ancona is both a city and a seaport on the Adriatic Sea in central Italy.
We walked around Ancona , sightseeing some of the many sights available. The following will attest to some of what we saw.
My first card shows the Lazzaretto, built in 1732. It's a pentagonal building covering some 20,000 sq meters.



Before I get to the stamps on this card, I have a story to tell . As I mentioned earlier, I purchased stamps prior to leaving Canada. When I researched the postage rate, I was told the rate from Italy to Canada was 0.85e and the rate to Europe was 0.65e. Just before I left Canada I was advised by by 2 postcard buddies, one in France and one in Italy, that Italian Post had raised their rates for postcards to 2.20e. Disconcerting to say the least. I knew I still had enough stamps , but would need some make-up value stamps. I hoped to use 2 x 0.95e and purchase the make-up stamps as required. All sounds good in theory.
So I stuck 2 x 0.95e stamps on all my cards from Ancona . Off  I went to the nearest post office in Ancona ---- closed ! Don't say I didn't say it all. I figured out the Main Post Office was just a nice walk away, so off I went.
I went in ,  explained to the nice lady that I wanted to purchase stamps to make up the correct rate. She thought for a while and went in back to see if she could find the correct stamps. When she returned she said there were  no make up stamps available , she could only print out stick on labels and attach them to the cards. Unfortunately they just about covered the entire back of the postcard. I expressed my displeasure with that , so she then said, " well you can post them as they are with the 2 x 0.95e stamps and hope for the best" . That sounded good to me. I asked her to hand cancel each card , which she did. Looks like all the cards got thru with just the 2 stamps.

Now the 2 stamps on that last card. On the left is a 2016 stamp, 1 of 2 in a set issued for Italian Artistic and Cultural Heritage. Shown is Italian Film Actress Anna Magnani.  The stamp on the right , from 2015 commemorates the 100th Anniversary of Salvatore Ferragamo, Italian Shoe Designer.




This next card shows the Arch of Trajan. It's Roman in style and was erected in 116 AD.



Teena used 2 stamps again, both issued in 2016. On the left a stamp commemorating the 70th Anniversary of the Canonization of Frances Xavier Cabrini. On the right, Pandas - Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the WWF.




Here's the last card from Ancona. It's a look at the Cathedral of San Ciriaco, which opened in 1017.




And the stamps, both of which were issued in 2017. On the left a stamp celebrating Italian Cultural Heritage and 60 years of Carosello - the Italian TV Show. The right stamp commemorates the 60th Anniversary of the Treaty of Rome.



We sailed out of Ancona at 6:00 PM , heading for Venice, just 138 nautical miles away, arriving there at 7:30 AM on Saturday May 26th. Looking forward to spending 3 days and nights there.

My Venice cards - let's start with this gorgeous shot of the Rialto Bridge across The Grand Canal. The stone-arch bridge is the oldest of four bridges crossing the Grand Canal , dating from 1588.
This is another card prepared for me by My Lovely Teena.


Teena's card has a nice selection of stamps. On the left is a 2002 stamp showcasing The Military School of Venice. The top right stamp was issued in 2017, marking the 150th Anniversary of the La Stampa Newspaper. The final stamp , issued in 2016 shows Red Coral of Alghero. Nice " Horses of San Marco " postmark.



You know, with me there's always a story, and here's the story behind the Horse postmark. I had all my Venice postcards prepared with 2 x 0.95e stamps, hoping to get to the post office and perhaps find some make-up rate stamps. In the afternoon we visited St. Mark's Campanile and after our descent I noticed in one corner at ground level, a small presence of Italian Post. Two post agents were set up selling stamps, postcards and other souvenirs. And here they are.



I explained what I needed and they could only come up with a 0.41e stamp. That's why the Venice military school stamp is on all the cards I sent from Venice. It was a little more costly than I needed but so be it. But I happened to get the Horses of San Marco postmark , so all worked out good. I handed in all my postcards and the guys saw to them. Good work guys.

I picked up a couple of very old Venice cards and here's one of them. Again the Grand Canal from days gone by.

 
The 2 larger stamps on this card  - Both were issued in 2015. The middle stamp is 1 of 3 issued for Stamp Day  and the right stamp celebrates the 10th Symposia on the Conservation of the Mediterranean






One more old card, this one showing The Bridge of Sighs.


Two large stamps again. The middle one was issued in 2016, 1 of 6 Artistic and Cultural Heritage. On the right , from 2017, it commemorates the 15th FAI Paragliding World Championship.




Here's what the Bridge of Sighs looked like when I was there.


The arch  bridge is covered and made of limestone , it was built between 1600 and 1603 and connects the New Prison to the interrogation rooms in the Doge's Palace.


Finally the last card from Venice , it's the Campanile or Belltower  in St Mark Square. This is where the Italian Post guys were hanging out.  It dates from the 9th century, but it's present shape dates from the 16th century. It collapsed in 1902 and was rebuilt in its present form in 1912. It is 98.6 metres tall.




Here's the info on the 2 large stamps. Both were issued in 2017.
The left stamp shows Ceramics from Montelupo Fiorentino. The other stamp shows 2 Mafia Victims - and marks the 35th Anniversary of the Deaths of Pio La Torre and Rosario Di Salvo, in 1982.




That' s it for postcards. We certainly enjoyed ourselves in Venice.
Here we are on our gondola ride.



Now to finish off this long blog update, here are a few pictures from this great holiday.

The local way to get around.



In front of St Marks Cathedral








A gondola parking lot

In front of the Bridge of Sighs.


And finally another gondola on the water.



We flew out of  Venice to Toronto on Monday May 28 and then on to Calgary that evening. That was 9.5 hours to Toronto and then another 4 to Calgary.
Finally Home.

Thanks for reading , hope I didn't lose anyone with the length of the update. I don't like to break up these Cruise reports.
See you next time.