Cruising Through Postcards # 18

 Blog 1846

Good day again. It`s time for a wrap-up of my latest adventure. This all happened back in November of 2024. So here we go with Cruising Through Postcards # 18. It`s been a couple of months , but I always wait until all the postcards arrive back home. That has finally happened with the last one arriving a few days ago from Charlotte Amalie, St Thomas only 143 days after I posted it. 

Our adventure began by flying from Calgary to Fort Lauderdale via Toronto on Saturday Nov 2nd. We had a hotel booked Sat night in Ft. Lauderdale near Port Everglades. We were headed out on a 10 night Caribbean cruise on the Sapphire Princess of Princess Cruise Line. We headed to the port around 11:00 am. After a short check-in at the port we boarded The Sapphire Princess  around noon hoping for an on time departure at 3:00 pm. Here is a pic of the Sapphire Princess. 

  

We did indeed depart Ft Lauderdale on time at 3:00 pm enroute to Princess Cays, Bahamas , 431 km south. After a great night`s sleep we arrived in Princess Cays around 9:00 am.  

Princess Cays , located on Eleuthera Island is the private resort of Carnival Corporation in Bahamas. After tendering ashore we set foot on Eleuthera. We had a great day there  swimming, sunning and later enjoyed a fine BBQ for lunch. Around 3 pm we again boarded a tender boat for the short ride back to the Sapphire Princess.

There will be no cards from Princess Cays unfortunately. There is no post office there, and no stamps available. Cards are available, but cards alone won't cut it.  

So we departed Princess Cays at 4 pm and set sail for St. Thomas in the U.S.Virgin Islands. The next day was a sea day so we arrived in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas at around 10 am on Wednesday , November 6th.

Charlotte Amalie Harbour is a beautiful harbour , with lots of cruise ships visiting often. Its blue-green waters and white sand beaches make it a tropical paradise. Unfortunately it didn't seem like one the day we were there, it was raining quite hard. 

Here's your look at Charlotte Amalie.

My Lovely Teena sent this card back home and used 3 U.S. stamps. The stamps , top left to right are - from 2024, celebrating Health Care. Next is a stamp honouring John Wooden, also from 2024. He was a basketball coach. The 3rd stamp was issued in 2019 and celebrates the Purple Heart Medal, the medal awarded to U.S. service members wounded or killed in action.

 

I'll just note here that most of the cards from this cruise were sent by Teena.

The Sapphire Princess departed from Charlotte Amalie at 10 pm and sailed for St. Maarten. We arrived here just after 8 am on Thursday Nov 7th. Teena and I were very glad to arrive here. It was our 3rd cruise attempt for St. Maarten. A couple years ago a stop in St. Maarten was cancelled due bad weather and then another time our cruise was cancelled due Covid.  But we kept at and finally made it. Success at last. 

Rain in the morning but it cleared off in the afternoon. We did the touristy things here, checked out the beach and Philipsburg and enjoyed a water taxi ride. 

Knowing my interest in Airplanes and Airlines, Teena's card had to be a jet crossing Maho Bay , landing at Queen Juliana Airport. 

 

The stamps on this card are from 2012 and are 2 of 4 issued for Carnival that year. 

And The Sapphire Princess sailed away from St.Maarten just after 6 pm.  

Our next port of call was St. John's, Antigua, arriving there at 8 am on Friday Nov 8th.  It was quite sunny and hot that day and we had our choice of beaches - Jolly Beach, Dickenson Bay or Half Moon Bay. There's also Nelson's Dockyard, Fort James and Devil's Bridge to explore.  

I have two cards of Antigua to highlight. First is a nice 3D card of Nelson's Dockyard National Park. 

The stamps -- A set of 4  issued for Year of the Monkey, 2004.

Here's one more card from Antigua. It's a view of Dickenson Bay and Beach. A phone booth on the beach. That's a new one on me. 

 The stamp -- An Elvis Aaron Presley stamp from 2002. I guess you can say " Elvis has left the beach . "

Now it's on to St. Kitts. We slipped away from the dock in St. John's around 6 pm and sailed for Bassetterre, St. Kitts , arriving at 8 am on Sat Nov 9th. We did some shopping, saw a few of the sights. We checked out Independence Square, the heart of the city, and the Victoria Clock Tower at the National Museum. Then we located the General Post office. 

And here it is. 

 

i have two cards from Bassetterre. The first one shows the National Museum. The actual building was built in 1984, but the museum only opened in 2002. 

Hey it's Elvis again. He does get around. This stamp was issued in 2007.

Hers's another card from St. Kitts. Here we see a group of locals walking on stilts  during a parade. 

You know, I remember walking on stilts as a young boy. I thought it was cool back then and it still looks cool. 

Teena used a 2004 Tiger stamp from a set of 4 Wildcats.

Once again The Sapphire Princess pulled away Bassetterre at 6 pm and headed fro Toola, British Virgin Islands , arriving there at 7 am on Sun Nov 10th. Tortola was our final port of call on this cruise. Our ship tied up in Road Town,  located on Tortola, is the capital and largest town of the British Virgin Islands. It is situated on the horseshoe-shaped Road Harbour in the centre of the island's south coast. The population was about 15,000 in 2018. 

Tortola is best known for its white sand beaches, turquoise water, coral reefs, mountainous landscape, and laid-back vibe. Travelers visit this island to relax rather than do non-stop activities. Of course one of the big attractions here is the Baths of Virgin Gorda, as my next card shows. The Baths are a natural wonder of massive granite boulders, creating unique tidal pools, tunnels, and grottoes offering an exceptional beach experience.

That was the final card for this time, now here's the final stamp. It was issued 45 years ago in 1980. It is 1 of 6 in a set of Island Profiles. This one shows the island of Tortola. 

 We had an early departure from Tortola, at 4 pm. Next stop was Ft. Lauderdale. We had 2 sea days, Now 11 and 12th. We arrived in Florida at 7 am on Wed Now 13th. Sea days mean crowds at the pool, crowds all around the ship and at dining. So two days to try and touch up or finish  any tan we have. 

We disembarked The Sapphire Princess at 8 am and headed straight to the airport. We caught a flight to Toronto and then a connecting flight to Calgary. Home  at around 1030 pm. Then it was Goodnight .

So ends Cruise # 18. Thanks to My Lovely Teena for most of these cards and for her great company and understanding when I have to locate a post office here and there.

 

Isolate Putin, Riga and Tallinn

  Blog # 1645 ---  Day 1123  ( That's One Thousand One Hundred and Twenty Three Days ) Since the Start of the Current  (   Second ) Russian Invasion of  UKRAINE .         

                                                                      GLORY TO UKRAINE

                                                       

        

 Hello again. Here`s a few more cards. First is this card from Spain. It`s shows a way to put pressure on Putin. Isolate Putin . Insulate Homes.  Europe can isolate Putin, by insulating their homes. In the far bottom right , take note of the slogan - We stand with Ukraine. 

Josey and Assumpta used a 2023 stamp showing Bernrbeu Stadium, home of Real Madrid since 1947. 

My next card arrived from Riga, Latvia. The city , with a population of just over 605,000 ,  is located on the Baltic Sea at the mouth of the River Daugava.  Riga`s historical city center has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Jean Pierre`s card shows St. Peter`s Lutheran , the highest church in the city, at 57 metres. It was built in 1209, and has since been rebuilt in 1419, 1470, 1690, 1721, and 1954. The card also shows the House of the Blackheads, on the right. That building was built in 1334 and was the site of the first decorated Christmas Tree in 1510.

The stamps -- On the left are 2 Flower definitives , one from 2023 and one rom 2013. The right stamp was issued in 2021 and celebrates the IIHF World Championship. That`s a mean looking hockey dude on that stamp.

That was Riga, next is Tallinn, Estonia. Meelis`s card shows the walled, cobblestoned Old Town, home to cafes and shops, as well as Kiek in de Kök, a 15th-century defensive tower. Its Gothic Town Hall, built in the 13th century and with a 64m-high tower, sits in historic Tallinn’s main square. St. Nicholas Church is a 13th-century landmark .

Meelis used an assortment of stamps on this card. There are 3 Posthorn  definitives, all issued in 2923. The lighthouse stamp was issued in 2015 and celebrates the 140th Anniversary of Tahkuna Lighthouse. The large stamp on the right celebrates 140 years of Girl Guides in Estonia. 

 So goes my blog today, a little shorter than usual. That`s the way it goes sometimes. And today is one of those times. 

Thanks for today`s cards go to Josep and Assumpta, Jean Pierre and Meelis. Take care .

Brcko, Glenfinnan Viaduct, JAL B747, CAI DC-10 , Metz, and B707 Prototype

 Blog # 1644 ---  Day 1117  ( That's One Thousand One Hundred and Seventeen Days ) Since the Start of the Current  (   Second ) Russian Invasion of  UKRAINE .               

                                                                      GLORY TO UKRAINE

Well, thanks for dropping in again. Here`s a few more cards to peruse. First up is this railway themed card from Scotland in the U.K. It`s a look at Glenfinnan Viaduct on the West Highland Line. The viaduct was built between 1897 and 1901 and has 21 arches  crossing the River Finnan 100 ft below. 

Alena used a 2024 self-adhesive definitive of King Charles III.

I haven`t showcased many Airline and  Aircraft cards lately. Today I will have two to have a look at. Here`s the first one , it arrived from Sri Lanka. It shows a JAL Japan Air Lines B747 taking off at the New Tokyo International Airport. New maybe when this picture was taken but not so new today. The airport opened in 1978. 

Ravindra used 3 stamps on his card. The 2 on top were issued in 2021 and are 2 of 3 issued to mark the 50th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between Sri Lanka and Singapore. The bottom stamp, from 2020 is 1 of 3 in a set showing Ancient Maps of Sri Lanka. 

Now before moving on to another card, there is still a little that needs to be said about Ravindra`s card. Now I don`t know when the picture of the JAL B747 was taken, but to the keen observer like me , something stuck out with this card. On the far right of the card another aircraft can be see. Lo and behold , it`s a Canadian Airlines International DC-10. Canadian Airlines International operated from 1987 until 2001 and take it from me, we were one of the best airlines in the world . I should know, I worked for CAI those 14 years.  R.I.P CAI .

The next card arrived from France , Metz in fact. This city of just over 120 thousand in northeast France lies at the confluence of the Moselle and Seille rivers. Visible in the background of Dominique`s card is St. Etienne`s Cathedral, which opened in 1923. 

Dominique used a stamp from 1970. It honours Alphonse Juin, a former French General and Chief of the Defense Staff of France. 

Now here`s another aircraft card. This one is a card issued by The National Air and Space Museum. It shows the Boeing 707 prototype  , model 367-80. It made its first flight in 1954. It was the prototype for the KC-135 and the 707, America`s first jet aircraft. It has been on display at the Smithsonian since 1972. 

Meredith sent this card and used 3 stamps. The School Bus stamp on the left was issued in 2023 for Additional Ounce Postage. The top right stamp , from 2023, is 1 of 5 , issued highlighting Railway Stations - this one is San Bernadino, California. The bottom right stamp, from 2024, showcases the hit TV show  Jeopardy. 

 

Sadly, another case of the Great Stamp Defacer striking again. He is 3 for 3 on that card. How I`d like to use a marker on him !!  I`d deface him happily. 

Here now is the last card for this time. It arrived from Brcko, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The city lies on the bank of the Sava river across from Croatia. Formed in 1999 , Brcko is officially a condominium of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska. David`s card shows the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. 

 David used 2 stamps here. The left stamp, from 2020, was issued for Native Language Day. The right stamp is 1 of 4 in a WWF set showing Goats. It was issued in 2017.

There you have it , another update for The Blog.  Today my thanks for cards go out to Meredith, Dominique, Ravindra, Alena, and David.

Cards from Isa and a couple of others.

 Blog # 1643 ---  Day 1110  ( That's One Thousand One Hundred and Ten Days ) Since the Start of the Current  (   Second ) Russian Invasion of  UKRAINE .               

                                                                      GLORY TO UKRAINE

Welcome to The Blog once again. I'm back with a few cards . First is this multi-view card from Nancy, France showing some of the sights of the city, squares, markets, and buildings. 

  Meelis used a 2024 stamp celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Charles de Gaulle Airport in 1974.

This next card if also from France. It shows from the Abbey of St. Mary of Lagrasse. It is a Romanesque abbey in , southern France, whose origins date to the 7th century. It is located in Languedoc, near the Corbieres Massif, about 35 km from Carcassonne.  It was originally a Benedictine monastery. 

Once again Dominique used an older stamp, this time from 1971. It is 1 of 5 in a Tourism set. set.

 Too bad the only cancellation it received was a pen scratch . 

My next 4 cards are all from Germany and all are compliments of Isa. The first one shows countries that have issued Postcrossing Stamps and the year of their issue. Isa's card shows 21 countries have issued 27 stamps. I think the total now is actually 32 stamps from 25 countries. 

Two stamps arrived on this card. The left stamp was issued in 2022 under the theme of Message in a Bottle.

The right stamp , also from 2022 , commemorates the 125th Anniversary of the German Caritas Association.

This next card shows a mini collection of British definitive stamps. Here we have 12 of the many hundreds of Machins issued over the years. 

Isa used a stamp from 2024 here. It shows the railway station and transport hub Landungsbrucken. 

Another card from Isa. On this one we have a woman in a model glider competition in 1942. 

Isa used a 2023 Disney stamp , celebrating Disney's 100th anniversary, along with a Flower definitive.

Here's the last card from Isa. It really needs no explanation. Keep Calm and Send Postcards. Sounds like a fantastic idea to me. 

And the stamp is from this year and celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the German Academic Exchange Service.

That's all I have for this time. Thanks for cards go out to Meelis, Dominique and Isa. 

I have lots of cards so come back again soon. Take care.

Two Locomotives

   

 Blog # 1642--- Day 1096 ( Three Years to the Day--That's  One Thousand and Ninety Six) of the Current  (

 Second ) Russian Invasion of  UKRAINE .               

                                                                      GLORY TO UKRAINE

Hello again. Here's a few cards from a few places. I'll start with a couple of maxi cards from Slovakia. Both are train cards, so I will leave it to the train card collectors out there to drool over these. Both were originally issued on April 17, 2015. The first card shows a 498.104 Albatros  Steam Locomotive. 

Alena used a number of stamps on this card. From the left  they are :

Issued in 1994, highlighting No Smoking Day .

Again from 1994 , issued for International Family Year.

Issued in 2019, this one commemorates the 75th Anniversary  of ICAO. ICAO is the International Civil Aviation Organization.

And finally , from 2010 a stamp showing Milan Hodzan, Prime Minister of Czechoslovakia from 1935-1938. 

Here's the second card,  much like the first. This one shows a Parna Locomotive 464.001 . 

Alena used 3 stamps on this one. Again from left to right : From 2013, a stamp with tabs ,  showcasing Kosice, European Cultural Capital.  Then a Stop Aids stamp from 2010. Finally A Folklore stamp from 1998. 

I think that's it for this time. Thank you Alena for both cards.