Carrancas, The Mighty Churchill, Hohenschwangau, Air Malta, and The Govenor's Palace in Metz

 BLOG # 1534 - Still in the Time of Covid

Hello once again. Today's cards will showcase 3 buildings , an aircraft and The Mighty Churchill. The first building is the Carrancas train station. Carrancas is a city in Brazil and the train station is located about 15 km outside the city. The station was built in 1903 and trains stopped at the station until 1995. 

 Diego used a Rio Olympic stamp from 2015. It is one from a mini-sheet of 20 different stamps showing different sports. Badminton is represented on the stamp on the card. 

My next card is the latest addition to my Towns of Newfoundland and Labrador postmarked cards. Churchill Falls is located on the mainland portion of the province of Newfoundland. Churchill Falls exists because of the mighty Churchill Falls and the huge power project that was built there. The power plant is the 10th largest hydroelectric underground power station in the world. The plant's power house was hewn from solid granite 300 metres underground. It is 300 metres long and as high as a 15 story building. The cost of the project was almost a billion in 1970 Canadian dollars . 

The town of Churchill Falls is a company owned town. If you live there, you work there, if you don't work there, you can't live there. Just about everybody works at the power plant or in town services. Most of the town amenities are found in one building - the Town Centre. The school, curling rink, gymnasium, library, grocery store, theatre, pool, post office, restaurant, and hotel - all under one roof. 

My card shows Churchill Falls as it looked before the power project. 

Now here's a look at it after  .....

Doesn't have quite the same magic !

I received this card from the Postmaster at Churchill Falls and it arrived with a 2009 stamp showing the Silver Dart. It commemorates the 100th Anniversary of the First Flight in Canada. 

 

Now here's a card showing Hohenschwangau, a castle built in 1832 in southern Germany. It was badly damaged over the centuries and rebuilt around 1832 by King Maximilian II of Bavaria. . 

Dominique used 2 copies of the 2019 Endangered Animals stamp featuring Harbor Porpoises.

Here is the next addition to my Airlines & Aircraft on Postcards collection. It`s an Air Malta A319 , shown landing at London ( LHR ) in November of 2012. Registered as 9H-AEM it had its first flight in January of 2005. It flew with Air Malta until February of 2017. In April of 2017 it started service with Volotea  Airlines under a new registration. 

Jean Pierre used 2 great stamps on this card. They are 2 of 10 in a 2019 sheet showing Maltese Festas. 

Nice postmarks from San Giljan. 

Here`s my last card for this time. It`s from France and shows the Governor`s Palace in Metz. The city in the northeast of the country has a 3000 year history. In Metz you can find the oldest working opera house  and the oldest church in the country along with the largest expanse of stained glass windows in the world. The Governor`s Palace was built between 1902 and 1905. There are 31 living rooms and 70 other rooms. 

Dominique again used a 1972 stamp on this one. It commemorates the 150th Anniversary of the Translation of Egyptian Hieroglyphics by Jean-Francois Champollion.

   

There you have it. Another update complete. Thanks for these cards go out to Diego, Churchill Falls Postmaster, Dominique and Jean Pierre. I wouldn`t be doing this without people like you guys. 

Covid is still with us so do whatever you need to , to stay safe. Take care.

 

POSTCROSSING is 16 Years Old Today

BLOG # 1533  and  Still in Covid Time

How is everyone today ? I hope everyone is doing well and looking to the end of Covid time. I know I am, but we're not there yet. Today is July 14th and the great postcard project Postcrossing started 16 years ago this date . So Happy Birthday to Postcrossing. I joined Postcrossing on March 9th,  2006, eight months after start-up. I have been a member for 5,606 days and received 3,022 postcards from my membership.  Postcrossing now has 803,922 members in 208 countries. 62,518,282 postcards have been sent and received by those members. Congratulations to all those Postcrossers. 

Since today is a special day for Postcrossing, I think it only right that I show cards I have received as a Postcrosser. I'll start with a card from Ukraine.  It shows the Tunnel of Love,  a section of industrial railway located near Klevan, Ukraine, that links it with Orzhiv. It is a railway surrounded by green arches and is three to five kilometers in length. It is known for being a favorite place for couples to take walks. It might well be The Tunnel of Love, but that guy looks a lot like the Grim Reaper, even if that's a stick and not a scythe. 

 

 Katya used a number of different stamps on her card. The large stamp on the left is 1 of 4 in a 2013 mini-sheet of 6 called Generous Ukraine Autumn. The bottom right stamp is from a mini-sheet of 6 issued in 2006 showing Official Symbols and Things of Bogdan Khmelnitsky. The other 2 stamps are Flora definitives from 2013.

Card # 2 is from Lithuania. It shows a view of Nida, a resort town in the country. Nida is located on the Curonian Spit between the Curonian Lagoon and the Baltic Sea. It is the westernmost point of Lithuania and the Baltic states. Author Thomas Mann had a house built in Nida as seen on the card. After only three summers , Mann and family were forced into exile when the Nazis seized power. 

 

Alexandra , who hails from Klaipeda, the gateway to the Curonian Spit, sent this card. She mentioned that she had recently flown in a hot air balloon, something I also enjoyed a number of years ago. Alexandra used two stamps on her card. On the left is 1 of 3 issued in 2019 showing Lithuanian State Symbols. The right stamp, from 202, commemorates the 100th Anniversary of the Wars of Independence. 

Freckles seems to be the theme of this next card from Poland. It shows a picture of a young lady as seen by Agata Dobrzanska. a wedding and portrait photographer located in Wroclaw, Poland. 

Marcin used a couple of recent stamps here. Both were issued last year. On the left is 1 of 3 in a mini-sheet showing The World in the Eyes of the Youth. On the right, above the label, is a stamp commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the Solidarity Trade Movement.

 

Well I think I'll call it a day here now. I had another great card lined up but I'll hold it for next time. I'm off to watch my grandson in a soccer game . I know it's not the Euro or World Cup  , but I enjoy watching him just the same. Sometimes it's just as exciting. Go Blizzard Go !

Today my thanks for cards go out to Marcin, Katya and Alexandra. 

Take care now everyone, don't let covid make inroads again. 

A Library, Aircrafts, Bay De Verde and Maison Kammerzell

BLOG # 1532 - Still in the Time of Covid

Hello once again. 

It's time for another edition of this blog. Today I have cards from Germany, France, Netherlands and Canada. 

First up is a Lufthansa Airbus A 300. Registered as D-AIAA it flew with Lufthansa from Feb 1976 until Dec 1983. It was then reregistered as F-BAUM and flew with Air Inter until May 1994. Then it was broken up and scrapped at Paris ORY. 

Jean Pierre and Rafal collaborated on this card and used a Europa stamp from this year. It highlighted Endangered National Wildlife. 

Today's second card is of Maison Kammerzell, one of the most famous buildings in Strasbourg. It was built in 1427 with further work done in 1467 and 1589. It is located about a 1 min walk from Strasbourg Cathedral. 

Dominique used a 1972 stamp showing a French sailing ship. It is the Cote D'Emeraude, built in 1925 in Saint Malo and used in the cod fishing industry off Newfoundland.

Speaking of Newfoundlland here is the latest addition to my Towns of Newfoundland card collection. This time it's Bay De Verde. Bay de Verde is an incorporated town in Conception Bay on the northern tip of the Bay de Verde Peninsula of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The first recorded inhabitants at Bay de Verde arrived in 1662. Bay de Verde became an incorporated town in 1950.The town's population is approximately 450 give or take. 

The Bay De Verde postmark / cancellation is quite clear on this one and the stamp is from this year. It is 1 of 2 in a set showcasing Legends of Canadian Ballet. Shown is Fernand Nault.

 

The 4th card for today is from the Netherlands. It shows the library at Strahov Monastery in Prague. The abbey was founded in 1143. 

Rianne used 2 stamps from 2003. They are 2 of 10 in a set entitled The Old Days.

The 3rd stamp, from 2009 is 1 of 2 Europa stamps showcasing Astronomy.

Well my first card today was an aircraft card so I guess it's only right to end with another. This one is an Aero Lloyd Airbus A321, registered as D-ALAH , shown with a little advertising for TRIGEMA - Germany's largest manufacturer of sportswear. The aircraft had its first flight in Feb of 1998. It flew as D-ALAF for Aero Lloyd until Oct of 2003. It had a number of registrations after 2003 add flew for Livingston, Volare Airlines and Onur Air. It has ben stored since Mar of 2020. 

   

Maike used a 2020 stamp which I have wrote about before.

That's it for this update of GemsWorldPostcards. Thanks today go out to Rafal and Jean Pierre, Dominique, Bay De Verde Postmaster, Rianne and Maike. 

Remember folks, Covid is still out there so we all need to still be careful and get vaccinated. 

Red Boxes, Winterton, Gozo and Air France B777

BLOG #1531  In Covid Times

Hey there. Hope everyone is doing good. I'm back with a few more cards to show off.

I'll start with a card showing Red Boxes, mostly Post Boxes or Telephone Booths. The card arrived from Torquay, a seaside resort town on the English Channel in Devon, south west England. The town had a few famous residents , Agatha Christie and Elizabeth Barret Browning both lived there one time or another. Here's an interesting fact about Torquay - It was while staying in the town at the Gleneagles Hotel in 1971, that John Cleese found inspiration for the very popular series Fawlty Towers. I loved those shows. 

 Sam used a 2020 stamp from the Rupert Bear set of 6. 

Here now is another Aircraft / Airlines postcard. It's an Air France B777-300, registered as F-GSQN. This aircraft had its first flight on May 1st, 2006. It flew for Air France until it was parked in May of this year. F-GSQN is shown on its inaugural flight to Orly on Jun 1st , 2005. 

Jean Pierre used a Marianne definitive along with a 2020 stamp celebrating the 400th Anniversary since the province of Bearn was attached to France.

Now I have another card for my Towns of Newfoundland postcard collection. This time it's  Winterton, Trinity Bay, Newfoundland. Winterton is located on the western side of the Avalon Peninsula and was settled in 1675. It was originally called Scilly Cove and in 1912 the town was renamed  for Sir James Spearman Winter. It currently has a population of approximately 480.  The town has the Wooden Boat Museum of Newfoundland, showcasing ancient techniques and tools used in boat building. 

The Postmaster in Winterton used a new Junos 50 stamp and postmarked it with a nice Wooden Boat Museum cancellation. The stamp showcases a special anniversary statuette, marking 50 years of honouring the best in Canadian music. The first televised Juno Awards , hosted by Canada's Paul Anka of  "1957s Diana fame " took place on March 25, 1975. 

Next up is a card from Gozo, Malta depicting a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's a look at the Ggantija Temples. Gozo is an island part of the Republic of Malta. The Ggantija Temples are classified as the oldest structures in the world. They were founded around 3600 BC and are even older than the pyramids of Egypt. These megalithic temples have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980.

 The card was posted in Victoria, the capital of Gozo Island. Jean Pierre used two stamps on this card. The stamp on the left is 1 of a set of 3 issued in 2021. They show Malta Healthcare Heroes and the stamps were issued to Combat Covid-19. The stamp on the right, 1 of 2 in a set from 2020, is a SEPAC Issue, showing Artwork in the National Collection.

SEPAC , for any beginners out there , is Small European Postal Administration Cooperations. 

So ends another update. That's all I have for today.

Thanks for today's cards go out to Sam, Jean Pierre and the Winterton Postmaster.

Covid is still with us, so you all know the drill by now. 

Northern Ireland and Switzerland

BLOG # 1530 --  In the Time of Covid 

Hey there, it's great to see you back again. Before I get to today's cards, I need to make a correction to yesterday's blog. In my little news item about Lytton, I mentioned that everybody was able to escape the fire storm that engulfed the town. Sadly we now know that was not the case. At least two residents did not make it out of Lytton. There are also a few others that are unaccounted for at this time. Very sad indeed. 

My first card for this time arrived from Switzerland. The picture on the card is really not that interesting as you can see . 

Edward used a strip of 2 stamps with a vignette between them. It was issued in 2020 and celebrates the Ceneri Railway Tunnel. 

The second card for today shows scenes from County Down in Northern Ireland. David sent the card from Newcastle, a small seaside resort town.  Since 2010 Newcastle has held an annual 'Festival of Flight' airshow which attracts upwards of 100,000 people to the event. The RAF Red Arrows are usually the star attraction of the show which is heavily supported by both the RAF and Irish Air Corps as well as the Irish Coast Guard. 

David used a new value definitive that was issued in Dec of 2020. 

 David, it's been quite a while, Good to here from you again.

Well that's the update for this time. Two cards is all for today. 

Thanks to Edward and David for the cards you saw today. 

Now before I go, what do we say ? Be careful and follow your local covid protocols.

If you're not vaccinated yet, now is the time. Go for it.

Japan Transocean Air and Burnt Point and Canada Day 2021

 BLOG # 1529  ---   Still In the Time of Covid

It's July 1st,  so to any Canadian readers I might have   -  Happy Canada Day  -- We are 154 Years Old Today. That's a good reason to celebrate , if you're Canadian like me. So raise one to Canada today.

Before I get to any postcards today, I have this little story to relate. The western part of Canada is in the midst of an historic heat wave. Today is the 6th day of excruciating temperatures. Here in Airdrie , Alberta,  temperatures started at 30 C , then 35, 36, and as I write this is it 35.  Now let me tell you about the small village of Lytton in British Colombia. On June 27 Lytton recorded the highest temperature ever in Canada , 46.6 C . On June 28 another record 47.9 and then on June 29 , it recorded 49.6 C . Those are pretty hot temperatures and sadly yesterday at around 6 PM, a wild fire engulfed the village of Lytton, burning down 90 percent of the town. Luckily all hands were able to make a quick escape. 

 Now, on to postcards.

My first card for today is a new addition to my Aircraft / Airlines on Postcards series. The card is a collaboration between Japan Airlines, the Okinawa Churamui Aquarium and the Japan Tourism Agency. The Japan Transocean Air plane has quite the colorful paint job, showing a marine mammal. The airline is based in Naha, Okinawa. The aircraft shown is a Boeing 737-800. 

Yuko used a lovely stamp from 2005 showing a Boeing 747. It was issued to commemorate the opening of Chubu International Airport. 

My second card is from Canada, since it's Canada Day. It shows an ocean view of Burnt Point, Newfoundland. The small town is located in Conception Bay North and just 5 minutes from one of the best beaches ( Northern Bay Sands ) on Newfoundland island. 

Kim the Postmaster in Burnt Point was good enough to drop this card in the mail to me. This is my 41st card to show a Town of Newfoundland postmark. The stamp was issued on April 22 and celebrates Eid. This is Canada's third Eid stamp .  

That's all for today. Thanks for cards go to Yuko and Kim. 

Remember your Covid protocols and Happy Canada Day to all The Canucks out there.

Snow on Card in June, Italy Flag, Dallas Reflection, Norway Stamps, and a Pin-Up By Konstantin

BLOG # 1528 

Well it's me, yes I know, I have been quite lax here on the blog. We are well into June, summer even. This month has been so busy, vaccinations, doctor's appointments, birthdays, Father's Day, soccer , baseball, and get togethers with family and friends. Sounds like life is starting to return. We can only hope. 

Of course cards have continued to arrive so I have lots on hand now. I have a stack of them on my desk so I'll just reach for one after the other and in no particular order. 

First up is this card from the Netherlands. However the scene of the bridge and river in winter is of somewhere in Russia. I always find it a little strange when that happens. 

Ellen used a couple of stamps on her card. The left stamp, from 2004, is 1 of 4 in a minisheet showing Animals of the Hage Veluwe National Park. Below that stamp is a recent Queen Beatrix stamp. The stamp on the right is one I couldn't find any info on. I'm sure someone will leave a comment with info on it.

Next is this all you need to know about Italy card. One card does it all - from it you will know the Flag, population, size and much more. Most interesting to me is the fact that Italy has more World Heritage Sites  (51) than any other country in the world. 

Claudio used a nice stamp from 2018. It commemorates the 150th Anniversary of the Ca' Foscari University of Venice. 

Now here's a card from Dallas, Texas showing the city skyline. 

Jeff used three recent USA Forever stamps. On the left is a Bugs Bunny stamp, 1 of 20 issued last year to mark the 80th Anniversary of Bugs. Two things - he doesn't look a day over 40 and I never knew Bugs was in the army. The middle stamp, from this year, is 1 of 20 in a pane, all showing Star Wars Droids. My stamp shows R2-D2. The last stamp on this card celebrates Chien Shiung Wu, nuclear Physicist. It also was issued this past year.

This next card is from Norway and shows a mini collection of that country's stamps, at least from the year 2020. And as a long time stamp collector I have to say I don't have any of them in my collection. Shame on me.

Marianne used two stamps on her card and neither is shown on the front. I guess that's because the left stamp was issued in 1995 and the right one in 2021. 

The left stamp is 1 of 2 issued for the 100th Anniversary of the Norwegian Church. The right stamp, also 1 of 2, was issued for the 100th Anniversary of the Dovre Railway Line. 

Here's a pin-up card that Uwe sent along from Germany. Many of the so called pin-up cards I receive seem to originate in Germany. The photographer of this beauty is Konstantin Dahlem.

Uwe used a stamp from this year , 1 of 2 in a set, showcasing Underground Stations. 

Well we've come to the end of another update. Thanks for today's cards go out to Ellen, Claudio, Jeff, Marianne and Uwe. Hopefully my next update won't take as long as this one did. 

Take care.

One more time - wash your hands, wear a mask and keep your distance. Cheers !!