Last Call for 2017 Cards

Well hello again. It's that time , time for the last cards of 2017. I know it's only the 30th but with no new mail until Tuesday January  02nd, these cards are it - the final four.

Let's start with a new Aviation themed card, just the latest in my Airline / Aircraft card collection. This time it's a Westwind Air Service Cessna. Westwind is based in Phoenix and operates air tours to the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley and surrounding areas. Their fleet of Cessna aircraft has operated in the area for over 25 years.

A Postcrosser named Hank from Marietta, Georgia sent this card along. He used 2 Christmas stamps from 2016 and an Additional Ounce Stamp from 2017.

My next card was sent from Struga, a town of just over 16,000 in the southwest of the country, on the shore of Lake Ohrid. The card shows an aerial view of Ohrid's port and city square.

Indrit from Albania was traveling in the area and sent this card. He used a 2000 stamp featuring German blacksmith, goldsmith, printer and publisher Johannes Gutenberg.

Be sure to take a minute and visit Indrit's blog right here.

A Postcrossing card from Amadora, Portugal is next. Amadora is a city in the west of the country. With  a population of over 175,000 , it is the most densely populated city in Portugal. 

Here is an interesting fact for any aviation geeks out there -  at the present time Amadora does not have an airfield , however in the 1920s the first flight between Portugal and Brazil left from the city.  Who knew ? 

Rui's card shows a few of the traditional things Portugal is know for  - wine, sardines, Fado and a few others. 

Rui used a stamp from a 2017 set of 4 featuring Traditional Pastries. 

Here it is  - the last card for the day, the week, the month and the year. It arrived from The Hague in the Netherlands. It shows The Peace Palace, the home of the International Court of Justice, the Permanent Court of Arbitration, the Hague Academy of International Law and the Peace Palace Library.  And,  apparently a Special Post Office where this card was posted. 

David used a 2016 stamp celebrating 70 years of  the International Court of Justice. 

You can check out David's  here .

That's all for today and the year. Thanks for cards today go out to Hank, Indrit, Rui and David. 

Big thanks go out to everyone who has contributed to this blog during the past year. Many regular contributors have made this blog what it is and they include Ana, Jean Pierre, David, Johan, Ravindra, Bruce, Meelis, Dominique, Jobbo, Mike & Ashley, Gordon, Barbara, Carla, Gerda, Indrit, Nagi ,Van and My Lovely Teena.  I'm sorry if I have left out anyone, but hopefully not.  Thanks also to all who sent a card through Postcrossing. Going to the mailbox is always an interesting time. I seldom return without at least one card. This past year I have received a total of 445 cards. Unbelievable. My total to date is 4810 cards. 

I wish you all the best that 2018 can offer - Good Health, great and safe travels, and a mailbox filled with cards everyday. Take care.  

Boxing Day Blog

It's Boxing Day but there's no boxing any where near , so I guess I have time for a blog. I'll start with a card from Cote d ' Ivoire. This is only my 2nd card from this country. It arrived from Abibjan, a city on the southern Atlantic coast of West Africa. A number of the locals are pictured on the card.

This is another card from Mike and Taowvik Boukari. They have sent cards before, from other countries. They used a 2013 Flora stamp, one of four in a set.

Here's another Christmas themed card. This one has a young lady carrying her decorated Christmas tree inside a snow globe.

A young Postcrosser from Moscow sent this card. She used a couple of the old 2009 definitives. I don't really need to show them, we see them so often, but here they are.

My next two cards are both from Albania. This first one shows a local couple in a traditional dance, wearing traditional costumes.

Indrit uses 3 matching stamps. They are from a 2005 set of 12 Costumes.

Now here's Indrit's second card. It's Tirana by night. On it we can see the Clock Tower of Tirana, built between 1811 and 1822. On the right is Et'heim Bey Mosque, also built in the 18th century sometime between 1819 and 1821.

Again Indrit used one of the Traditional Costumes set from 2005 , along with a Flowers Triangle , from 2005. It's from a set of 5.

Next is a card from Sri Lanka showing the Heritance Tea Factory Hotel. It is the highest located hotel in the country  at 1988 metres above Sea Level.

Ravindra used 3 fine stamps on his card. On the left is a stamp issued for World Environment Day 2014. The middle stamp celebrates the 70th Anniversary of Parliamentary Democracy in Sri Lanka. The final stamp, on the right, celebrates World Children's Day 2017.

Well folks that's the update for this time. Thanks for cards go out to Mike & Taowvik, Marina, Indrit and Ravindra. To you readers, thanks for dropping in and hopefully you found a reason to come back. Take care. 

CHRISTMAS 2017

Once again as Christmas Day is just about upon us, I want to take this opportunity to wish all my fellow postcard collectors , cover and stamp collectors and bloggers , along with all my readers a very Merry Christmas. My Christmas wishes for all of you are again summed up in the 3 Christmas stamps issued by Canada Post in 2007. Hope , Joy, and Peace. What more could we ask for ?

                                  And maybe a lot of Love.  

Four Cards From Four Postcard Friends

Hello again. As the title above says, today's cards are from postcard friends who regularly contribute to this blog. Without them and a number of other regulars this blog would be quite different and much smaller.

My first card today is from Amsterdam. It's a look at The Keizersgracht or Emperor's Canal. It is one of three main canals  in Amsterdam. They were dug in the 17th century and form concentric belts around the city. The Keizersgracht is the widest of the three canals . The area around the canals was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010.

 

David used a great topical stamp on this card. Many people collect Endangered Animal stamps. This stamp is 1 of 5 in a 2017 Endangered Animal set featuring the Bonobo. Formally called the pygmy chimpanzee, the bonobo is an endangered great ape.

Be sure to have a look at David's great postcard blog. It's called  Postcards A World Travelogue .


My next card normally needs no introduction. It's the Eiffel Tower in the colors of Europe, a symbol of French commitment for Europe. The twelve stars of the European Flag are quite prominent. France has been President of the Council of the European Union since 01 July.

Jean Pierre used a nice recent stamp on this card. It highlights the World Wrestling Championship , held in Paris this past August.

The Little Yellow Train of the Pyrenees is the subject of my third card for today. It is one of the great railway journeys of the world. The line opened in 1909 and rises from an altitude of 427 metres to a summit of 1592 metres above sea level at Bolquere Eyne, France's highest railway station. 

Dominique used another older stamp from 1973 on his card. It showcases the Palace of the Dukes of Burgundy in Dijon.

Here's the last card for today, and it's also from France, that's 3 of  4 from France. It shows a few views of La Petite France, a historic quarter of the city of Strasbourg. Petite France forms part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Grand Ile, designated in 1988.

Johan used a June 2017 stamp on this card. It commemorates the 70th Anniversary of French Diplomatic Relations with the Philippines. The set of 2 stamps is a Joint Issue with the Philippines. Of note is the cancellation on this card - it was cancelled at the 67 Session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, December 11, 2017.

Here's another postcard blog you should keep tabs on, it's another great one called simply  ' johan postcards ' and you can find it right  here  .


That's all for this time, and my thanks for cards go out to David, Jean Pierre, Dominique and Johan. Take care and drop by again soon.

A Letter To Santa

Hey Santa,

Well it's been a lot of years since I last wrote to you. First let me thank you for all that you have brought  me over those many years. Now it's my grandkids writing to you, so I hope you can find something on their lists that you can put under their Christmas tree. Zach, Evan, Xander, Will and Ryann have all been great kids, so I'm sure you'll find something to make them happy.

So it's Christmas 2017 and I have decided to once again drop you a few lines. I guess the question is  " why am I writing to you at my age "  ? Well I've learned to cover all the bases if you want things to happen. Santa I know you're a big world traveler and your big trip is coming up soon, so what better time to ask a little of you. Santa , I really don't need much, I'm really happy . I have my health, I have the love of My lovely Teena, food on the table , a roof over our heads and my kids and grandkids live  nearby so I'm able to be with them often. What more could I want or need ?

I'm a worldwide postcard collector and need just a little help. I'm not asking for much, just a few postcards from a few places    - only 10 cards in fact. I know you'll be visiting many countries, islands and cities on Christmas Eve, so here's what I am asking for : a postcard sent to me from these 10 places.
1- Central African Republic, 2 - Democratic Republic Congo, 3 - Guineau-Bissau, 4 - Liberia, 5 - Sierra Leone, 6 - South Sudan, 7 - Tokelau Island, 8 - Niuafo'ou, 9 - Transniestra, and 10 - Australian Antarctic Territory. 

So Santa, that's not too much, if you can help me out here, you'll make me a very happy camper. I'll be looking and hoping for these cards in the New Year. Santa have fun on your big night , I'll leave a bottle of rum for you, but no drinking till you're back home in the North.
Take care Santa, Merry Christmas to you and Mrs Claus.

Glenn

A Christmas Themed Postcard, and a few that aren't

Well today is the 14th of December , Christmas is getting closer with every day that goes by. Just today I received my 2nd Christmas themed postcard. I received the first one a couple weeks ago, from Johan. The one today is from Gerda in Belgium. Christmas themed postcards are really hard to find in these parts, unless you come across some old ones that someone is selling. Anyone receiving a Christmas postcard from me will know that I had to improvise. Anyway I was happy to find Gerda's and Johan's cards in my mail.

Gerda used 2 of this year's Christmas Stamps. Both show a lit Christmas Tree.

Today's second card arrived from Germany. It shows a portion of the Reichstag, in Berlin. It opened in 1894 and was renovated from 1961-64 and again in 1992.

This is a Postcrossing card and as such Tobias used a number of Flower definitives along with 2 Tourism stamps from 2017. These 2 are from the Germany's Most Beautiful Panoramas issue.

Here's another Postcrossing card, this one from Indonesia. This one shows a Pinisi boat, a traditional two-masted sailing ship built by the Konjo tribe. UNESCO designated Pinisi boat-building art as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity on December 7th of this year.

Deska used 3 different Postcrossing stamps from this year on this card .

Still waiting for Canada Post to issue a Postcrossing stamp. I won't hold my breath on that one. 

Hey train card collectors. The last card for today is a train card from Germany. It is the Brocken Railway, one of three tourist metre gauge railways in the Harz Mountains of Germany. 

Birgit used a Flower definitive along with a 2016 stamp commemorating the 1200th Anniversary of Munsterschwarzach Abbey.

Well, that's all there is for today. Thanks for cards going out to Gerda, Tobias, Deska and Birgit.  

Later .

Cards You'd Love To Receive

Hello again Folks. I'm back with a few great cards, cards you'd probably like to receive yourself. Maybe one day, you'll receive one or two of them. Good Luck .

Let's start today with another of the Unseen Sri Lanka series of cards. It's a look at Queen's Tower, on Delft Island.It was built by the Dutch during their rule in Sri Lanka.

Ravindra used an identical stamp to the postcard. The stamp showing Queen's Tower was issued in 2016.

The old town center of Tirana, Albania is the subject of this next card. Actually it's Skanderbeg Square with the equestrian statue of the Albanian hero George Kastrioti Skanderbeg riding his horse in battle, dominating the square. He gained his fame for resisting the Ottomans. The statue is 11 metres tall and was placed in 1968.

Indrit used 2 of 3 in a 2007 set commemorating a visit of George W. Bush.  I think these are the first George Bush stamps for me, but it could be worse , they could be Trump stamps.

Today's third card is a Christmas postcard from Canada Post. It displays a Cardinal, the same image that's on the Canada Post Christmas U.S. rate stamp. The Cardinal, some people think, are messengers of good cheer.

This was a preprinted postage paid card from Canada Post, with postage for worldwide delivery. The imprinted stamp is the domestic-rate polar bear looking at a star-filled night sky. Domestic rate but in this case valid for worldwide delivery. I guess the postal service can change the rules as they see fit.

A great card from France is next. It's American pilot Charles Lindbergh. He was the first to fly across the Atlantic without a stop over. He flew from Long Island , New York to Paris. Flying has certainly changed from 1927.

Dominique used 2 fine vintage stamps from 1965. They were issued to mark the Launching of the First French Satellite. Great that they are intact with the tab between them.

That's it for this time. Thanks for dropping in and be sure to come back again soon. Thanks for cards today go out to Ravindra, Indrit, Canada Post and Dominique.

Untitled

Howdy folks. I know it's time for another update. I have been a little busy, but that's behind me now. It's on to postcards. In no particular order, here's a few to have a look at.

From France - a look at rue Saint-Jean in Villefrance de Conflent , a small village in south France. It has a massive thick wall surrounding the entire village and the town's centre consists of streets of pink coloured stone houses built around the 13th century.

Thanks to Dominique for this card. He used an Aviation themed stamp from 2016, it commemorates the 100th  Anniversary of the Eclair  Propeller.

My next card, also from France , shows a large portion of Paris. The large tower in the foreground is the Montparnasse Tower. The tower is often criticised for being out of place in Paris's urban landscape due to its simple architecture , large size and monolithic appearance. As a result, two years after its completion in 1973, the construction of buildings over seven stories high in the city centre was banned.  It is said that the tower's observation deck enjoys the most beautiful view in all of Paris, because it is the only place from where the tower cannot be seen. Parisians need not fret, a project is currently underway to redesign the building's facade.

Thank you Jean Pierre for this fine card. The stamp on this card is the 2017 Auguste Rodin stamp which I showcased in my November 2017 update. So no need to do it again.


Today's third card arrived from Belgium. It's a partial view of Dinant, a charming and picturesque  , historic town in the Walloon Region, located along the stone cliffs on the River Meuse. At the top of the card is the centuries old fortified Citadel, built in the 11th century and then later rebuilt in 1530 and again in 1821. Below the Citadel is the Gothic Collegiate Church of the Lady, dating from the 13th century. The statue in the foreground of the postcard is of Charles de Gaulle, near the bridge where he was wounded in World War I.

I owe Gerda thanks for this card. She has a wonderful postcard blog called  My Postcard-Page . On my card she used a quite large stamp from this year. It is 1 of 5 stamps in a Masks set.

Strangely this next card is also from Belgium, that's 2 from France and now 2 from Belgium.
This one is a nice Aviation themed card from days past. I'll go out on a limb here and say that it's a Sabena aircraft, but I'll leave it to the experts to identify the aircraft type. Any guesses ?

My thanks go to Johan for this card. He also has a great postcard blog called  johan postcards  .  A nice stamp and a nice First Day of Issue cancel - Oct 23, 2017. The stamp is 1 of 5 in a set highlighting World War I. The stamp on my card commemorates the Battle of Passchendale.

Well, that's it for this time. Not my usual 6 cards, but 4 works well. Thanks to Dominique, Jean Pierre, Gerda and Johan. My blog would be nothing without people like you.  Take care and drop by again soon.