My Latest Cards

BLOG # 992

Hello again, I'm live with the four latest cards I have received. The first one for today arrived from France.
On it we can see the remains of le chateau du Haut-Barr. This medieval castle was first built in the 1100s above the french town of Saverne. It was restored in the 14th century and then abandoned around 1770.  Because it was built at a height of 460m on sandstone rock, the people of Strasbourg nicknamed it the " eye of Alsace " .

Dominique used three older stamps on his card. The far left stamp is a Marianne stamp fom a 1944 set of 19. These stamps were first issued in Corsica after the Allied landing, then released in Paris Nov 15, 1944. The other two stamps , issued in se-tenant format, date from 1970.  Se-tenant --- stamps of different designs joined together side by side when printed.

It's on to Singapore for my next card. Here's the Chinatown market located at Temple Street / Smith Street / and Trengganu Street. It is one of the city's most popular spots to visit.

Jean Pierre used a 2018 Festival stamp . It is 1 of a set of 8. This one celebrates The Festival of the Breaking of the Fast, and is called Hari Raya Aidiliftri in Singapore. This religious holiday celebrated by Muslims marks the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. Having said all that I think this is a very attractive stamp, perhaps it's the colors,  green and yellow together.

Today's third card arrived from Sri Lanka, thanks to Ravindra. It's another in the Lighthouse series. This one is the 3rd that Raviundra has sent. Here we see Galbokka Point Lighthouse just south of Colombo. It is 29 metres high and was built in 1952. It is built on a concrete base and has four statues of lions at its base.

Ravindra used 3 stamps on his card. The top stamp is from this current year and was issued for the Declaration of Theravada Tripitaka ( the Buddhist Scriptures ) as a National Heritage.
The lower left stamp is one of 4 from 2012 showcasing the Flowers of Sri Lanka. The stamp on bottom right is 1 of 2 Christmas stamps issued in 2018.

Don't forget Ravindra's Lighthouse Blog .


O.K. we made it - time for the last card for this time. It's from Elbasan, Albania.  Indrit's card shows a beautiful beach in the Southern Albanian village of Dhermi, located 42 km south of the city of Vlore. Interesting fact - in some parts of Dhermi, there are bananas - the only bananas grown in Europe. 

Indrit used 2 stamps from 2002. They are part of a set of 6 called Animals of the Mediterranean.

Check out Indrit's blog right here .


Well, that's today's report. Thanks for cards go out to Indrit, Jean Pierre, Dominique and Ravindra.
See you next time.

Cards From Ravindra, Indrit, Bruce and Dominique

BLOG # 991

Hello again, I hadn't really realized that it was 10 days ago since my last blog. Time flies to say the least. I was away for a weekend during this time, out to Medicine Hat for indoor soccer Provincial Championships. My grandson Zach and his MSB Force team were taking part representing Calgary. They were the defending Gold Medal team from last year and are still the Champions and Gold Medalists again this year. They went through the tournament undefeated. So Big Congratulations to Zach and MSB Force. Also congrats to Parker and the other coaches for a job well done again.

I had a little free time in The Hat and went looking for postcards. Sadly I found none. I was hoping for some cards showing The World's Largest Teepee which we visited while there. I can only say to anyone from The Hat - go take a picture and have some postcards made up. They will sell like hotcakes.


Now it's on to the cards I have at hand. Let's start with a nice lighthouse card from Sri Lanka. It shows the Oluvil Lighthouse located on the southern east coast of the country. It was opened in 1999 and has a height of 24 metres. The lighthouse, harbour and town were damaged in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, but has since been repaired.

  Ravindra wrote that this is the 2nd postcard from this lighthouse series. He earlier sent a card showing Barberyn Lighthouse.

Ravindra used 3 stamps on his card. On the left, from 2014 one honouring Ho Chi Minh. The other 2 stamps are from a 2018 set of 20, showing Traditional Sinhalese Exorcism Rituals. This is a very nice set and one I hope to find and add to my mint stamp collection.

Ravindra has a blog called " Lighthouses on Post Cards " . If you're into Lighthouses, you will certainly enjoy it .


My second card arrived from Prizren, a town of just over 85,000 located in the southern part of Kosovo. It shows a couple of views of the city and two local dancers in traditional dress.

Indrit used 2 copies of a 2016 Archeology stamp along with a 2017 stamp showing Sheep.

Be sure to visit Indrit's blog called " Postcard Albania " .



Here's a card showing a beautiful old building in Freiburg, a university city in Germany's Black Forest. The building is the Historical Merchants' Hall dating from 1520. The front facade is decorated with statues and coats of arms that were sculpted between 1520 and 1531 by Sixt von Staufen. The figures show Emperor Maximilian I , King Philipp the Beautiful, Emperor Charles V and Emperor Ferdinand I.

Dominique used a 2018 stamp commemorating the 1000th Anniversary of the Wormser Dom - St. Peter's Cathedral in Worms.

I would have thought that a 1000th Anniversary would have rated a little more exciting and elaborate stamp. But what do I know ?


You can see Mother and Baby from Livingstone, Zambia on my next card. The photo is by Eleanor Hamby.

Bruce used a surcharged stamp from 2014. It's 1 of 8 in a Bird set. The original set , at a lower value , was issued in 2001.

Here now is another card from Bruce. This one arrived from Pinegowrie, South Africa and it's been on the go for quite some time. Bruce posted it on 01 Dec 2018 and I received it yesterday 18 Mar 2019 - three and a half months in the system. That is truly snail mail.
 Bruce's card is a great Aviation themed card - it shows a Spitfire , registration P7350 . It is the oldest flying example out there. P7350 is the oldest airworthy Spitfire in the world and the only Spitfire still flying today to have actually fought in the Battle of Britain. She was built in 1940 and then fought in the Battle sometime between July and late October  of that year.

Bruce used a nice selection of stamps on this card. On the left is a 2016 stamp, 1 of 6, in a South African National Parks set. The middle stamp is from 2018 and celebrates the Inauguration of President Cyril Ramapsosa. The 3rd stamp, on the right, was issued in 2009 and celebrates another president - Kgalema Motlanthe.

We're almost at the end, just this last card for today. It's another card sent by Dominique and this time it arrived from France. It's a look at the casino in the heart of the city of Sarreguemines, on the banks of the Saar River.

Dominique used a 2015 triangle stamps , issued in 2015. It commemorates the 50th Anniversary of the First French Satelite - Asterix.

I can't help thinking back many , many years ago when triangle stamps were frowned upon , unless you were holding the Cape of Good Hope 1853 triangles. Since then many countries have issued triangle stamps including Malaysia, Monaco, New Zealand, Chad, the USA, Cuba , Pakistan and San Marino, to name just a few.

So there you have it, another update of GemsWorldPostcards. Thanks for cards this time go out to Ravindra, Indrit, Bruce and Dominique.

Thanks for dropping in, and be sure to come back.

Four Spanish Cards, French Facts, Bummin' Around and Kula

Blog # 990

Hey there, blog 989 started with four cards from Russia, well this one starts with four from Spain. Different areas for sure - Seville, Cordoba, Tenerife and Girona  but all four arrived with Spanish stamps.
Let's start with Dominique's card from Seville. It shows Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza, one of the oldest bullrings in the world. Construction started in 1762 and was completed in 1881 and seats upwards of 14,000.

The stamp is from 2019, 1 of 2 issued for the National Stamp Design Competition.

Card 2 is from Cordoba, a city of 325,000 in the southern region of Andalusia. It was an important Roman city and a major Islamic centre in the Middle Ages.  It is best known for La Mezquita, an immense Mosque dating from 184 A.D. La Mezquita has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984. Dominique's card shows the Roman Bridge, built in the early 1st century, with the Mosque  / Cathedral of  Cordoba to the left.

The stamp used here is from a set of 6 issued in 2016 , all showing King Felipe VI.

Teide National Park is the focus of my 3rd card for this time. It is located in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain. Mount Teide, shown on the card, is the highest mountain of Spain. It is also the highest volcano in the Atlantic Ocean islands and the third highest volcano in the world. It has been a national park since 1954 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since June of 2007.

David used a stamp from the 12 Months 12 Stamps series from 2017. This one showcased Santa Cruz de Tenerife , quite appropriate for a card from Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

David has a fine blog about travel and postcards called " Postcards A World Travelogue " . Be sure to check it our right here .


Here's the last card for this time from Spain, not the last card mind you. This one shows Girona,  a city of just under 100,000 people located in Spain's northeastern Catalonia region , beside the River Onyar. The Cathedral of Girona , built between the 11th and 18th centuries dominates the city.

This card is from Josep & Assumpta and they used 2 stamps. On the left is another of the King Felipe VI stamps. On the right , from 2018 is a stamp issued for the Catalan International Fantasy Film Festival.

Like David, Josep & Assumpta have a postcard blog, too. It's called " cartes i postals d'arreu  or Letters and Postcards From All Over "


Check out this card for lots of facts about France. It's just about all you need to know.

Jean Pierre used a 2019 Chinese New Year - Year of the Pig stamp on this card.

Could  these be the Three Little Pigs ?




Just a bummin'  around. Is this what Dean Martin, Jimmy Dean, or Jerry Lee Lewis  had in mind when they were  singing these words ;

I got an ol' slouch hat
Got my roll on my shoulder
I'm as free as a breeze
An' I'll do as I please
Just a bummin' around

Got a million friends
Don't feel any older
I've got nothin' to lose
Not even the blues
Just a bummin' around

I'm not sure , but I think not , but  it's still a great card Barbara.

Barbara used a nice International Rate Chinese New Year - Year of the Pig stamp from The Netherlands , issued in Dec of 2018

Well that just about does it for this time, just one more card to go. This one is from Omis, Croatia. This small town in the Dalmatia region of Croatia is located about 25 km southeast of Split. It is where the Cetina River meets the Adriatic Sea. Shown on Nedjeljko's card is Kula, the highest summit of the Central Dalmatian mountain Omiska Dinara. This backyard mountain of Omis is just 864 meters high and was once an old pirate stronghold. 

Nedjeljsko used a 2015 stamp, one of a set of four showing Croatia's Undersea World.

That's all the cards for today. Thanks for cards this time go out to Dominique, David, Josep & Assumpta, Jean Pierre, Barbara and Nedjeljsko. Thanks everyone. 

Before signing off for today, just one little bit of business to mention. 

It was 13 years ago today, March 9th, 2006 that I joined Postcrossing and well the rest is history. In those 13 years I have received 2,705 postcards as a result of my membership in Postcrossing. Pretty worthwhile I think !

More of Those Cards

Blog # 989

I am starting off today's blog with four cards from Russia. The cards are all fine and I will get to them, but first I just want to say that all 4 cards arrived with wonderful stamps. I do like many of the recent Russian stamps and these are some of them. Only 1 of the Kremlin definitives showed up on these cards , so that was good.

On to the first card. It's from Kate who lives in Moscow. The card shows the Zhivopisny Bridge. This is a cable-stayed bridge that spans Moskva River in north-western Moscow, Russia. It is the first cable-stayed bridge in Moscow. Opened on 27 December 2007 as a part of Krasnopresnensky avenue, it is also the highest cable-stayed bridge in Europe. The bridge is unique in that most of its length runs along the river, not across it . Thus the bridge and highway it carries will bypass the protected territory of Serebryany Bor island.

Total length of an S-shaped deck exceeds 1.5 kilometers, including a 409.5-meter long, 47-meter wide main section running 30 meters above and along the centerline of river Moskva. The main pylon is a 105-meter high arch across the river, carrying the weight of deck through 78 cables

Under the top of the arch, there is a disk-like structure that was intended to house a restaurant. The restaurant project is now abandoned due to fire safety concerns and lack of investment.

Kate used 2 stamps from 2015. They are 2 of a set of 6 highlighting Cities of Military Glory.

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Next is Svetlana's card showing a water colour painting from 2015 of Komsomolskaya metro station in Moscow. The original painting is by O.Kamieshkova. Around 25,000,000 passengers use this station, which opened in 1935,  each year.

Both stamps were issued in 2018. On the right is one celebrating the 2018 New Wave International Contest for Young Pop Singers. On the right is a Happy Near Year stamp.

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Now it's Saint Michael's Castle.  St. Michael's Castle, also called the Mikhailovsky Castle or the Engineers' Castle, is a former royal residence in the historic centre of Saint Petersburg, Russia. St. Michael's Castle was built as a residence for Emperor Paul I by architects Vincenzo Brenna and Vasili Bazhenov in 1797-1801.

Venera  from St. Petersburg used a nice Aviation stamp from 2005. It is 1 of a set of 6 commemorating the 100th Anniversary of A.I.Mikoyan, Soviet revolutionary , Bolshevik and statesman. The larger stamp on the right was issued in a set of 4 , in 2018 showing Art of the Moscow Metro.

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Here's my last Russian card for this time. It's from Victoria who lives in Simferopol, the capital of the Crimean Peninsula. Simferopol is a city on the Crimean peninsula which is, since the 2014 annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, the de facto capital city of the Republic of Crimea within the Russian Federation. 

Victoria's card shows one of the locals dressed for an evening out on the town.

Victoria used 4 stamps on her card, 3 of which have something in common. So I'll start with the one that doesn't. It's the lower left stamp. This one was issued in 2005 and shows Ded Moroz. Ded Moroz is a fictional character similar to that of Father Christmas and Santa Claus and has its roots in Slavic paganism mythology. The tradition of Ded Moroz is mostly spread in East Slavic countries and is an important part of Russian culture.

The other 3 stamps are all Happy New Year stamps from 2001, 2008 and 2018. 

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It's on to Germany now for this card showing Erbach Castle, a palace in Erbach im Odenwald and the seat of the Count of Erbach. It was originally built in the Middle Ages, but most of the buildings today date back to the early 18th century. The palace houses the extensive antique collection of  Franz, Count of Erbach. 

Dominique used this stamp, showcasing Culture in Hesse. Hesse has more than 50 museums, castles and gardens.

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Well as Porky the Pig used to say " That's all folks " , we've come to the end of another update. Thanks go out to Kate, Svetlana, Venera, Victoria and Dominique for all the great cards and stamps today. 

Take care and see you all again soon.   Always open to comments - leave one if you want, don't leave one if you don't want. Cheers!

More Cards From That Pile

Blog # 988

Hello again. Here's another bunch of cards that arrived while I was gone.
First up is one from France. Peyrepertuse is a ruined fortress and one of the so-called Cathar castles located high in the French Pyrénées in the commune of Duilhac-sous-Peyrepertuse, in the Aude département, and has been associated with the Counts of Narbonne and Barcelona. Built in the 13th century, close to 100,000 visitors make their way here every year.

Dominique used a 2015 Stamp Festival issue showing a couple doing The Tango.

Next is a card from Gibraltar. It's Gibraltar as seen from La Linea, Spain.

Jean Pierre used a 2014 Europa stamp featuring National Musical Instruments. There are 2 stamps in the set.

My third card for today is from Belgium. It's a look at Manneken-Pis , a sculpture by Jerome Duquesnoy in Brussels. Manneken Pis is a landmark small bronze sculpture in the centre of Brussels, depicting a naked little boy urinating into a fountain's basin. It was designed by Hiëronymus Duquesnoy the Elder and put in place in 1618 or 1619. The current statue is a copy which dates from 1965. 

Johan sent this card and as he often does, he secured a first Day of Issue stamp and Postmark on it. The stamp commemorates the 400th Anniversary of the statue's placement. The image on the stamp and the cancellation both show a little boy peeing.

Here's a card that most likely should have arrived before Christmas. It has Christmas wishes, A Christmas stamp, Snowman tape , and a winter scene on the front. A Winter card from India - who would have thought ?

Anamica used a couple of stamps. On the right , from 2016, is a Season's Greetings stamp, while on the left is an often seen definitive, from a few years ago.

That was one card from India, so let's do another. This one shows a dancer from the north east state of Assam. She is performing the Bihu dance in her traditional make up. The Bihu dance is an indigenous folk dance from the Indian state of Assam related to the Bihu festival and an important part of Assamese culture. Performed in a group, the Bihu dancers are usually young men and women, and the dancing style is characterized by brisk steps, and rapid hand movements.

Naresh used a stamp from a 2016 set of 6 showing Indian Metal Crafts.

  
Now it's last card time for this time and it`s from Germany. And there's no better way to end than with a new addition to my Airline / Aircraft Postcard Collection. This time it's a B747 from AirBridgeCargo. This is the largest Russian Cargo Airline with more than 30 destinations in Russia, Asia, Europe and North America. 

Tina used a Flower definitive along with a 2018 Winter and  Christmas stamp.

So ends another update. Thanks for today's cards go out to Dominique, Jean Pierre, Johan, Anamica, Naresh and Tina. Still lots of cards on hand so drop by again soon.