Guam , Vichy, Bali, and Dubai

BLOG # 1455

Helle there. In the last couple of days I received four cards. They arrived from Guam, France , Indonesia and United Arab Emirates. We'll start with the card from Guam, only my 2nd from there. This U.S. island territory is located in Micronesia, Western Pacific Ocean. It's capital is Hagatna . The island has just over 165,000 Guamanians.  Jean Pierre's card is an aerial view of Agana Bay with Alupat Island and the surrounding hotels.

There's a number of stamps here - the left one was issued in 2011 showing the Edward Hopper Painting " The Long Leg " . The right stamp, from 2019, commemorates the 50th Anniversary of the Woodstock Music Festival. The other stamp shows the U.S. Flag and Fireworks.

My next card from France shows one of the thermal springs in Vichy, recognized throughout the world for its thermal spa.

Dominique used a stamp from 2018. It was issued for the Sorques Spring Stamp Exhibition.

That's two down, now it's on to Bali, Indonesia. Jean Pierre's card shows a beautiful Balinese gateway which attracts many , many tourists to the area. Great place for a selfie !

Jean Pierre used a multiple of a 2019 stamp, 1 of 3 in a set, issued for EMAS 2045 - the vision of Indonesia competing with other nations on a top level.

Today's last card, from United Arab Emirates, shows us the skyline of Dubai. On the left is the Burj Khalifa and at second from right is the Burj Al Arab.

Dominique used a cool stamp here. A rather large almost circular stamp. It was issued in a 2019 minisheet of 6.

That is the update for this time. Thanks for today's cards go out to Jean Pierre, and Dominique.
Take care all. Wash your hands, don't touch your face and stay inside as much as possible.

Austrian Airlines and Crossair

BLOG # 1454

Hey there, well I'm down to just two cards so here they are. Both are Airline / Aircraft cards and both were sent by Jean Pierre. One arrived from Austria and the other from Switzerland.

Card # 1 - Austrian Airlines A321 registered as OE-LBB. The card shows it on the ramp in Vienna in 1999. The A321 is a short to medium range , narrow-body twin engine jet that carries between 185 and 236 passengers. The first A321 flew in 1994.
OE-LBB first flew in 1995 . Its entire history has been with Austrian Airlines.

Jean Pierre used a stamp issued in January of this year. It celebrates the 25th Anniversary of Austria's Membership in the EU.

Card # 2 - Crossair's BA146 registered as HB-IXY . It's pictured on the ramp in Zurich in 1995. This particular aircraft had its first flight in 1990. In 1991 it saw service with Meridiana Air. Then in 1994 it was acquired by Crossair. From 1996 until 2001 it saw service with Eurowings. As often happens with aircraft, HB-IXY was scrapped in 2011.

Two stamps on this one. On the left, from 2020, a stamp commemorating the 150th Anniversary of the Swiss Fire Brigade Association. The right stamp, from 2017, is 1 of 2 issued as Europa Stamps - Palaces and Castles.

There you have it, short and sweet . Thanks again Jean Pierre. Take care - Be safe ! As always, Wash your hands, and Don't touch your face.

St Patrick`s Day but No Sign of an Irish Card

BLOG #1453

What day is it anyway, that`s the question .




Hey I'm back again, consecutive day updates, that's rare here on GemsWorldPostcards. I only have two cards for this time. First is this Map card from Albania. More than a map card , it`s like a mini encyclopedia of Albania. All the Albania facts you need to know can be found on the front of the card.

Indrit used a stamp issued in 2018. It is 1 of 3 in a set commemorating Historical Events. This particular stamp commemorates the 100th Anniversary of The Fourteen Points.
The Fourteen Points was a statement of  Principles for Peace that was to be used for Peace negotiations in order to end World War I . The principles were outlined in a January 8, 1918 speech on war aims and peace terms to the United States Congress by President Woodrow Wilson.

  


Today`s second card arrived from Hong Kong. It shows one of the many large markets in the city.

Victor used a number of stamps on his card.
The left stamp was issue in 2014 and is 1 of a set of 12. The set was called Landscapes of Hong Kong and this one shows Basalt Island. The middle stamp is one of a long running Hong Kong skyline definitive set. The right stamp, from 1997, is 1 of a set of 6 highlighting the establishment of Hong Kong as a special administrative region of the People`s Republic of China.

 

That`s it for this time. Thanks to Indrit and Victor for today`s cards.
Once again - Be safe, wash your hands and don`t touch your face.

Table Mountain, Changi Airport, a Goatherder , Pale Painting and Kamianets-Podilskyi Castle

BLOG # 1452

Hey there, it's another good day to be inside, what with light snow flurries, a temperature of  -19 C and wind chill of -31 C. So let's warm up with a few postcards.

My first one for today arrived from Cape Town, South Africa. It's a classic view of Table Mountain as seen from Bloubergstrand, a small suburb of Cape Town. Bloubergstrand means blue mountain beach in Afrikaans.  The main feature of Table Mountain is the level plateau approximately 3 km from side to side. The highest point of Table Mountain is at 1,084.6 meters above sea level.

Bruce used a stamp from 2018. It shows 1 of the Big 5, a White Rhinoceros. It covers the Airmail Postcard rate.

My second card arrived from Changi Airport, Singapore. Changi Airport is always at the head of World Airport Awards. It is currently rated the World's Best Airport for the seventh consecutive year since 2013.

Jean Pierre used a Butterfly stamp showing the Common Rose Butterfly. It marks the 50th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between Singapore and Philippines.

Here's a card from Germany. I don't know about Germany, but we don't see many goatherders over this way. Looks like a pretty relaxing job though. I'm surprised to see a goatherder on a postcard.

Brunhilde used a Freedom of the Press stamp, issued this year.

This next card , arrived from Czech Republic and is a little strange, at least the picture. It shows the 2003 Michael Kvium painting Pale Painting. Not my choice in painting, but what do I know ?

Justin used a 2019 Mahatma Gandhi stamp.

It's last card time. This one arrived from Ukraine. It's a look at Kamianets-Podilskyi Castle, which dates back to the 12th to 13th centuries. It is located in the town of the same name.

Lana used a 2019 stamp commemorating the 145th Anniversary of the U.P.U.

Well that's the end of another update. Thanks for today's cards go out to Bruce, Jean Pierre, Justin, Brunhilde and Lana. Take care and WASH Your Hands and Don't Touch Your Face . BE SAFE

VICHY Candy , Mittens and one more Aircraft

BLOG # 1451
Hey there . I'm back with a few cards to have a look at, but before I do, I have this to say. Today, March 9th, 2020 marks 14 years that I have been participating in PostCrossing. That's 5,114 days and in all those days I have received 2,883 postcards from fellow PostCrossers. Surprisingly in that same time I have received 2,882 postcards from non-PostCrosers. That works out to just over 1 postcard every day.  That's pretty amazing when you think about.

Now it's on to the cards at hand. Well my last update started out with doughnuts and now today it's candy. This card is from France and the candy is Vichy Pastilles. These are french candy produced in the spa town of Vichy in central France. They were first produced in 1825. They are recognizable as a white , octagonal shaped candy bearing the word VICHY.

Dominique used a stamp from 2015. It was issued for the Paris Spring Stamp Exibition.

Here's a card from the U.S. It was actually mailed from Vegas. It's a look at The Mittens in Monument Valley. When viewed from the south, the two buttes appear to be two gigantic mittens with their thumbs facing inwards.

Bruce used the 2017 Green Succulent Forever stamp.

My final card for today is this one. An Egyptair Embraer 170, registered as SU-GDH. The aircraft is 11.2 years old and has only seen service with Egyptair.

Jean Pierre used 2 definitives along with the larger stamp on the right. It is from 2019 and Commemorates the 150th Anniversary of Cairo University School of Law.

Well, that's it for this time, a little shorter than usual. Thanks for the cards this time go to Dominique, Bruce and Jean Pierre.

Doughnuts and a Whole Lot More

BLOG # 1450
Well I only posted 4 blog updates last month. Not my best effort , especially since February had an extra day this time. But it is what it is .
Let's start today with a card from Ulyanovsk, Russia - the birthplace of Vladimir Lenin. This city of just over 610,000 people is located east of Moscow.
I hope you have had your lunch as I wouldn't want you to fill up on these doughnuts. They're not Tim's , but they do look delicious. Anyone familiar with Tim's will know what I mean here.

Evgeniia used 2 of the new Eagle  definitives on this card. They were issued in 2019.

How about another card from Russia. This time it's Vologda, an old city in the northwest of the country. This is where you can find the World of Forgotten Things, a museum displaying vintage household objects. Perhaps this is where our rotary telephone ended up.
 Of course all of this has nothing to do with Daria's card. Her card is a picture of Daenerys Targaryen of Games of Thrones. While not my most favourite character on the show, she did amass a lot of power right up to her death at the hands of Jon Snow.

Daria used a great selection of Bridge stamps from 2008 and 2009. Also on the card is one of the Eagle definitives.

From Russia , let's swing on over to America, the Nevada Arizona area. It's Hoover Dam . The dam , located 30 miles South East of Las Vegas was completed in 1936. Construction cost $49 million dollars and 112 lives. The bridge in the foreground is the Colorado River Bridge. It is 900 feet above the river and a quarter of a mile from the Dam. The bridge's official name is the Mike O'Callaghan - Mike Tillman Memorial Bridge. It was built between 2005 and 2010.
O'Callaghan was Governor of Nevada from 1971-1979 and Tillman was an American football player who left his career with the Arizona Cardinals to enlist in the United States Army and was killed in Afghanistan in 2004 by friendly fire.

I have had the pleasure of walking across the top of the dam and then across the bridge. An experience for sure.

Bruce used the green U.S. Global Forever stamp from 2017. It features the Green Succulent.

My next card is one from Belgium showing King Albert I , King of the Belgians from 1909-1934. He led the Belgian Army during the First World War. 

Johan used a King Albert stamp very much like the picture on the card. He received a First Day of Issue cancellation on the stamp.

Be sure to give a look to " johanpostcards " , just click right  here .


My last card for today is also from Belgium and also sent by Johan. It's a view of the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul , located in Ostend, a city in West Flanders. This neo- Gothic style church was built between 1899 and 1908.

Johan again used a recent stamp and secured a First Day of Issue cancellation. The stamp is 1 of 5 in a mini-sheet featuring Pentagons in Nature.

Actually that wasn't really the last card. I have one more from Johan. Here it is . It's the Seamen's Memorial, erected in 1953 for sailors and fishermen lost at Ostend over the years.

And the stamp :

Now that was the last, the end. Thanks for cards this time go out to Johan, Daria, Evgeniia, and Bruce.
Take care, see you soon.