The cathedral of Brasilia

This card, looking amazingly like a modernised picture of Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, is postmarked Brasilia and dated 31 October 2009.  It is, though, the Catedral Metropolitana Nossa Senhora Aparecida in Brasilia.
PATRIMONIO CULTURAL DA HUMANIDADE
Night view of Brasilia's cathedral.

Brasilia as a whole is on UNESCO's World Heritage List.  It was designed and built from scratch by Lucio Costa and architect Oscar Niemeyer.  The cathedral too was designed by Oscar Niemeyerwho was also responsible for Le Havre's cultural centre, the Volcan.  I must say that the cathedral is a great deal more attractive than the Volcan which, as Beth Niquette so neatly puts it, is just like a giant tennis shoe.

French bagpipes

I'd like to bet that when you see the word bagpipes, the first place you would think of would be Scotland, but you can find them in the traditional music of several countries.  This card I picked up at a flea market.  It has never been used and has no date.  Folk music in Brittany, north-west France) experienced a great revival during the 1970s so that with the deckle-edge to the card makes me think it probably dates from around then.

MX 3151 - Sonneur de biniou de Plougastel-Daoulas
Le biniou se compose d'un sac que l'on gonfle par un sutel et sur lequel sont adaptés une flûte - levriad des Bourdons
Roughly translated (very roughly)  Bagpipe player from Plougastel-Daoulas
The bagpipe consists of a bag which is inflated by a pipe, and with a chanter attached.

There are two types of bagpipes that originate in Brittany, the veuze and the biniou kozh (old bagpipe in Breton), but this card shows neither.  This is the biniou bras (big bagpipe) and is based on Scottish bagpipes.  Breton soldiers saw Scottish pipe bands and brought the idea home with them.  They became popular in the 1950s and then followed the revival of folk music in the area, so they are still popular these days.

PFF: Friendship

I am late posting today, but for once I noticed that Marie's theme is Friendship, and I am able to tie in this card which has the words "Mes Amitiés d'Ambérieu", my friendly greetings from Ambérieu.  I've made many very good friends through Marie's The French Factrice so it's a very apt theme.

There was obviously a stamp on the back of this card, but it was removed even though it had been cancelled.

I'm wondering if the N.A. followed by some letters signifies some form of forces postal service because I have a series of postcards apparently sent by the same person showing submarines, troop ships, and so on, from 1920.

The message gives further information:

"Dearest Elsie
Am in Ambérieu, today Tuesday.  Will reach Venice next week.  Fine time.  Your old Bill.  Good messieur [sic].  xxxxx"

In the same collection, I have several cards from Venice too.  But the greeting and the sign off with xxxxx seem to imply rather more than just friendship. :)

Visit Marie Reed's The French Factrice to find more people this Postcard Friday.

Painting al fresco

An rather amusing card this one, sent to me from Cedar Rapids, Iowa on 10 July 2004, though I don't think it's intended to be.  How often does an artist go out for a day's painting wearing a white shirt, neatly pressed trousers and of course a tie, balancing the canvas on his knee?  I'd like to bet that even his lady friend, reclining before him, would have a very sore elbow after a few minutes like that.  The card is produced, it seems, by a company called Quantity Postcards.

I think it must have been sent to me through a card exchange in the days before Postcrossing, possibly organised through BookCrossing.  On the back is a quote from Wasteland:

"And I wanted more than anything else for it to rain for one whole day like it used to."

Not appropriate for current conditions in the UK, where we currently are experiencing flooding in several northern areas.

La Défense

I bought this card myself in 1992, for my son who was doing a project on the Grande Arche de la Défense, pictured on the card.  It has never been through the mail.

La Défense is one of the main business districts for Paris.  It surrounds the central area shown on the card and contains some very impressive modern architecture.  The Arche itself is very interesting:

• It is directly in line with the Arc de Triomphe and the Arc du Carrousel.
• The canopy that you can see suspended within the arch represents clouds.
• There is a viewing and information area right at the top.
• The sides are occupied by government offices.
• The whole is offset by 6 degrees to reveal the depth of the cube. (It was known as The Cube at the beginning of the project.)
  

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A rose

This beautiful red rose was sent to me by a friend in April 2008.  Roses are possibly my favourite of all flowers, especially if they are scented.  This one has a strong, sweet, scent. :)

Mesa Verde National Park

A really beautiful card from PostMuse of the Mesa Verde National Park.  It has, intriguingly, two postmarks.  One is Pittsburg and the other Baden, both dated 22 October 2009.

Cliff Palace at Dusk, Mesa Verde National Park
This Ancestral Pueblo culture site is the largest cliff dwelling still standing in North America.  It is believe to have been constructed somewhere between AD 1190 and AD 1280.  Located at over 7,000 feet in elevation.  Cliff Palace contained 151 rooms, 23 kivas and housed between 100 - 150 people.
Photographer George H.H. Huey.

The Mesa Verde National Park is in Colorado near the Four Corners area, and was home to the Ancient Pueblo people.  Cliff Palace is far larger than any other dwelling in the area.  It was discovered in 1888 by two cowboys looking for strays.