Joan of Arc, Winchester Cathedral

Never posted, bought 1987.

This statue of Joan of Arc (1412-1431) is outside the Lady Chapel, opposite the tomb of Cardinal Beaufort (1404-1447). I have always wondered why there is a statue of Joan of Arc in Winchester Cathedral, but it turns out that Cardinal Beaufort took part in her trial. In 1920 she was canonised, and in 1923 her statue was erected.

Florida

 

 

Postmarked Fort Myers FL, dated 21 September 2005.

(S55) 101-2055 Florida
Florida is the perfect vacation hotspot. Well known for its long sandy-white beaches, crystal clear tropical waters, endless warnth and sunshine, and some of the most beautiful sunrise and sunsets.

My one and only trip to the US was a piggyback on to a business trip of my husband's, to Orlando. I'm told I shouldn't judge the rest of the States on that visit. :)

Floating Market

Postmarked but not readable, dated 25 June 1985.

Floating Market (Wat-Sai) near Bankok, Thailand.

At one time the picturesque floating markets were easy to visit but with the development of Bangkok, nowadays there are few left. The Wat Sai market is popular with tour companies but apparently tourists are liable to far outnumber the vendors.

Hell, Norway

Postmarked Hell, dated 18 June 1984.

F2681-5 Aftenstemming Hell st.
Norway Evening mood Hell station.

Well, the sky does look fiery! But in Norwegian the name derives from the word for cave and in modern Norwegian it means luck. The district has become a tourist attraction because of its name.

Bunratty Castle

Postmarked Baile Atha Cliath (Dublin), dated 1981.

Bunratty Castle, Co Clare: Situated between Shannon Airport and Limerick, 10 miles from the latter, Bunratty Castle is the largest and finest example of the medieval towered fortresses of Ireland. Built in the 15th century by the O'Briens of Thomond, descendents of the great king. Brian Boru, the castle has now been completely resored and furnished in the style of its period. The unique apartments of the castle, with their fine collection of medieval furniture, paintings, tapestries etc. are now open to the public.
Cardall 296

Grafton Street, Dublin

Never posted, undated, but after 1902 because the address and message are both on the back of the card.

Grafton Street Dublin.

Never posted, undated.

Grafton Street: This fascinating street is one of Europe's most beautiful capital cities and offers a variety of contrasts, old and new, to delight the visitor. A fashionable shopping centre, Grafton Street runs from St Stephen's Green, a fine public park, to Dublin's famous Trinity college, which dates back to 1591.  With its department stores, shopping arcades, coffee shops and pubs, this section of the city has a distinctive charm for both tourist and native alike.

In spite of the cards being so different and the views being from different directions, it's easy to see that the buildings are largely the same.

I remember this street very well from my childhood and teens. I lived in Dublin intermittently when the street looked like neither of these cards. On the newer, second card, the building on the left with blinds at a higher level is Bewley's Oriental Café. When you walked past, you would smell what I used to think was the exotic aroma of roasting coffee. Inside the array of cakes was incredible. A visit was a very special treat.  They were due to close in 2004, but the protests were such that they decided to re-open.

Alone

 

Postmarked Field Post Office, dated 21 February 1943.

Pourquoi toujours dormir seul?
Why still sleeping on my own?

Sent by my father, on active service, four months after he and my mother were married. The message reads "Have nearly given up all hope of receiving any mail". Poor soul. My mother kept almost all his letters from the war years.

I didn't know he'd been in France, but of course he may not have been.

A week in Paris (part 7): Les Bouquinistes

Never posted, bought 1991.

1726 - Paris
Les Bouquinistes.
Au fond la Cathédrale Notre-Dame.

Never posted, bought 1991

1671 - Paris
Notre Dame et les Bouquinistes
Notre Dame and the second-hand booksellers
Notre Dame und die Buchhändler
(also in Japanese I think, but I'm not attempting to reproduce that)

Les Bouquinisites, although translated literally as second-hand booksellers, has a particular meaning in Paris. Along the banks of the Seine, near Notre Dame, you find stalls selling old books, postcards and prints. The boxes used as a basis for the stalls are regulated, they must be painted a precise shade of green and be specific dimensions. Each seller has 4 boxes and only one should sell tourist items (in theory). They should be open at least 4 days a week.

If you enjoy rummaging through old books (or postcards!) you will love this area. I could spend hours looking at all of them.

A week in Paris (part 6): The Louvre pyramid

 

Never posted. Bought 1993.

Paris
638 - Musée du Louvre - la Pyramide
(Arc. I.M. PEI - Establissement Public du Grand Louvre)

The glass pyramid was built, somewhat controversially, as the new entrance for the museum. It was finished in 1989, not very long before we went to live in Paris. The previous entrance had been inadequate for the numbers of visitors it had. Although it is a wonderful sight in its own right, I do find it incongruous against the backdrop of the original building. At the same time, something had to be done about an entrance, and anything would have seemed out of place.

Previous post: The Louvre and its gardens

A week in Paris (part 5): Hôtel de Ville, Paris

1302 -  Paris
l'Hôtel de Ville, Paris
The Town Hall
Das Rathaus
El Ayuntamiento.

The Hôtel de Ville houses the adminstration for municipality, hosts large receptions and is the mayor's official residence.m The 16th century building was destroyed by fire in 1871 but was rebuilt in the earlier style.

A week in Paris (Part 4): Arc de Triomphe

1276 - En survolant Pais

L'Arc de Triomphe Place Charles de Gaulle

The Triumphal Arch Charles de Gaulle Square

Der Triumphbogen Charles de Gaulle Platz

Arco di Trionfo Piazza Charles de Gaulle.

Paris

801 - Coucher de soleil sur Paris

L'Arc de Triomphe de l'Etoile

Neither of these cards have been posted or dated.

The Arc de Triomphe is a tribute to the soldiers who have fought for France, in particular during the Napoleonic Wars. Underneath is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I.

Neither of these cards does real justice to the sight of the Arc. The first time I saw it I was taking an escalator out of the Métro at Charles de Gaulle-Etoile. I looked up at the last minute to see it against a startling blue sky. It was magnificent and quite took my breath away. I had no idea just how big it was. I walked all the way around it, taking my life in my hands as I crossed each of those radiating roads.

And that brings me to one other point: I have never, ever, seen so little traffic on the Etoile. On the several occasions I was forced to drive around it, the traffic was 10 abreast, and everyone trying to move across everyone else.

A week in Paris (Part 3): Sacré-Coeur

Never posted.

1190 Paris
La Basilique du Sacré-Coeur de Montmartre
The Basilica of the Sacré-Coeur
Die Herz Jesu Basilika von Montmartre
Basilica del Sagrado Corazon de Montmartre

The church, built on the highest point in Paris, first planned in 1873, has been open since 1891. The construction was financed entirely from public donations.

Paris
Le Sacré Coeur de Montmartre et le funiculaire
The Sacred Heart of Montmartre and the cable railway.

The second gives a better idea of how the church is placed on the hill. I have to tell you that on my first visit, the presence of the railway escaped me and I walked the whole way up. And then decided to climb up to the top of the dome. The view from there is wonderful on a clear day, but those steps! Round and round and round. Just as you think you are getting there, there are more.

A week in Paris (part 2): Île de la Cité

Unposted and undated.

832 Paris
L'Île de la Cité
The island of the Cité
Der Insel der Cité
L'isola della Cité

The Île de la Cité, a natural island in the Seine, is often thought to be the cradle of Paris, the place where the Parisii tribe lived. It is the heart of Paris and all distances from Paris are measured from the square outside Notre-Dame.

The Pont Neuf (New Bridge), at the far end of the island and not visible on this card, is the oldest bridge in Paris, the earliest surviving one built of stone rather than wood.

Three buildings remain from the medieval period - the cathedral of Notre-Dame, started in 1163, the Sainte-Chapelle (1245) and the Conciergerie prison. The spire of Sainte-Chapelle can just about be seen rising behind the right hand tower of the cathedral. A great proportion of what can be seen these days is reconstruction after considerable damage during the French Revolution. The Conciergerie is on the opposite side of the island and further away.

Updated to include a rather more attractive view from the opposite direction.

A week in Paris (part 1): rue Xavier Privas

Never posted and undated but it must have been given to me in approximately 1996 or thereabouts.

Quartier Saint-Michel
Rue Xavier Privas 1863-1927 poète chansonnier.
Photographe R Deshayes
PM.A9 39

The rue Xavier Privas is in the Saint-Michel area, in the 5th arrondissement and the Latin Quarter. The boulevard Saint-Michel runs alongside the Luxembourg Gardens, crosses the possibly better known boulevard Saint-Germain, and reaches the Seine near Notre Dame de Paris. It is a fascinating area, near the Sorbonne (part of the University of Paris), full of bookshops and cafés, with the Cluny Museum also nearby. The Cluny isn't often mentioned in comparison with the Louvre, Musée d'Orsay and so on, but it is well worth a visit for the Lady and the Unicorn (La Dame à la licorne)  tapestries alone which are oh so romantic.

The card was given to me by the man I worked for at the time. He was a surgeon, a man of very few words, and a hard but fair taskmaster. The card, as I recall, was accompanied by a bottle of wine, though I forget why. I must have done something above and beyond the call of duty :)

Omaha and Omaha Beach

Postmarked Bayeux, dated 11 September 1978

53 - Pointe du Hoc - Omaha Beach
Criqueville en Bessin
pres Grandcamp (Calvados - 14)
Le Monument (arch. M Carpentier)

The inscription reads: To the heroic Ranger Commandos D2RN E2RN F2RN of the 116th Infantry who under the command of Colonel James E Rudder of the First American Division attacked and took possession of the Pointe du Hoc.

From the American Battle Monuments Commission: The monument consists of a simple granite pylon positioned atop a German concrete bunker with tablets at its base inscribed in French and English. The monument was formally transferred to the American Battle Monuments Commission for perpetual care and maintenance on January 11, 1979. This battle-scarred area on the left flank of Omaha Beach remains much as the Rangers left it.

I sent the card to my parents myself. Our second son was 11 months old when we were on this holiday, and we spent a lot of time at the various landing beaches. In those days there were memorials around, but very little else. The beaches were probably much the same as they had been during the invasions. Nowadays they are much more commercialised, and with massive car-parks for all the visitors.

My second card is from Omaha itself, postmarked Omaha NE, dated 24 November 2004.

Omaha
A view from Omaha's Old Market.

Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, on the banks of the Missouri River.

St Martin de Ré

A card I bought while visiting St Martin de Ré to celebrate the New Year 2008. We stayed in one of the buildings right at the centre of this card.St Martin is a lively and attractive town and harbour on the Ile de Ré.

Fortifications surround the town, first built by Richelieu and restored by Vauban in 1685. These fortifications have this year become the 32nd French site to be put on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.

Here is a photo of the harbour, taken during our visit. As you can see it was a foggy day, but it didn't spoil our enjoyment at all. Fortunately the next day dawned bright and clear.

Lake Garda

Postmarked Brescia, dated 11 June 2003

Lake Garda/Lago di Garda

Lake Garda is the largest lake in Italy. It's northern part is long and narrow, and surrounded by mountains. Nearby is Verona, another UNESCO World heritage Site.

London letter boxes

Just recently bought because I thought it a very appropriate one for me to send out. On the reverse it says it shows London red pillar boxes, but they aren't in any way restricted to London.

The first Royal Mail letter box appeared in St Helier, Jersey in1852. There are approximately 115,000 throughout the country, and it is planned that they should all be preserved as part of the UK national image.

A history of British letter boxes.

Sachsen (Saxony)

No postmark (it came in an envelope), dated 8 July 2008.

AOK Sachsen - Die Gesundheitskasse.

According to the message, this is a health resort in its own park. I'm afraid I have absolutely no further information about it, except that it is in Saxony.

Odessa

The postmark is illegible, but the date is 1 July 2008.

The monument to duke Armand de Richelieu in the rays of the sunset, 1828.
The sculptor I Martos.

Another card with a lovely message:

Greetings from the Ukraine. Here is a card from city Odessa, situated in the south of my country. You can see famous Odessa's statue of the Duc de Richelieu, the relative of the well-known French cardinal, and the first Governor of Odessa in 19th century. This monument has been constructed in 1822, after his death, by the grateful townspeople with their own funds. Now the avenue and the square near Duc's monument looking to the seaport is a very popular place for lovers and friends.

A completely new region and part of history for me, so I was delighted to receive this card. Not to mention how tickled I am that a lovers' meeting place should be commemorated on a postcard. Note the little man at the bottom right. Not quite my type, but perhaps I shouldn't be so particular :)

PS I've created this post with the new Blogger-in-draft post editor, so it probably looks completely different when published. It's taking some getting used to. 

Recife, Brazil

Never posted. Judging by the message, I must have received this inside a book, sometime in 2004.

Brasil Turistico
Recife - PE - Brasil
Vista parcial do rio Capibaribe com suas pontes.
Partial view of Capibaribe river and its bridges.

Recife is the 5th largest metropolitan area in Brazil. It is surrounded by rivers and crossed by bridges, another place that considers itself to be a Venice, the Brazilian Venice.

Arts and Industries Building, Washington DC

Postmarked North Carolina, dated 19 November 2004.

Greetings from Washington DC
#3976 - Arts and Industries Building (National Museum Building)
The United States National Museum opened to the public in 1881. It was renamed the Arts and Industries Building in 1910 when the natural history collections were moved to the newly completed Museum of Natural History.

New Zealand

The postmark and date are illegible, but it must have been about 1998.

New Zealand
Made up of three islands, New Zealand is a country of contrasts. With a sub-tropical climate in the north, and snow clad mountains in the south, New Zealand is unique in its beauty and a paradise to visit.

Taxco, Mexico

Postmark illegible, dated 6 February 1983.

Tienda La Mision y la Parroquia de Sta Prisca
La Mision store and the Sta Prisca Parish
Taxco, Gro. México

Sent from Taxco by my sister. At the time I had no idea I would visit the same place 15 years or so later.

Taxco, once a silver mining centre, is a very picturesque town, built on the side of a mountain. The houses are white with red tile roofs, and the streets are very narrow and steep. Believe me when I say you really do not want to drive there.

Portugal

Yet again the postmark and date are obscured, but the card arrived on 28 June 2008.

The message on the card, in the exact words of the sender, because I found it charming:

About my country, half of it is in contact with the sea, and Algarve also. Algarve is the south region of Portugal. It is very peacefully living here, but being a little chaotic in the summer because of the tourism. We have a Mediterranean climate, having a coast full of sandy beaches. Our country is little and in one day you can travel from one side to the other, having a diversified landscape and flora. It is a country with a long history, since 1143. In every corner we can see the remains. The name Algarve comes due to the Moorish occupation of much of Iberia, "Al-Gharb" means the country of the west. They left in the 12th but we kept the name.

Portugal, as is probably known by anyone who frequents pub quizzes or who learnt history in the same era as I did, is England's oldest ally.

Belarus

Postmarked Minsk, dated 26 June 2008.

I can't even begin to interpret what it says on the back, so I've scanned it.

The message reads:
Here you can see Voskresenskaya Church of Ashmiany that is situated in Grodno region of Belarus.

After searching for quite a while, it seems the church is the Catholic church of St Michael the Archangel.

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Idaho

The postmark is very blurred but I think it is Spokane, WA, dated 28 June 2008.

R-505
The rich soil of Idaho farmlands are irrigated by the constant flow of water from Snake River as it winds its way across Southern Idaho.

This arrived on 4 July, Independence Day, so I thought it appropriate to have an American card to mark the occasion.