Harry Potter

Postmarked Turku, Finland and dated 12 June 2008.

Not entirely appropriate I don't think, but the best I can do for Halloween.

Bisous

Another sent to me inside a book, just a few days ago this time.

Translation, if it's needed:  Kisses, lots of kisses.... and pretty little flowers only for you.  Not so very many people you could send it to really. 

Redhill postbus, England

It was never posted but was sent to me inside a book, which would date it to 2004 approximately.  However it does say on the back that it was published by the Head Postmaster Redhill in October 1980.

Postbuses were started in 1967, in rural areas where there is little public transport, primarily in Scotland and Yorkshire.  However the south-east of England seems well served as this Redhill - Outwood service is one of several in the region.  They generally run only once or twice a day along with the mail deliveries.  They carry about 50,000 passengers a year.  It seems odd to me that a county so close to London would have so little public transport that a postbus is needed.

Rod Laver Arena, Australia

Postmarked Sydney, dated 12 August 2008.  A postage pre-paid card, the first I've come across.

The Rod Laver Arena is in Melbourne, Victoria, and is the venue for the Australian Open Tennis Championship.  The stadium's name was changed from Centre Court to honour Rod Laver, the only person to have won the Grand Slam twice.

Sardinia, Italy

Postmarked Sassari, dated 21 June 2003.

Sardegna
Parco Nazionale dell'Arcipelago di la Maddalena
Isola di Budelli - La spiaggia Rosa

The island of Maddalena, the only inhabited island of the archipelago of the same name, lies two kilometres from the shore of north east Sardinia.  It can only be reached by boat.  There are 7 large islands and baout 20 small ones within the National Park.  There are many small beaches of white sand, but the one pictured is the famous pink beach on the island of Budelli.

From the message on the card:

enjoying swimming, snorelling and bodyboarding in traslucent, aquamarine, warm seas. Traditional villages, friendly, hospitable local people.

***This card has been posted by special request from ~RE of BadGals Radio.  I'm very happy for people to ask me to show cards from a particular place.  I make no promises that I'll be able to do so, obviously it depends on having the right card in my collection, but I will certainly do my best.

Tagged: 7 random facts

I have been doubly tagged, first by Jodi from Jodi's Journey, and then by Ana from Chica and Pumuckl.

So now, I have to tell you seven random things about myself.

1. My grandfather was Italian.
2. I am right-handed but do use my left hand for several things, such as opening bottle or jar tops, or shuffling cards. As I haven't played cards since the days of playing Snap, I most probably can't shuffle cards with either hand now.
3. We were always a dog family, but when our last one died ten years ago, we decided not to have another pet. Then our son's cat came to stay. We are now a cat family.
4. The main thing I miss about having a dog is the walking. I used to enjoy taking her out two or three times a day. I have since become adept at solo walking, but confess to being a fair-weather walker now. I used to be happy walking the dog in the rain.
5. I have small feet - UK size 3, Europe 36, USA 5, Australia 4. And I had no idea there were quite so many different size systems for shoes. I am always so delighted if I find a pair of shoes to fit that I am unlikely to quibble about style or colour. Within reason.
   
6. There are certain tunes that become imprinted into my mind and I find myself humming them at odd moments. The latest for me is Winchester Cathedral. Oh-bo-de-o-do oh-bo-de-o-do.
7. I started this blog thinking it would involve very little effort. I was wrong.

At this point I am supposed to tag a number of other people. I'm not going to do that, but I will say that all of you readers are more than welcome to consider yourselves tagged.

Vilnius, Lithuania

Postmarked Vilnius, dated 22 October 2008. An interesting tear-drop shape of stamp, one that I've never seen before.

Vilnius
The Cathedral Square

This card shows the cathedral, its belfry and a monument to the Grand Duke Gediminas. Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania. Once it was geographically more or less at the centre of Lithuania. Nowadays, after centuries of changing borders, it is near the south eastern border. Nearby, it is claimed, is the geographical centre of Europe.

Holland

Although it is stamped and arrived through the post, it seems to have escaped any postmark. It is dated 1 September 2008.

Keukenhof.
ZKH Prins Willem Alexander en Maxima Zorreguieta

Prince Willem Alexander is the eldest son of Queen Beatrix of Holland and is the Prince of Orange, the heir to the throne.  In 2002 he married Maxima Zorreguita, an Argentine woman of Spanish and Italian ancestry.  They have three daughters.

Arizona, USA

Postmarked Phoenix AZ, dated 27 November 2004.

Arizona
Centuries old structures compliment what nature has perfected.
Pictured left to right: Saguaro cacti in winter; London Bridge, Lake Havasu City; desert in bloom; Mission San Xavier del Bac, Tuscon.

The saguaro cactus and the desert in bloom are both very well covered in the comment section of my previous Arizona card. 

London Bridge was famously moved from London in the UK when it was demolished because it could no longer cope with the increased traffic in London, then bought to provide a tourist attraction for Lake Havasu City. The facing stones were numbered, transported to Arizona, and used to clad a concrete replica bridge crossing a canal. 

Mission San Xavier del Bac is a Spanish Catholic mission founded in 1699. It was destroyed in 1770 and rebuilt 1783-1797.  It is still active.

An award

I have I walk, u2? to thank for this fantastic award. I feel really honoured to be given it. Thanks are due also to all the people who come here and take the time to comment. Without you, it would hardly be worthwhile.

Updated to add that Jakill of Jean's Musings has also awarded me this. Many thanks again!

Banyoles, Spain

Postmarked Barcelona, dated 11 October 2008.

Banyoles (Girona)
Porxos de la Plaça Medieval
Porches de la Plaza Medieval
Porches of the Medieval Square

Banyoles is a small town near Barcelona, in north-eastern Catalonia. I am guessing therefore that the first line of description is in the Catalan language.  The town has buildings which date from the 12th century, and grew around a much earlier Benedictine monastery.  It is most famous for the Lake of Banyoles, a large lake which was the venue for the rowing competitions in the 1992 Olympic Games.

From the town website:

Cobbled streets, little squares and cozy corners, civil and religious buildings, art and the water flowing through the canals from the lake all come together in a unique town centre that merits special attention.

Oporto, Portugal

Postmarked, I think, Gaia, Norte, and dated 9 October 2008.

Porto
Congregados Church.

The church was built around 1700 with azulejos, blue and white tiles over much of its façade. It is one of many churches of note in Oporto, whose official name is Porto, a World heritage site.

I looked up Gaia, the town where the card was posted. Its name is Vila Nova de Gaia which sounded to me like a new town, but in fact dates back to Roman times when it was called the city of Cale. It is very close to Oporto and the double city of Porto and Cale became known as villa de Portucale and the county around it as Condado Portucalense.

Kokkola, Finland

Postmarked Seinajoki and dated 14 October 2008.

Kokkola, or Karleby, is in western Finland. It is bilingual, with roughly 80% of the population speaking Finnish, and 20% speaking Swedish.  Until 1933 it had a Swedish-speaking majority.  It was founded as a shipping port for the tar trade and became an important ship-building centre.

Moscow University

The postmark isn't legible to me, but it's dated 1982.

M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University.

It is the largest usinveristy in Russia, founded in 1755. It also claims to be the oldest, though this is disputed by St. Petersburg University.  In 1917 after the revolution, it was opened to all, and not only the well-to-do. In 1919 tuition fees were abolished.

The main building was one of seven huge buildings built on the orders of Stalin.  At the time it was the tallest in the world outside New York, and remained the tallest in Europe until 1990.  The star on the top of the tower is large enough to include a small room and a viewing platform.

I have no idea who sent the card.  The message reads:

Food great, yoghurt and onion featuring greatly. We have had a number of set tours to the Kremlin/Red Square which are impressive but very crowded, and are now venturing out on our own. The metro is incredible - an architectural feast for 5p.

Hearst Castle, USA

Postmarked Oakland CA, dated 23 August 2005.

Hearst Castle
#24887 Casa Grande
Architect Julia Morgan and a large crew of craftsmen, who began work on the project in 1922, made Hearst's vision for La Cuesta Encantada tangible. The final product combines historical elements and modern techniques, in an unparalleled architectural and decorative feat.

It was built on a ranch first bought by Hearst's father.  The main house, Casa Grande, is modeled after a 16th century Spanish cathedral. The estate was donated by the Hearst Corporation to the state of California on condition that the family would be allowed to use it when they wished.

Casablanca fountain, Morocco

Postmarked Casablanca, dated 1983 as far as I can make out.

Casablanca
Fontaine lumineuse et musicale
Place des Nations-Unies
Illuminated musical fountain
United Nations' Square

Casablanca is the largest city in Morocco and the chief port. It is in the west of Morocco, on the Atlantic Ocean.  With a population of over 3 million, it is also the sixth largest city in all Africa. 

Casablanca was an important strategic port during World War II and hosted the Casablanca Conference in 1943, in which Churchill and Roosevelt discussed the progress of the war. Casablanca was the site of a large American air base, which was the staging area for all American aircraft for the European Theater of Operations during World War II.

Eastbourne, England

Postmarked Gatwick, and dated 15 November 2004.

The Wish Tower, Eastbourne, East Sussex.

Martello Towers, of which the Wish Tower is one, were built by the British Army in the 19th century for coastal defence. Seventy four of them were built along the south coast of England but only 25 of them still exist today. The Wish Tower at Eastbourne is No. 73.

The Wish Tower is easily the most well-known (and documented) of all the south coast Martellos, its name coming from the 'wish', 'wash' or marshland nearby. At one time it was regarded as an eyesore and considered for demolition, but was let to a family who turned it into a museum. During WWII it was requisitioned by the War Office and used once again for defence.

Map of Missouri

Postmarked Saint Louis, MO and dated 15 November 2004.

Missouri
The Show Me State
Capital: Jefferson City
Area: 69,674 sq miles
Flower: Hawthorn
Bird: Bluebird
Tree: Dogwood

Missouri has the nickname "Gateway to the West" because it served as a departure point for settlers heading to the west, and St Louis is known as the "Gateway City". Missouri was originally acquired from France as part of the Louisiana Purchase and became defined as the Missouri Territory. Part of the Missouri Territory was admitted into the union as the 24th state in 1821.

Blog Action Day: a postcard from UNICEF

Today is Blog Action Day 2008 and the subject is poverty. The nature of this blog doesn't make it easy to fit the theme. Postcards are unlikely to show poverty in any form. The countries visited for the most part are the developed world, or if not, they will show developed tourist areas. Although there is poverty in the western world, it cannot be compared with poverty in developing countries where food, safe water, and shelter cannot be taken for granted.

In the end, I was pleased to find I had a card published by UNICEF in the collection.

From the UNICEF site:

Poverty threatens every human right, depriving children of the capacities they require to survive, develop and thrive. Children living in the countries highlighted on this map face some of the worst deprivations of essential goods and services: More than one third of all children are malnourished, lack basic immunizations, or are not enrolled in or attending school. In 13 countries, less than half the population has access to improved drinking water and adequate sanitation facilities.

Just think of those figures. In some countries less than half the population has access to safe water and adequate sanitation. One third of all children are malnourished. That is poverty. Poverty violates the first right of over 1 billion children worldwide: the right to survival.

Hay on Wye, England

Postmarked Wolverhampton, dated 26 July 2008.

The Bookshops of Hay-on-Wye.

Hay-on-Wye is known as the town of books. It has 30 - 40 bookshops and two castles, but fewer than 2000 inhabitants. It was Richard Booth who put Hay on the map in 1977 by declaring it an independent nation on 1 April, and since then it has become a bookshop centre and the venue for an annual Literary Festival sponsored by The Guardian.  It is situated in the in the Brecon Beacons National Park, on the bank of the river Wye. Both Offa's Dyke and the Wye Valley Walk pass nearby.

This card was sent to me through Postcrossing from someone I had not previously known, but coincidentally I visited Hay on Wye myself at precisely the same time the card was posted.

Agde, France

Never posted. Bought 2006.

Le Languedoc touristique
Agde (Hérault - France)
"Perle noire de la Méditerranée"
Ce surnom provient de la construction en pierre de la lave noire, provenant d'un volan à proximité, de nombreuses demeures et monuments dont la cathédrale St Etienne.
"Black pearl of the Meditarranean"
This name comes from the many houses and monuments, one of which is the cathedral, built in black lava from a nearby volcano.

I bought this card myself when I was there about two years ago. I have to say the black lava, or basalt, makes the place look rather gloomy and the architecture seems heavy to me. Nevertheless it seems a popular place, a stopping off point for people who are having boating holidays on the Canal du Midi. It must be popular, it is a considerable challenge finding a parking place.

Aran Islands, Ireland

Never posted, but dated 28 June 2005.

The beautiful Aran Islands, Co. Galway, Ireland.
The three Aran Islands lie some 30 miles out to sea from Galway. The everyday language of the islanders is Irish and their songs and stories enshrine much of Ireland's folklore and culture. Through unremitting toil the islanders have made soil from sand and seaweed to provide sustenance for their livestock. From these hard won acres and the surrounding sea they wrest their livelihood.

The Aran Islands are the original home of the Aran jumper, traditionally knitted in untreated and un-dyed sheeps' wool, still containing lanolin to make the garment somewhat water resistant. This untreated wool is called báinín . Although the tradition is often thought to stretch back centuries, there is no record of the knitting from before the 1900s. I remember my grandmother, although not from Aran, knitting báinín (pronounced bawnyeen) jumpers for the family.

Steamboat "Natchez"

Postmarked P&O London, dated 15 March 1982.

The steamboat "Natchez".
An authentic 285 foot sternwheeler. Daily river cruises. Home port New Orleans, La.
New Orleans Steamboat Co.

I take this to be the New Orleans equivalent of the Paris Bateaux Mouches, floating tourist traps. Or am I being over-critical?  The New Orleans Steamboat Company launched the Natchez in 1975, so I imagine the version today has been updated. It was already the ninth steamer to bear the name.us

One of a series of cards sent to my father by someone he had met in the Merchant Navy. My father mentioned he was a postcard collector and said, "Send me a card sometime", not really expecting any more than one or two, if any.  Cards were sent regularly from all around the world over years, but my father never was able to thank him because he had no idea of his address, nor did he meet him again. So, thank you MG Holmes, if you or someone you know should happen read this.

Galtee Mountains, Tipperary

Postmarked Tiobraid Arann (Tipperary), and dated 29 August 1983.

Galtee Mountains from Vee Road, Knockmealdown, Co. Tipperary: Ireland's finest inland mountain range rises immediately north of the Mitchelstown Caves to its highest point (Galtymore, 3018 feet). On this southern side of the range there are many easy routes to the summit peaksfrom the Mitchelstown - Cahir road which runs on the lower slopes. Steeper ascents and rock climbs can be made above the five tiny lakes lying in corries on the northern (Glen of Aherlow) side of the range.

Knockmealdown is the highest peak of the Knockmeladown range which is on the border of county Tipperary and county Waterford. Galtymore itself straddles the border between county Tipperary and county Limerick.

The Rock of Gibraltar

Postmarked Gibraltar, dated 3 October 1979.

North face of the Rock
This is the highest cliff
just over 1,100 ft in height.
GBB

Gibraltar is a British territory at the southernmost tip of Spain. Spain continues to claim sovereignty but this is fiercely opposed by local people. It is one of the most densely populated territories in the world, and met the constant demand for more space by land reclamation. About 10% of Gibraltar is land reclaimed  from the sea.

A week in Florence: Day 7 - another panorama

Firenze
Palazzo Vecchio and partial panorama.

This card was bought specifically because it shows, if you look very carefully, the apartment where I stayed during my week in Florence. Directly beneath the left-most spire is a small tower marked with an X. It was not such a small tower in fact, and had three floors and a roof terrace, so making up the most unusual apartment. I had to go to the top of a four story "palazzo", and cross the roof to reach my tower. At the roof level there was a living room and kitchen. On each of the floors above, a bedroom and shower room. It was magical out on the roof terrace, looking out over all those wonderful roofs and buildings.

A week in Florence: Day 6 - The Uffizi

Dating from August 1993.

Firenze Citta' d'incanto
Florence, city of enchantment
Primavera Fiorentina agli Uffizi
The Florentine springtime at the Uffizi Palace

The Uffizi Gallery is one of the oldest and most famous art museums in the world. At the time of our visit, it had been only three months since it had been bombed.  A car bomb had exloded in the Via dei Georgofili and damaged parts of the palace, killing five people.It has never been established who the bombers were.  Parts of the museum were, unsurprisingly, closed for repair during our visit.  The bombing was no doubt also responsible for the fact that in mid-August, normally the height of the tourist season, we found Florence busy but not crowded. Apparently nowadays waiting times to visit the Uffizi can be as long as five hours unless a time has been pre-booked.

A week in Florence: Day 5 - the dome of the basilica

Dating from August 1993.

Firenze
La Cupola del Brunelleschi
The Dome by Brunelleschi

Bruneslleschi won a competition in 1419 to design a dome and cupola for the cathedral. It took 16 years to build, and its distinctive double-walled octagonal shape allowed it to be built without scaffolding from the ground. It contains over 4 million bricks and weigh 37,000 tons.

A week in Florence: Day 4 - the river Arno

Dating from August 1993.

Firenze - Veduta panoramica.

This panoramic view shows the River Arno, second only to the Tiber in importance in central Italy. It cuts through the centre of Florence where it is crossed by the Ponte Vecchio and the Ponte Santa Trinita. It has flooded Florence regularly, most recently in 1966 when 40 people died and 5000 left homeless after the flood water reached 22 feet (6.7 metres) in the Santa Croce area.

A week in Florence: Day 3 - Palazzo Vecchio

Dating from August 1993.

Firenze
Palazzo Vecchio
The Old Palace.

Now the Town Hall for Florence, the palace was built between the 13th and 14th centuries to give greater security to the magistrates and to reflect the importance of the city. Much of it is now used as a museum.

Outside on this card can be seen a copy of Michelangelo's David (the original is now in the Accademia and if you ever get a chance to see it, you MUST go), Bandinelli's Hercules and Cacus, and the Fountain of Neptune.

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