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| Collegium Maius |
Marcelina is a student and sent me this card of the Collegium Maius, the oldest part of the main University in Krakow.
At first, in 1400, it was a building with lecture halls, later a library, and now this is also a museum of Jagiellan University. There are beautiful historic rooms with original furnitures, collection of the European art or science instruments. Three times a day, the courtyard clock performs little show with wooden figures of kings and famous professors parading to solemn music.
I wish you could see her handwriting. Gorgeous! I had received cards from other postcrossers from Poland with a similar style. ♥
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| Watteau's Standing woman |
The stamp is Watteau's 18th century Standing woman (Stojąca kobieta zwrócona tyłem pocz. XVIII w.) from a series of Lost works of art issued in 2011.
Postcard from: Czestochowa, Poland.
Received: May 2012.
Language: English.
Envelope: no.
Stamps: one 3 zl with Watteau's
Lost works of art.
Thank you, Marcelina!
{PL-437800}
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| Piața Unirii in Focșani |
This postcard marked a milestone on my postcrossing stats: postcard number 50! That meant I could send ten cards at a time, which I actually don't (because I don't have the money). Mircea sent it from his hometown. He is on top 5 senders from Romania.
Piața Unirii means Unification Square and is located in downtown Focșani. The obelisc is called Monument of the Unification.
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| Pulmonaria officinalis (left) & Amaranthus caudatus (right) |
Two beautiful nature stamps from 2012. The Pulmonaria officinalis is 1L and is paired with the brown bear; the Amaranthus caudatus (love-lies-bleeding) is 60 bani and comes with the turkey.
Postcard from: Focșani, Moldavia, Romania.
Received: May 2012.
Language: English.
Envelope: no.
Stamps: one 1L and another 60 bani from the animals and flowers series.
Thanks, Mircea!
{RO-43719}
I came back home from my holidays to find these wonderful postcards in my letter-box:
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| Eestimaa |
1. Angla windmills.
2. Taevaskoja and Ahja Primeval Valley.
3. Kingfisher.
Elena, who lives in St-Petersburg, went to Tallinn for holidays and sent me this. Elena was once my swap partner on Postcrossing and we have been swapping cards regularly since then.
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| Nissi by Mari Kaarma |
Postcard from: Tallinn, Estonia.
Received: August 2012.
Language: English.
Envelope: no.
Stamps: one 1€ stamp from 2012 featuring a
woman of Nissi parish in late 19th century dress.
***
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| Police of Poland promotional card for Euro2012 |
Ania worked as a volunteer during the last Eurocup which was hosted by Poland and Ukraine. She gathered a few promotional postcards from the event and offered to send them to her readers. Of course, being a footie fan I requested one! Now I have a souvenir from the championship my country won.
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| Gniezno (left) & Sieradz (right) churches |
Postcard from: Otwock, Poland.
Received: August 2012.
Language: English.
Envelope: no.
Stamps: one 2zl Gniezno's church and two 20gr Sieradz's church.
***
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| Die Mosel von Koblenz bis Trier |
Leonie, on the other hand, went to a short holiday trip to Trier and sent me this wonderful map card of the Moselle river from Koblenz to Trier with pictures of all the worth visiting buildings (castles!) along the river banks. What a wonderful place Germany is!
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| Pfälzer Hütte |
Postcard from: Trier, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
Received: August 2012.
Language: English.
Envelope: no.
Stamps: one 0.75€ stamp from 2012 featuring the Pfälzer Hütte, an Alpine refuge located in Liechtestein.
***
Thank you very much, ladies! I really liked your postcards and reading about your travels. ♥
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| Mandarinka |
The adult male Mandarin duck is a striking and unmistakable bird. It has a red bill, large white crescent above the eye and reddish face and "whiskers". The adult female, on the background, is similar to female Wood duck.
In traditional Chinese culture, Mandarin Ducks represent a life-time couple and are regarded as a symbol of conjugal affection and fidelity. The species was once widespread in eastern Asia, but nowadays the population has reduced in Eastern Russia and in China to below 1,000 pairs in each country.
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| Victory weapon (left and centre) & the Hare (right) |
Military stamps commemorating the 65th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, " Victory weapon" (Оружие победы): the BT-7M tank (left) issued in 2010 and the GAZ-67B 4x4 (right) from 2012.
The Hare stamp from Russian Fairy Tales series on the far right.
Postcard from: Moscow, Russia.
Received: May 2012.
Language: English.
Envelope: no.
Stamps: two Victory Weapon vehicles (BT-7M & GA3-67B) and one 0.10R The Hare.
Thank you very much, Maria!
{RU-948378}
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| Archs from the Alhambra and Albayzín |
Alhambra is a palace and fortress complex located in
Granada, Spain, constructed during the mid 14th century. Stylistic elements used include the Calliphal horseshoe arch, the Almohad sebka (a grid of rhombuses), the Almoravid palm, and unique combinations of them, as well as innovations such as stilted arches and muqarnas (stalactite ceiling decorations).
Through the arches of the Alhambra, on the other side of the Darro river, you can see the houses of the disctrict of
Albayzín.
Postcard from: Granada, Spain.
Received: November 2003.
Language: Spanish.
Envelope: no.
Stamps: one 0.53€
Basic Series S.M. El Rey.
¡Muchas gracias,
Toni!
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| Alhambra and Sierra Nevada |
From the
Albayzín, on a hill facing the Alhambra, you can see spectactular views of the Alhambra with
Sierra Nevada (literally
snowy range) on the background. Alhambra,
the red one, took its name from the colour of the bricks bathed in the sunset light.
Postcard from: Valdepeñas de Jaén, Jaén, Spain
Received: June 2012.
Language: Spanish.
Envelope: no.
Stamps: one 0.36€
Todos con Lorca, Palacio de Guevara.
¡Muchísimas gracias,
Juan!
Alhambra, Generalife and Albayzín were declared UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.
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| Ice scene with wood gatherers |
This is the kind of painting I would love to had hanging on my walls. The Romantic style was, in my opinion, the best of all. I loved receiving this postcard of
IJsgezicht met houtsprokkelaars (Ice Scene with Wood Gatherers) by
Andreas Schelfhout, 1849. I can't imagine how would I feel the moment someone sends me a postcard of any of
Friedrich's works and I open my letterbox to find it. Especially if it's
The Sea of Ice, which this card reminded me of. Will I die of happiness?
On the back of the card, this gorgeous stamp of the Skinny Bridge over the Amstel river in Amsterdam. Looks kinda melancholic with those lights and I think it matches the card Romantic's air nicely. I am glad to know the Netherlands have beautiful stamps besides the postcrossing commemoratives, which are proving hard to get.
Postcard from: Almelo, the Netherlands.
Received: May 2012.
Language: English.
Envelope: no.
Stamps: one Europa issued in 2012,
Magere Brug.
Thank you very much, Patricia!
{NL-1209579}
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| Australia and Europe |
Is Europe smaller than I thought or is Australia bigger? Along with the comparation map (which I love!) we have the
saltwater crocodile, found in the coastal areas of Northern Australia; the
sugar glider possum and a
kangaroo doe with joey in her pouch.
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| Disney princess - Aurora from the Sleeping Beauty |
On the flip side, three stamps from the
Aurora souvenir stamp sheet! Sleeping Beauty princess Aurora is featured on the tabs between the stamps. And they weren't cancelled nor damaged by the postmark. Yay! Made my day! ♥
Postcard from: Telopea, New South Wales, Australia.
Received: May 2012.
Language: English.
Envelope: no.
Stamps: three 60c Floral Festival everlasting stamps with Disney princess Aurora in the tab.
Thank you very much, Telopea!
{AU-201618}
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| Promotion card for Rotterdam |
This is Rotterdam... but everything except for the white bridge --Erasmus Bridge-- is fake! There was a competition of the best city and this was the promotion card for Rotterdam made by Rivka de Jonge.
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| Rembrandt House in Amsterdam |
According to the Dutch postal service press release:
PostNL is issuing two sheetlets featuring KLM’s miniature Delftware houses for collectors and other enthusiasts. Each sheetlet contains ten stamps with a replica of a typical 17th-century heritage building in the Netherlands. The stamp for Europe shows the “Three Herrings” house in Deventer (number 92 in the series) and that for World destinations the “Rembrandt House” in Amsterdam (number 48).
Postcard from: Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Received: May 2012.
Language: English.
Envelope: no.
Stamps: one class 1 for World stamp with Rembrandt House miniature.
Thanks, Eleanor!
{NL-1189539}
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| Old Town |
From time to time, there comes a card that puzzles you. This one, although beautiful and serene, came with my address printed, not written, four big stamps covering the remaining space and a rubber stamp drawing of a mascot saying "Take it Easy!" in the only free spot available. No handwriting at all, no text, no sign, no clue on their
Postcrossing profile. Only a return address without a name -- and printed, of course.
Stein-am-Rhein is a small town located near the German border in the Northern shore of the Rhein, just a few km away from Lake Constance. On the card, the Old Town as seen from the river with the former Benedictine monastery church of St. Georgen's bell tower in the centre.
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| Top left: wheat; bottom left: beaver & right: barley |
One animal stamp issued in 2012, the Beaver; one Wheat and two Barley. The three grain stamps are from the "Agriculture & Food" series issued in 2008. The other two stamps in the set that are missing show Rye (0.20 CHF) & Oats (0.50 CHF).
Postcard from: Steim-am-Rhein, canton of Schaffhausen, Switzerland.
Received: May 2012.
Language: none!
Envelope: no.
Stamps: one Wheat 0.10F, two Barley 0.15F and one Beaver 1.00F.
Thank you, Swiss Person! ♪
{CH-108995}
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| Finnish sauna by the lake |
It is been awfully uncomfortable lately due to the high temperatures (39.8ºC) and humidity (50~80%). However, it won't rain -- I don't expect it to do so until late September. And summer has just started... Tanja sent me this card a month ago and back then I didn't think I was going to look at it in such a sad mood as I do now. I wish I could spend my summer there!
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| Aurora borealis |
A beautiful stamp from a beautiful country: first class postage Northern lights as seen in 67º 45' 44" N 23º 36' 43" E, sightly above the Artic Circle in 2009, near the Swedish border.
Postcard from: Turku, Finland.
Received: May 2012.
Language: English.
Envelope: no.
Stamps: one 1st class Aurora Borealis from 2009.
Thank you,
Tanja!
{FI-1411892}
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| Bullfinch |
Three
bullfinches in a bird shelter in the cold, cold Siberian winter. I usually show my postcards from Russia to my Russian classmate and she offers her help to identify locations or stamps, or sometimes a quick translation. She told me this is called the winter Russian bird, which appears in the cold season when other species migrate. Of course, it is my first time hearing from it. Another beautiful trip to the even more beautiful Mother Russia. ♪
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| Novgorod Kremlin, Russian fairy tale animals & Stolypin stamps |
On the back side, nine stamps cover half of the card! From left to right:
♪ The Hare
♪ The Fox (six of them)
♪ Pyotr A. Stolypin 150th birth anniversary
This is a commemorative stamp for the 150th birth anniversary of the Prime Minister and agrarian reformer
Pyotr Stolypin (1862-1911), later assasinated in the opera. On the background, the Russian flag and the Palace Square in St-Petersburg. For only one year, this stamp could have been also commemorative of his 100th death anniversary.
Postcard from: Tomsk, Siberian region, Russia.
Received: May 2012.
Language: English.
Envelope: no.
Stamps: nine!
Thank you very much, Andrey!
{RU-944045}
This week's theme is
anything you wish
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| Stari Most |
Mostar was named after the bridge keepers (
mostari) who in the medieval times guarded the
Stari Most (Old Bridge) over Neretva river. The
Old Bridge, built by the Ottomans in the 16th century, is one of the city's most recognizable landmarks. It was destroyed during the Bosnian War in 1993 and rebuilt in 2004. The reconstructed Old Bridge and Old City of Mostar,
UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a symbol of reconciliation, international co-operation and of the coexistence of diverse cultural, ethnic and religious communities.
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| Vijećnica |
The
Vijećnica is the largest and most representative building of the Austro-Hungarian period in Sarajevo, and was purpose-built as the city hall. It was handed over to the National and University Library of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1949. During the
Siege of Sarajevo in 1992, the building was hit by heavy artillery and incendiary bombs, burned out and largely destroyed, causing incalculable damage to the physical structure of the building and to the library holdings. It is currenty being repaired.
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| Mrkva |
My friend Toni went to Bosnia and Herzegovina for a photography course during a week in the summer of 2009 and as usual, he only told me about this trip afterwards by postcard. These two amazing views of pre-war Bosnia came to my letterbox as a very pleasant surprise. On both cards, this pretty stamp from the 2006 series
"Vegetables": 1.00 convertible mark featuring a watercolour of carrots.
Postcards from: Mostar, Herzegovina-Neretva canton, and Sarajevo, Sarajevo canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Received: August 2009.
Language: Spanish.
Envelope: no.
Stamps: one 1.00 convertible mark Carrots for each card.
This week's theme is
food and drink.
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| Left: Queen Elizabeth II in Coronation Robes © V&A Images / Right: © Getty Images |
The Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II is a multinational celebration throughout 2012 marking the 60th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II to the thrones of seven countries upon the death of her father, King George VI, on 6 February 1952. She is today queen regnant of 16 sovereign states, 12 of which were British colonies or Dominions at the start of her reign.
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| Garter Ceremony 1997 |
Every June, a procession and service take place at Windsor Castle for
the Order of the Garter. Founded by Edward III in 1348, the Order is
the senior, and the oldest, British Order of Chivalry. In the service
The Queen formally invests new Companions of the Order of the Garter in
the Throne Room of Windsor Castle.
Postcard from: Pensby, Wirral, England.
Received: June 2012.
Language: English.
Envelope: no.
Stamps: one 87 pence
Garter Ceremony 1997 stamp, commemorative of the 2012 Diamond Jubilee.
Thank you very much,
John!
***
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| The Diamond Jubilee Definitive Stamps (Miniature Sheet) |
Featuring images taken from Britain’s stamps, banknotes and coins, the
Miniature Sheet takes us from Dorothy Wilding’s lovely 1952 portrait, to
a special Diamond Jubilee Machin printed with iridescent ink. All six
stamps have been issued at First Class inland letter rate.
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| Her Majesty's Definitive stamps |
Queen Victoria
is the only other monarch in the histories of the United Kingdom,
Canada, Australia, New Zealand and a few other Commonwealth realms to
have celebrated a Diamond Jubilee, which she did in in 1897.
Postcard from: England.
Received: April 2012.
Language: English.
Envelope: no.
Stamps: three Queen Elizabeth II's Definitive stamps with a facial value of 2 and 20 pences, and 1st class.
Thank you very much,
Sheila!
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| The Way of St. James in Navarre |
I have only been once to Navarre -- a mountainous region in the North of Spain -- and forgot to buy some postcards for my collection. Thankfully, there is people willing to send me some cards who help me correct my past oversight.
The Way of St. James is a pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela, in Northwestern Spain. Pilgrims on the Way of St. James walk for weeks or months and they follow many routes (any path to Santiago is a pilgrim's path). However, we Spaniards consider the Pyrenees our starting point. Although there are more roads crossing the French border, the two most important starting points are Roncesvalles (
French Way) or Jaca (
Aragonese Way), which are joined into one path in Puente la Reina.
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| ◄ Route |
On the flip side of the card you can see the route in Spanish territory with the most remarkable towns. The small village where I spent those holidays,
Sansol, isn't on the map. It has a population of only 100!☺
The Route of Santiago de Compostela was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993.
Postcard from: Pamplona, Navarre, Spain.
Received: June 2012.
Language: Spanish.
Envelope: yes.
Stamps: one 0.36€ from the
Todos con Lorca series,
Palacio de Guevara (Guevara's Palace).
¡Muchas gracias por todo, Sonia!
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| Andalucía |
This fabulous flower shaped card came from a small town in the Andalusian mountain range. Thanks to its four petals divided by half, it contains the eight provinces of the region. On them, you can see their most notable features. From top, clock-wise:
♪ Cádiz: beach.
♪
Jaén:
Cathedral, UNESCO World Heritage Site aspirant.
♪
Málaga: aerial view of the
city.
♪ Almería: beach.
On the centre, a scene of bullfighting and the name of the region. Many topics related to Spain (like flamenco & bullfighting) are actually from Andalusian origin and not common in other areas of the country.
Isn't it simply gorgeous?! ♥
Postcard from: Valdepeñas de Jaén, Jaén, Spain.
Received: June 2012.
Language: Spanish.
Envelope: no!
Stamps: one 0.36€ from the "Todos con Lorca" series,
Ayuntamiento (Town Hall).
¡Muchas gracias,
Juan!
