Saturday, August 31, 2013

OFFICIAL Card - Netherlands

I love postcards of the Dutch Royal family. They always look so young and so fresh. This card from Elsemieke was taken during the coronation of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima in April of this year.



Thursday, August 29, 2013

OFFICIAL Card - Australia

Hazel's approach to Postcrossing is similar to mine - as long as it it not a bill in my mail box I am happy! This card she sent me is great - the map shaped flag really pops against the white background! She wrote me that her favourite cookie (a question I ask on my profile) is a Tim Tam. I have never heard of it but would love to try a package for quality purposes! What is your favourite cookie?



Monday, August 26, 2013

OFFICIAL Card - Germany

Selina and Lucie have the greatest user name - "Sister-Act" - love it! They are sisters who are 7 and 11 and live in Erlangen a large town in Bavaria. On the card they marked it with an X.  They like to play soccer and jump on the trampoline - something I too have done a lot of this summer!



Sunday, August 25, 2013

Canada from Michael

My dear friend Michael lives on the other side of the country in Vancouver. He has always sent me postcards. Sometimes they say hi or confirm upcoming plans or just because. I've kept them all and they always put a smile on my face. He is planning to come out to Toronto in November and I can't wait to see him in person it's been too long! This card is one of a series of RCMP cards he actually sent to me some time ago. The perfect long-distance friend - send me postcards for me and for me to send to others!



Saturday, August 24, 2013

OFFICIAL Card - Taiwan

Jane sent this card showing the Beitou branch of the Taipei Public Library located in Taipei city. She writes that it is designed to look like a ship and is entirely "green" using solar energy to power the branch, collecting rain water to water flowers, etc. It looks like a wonderful building.

On a totally side note, she "apologised" for her English, which I thought was perfect. As someone who only speaks one language, I just don't get why someone who is able to speak two or more needs to apologise if their second or third tongue isn't perfect. Anything is better than my one! Do you speak more than one language? Do you "apologise" to a native speaker if you feel your skills aren't "perfect"? Trying to better understand it.



Friday, August 23, 2013

OFFICIAL Card - Finland

Kajo has been a Postcrosser for over 6 years and ranks 46th for her country. She sent this pretty card to me and it was her message that really struck me. She wrote this on July 3rd and said words to the effect of...."the sun rose at 3:47am and will set at 10:46pm". That is something I could not even imagine. My kids have a hard enough time getting to sleep when the sun sets around 9pm I couldn't image almost another 2 hours!



Thursday, August 22, 2013

OFFICIAL Card - Germany

Franzi is a 17 year old who goes to school in Nuremberg, Germany. This card shows a street view in the city centre. Franzi wrote about many of the things to do there in the summer and says it is a beautiful city.



Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Random Act of Smiliness - Eileen from England

Eileen is one of the kindest people I have never met. I know that probably sounds strange but only knowing her through postcards and emails, in reality we have never met. Back in May after the meet-up she attended she continued on to Paris for a few days. She sent this card to the kids showing gargoyles atop of Notre Dame Cathedral. So thoughtful! Funny thing - the card was addressed to "39" a number that does not exist on my street and my post office knew when sorting it to try us. Maybe they've noticed we get a lot of postcards!





Tuesday, August 20, 2013

OFFICIAL Card - France

Alexandra sent this card back in June and it arrived in a quick 5 days. The views shows a sandy area within the Forest of Fontainebleau. This is the forest that surrounds her hometown which is about 70kms from Paris.



Monday, August 19, 2013

June - Ayn from United Arab Emirates

I do not think any scan would do this card justice. It is simply amazing! For the month of June Ayn chose this 3D card for me showing the Burj Khalifa, the tallest man made structure in the world. She wrote telling me she has visited the viewing deck "At the Top" and it is amazing. I would believe that! The day she wrote this card it was a staggering 42C and she tells me it will get up to 50C at the peak of summer. Way too hot for me.



Sunday, August 18, 2013

OFFICIAL Card - Russia

Evgenya from Moscow chose a great card for me. The card shows a Buryat woman in traditional clothing. It oddly reminds me of my grandmother. I love that you can see so muchof her life in her face.



Saturday, August 17, 2013

OFFICIAL Card - Canada

So this goes into the "what a small world category"! The first week of July I received this card from Sanna, who lives a short 60kms away. She wrote she hoped the card would get to me before we meet....she too was attending the meet-up in Ingersoll mid-July. Amazing coincidence! And what a great vintage card she chose for me - the Toronto skyline and the now closed Ontario Place from 1975.



Friday, August 16, 2013

OFFICIAL Card - Australia

Jielin from Adelaide, Australia thought it might have been to late to wish a Happy New Year, I don't think so! She wrote telling me about some new recipes she was trying out. Always fun to experiment in the kitchen.



Thursday, August 15, 2013

OFFICIAL Card - Netherlands

Jet sent this card which is an illustration by Henrike Wilson. The sheep are from the children's book Brave Charlotte. Somehow I missed reading this series with my kids, too bad as the pictures and stories look good.





Wednesday, August 14, 2013

OFFICIAL Card - Hong Kong

Kris is a design student living in Hong Kong who wants to travel the world. They sent me this card showing Hong Kong International Airport and the Automated People Mover. Love the choice of stamps they used, lots of fun birds!



Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Direct Swap - Kyrgyzstan from Alexander

There are so many countries that I know so little about for a variety of reasons. It is fun when a postcard arrives and presents an opportunity for me to learn more about it. Alexander lives in Moscow and was travelling to Kyrgyzstan for work and was offering to swap cards. He collects sports stadiums and I sent him a card of Skydome. The card he sent is wonderful. It shows a Komuz player in traditional dress. He even chose bird stamps for me - a perfect swap!



Monday, August 12, 2013

OFFICIAL Card - USA

This card is so fun! Marijane sent this card that shows the alphabet "through the looking glass" of Alice in Wonderland. When I get a new calendar I always check the picture for my birth month first, here I automatically went to my initials - shrinking tea! What are yours?




Sunday, August 11, 2013

OFFICIAL Card - Taiwan

Chin-Yu sent this card which took over 50 days to get to me! My mail usually is not that slow. The view she describes as being an ancient wood-made house. The card is actually an ad-card for Ultrahard, which looks like a funky design/stationary/fashion store. Looks like it would be a neat place to shop.



Saturday, August 10, 2013

OFFICIAL Card - Germany

Amelie is a university student living in Dresden, Germany. She wrote telling me about recent floods in her region and the efforts she and others are making to help repair things. The card she chose for me is a fun one. It is an ad-card for the reality show "German Idol" advertising the new season. She said it used to be much more popular than it is now. That's usually the way it goes, especially with reality TV. The text translates to read - "You've always been the blue sheep in your family?". Once again, if an ad-card matches your wish-list does it matter that it is a freebie? What are your thoughts?



Friday, August 9, 2013

OFFICIAL Card - Macau

Kuan sent this card showing a man wearing traditional costumes from the Qing Dynasty and Republic of China. He also included a fun drawing on the backside of the card. Great stamps too!



Thursday, August 8, 2013

Thank You Card - Cardeaux from Germany

This card came as a complete surprise to me. I had sent Cardeaux a card back in April. I include my return address on all cards I send on the off chance they were to be returned to me as opposed to expiring if for some reason undeliverable They acknowledged it and let me know of their travels to my province of Ontario. Two months later this card came from them. The card shows industrial landmarks of their area which are now used for cultural events. You can read more about some of these places here. The red structure in the middle right was a coal mine and is now an UNESCO site. While they freely admit this type of art does not appeal to them I think these places look amazing and would love to be there in person one day.



Wednesday, August 7, 2013

OFFICIAL Card - Netherlands

Helena saw this card on my favourites wall. She had this card and sent it to me. She wrote telling me it is part of system that was used to teach Dutch to children. Totally fun!



Tuesday, August 6, 2013

OFFICIAL Card - Germany

Tobias from Germany sent this card of a mother duck with her chicks. Reminds me of Spring on most ponds in my neighbourhood. He signed his name with a smiley beside it :), for some reason my son always calls them Facebook Smileys!



Monday, August 5, 2013

OFFICIAL Card - France

Laurent lives in the town of Montelimar in the south of France. The town is well known for nougat, a candy which I don't have often but like most candy I do enjoy. It is on the road "Nationale 7" and the views within the card are shaped to look like the famous candy boxes from the town. Love the looks of that carousel.



Sunday, August 4, 2013

OFFICIAL Card - Czech Republic

I have always heard what a beautiful city Prague is. Like so many places, I hope I will be able to travel there one day. In the meantime, this postcard of the Charles Bridge from Lea will help me to dream.