OFFICIAL Card - Latvia

Springtime is Inge's favourite season. She wrote me from Latvia, where she states they have all four seasons! The view on this card is beautiful - love the gargoyles! The text on the back translates to say "Art Nouveau House, Albert 13", found this link to help explain it.

OFFICIAL Card - Latvia

The poppies on this card are so pretty. Guna lives in Latvia and wrote the sweetest message of peace and love - thank you ! Great stamp and cancellation, also love the "extras" she included.

Lottery Win - Estonia, Latvia and Sweden from Tiina - Part I

Overall, most days I do consider myself a lucky person. I enter almost every contest that interests me and for the most part have had some pretty good wins. The lotteries section of the Postcrossing Forum is no exception. I have won some great cards just by being lucky. In August, Tiina was hosting a lottery promising at least 5 cards from her upcoming vacation. To say I hit the jackpot with this win is an understatement!!! 19 wonderful postcards with incredible stamps from three countries. It was the next best thing to being on vacation with her. I am going to split the cards up over a few posts as they really deserve their own spotlight. Thank you Tiina once again - you were so descriptive with your messages I felt like I was there with you.

From Parnu, Estonia her hometown, it is known as Estonia's summer capital.

Next from Riga, Latvia a big Christmas Tree. Tiina writes Latvians believe they were the first to bring trees at home. She also writes she has heard the same thing in Tallinn.

Card 3 is a map of the area she visited that day, Hunnebostrand, Sweden. The stamp is beautiful!

Card 4 is also from Hunnebostrand and Tiina writes about the hike they took to the hightest mountain in the are as seen on the card. Another super snowflake stamp too!

Next came a card from Ulebergshamn which Tiina describes as a lovely little harbour with white houses. They were intrigued on their walk that day to discover "what's behind the next cliff?"

OFFICIAL Card - Latvia

Valerija lives outside of Riga and sent me this card her friend picked up last year while travelling to Rome. Nice card, however I did have to chuckle. My second official card from Latvia and neither show me anything of the country. Oh well, live to dream, maybe one day I'll receive sights from that country!

Latvia from JJ

Drumroll please....here is is.....my first card of "the LV from the LV!!!" To better understand my excitement pop over here for a quick read.

My brother in law JJ sent this great multi-view of Riga when he was over in Latvia for work in March. He said there were lots of great old buildings, good bars and restaurants (in that order!) and friendly people. Love the stamp he chose, while the letters might be too tiny to read in the scan (laimīgu jauno gadu), if I have Google translated correctly it reads "Happy New Year!" Fun!!!

OFFICIAL Card - Latvia

Both of my kids are on-again, off-again Postcrossers. One of the countries my son received a card from was Latvia. For some reason, the country short form for Latvia - LV - always stuck with him. He even started to call Las Vegas "the LV". It became a running joke between us. So, because we would go through periods where it was discussed more than most households I too was hoping to get a card from "LV".

In mid-March my brother in law was travelling to Latvia for work. I was excited as he said he would send me a card. Imagine my surprise when on the day he left this card arrived in my mailbox from "LV"! I couldn't have scripted it better.

Skilla, sent me this vintage view card of the Centre of New Industries and Technologies in France. She wrote on the "Here is French architecture. Latvia ...good buildings...I did not have postcards with them." Kind of different, kind of bubble bursting but at least the stamps are from Latvia!