OFFICIAL Card - Slovakia

This is my first card from Slovakia!!! I can't even tell you how happy I was to receive it - such a wonderful surprise! Rasto sent me this card showing some beautiful views and people in traditional clothing. In my note acknowledging the card I shared with him that my grandparents came to Canada from Czechoslovakia in the 1930's. We had a lovely exchange back and forth. Love how this hobby connects "random" people together. He also used some very nice stamps and gave me information on the date of issue and details on the design. Great card and great info - thank you!

OFFICIAL Card - Germany

Doro was in the middle of celebrating Carnival in Cologne when she sent this card to me. She wrote to me about the festivities. Sounds like a very fun time!

OFFICIAL Card - Korea

Now that my Postcrossing account seems to have evened out it has been a really nice pace these past few weeks to receive a new card every day or two. Nothing like the dry spell I had leading up to Christmas. That was painful! This card arrived earlier in the week and I found it the most interesting read. I had never heard of King Sejong and really enjoyed reading the back of the card which provided many details on his life. Between my address, stamps, etc I wasn't really able to easily scan that portion. Hyemin chose a great Lunar New Year stamps and used some fun stickers showing Hanbok (traditional clothing).

 

OFFICIAL Card - Finland

Sofia sent this card showing a "typical Finnish" couple from approximately 80 years ago. With the exception of the boots on the gentleman it could easily be a "typical" Canadian couple as well. She wrote to me about a previous trip to Canada and shared some warm thoughts about some recent current events here in my province. Very much appreciated to know my country is in others thoughts.

OFFICIAL Card - Philippines

Nathalie is the number 1 user from the Philippines having sent over 1800 cards. Lucky for me I was one of those recipients. This card shows the traditional Obanda Dance which is a fertility dance popular in the Bulacan province.

Lottery Win - Nalini from Trinidad & Tobago

Nalini and I have done a few swaps in the past and keep in touch from time to time. She was starting to print her own cards from photographs she has taken and was holding a lottery with them as the prizes. I was one of the lucky winners - yeah me! The ladies in costume on this card are stunning!!! They were taking part in the Kiddies Carnival. I think the quality of the cards are fantastic and wish Nalini well in her future creations!

OFFICIAL Card - Singapore

At first glance I didn't realize this was an ad card. The two women are simply beautiful in their Kurta (although the explanatory link is nowhere as nice as some of these). The card is a curious one as it is advertising Singapore as a premier destination for health care. The website as advertised diverts you to here, where "medical travel" is listed as an industry. Personally, I find this interesting and baffling at the same time. I'll take my "free" local health care any day and am grateful for it everyday! Lisa wrote me a lovely message about her family, her upcoming travels and her country.

Direct Swap - Malta from Svetlana

Svetlana lives in Russia and was going to Malta on a family vacation in July. She was offering cards via the Postcrossing Facebook page. I had a card she was interested in and we agreed to the exchange. This arrived in late August and is simply wonderful. The image shows two women in front of a souvenir shop wearing the traditional faldetta. She wrote a bit about her trip and told me her husband was Canadian. He is a long way from home!

OFFICIAL Card - Thailand

Nudee is an 18 year old student and she sent this great card to me. It is part of a series from Thailand and this one showcases "The Land of Smiles". I love all of the images and the variety from art to children to the elderly. Fantastic card and as she describes it "colourful and stunning". Exquisite stamps too!

OFFICIAL Card - Russia

Matvey passed his last university exam the day he sent me this card - congratulations!! It shows an outline map with various things associated with the country. Very nice and a great stamp too!

Direct Swap - Britney from Grenada

I had stumbled upon Britney's profile on the Postcrossing site and contacted her to see if she wanted to swap. Lucky for me she did. She sent me this wonderful card, which she tells me is one of her favourites. It shows two women looking just beautiful in their costumes for the annual Spice Mas Carnival. (Doesn't the music in the link just lifts your spirits!) Britney told me many fun facts about the event. Toronto has something very similar although I am sure it is quite as grand - fun times! Also another great bird stamp - thanks Britney!

OFFICIAL Card - Hong Kong

This card shows a very typical traditional dress for a Chinese woman. I had to chuckle when Alvina wrote that she thinks it is old-fashioned and nowadays no one dresses like this.True perhaps, but she does look beautiful and somewhat classic to me. What do you think?

Lottery Win - Maria from Russia

To celebrate her 35th birthday, Maria held a lottery in the forum and had a whopping 35 winners! I was one of the lucky group. She sent me two wonderful cards. Since the day I started Postcrossing I wanted to receive a card with Matryoshka dolls so was thrilled when this arrived for me.

OFFICIAL Card - Finland

I must admit I really wasn't in to kids at all before I became a mother. Had never held a baby (since I was a baby/child) until my daughter was born. So it does come as a bit of a surprise to me how much I enjoy getting cards with pictures of children. And this card from Hilkka in northern Finland showing a little Sami girl in her national costume is no exception. I just want to pinch those cheeks!

OFFICIAL Card - Peru

It is always a fun day when you receive a card from a new country. I was very pleasantly surprised when this map card of the Lake Titicaca region of Peru arrived from Eva. She is a Russian who has been living in Lima for 5 years. Funny how that one sentence sounds so much more exotic than most of what I have done in life! This card has a little bit of all of my favourites going on.

OFFICIAL Card - Ukraine

Anastasia sent me this card from Kiev showing the Ukrainian National costume. Strange thing, she wrote my address out perfectly and it came with a Canada Post printed sticker with my address on it. Weird, and weirder that it came in 15 days.

OFFICIAL Card - Germany

I don't recall if I have written about Black Forest cake in the past or not. I do like cherries and I do love chocolate but it is probably the only cake I would say no to. Why? I can't really say but it is not something I have ever cared for. Now having said that, if I found myself in Germany I would certainly have a piece to say I did and chances are it may be much better than any I have ever had here anyway! Guenter sent this card of a young lady in the traditional costume, or tracht  of the Black Forest. He wrote explaining to me that she is unmarried as the balls on her hat are red, if she was married they would be black. Interesting.

OFFICIAL Card - Belarus

Kate from Minsk sent this card at the end of October showing ladies in traditional dress from Belarus. The text on the back states "Belarus Folk Holidays and Celebrations, Kupala Night". This is a celebration I had never heard of and was as usual interested to learn something new. You just never know when you're playing Trivial Pursuit! The stamp she chose is interesting too and matches the logo on the card. I found some information about it here.

OFFICIAL Card - Russia

How cute are these ladies, I literally want to pinch those cheeks! Elena lives in Moscow and sent me this card card showing babushkas spinning yarn and knitting socks while in traditional dress of the Chuvash people. Love the card as it reminds me of my grandmother, not that I ever saw her spinning wool! Also totally loving the stamp Elena used, lucky for me she had this one still!

OFFICIAL Card - Japan

Reiko holds the #5 spot for cards sent from Japan. She sent this card which took 37 days to travel to me and looks like it went through the wringer. Warped, bent, watermarked and ripped. Love the journey it took to me! The scene is from The Parade of the Gion Festival held in Kyoto each July.