Iceland

No I shouldnt be blogging, should be doing other more important stuff...but oh well...it is not gonna be the first time i go astray....and my mind feels astray either way..

And with all the latest chaos the Iceland-issue has caused i just had to post this and sort of ciommemorate the event.
Well, I love Iceland and unlike many people, i cant go with all those sarcastic comments regarding it...of course, i havent been stranded at some airport for days....maybe if i have, i would have been bitter....but it is not like Iceland did it on purpose, no?
What amazes me is the speed and the extent to which this volcanic ash has spread to...they say it will affect our country as well...
Nature is such an amazing thing and so terrifying and destructive as well...this issue with Iceland honestly amazes me...as long as im on the safe side of course :)
And then there are the endless debates over whether the flight bans have been justified or no, whether it is safe to fly or no, ...whether i should mail my overseas mail or no...Europe mail goes by land either way...and of course, the issue of the amount of money losses....it is always about the money in the end...
They say that back in the 19th century, when this volcano erupted, the whole thing lasted for 2 years....can you imagine the nowadays world with a 2 years flight ban?

Krakow, Poland

Well, due to the latest events, another kind of a commemorative post.

This time dedicated to the recent plane crash where the Polish President Lech Kaczyński, his wife Maria, and 94 other people, lost their lives....on the ironic side, the most important were on that plane...there were no survivors. The criticism stays of why so many important people were allowed on the same plane..as well as the potential conspiracy issues....funny thing is, i usually go with the latter...i dont know...thats just me...and after reading a LOT about conspiracy issues in just every day life and brain washing of all kind, i just dont find it impossible at all...but eventually, when you lose so many lives, it doesnt matter what the reasons where....coz you have the terrible outcomes you cant mend.
This in a great deal reminded me of 2004 when we lost our President in a plane-crash in 2004....even the image of the place of the accident looked so familiar.... so unfortunately i do have the idea how the Polish nation felt with all this...and just want to express my condolences to those i havent yet.

well, there is a stamp on the card too...so it is worth the mentioning....even though you are not unfamiliar with it...it was issued in 2001 in a set of 2 stamps representing Farms

Army of None, USA

Hmm...well...since this seems to be a tragic-events update day, lets finish it in that style..

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I know it may seem morbid, but if we're gonna talk of bad stuff, then lets do it all the way...wasnt sure what to post as a conclusion....there are constantly some bad things going on....it is hard to choose....so i decided to conclude it with this post showing a cemetery...and you know i love cemeteries

In case you cant read the text on the card, it says: "There are other ways to serve your country. There are other ways to be all that you can be. Think about it. Before you sign your life away",

Gives a lot of food of thought.....can provoke many discussions...however, im against any reasons of giving your life away.....just that in this kind of twisted world we live in, that is = impossible....

Still...it is a nice card!

and some very nice stamps....lighthouses included...this time i got the Sabine Pass in Louisiana and Sand Island in Alabama (if im not mistaken, im missing just one of this set). And the other one shows an American Toleware...the year of issue still confusing to me....

however, thanks for reading and sorry for such a...uhmm...dark update :))

Grenada

¡Hola! mis amigos. Finally breaking the silence after 11 days! Who would have thought....but ill get down to it later...sorry to those of you who were expecting the three-grins....i was more than anxious to post them myself...but finally here they are :D
Oh yes, this deserves GRIN GRIN GRIN!!!!!

Hi hi hi, GRENADA!!!!!!!!!! Written and stamped!!!!!!! Wohohohohooooo!!!!! La la la la la! Well, I guess I have my lucky days sometimes :D
The card i have shows the Rex Grenadian Hotel located on the Magazine Beach....and as the sender says, the Magazine beach is situated near the night club "Aquarium", where students go on Friday nights to consume alcoholic drinks. It's bliss mixed with hard everyday work.

Would so much need a beach right now...or any place where i can just relax for a while and forget about everything...these past days have been crazy...with insane deadlines as usual...with sleepless nights..I feel just so tired....and when i dont need to work i just cant seem to get enough of sleep...and i really have to accumulate loads of it this weekend coz next week i will probably encounter the same....but i guess it IS better like that than not to have anything to do....and with me it always goes to extremes either way :)))

and here comes the evidence....written and stamped from Grenada directly, or more particularly, from St. George's - Grenada's capital...the stamps is a nice one with a butterfly, issued in a set of 7 butterfly stamps in 2006

Kherson, Ukraine

A nice card from Ukraine, showing a bridge over the Dnieper river in Kherson.

Kherson is a city in southern Ukraine and considered to be an important port on the Black Sea and the Dnieper river, as well as the home of a major ship-building industry.

Well, when it comes to Ukraine in particular, i have some videos to share with you, which i think are more than worth the sharing....there are all sorts of Idols and Talent contests around the world whose popularity is enormous....i dont really watch those and probably am missing some good stuff....as is the Ukrainian winner of the Talent show for 2009....i was honestly left speechless....and moved..the music used does its own part of contributing to the effects and impact it has on you..esp. if you can relate to the music and DO feel it....such perfect conveying of a message....
no words are needed...just click and watch....

and of course, stamps mustnt be forgotten....the big stamp on the right is the EUROPA one issued in 2009 on the Astronomy subject...while the small one is from 2008 from a set of 4 stamps depicting Handicrafts

Alisha Mountain, Taiwan

At first, due to the lack of updates lately, i wanted to post like 4 or 5 cards today, but unfortunately, it is still something i cant afford time-wise...so i better stick to 3...something is better than nothing :)

Time ago I made a post about the Alishan Mountains, and now here they are again...but instead of a view on the mountains, there is this Alishan Mountain Railway, with the steam engine number 31.
I bet it is awesome to go on a train ride in the Alishan Mountains...with the beautiful sceneries around you...
who knows...maybe...one day....i better get to Norway first :)))

and thanks for still reading...cant make any promises about our next blog-date....but i hope it will be soon :)

Children of Guatemala, Guatemala

*Grin* *Grin* :D
 Yes, double grin today for this new country in my collection! And just wait till you see my triple grin next time :D Some of you already know, but those who dont...well, will find out soon ;)

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And whats even more special about this card is that it came as an official! And you know what the odds are to get an official card from Guatemala! So of course it makes me extra-super-happy to have been so lucky and get this one :D
And its a very lovely card too! I may not be too fond of cards with people, but i do like it when they show indigenous people, esp. children....children just seem to be so honest on the postcards and with some genuine smiles, esp. when they come from some not highly developed social surroundings...and from the picture here its obvious that these children do not enjoy the greatest comforts. I think that those children who have less are much more capable to to appreciate the small things in life and the ordinary children plays, compared to the spoiled brats who have everything and who would probably pose for a postcard just to show off and so that his/her parents can brag with it as well.
But these children on the card....are just so sweet and dear....and make you feel warm around the heart when you look at them <3

and there are 3 stamps on the card, even though they may seem as two, since two of them overlap each other. They come from a set of 4 stamps issued in December 2009, representing Beaded Glass Ornaments. With the Christmas touch, of course...

Mykonos, Greece

Another very nice and colourful official card I received last year.

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Mykonos is a Greek island and one of the most popular tourist destinations, and such views as on the card are something very typical for these places. And honestly, i love it! It is just so inexplicably charming and I love the spirit of such *old town* parts. Though i could never figure out how people are able to live here with sooooo many tourists passing by every single second...where there is no *P* of privacy!
I cant see it well enough, but I think that on the left wall, whats hanging on there, are postcards :)

there are two stamps on the card. The one on the left is from 2008 from a set of 10 stamps representing the Greek Islands, and this one shows Chios. The other stamp is from 2009, issued to commemorate the 10 years since the Economic and Monetary Union of Europe.

Simão Pereira, Brazil

The last card for today comes from Brazil, showing a cemetery. I dont get cards like this often, but as you know, I really love them.

My fascination with graves and cemeteries is hard to explain and to many it sounds morbid probably, but to me it is something which represents a link between two worlds, a link to the unknown and mystical and unexplained....
The card shows the Rocinha da Negra cemetery in the city of Simão Pereira. The cemetery is the last vestige of the allotment of Paraibuna, commonly called the Black Rocinha. It is located in Cabu Country Club.
(google translate was used there :))

three nice stamps....the big bird one is from 2009, from a set of 6 stamps, representing Exuberant Brazilian birds. This is Porphyrospiza caerulescens. The stamp next to it is from 2002, from a set of 10 stamps representing music instruments. And the last and probably most familiar definitive stamp from Brazil, representing jobs, with this one issued in 2005.

Happy Easter

Well, this year is one of those times when both the Orthodox and the Catholic Easter fall on the same date....

....so due to that, I want to wish a Happy Easter to all my dear blog readers who celebrate it! Hope it brings you love, health, joy and peace of mind.

Христос Воскресе! 

Вистина Воскресе!

Gurage, Ethiopia

*Grin* 

Here is just one of the several gems that have arrived in my mailbox in the past few weeks. The credit for this diamond goes to Sean, who just recently came back from his trip to Ethiopia and was very kind and decided to surprise me with this card. Knowing what a hard-to-get country Ethiopia is, you can imagine my reaction when i saw it :D. If you want to, you can read more about Sean's trip here and here and the Fine Likeness is also worth to pay the visit.
The card says to portray the Gurage Landscape.
The Gurage are an ethnic group of people and they inhabit this semi-fertile, semi-mountainous region in southwest Ethiopia, around 240km southwest of Addis Ababa.
The Gurage culture is described as a combination of the Sidama culture to the south and the Amhara-Tigre culture to the north. The Gurage were independent for a hundred years or more but were conquered by the army of the Emperor Menilik II in the late 19th century, and have been part of the Ethiopian nation ever since. The religious affiliation of the Gurage is now evenly divided between the Orthodox Christians, Moslems and  the newer Catholic Mission.

two stamps from a set of 23 definitives issued in 2000, representing animals.

Thank you Sean once again!

Škocjan Caves, Slovenia

Here comes a UNESCO site. And it may sound ironic, but it took this long for me (in my entire postcard collecting career) to get this UNESCO site from Slovenia...and i owe it all to Vesna

Due to their exceptional significance, the Škocjan Caves were entered on UNESCO’s list of natural and cultural world heritage sites in 1986. International scientific circles have thus acknowledged the importance of the Caves as one of the natural treasures of planet Earth.

Ranking among the most important caves in the world, the Škocjan Caves represent the most significant underground phenomena in both the Karst region and Slovenia.
Archaeological research has shown that people lived in the caves and the surrounding area in prehistoric times – from the Mesolithic, the Neolithic, the Bronze and Iron Ages through Antiquity and the Middle Ages to the present; altogether for more than 5,000 years. The finds from this area testify that the Škocjan Caves had not only local but regional importance in prehistoric times.

I so much love such neat and clear cancellations! The stamp is from 2009, showing The Lovrenc Lakes on Pohorje.

Alaska, USA

One of the greatest official cards I had ever received and also one of the most beautiful maps i have seen.

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I really cant give an exact explanation of why this card so much fascinates me, but there is some warmth and radiance coming out of it that simply captures me....it is simply PERFECT! And to make the perfection even better, it actually shows Alaska....and you know that out of all the US states, i have a soft spot for Alaska :)
Polly, the sender, says that Alaska was one of the most beautiful countries she had ever seen and that the icebergs were actually blue!

ahh, pure beauty! And i just cant tell you how immensly happy i am that someone who got my address at random, to whom i am a total stranger, sent me this!

i think you know the stamp well enough by now ;) showing the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, issued in 2009

Singapore

Where does the time fly?!  Before I am even aware of it, it's almost a week since my last update!

Well, I really had to make one today, despite all this unfinished work i have...coz today i got such amazing mail that i still feel speechless. I mean, i had received amazing mail before too, but it rarely happens that i receive it in such amounts and that all thats inside is just so perfect that it makes me wanna cry.

And I think it arrived on a perfect day, since until Tuesday we have these non working days, meaning, no-mail days, and if i didnt get anything today, i would have gotten EXTREMELY cranky by Tuesday....

Another problem occurred...with such a bunch of fabulous cards I had received not only today but in the past weeks as well, I just cant seem to decide what to post! I want to post it all! And i have even received new countries but I was soooo super excited over all of them, that when i was making my choice today, i just couldnt decide between any of them, so decided to go with something older for a first post, but yet considered rare (at least for me) since I dont have many Singaporean cards left...only one actually.

Well, as the card says, here are shown the Malay Heritage Centre (which portrays the heritage, culture and hostory of Malay Singaporeans) and the Sultan Mosque, which is considered as one of the most important mosques in Singapore where the prayer hall and domes highlight the mosque's star features.

there are two very nice stamps on the card, both issued in 2009. The stamp on the right is from an issue of 7 stamps portraying sculptures (at first glance i honestly thought it was a banana), while the other stamp is from a set of 5, representing deserts...........does water come to your mouth as well?

Boston, USA

An official card from a girl who eventually became my penpal too :)

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The Freedom Trail in Historic Boston

Top: Old South Meeting House, Old State House, King's Chapel, State Capitol, Old North Church and Paul Revere Statue.
Centre: Faneuill Hall, Paul Revere's House
Bottom: Old Corner Bookstore, U.S.S Constitution, Old Granary Burying Ground, Park Street Church, Bunker Hill Monument

Of course, from the back of the card :)

apart from the clock postcard there is also a nice Christmas one from 2009

Sendai, Japan

Another official card, this time from Japan

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On the back, there is a text written in Japanese, pero yo comprendo NADA!
But well, as precious google says, Sendai is the capital city of the Myagi Prefecture  and the largest city in the Tōhoku (northeast) region.
Ive always found that word "prefecture" interesting...and that Japanese division in general.

and a cute Japanese stamp from the year i-have-no-idea-which-one....

Canada

Canada is one of those countries where i have so many great cards from, that it has become impossible to pick one for an update....so ive started picking by random, either eyes closed or some eeny-meeny kind of choice.

This is a very interesting card actually....the colours are just fantastic and the entire card is so full of life and positive energy. Me likes it very much
On the back it says: Canada owes much to the First Nations people, the true founders of our country.
I guess this is somewhere in the middle of a dance or a ritual.
Cards with people are not maybe on my very favourites list but this one definitely ranks high.

and a few nice stamps....the Five pin bowling one is from 2009 from a set of 4 stamps depicting sports- Canadian inventions.; the one above is also from 2009 commemorates the 100th anniversary of Montreal Canadiens (Ice Hockey related).Next to it is the Lest we forget stamp from 2009. And the two small ones are from the 5 stamps set from 2007 depicting insects (a golden-eyed Lacewing and a Northern Bumblebee).

Thanks a lot for reading and for bearing with me during my silent days :)