Teotihuacan, Mexico

Well for quite some time I've been having this idea of making an update with some cards from my trips...coz yeah, sometimes I do remember to also send myself a card =) And well, here comes my first attempt of this kind...cards with stories...and cards I eventually always wonder, why have I sent myself THIS card out of so many others? But well I guess that's when I least have the idea what I already have in my collections...but at least I still haven't sent myself the exact double card :)
Btw, I got really frustrated again with Photobucket...it is a whole week left till the end of the month and I already received that stupid email of having exceeded my bandwidth?!!!! How, oh HOW come all of a sudden it is exceeded every single month when I never ever experienced it before??  What the hell has happened with Photobucket? Anyone from PB cares to answer? hm?? coz right now I am one really dissatisfied and rather pissed of user of your services...just so you know :)

Ok, now down to the cards...I will start this update with a card from my last summer's trip to Mexico...the trip that was waiting to happen for years, finally did...for better or for worse...but here I sent myself a card from the pyramids of Teotihuacan...one very cool place and a must visit if you happen to be somewhere near by..

well, my trip to Teotihuacan happened on a Sunday...a day which turned to have a free entrance for all Mexican residents...the man at the door asked Diego (who was with me) where we were coming from...he answered...and seems that I looked like a Mexican somehow coz the man didn't question me anything..and I entered for free as well .something I paid for somewhat later...the deed had to be punished

the place here is vast, with two pyramids you can climb on, the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon...at the Avenue of the Dead...the climbing and the descending are a bit tricky on both...but you can climb to the top, unlike Chichen Itza for example
First we climbed the Moon pyramid...walked around...took pictures...bought some souvenirs too...and then waited in line to climb the Sun pyramid...and while waiting, nothing foretold us how it would all end...
The climbing on this one was a bit slower, due to the long queue of people ahead...but it was going pretty well...until we just got to the top...that's when the Gods of the Sun and the Moon and the whole damn Universe made me pay for having entered for free when I wasn't eligible for a free entrance. They sent a  thunderstorm! A huuuuuuugeeeeee thunderstorm! With the cloud just above your head...while you are damn stuck at the top of one of the largest buildings in whole Mesoamerica at a height of 70 something metres...and you can't go down, coz it is all just crowded with people who are all stuck just like you, and everyone is either kneeling down or in any other way trying to protect himself from the harsh winds and rain...and you just see umbrellas and hats flying around! it was terrible! just terrible! One of the rare moments when I was literally petrified about my life! While feeling the harsh raindrops over my bare skin (the cloud was so near us that it felt like stone needles are hitting against you), I was starting to think how Im gonna make it the news...she went to Mexico on a holiday, but didn't make it back home..and seriously, I am not exaggerating...at times I was wondering if it was maybe better to jump (?!!!) or just stay there at the mercy of the Aztec Gods. I don't know how long it all lasted....felt like forever...and I thought it was never going to end...and ruined the moment of having a picture taken...waving...while feeling like you are at the top of the world...once the rain somewhat stopped, all anyone could think of was to go down...a veeeeryyyyyy slow process coz you have all these stuck people...and then you have these slippery stairs...and the stairs are like three times the size of a normal stair...so it is not like you can just run your way down...and on top of that, you are shaking coz you are freezing...and of course, have no extra clothes for a changeover...so if this was the way to make sure I'll never forget the Pyramids of Teotihuacan, then it certainly worked!
Well, back then, it felt really scary...but I must say that on the other hand Im glad it happened...made it all more adventurous and rather unique...what made me laugh was, as we were leaving, there was this kid who was all crying coz the storm had freaked him out...and his mum comforted him with 'awww, come on, it was just like few drops of rain'...for the love of God woman, that was just a few drops of rain for you?

well, to commemorate the aftermath....the expression on my face says it all...and yeah, on that picture is the reason why for years I was whining about Mexico, and the reason why I should have gone back there...unfortunately, wasn't aware at all that, that was the beginning of the end, and that from that moment on, nothing will ever be the same, and that things will go downhill, until the point of no return and the impossibility to fix things..but that's how life is....I guess everything happens for a reason, even though not always we can understand that...

I like the clear cancellation the Mexican Postal Service used on the cards I sent...and all were mailed at the main post office in D.F...and they also had nice stamps...can't say there was a big variety, but this is one of the rare cases when I manage  to get something that is not a plain definitive or so (talking about the stamp on the left). It was issued in 2009 in a set of 5 Wild Lands' stamps, and this one here shows the Kronotsky Nature Reserve in Russia, on the Kamchatka Peninsula (odd to see something Russian on a Mexican stamp must admit).
The other stamp is from a set of 12 definitives issued in 2011

Lago di Garda, Italy

then come the New Year holidays of this year...being the kind of person who absolutely hates having to celebrate the New Year's eve, I love it when I have the opportunity to go somewhere and be out of town during that NY Eve craziness..and here is something from this year's trip...well I am missing the first stop of the trip, which was Verona, so I will have to give you my impressions about it in some future update.
Our second stop, though very short, was Sirmione, at Lago di Garda. Couldn't see too much of it since it was already a bit dark when we arrived, but therefore I sent myself a  card which is a total contrast...I simply LOVED the colours on this one!

So, I can not actually tell you much about the place itself coz we didn't have the chance to see much, but it was nice to stroll around its cobbled streets, with dozens of cool shops...one thing I can say for sure is that the ice-cream was delicious...with the cone of ice cream in one hand, the pen in the other...leaning to a wall under some dim light, I was writing postcards and licking and sticking stamps...that was a TOTAL mess..I think that EACH of the card I sent from here has traces of chocolate ice cream on it...but that's what happens when your time is limited, yet you want to eat a huge ice cream and write postcards...you have to multi task somehow...and at least it was worth it...at least for the cards that arrived...
And the lake felt soooo tranquil....with lights twinkling on its other side...I love those moments!

cant brag about the variety of stamps though...but that was all they had...the definitive on the left is from a set of 3 issued in 2010, while the other one is a definitive issued in 2004

IT-62191

well I have also two other cards related to Lago di Garda that I have received so far, so I also decided to include such received cards in these updates as well...coz I do not really intend to again write about Lago di Garda soon...unless I go there again...and this is a good chance to actually have some cards see the light of the day instead infinitely waiting to be posted :)
The above card arrived as an official one back in 2009...and as you can see, the lake is all about boats obviously :)

On this card we have 3 stamps...2 more of the women definitives, these issued in 2002, while the stamp on the right was issued in 2009, showing the celebration of the Italian Newspaper "La Nazione" of Florence

and here I also have a map card of the lake..where you can see all the spots along its coast...however, I am not sure when exactly I received this card...I assume it was 2009, and I assume it was a swap...but this is the reason why I dislike swapping a bunch of blank cards in an envelope (and hence stopped doing it)...coz eventually I have absolutely no idea what the story behind the card is..and it all ends up feeling so meaningless...and while we are on the subject, I am not really fond of postcards showing one country mailed from another...just sayin' ;-)

Milan, Italy

Our main stop for the New Year holidays was Milan...

....from where I mailed this card showing the Navigli canals...which btw we didn't get to see...that is the risk of going with a travel agency...they other give you the best for your money or fuck things up (sorry for the bad language but sometimes it is inevitable)...and here of course happened the latter..but at least I can see the canals on a card :D
As for Milan...well, can't say I was THAT much impressed as other people are...maybe coz of the circumstances in general...but I have had better New Year celebrations, that's for sure...at least I haven't been running for my life...and that is what happened exactly in Milan on New Year's eve...if you wanted to get yourself alive out of that minefield, you didn't have much choice but RUN and hide in the first open place...in our case it happened to be a restaurant, with waiters from everywhere but Italy...including a drunk one, who was just so hillarious...i think he was Russian..and then this nice cute one who took the situation in his hands...think he was from Ecuador...yeah, there IS something indeed about those Latin American guys

what I have written on this card as a memory..."We are having a 5 euro espresso and a 7 euro cappuccino at "Bar Si". Not the cheapest coffee I have had...but the atmosphere was really nice and cozy and just next to the window, so it was cool to be observing all those passers by in the Vittorio Emanuele Gallery

stamps...same as above...what a variety, eh =/

Lugano, Switzerland

while in Milan, we took a one day trip to Lugano....which could have been better if they stopped in Como first as we wanted to...but oh well...

and Lugano...oh Lugano is just soo splendid! even in winter you can just enjoy it, while either sitting at the lake...or strolling around..or enjoying coffee somewhere....everything else was just way too expensive...and that's what I have written on the back of the card: "the ultra-expensive Switzerland".

We went to this market you know, coz I wanted to buy some original Swiss chocolate...I always buy a lot of chocolate for my dad (ok, of course, I contribute in the eating process as well, however, it mainly goes for my dad), and I really wanted to surprise him with lots and lots of Swiss stuff...but the prices made me change my mind...dear Lord, that was just too much! There were sooo many great stuff to choose from, but just way way way too expensive...so that was just a huge disappointment...how much should you earn in order to feel comfortable paying so much for a box of Lindt chocolates...

well of course, during trips I don't manage to get some variety of stamps, so here I have one from a set of 3 Vegerable Blossoms' stamps issued in 2012...and this one here says to be showing a tomato...hmm, o_O, ok, if you say so...

Salzburg, Austria

Well, Easter was another good opportunity to get on the bus and head somewhere...not so far from our NY destination..

Prior to this, it was only Vienna that I've been to when it comes to Austria..and I was really looking forward to this trip coz, I dont know if I have told you but I LOVE LOVE LOVE Vienna..and Salzburg didn't impress me any less! Such a lovely charming town! It is nothing grand or so, around 150,000 people live here...but it is a town that captures you with its modesty...and that 'feeling in the air' that some places simply have!
Famous as Mozart's birthplace of course...and its awesome Mozartkugeln. I only bought a half kilo box...having in mind how exquisitely delicious they are, half a kilo is just nothing...but being it was our first day on the trip, I had to be a bit more reasonable about money :P
Unfortunately we only had one day to spend in Salzburg...so it is one of those times when you want to do everything in just a few hours...but at least I did go to the Mozart cafe and indulged into this delicious Mozart cake ....and left with one of the coolest souvenirs, this super cool umbrella :D

well I had the exact same view while writing the cards...such a cool way to enjoy the view all over Salzburg!
And speaking of cards...geez...I found this place which had some kind of discount, so I bought cards there...but when I asked for stamps, the lady didn't have any...and ok, no problem..Ill look for someplace else...just that all those someplaces else, sold stamps only if you bought postcards as well, and I was all %_(#+_$)#+_%($)...the post office was anything but near, and in general, it was a choice between going to the post office and going up the hill...reason prevailed and we went to the hill...there was a shop up there as well...and as we were about to leave, i was like, nah I have nothing to lose, let me ask...so I asked for stamps...and there was this kind lovely lady inside, who did give me stamps without having to buy postcards! I will be eternally thankful for that! Don't remember the name of the shop, but if anyone ever happens to go there, please give her my biggest thank yous! She saved me!

I wanted to buy some extra cards in the evening, coz I just bought and sent a few...but the evening decided to play against us...we were situated a bit away from Salzburg....and it was already like 9 pm when we wanted to leave, and had the last bus back to the hotel around 11...so it just wasn't really feasible, unless we wanted to only take a bus-round tour..plus it was pouring, so we spent the evening at the hotel lobby instead...and tasted some nice Austrian wine...at least thats what the waiter said, and whenever I go somewhere I ask for some domestic wines to try...

Im not gonna complain about the choice of stamps this time..this is all the lady had, and if it wasn;t for her, there would have been no Salzburg postcards...so for those of you who received Salzburg, say thanks to the lady as well :)
it is from a set of 3 Modern Architecture stamps issued in 2012

AT-148118

And as with Lago di Garda, here are some Salzburg cards received...this one arrived as an official few months ago (after I visited Salzburg) and I was so happy to receive it coz it brought back memories :)
The card shows the Mirabell Gardens...something I didn't manage to visit...hmmmm, is this a good excuse to go back? :P

the stamp was issued this year and is called, Multiple Simplicity Artwork

And another blank card here...though I think this one came from a swap...however, I can't tell if it was 2009 or 2010...and Salzburg in winter is just soooooooooooo beautiful!! With everything covered in white! Ahhhhh! I would so much want to visit it again, for a few days, to have it all more relaxing...and have enough time to see places..and try new cakes and stuff :P

Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany

The visit to Salzburg was our stop to the main destination, and that was Munich...and while in Munich, you have to visit the Bavarian castles as well, including the most famous one, and that is Neuschwanstein.

the whole place is really dreamy...and probably has the least kitchy interior of all the three castles we entered (the other two being Herrenchiemsee and Linderhof)
They are just extraordinary with beautiful gardens and surroundings, but I guess Disney had its reason when he picked Neuschwanstein as his inspiration
I won't go into details about the castle, I've already posted about it once...however, the day we visited the castles was one of the most amazing, and most tiring in my life...having driven through the breathtaking nature of Austria (yeah, that's the road we took in order to get from Neuschwanstein to Linderhof) and having seen the castles...and what I couldn't do in Switzeland, I did it here...when you gather the amounts of chocolate and stuff I bought from both Austria and Germany, I went back home with like 5 or so kilos of chocolate...thank God they didn't check my bags at the border...I would have had lot of explaining to do :P

I still don't know why I mailed myself a Neuschwanstain card when I already have a few...but at least this is my first one covered in snow :D

sending the cards was a bit confusing with those German mailboxes, but thank God I nailed it right...the stamp is just a regular flower one, a definitive issued in 2011.

 i received this other Neuschwanstain card from dear Tanja as a RAS, back in 2009...do you see those amazing woods and mountains in the back?!!

btw, in case you go here, you will get the most amazing view from Marienbrücke. It is not so far from the castle, maybe just a bit steep and tiring to get there, but trust me, it will be worth every single calorie you spend on your way there!

here we have another flower defintiive, this one issued in 2008. The other stamp is from 2009, showing the Leipzig University.

so that would be all for today...hope to see you soon with another nice and cool update...till then, stay well :)

Ganvié, Benin

                                                        

So I think that the time has come to break the silence in here...not that it shouldn't have been done time ago...and I truly believed that I would be able to squeeze in at least one update in August....but August seemed not to really like me very much (the feeling was mutual, let me tell you), and it flew away just way too fast...and then I struggled for quite sometime with that silly Photobucket feature...I mean, I can't believe it that both in July and August I reached that stupid 10GB limit (in July being 10 days before month's end!    I mean, HEELLOOOO!! So I experimented with a number of photo hosting sites...and in each and every one of them (incl. Flickr or Picasa or some new stuff I tried), didn't want to cooperate when it comes to sharing the pictures on Blogger...and that's when I recalled that I have another Photobucket account...do not know why I had actually opened it in first place...so here we are...I wonder how long it's gonna take before it also starts pissing me off with its limits :) and then there is the original account, so I guess sometimes it will all look messy here...*sigh*...I don't know why I am not into that 'uploading pics from HD directly*. I guess I like it when it is complicated 
So anyways, so here comes September...a nice Monday morning, so lets post some cards....and first comes my very first written and stamped one from Benin!! Yayyyyyy!! Actually this one arrived few months ago, even before that Greenland card, but you know, the lazy me is posting it just now....

I wouldn't have had this card if it wasn't for Johanna and her kindness to include me on her long list of cards to send, and I am really really really thankful to her for that!
The card shows a stilt house on Lake Nokoué,in the Benin's city of Ganvié. (the whole city is actually built on stilt houses). In case you were wondering,according to aunt Wiki, Stilt houses or pile dwellings or palafitte are houses raised on piles over the surface of the soil or a body of water and are built primarily as a protection against flooding but also serve to keep out vermin.The shady space under the house can be used for work or storage.
Johanna says that sometimes Ganvié is called the Venice of Africa. Now that's cool...and I'm pretty sure the people in Ganvié won't rip you off for a ride on a boat or whatever they have as corresponding to the gondolas :)
btw, it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List on October 31, 1996 in the Cultural category. Isn't that a bit way too long to be on the tentative list?

here is the stamp and im so happy it is cancelled...it is funny how sometimes you receive a w/s card from some rare country, but then there is no cancellation...and you wonder if you should consider it valid as received w/s or not...coz you know, I may have just received a blank card from anywhere else, ordered a stamp, put it on myself, and voila! Yeah, overthinking shall kill me some day  .
Anyways, the stamp was issued in 2003 in a set of 7 stamps representing the Red Bellied Monkey as an Endangered species.
Btw, in 2003 I see Benin issued a set of so cute kitten stamps! So if by any chance there is anyone in Benin out there you may have stumbled across this post...can you please contact me =)

Leyte, Philippines

next comes a really nice card from the Philippines.

On the card you can see the monument showing the return of Gen. McArtur to the Philippines, where on October 20 1944, his forces started liberating Philippines and parts of Asia from the Japanese occupation. McArtur earlier made the promise of "I shall return" (I guess something like Schwarzi's "I'll be back" in Terminator :) and became famous for that line.
And Lannie, the sender says that it is very common nowadays for Filipinos to use that "I shall return" phrase when they want to say they will be back.

the fish stamp is from a set of 10 Marine life stamps issued in 2011, while the beautiful one with the roses is from a set of ten, Paintings of young Filipino artists' 2012 stamps.

Nebraska, USA

well, so much from my morning posting enthusiasm..the internet went down...and then I had to go out...and well, hope to finish the last two cards now :)

Can you actually imagine my surprise when I was creating the labels for this card and to my awe....no Nebraska label was popping up....despite I was somewhat convinced I had covered all the 50 states with at least one card...so I guess I have the honour to post my first Nebraska card today...and it is a great map card! :)
The sender says that (I hope she won't mind I am quoting her, but i loved what she wrote:))  Nebraska is a pretty boring state, especially compared to its neighbours that are full of mountains...Nebraska is very flat and full of corn fields. But at least it is not completely covered in cement, so there is a lot of fresh air.

Well I haven't visited any of the US states, so can't say what would make them boring or interesting :)

and we have the Global Forever stamp issued this year.

The Kuala Lumpur Railway Station, Malaysia

and for my last post today (yeah, sorry, but it would be only four posts despite so much time has passed - but better something than nothing ;-)

I have two cards showing the Railway Station in Kuala Lumpur.

this one came back in 2010, unless I had mixed up something, for the Surprise RR.
The back of the card says: the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station built at the turn of the 20th century, is a beautiful example of Moorish architecture with its bold minarets and elegant arches.

the stamp is from a set of 8 definitives issued in 2005

MY-132101

This one, as you can see, arrived as an official card...from someone who took the time to browse to my endless collections and tried to find something I do not have yet in there...and I am really thankful for that :)

The back of THIS card says: Designed by British Architect A.B.Hubback, the former Kuala Lumpur Railway Station has a profusion of minarets, spires and arched verandhas.

So here I got puzzled with the word 'former'....coz nothing about it is mentioned in the first card...but than taking into account the first card arrived in 2010...no wonder changes may have occurred...and from what I could google, now, only the commuter trains stop here, while all the intercity train services stop at the KL Central station, not so far away from this one...

So this is what happens when one doesn't post regular updates and lets cards pile and pile up...thank God for this second card, otherwise I would have probably remained ignorant...

and the thoughtful sender used train stamps as well :) the lovely train stamps issued in 2010.
Speaking of officials...Im going a bit nuts with how slow they have been travelling lately..I miss a more frequent Hurray! in my mailbox...and the anticipation of drawing new addresses.....

ok then, that would be all for today...have a great week ahead folks :)