Druk Wangyal Lhakhang, Bhutan

Wohooo!! =) Surprise surprise :D I can't believe it myself either honestly after...hmmm, how long has it been...3 months?!! Way way too long this time, I know...and I'm sorry...it just happened without a notice...but frankly, life in the past months has been...hmm, not that easy...a lot of working tasks to deal with...as usual, personal issues to deal with as well that leave you with no time/desire to do anything...and on top of that, my grandmother passed away =/ Even though not unexpected but it still hits you when it happens...and it is still hard to believe that she is actually gone...one of the kindest and most generous and timid and modest persons I've ever known and I ever will...I never had the chance to meet my other grandma, cos she had passed away even before I was born..so this one was the only grandma I had, but she did her grandma-role in the most perfect way possible...unfortunately, due to a number of events, she was bed-bound for the past ten years or so and that was not really some kind of life to lead...esp since things were just getting worse and worse and life was more of a torture to her than something nice...so I hope that now all her pains have gone and she is at some nice and peaceful place to finally rest...cos she deserves it! So that would be briefly on what kept me away from posting here...and postcrossing in general...haven't really been able to dedicate myself to it properly (well, ok due to financial reasons as well), so in case I have some pending swap with you or i owe you something and you get to read this...I'll try to fix that as soon as I can...though I don't think it will be by the end of the year...but hey...new year, new beginnings :)

Speaking of that...I have to mention that there is a new postman....AGAIN...in my area...that moron that did all the chaos and trouble...I don't know what happened with him...but I know for certain that he has caused headaches and frustrations to hundreds of people with his ignorant behaviour....frankly it also somewhat killed my desire about postcards cos there is no pleasure of receiving bunch of cards like once a month...and then having to deal with all of them at once...yeah, i do love having a full mailbox, but when it happens in, how do I say this..a natural way...not cos someone out there is incapable of doing his job properly...

Anyways, despite all that, I still received some lovely mail during these past months...and well, a number of new countries too :D  And it was quite difficult to actually choose which one to post today, so in the end, totally randomly, I chose this one that arrived as a total surprise from dear Sissel (to make you a bit more jealous, she actually sent me a few cards, not just this one :P)

So here it comes...a written and stamped card from the Kingdom of Bhutan!!

A gorgeous card as well! Though I still can't decide what I love better...the card or the stamp below :D
Here you can see the Druk Wangyal Lhakhang temple, built in honor of His Majesty the fourth Druk Gyalpo, Jigme Singye Wangchuck. The past and future appears to merge in the details of the lhakhang and its structure tells the story of a supreme warrior figure, whose vision pierces the distant future in a fine blend of history and mythology.
It is located in the Dochula pass, the most well-known pass in Bhutan that is very popular among tourists, as it offers a stunning 360 degree panoramic view of Himalayan mountain range!


And here comes the stamp!! Come on, how can you just NOT love it? :D

I just can't stop wondering how come *I* always find just the crappiest and most boring stamps when I travel, and I never find something so splendid?
Issued in 1984 as part of eight stamps and four souvenir sheets dedicated to locomotives...this one here shows the Sondermann Freight built in 1896.

Nice way to start my comeback, no? ;-)

Thanks again so much Sissel! Your surprises are always so fantastic!

Happy Birthday to Hippy Happy! And some Dutch bicycles....=)

Well, probably my greatest motivation to move my ass and do something productive here was that today is Hippy Happie's first birthday! Exactly one year ago I fell in love at first sight and ride and have spent a lot of fantastic moments hanging around with it...I have to say that it did change my life in a way, though i can't properly explain how...but certainly it deserves a post here to blow that candle, and wish both of us a lot of new great adventures and times spent together! ❤

My precious! (I still need to get him a basket though...)

Well now, this is also like an excuse to bother you with a bunch of bicycle cards....that unintentionally all ended up to be Dutch...so be prepared to be bored...or enjoy yourself...depending on how much of a bike lover you are :)

received in the fast favourites tag....I know that Hippy Happy is already colourful enough...but I've been thinking of decorating it with some Christmas lights actually...at least for the season...and enjoy some night rides :)

From a set of two "Green Initiatives" stamps.

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Beautiful Holland indeed!  Something Macedonia will never be bike-wise...at least not in my lifetime

so cool to have a bike card with a bike stamp! (the lighthouse one is just a bonus!) The bicycle stamp is from a set of 5 Dutch Icons' stamps issued this year, while the lighthouse one I believe is also from 2014...but for some reason I got a bit stuck with the info on it...

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This is the kind of woven basket I'd like to buy or my bike....though if possible in black...to suit it better

a number of nice and colourful stamps! the one on the right is from a set of three Child care stamps issued in 1992. The middle one is from a set of three Child welfare stamps issued in 1987 while the one on the left is also from a set of three Child welfare stamps from 1990. I like it how they are all thematically related...

Peggy was so kind to send me this card after I have had it in my favourites for ages! I just love it! The colours, the scenery...everything! So typically Amsterdamish :)

nice colourful stamps again! the one on the left is from a set of three stamps issued in 1992, simply called Summer stamps. The middle one is also from 1992 issued for the  Expo '92 in Sevilla (comes in a set of two). While the third stamp on the right was issued in 1983 commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the ANWB (or the Dutch touring club if im not mistaken?)

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Love the colour of this bike! One of the many thoughtful official cards when people are so kind and try to find something they know I will like :)

the first two from the left are definitives issued in 2012. The third stamp was issued in 2009 in a set of two stamps simply called Beautiful Netherlands, while the last one is from 2008 from a set of ten mushroom stamps commemorating The 100th Anniversary of the Netherlands' Mycological Society

Surprise card from Alvin showing a scene from the tiny village of Straphorst, where inhabitants like to get stuck on old traditions and religion and where still many people wear traditional costumes in their daily lives.

Part from a beautiful sheet of the Beautiful Netherlands theme, issued in 2013

One more strike from Peggy with a lovely Amsterdamish card! She says that most bicycle cards of Amsterdam show bikes neatly lined up but this is a more accurate picture and that every bridge and every railing has at least one bike attached to it upside down, most of the time missing at least one part. She says that  you should consider yourself lucky if you find your bike at all as 50000 to 80000 bikes are stolen in Amsterdam only, every year.
Hmm, ok, now im having some second thoughts about wanting to live in Amsterdam...

Beautiful stamps again. I already mentioned the one on the very right that is a part of the 1990 Child Welfare stamps. The middle one is from a set of three Summer stamps issued in 1983 representing the Zoo, while the stamp on the left is also from 1983 from the EUROPA issue on Communications.

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another bike with a lovely colour! and the atmosphere is relaxing indeed...it would be great if I had the chance to ride mine near a lake or a sea or something on a lovely spring day.

God help me on this one! Either Im repeatedly blind or this one doesn't exist in the stamp catalogs online?!!

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Probably the most typical scene in a Dutch countryside ...Drente is shown on this postcard in particular...at the bottom right picture you can see those two guys in a partially lying position on their bicycles...ive seen those here as well...but for some reason I think that riding on such a bike aint as comfy as riding a normal one...mainly cos you have to keep your head straight all the time...there is no such thing as a cushion or something to lean back on....so ill still stick to the regular type...until I maybe try this one for real and happen to like it :)

From a set of two personal stamps titled Europe and the World, issued in 2012

The last Dutch card is not just about bicycles but also about another Dutch icon, and that is Anne Frank...I think the combination of the wall and the bikes is just great and really fitting...love it!!

that butterfly stamp is one of the first Dutch stamps Ive known since I often used to see it on the letters my penfriends used to send me..issued in 1993 in a set of three stamps. the other one is another oldie, dating back to 1986, issued in a set of four charity stamps.

well, I think I may have exhausted all my Dutch bike cards..and I believe you won't want to see another bike card for a while now :)

Marina Bay, Singapore

This card arrived as a surprise earlier this year from Valentina who had the chance to attend a PC meeting in Singapore...and im really glad that she thought of me and got to send me a card...I love receiving meeting cards...they feel so special! :)

Frankly I think I recognize just one more name on the card...but then again I haven't really been in touch with many people from Singapore so I barely know any.
The card shows the Marina Bay...and since I had once posted about it, I won't be boring you again with it, but you can just check the post here if you want...

a nice stamp issued in 2011 in a set of four stamps representing Areas of Historical Significance in Singapore...this one is called Joo Chiat and is a residential conservation area in the eastern part of Singapore.

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Another card of the Marina Bay...this one arrived as an official back in 2012

two more lovely stamps, again issued in 2011...these are from a set of eight Fauna stamps, representing the Life in the Pond; the stamp on the left shows the White Collared Kingfisher, while the other one shows the Ornate Coraltail.

San Juanico Bridge, Philippines

A nice card that the kind Rosemie sent me earlier this year....just because :)

The card shows the San Juanico Bridge, formerly known as the Marcos Bridge, which is a suspension bridge in the Philippines stretching from Samar to Leyte crossing the San Juanico Strait. It is part of the Pan-Philippine Highway. It is the longest bridge in the Philippines with a length of 2.16 km and is considered as one of the most beautifully designed bridges in the Philippines.

the stamp is from a set of two issued in 2008, commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Missionary Cathecists of St. Threse of the Infant Jesus

Oaxaca, Mexico

Ok, one more post for today...

this card arrived recently as a surprise from David, who sent me this gorgeous card showing the Tlacolula market in Oaxaca, Mexico.
Tlacolula (de Matamoros) is the main commercial center for the Tlacolula Valley area, and best known for its weekly open air market held on Sundays. This market is one of the oldest, largest and busiest in Oaxaca, mostly selling foodstuffs and other necessities for the many rural people which come into town on this day to shop

the two stamps are part of a gorgeous mini sheet containing six stamps issued this year, commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the Heroic Deed in Veracruz.

Soooo....that would be all for now...frankly I feel a bit out of shape with regards to posting and writing and all, but hope to get back on track
Wont be making any promises about when the next post is going to happen...whether it will be soon or not so soon...but either way, hope you are all well, and thank you for still dropping by every now and then. =)

Till next time....