Gelati Monastery, Georgia

so here comes another cold Monday. Are you one of those wondering what the hell has happened to the spring? I certainly am! This has looked like anything but spring so far (and a total contrast of this period last year when it felt like summer, now it feels like winter). But the weather forecast says that things are gonna get better this week, so we'll see. I do not mind so much that it's cold, but Im really tired of the constant rain EVERY SINGLE DAY! One cant even get to the post office...yeah, excuses excuses..

anyways, I picked some nice (I hope) cards and places for today...and first of course comes a card from a country that has been neglected for a long while despite me having received cards from there.
And that's Georgia - the country, not the US state - neglected since 2009 - even though sometimes I feel as if I had started this blog just recently, it indeed has turned 6 years old while I was on a 'justified' leave...yep, thank you thank you! I also turned 6 on the official postcrossing site! hmm, that's a number of anniversaries indeed that went unnoticed here...should really try better next year and commemorate it somehow for the readers...but ok I was talking about Georgia actually...

Last year I received a Georgian card for Andy's Vacation RR...and that's when of course it dawned on me that, hey, but I have some Georgian cards from years ago! And indeed I have. And indeed one was also of the Gelati monastery, but a different view...but oh well..

this monastery complex is situated in western Georgia and contains the Church of the Virgin founded by the King of Georgia David the Builder in 1106, and the 13th-century churches of St George and St Nicholas.
Well, David is also buried here and Near his grave are the gates of Ganja, which were taken as trophies by king Demetrius I in 1138.
In 1994, Gelati Monastery was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The site was included in the 2008 World Monuments Watch List of 100 Most Endangered Sites by the World Monuments Fund to draw attention to deterioration caused by prolonged neglect.

And I thought it was just here that they neglected the cultural heritage

and here is a nice stamp showing golden earrings from the IV-V century BC. The stamp is from a set of 4 Cultural Heritage stamps issued in 2012.

and this is the other Gelati card I have...and those yellow spring flowers and lovely blue skies makes you think that we are talking about two totally different places here...what a change the surroundings can do!

now, what Im not sure is how I got this card...I do think it is as a result from a swap with Khatuna but I can not actually be 100% sure about it - and this is why I do not like blank cards anymore...written and stamped ones just rule! However for some reason I had it in my 2010 folder, I guess i had already scanned it back then so I could at least tell when I had received it...

Atlanta, USA

Next comes a fantastic train card from one of my dear mailbox usurpers coming under the pseudo of Bryon...well, I have nothing against mailbox usurpers, so Im not at all complaining :P

and what a fantastic, absolutely fantastic card this is!! Love love love it! A bluuuuueeee train! Doesnt it look so gorgeous and handsome?!!
The back of the card says that this is the Blue Zephyr, that is just one of the trains available to provide visitors a scenic ride around the base of Stone Mountain Park.
Btw, Im far from a train expert, just a train fan, but Im glad that some people do see me that way...I guess I should indeed work more on my expertise...

How did Bryon find all these stamps i have no idea, but they are all definitely new to me, and more than glad to have them now :)
The one at the very right and the top small one are from this year..the flag is from a set of 4 "Flag for all seasons" stamps, while the big one is from a set of 12 stamps representing Modern art in America, 1913-1931. '

Thank you my mail usurper...i totally LOVE this one! :)

Yonah II, USA

Dear Chris sent me this great train card for my collection

This card says to show Yonah II, which is the newest of the steam engines on the Stone Mountain Scenic Railroad line. A facsimile of one of the four engines that participated in the Great Locomotive Chase in 1862.

Now, before you jump at me, pointing out your fingers saying, but this CANT be the newest steam engine....let me clarify that im just sharing with you whats on the back of the card. This card can be called a real treasure since it is not a state-of-the-art one, but dates back from, I dont know exactly when...so how many copies have remained of this one, what do you think? surely not even close to how many copies you can find of a card printed nowadays. So thanks a million to Chris for sharing this one with me.

If you are wondering about Yonah..the current train is a 1940s replica, but there is a miniature golf course themed after the 1862 event.

the Grand Teton stamp...with Chris's own mailer postmark permit...darn, i would love one too!! Santa!! Can you hear me??!! Santa??!!!!

Thanks  bunch Chris!

Georgia, USA

A card which came as a surprise from a dear person and which makes a great contribution to my US map-cards collection

The back of the card says:

Georgia is a peachy place to be with not only Southern Hospitality, but International Hospitality.
So in case you didnt know (like me) Georgia's nickname is the Peach State or also the Empire State of the South.
Some native-Georgians you maybe didnt know were Georgians actually: Ray Charles, James Brown, Otis Redding, R.E.M, B 52's, Margaret Mitchell, Alice Walker (Colour Purple is a *must* read...) I also have the movie, but in general i give much more credit to books.
Ok, there are some other famous Georgians among the hip-hop stars, but being it is a kind of music i strictly dislike, i will leave them out here....sorry :)

And here is something much better than hip-hop:

Mtskheta, Georgia

Well, i didnt really believe i was gonna make an update today, but i really need to keep my mind away from things, and i just dont know what to do with myself and i think that its better to post something...it will keep me distracted for a while and i also have a huge reason to do so, since i have received a new country in my mailbox today...GEORGIA!! With an enormous thank you to Khatuna! And not only she sent me a new country in my collection, but the way she did it is more than special...but i will get down to it later.
I know some of you know why my bad mood, and i wont annoy you with it now...i will do it during the following week though :)  Just please, bear with me in the following days....

Apart from actually getting a new country, i received a new UNESCO as well...some cards just arrive on a day they most need to do so....i havent received mail for several days and today, after what had happened yesterday, i was on the verge to cry coz there was no mail today...but the postman came a bit late than usual, and cheered me up....with LOADS of mail :)
Mtskheta (which i honestly dont know how to pronounce) is the oldest town of Georgia and is located approximately 20 km northeast of Tbilisi (the capital) at the confluence of the Aragvi and Mtkvari rivers (ok, definitely if i ever go to Georgia, i would have trouble with pronouncing basic stuff...due the high number of consecutive consonants).
On the card you can see the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral (IV-XI century) and due to its historical significance and numerous ancient monuments, the "Historical Monuments of Mtskheta" became a UNESCO whs in 1994, where the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral is amongst the most significant monuments of Georgian Christian architecture, and are historically significant in the development of medieval architecture throughout the Caucasus.
My personal knowledge about Georgia? Apart from knowing the capital...it can equal to 'none'.

Now, what amazed me from Khatuna was that she had sent me two cards, in an envelope...but EACH card was written, stamped AND postmarked, and afterwards put in an envelope...and then the envelope had great stamps as well...and i was like, OH MY....this is just amazing!
All of the stamps are just amazing...here you can see  two stamps regarding the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008 (i think that many countries have issued such stamps, including Macedonia).
The other stamp has been issued in the honour of Rabbi Abraam Khovels, who is considered as a spiritual and civic leader who lived in Georgia more than a century ago.
Again, Khatuna...thanks a real real lot!!

Turner Field, Atlanta, USA

This card is totally different from anything i had received before....for the simple reason it shows a stadium. Ive seen people around collecting such cards, but not something i would have personally requested. But now that I have it, im actually glad that i can add it to my collection. I just love varieties, and seeing the world from many different aspects. 

Well, myself, im TOTALLY ignorant when it comes to field-played sports. I may get by with football, coz ive watched some games...when i was 10 years old i watched the ENTIRE World Cup with my grand-dad...i think that the entire knowledge i have about football dates from back then....but nowadays, im just out of it....give me tennis or F1 and i could rant for hours...but football or baseball or rugby...a-a
Im not very fond of admitting this but i had to check up to make sure if the 'equipment' shown on the card is used for baseball...but at least i got that right.
Im not at all familiar with it coz we simply dont have it here, so the only connection i have with this sport is when i had watched it in movies, and ive never been able to comprehend the rules of it....seems just so complicated :)

hmmm, as i can recall, Gaby is a Braves fan and she went here at Turner Field some time ago...i think she's gonna give me a good lesson for my ignorance....i feel it coming :))