Cook Islands

Not sure what has been my longest hiatus on the blog, but these almost-eight-months might win the trophy.

Where has that time passed?
Well, it's been one really strange year, and when I look back, so much has happened, both good and bad, that in the blink of an eye, without properly realizing it, 2020 is at its doorstep.

Not that I havent been busy with mail... my mailbox has been welcoming postcards from all over, and I have even been more active in sending compared to the last few years... but it is this blog that has paid the price cos seems that I am not that multitasking as women in general are thought to be.

It has come to the point that I haven't even managed to brag about a new country to my collection and it already arrived during the summer... so after all the silence, here is a beauty coming from the Cook Islands - it is so cold here and so polluted that I would trade for a scenery like this without thinking twice...

Way back, during my junior postcrossing years, I did receive a card from the Cook Islands, but it was blank (sent in an envelope with some other cards from the USA I think...), and just now I noticed that I had never ever posted it... cos yeah, what is the thrill about a blank piece of cardboard, when at the end of the day, is something I could have printed myself... I should look for that blank card and send it to someone who collects blank cards, now that I am properly covered with Cook Islands and can tick it off my list...

The card says to show two beautiful little islands in the middle of Aitutaki's pristine lagoon. This view of Rapota is from Motu Rakau, where TV series Survivor and Shipwreck were both filmed (don't know about you, but I have watched neither...)

Two beautiful stamps from a set of 6 issued this year, from the Suwarrow Atoll National Park series.

Thanks to Azzi for this gem in my collection!

Dhow Sailing, Zanzibar

Well hello there, for the second time this year! Sounds strange?! Yeah, to me too! I don't know if saying 'we better get used to it' is a bit far-fetched at this moment though :P But for as long as it lasts... hope you enjoy it!

I don't participate as often as I used to in the forum's swaps/tags/round robins, but sometimes I do end up catching a good spot, and that is how I ended up getting my first ever written and stamped card from Zanzibar! (I don't get new countries that often any longer, but when I do, it sure is a gem! ;-)

The card shows a dhow sailing (in the Indian Ocean, I guess) - word of the day: dhow - generic name of a number of traditional sailing vessels with one or more masts with lateen sails used in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean region. Historians are divided as to whether the dhow was invented by Arabs or Indians. (It is not like historians could ever agree on anything....)
They are primarily used to carry heavy items, like fruit, fresh water or merchandise.

Now, if to anyone this stamp saying Tanzania comes as a disappointment, it shouldn't, since Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous region of Tanzania and even though it has its own Government, postage stamps are a different issue. If you do have a read about Zanzibar's history of postage stamps though, it does get a bit confusing, being that it used Indian stamps in the 19th century and then later it fell into the hands of the British Empire. So the bottom line, in this year and this century, I couldn't have possibly received a Zanzibar card with a Zanzibar stamp, but the cool thing is that even on the Tanzanian stamps, they do show some Zanzibar-related things, so that counts :D

This stamp is from a set of 4 Tourism stamps issued in 2010, showing Zanzibar attractions - here you can see the Red Colobus Monkey.

Thanks a million to Olia for this card! It is actually really cool to be able to visit a country like Zanzibar :)

San Marino

Here comes another *hello*! Yeah, I know this one may seem like too soon after the previous post, but this blog as you know serves as a great way to keep my mind off things and well I don't really have much else to do anyway...plus if you remember the China-talk, it would be nice to post more cards while I still can cos if that China thing does get realized in reality, I highly doubt I will have much time for posting cards...if any....

I'll start today with two cards from San Marino...I don't really have many cards from there but it seems to me that more or less most of them share the same views...at least these two...

The one above was sent by Rita from her visit there in 2012, where on the big picture you can see the Fortress of Guaita as part of the three peaks which overlook the city of San Marino.

what amazes me about these two cards today are the stamps....I don't think Ive seen so beautiful San Marino stamps on a card before.
First we have a whole set of 3 stamps issued in 1967, for the 300th Anniversary of the Death of Giovanni Francesco Barbieri (an Italian Baroque painter and draftsman).
Next to it is a fantastic, absolutely fantastic stamp from a set of 2 stamps issued in 1983 for the San Marino Grand Prix. The last stamp is from a set of four stamps issued in 1988, commemorating the 900th Anniversary of the University of Bolognia.

On this second card you can also see the Towers...well, all three of them, Guaita, Cesta and Montale.
This second card came as a surprise from Tolya from Russia

the stamps on the second card are from 1997 from an issue named 'cities', where they supposedly show how some cities have changed over the years. These two stamps show how Hong Kong has changed from 1897 to 1997.

It is funny how all of these are rather older stamps actually...

Kingston, Norfolk Island

Sunday morning...hmm, well ok, it is almost noon actually...but with this chilly cloudy weather it still feels like morning...not that I mind though...I love it this way...as long as it doesn't rain when I have errands to do outside the house...

well despite having some work to do, I just dont feel like it at ALL...i mean AT ALL!! But I dont feel like just wasting time either...so there always comes a back up solution...plus, it's been a while since I did an update...so here we are =)

Before I actually get down to it, if anyone's interested in my postman-saga...he did come the Monday before the last one...so that makes it like almost two weeks ago...early in the morning...both me and my mum 'greeted' him...in far from a 'heartwarming welcoming' manner..words-attack...blah blah blah from both of us...while he just stood there with this innocent and apologetic kind of attitude...that after like a minute of our 'lecturing rant' we both started feeling sorry for him and actually kinda regretted we started arguing in the first place...yep, that's the kind of man he is....which of course, doesnt free him of his guilt...but he makes you start thinking like 'ok, at least he does come from time to time and brings the mail, let's not make a big drama out of this'...yep, I hate myself for that, but I just couldnt help it...and of course, he hasnt come ever since, but at this point, I just cant really bother about it...the only thing i wonder is if it's just me having this problem, or the rest of the neighbours as well...and I dont think i'll find out cos the parametres of the experiment aren't really comparable here...he doesn't have to bring piles of postcards and letters to others...

He brought bunch of mail...that surely didn't just appear overnight, but he's been keeping it God knows where, since there was nothing at the PO either...gahh, he is really driving me insane you know..and it is just frustrating that there is obviously nothing I can do about it but just sit and wait...

well, what spares him the big trouble is that he brought a brand new country for my collection...written and stamped! Norfolk Island!! Oh yeah baby :D :D :D

Thanks a whole lot to Azzi for having hosted yet another cool group and for still not getting tired of me intruding those groups =) but yeah, I get greedy at opportunities like this...and I think most of the collectors would anyways =)
And frankly, I didnt really believe I would get the chance to receive a card from here...but I guess karma does like me sometimes...I thank her for that...and I promise I will return with a lot of good deeds as well.
Anyways....the card shows an aerial view over Kingston, NI's capital. To make a small clarification...Norfolk Island is a small island in the Pacific Ocean located between Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia and is part of the Commonwealth of Australia but enjoys a large degree of self-governance (and has its own stamps too :D). Together with two neighbouring islands, it forms one of Australia's external territories

I've learned that Kingston is actually in the centre of the Kingston and Arthurs Vale Historic Area, which was inscribed on the World Heritage List as one of the group of eleven Australian Convict Sites.. Why the name convict sites you may ask? Because it constitutes an outstanding and large-scale example of the forced migration of convicts, who were condemned to transportation to distant colonies of the British Empire.

and last, but not least...it is a LOVELY LOVELY view card!!

and GORGEOUS GORGEOUS stamps as well!! From a set of 6 Coastline stamps issued in 2013.
On the left stamp is Anson Bay, while on the right one is Bumboras.

Thanks soo soo so much again Azzi!

Egypt

here comes another update..yeah, that's quite soon you may say...well, it is indeed...and it's not like that is a bad thing now, is it? :)
but my fingers feel itchy, my mind feels anxious (in a strange way) and on Friday I am going away for a few days to the astronomy camp, so the next few days would be rather hectic as well, so I thought I'd post something now, otherwise it won't happen until some time next week...if then

just a short disappointing message first...there are NO postcards where I am going...there is actually not even a store or a small market...NOTHING...just houses and a small campsite...we are bringing all the food and even water with us since nothing can be bought there (there is water but it is just not drinkable)

based on the experience from last summer, one can easily survive in such conditions as long as he is well-prepared...and hopefully I will be =)

so, with that cleared up, lets take a look at a few cards for today..

First comes a map card from Egypt...

...and as Maria, the sender says 'No pyramids for you as you asked' :P yeah, I asked for anything but the pyramids cos the majority of the Egyptian cards I have (even though not many) have a pyramid or two on them..so no more pyramids please! And she did a great job here by sending me a map card...my first and only map card sent from Egypt so far! Love it!

a country I haven't yet visited, though I'd love to (when it is not too hot). There were protests and a revolution a few years ago and things got quite scary, but I think dust has settled down by now....well, I think...

the stamp is a definitive issued in 2011 showing a pharaoh

well, may not be entire Egypt shown, but it is a map card...and it is from Egypt, so I thought I'd include this postcard showing the Cairo Subway lines...

not many lines though for a city with over 10 million people..but I guess it works for them...personally I'd like to take that Railway line to Alexandria - though I had a few doubts after watching this video (note just that this is in the opposite direction, from Alexandria to Cairo), but hell, why not...it's gonna be an adventure, that's for sure :D

 

The Atomium, Belgium

A card I received for the Surprise Group in Andy's Vacation RR just last week...

Looks really impressive, don't you think?
This is the Atomium in Brussels, originally constructed for Expo '58, the 1958 Brussels World's Fair.
Designed by the engineer André Waterkeyn and architects André and Jean Polak, it stands 102 m tall. Its nine 18 m diameter stainless steel clad spheres are connected so that the whole forms the shape of a unit cell of an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times.
Tubes connect the spheres along the 12 edges of the cube and all eight vertices to the centre. They enclose escalators and a lift to allow access to the five habitable spheres which contain exhibit halls and other public spaces. The top sphere provides a panoramic view of Brussels.

CNN named it Europe's most bizarre building.

Seriously CNN?? SERIOUSLY??  I bet there are at least a few buildings over here that can take the crown of 'most bizarre'...

and yeah...another coffee incident just a few days ago..it was one of those days when everything goes wrong, so karma tried to kick in from all sides...well, I dont know how many things suffered...I honestly dont even want to know...life goes on....King Filip got to taste a bit of the Nescafe 3 in 1 strong...hope he liked it.
Issued in a set of 3 in 2013

French Polynesia

In case you have thought that I may have packed my bags and took off somewhere, nope, unfortunately no...that's not the reason why things have been silent here...but you are rather acquainted with my excuses so I'll skip that part :)

An extended weekend is ahead, that has gone wrong before it even started...I was supposed to go to an astronomy field trip that, of course, didn't happen due to the unfavourable weather conditions...and while waiting and hoping for some weather improvements, i missed another cool event and the opportunity to go to a music festival here in the southern part of the country with some friends..they thought that i was going to the field trip so naturally, they didn't consider me in the plans.....i do believe that everything happens for a reason even though I am not always aware what that reason is...but I have to admit I do feel quite bummed right now =/
Well, I thought that doing something good may make me feel better...like dedicating some time to a neglected blog for example...and here we are :)

Maybe not many cards for today but I hope you'll like them...and the first post has two breathtaking ones coming from that cool place of French Polynesia!

This first one arrived a few months ago for the Vacation RR, showing the probably best known of the islands, Bora Bora. (though Wikipedia disagrees and roots for Tahiti)
The island was first inhabited by Polynesian settlers around the 4th century AD, while the first European sighting was made by Jakob Roggeveen in 1722. James Cook came here around 1770. Bora Bora used to be an independent kingdom until 1888 when its last queen Teriimaevarua III was forced to abdicate by the French who annexed the island as a colony.

The stamp is from a set of 3 tourism stamps issued in 2011, where you can also see the island of Bora Bora! Really neat!


I decided to post the other FP card because the views are of the same kind, even though this one shows another of the FP island, and that is Huahine (first time I hear about it I have to admit).

Huahine s made up of two main islands, the Huahine Nui (Big Huahine)and Huahine Iti (Little Huahine, that are connected by a small bridge, which is probably like one of the main attractions here. The island itself has a population of about 6000

at first glance it may appear that there are two stamps on the card, but it is actually one stamp and a vignette....this one was also issued in 2011, for the Year of the Rabbit.
And this gorgeous Huahine card arrived back in 2011, thanks to JP!
Sometimes, realizations strike me for how long I've known some people, and it seems like it was just last year or so that we've 'met'.

Mañagaha Island, Northern Mariana Islands

Hello hello! Finally managed to squeeze in at least one June update...though this one was supposed to happen like over ten days ago, it just wasnt meant to be..it's been an extremely busy period..until now..and now hopefully now I can go all the way through it... I already mentioned in my last post on my stamps' blog that my dad installed a roof over our terrace, so now it feels so damn good to sit outside, have some coffee while writing this and feeling the nice summer breeze...yep, for a change, the summer days right now are not as hot and unbearable as they usually are...hope it stays this way..

Well, let's see what's been randomly chosen for this batch....first comes a paradise-kind-of-card from the exotic-kind-of-land of the Northern Mariana Islands!
I posted my first NMI card here, long long ago..and posting another one surely doesn't hurt..esp. when one doesn't get cards sent from there so frequently :)

And it is such such such a beautiful card...with the summer actually being here it just makes me long so much to go somewhere...though I dont really know if there would be such a chance this summer...*sniff*...but well, one can't have it all..

this lovely card shows the Mañagaha island, which is a small islet that lies off the west coast of Saipan within its lagoon. Although it has no permanent residents, Mañagaha is popular among Saipan’s tourists as a day-trip destination due to its wide sandy beaches and a number of marine activities including snorkeling, parasailing and jet skiing.
Well, I surely wouldn't mind spending some days here...and you?

unfortunately, the Northern Mariana Islands use the US stamps...HOWEVER, the cancellation is a proof this has been mailed from NMI directly. It has the famous American Toleware and the American clock stamps, while the third one hasn't so commonly showed up on my stamps and it shows the Wisdom Statue at Rockefeller Center in New York City...the catalogue says it was issued in 2003, but the stamp has the 2008 printed on it...so im a bit puzzled here...and also too lazy to check my older posts to see if I had come across this issue previously...

Colours, Aromas and Spices, Madagascar

Well, lets sneak in one more update in May!
That would be thanks to this tedious working assignment I have right now and when the closer you come to the end the more anxious you get (the negative kind of anxious).
So thank God there is a tennis match right now...and while watching that, I thought it would be nice to show a few cards as well, before I go back to the working stuff...yeah, I am multitasking...watching tennis, posting cards, drinking coffee..you name it :P

My first card for today arrived recently...and when choosing the cards for today I came to a realization that this is my first written and stamped one from Madagascar! I got quite confused cos I was convinced I had another w/s from there already, but obviously I was wrong...and that made me even more glad having received this splendid card, showing a beautiful market!

this place is simply a paradise for all senses...and even though our markets are maybe not arranged the same way, here you can find almost all the things you can see on the card, regarding vegetables, spices, seeds etc. Yes, conserving vegetables in jars like that is one of the favourite 'hobbies' of a typical Macedonian person :)
Comes in handy...esp. during winter.
And then those jars that look as if having some sort of paste/spread inside...reminds me of our ajvar or malidzano...mmhmm mhhm mhhmm, feeling hungry at the very thought of it!

But seriously, I could spend hours and hours at a place like this! And probably leave dizzy :)

Stamp was issued in 2012...and that's like all I know about it...for some reason information on Madagascar stamps is quite scarce...though while searching for this one I came across some other Madagascar issues..and boy my jaw dropped at all those space related stamps they have! EXTRAORDINARY!!
Maybe I'll get my hands on some of them...one day :)

Loch Lomond, Scotland

Beautiful beautiful card that I received from dear Maggie for the Vacation RR (and now this reminds me that mine never arrived - being in one of those doomed batches I sent back in November/December, whose trace is simply lost =/)

Loch Lomond is a freshwater Scottish loch which crosses the Highland Boundary Fault and is the largest inland stretch of water in Great Britain by surface area.The loch contains many islands, including Inchmurrin, the largest fresh-water island in the British Isles. Loch Lomond is a popular leisure destination and is featured in a song.
and for those who'd like to read it, here it goes:

By yon bonnie banks an' by yon bonnie braes
Whaur the sun shines bright on Loch Lomond
Whaur me an' my true love will ne'er meet again
On the bonnie, bonnie banks o' Loch Lomon'.

Chorus:
O ye'll tak' the high road, and Ah'll tak' the low road
And Ah'll be in Scotlan' afore ye
Fir me an' my true love will ne'er meet again
On the bonnie, bonnie banks o' Loch Lomon'. '

Twas there that we perted in yon shady glen
On the steep, steep sides o' Ben Lomon'
Whaur in (soft) purple hue, the hielan hills we view
An' the moon comin' oot in the gloamin’.

Chorus
The wee birdies sing an' the wild flouers spring
An' in sunshine the waters are sleeping
But the broken heart it kens, nae second spring again
Tho' the waeful may cease frae their greeting.

Chorus

Even if you may not understand each and every word, on the overall, the song is understandable and it doesn't take much to see it is a sad one.


and this is what you get when a 'smart ass' employee at Royal Mail is in charge of postcards...I really don't know which one is my favourite...the Canadians scribbling over the stamps with a pen, or this...

I fear Im gonna destroy the stamp if i try to peel the sticker off, so I have left it as it is...and if I could figure out correctly, the stamp is not issued by Royal Mail, but is part of the UK's Universal Mail stamps, which often feature some of UK's greatest landmarks. This one is from a set of 5 stamps featuring attractions in Edinburgh and all of them are intended for mailing postcards internationally, as you can see on the panel at the right side, which also features the Scottish flag.

Thanks a lot again Maggie!! ♥

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...

Alcobaça, Portugal

And life goes on...with a bunch of more great cards to show!

I received this one for the vacation RR this Saturday as well...showing the Alcobaça Monastery...in Alcobaça, of course, in central Portugal.
The church and monastery were the first Gothic buildings in Portugal, and, together with the Monastery of Santa Cruz in Coimbra, it was one of the most important of the mediaeval monasteries in Portugal. Due to its artistic and historical importance, it was listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1989.
It is considered as one of the most magnificent gothic monuments in the country. In the church are the tombs of Pedro I of Portugal and his murdered mistress Inês de Castro. Over the centuries this monastery played an important role in shaping Portuguese culture.

the stamp is from a set of 3 Education stamps issued in 2013. It is supposed to represent School Mail.


And I have this other card showing a part of the Alcobaça Monastery, that I received back in 2009...it was sent blank inside an envelope with a bunch of other cards...when I still didn't care too much if I received one written and stamped or a dozen in an envelope...now it is strictly written and stamped..I more care about quality than quantity..I dont need to just pile up cards which do not have the traces and feeling of having travelled...I think you know what I mean ;-)

Martinique

Rainy rainy Sunday evening...and really cold...not the most appealing weather for going out...not that Ive been in the mood for something else but staying at home doing nothing...this update was supposed to finally happen yesterday, but how I possibly managed to waste two days in vain, beats me!
Well, I must admit that actually this kind of gloomy weather does suit me..my mood in general sucks...I guess im on a roll of crappy things happening...so in general. when I'm not sleeping or giving/having classes, you'll find me either 1. catching up with postcards; 2. Playing Candy Crush Saga (yeah, seriously, that's what people feeling depressed do); 3. Arranging stamps; 4. Watching "Big Bang Theory".
And well, lets add 'posting postcards' to all that..hopefully on a more regular basis...for now I just wanted to change that sad post you end up seeing when you come for a visit...so it may not be some chatty long update, but still it counts as one..and to my surprise (again), I realized that this is my very first Martinique postcard here...when I was thinking why is it so, the answer I came up with is that probably I was waiting for a Martinique card with Martinique stamps...yeah, I can hear some of you bursting in laughter on behalf of my ignorance...I don't mind...I deserved it  =) So, here then comes the beautiful Martinique card with...of course, French stamps =)

kind of a dreamy card...during the winter months...and as for the basics, Martinique is one of the twenty-seven regions of France (being an overseas region) and an integral part of the French Republic. As part of France, Martinique is also part of the European Union, and its currency is the Euro. Its official language is French, although many of its inhabitants also speak Antillean Creole.

27 regions of France...no wonder I so often see French stamps on my postcards =P

This country owes its name to Christopher Columbus, who sighted the island in 1493 and finally landed on 15 June 1502. The island was then called "Jouanacaëra-Matinino", which came from a mythical island described by the Tainos of Hispaniola. According to the historian Sydney Daney, the island was called "Jouanacaëra" by the Caribs, which would mean "the island of iguanas". After Columbus' initial discovery, the name then evolved into Madinina ("Island of Flowers"), Madiana, and Matinite. When Columbus returned to the island in 1502, he rechristened the island as Martinica. Finally, through the influence of the neighboring island of Dominica (La Dominique), it came to be known as Martinique.

a small revelation: my first thought about Madinina 97.2 on the front of the card, was that it is a radio station in Martinique (yeah yeah, blushing blushing blushing :))))))))

well, Im not complaining about the frequency of French stamps...France has really nice stamps actually, and even nicer mini/souvenir sheets!
Both stamps were issued in 2012 and belong to two respective sets of 12 stamps..with the first one coming from the set of 'green vegetables' while the av...pardon, papaya one, is from the fruits' set...yeah, looks like an avocado to me, sorry :)

Edinburgh, Scotland

Well, if we had Wales, while not have Scotland as well while we are at it..Ive never posted an Edinburgh card before, so lets share some beauties here :)

dear Anu sent me this one for the favourites tag. lovely lovely lovely winter snowy view of the Edinburgh castle, known also as the Iconic Scottish Tourist Attraction.
Edinburgh Castle is located at the top of the Royal Mile, at the west end of Edinburgh's Old Town. The volcanic Castle Rock offers a naturally defended position, with sheer cliffs to north and south, and a steep ascent from the west. The only easy approach is from the town to the east, and the castle's defenses are situated accordingly, with a series of gates protecting the route to the summit of the Castle Rock.

Anu used lovely stamps on this one! And rather old ones! From left to right...first we have a great EUROPA stamp from 1992 from a set of two stamps on the theme Discovery of America. Next to it is one of the five Cinema stamps issued in 1996, commemorating the 100 years of going to the Pictures (yeah, actually the British people go the Pictures, the Americans to the Movies...) I must admit I find "Going to the Pictures" really old-fashioned, and just now I started thinking if it is still used nowadays or not...
At the very right we have a stamp issued in 1992, from a set of 4 Lord Tennyson stamps...(Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson, FRS was Poet Laureate of Great Britain and Ireland during much of Queen Victoria's reign and remains one of the most popular British poets)
And of course, a purpley Queen stamp =)

and for a comparison, here I also have the Edinburgh Castle in spring or summer...not quite sure...but it is nice to see it both covered with snow and without it.
And the back of the card says "Edinburgh Castle, dating from the 12th century, sits high on a crag of ancient volcanic rock. Seen here across Princes Street Gardens at dawn....ok, at least we know it's dawn, the season is irrelevant :))

the stamp is from a set of 8 Country Definitives (or Regionals' stamps), issued in 2011, with this one here representing...well, of course, Scotland!!

Long Bay Beach, British Virgin Islands

Been having an "itchy" keyboard for days and weeks (ahem, have no idea if it is appropriate to use itchy in such an expression but oh well, you get my point). And as usual, so much going on, combined with my overall disorganization, leads to no blog posts, and postcards just piling and piling up....*sigh*...I don't know if those 'time management' training courses work, but sometimes I do consider signing up for one...
anyways, due to the above mentioned reasons I haven't been so active in the postcrossing world either...with some exceptions *cough cough cough* but I hope to get back on track in the following days...along with showing you the beauties arriving in my mailbox...and for today Ill start by bragging with this card I received like over a month ago...my very first written and stamped card from the British Virgin Islands!!!! Yaaaaay!! I received one from the US Virgin Islands long long ago...but it had to be years before the British ones could be added to the collection as well =)
and thats all thanks to Pat the world traveler! If I can't travel the world, at least Im happy and thankful to know people who can and who send me postcards from there!

Pat seems to have enjoyed and relaxed and maybe had a couple of cocktails at this beautiful Long Bay Beach on the island of Tortola, which is the largest and most populated of the British Virgin Islands.
The BVI Tourism describes it as a mile-long stretch of white sand beach fringed with palms and sea grapes, perfect for a tranquil sunset walk. The eastern portion is lined with a resort and guest houses, while the western end offers peaceful solitude and ideal swimming.

It is not like it makes you dream of the ocean and sandy beaches at the end of October, is it...I mean why should you...you should enjoy the cold, gloomy, freezing days of autumn/winter....

and here comes the stamp....aaaaaaaaand, it is the Queen again...sometimes she is everywhere you turn to....this stamp is from a set of 4 issued in 2006, commemorating her Majesty's 80th anniversary.

Queen or no Queen, this card is a real gem for my collection and Im endlessly thankful to Pat for that!!

Traditional Wood Carvings, Rwanda

been quite here again for a while.....sorry about that...things just happen and time just flies...sometimes i really think i should take a break with postcrossing and all coz it becomes stressful...and it shouldnt be...it should be fun...but sometimes when you dont manage to keep up with it properly, it simply doesnt feel as it should feel and it is more like a burden than something to enjoy...and most of the time I just havent had the right mood for postcards either...so, we'll see how things develop.
Ive been wanting to make an update for a while, esp, since I have some really cool things I wanted to share with you, but due to a number of reasons I havent managed to do so until today...and well, without any further ado, lets take a look at a few cards that have arrived over the past few months...

And first, as the protocol goes, will dedicate my attention to a brand new country, and this time we have a great card coming from Rwanda!!

I was lucky to get into the Rwanda group at the Vacation RR, and am happy to have received my very first written and stamped card from this really rare country!!
Rwanda is this not that big country, located in the heart of Africa, but very densely populated.
The Rwandans express their ingenuity in traditional art through basket making, wood carving, pottery, sculpture and house decorations...and on the card we can see one of those pieces of art, that is, traditional wood carvings. Im not sure what exactly the carvings on the card present, but it is said that since more and more tourists visit this country and buy carvings, there should be an increased awareness of the beauty and durability as well as the cultural and historical values of wood carving, despite it has not brought substantial income for the carvers.

and we have two lovely stamps...unfortunately, not cancelled...but well it was sent from Rwanda indeed :)
the stamp on the left was issued in 1983 in a set of 10 Agriculture stamps, while the other one is from 2010, from a set of 5 paintings, representing the art and culture of Rwanda.

Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Im happy to have received a card from Sarajevo...from the modern times! The very few ones I have date back from over 20 years ago and though the may still are not entitled for the vintage section, they are old.

the one here shows the Latin Bridge in BiH's capital (also named the Princip Bridge during the Yugoslavian times).
It is a historic Ottoman bridge over the River Miljacka.
The northern end of the bridge was the site of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria by Gavrilo Princip in 1914, which became a casus belli of World War I. So a really important bridge you have here, being the silent witness of so many events over the years.

and on the brighter side, for all those nostalgic souls...here is an even more nostalgic song, where you have a reference about this famous river...and the young couples' memories, exchanging kisses and affection along its shores....*sigh*
For the rest, Crvena Jabuka (or Red Apple) is one of those very famous ex-yu bands, whose songs even nowadays people know by heart and like listening to :) However, this one here in particular is not really on my favourites' list...still, it ain't a bad one :)

as for the stamps...I often see this carrot one, issued in 2006 as a part of 5 vegetable stamps. The other one is a definitive from 2012, representing Old Cities, with this stamp showing the city of Tešanj. You know, when it comes to defintivies, usually your idea about them are some boring plain stamps...but this one is just fantastic I must say!

Alaska, USA

My last card for today comes from the beautiful Alaska...and i was so happy to receive this one coz it was in my favourites for a long long time

the card shows an Eskimo mother with her children in Northern Alaska...boy, as it wasnt enough it is Alaska, it even has to be northern :P

I love those Eskimo clothes...they are so nice and colourful with such interesting designs....we could have used these this winter, since there was this period when our temperatures dropped at -15 degrees...ok, not as cold as in Northern Alaska, thats for sure, but it was that time of the year, when you dont feel like going anywhere coz you cant dress something properly without looking like a stuffed bear.
Speaking of cold temperatures...I cant help but laugh at Los Angeles, and their alarming state coz of...+ 13 degrees Celsius apocalypse...




at times i want to believe it is a parody and not real news broadcasts...i wonder how they practice soccer in Alaska then...

well, you know the stamp :)

thanks for reading and for still coming back to give it a check (hopefully)

Kilauea, USA

Long time ago (actually at the beginning of my posctcrossing career) I posted some Hawaiian volcanoes, here and here. Compared to those, these are in an active mode and are so bright and colourful :)

the card above is called "Birth Day" and the back of the card says: Almost every day the newest land on Earth is born here on Hawai'i Island. Since 1983, when most recent eruption began on the southeast flank of Kilauuea, nearly a cubic mile of lava has gushed forth, adding some 500 acres of new land - so far: Often, our excitable volcano goddess Pele likes to celebrate with fireworks when she gives birth.

Interesting story and an amazing eruption!
Thanks a lot to Mary for sending me this awesome card as a part of her Vacations RR group. She also used a number of lovely stamps as you can see below:

the two on the right side are part of the four stamps issued in 2011 representing the US Merchant Marine (i really like those); the top left stamp was issued in 1974 as a part of 4, mineral heritage stamps, while the Magna carta stamp below dates back from 1965. I dont know if Mary had these stamps purchased in advance or found them on spot (though my guess bets on the first), but she certainly had put effort in them!

US-1478078

the second volcano came as an official card, and it again represents the Kilauea volcano at twilight and you can see (or not) how lava is flowing into the ocean. 

the stamps you can see hee are the American clock from 2003, the Cars from the Send a Hello series, issued in 2011, and one more ship from the US Merchant Marine series....the owl is a sticker ;-)

Baked Potato Soup, USA

next is something which could come in well during these winter days (as much as I had enjoyed the sun this Saturday, the weather has gone crazy again here...)

so here is your ultimate guide on how to prepare an Idaho baked potato soup.

what you need for this are:
- ⅔ cup butter or margarine
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- 7 cups milk
- 4 large baking potatoes, baked, peeled and cubed (about 4 cups)
- 4 green onions, sliced
- 12 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
- 1¼ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup sour cream
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper

Basic cooking instructions: In large soup kettle or Dutch oven, melt the butter. Stir in flour; heat and stir until smooth. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly until thickened. Add potatoes and onions. Bring to a boil; stirring constantly. Reduce heat; simmer for 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients; stir until cheese is melted. Serve immediately. Yield: 8-10 servings.

Bon Appétit!
thanks a lot to Tina for this angel card that she sent on behalf of one of the cards in this RR that never arrived. Tina always sends great cards. This one from The Subway is just a proof of that.

and the stamps...with the new postage rate....the Monarch butterfly is a definitive issued in 2010. Next to it is a stamp issued in a set of 4 in 2003 from the Third American Treasures Series, featuring works by Mary Cassatt, an American painter and printmaker. The third, 4c stamp featuring a stagecoach from 1890s, was issued in 1982.