Yuri Gagarin, Italy

This post was supposed to happen 3 days ago, commemorating Gagarin´s travel into space...but due to a number of reasons I didn't manage to do it in time...and not even the next day...or the next...(I actually haven't been able to post anything for like two weeks even though I had some cards already prepared)....as for the reasons...my allergy kicked in and it's been terribly annoying, preventing me from normal functioning...then I had to do deal with some issues out of nowhere....and on top of it prepare for this job interview which took place yesterday....and which I must say was like one of the most disappointing job interviews I have ever had...like EVER!  It was not about something long-term...just one year for this future project...and you know, I was so delighted that I actually entered the shortlisted-candidates....but then because of a few factors my delight went down the drain...and then you leave the building, wandering like lost around the city and you have this sight of armed soldiers, tanks, water-cannons because of the current situation here and the protests going on.....yeah, quite a reality to live in...and when you sum it all up, postcards are not really something you think of...apologies to all waiting a card from me...I promise to put it in the mail in the next few days :)


Anyways, back to Gagarin...as you know, on April 12th, 1961, the charming Gagarin and his Vostok went on a journey into outer space, completing an orbit of the Earth...the first human to have ever done so...yeah, if I ever get asked to name like the 5 most charming men in the world, Gagarin would take one of the spots ;-)

now this maxi-card here was issued by the Italian post in 2011, commemorating the then, 50th anniversary of his journey into space....I have no cards or anything commemorating the 55th unfortunately

Genova, Italy

A card showing a beautiful lighthouse in Genova...and I think that I dont actually have many Italian cards with lighthouses in general...

This lighthouse is considered as one of the most famous ones in Italy and also the symbol and landmark of Genova. With its 76 meters it is considered to be the world's fifth tallest lighthouse, but if you consider it as a whole with the natural rock on which it stands, as it is commonly perceived and represented, its height 117 m.
Also, rebuilt in its current shape in 1543 replacing the former lighthouse, it is the world's third oldest lighthouse.

I didn't know till now (since google constantly underlined it) that the correct name in English is Genoa and not Genova as I had thought (and as it is stated on the card, since that's the correct Italian name, and as we also pronounce it here in Macedonia, with 'v').

a nice big stamp issued in 2012 in a set of two stamps showing Botanical Gardens (this one showing one in Catania).

Thanks a lot to Carla for the great card and stamp!

Paestum, Italy

Another surprise card from JP, where this one arrived recently.

Haven't heard of this place until I was introduced to it thanks to this card...and it is definitely a great place to visit!
Paestum was a major ancient Greek city on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea in Magna Graecia. After its foundation by Greek colonists under the name of Poseidonia, it was eventually conquered by the Lucanians and later the Romans.
Here you can find some of the most well-preserved ancient Greek temples in the world. However, it is not as famous and not as visited as Pompeii...which is a pity!

 

the stamp was issued this year, commemorating the 400th Anniversary of the Birth of Martino Martini, (1614-1661, who was an Italian Jesuit missionary, cartographer and historian, mainly working on ancient Imperial China.

Thanks so much JP for the lovely card...as always! :))

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

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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 =/

Pompeii, Italy

a great official card arrived the other day in the mailbox!

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Ive ben wanting a card from Pompeii for a long time, and there it is at last! Plus it is a new contribution to my UNESCO whs collection!

I simply love such old non-existent places nowadays...there is something really appealing and fascinating about them, making you wonder about the people who had lived there, their way of life and everyday work. And more than often im fascinated with the architecture in these places and what has been achieved in that sense taking in account the available means and resources.
The specific thing about Pompeii is that it was was destroyed and completely buried during a long catastrophic eruption of the volcano Mount Vesuvius spanning two days in the year AD 79. Believe it or not, the city was completely lost until accidentally rediscovered in 1749. Can you imagine how it is for a whole settlement to be wiped away? And wonder what has happened to all the inhabitants?

the card shows a number of famous places and things in Pompeii, and if anyone from Italy could send me a single view of these, id be really happy...im especially interested in the Temple of Jupiter, the main Forum, the amphitheatre, the House of the Faun and the Garden of the Fugitives.

Grazie!

Vincenzo, the sender, also used some really nice and not so usual stamps...or more specifically, rather older ones and also a number of these are Vatican stamps, not Italian. The top right one is from a set of 6 stamps regarding the Second Vatican concile, while the three next to it are a set of Christmas stamps. All these were issued in 1966. The bottom stamps are Italian, where the left one was issued in 1960 and is a part of a 9 stamps-set commemorating the Olympic games in Rome, while the stamp next to it was issued in 1962, representing a Counting court.  Unfortunately, there is no cancellation, so i cant tell where this card has bee mailed from, whether Vatican or Italy...and if someone actually knows maybe...are Italian stamps valid in Vatican and vice-versa?

Matera, Italy

this card arrived as a surprise from Silvan's trip to Italy in 2010

the card comes from the city of Matera, located in southern Italy. In particular, here you can see Sassi di Matera (or Stones of Matera) which are prehistoric cave dwellings, composed of the Sasso Caveoso and the later Sasso Barisano. If you take a closer look, you will indeed find the whole concept very interesting and rather unique.Many of these "houses" are really only caverns, and the streets in some parts of the Sassi often are located on the rooftops of other houses. Matera is the only place in the world where people can boast to be still living in the same houses of their ancestors of 9,000 years ago.
It is also on the UNESCO whs list.

there is a great stamp along, showing the icon known as Luciano Pavarotti. The stamp was issued in 2009 in a set of 3, "Italia 2009 - Music Day" stamps.

Thanks a lot Silvan!  

San Giulio, Italy

A very nice official card I received from Italy

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Ok, I cant say im longing for snow and cold weather...ive honestly had it for this winter...but I do long for a tranquil scene like this, somewhere outside the urban jungle, where you can go and just relax, totally disconnected from everyday life. This feels like nutrition food for the senses and a recharger for the mind.
In case you were wondering and maybe want to pack your bags and head right here, this is the San Giulio island within Lake Orta in Piedmont, northwestern Italy. To avoid confusions, the island is the thing which you can see in the distance, through the fog, and the place from where this pic was taken is the village of Orta San Giulio.

there is a legend connected to this place, which says that the Island of St. Giulio was dominated by a big serpent that destroyed everything. But when St. Giulio, that had the power to command over the waves, the storms, the wild animals and the human beings, arrived near the lake , waving his hand he chased away the dangerous menacing animal. He reached the Island journeying over the water on his cloack guided by his staff. The big reptile disappeared and St. Giulio, tired and near to his death, thought that the island was the right place to build his hundredth and last church dedicated to the Holy Apostles.

the stamp on the right is from a set of 3 stamps issued in 2009, regarding the Italian Masters of the 20th Century and here a piece of art by Giacomo Manzu is shown. The other stamp is a definitive issued in 2010 in a set of 3 stamps.  

Ischia, Italy

Here is a very nice map card I got some months ago as an official card.

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Ischia is a volcanic island in the Tyrrhenian Sea, at the northern end of the Gulf of Naples. There are a number of sites worth visiting on the island, among which are: Aragonese Castle, Gardens of La Mortella, Gardens of Villa Ravino, Villa La Colombaia etc.

Ischia's history is as rich and as varied as its climate and natural properties, beginning with the Greeks, who colonised the island in the eighth century B.C. naming it Pithecusa which translated means "monkey", in reference to the prevalence of these animals on the island in ancient times. Unlike today, the volcano was active. Possibly because of an eruption, the island was abandoned by the original inhabitants, and the more temperate town of Cuma was founded on the mainland.
There were a lot of turbulences in its history until it finally found tranquility in modernity, and since the invention of the Grand Tour has been subjected to nothing worse than invasions of fleets of tourists, exploring the island on the picturesque three wheeled microtaxis equipped for touring.

The stamp in the top right corner was issued in 2008, Celebrating Rome as the capital city, while the others are Italian definitives showing women, issued in 2002.

Desenzano del Garda, Italy

My last card of today shows a lovely view of Desenzano, located on the Lake Garda in Italy.

This is the largest lake in Italy, located in the Northern part of the country, about halfway between Venice and Milan.
Being easily accessible from the north via the Brenner Pass, the lake is a major tourist destination, including a number of exclusive hotels and resorts along its shore. Being close to Milan, Lake Garda has had an influence on the world of fashion .

a well known Italian definitive stamp from 2004, featuring women.

Lido di Jesolo, Italy

And the closure for today is with this fantastic lighthouse card which came as a surprise from Rajko....

Hmm, ok...I didnt actually plan it on purpose to make this update *dedicated* to some of my friends from the ex-yu forum....i noticed it after i had chosen the cards...but I do think things happen for a reason :)
Recently Rajko went on a graduation trip to Italy/Spain/France and of course enjoyed himself more than ever before....and also it reminded me of the times when I went on that tour...if I could, I would immediately pack my bags and get lost again on such a trip....regardless how tiring it was, I enjoyed every millisecond of it.
Here you can see the lighthouse in Lido di Jesolo...or Jesolo Lido...as it sounds more common to you.
Im just not quite sure what the exact  name of this lighthouse is, but it certainly is LOVELY!

The stamp was issued in 2008, representing Italian Sport, dedicated to the Italian Rowing Federation (1888-2008).

Hvala ti Rajko, once again :)

And im off to get ready for the Nadal-Almagro match.....

Venice, Italy

when i look at it, i regret for being a totally anti-artistic person and cant even draw a simple tree properly...

this is a part of the summer sand sculpture festival held in Jesolo Lido, on the coast 30 km from Venice. Each year it has a different theme, where this year it was Dante's Inferno! (if anyone has a postcard of it, please please, let me know!).
On the card you can see the festival from 2003, where the theme was The Ancient Rome.

actually, when i think about it, i would love to have all cards possible, showing each year of this festival! i just love this and love this sort of art! yeah, i call it art!

Monza, Italy

Yup...finally after a longer while, F1 related card here...but unfortunately, with not much personal talk and points of view, since as with most of the races lately, i just dont have the itch to watch it...gets really tedious..

But i have to say im pleased how it ended....and it was like that only coz Hamilton who was third, crashed into the wall at the very very last lap...so of course, the driver who was fourth, came into the third position....and guess who was 4th?? But of course,...KIMIIIII!! So it was good to see him on the podium! I just regret not having watched the previous race in Spa...i even have a postcard for it, but since i was out of the country, i wasnt able to watch, and of course, even if i did, i wouldnt have been able to post it here...but after sooo many years, i missed a race, and thats when Raikkonen had to win, and i couldnt witness it! Now, you'd say, why such a fuss...well, if you know how Raikkonen has been doing lately, then you'd know that winning aint in his agenda....and once he wins after so long, and i missed it =|
As for the race today, as i already said, it wasnt much fun...Raikkonen started 3...ended up third...had Sutil breathe in his neck all the time...and that was a bit tensed...i thought he was gonna oveertake....but luckily he didnt. No special happenings during the race that are worth mentioning. Barichello won...Button was second...i dont know how the Brawns managed to be so competitive this year, but they are surprising me big time...so surprising, that it even makes me paranoid :))  I often think that in order to make the F1 circus more interesting, they had to somehow put behind the dominating teams, and bring forward some of the outsiders...but i dont know...this is getting boring as well...at the beginning of the season it was fun to see another team dominating and felt like a huge refreshment...but after it started repeating over and over again, it somehow lost its charm..
I do miss Massa though.....but at least he is alive.

Roma, Italy

I got this card from Val and her short Rome trip...and i have to say that im actually fascinated that people do send me cat cards! I dont know how it works, do you see a cat card and makes you think of me, and you get 9 city views and 1 cat card, or its somehow else...but i really love this kind of thoughtfulness, and honestly, it gets me spoiled as well :D

I have a bunch of Rome cards, from my trip there, and of course, they are all some city views...multi/single..whatever...and im very happy that i actually have the chance to see Rome from a different cat aspect :)
Val says that she had seen lots of cats wandeting everywhere, and that she even saw one at the Coloseum! Hah...one lucky cat that is...not to have to pay an entrance ticket, and yet get the chance to see the Coloseum....
Btw...what you can see on the card is a Fragment of the statue of Constantine...as for the cats, feel free to give them your own names...

Toscana, Italy

One of my personally bought cards from my trip to Italy...I just dont know why the white lines around the letters for Toscana look soo annoying...as if they are simply screaming!

This past week has been really scarce on postcards...well, ive been somewhat left behind in sending cards lately as well, i focused more on some other kind of mail, so i think there lies the main reason...but i hope the following one will be more fruitful...i need mail, a LOT!
Its rather late, but i have a lot of stuff pending...i need to clean around a bit...i need to prepare stuff for work for the following week...i need to finish a book...i need to write some letters...
Oh, and today is 8th of March....international women's day...im not fond of holidays which are planned to be commemorated on one day only, coz they feel forced and all...but i do want to wish all women out there, Happy Women's Day...and to my mum ill buy something when she least expects it instead on a day like today when she is supposed to get something...plus i think, the day itself has lost a lot of its significance and the way its celebrated from the time when i was little for example...feels stranger and colder and simply alienated...just like the whole world around me....yeah, i need to get out of this mood, PRONTO! :)
See you during following week my dear postcard collectors!

Christmas Cards

These are the cards i had received from my other dear friends....cards are again posted in order they had been received...if any additional cards arrive, ill add them to this post...

from Roberta in Italy

 

from Ana in Serbia

  

 from Asako in USA

  

from Nicole in the Netherlands

  

from Lucie in Czech Republic

  

from Rafal in Germany

  

from Leyla in Belgium

  

from Charity in Canada

 

Thank you everyone for brightening up my mailbox! Luv ya all!!!

Christmas Stamps

And here is an extra post for all you who love and collect stamps... i know that many of you who drop by here are into stamps, so here is a small treat for you...my Christmas gift to you ;)

just enjoy it...i dont think any comment is necessary coz the stamps themselves are pretty self-explanatory....if there is a stamp which is not Christmas related it means that it couldnt have been left out, in order to scan the Christmas ones.....any additional Christmas stamps received upon Christmas cards will be added here....too bad Macedonia didnt issue some nice ones this year...there was one, but it was intended for mail inside the country, and either way, as usual, the post offices didnt really offer them...otherwise, i would have put one on the mail i had sent...

 

Hope you like them :) 

Regular postings will be back from tomorrow on so stay tuned :)

Italy

I was totally stunned when i found this card in my mailbox...apart that its a map card, its twice the size of a normal card....so its just absolutely PERFECT!!!! I totally love this one!!! Totally totally totally!!!!

From what i could have comprehended, this map shows the places in Italy where you can find honey...i dont know if it im right, but i think it shows different places and says what kind of honey is produced in that part of Italy...but i may be totally wrong....there is a text in Italian on the back, so ill write it down...and any help with it will be more than appreciated:

Il miele, i mieli
Alimento naturale per eccellenza

Dolce o amaro, liquido o cristallizzato, chiaro o scuro, con aromi e sapori diversissimi. L'Italia dispone di un patrimonio unico al mondo, per ció é d'obbligo parlare di mieli al plurale, come giá avviene per i vini e i formagii del nostro bel paese


i understand some bits and pieces of it...but i surely cant make it as a whole...

However,  Roberta....the greatest of thank-you's for choosing to send me this card....you just nailed it right on the spot!! Grazie!!!!!!!

Milano, Italy

A card from my friend Kate...well, the things with her are status quo compared to the last postcard i had related to her...so nothing new to talk about...

the card here shows the Sforzesco Castle in Milan...it houses several of the city's museum and art gallery collections.
The original construction on the site began in the 14th century by Francesco Sforza nd it was further modified by later generations.
The castle was severely damaged as a result of the allied bombardment of Milan in 1943 during World War II
The best known of the current civic museums is the Pinacoteca del Castello Sforzesco with an art collection which includes Michelangelo's last sculpture, Mantegna;s Trivulzio Madonna and  da Vinci;s Codex Trivulzianus manuscript.

Never read the "Da Vinci Code" book....never had the urge for it...really dont know what should it take so I change my mind and read it actually :)

Venice, Italy (06)

Here is a card i bought during my European trip

I dont know if we got the wrong time, but i wasnt impressed much of Venice...when we went there, the weather in general was cold and rainy and windy...so i guess i couldnt expereince Venice the right way.
Well, at least I did get tonz of cards from there, so Venice is one of those places from where i have so many cards that frankly, im not craving to receive another one :)

This card shows an exceptional high-tide on St. Marco's square...so exceptional, that i dont know if im seeing right or no, but that guy on the card...is he actually walking through the water? Thats insane!! Unless something's wrong with my eyes and im not seeing it properly...the funny thing is that he is sooo calm about it and keeps walking as if he is going on an everyday trekking....i dont know...maybe for me its insane...for Venetians it may be a normal every day sight...

well, thats all for today...i need to get back to work...and go to work again later in the evening..i hate this scattered schedule im having, but i guess i dont have much of a choice but to put up with it...