Northern Ireland

After a failed attempt to go to sleep, I thought that I at least use the time somewhat wisely, instead of just watching a movie or something...and at an hour past midnight, I don't really have the focus for reading...I feel that I am not fully 'armed' for rambling either, so I guess that's a good sign :P Let's just see if I'm up for going through all the cards I've foreseen for today...

I'll start today's update with a country long time neglected, even though Alvin sent me this card back in 2012...her majesty of Northern Ireland

What I really love about it is the colours, esp those violet tones..and everything feels like in harmony.

from the backside: Northern Ireland within its compass, incorporates arguably the most diverse array of inherent natural beauty in Western Europe. Its magnificent mountain ranges, fascinating river scenery, barren plains, glens and rolling hills, have down through the years, earned the country a mystic fascination which has no precedent.

Yeah, I have this inexplicable fascination with Northern Ireland too...might have to blame it on Belfast Child...one of the most emotionally powerful songs like EVER! The black and white video just adds to it...

now that I've mentioned it, I may just as well add it for you to enjoy...such a pity though they didn't play this one at their concert here a few months ago...and I so much hoped they will...

no NI stamps of course, so just the usual Royal Mail ones, with the inevitable Queen :) and a great Paralympics stamp issued in 2012 in a total of 33 different stamps, representing Gold Medal Winners - this one shows Neil Fachie and Barney Storey who won Great Britain's third gold medal of the Paralympic Games track cycling programme in the tandem one-kilometre time-trial at the London 2012 velodrome.

Thanks Alvin!!

Belfast, Northern Ireland

Being that i dont have many Irish cards...or actually, no Northern Irish ones, i consider it as a rare country (in my collection) hence it deserves to inaugurate today's update...

and its my first ever card showing something from Belfast...and this fish you see here is considered to be the most recognized piece of artwork in the city.

The Big Fish, Laganside, Belfast: This 10 metre Salmon was commissioned to celebrate the regeneration of the River Lagan. The 'outer' skin of the fish is a cladding of ceramic tiles decorated with texts and images related to the history of Belfast. The artist, John Kindness, is one of Northern Ireland's best known artists.

at least it has a significance and meaning and isnt just put there as the statues we have in our city centre

the stamp is from a set of 4 definitives issued in March this year representing Northern Ireland's landscape.