Postcard User Guide

Ok, one more card for today...and something relaxing and funny :))

Well, the whole text is on the card, so I will let you read it yourselves and have a laugh at this Postcard User Guide for Dummies...seriously, I wouldn't be surprised if some people actually needed something like this....

thanks a lot to dear Anu for tagging me for this one...been wanting it in my collection for a long while :)

edit: it feels embarrassing when days later you become aware you have forgotten to include the stamps...but at least I have my chance for a corrective measure, and here they are! (what bothers me is that I so much wanted to brag with that bicycle stamp but in the end I didn't even post it...)

Anu included three awesome stamps here...and starting with, well the bicycles, of course :D issued...wow, in 1978!! in a set of four stamps, commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the First International Cycling Organizations. I could have sworn it is a newer stamp...it just doesn't at all look older than me! :)))
the stamp above it was issued in 1998, also in a set of four, all showing nonsensical Drawings by Edward Lear - he was an English artist, illustrator, musician, author and poet, and is known now mostly for his literary nonsense in poetry and prose and especially his limericks, a form he popularised.
The last stamp was issued in 2003 in a set of 10, commemorating the 50th Anniversary of The Coronation.
(sorry again Anu for this silly unintentional mistake....i hope it won't repeat again :))

Well, enjoy your February everyone! It has gotten rather insane here and we've been having temperatures of like 20 degrees for a few days now...i like these spring-time temperatures, but kinda feels odd at this time of the year....

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 :)

Corsica, France

Corsica...even nowadays, still sometimes my mind first thinks of Italy and not France...probably cos it is somewhat closer to Italy than France...and it is like a perfect piece to add and have the Sicily-Sardinia-Corsica trio..but thing is, when some ideas are so incorporated into your mind, it is really difficult to get read of them...

Here you can see the fortress in the town of Corte, where German prisoners used to be kept during WWI.
Corte used to be the capital of the Corsican independent state during the period of Pasquale Paoli, while nowadays it is considered as a major university town in Corsica.

a cute agriculture-related stamp, issued in 2013, to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the International Agricultural Show in Paris


now I also have this map card of Corsica...and your task is to find Corte :)

you notice that the top right corner is torn, no?
but would you believe me if I tell you that it arrived in an envelope and wasn't sent w/s?
yep, you read that right...I know many people collect only cards sent in an envelope, where one of the reasons is that without an envelope they often get damaged during transport...but here is something to burst the bubble...yeah, sorry to disappoint you that no mailing system is damage-proof...

speaking of damaged cards...I received this absolutely gorgeous one from Germany last week..but boy, I don't even wanna think of the torture it has gone through during its journey...I'll show it to you one day :)

btw, managed to find Corte on the map?

Route 66, USA

Maybe you remember, maybe you dont...maybe you've never been introduced to the fact that when it comes to DM, there must be a Route 66 card as well...with a slight difference that this time there will be more than one card...cos it's been like two years since I've posted anything Route 66...and then I've acquired so many Route 66 cards over time...so should give them a fair chance to be shown...plus, all the ones for today come from different people..and with lovely different stamps...how could I have resisted??



First one comes from Erin, for the North American RR...

the text on the back says: This legendary route began in 1926 in Chicago, IL and passes through the states of Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and ends in Santa Monica, CA. This 2,448 mile stretch of highway is also known as "The Mother Road", "Main Street USA", and Will Roger's Highway.
I definitely prefer "Route 66"

stamps: the American Clock, the American Toleware, the Silver Coffeepot (I think this one doesn't come so often, issued in 2007), a great lighthouse stamp from the 2013 New England Coastal Lighthouses set, showing the Boston Harbor in Massachusetts...and a lovely Johnny Cash stamp, also issued in 2013.


Another one that arrived for the North American RR, this time from Megan.

no text on the back, but that's why there is a bunch of cool stamps!

starting from the cat...pardon, the Bobcat, issued in 2012..then there is an old stamp showing Garibaldi, issued in a set of two stamps in 1960...next to it is an 'energy conservation' stamp issued in 1977. And two Forever stamps from 2013 - first comes one commemorating the 10th Anniversary of the Death of Althea Gibson, 1927-2003, while the other one commemorates the 50th Anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington.


Get your kick...or get your fill..whichever you prefer...though if you are a lady I guess you wouldn't mind this scene along your Route 66 journey ;-)

received this one from Denise and she says that back in the days attendants did pump gas for the customers....sorry for the dumb question, but when did this change? and who is in charge for pumping gas now?

3 stamps - George Washington from 2011, and two adorable Pixar stamps from 2012, showing "A Bug's Life" and "Monsters"


One more for the North American RR....from Cynthia..

back of the card: Route 66 was declared 'The Main Street of America" by the U.S. Highway 66 Association. Originally used as an advertisement to stimulate tourism on the highway, the nickname was never forgotten.

stamps: the American clock...the Chippendale chair next to it (I dont think I see this one often - issued in 2004...and two great stamps from a set of 4 issued in 2012, representing Innovative Choreographers - in particular, José Arcadio Limón, and Robert Louis Fosse



I love this black and white sign..and arrived from...well, of course, Bryon..such an update couldn't go without him ;-)

he added a new Route 66 to my collection and new lovely stamps! though im quite sure he has forgotten he has sent it to me...since it dates back from March 2012 (yeah, shame on me!)

first one was issued in 1982, showing Francis of Assissi...next is a very very cool stamp called "Take me out to the ball game", issued in 2008...and a Forever stamp from 2012, putting some attention on Heart Health.




one from Esra for the favourites tag!

back of the card:
* Established in 1926 and since celebrated in popular music, film and literature
*Spanned 8 states and 3 time zones
* Has had several nicknames, including "The Mother Road", "The Main Street of America" and the "Will Rogers Highway"
* Used by migrant farm workers headed to California during the 1930's Dust Bowl
* In 1984, the last segment of US 66 in Arizona decommissioned as federal highway
* Several segments are still named 66, but instead designated as state highways
* Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington D.C displays a 40-foot stretch of the highway
* Portions now designated as National Scenic Byway marked "Historic Route 66"

a somewhat forgotten stamp - issued in 2012, showing the Lancaster County in Pennsylvania...



aaaand just one more!

absolutely love this one! the car gives such a cool feeling to it all...like from some old horror movie...and I almost read "hell" on the sign, just to realize it was a "Shell" sign...disappointments! :)
Received from Angie, for the Choose a Country RR...

George Washington again on a stamp...and two new ones,both Forverer stamps issued in 2012...above George is a Sailing ship, commemorating The 200th Anniversary of the War of 1812...the other stamp shows the American writer, William Sydney Porter, known by his pen-name O.Henry.

Well guys, I hope you enjoyed the posts today...will be back next time on the regular track (by this I mean posting cards that have nothing to do with my trips, so no endless rambling..)

Unfortunately I will have to end this update with the sad news that the great Robin Williams has died...not that he was my favourite actor or anything (though he was a great one), just that such news always make me realize how fragile and unexpected life is and that one should really take all the chances and opportunities it gives you, even when you think it may be a trivial thing.

Stay well!

From Tokyo with love, Japan

ok, last for today we are going to Tokyo...another somewhat neglected country - no Japanese post since February 2012...and ive acquired a few Tokyo cards in the meantime, so here are they all...

however, before I get down to the cards, I wanted to share something with you that is somehow related...namely, two videos of a Tokyo choir singing...Macedonian traditional songs! I was just speechless when I watched these for the first time because these people DO actually sing in Macedonian..and on one hand it seems so amazing, on the other it's kinda funny..I really wonder if they do understand the words, but needless to say their pronunciation is just surprising! in the most positive way!
the first video shows them during practice, the second one is a performance on stage with the probably best Macedonian opera singer, Blagoja Nacoski, who is the one responsible for these Japanese people having the chance to learn something Macedonian. Hats down to him for that!!





this is just one of those moments when you get that fuzzy feeling in your heart..




I just admire the clarity with which they sing the words of a language that they probably never have heard before....



ok, now onto the Tokyo cards...where just each and every one of them seems to be showing the Tokyo Tower...

First is an official received back in 2010...

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And what's the Tokyo Tower actually? - It is a communications and observation tower, which with its 333 metres is the second tallest structure in Japan.
It is an Eiffel Tower-inspired lattice tower that is painted white and international orange to comply with air safety regulations. Ill mention the bridge a bit later...

I love it how  Satomi, the sender, included the vignette or whatever additional part of the stamp this is...looks amazing! It was issued in 2007 in a set of 10 stamps for the Letter Writing Day, representing Poetry and Paintings...and if I could identify it right, this one shows the waka poet Sarumaru no Dayū


the following two cards are blank, so I can just take wild guesses about the origin and year of arrival..

first one is a night view of the Tokyo Tower.....

...while the second one shows the Rainbow Bridge...a somewhat similar card to the first one, except this one shows a wider picture of the same place..even the colours are the same :)

the Rainbow Bridge is a suspension bridge crossing northern Tokyo Bay, whose construction started in 1987 and was completed in 1993. The bridge is 798 metres longwith a main span of 580 metres. Its name has been decided by the public - a good one I must say!
There are lamps placed on the wires supporting the bridge, which are illuminated into three different colors, red, white and green every night using solar energy obtained during the day.
Sounds like something the Japanese would think of :)))


and well, the last card was in my favourites for a long while and then I finally received it in the favourites tag last year thanks to Masako!

There is just something special about the perspective of the card that makes it soo appealing...not to forget the predominant dark-blue colour. Just love it!!

and Masako used to great train stamps! the left one is a locomotive from a set of two issued in 1975, showing the Class 9600 Locomotive No. 69820
. the other stamp was issued in 1977, again in a set of two, commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Japanese Underground Railway.

Well, that would be all for today folks...just four posts, but so many cards...hope you liked some of them...

till next time, stay well!

9 Million Bicycles...or just Hippy Happy =)

Ok, since I started with bragging, let's do a bit more of it :D I guess someone's gonna hate me by the end of today :)

Anyways, as some of you may know again, I LOVE my bicycle, due to which I actually started collecting bicycle postcards. However, for a while now I've been thinking of getting a new bike cos mine feels like it is saving its last breaths sometimes to get from A to B...plus it is a mountain bike, more suitable for men...I wanted more of a girl kind of bike so I can ride it even with a skirt on...I had this idea of getting a red or a black one...until one day I saw one that captured my heart...and few months later, became MINE!! Yup, I got myself a new bike last Thursday and I so much love love love it! (Those who are on Facebook have probably seen it already :))Well, that is one of the reasons why I won't be travelling for the holidays now (so sorry, no surprise postcards from me =/) There will be other opportunities to travel and torture your mailboxes...but for now I want you to meet Hippy Happy! (yep, that's how I named it, cos it seriously, the name is just soo suitable!)

isn't it just lovely? =))))

I can hardly wait for the weather to get better so I can ride it more often...Im rather limited with all this rain and fog and stuff....ahh happiness!!

and well, as a part of the post, for pure pleasure for the bike lovers, here are a bunch of bike cards I received during this year...I think that mine is still the loveliest :P

Yup, exactly! Me + bike = happy =)

Just a few thank-yous to some of the bike-cards contributors that you've seen above...hugs to Agi, Nataša, Svea, Jolly, Natalia, Helena, Jane, Katja, Galina, Stefanie, Andrea, Ksenia, Sasha, Viktoria, Marieke, Jenny, Carmen, Karolina, Irina...

Hopefully from January on Ill go back with my new bike to the Critical mass organized here in Skopje...that's a feeling one of a kind...hundreds of bikers together on the streets of Skopje =)

Pic and video from two different I attended few months ago =) (I feel like im becoming really self-centred =)) (In case someone's interested I appear from 1:39 - 1:41 in the video)