Russia

July 31, 2014

Anya sent this gorgeous artistic card from Perm Russia.  She says that Perm is a town on the Kama River, near the Ural Mountains.  She lives to read, listens to rock music, opera, ballet and theater.

She also designs jewelry and collects coins.  She was born in the very far north she says, and asks me if I've ever seen the Aurora Borealis?  If I haven't, she says it is amazing.

She loves to watch movies too.  One of her favourite films is The Book Thief.  She also loves the book by Markus Zusak.  She bids me good luck and be happy.

Photograph by Toni Frissell at Weeki Wachiee spring, Florida, USA, 1947

The Olympic hockey stamp.  Yay!

Thank you so much Anya.

United States of America - Actor

July 31, 2014

Deema sent me this great card for my Black & White Actors collection and it's great!

She sends her greetings from the USA.  She lives in Washington State with her husband and dogs.  She says she likes reading, writing and watching movies.  It is hard for her to pick a favourite movie as she likes so many, but she things her favourites right now are The Hunger Games and Catching Fire. She writes that those are her favourite books and they did a wonderful job of turning them into movies.

James Dean (American, 1931-1955)
Photograph by Roy Schatt

Thanks Deema!

Two from Taiwan

July 29, 2014

Ashley from Taiwan sent this card.  She wrote me a very nice little note saying that she just graduated from senior high and she'll go to university in September.  She will major in French Linguistics in the future.  She wishes me all the best and puts a PS on the end to say "The Internship" is a funny movie.

A Bug's Life - Concept art by Geefwee Boedoe

Considering the front of the card, the stamp was somewhat appropriate!   It isn't an ant, but it is a bug :-D

***

Tony sent this blank postcard to me, also from Taiwan.  I think this must be the front of the card because the back has the stamp and our addresses on it.  To say that I am disappointed with this card is an understatement.

He attempted a note however, some senders don't write as much so I shall be grateful for it!

As he had written his name in full on the card, I covered it up for his security.

The stamps on the back were quite nice.  We had the Perilla one again, plus the labrador.  Both are nice.  The balloon stamp is preprinted on the card.  

Germany

July 29, 2014

Mecki sent this card from Germany with her greetings.  She lives there with her husband and son.  She says she has a lot of hobbies: dancing, sports, travelling (she loves Sweden!), reading (especially Scandinavian crime & thrillers).  She sends her best.

Rainbow over colliery settlement "Teutoburgia"

I'm not sure if I've received the lovely stamp on the right before. It is very sweet!

Macau

July 29, 2014

I was happy to receive this card as it comes from Macau.  Macau is still a fairly rare country to receive a postcard from, and even more interestingly for me, I've been there!  My husband and I took a trip to Hong Kong a few years ago and from there went to Macau for a day trip.  I would like to stay longer!

Martha sent me this art card and writes that it is nice to "meet" me.  She's from Macau which is at South of China.  This postcard is from the Macau Museum of Art.  It's an exhibition of art that is there now.  She loves this oil painting very much.

Fernand Leger - The Medrano Circus

About the stamps she writes "Saw that you're from Japan.  So give you a sushi stamp~taste good!  I love Japan Sushi very much."

Well, I love these stamps, although I'm not really from Japan, I just live here! The Sushi does look good and I have the sneaking suspicion that I might have been to the place in the stamp, but I'm not completely sure.

Thanks Martha!

Estonia

July 29, 2014

This card was written in what looks like German, so I used my handy-dandy link to the Google Translate to see what it said.  If it doesn't make a lot of sense to you, well, it doesn't to me either!

Eesti, the city of Haapsalu Tere.  In Estonia there are 1521 islands, the island of Gaaremaa is the biggest.  My husband's grandfather lived in Saarumaa.  Good Luck!  Riina.

It's a beautiful card, no matter what the message means.

Estonia Saaremaa Harilaid

I find this stamp a little odd since it has the URL for the Sochi Olympics on it, but is from Estonia.  It's interesting, and I hope I receive another one some time with the cancellation mark in a different place so I could see the figures better.

Thank you Riina :-)

Taiwan

July 24, 2014

Victor sent this card from Hong Kong.  He says that he came back from Australia 2 months ago and is now working as a full-time leather craftsman.  It is his dream job!

Congratulations Victor!  This is a familiar sight to me, Hong Kong. I've been a couple of times and hope to go back.

Thanks!

The Netherlands

July 22, 2014

Jacqueline writes that she is a married woman in her 60's.  She has a daughter who lives with her boyfriend and a dog who is 12 years old.  She loves reading, photography, cooking & baking and making city trips.

She asks me if I long to go back to Canada....sometimes....and then she said that she thinks I'm not married anymore.  (Not sure how she got that idea!)  She sends her greetings.

2004 Vincente Lopez/Pens & Pencils/Acrylic on canvas 145 x 100 cm

Thanks for the great card!

Switzerland

July 22, 2014

This postcard was written in Italian, which makes it really hard to tell you what it said!  However, with the help of Google translate, here goes!

Original 50 year old postcard.  I know one of the most beautiful landscapes of the Swiss Rotland.  I'd like to visit Japan and Canada one day.  Greetings and Good Postcrossing.

I don't get many postcards from Switzerland.  This one is interesting though!

I love the stamp that the sender used.  It's very nice.

Thanks Stefan!

France

July 22, 2014

Celine sent this card from France.  She says that she's 25 years old and she lives in the south of Alsace in France.  She's learning Japanese but it's not easy.  She's a nanny part-time but she would like to have more work.

I've had this stamp before, but this is quite a clear version of it.

Thanks Celine!

Finland

July 22, 2014

Ranys writes that she lives in Finland.  She says that this card shows some of the beautiful landscapes of Finland.  She lives in the countryside with her fiance. She weaves design rugs and does other things with her hands.

Her fiance drives a wood collecting machine. She says that they have lots of forests, so there is enough to harvest some.

She has many favourite movies: Matrix, DieHard, Transporter, Lover, El Mariachi, Kill Bill, Pulp Fiction....she just can't put them in  order!

She hopes I have a nice day.

A lovely postcrossing stamp!  I'm not sure if I've shown this one before, but this is a lovely specimen of it.

Czech Republic

July 22, 2014

Katerina sent this card and writes that she is 19 and from the Czech Republic.  She lives in Liberec, a city with more than 100,000 inhabitants.  Her favourite book is INFERNO by Dan Brown.  She hopes I have a nice day!

These are really gorgeous stamps.  I love the flower one, but I also love the one in the corner.  Really interesting.

Thanks Katka!

Two From the Netherlands

July 22, 2014

This Dutch card is another one of the oversize cards I get sometimes.  It is completely in Dutch, even the back doesn't have English on it, well, except for the writing that is.

David says that he lives in one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands and he likes cooking.

He says that this is a recipe for Dutch cookies called oublies and goes over the recipe quickly for me.  He finishes by sending his greetings.

I've probably had this stamp before, but this seemed a fairly good look at it.  This is one stamp, the priority sticker and the windmill part.

 *****

Gerda sent this great card of the king of the Netherlands.  This is King Willem-Alexander on the day of his inauguration (April 30, 2013).  She says that she is living in the South of the Netherlands in a city of approximately 180,000 inhabitants. 

She signs off by wishing me a happy Postcrossing and sending her regards. 

I haven't seen these stamps before I think.  They are quite interesting, the angelic one is dated 2000 if I'm reading it correctly.

Thank you David and Gerda!

Two from Germany

July 18 & 19, 2014

The first postcard has a short and sweet message.  It says,"Hello! My name is Renate and I live in Cologne.  Hope you like this view.  Happy Postcrossing :-)

The views are gorgeous!

***

Alex was also fairly brief.  He wrote that this card shows the view from his balcony.  He bought his house last year and he simply loves it.  He sends lots of greetings from his corner of Germany!

It's an interesting stamp, and I also like the cancellation stamps although I don't understand them at all!

Taiwan

July 18, 2014

Tina sent this lovely card to me from Taiwan.  She says that it is her first time sending a card to Japan.  I'm doubly honoured then!

She says that the card shows Taiwan's famous attractions.  They are so beautiful.

She recently watched Transformers 4.  She thinks it was very exciting and there wasn't a dull moment in the film.    She thinks that Optimus Prime is handsome and Bumblebee is so cute!  She loves them!  She asks if I like them.  (Er...not too much!)

She signs off with her best wishes and hopes that I'll like this card.  I do, very much.  I also love her enthusiasm.

These stamps are quite beautiful.  Although the one with the children playing is cute, I really love the Purple Shiso card, otherwise known as Perilla frutescens. Shiso is a common herb in Japan.

Thank you Tina!

Germany

July 16, 2014

Katja sent this card from Germany for me.  She wrote," Here comes a little postcard from small village B near beautiful town Luneburg.  You know the "Waltons" in Canada too, I hope.  It was one of the first American series I had seen.  My favourite films are   "Jenseits der Stille"(a German film) and "Much Ado About Nothing" from and with Kenneth Branagh.

She closes by sending her best wishes to me.

The Waltons

There are a few comments I wanted to make.  Yes, we knew the Waltons in Canada, but my family never watched the show!  My mother didn't like it.

I haven't seen the German film she mentioned.  I'm sad as I generally like German films.

Kenneth Branagh and Much Ado About Nothing are both great!  I'm a big Branagh fan and have written about Much Ado in my Movie Column!

Thanks Katja!

Germany - Food

July 15, 2014

Bettina sent this yummy looking card from Germany.  She wrote that this is a typical recipe of the south France or Catalan Kitchen.  For her, it is the best cooking of the world, but she doesn't know the Japanese kitchen.  She's vegan and loves fresh vegetables and fruits.  She closes by wishing me a great summer.

Mel i Mato is a type of cheese covered in honey.  I'm not a huge fan of honey, so I'm not sure if I'd like it, but I'd like to try it!

Thanks Bettina!

United States of America - Movie Card

July 12, 2014

Kelly tells me that she loves Shelties too.  (On my profile I say that I'd rather not have animal pictures on cards, except for Shelties.) She says that she had two of them and they were oversized, but she loved them very much.

She also says that she can't imagine living in Japan, she thinks it is very different than Canada.  She's right!

This is a classic movie, but I don't think I have seen either it or the remake.  However, I do think I read the book, or at least the Reader's Digest version of it!

Great stamps on this card.  There must be a few new series of US stamps coming out again, as I haven't seen these a lot of them lately.

Thanks Kelly!

Netherlands

July 12, 2014

Antje sent me this great card from the Netherlands, from an area called Friesland.    She tells me that she is married too.

The postcard shows a street in the town Groningen.

Brugstraat in Groningen

Look at this beautiful stamp!  I really love this stamp.  I read the novel of "The Girl with the Pearl Earring" and of course, this reminds me of that.

Thanks so much Antje!

Poland

July 11, 2014

Julia sent this black and white postcard from Poland.  She writes that she is 17 years old.  This postcard shows part of her city in 1939-1944.  The big building is a guildhall.  She closes by saying that she hopes I will like this postcard.  I do!

Lublin.  Ratusz. Lata 1939-1944

She also decorated the back of the card with some drawings and flowers that are very sweet.  I didn't scan them though, just take my word for it!  This is also one of the largest cards I have ever received, it is about 17 x 24 cm...very large.  It has a couple of rips and dings, but arrived in surprisingly good condition.  

Thanks so much Julia!