Hong Kong

April 15, 2016

This card came to me after a long dry spell.  I was quite despondent not to receive any cards this month, but finally one popped into my mailbox.  It comes from Chris in Hong Kong.

He writes, "Hi, I am Chris come from Hong Kong, nice to meet you.  I want to teach you some Chinese, hope you like it! [Here he writes out several kanji that I'm afraid I can't do for you here.] Thank you  Hello  Dog  Cat"

On the back it says,"Laverton Taking a Trip"

 A very nice, big and clear stamp.  It's very cool.

Taiwan - Food

June 30, 2015

Vivian sent this "fishy" card from Taiwan with a lovely message on the back.  It also has a bit of kanji, so I'm afraid that I won't be able to translate that for you.

She writes,"Hello, My name is Vivian. I love Japan very much.  My favorite food is Daikokuya at Asakusa [My husband translated the kanji for me.] I also love "HARBS" cakes.  This winter I'll go to Tokyo Disney to enjoy the Christmas vacation.  I hope you like this card. "

Mullet Roe

I've received a couple of these gorgeous stamps recently.  How lovely to put food on the stamps!  I hope the glue is flavored!!

United States of America

June 29, 2015

Casey sent this card from Alaska.  I'm not sure if I've received one from Alaska before!  She writes, "Greetings from Alaska! I hope you like this postcard. :-) My name is Casey: I'm 24 and I've lived in Alaska for ten years.  I really like it.  Have a great day and happy Postcrossing! Casey"

Kissing Moose and Mt. McKinley

Turkey

June 29, 2015

Lutfiye sent this card from Turkey recently.  She wrote a little about herself on the back of the card too.  She writes, " Japan is interesting every time for me! ..I'm Lutfiye..I'm a teacher and teach Chemistry... I live in Izmir...Izmir is west of Turkey..I love flowers, nature bike bicycle at the seaside...and  travel...  Lovely from Turkey!"

Near the top of the card on the back she has drawn the sun and noted that the temperature is 35 degrees Celsius and says it is very hot!

Izmir, Turkey

I rather like these stamps.  I don't think I've seen them before.  

Thanks Lutfiye!

Netherlands

June 27, 2015

Babs sent this card to me with a very friendly note on the back.  I always enjoy it when people write on the backs of their cards.  Too many people just write "Happy Postcrossing" and that's about it.  She said, "How are you today? Canada is beautiful we have been in Banff and Jasper Park because our son is Jasper.  I am Babs and I like culture and to go to musea.  Also to see the movies.  But most of all I like family and travel with the home-car.  Enjoy Live, greetings Babs"

Germany - Food

June 26, 2015

Andre wrote a little bit of Japanese to me (こんにちは) at the top of his card.  He wrote a friendly note as well.  He said, "Greetings from Germany, I'm 54 y.o. and work as master cook in my catering company.  I love  Sushi and my Dream Country is Canada.  With best wishes アンドレ Andre"

I'm thinking that this card must show some of his work.  It looks pretty good!

Netherlands - Actress Card in Black and White

June 26, 2015

Maud wrote a fun little note on the back of her card to me recently.  She said, "It is lovely to meet another person who can appreciate old movie stars.  A while ago I watched the movie "It Happened One Night". It was unexpectedly funny.  Happy Postcrossing, Maud"

I agree that It Happened One Night was funny.  Claudette Colbert was a fabulous comedian and Clark Gable wasn't a slouch either!  It's a great film to watch.

Greta Garbo

These are very interesting stamps.  The big one on the right looks blurry.  It is actually a stamp that moves, so we can see the speed-skater skate across the ice.  It is really neat, but hard to scan.  The other two stamps are quite cool.  I love the idea of sending a stamp of a woman in a kimono to someone in Japan!

Belgium

June 25, 2015

This unusual card was sent by Bruno in Belgium.  I was  pleased to receive it as I liked the rock band Poison quite a bit.  However, afterwards I saw that many people on his list had received this card.  I still like it, but feel a little sad that so many people received it.

Anyway, Bruno did write a nice message on the back of the card.  He said, "I'm Bruno, 28 years old from Belgium and I'm thrilled to send you this vintage 80's music postcard.  I'd like to visit Japan one day and open a bonzai store.  I'm boring in Belgium.  Too much a**holes and selfish people.  I wish you a great life in Japan.  Love Bruno  CARPE DIEM"

I really love these stamps.  They are gorgeous.  I'm not a bug fan, but I like them!

United States of America - Art

June 25, 2015

Leslie sent this scientific and beautiful card to me recently.  She wrote a nice note to me on the back.  She noted that I have the same first name as her mother, which is interesting to me.  She continues,"My name is Leslie and I live in Columbus, Ohio.  I have an 8, almost 9 year old son named Hobbes who is my heart.  I'm also a mixed media artist and currently am a manager at an art related store.  Hope you enjoy this postcard.  I love flowers.  Take care, Leslie"

I'm actually quite lucky that the card arrived as Leslie had put the wrong apartment number on it!  That's a time when being "the foreigner who gets a lot of postcards" works for me!

Tulip, 1955

The stamps that she used were interesting too.  I'm so happy to finally receive some different US stamps again:-)

The bunny ears are from a big sticker that I can't show you as I'd have to show my address too.  Sorry.

Czech Republic - Black and White

June 25, 2015

Jolana sent this great black and white card from the Czech Republic.  She even told me a little bit about the person on the card, which was great!

She writes,"Hello!  My name is Jolana and live nearby Prague where I work as a nurse.  The man on the picture is first Czechoslovakia president.(1850-1937). We call him Daddy Masaryk.  Nation loved him.  Other lovely president was Vaclav Havel, he died a few years ago and we cried :-(  Have nice time in Japan!

Thanks for the card Jolana!

Belarus - Food

June 25, 2015

Zhanna sent this delicious looking card to me.  I wonder what flavour those cupcakes are?

She writes," Hello!  My name is Zhanna.  I'm living in a small village by a river.  I like reading books.  The last book was Pet Sematary by Stephen King.  It's really great book!  Did you read it?  I like travelling too, watching films and series, going for a walk, taking photos and listen to K-Pop.  I was never in Japan and in Canada, but I think one day I want to visit these countries.

Have a nice summer!  Zhanna"

I don't think I have read Pet Sematary.  I have read a lot of Stephen King, but not that particular book.

 This stamp looks quite unusual to me.  It seems a bit like it is just a sticker and not a stamp at all.  Perhaps a new design?  It is cute.

Czech Republic

June 25, 2015

I received this card from Monika in the Czech Republic.  She wrote about her town on the back of the card.

She said, "My name is Monika.  I am living in a small town Blatna in Czech Republic.  In Blatna we have got amazing water castle.  Around this Castle is big park with fallow deers.  I hope that you will like this postcard.  Best Wishes Monika"

Old Town Towers

 These stamps are simple, but really sweet.

Netherlands

June 25, 2015

Rene sent me a card where he doled out information about himself to me, it was almost in point form!


He wrote, "Live in Hoofddor near Amsterdam.  Work by Airline +32 years Like also traveling.  Visited Peru, Chile, Bolivia, Canada and more.  2 daughters. Favorite color blue. Hobby stamps. Bicycle to work -25 min.  Music - Trance - House.  Movie - Action, Romance. Read no books only magazines.   Groet René

These are quite cool stamps.  If the date on them can be believed, they are quite old too!

Japan - Gotochi Card

June 25, 2015

I was thrilled to get this card recently as it is a Gotochi Card that I didn't have.  It came from a Postcrosser in Japan.

"Hello!  My name is Mamiko.  I live in Kumamoto so I chose this Gotochi card and this is one of my favorite card because I like fruit.  The volume of production of the watermelon has most Kumamoto in Japan.  A watermelon is delicious in the summer.  To tell the truth I ate yesterday and maybe I will eat tomorrow.  I hope you like this card.  Later.  Mamiko"

Kumamoto Watermelon

These gorgeous stamps are a few years old....from 1984.  Gorgeous!!!  Mamiko wrote a little note next to them and said, " I hope you enjoy this ukiyo-e stamps!"  I do, I really do!

United States - Books

June 24, 2015

Martha sent me a thoughtful note on her postcard, which I appreciated a lot.  She also used some very nice US stamps, so delighted me with that too!

She wrote, "Hello, I confess a bit of envy-your story of love and moving to a foreign country sounds very romantic - of course I'm sure the reality is more prosaic.  I am 57, widowed, retired and looking forward to every postcard.  I do only international thru. P.crossing as I love the bits of lives that I then embellish.  On my "bucket list" is a visit to Japan, as well as driving to California!  Best wishes, Martha"

Biblioteca Marucelliana, Florence, Italy

Lovely US stamps.  I haven't seen the Forget-me-nots or the 70 cent stamp before.  

Germany

June 23, 2015

Birgit sent this card to me from Germany, with a very nice message on her card.  She wrote a lot and I appreciate it very much.

"I'm Birgit.  I live in _____, in the very north of Germany (right at the coast of the Baltic Sea). Here, I work as a teacher for art, drama and English.  I love my job but at the moment it's very exhausting.  Then, the best cure is chocolate.  So, I decided to send you this postcard.  The one on the right could be me--trying to keep up with all the challenges by eating just enough chocolate. :-)  All the best, Birgit:-)"

I'm quite a fan of chocolate too, so I like this card a lot!

Czech Republic

June 23, 2015

Luky sends greetings to me from the Czech Republic.  He writes that this card is from my favourites. He is a young schoolboy and likes skiing, cycling, swimming and playing tennis.  His favourite animals are frogs. He enjoys watching them in a lake while they grow.  He wishes me all the best.

I really love pansies, they are my favourite flower, so I was thrilled to get this card!

These stamps are quite interesting.  Does anyone know anything about them?

Germany - Actor in Black and White

June 23, 2015

Edith sent this great card of Marlon Brando to me.  She wrote a nice note on the back of the card too.  She said that she is a retired banker with two grown daughters.  Her hobbies are reading biographies, walking, taking pictures, teatime with friends, corresponding with the world through postcrossing.  She doesn't like waiting in queues, the smell of cold cigarette smoke, crowded subways, or coffee.  Her favourite movie is Roman Holiday and her favourite music is Johann Strauss (son) and Neil Diamond.  She wishes me all the best!

Marlon Brando Sul Set Di , I Due Volti Della Vendetta" 1959

The elephant/rocking horse stamp is very cute.  It kind of looks like Curious George on the elephant or am I seeing things?

France

June 22, 2015

Gaelle writes that she's 25 years old and lives in the southwest of France.  She says that I am lucky to live in Japan as one of her dreams is to visit Japan.  She loves Asia :)  She wishes me to have a nice day.

Gay Couple 1986

I'm a little worried about this card because that puppet looks like Punch, a very misogynistic holdover from fairs!

Austria

June 22, 2015

Monika sent this gorgeous card to me with a lovely note on the back.

She writes that she has just visited the castle on the front of the card and really liked it.   She's a doctor and in her free time likes to read and travel.  Her favourite movies are Pretty Woman and Chocolat.  She asked if I knew them...I do.  She wishes me the best.

 I can't say I've ever seen a stamp with bananas on it!  I really, really hate bananas to eat...lucky I don't have to eat these! They are gorgeous stamps though, all of them!