Canada - Art

January 31, 2020

Shelley sent this pretty card to me from Toronto. She wrote a friendly short note on the back too.

She wrote,

"Hi Helen,
Greetings from Toronto! We are enjoying some mild weather today and it reminds me of spring!
I can't wait to see the first tulips of the season,

Shelley"

The Tulip Fairy
From Flower Fairies of the Garden
By Cicely Mary Barker

Cute Christmassy stamps!

Belarus - Food

January 31, 2020

Lenore sent this from Belarus with a lovely stamp and a short but cheerful message!

She said,

"Hello, my dear friend!

My name's Lenore and I'm from Belarus. I want to wish you all the best in this wonderful year!"

A late Christmas greeting.  Lovely any time of year!

The stamp was put on upside down, but is so lovely that I had to show it the "right" way up!

Russia

January 28, 2020

This card came from Fedor in Russia.  He wrote in English on the back which was nice for me!

He wrote,
"Hello!

My name is Fedor, I live in Kemerova, Russia. I speak German and some English.
I like reading and traveling. Last time I was in Vladivostok near Japan.
This is very beautiful!
Good luck!"

Metro station <Mayakovskaya> 1938

United Stated of America - Actress in Black & White

January 27, 2020

This great card came in February from Janet. She wrote a friendly note on the back and used an interesting stamp too.

She wrote;

"Greetings from California,
My name is Janet and I live in the Mojave Desert with my husband. I enjoy photography, travelling, paper-crafts, Family, Friends, Church.

Best Wishes,
Janet

Katharine Hepburn

Love the seashell!

Germany

January 27, 2020

This lovely card came from Tanja in Germany.  She just wrote a short note on the back of this card.

"Hello, many greetings!

Tanja is my name. I live in Karrel which is located in the middle of Germany. This castle, a well known one, lies in the south of Germany. I have been there only one time so far but drove by a couple of times.

BEST WISHES!
Karrel, 21.01.20"

Schloss Neuschwanstein

I didn't know anything about Alexander von Humboldt until I spent a few minutes on Wikipedia.  He was one of the first people to propose that lands bordering the Atlantic were once joined together. He also was the first person to talk about climate change due to human beings, so I really should have heard of him before!  The article is here...read up if you like!  

Japan - Gotochi Card - Saitama

January 22, 2020

I'm back!  Sorry for the long delay, but when I came back from Canada and the US, I was quite busy and quite jet-lagged! I didn't have time to send postcards for a while. I have a few travelling now, and I've received a few this year already, so...on with the show!

I received this great card from Hirotaka in Yokohama.  He has a cool thing that he does on Instagram...he takes photos of the Gotochi card with the object in the card. He has other photos too.  See below for his Insta-handle!

He wrote;

"Hello!
My name is Hirotaka M______ from Yokohama. I like to travel. I collect GOTOCHI form card all over Japan - from Hokkaido to Okinawa. I can't wait 31st January...the sale of 10th GOTOCHI at Tohoku area!

I often take pictures of GOTOCHI and something. See my pictures at instagram@philatelist.jp

Happy Postcrossing!

Hirotaka"

Bell of the Time

Because Gotochi cards are large and shaped, they cannot go through the usual sorting systems, they must be hand sorted. Of course, that means that it costs a little more to send them. If we send them outside Japan, we have to use envelopes.  Here are the bright and lovely stamps Hirotaka used on the card. Japan has great stamps!