Via Airmail

Minsk Theaters and Museums

I love seeing cultural buildings.  This postcard is from Minsk, Belarus and shows theaters and museumd.  From top to bottom and left to right: The National Art Gallery of the Republic of Belarus, The Yanka Kupala Drama Theatre, The Belarus State Theatre of Opera and Ballet, The State Museum of History and The Gorky State Academic Drama Theatre. 

The stamp is the standard red "M" stamp I shared here.

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Postcrossing card #51

A Sandy Japanese Beach

The description for this sandy beach is given simply as Churaumi in Uchina.  It arrived from Japan but no further information was given about the location of the beach in Japan.  Is anyone familiar with it?  It looks very picturesque and very empty (so probably a nice place to visit).

The stamps are a perfect match for the picture on the postcard.  I especially love the beach view on the right.  I would love to have  more Japanese stamps as they are always very attractive.

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Postcrossing card #50

The Great Wall of China

I think this is a pretty amazing postcard.  It shows an unusual view of The Great Wall of China.  The actual wall stretches  more than 3,800 miles!  The actual spot is the Jia Yu Fort, which is the westernmost part of the wall in the Central Asian desert (Gansu Province).   It is also on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

I'm very fortunate as a Postcrosser living in China was interested in swapping cards of Nebraska for cards in China.  I'm still thrilled at getting such beautiful and interesting postcards in my mailbox and excited when I find someone who wants to swap cards of my area.  It's such a cool way to get a peek at places I am probably not likely to ever see in person (though I should never say never, right?).

The stamps are gorgeous as well.  I especially like the two birds sitting on a branch.

I'm sure I've mentioned it before, but if you happen across this blog and are interested in swapping a postcard or two, I am always happy to swap.  Just leave me a comment or send an email.

Tsar Nicholas II and Family

Not long ago I was sent a postcard of the Grand Duchess Anastasia, and now I have the rest of her family to add to  my collection.  Curiously it arrived yesterday along with another card from Russia, though this one took a mere 14 days (though it traveled an additional 1,500 miles).  The card description: "The last Emperor of Russia: Nicholas II with his Family".  The postcrosser who sent it lives in Kemerovo, Siberia, where she tells me in winter it is about -40C .

It had such a long way to come that it was sent in an envelope with a Kremlin series stamp.

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Postcrossing card #48

Vintage Easter Card

I love vintage images, and was surprised by one in the mail today.  It traveled 24 days and almost 8,000 miles to me from Kralerii (Karelia?), Russia (northern Russia--interestingly the Postcrosser speaks English and Finnish).  The sender tells me it is an Easter card (not sure what it says on the front of the card).

The stamp appears to be from a sheet under the category State and Power: State Symbols-Armory.

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Postcrossing card #47

O Canada: Country Map

Isn't this a great map card of Canada?  It's actually slightly oversize so I had to shrink it down a little to fit here, but the details up close are very cool.  Did you know that in terms of total area Canada is the second largest country after Russia?  There are ten provinces and three territories, and I'd love to collect map cards of all of them eventually.  It's my third country map, but only two of them show the entire country.  I've never been to Canada, but I (of course) want to go.  Would love to see Vancouver (have heard it is a gorgeous, very cosmopolitan city--plus it is on the coast) Quebec, Newfoundland and Nova Scotia (oh and Prince Edward Island, too!).  Someday!

The stamp is from the Baby Wildlife series.  Definitely one of those aww, how cute stamps!

Lutherhouse in Wittenberg, Germany

This is the Large Auditorium in the Lutherhouse.  It was altered to the Neo-Gothic style between 1846-1867.  Located in the Medieval town of Wittenberg, Germany it is famous for being being part of the castle church where Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses.  It is one of the Luther Memorials in Wittenberg that is now on the UNESCO WHS list.

More flower stamps on the back of the card!

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Postcrossing card #46

Fado Corrido com Amalia Rodrigues

The youngest Postcrosser to whom I've sent a postcard is a mere three, and now I think the youngest Postcrosser who has sent me a postcard is only a few years older, she's eight.  Although she was born in Lithuania, she now lives in Great Britain.  She writes that she was on vacation in Portugal, where she bought this postcard.  I love it for a couple of reasons--not only do I love B&W images, but it's cool that the young Postcrosser addressed the card and wrote a message to me by herself.   She tells me she also loves to read and her favorite book is Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. 

As for the image on the card, it lists Joao Martins on the flip side, who is perhaps the photographer?  And it's titled "Fado Corrido" com Amália Rodrigues, 1964. 

"Amália Rodrigues was a Portuguese singer and actress. She was known as the Rainha do Fado ("Queen of Fado") and was most influential in popularizing the fado worldwide. She was one of the most important figures in the genre's development, and enjoyed a 50-year recording and stage career."

Very cool image.  Had it not been for Postcrossing I don't imagine I would ever have come across it otherwise.

The Queen graces the back of the card.

Postcrossing card #45

An Historic View of Rotterdam

I love historic images.  This postcard shows the Coolsingelziekenhuis in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.  Unfortunately I couldn't find a link in English to read more about it, but I have figured out it is the "Great Hospital" or "Coolsingel Hospital", which was built by Willem Nicolaas Rose  between 1839-1848.  I have a feeling it might not have survived WWII. 

I seem to be collecting Postcrossing stamps!

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Postcrossing card #44

Nysa, Poland

You probably won't be able to tell  by the scan, but this gorgeous postcard is actually very oversized.  It was lovely to find it in my mailbox this past week.  It is from the city of Nysa in the southwestern part of Poland.  The postcard shows St. Jacob and Agnes Church.

"The church was consecrated in 1198, however it reached its present form in 1401-1430. This 71-meter high building is surrounded by 19 chapels located between buttresses. In its gothic interior 22 pillars support the ceiling. Numerous bishops’ tombstones deserve mentioning, with the tombstone of Balthazar von Pronto being the greatest. The church burnt down in 1945 and was rebuilt between the years 1947-58. Colloquially it is referred to as a cathedral."

I love the details shown of the interior and exterior of the church.

Once again there is no stamp on the flip side of the card, only a red meter stamp made by a machine.

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Postcrossing card #43