Postcard Sound

Tags

Europe, Poland

Hello postcard and mail enthusiasts! It has been a month since my last post but now I have turned in my thesis and the end of college is in sight, so I should be less and less stressed and busy in the coming weeks. Today I have some unique postcards for you that my boyfriend bought from Poland. It’s hard to see in the scans but maybe you can guess what makes them different:

If you guessed that they are also music records, what a good guess! The first one plays The Beatles’ “Paperback Writer” and “Rain,” while the second one plays Louis Armstrong’s “Ramona.” The image on the second card is a painting by Stanislaw Rozwadowski called “Polowanie z gończymi na lisa” which means something about hunting dogs.

These types of cards were mostly made in Poland in the 60′s and 70′s.

As you might imagine for records that are printed on a piece of paper, they don’t sound too great, but you can have a listen anyway:

“Rain”

“Ramona”

First cards from Greece

Tags

buildings, cities, Europe, Greece, religion, temples

I have received my first postcards from Greece! Milda has not only sent me postcards from a new country, but she has sent me many of Greece’s UNESCO sites as well.

First is the Acropolis in Athens. This card shows the Parthenon, the temple of Athena Nike, and the Erechtheion. The buildings of the Acropolis were constructed in the 5th century BCE, during the Golden Age of Athens. The Parthenon is dedicated to the goddess Athena. I remember visiting the Parthenon many years ago on a trip to Greece. It was hot and dusty and I remember most of all sitting on some rubble and looking at the Caryatid statues on the Erechthion. They are not the original statues,; they have been replaced with replicas so the originals may be preserved in a museum.

Next is this card of the city of Rhodes, on the island of Rhodes in south-eastern Greece. This is another Greek UNESCO site that I have visited. In the background you can see the Grand Master’s Palace, built in the 15th century. Rhodes was the headquarters of the Knights Hospitallers in the medieval period; these knights built the Palace, walls, and many other buildings in Rhodes.

Olympia was the site of the ancient Greek Olympic games, held between the 8th century BCE and 4th century CE. The site encompasses not only the stadium and other athletic sites, but temples dedicated to Zeus and Hera, and a memorial to Philip II, father of Alexander the Great.

Delphi was the site of the Delphic oracle, the most important oracle in ancient Greece. The site was a major center for the worship of the god Apollo, god of music, poetry, oracles, the sun, medicine, light, and knowledge. Delphi was also the site of the Pythian Games, precursor to the modern Olympics.

And last is Meteora, a complex of Eastern Orthodox monasteries built on sandstone cliffs. This particular card shows Rousanoula, or the monastery of St Barbara, which was built in the 16th century. There are six monasteries in the Meteora complex.

A new country means new stamps to share:

Milda and I have already arranged more swaps, and she is so generously sending more Greek UNESCO sites to me! Thanks, Milda!

Evora and the Convent of Christ

Tags

buildings, Europe, Portugal, religion, temples

Today I have two religious building cards from the Portuguese UNESCO list to share, but they are from two very different religions.

This is the Roman temple in the historic city of Évora. It was built in the first century CE and is believed to have been dedicated to the Emperor Augustus. The temple was preserved by being incorporated into the castle of Évora during medieval times. Évora was listed on the UNESCO list in 1986.

This card shows an ornate window from the Convent of Christ in Tomar. The convent was built in the 12th century by the Knights Templar, but this postcard shows the chapterhouse window which was built in the 16th century. The town of Tomar was built inside the medieval walls of the castle/convent. The convent is one of Portugal’s most important artistic monuments, which is why it was listed as a World Heritage Site in 1983.

Both of these cards come from Isacle. She used some neat stamps. I don’t know if I like the sailboat or the streetcar better.

Thanks, Isacle!

Scenes from Holland

Tags

buildings, cities, Europe, lighthouses, nature, Netherlands

Here are four scenes from the Netherlands, sent to me by three different Dutch Postcrossing forum members.

First is this card of buildings in the Hague, from Pieta:

The Hague is the capital of the South Holland province and is the seat of Dutch government. The buildings shown on this card are (clockwise from top left) the Peace Palace, Kurhaus, the Museon (a science museum), and the Parliament buildings.

Pieta also sent this card showing many Dutch lighthouses:

I’m not going to list all the lighthouses here, but they are all listed on the back of the card, which left very little space for Pieta to write a message.

Next is this card of Amsterdam’s famous canals, which are listed on the UNESCO World Heritage list:

This card comes from Eleonora. The canals in Amsterdam were dug in the 17th century and form concentric rings around the city. They provide an easy way for goods and people to move about the city.

The last card shows the Kinderdijk windmills, which I’ve written about before. This card was sent by Peggy.

The Netherlands has lots of great stamps, and many of them arrived on these cards:

I like the stamp with a cow on it, because I like cows.

His Master’s Voice

Tags

animals, dogs, New York, North America, United States

Kathy in Albany, New York, sent me a postcard of Nipper on top of the old RCA building:

This statue of Nipper weighs four tons and is the “only large Nipper in the United States.” The thing on his ear is an aircraft beacon.

Nipper was a dog who lived in the late 19th century and was the model for the painting “His Master’s Voice,” which shows Nipper listening to a gramophone. The image was adapted as the logo of many recording brands including RCA and EMI. Nipper is my favorite mascot dog, except possibly Owney the mail dog. Thanks, Kathy, for the great card!

Animals from Postcrossing

Tags

animals, Asia, China, cute, Europe, Russia, Taiwan

Here are four cards showing animals that I have recently received through Postcrossing. As a bonus, there are animals on the stamps, too!

First, there is this card from Russia, which shows the seals at Lake Baikal:

These seals are only found around the lake and nowhere else in the world.

This card comes from China and shows a really cute cat. The sender also drew a little winking Moomin on the back:

The next two cards are from Taiwan.

These cute rabbit noses came with a newly released stamp that is not cute at all:

This is an anglerfish, part of a series of fish stamps.

This card showing sheep comes from user hairpinmeg, who has an online museum of her antique hairpins. Some of them are very beautiful and unusual.

The stamps show some flowers and a cute Labrador retriever:

German Postcrossing

Tags

cities, Europe, Germany, trains

I’ve inexplicably been receiving a lot of official Postcrossing postcards from Germany, and sending a lot of cards to Russia. I can only assume that the number of German and Russian Postcrossers recently increased. I’ve been getting some neat cards, so I will share them here:

DE-1753867 from Darmstadt.

This one shows the Trooping of the Colour in London, celebrating the official birthday of Queen Elizabeth II.

An very nice old steam train, which the sender writes is a typical train of Germany in the 1930s.

And finally, this card which shows ingots of silver. I think it is meant to advertise Degussa, which is a gold and silver company. If you ever need bars of gold and silver in Germany, I guess they’re the place to go?

Since receiving so many cards from Germany, I’m surprised (but happy) I didn’t get one of Cologne Cathedral. I have received a lot of cards of that cathedral!

Bali and the Subak System

Tags

Asia, buildings, Indonesia, nature, religion

I have two new cards from one of the newest UNESCO sites, the Bali rice terraces and subak irrigation system, listed last year. And as a bonus, I also have the UNESCO-nominated Besakih Temple, also in Bali!

This first card, showing the Pura Ulun Danu water temple, comes from shinta:

The subak system of irrigation and rice growing is based on the Tri Hita Karana philosophy which “brings together the realms of the spirit, the human world, and nature.” The water temples are spiritual centers and also centers for control of the life- and rice-giving water in the irrigation canals. The subak system is “democratic and egalitarian,” allowing the Balinese to grow enough rice to feed their dense population.

This card of the Balinese rice terraces comes from Jennifer:

And finally, there is the extra card of the Besakih Temple, which has been nominated for UNESCO status but not yet listed:

This Hindu temple is the largest and most famous temple in Bali. It is built on the slopes of Mount Agung, an active volcano. It was nearly destroyed by the eruption of the volcano in 1963, but the lava flow missed the temple by mere meters, which was viewed as miraculous.

I was delighted by the many colorful and interesting stamps that Shinta and Jennifer used on these cards:

Thanks Shinta and Jennifer!

Mudejar Architecture of Aragon

Tags

buildings, Europe, religion, Spain

I have another UNESCO site to share with you today, the Mudejar Architecture of Aragon:

The first card comes via Postcrossing and the second card comes from a private swap with Pilar from Zaragoza. The Mudejar were the Muslim people who remained in Spain after its reconquest by Christians in the 12th through 16th centuries. The Mudejar architectural style combines elements of Islamic art and culture with elements of Christian art and culture.

The site contains 10 buildings representative of the style: 4 are in Teruel, 3 are in Zaragoza, and the last 3 are in Calatayud, Cervera de la Canada, and Tobed. Although all the buildings pictured are examples of Mudejar architecture, only the tower of San Pablo is protected on the UNESCO list. The bottom right picture on the top card may also show the interior of the Aljafería Palace, but I am not sure.

A new stamp came on the Postcrossing card. It shows a tenor saxophone:

 

Provins and Amboise

Tags

buildings, castles, cities, Europe, France

Pazzolina has expanded my UNESCO collection with two cards from France:

First is this wonderful panorama of the Chateau d’Amboise, part of the historic Loire Valley cultural heritage site. The chateau was confiscated and rebuilt extensively by the French monarch in the 15th century. It was a favorite residence of the French kings. Catherine de Medici and Henry II raised their children in the castle, and Mary, Queen of Scots was also raised here. Leonardo da Vinci is buried in the chateau’s chapel. It fell out of favor after the 16th century and was briefly a prison before being mostly destroyed during the French Revolution.

The second card shows a gate to the medieval town of Provins, inscribed for its role as the site of Champagne fairs, important for medieval trade. These fairs served as an important market for spices, furs, textiles, and leather.

Pazzolina used an interesting heart-shaped stamp: