A First From Suriname!

Sometimes I receive a postcard and know that chances are, I will never receive one from that country again. So I feel very privileged to have this card arrive from Cheryll in Suriname. She tells me that their tropical climate is currently in the middle of a short rainy season and that she has climbed Voltzberg mountain (in the picture) twice and that at 240m tall, it is very tiring, but worth it. The card also shows Anjumara Falls, both of the places are situated within Central Suriname Nature Reserve a UNESCO natural heritage site. Amazing card!

A Train “Hotel”

This interesting card comes from Jessie in Taiwan and shows what she calls a “Train Hotel” – I’m not sure if it’s a turn-table or whether it just looks like one. Anyway, she tells me it’s an important place for trains to exchange. She says she visited it last summer and that most of the old trains have now been replaced with modern ones and although it looks small it can house more than twenty trains! Very interesting! Great card!

Tatra National Park

This beautiful card comes from Martinka in Slovakia. She tells me Tatra is the largest and most famous National Park in the country. Such a gorgeous image!

Odessa – Otrada Beach

This card comes from Slava in the Ukraine. She tells me she lives in Odessa, and this card shows Otrada beach which is local to her. Lovely card.

A Swedish Maxicard!

Getting a maxicard in the post is always such a welcome surprise, so to receive this one from Swedish Laila was very special. The stamp Euphydryas maturna was issued in May 1993 apparently – it’s very pretty! Laila tells me that when she wrote the card she was just getting a few final things ready for Christmas. Lovely!

Pandanggo Sa Ilaw – A Candle Dance

This beautiful card comes from Filipino Sabrina. She tells me that the dance of Pandanggo Sa Ilaw is very famous in the Philippines. It involves balancing lit oil lamps on the head and both hands of the dancers whilst gracefully dancing. Sounds very VERY tricky! Sabrina says she tried it in 6th grade and the candle on her head fell on the floor and broke! Haha! Great story! Love this card!

A Taiwanese Rice Farm

This very pretty card comes from Wan-Yun in Taipei, Taiwan. She tells me this sort of scene of rice farms is her usual view of the countryside – beautiful!

Sochi

This card was sent on November 20th by Stephanie in Russia, but she tells me it was still 20 degrees even then! The card shows a waterfall near her hometown of Sochi situated between the Caucasus mountains and the Black Sea. She tells me that in 2014 it will host the Winter Olympics. Nice card!

Kaamos by Asta Pulkkinen

This card is one of my new favourites – so SO cute! It comes from Pirjo in Finland and shows Asta Pulkkinen’s picture “Kaamos”. Pirjo tells me she saw the actual picture in an Art Museum recently with a friend. Apparently there are lovely Christmas lights and markets in her town. Sounds gorgeous! She’s also attached an awesome Christmas tree stamp. Great card!

Traditional Dutch Santa

This sweet card comes from Dutch Alida who lives near Amsterdam. She wishes me a happy Christmas (Vrolyk Kerstfeest in Dutch) and a happy new year – lovely card. Beautiful traditional image too.