Chinese New Year!

I received this sweet hand-made card from Winky in Hong Kong to celebrate the Chinese New Year in February. The Chinese Zodiac runs on a 12 year cycle and this year is the year of the Horse. Supposedly people born in the year are supposed to have horsey characteristics: energetic, confident and ambitious. It’s also meant to be the year to start that project you’ve been dreaming of – apparently it may well be successful! Regardless of your thoughts on astrology, I do enjoy reading about it and learning about the Asian culture. Thanks Winky!

A Wishing Tree

This stunning card comes from Kun in Hong Kong and shows a fantastic traditional image of a wishing tree. This specific one is one of two at Tin Hau temple in Tai Po. The tradition says that if you throw paper up into the tree, you can make a wish. The higher the branch it lands on, the more likely your wish is to come true. Wonderful card and I love the colours, thanks Kun!

Hong Kong’s Beauty

This wonderful card came to me as part of a direct swap with Tin Fuk in Hong Kong who has desperately been trying to get hold of a Guernsey postcard for many years. In exchange for that, I got this beauty, showing what is regarded as one of the top three night-views in the world. And I can see why! Tin Fuk tells me that he works on the thirtieth floor of one of the buildings in the picture! Amazing! What a scene!

Sheung Wan

This pretty card comes from Zoie in Hong Kong and she tells me it shows Sheung Wan in the 1950s/60s. Apparently it is one of the richest places in Hong Kong now and is full of tourists, but she says that luckily it has kept its historical buildings intact. The card itself is painted by Shum-Ping who she says is a famous Chinese artist. Beautiful.

Natural Hong Kong

Here’s a side to Hong Kong that I bet a lot of people don’t know exists! Jim, who apparently has sent me an ID card before, sent this card as he says that even most local people can’t get out to this area, since most people don’t own cars and public transport focuses on the cities. Fascinating! And very beautiful too.

Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong

This pretty card comes from Wang in China and shows Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong. It’s quite a large card and Wang tells me he chose it so that he could fit my (long) address on! Apparently the two tall buildings marking the gates of the harbour are known as Hong Kong’s very own ‘pillars of Hercules’ very cool!

The Amah Rock

This amazing card comes from Nancy in the USA but actually shows Amah Rock in Hong Kong which has a fascinating legend behind it. Story has it that many years ago, a woman would carry her son to the top of the hill on her back to wait for her fisherman husband when he came back from fishing the oceans. Unbeknownst to her, he had died at see and would never return, but as a repayment for her faithfulness, the Sea Goddess turned her and her child to stone so that their spirits could eternally be together. Such a sweet story. And a lovely card!

A Stamp Anniversary

This interesting card comes from Tony in Hong Kong who wishes me a Happy New Year and tells me that the card was issued to commemorate the 150th anniversary of stamp issuance in his country. It also has lots of stamps on the back stating this. Interesting!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year 2013! And what better way to start it than to receive a calendar postcard like this one, hand-made by Tony in Hong Kong? On the back is a lovely little calendar with a festive greeting. Lovely!

A Hong Kong Rickshaw

I received this lovely card as part of a direct swap with Alexias from Hong Kong. It shows an Asian rickshaw which apparently are fast disappearing from the streets since the government has stopped issuing new licenses, but once they were one of the main modes of transportation in the sea ports. What a great card!