This gorgeous card comes from Susanne in the USA and really looks outside the box to find something that matches my love for ‘vintage map cards’. And I love it! It is so unique! Here you can see an old celestial map, dating to 1729 and the constellations as seen then. I love old paintings like this and the stars have always intrigued me. Thank you so much Susanne! It’s a hit!
This awesome card comes from Tonje in Norway and I love it! As a child I had a total fascination with Norwegian trolls, so this card totally takes me back to my childhood! Trolls in Scandinavian folklore are usually dangerous or at the very least to be avoided and in many stories will eat children. However, if you can trick a troll (they are usually described as slow-witted) and make him stray into the sunlight, he will be turned to stone. Incidentally, this image has been based on a view at the village of Geiranger. Great card! Thank you Tonje!
I love this really cool map card of Britain, sent to me by Ina in the Netherlands. I have no idea when it dates to, but I am a huge fan of vintage maps and seeing how differently places were once depicted. I guess this one can’t be too old as it is fairly accurate, but that doesn’t make it any less special! This one shows the kingdoms in the times of the Anglo-Saxons. Furthest north are the Scots, a little further south (in what is now southern Scotland) are the Picts, then Northumbria, below which are (left to right) Wales, Mercia and Essex. Below Essex is East Anglia and below that (left to right again) Wessex, Sussex and Kent. Most of these are still county/country names in the UK, but the counties are now far smaller. So fascinating! Thank you Ina!
This cool card comes from Teresa in Portugal and shows the city of Coimbra. With a magical library and a university that was established in 1290, this city is just full of culture and history! Hidden in the city’s depths you can also stumble across Roman structures and buildings that date back to the days when this was actually Portugal’s capital. Amazing!
This cheery card comes from Karin in the Netherlands and shows a cute family of dolphins. Widely regarded as one of the most intelligent species of animal in the world, these little guys are incredibly social and love to play with each other and just about anything they can wrap their little snouts around. Adorable!
This cool card from Bo in the Netherlands shows Lange Jaap: the tallest non-skeletal, cast-iron lighthouse in the world. Well now, I bet you didn’t know that! Built in 1878, Lange Jaap is 63 metres tall and believe it or not it has 17 floors and 284 steps! Ouch! Wouldn’t want to work up there!
This amazing card comes from Asami in Japan and shows an old map of her country way back in 1595 – during one of the most turbulent times in Japanese history. Warlords had fought for centuries over territories, but by the end of the 16th century, things were beginning to become more peaceful and the country was starting to become the united Japan we know today. Fantastic card!
This cool card comes from Paulina in Finland and shows the country’s capital: Helsinki. What you might not know about the largest Finnish city is that its name actually derives from the tongue of the original Swedish settlers (as with many places in Finland) and in fact was named after an area in central Sweden – Hälsingland! Fascinating!
This beautiful card is one of my favourites! Sent to me way back in March, just after the amazing Sochi Winter Olympics, Nadya in Russia really hit the nail on the head with this one – AND even used a commemorative stamp! For some reason, this was the first year I really got into the Winter Olympics and I honestly got hooked! My favourite: the snowboarding! Amazing! And there’s no doubt about it – despite all their controversies the Russians can certainly put on a good show.
This cool card from a new country in my collection is from Ante in Antigua and well, it is awesome! Definitely makes me want a holiday! This 108 mile square island relies hugely on its tourism as its primary economy, but I can see why! Just look at that beach! Thanks Ante!
The World On My Doorstep 