Women on Postcards | L Is for Loren

One of the most Agnès Varda's iconic images is Sofia Loren in Portugal, taken in 1956 in Póvoa de Varzim, (Portugal). It shows Maria do Alívio ("woman who does laundry for others"), walking, dressed in black and barefoot, down a street, Rua das Lavadeiras, in contrast to the smiling, torn poster showing Sophia Loren and the sign "For Sale". Despite the title, no doubt who is the main character here.

The postcard was sent by Pedro (Portugal). As a bonus, a stamp of the photographer issued in 2024 that I received on a letter sent by Fabienne (France):

[Women on Postcards - 2026]

[Women on Stamps]

Thursday Postcard Hunt | Fietsbrug't Sasje

Fietsbrug't Sasje is a movable cycle and pedestrian bridge over the Eem in Amersfoort (the Netherlands), which was initially conceived as a fixed bridge at first. I have read that a source of inspiration was pictures of the Eemhaven in older times, which show atmospheric images of the harbour filled with ships and masts.

Postcard sent by Heleen (the Netherlands).

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Thursday Postcard Hunt
September theme: BRIDGES

• Week 1 - Over land
• Week 2 - Over water
• Week 3 - Railway
• Week 4 - Moveable

Everyone is welcome to share their postcards!

Ciclo Carta

This letter sent by Pedro (Portugal) was posted on 11 September and reached me a week later, on 18 September. Not bad, considering it travels by bike!

For some reason, letters and postcards to Portugal travel faster than from Portugal. Also, I have noticed that the first CicloCarta took 9 days to arrive; the second, 8 days... What does this means?

I Smell Like Chocolate

Micu (Hungary) sent a lovely letter with interesting contents and stamps. The most surprising was the following one that states "I smell like chocolate":

And it really does! Which seems incredible, because it was issued in 2023, to commemorate the centenary of the Szerencs Chocolate Factory.

I like that Hungary issues so many stamps dedicated to children books' and characters, like these ones:

TV Maci

Manócska (Mazsola és Tádé)

300th anniversary of
Gulliver's Travels 

Summer Mail XVI | End of Summer

Sent by Laura (UK).

Sunday Stamps | Celebrating 250 Years (1)

A postcard sent by Bryon, celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States. On the back, a sheet issued by the United Nations to commemorate the Sesquicentennial. The stamp features a photograph of the Declaration of Independence on the stamps, with Independence Hall in Philadelphia shown in the background.

Today's theme on Sunday Stamps is Celebrating historical events.

Dove of Peace

In September 2025, the United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA) in conjunction with the Universal Postal Union (UPU) and 10 other postal organizations will jointly issue Dove of Peace embroidered stamps to celebrate the International Day of Peace and promote the value of peace to people all around the world. (More information about this issue.)

Bryon (UN) sent me the stamps from the three UN postal administrations, on the back of the same matching postcard:

Women on Postcards | C Is for Chinese Colourful Couple

Postcard sent by Lynn (China), through the Postcrossing site.

[Women on Postcards - 2026]

Thursday Postcard Hunt | Vorokhta

Vorokhta, Ukraine. Postcard sent by Irina.

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Thursday Postcard Hunt
September theme: BRIDGES

• Week 1 - Over land
• Week 2 - Over water
• Week 3 - Railway
• Week 4 - Moveable

Everyone is welcome to share their postcards!

Lowriders

Envelope with a First Day postmark sent by Phillip (the USA), and two more stamps from the same series.

Women on Postcards & Stamps | Little Women

Envelope made by Bryon (the USA), with the selvage of the Barbie stamps. It included the firefighter and the paleontologist Barbie (you can be anything). And, suitably, a Little Women stamp (where they are reading a letter!!):

And yet, weeks later... a postcard with the same theme! A postcard with a quotation of Louisa May Alcott:

With a matching stamp, and two more little women on the back: the surgeon and the astronaut Barbie.

And still another related postcard, sent by Marina (the USA)!

When Barbie was introduced in 1959, women were expected to be full-time mothers and homemakers, and toys reflected this. The market consisted mostly in baby dolls. Portraying everything from astronauts to surgeons to reporters and rappers, Barbie has enabled girls to aspire to other careers through role-play.

Summer Mail | OUT

Envelope sent to Imma (PC).

Sunday Stamps | Phillis Wheatley

This stamp, issued on 29 January 2026, honours poet Phillis Wheatley (ca 1753–1784), the first author of African descent in the American colonies to publish a book. The stamp art features a black-and-white ink-on-paper portrait of Wheatley by Kerry James Marshall, who imagines her later in life --That choice stirred a bit of controversy.

The envelope was sent by Phillip (the USA). More about this stamp.

Go to Sunday Stamps to see more stamps about Famous or accomplished people.

Coffee Collection

 

This stamp is dedicated to the Café A Brasileira (='The Brazilian Café) in Braga (Portugal), opened in 1907. It belongs to the series Cafés Históricos II.

Sometimes I think I would need all the time in the world to grow a thematic collection of all the topics that interest me!

Summer Mail | Total Solar Eclipse (OUT)

I enjoyed sending some eclipse-themed mail on the due day. 

At least one of them travelled fast!