Postcards from Italy

The Leaning Tower of Pisa

My friend Laura (the UK) visited Florence and Pisa last month. And I had right to a bunch of wonderful postcards. I promise that I am showing just some of them!

Palazzo Vechio
(Town Hall)

This postcard arrived with a Globe Postal Service stamp, instead of the Poste Italiane normal postage stamps.

It is the first time I have received one of these. It says there is a video, but I cannot see it (?). Have you received or sent them? I think double post systems could be a bit confusing, especially for visitors. Actually, the sender put this postcard in the wrong mail box, but it arrived anyway (??).

Ponte Vecchio
(Old Bridge)

Two inside & outside views of the basilicas of Santa Croce (Do you remember Stendhal syndrome?) and Santa Maria Novella 

Uffizi Gallery

Etc.

Moon-Shaped Cow Horns

Cowpostcard sent by Heleen (the Netherlands), copied of her daughter's design. More details here.

Have you seen the latest mail arrived for the VQR Postcard Project? The project will be finish on May 26, 2015.

Woods on Stamps

Today the theme of Sunday Stamps - II is Woodlands, Forests, Parks or Gardens.

This stamp was released on 23rd April 2011 by Lietuvos Paštas and took part in the Europa Stamp competition. The theme that year was Forest.

Maybe you consider this one a bit off-topic. I received it last week and I can but love the design as well as the message. It was issued on 28th April 2014 by Magyar Posta 

(...) in remembrance of the victims of the Holocaust. The design of the stamp remembers the victims and symbolically conveys the message of renewal and rebirth. The stamp was designed by the graphic artist Eszter Domé. (More)

Keep Calm and Look at the Starlings

Letter sentto Heleen (the Netherlands).

Update: It seen that this letter has never reached its destination... :'(

Map Envelope

Envelope made of a map, sent by John (the UK).

The Island Effect

Postcard (right) sent to Ania's project, Every Island in the World. I did not send the stamps, but I really love her photograph.

What do you think about the island effect?

Happy Chinese New Year - IV

Some happy sheep send by Heleen (the Netherlands) to wish a Happy New Year. And they arrived with some colourful yarn!

Happy Chinese New Year - III

Received from FinnBadger (the USA). I love the calligraphy (can you appreciate it is golden?) and of course the perfectly matched stamps, also turquoise and golden. And... the way it was postmarked!

Inside, a tangram goat, also in golden ink:

Evanescent Mail Art

Sent by Micu (Hungary).

I think this is the most ephemeral art I have ever received. This is painted with chalk on a toilet paper cardboard (I guess). The chalk was still visible when it arrived but I am not sure that it will remain long time. It says nevető tehén ('laughing cow' in Hungarian).

Mail a Whale

Whale, I mean letter sent to Heleen (the Netherlands). More whales inside: see in her post. 

Spring Alternative Stamps

I love when people add spring stamps to their letters!

These where sent (with the right postage, of course!) by Ania (Hungary) and Hannah (the UK). 

Welcome, Spring!

Postcard sent by Laura (the UK). Van Gogh's?

Postcard sent by Lluïsa (PC). It shows almond trees in the beautiful village of Deià (Mallorca island).

From Japan

From the USA

Red Budapest

Envelope drawn and sent by Ania (Hungary). Not sure if you can appreciate that my address is written on another envelope... I love the design!

The stamps participated in the yearly competition to choose the best EUROPA stamp of the year, hosted by PostEurop. The theme for 2013 was Van of the Postman. So I added them to this old post.

Inside, kind words, some tea and an original postcard depicting Budapest watertown by Urban Sidewalker.

Also added to the Capital Cities album, of course!

Scheveningen

Postcards sent by Heleen (the Netherlands). The third one is extra long but, amazingly, it reached my mail box safe and sound. In fact, it is exactly the size of my post office box, I discovered.

When I travel I usually visit as many lighthouses as I can (sometimes this is the purpose of my trips!). And I like to take pictures from different points of views. So I was extra happy when I received, some weeks ago, the third picture of Scheveningen. Then, when I looked closer... Wait! The second and the third picture are exactly the same. Just check the cars. Oh, they almost fooled me!

Dare to Dream

Handmade envelope sent to Ângela (Portugal), with letter and postcard inside (Oh, again I took the picture without stamps!).

Sincerely a Cow

Envelope given by FinnBadger (the USA) and send back to Kate from Sincerely Kate (the USA). I have always wanted to write a postcard in round!

Space Exploration On Three Stamps

This weeks Sunday Stamps-II's theme is Time of exploration: space. I'm sure I have received more stamps about this topic, but I am not able to find them. So I am showing you just three.

Stamp issued by Poste Italiane on April 12, 2011. It is dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the first manned flight into space. On April 12, 1961 the Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin realized the first complete orbit around the Earth. In the right foreground you can see the spacecraft Vostok 3KA.

The following stamp depicts what the cosmonaut saw during his 108 minute mission...

And the third one belongs to the set Space Achievement issued by USPS on May 21, 1981. I received it on a letter just last month! It depicts the spacecraft Pioneer 2.

The complete set (I wouldn't mind to receive it!):

Interesting Wikipedia link as a bonus: US Space Exploration Stamps.

ATC for a Festival

Artist Trading Cards sent to Christophe Blaise (France). I'm excited to know they are being exhibited in the Festival d'Art Postal in Vienne (France).

See the details:

Have I Read... 'Burn'?

«You shouldn't be allowed to burn letters. From anyone.»

Xu Xi, The Letters Page 1

LWA

From now on, I'm a proud member of the Letter Writers Alliance. And you?

Russian Doll Letter

Rusian doll letter (or nesting envelopes) sent to Alan (the UK).

Beware of People Who Don't Believe in Mail

I Love Windows, Too

Postcard sent to Postmuse (the USA). Who loves shuttered windows, by the way.

Further and Further Away

"I told my parents I was going to the Grand National... I sent a postcard from London, 'Come up to have a look at London for a few days'. Then I sent a postcard from Paris. So I gradually attuned them to the idea that I was moving further and further away. Eventually they got a postcard from Spain."

Fearghal McGarry, Irish Politics and the Spanish Civil War

Elephant Mail Carrier

Letter sent to Micu (Hungary).