Another Christmas Card

Country: USA

from: family
by Markings/ CR Gibson

 Received on Christmas Day...

 

Dancing Santa

Country: Poland
From: friend
by Verte SA

Stamp

Theme: Christmas/Nativity
Year: 2016

Wesołych Świąt

Country: Poland
From: family
by PW Panorama Gdańsk

Christmas Wishes from DK

The card was created by a dear friend of mine.

Stamp

Theme: coat of arms
Country: Denmark

Coat of arms of Denmark - three blue lions wearing crowns in a golden shield. The lions have red tongues and are accompanied by nine red hearts.

Happy Christmas

Country: Australia
From: penpal exchange
by Hallmark

Stamp

Theme: Christmas - Three Kings

The Three Kings - stamp also in another post.

Frohe Weinachten

Country: Germany
From: friend
by Hanra

Stamp

Theme: Nature / Mountains - national park
Year: 2016

Sächsische Schweiz - Saxon Switzerland - climbing area with around 1,000 peaks and hollows, national park in Germany (the Elbe River valley). The highest peak in Saxon Switzerland is Großer Zschirnstein (562m above sea level).

Winter Scene

Country: Gremany
From: Polish Lady Abroad Club
Artist: Aleksandr Ivanov
by MKF Mund-und Fussmalende Kunster Verlag

Stamp

Theme: Organizations

The stamp issued to commemorate the 25th anniversary of 'Polish-German Youth Cooperation', organization founded in 1991 by the governments of Poland and Germany. 

Polish-German Youth Cooperation sponsors and supports/ helps to organize projects and youth meetings, youth exchange in both countries, publishes information/books on Poland and Germany. The organization has two offices: in Warsaw and in Potsdam.

Merry Christmas

Country: USA
From: family
by St. Joseph's Indian School

The very first card this year was from.........

Card from Secret Santa

Country: Ireland
From: Polish Lady Abroad Club - Secret Santa
by FSC

The card accompanied the lovely gifts from my Club Irish Secret Santa.

Stamp

Theme: Christmas / Three Kings

Three Kings /three Wise Men/ three Magi - the men who followed the Bethlehem Star which led them to the place where Jesus was born. The Men's names were Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar. They came to Bethlehem to pay respect to the baby Jesus new-born King of all mankind and present him with myrrh, gold, and frankincense.

Santa's List

Country: USA
From: family
by The Humor Company,
PRGCO, LLC

Christmas Collection

Time to take care of all the cards we have got this year...

Country: USA
From: family
Series: New Beginnings
by London Portfolio

It was actually the third Christmas card which we received this season.
Thank you!

Birthday Card 4

Country: Poland
From: Family
Year: 2016
by: Passion Cards

I assume, the last birthday card this year + the gifts have arrived so we are done with the birthday. Now we can think of the Christmas time only.

By the way, the postal service has been really slow recently - the card delivery (airmail) - from Poland to TX  - took 3 weeks.

Birthday Card 3

Country: Germany
Language: English
From: friend
Year: 2016
by: Cartuna Greetings

Stamps:

1. Theme: TV / TV series

    Year: 2016

Raumpatrouille (Space Patrol) - the first German SF TV series - broadcast started on Sept. 17, 1966.

2. Theme: nature / flowers /crocus

Crocus - the name comes from Greek - first grown and harvested in the Mediterranean. There are more than 80 kinds of crocuses. The seasoning made of Crocus sativus is the most expensive spice in the world.

Birthday Card 2

Country: USA
From: family
Year: 2016
by: American Greetings

Birthday Card 1

Country: USA
From: family
Year: 2016
by: Papyrus

Four Towns of Île-de-France Region

Country: France
Region: Île-de-France
From: Polish Ladies Abroad Club
Year: 2016

Towns:

• Barbizon (population around 1,600 people) - situated near the Forest of Fontainebleau. Known of the Barbizon school of painters. T. Rousseau and J.-F. Millet lived and died in Barbizon.
• Morel sur Loing (population about 4,000 people) - Monet, Sisley and Renoir created their paintings there.
• Fontainebleau (population circa 16,000 people) - located about 56 km south-east of Paris, famous for its Royal Palace and forest which is a French national park. A former place of residence of kings of France, a king of Spain, queen of Sweden, Napoleon and other significant persons.
• Melun (population around 38,000 people) - situated by the Seine River, not far from Paris.

Wadowice - Poland

Country: Poland
City: Wadowice
From: Polish Ladies Abroad Club
Year: 2016

Wadowice - a town in southern Poland, situated by the Skawa River - the birthplace of Pope John Paul II. A lady, member of the Polish Ladies Abroad Club was born there as well.
Wadowice received city rights in 1430. The town has approximately 19,000 inhabitants.

Wadowice cooperate with Assisi, Canale d'Agordo, Carpineto Romano, Pietrelcina, Sona, San Giovanni Rotondo (Italy), Marktl (Germany), Kecskemet (Hungary) and Chicago Heights (USA).

Stamp

Theme: Events / Olympics
Country: Poland

Design: A. Tosolczyk

Year: 2016

The stamp theme is related to the summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro 2016.

Alpine National Park in Australia

Theme: Nature / national park / mountains
Country: Australia
Year: 2016

Alpine National Park in Victoria is the largest state park in Australia, situated north-east of Melbourne. The mountains in the park are the highest on the continent. It is a protected area with lots of beautiful wildflowers and all the alpine environment. The highest peak is Mount Bogong (6,516 ft).

The park is popular for its tourist attractions & activities such as hiking, biking, mountain biking, fishing, four wheel driving, cycling, horse riding and others. 

More about it here: Alpine National Park.

Bedzin - Poland

Country: Poland
City: Będzin
From: Polish Ladies Abroad Club
Year: 2016

Będzin is situated in the south of Poland, by the Czarna Przemsza River. It is one of the oldest cities of the Silesian Voivodship - Będzin was founded in the 9th century and granted city rights in 1358. The city is also part of the industrial region of the Upper Silesia. Not long ago, it used to be a coal-mining center as well.
Nowadays, about 58,000 people live in Będzin.

Schmallenberg - Germany

Country: Germany
City: Schmallenberg
From: Polish Ladies Abroad Club
Year: 2016

Schmallenberg is a health resort town in High Sauerland District - in the mountainous region - in Germany. It is the second biggest town of Westphalia. The beginnings of the town date back to the year 1072 when a Benedictine monastery was founded in the area, near the Wilzenberg mountain.

Schmallenberg was granted town rights in 1244. Nowadays, the town has approximately 25,000 inhabitants.

Stamp

Theme: nature/flowers - narcissus
Country: Germany

Saint Petersburg - Russia

Country: Russia
Place: Saint Petersburg
Year: 2016
From: Penpal exchange

Saint Petersburg / Sankt Petersburg is the second largest city in Russia. It is situated on the River Neva/ by The Gulf of Finland/ by the Baltic Sea. The city was founded in 1703 and it used to be the capital of Russia. Nowadays, more than 5 million people live there.

 Stamps

Theme: Place /buildings
Series: Moscow Kremlin
Country: Russia
Year: 2009

The Kremlin (fortress in a city) is a fortified complex which consists of five palaces, four cathedrals, the Kremlin Wall, and towers. It was built in Moscow, by the River Moskva. The first Kremlin construction came to being in 1147. However, the origins of the site date back to 2,000 years BC. The area was settled by Finno-Ugric people then.
Nowadays the Kremlin is the residence of the president of the Russian federation.

The Kremlin museum exposition includes many interesting items such as the biggest bell in the world, made in 1735.

Visit the Kremlin Museum: online - pictures and expositions

Special Postcard

This is quite a special postcard. Words seem to have a deeper meaning when you are far away from a person you care for and who cares for you .....

Country: Poland
Theme: Greetings / nature
Year: 2016
From: family

Kassel, Germany

Country: Germany
Place: Kassel
Year: 2016
From: Penpal exchange

Kassel is a city in northern Germany, on the Fulda River. It is the third biggest city in the region called Hesse. About 200,000 people live Kassel. It is really old - it was granted city rights in 1189 and the first written remark on the place dates back to 913 AD.

Have you been to Kassel?

Kassel, Germany

Country: Germany
Place: Kassel
Year: 2016
From: Pen pal exchange

Kassel is a city in northern Germany, on the Fulda River. It is the third biggest city in the region called Hesse. About 200,000 people live Kassel. It is really old - it was granted city rights in 1189 and the first written remark on the place dates back to 913 AD.

Have you been to Kassel?

Dorsten

This postcard made my day! Such lovely greetings from Polish Ladies Abroad Club co-member.....
Besides, I learned about a city in Germany which I had never been to.

Country: Germany
City: Dorsten
From: Polish Ladies Abroad Club
Year: 2016

Dorsten is a city in western Germany (North Rhine-Westphalia), situated by the Lippe River and the Wesel-Datteln Canal. It was granted city rights in the year 1251. These days Dorsten has about 80 thousand inhabitants. It sure looks lovely in the pictures!

Stamps

Theme: nature/flowers - tulip and marigold
Theme: winter/ snowman
Country: Germany

Gdańsk, Poland & Flowers

Quite unexpectedly I received a postcard from

Country: Poland
City: Gdańsk
Year: 2016
From: Pen-pal exchange

The old town hall and Długa Street (Long Street)

Gdansk is a city in northern Poland, situated by the Baltic Bay/ Baltic Sea.
The city was founded in the seventh century - at first it was just a small village which was home to fishermen and various craftsmen. It was granted the city rights in 1263.

The Neptune Fountain

The old town - part of it you can see in the above picture - is a place famous for its beautiful architecture. That is why it is popular with tourists and the people who live in the area as well.

We used to quite often meet there  with my great friend Krystyna. We enjoyed walks along Dluga Street (and in some other places). Among others, we also sometimes visited a great ice cream cafe which is situated there.

By The Motlawa River

 Gdańsk and its old market is very much worth visiting at any time of the year.

Stamps

Theme: Nature / flowers

Country: Poland

The Rose & The Sunflower

Design: M. Dąbrowska

Year: 2015

Frigate of Elfenbein

Theme: Art/Sculpture
Country: Germany:
Year: 2016

The frigate was created by Jacob Zeller, German sculpture and ivory carver, in 1620. The artist finished his work in the summer, a few months before his death in December.

Material used: ivory, gold and iron.

The sculpture includes carved names of the princes of Saxony, beginning with Harderich, who supposedly lived shortly after the birth of Christ, up to Elector Johann Georg I of Saxony. There are also tiny sailors, guns, chains, nails, ropes and anchors made of gold. The picture of the artist's wife, Magdalena Sibylla of Brandenburg and the crest of Johann Georg I are parts of the relief carving.

The base resembles the fountain in Rome, sculptured by Gian Lorenzo Bernini - figures of Neptune standing on a ball, Fortuna, the goddess of changing destiny and sea horses.

Johannes Jessenius

Theme: People/ doctor
Country: Poland
Design: V. Rostoka, F. Horniak, A. Sancewicz
Year: 2016

The stamp was issued to commemorate the 450th birthday anniversary of Johannes Jessenius/ Jan Jessenius - philosopher, physician and politician.

Jessenius was born to a noble family on Dec. 27, 1566 in Wroclaw, Poland. He studied in Wittenberg, Leipzig (Germany) and in Padva (Italy).

At first, Jessenius worked as a physician in Wroclaw. Later he became personal doctor of prince Wilhelm in Dresden and was anatomy, surgery and botany professor at the Wittenberg university.

When in Prague (1600), he carried out the first ever autopsy in that part of the world.

Jessenius' professional career developed steadily - he was personal physician of king Matthias (king of Bohemia); in 1616 the scientist was elected rector of Prague university. At that time Jessenius started his interest in politics. As a result of the political involvement, Jessenius was imprisoned, and finally, executed on June 21, 1621. His head was buried beneath the flooring of Church of Our Lady before Týn (Prague).

Irish An Post

 

Theme: 25 Anniversary of An Post
Design: Zinc Design
Country: Ireland
Year: 2009

The stamps are part of the series issued by Irish An Post (commercial state company) to commemorate its silver anniversary.

Ireland is on our travel bucket list. Wish we could go there together some day. Besides, it would be great if we could escape the Texas heat and spend the summer in Ireland or Scotland.

You can find out more about the history of An Post here.

Spain & Football

Theme: Country/Spain
Year: 2015

This stamp reminds me of EURO 2012 (European Football) Championships. Poland and Ukraine were co-hosts of the events (from June 8 till July 1) and I still lived in Poland then.

All the time of the tournament was quite amazing - mostly everybody got crazy about it. Almost each city of our region had their football fan zones, where people gathered to watch the matches and had fun together. You could also feel the cheerful spirit of the Championships and buy/see items with the logo of EURO 2012 everywhere. Fans from different European countries and supporters of various teams celebrated the sport competitions in a jolly and friendly way - one big family of football lovers. Groups of merry guys dressed in their state team colors (Ireland, Spain, Croatia, Italy, Greece and Poland) filled the streets of Gdansk (my area of Poland). The atmosphere of the football holiday lasted through the entire time of Euro 2012. I followed it all on TV as well. Especially when the Polish team played a match. How nervous and excited I got in front of our TV then! How stressful watching the games was!

The opening match: Poland vs Greece

PGE Arena: stadium in Gdańsk

Spain won EURO 2012 and it was their third champions title. The best player of the championships was Spanish player Andres Iniesta.

Spanish team - winners of EURO 2012

At that time I bought two EURO keepsakes for my husband - a glass stein and a jersey of the Polish team (which I posted to Texas of course).

The flowers in the pattern symbolize the Championships stadiums - notice the golden PGE Arena of Gdansk

Soon, the EURO 2016 will take place, but it will not be the same as my EURO 2012. I think you can only truly experience the event if you are where it is being held.

EURO 2012 photos:
1. By Pawel Nurkowski (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.
2. (PGE Arena) By Piotr Drabik (Flickr: DSCF7913) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
3. Football.ua [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0), CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons