Jastarnia

Country: Poland
from: pen-pal

Jastarnia is a small place in the north of Poland, situated by the 'open' Baltic Sea, on Hel peninsula. It is a popular summer and holiday destination. There are great sandy beaches there.

Stamp

Theme: nature/flowers/lilly

South Africa

Country: South Africa, Cape Town
From: Polish Ladies Abroad Club
Year: 2017

This is my first ever postcard from Africa. Thank you Marianna!

Cape Town is the second biggest and most populated city in South Africa. The harbor reminds me of quite a different city, in a totally different part of the world - I mean my home city which also has a nice marina.

Stamp

Theme: nature / animals

Year: 2014

The African lion is one of the largest living cats in the world (it weighs even more than 250kg). Only the tiger is bigger than the African lion.

Slow Christmas Mail

Country: Poland
from: family
by: Pan Dragon

This card came after Christmas due to the very slow postal service. Sent by airmail on Dec. 11, 2016, arrived here on Jan. 10, 2017. It should have been in our mail box within 7-8 days only, not after a month time.

Stamp

Country: Poland
Theme: nature/flowers
Design: M. Dąbrowska
Year: 2016

The iris belongs to the family of Iridaceae plants. 'Iris' means 'rainbow' in Greek. There are over 200 kinds of irises, they grow in the wild in Northern hemisphere zones.

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.

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.

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

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

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

Tulip

Theme: nature
Series: flowers
Country: Germany
Year: 2013

Tulips, as popular bulb plants as they are these days, originally come from Persia, where they have been grown since 10th century. About six hundred years later tulips came to Austria and then Netherlands, Europe.
There are approximately 120 species and 15,000 cultivars of tulips.
Tulips grow/occur naturally in southern Europe, northern Africa, Asia (the area of Turkey, Iran, Pamir Mountains, Hindu Kush, China and Japan. They are quite pretty of variety of colors.

Some time ago, in the autumn, I planted a few kinds of bulb plants (including tulips) on my balcony.
When the spring came, I watched them grow. It was such an enjoyable view and a beautiful patio decoration as well. Especially that when they first emerged from under the ground, snow was still covering the land. It was my first sign of spring then.

Chambered Nautilus

Theme: nature/ ocean
Country: Philippines
Year: 2010

Chambered nautilus (a mollusk) is the most known kind of nautilus. The name of the nautilus relates to the chambers with gas, which are inside the shell covering the soft body. Nautilus pompilus is the largest of all species of nautiluses. It can move with the speed of over two knots. The shape of its shell makes a perfect golden spiral. The structure of its body is the same as it was several million years ago. That is why the nautilus is called a living fossil.
The mollusk reproduces every year, by laying eggs. Its eyesight is poor due to very primitive eyes. However, its smell is quite well developed and it helps the nautilus to find food (and match as well). The nautilus eats small crustaceans, fish and shrimps. It lives in the deep waters of the Pacific and Indian Ocean, including the Great Barrier Reef.
Recently, the population of chambered nautilus is declining due to overfishing mainly. That is why exporting nautiluses is illegal in Indonesia.

European Honey Bee

Theme: Nature/ Insects
Country: Poland
Design: M. Dąbrowska
Year: 2013

European Honey Bee, which is also called Western Honey Bee, is quite precious: it collects nectar and pollen and in this way the bee pollinates plants. This makes crops ripening and the fruit appearance possible. Besides honey, other honey bees' work products are: pollen, beeswax, royal jelly and propolis.