in my mailbox - july 31, 2008

through postcrossing.com:
- postcard from USA

card # 43 . hong kong

postcard no.: 43

how i got it: given to me (not mailed) by my mom who received it in the mail from a friend

details from back of postcard:
Victoria Harbour

card # 53 . usa .

postcard no.: 53

how i got it: given to me (not mailed) by my sister who received it in the mail from our mom

details from back of postcard:
New York
Statue of Liberty

card # 46 . china .

postcard no.: 46

how i got it: given to me (not mailed) by my mom who received it in the mail from a friend

details from back of postcard:
Guangdong Guest House

in my mailbox - july 29, 2008

through postcrossing.com:
- postcard from The Netherlands

card # 50 . usa .

postcard no.: 50

how i got it: purchased myself on location

details from back of postcard:
A beautiful picture of the White House in Washington DC

card # 42 . jordan .

postcard no.: 42

how i got it: given to me (not mailed) by my sister who received it in the mail from my aunt

details from back of postcard:
River Jordan
Pilgrim Baptismal Site

card # 41 . israel .

postcard no.: 41

how i got it: given to me (not mailed) by my uncle

details from back of postcard:
View of Eilat

card # 40 . canada .

postcard no.: 40

how i got it: purchased myself on location

details from back of postcard:
Parliament Buildings
Ottawa, Ontario
A group of three Gothic style buildings erected in the 1860's on Parliament Hill. The Parliament of United Canada first met in June 1866. On February 3rd, 1916 the center block was destroyed by fire and restoration was completed in 1920.

card # 39 . canada .

postcard no.: 39

how i got it: purchased myself on location

details from back of postcard:
Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal
Founded in 1904 by the late Brother Andre, c.s.c., Saint Joseph's Oratory towers 506 ft. above the street level. Conveniently located a few minutes away from downtown Montreal, the Shrine attracts some two millioin pilgrims and visitors annually.

card # 38 . israel .

postcard no.: 38

how i got it: given to me (not mailed) by my uncle

details from back of postcard:
Eilat
glass boat

card # 37 . poland .

postcard no.: 37

how i got it: given to me (not mailed) by a friend

details from back of postcard:
(no details about the image on the postcard)

postcrossing update - july 25, 2008

Last week I had sent off my first ever batch of postcards and I'm already onto my second round and have started receiving postcards in return as well! This is so much fun!

I'm still amazed by how fast mail seems to travel between Canada and Finland. I've sent two to Finland and received one from there and every time, it takes only FIVE days! I mean, sometimes it takes me longer to receive mail from within Canada!

current postcrossing stats:

postcards sent: 3
postcards received: 2
travelling: 4

sent distance: 13,343 km (8,291 miles)
received distance: 7,335 km (4,558 miles)

my map:
(pink = sent, blue = received)

card # 36 . poland

postcard no.: 36

how i got it: mailed to me by a friend

details from back of postcard:
(no details about the image on the postcard)

card # 21 . italy .

postcard no.: 21

how i got it: mailed to me by my cousin

details from back of postcard:
(no details about the images on the postcard)

card # 20 . usa .

postcard no.: 20

how i got it: given to me (not mailed) by my dad who received it in the mail from a company

details from back of postcard:
(no details about the image on the postcard)

comments:
Another ad card. This one was sent to my dad, inviting him to a convention by the American company SEL that was hosted by the Canadian Electricity Association.

card # 19 . greece .

postcard no.: 19

how i got it: given to me (not mailed) by my mom who received it in the mail from a friend

details from back of postcard:
Olympic Airways
Boeing 707-320

comments:
I am not that picky when it comes to adding cards to my collection and even though I know some collectors don't like "ad" cards, I don't mind them, as long as they're interesting. This was obviously a postcard given out by the Greek airline.

in my mailbox - july 23, 2008

through postcrossing.com:
- postcard from Finland
- postcard from USA

card # 17 . egypt .

postcard no.: 17

how i got it: given to me (not mailed) by my uncle

details from back of postcard:
Egypt
Giza - Sound and Light of the Pyramids of Giza

card # 24 . canada .

postcard no.: 24

how i got it: mailed to me by a friend

details from back of postcard:
(no details about the image on the postcard)

comments:
My second "at night" postcard.

card # 16 . israel .

postcard no.: 16

how i got it: given to me (not mailed) by my uncle

details from back of postcard:
Beduins relaxing with their camels on the shore of the Red Sea

comments:
My uncle lives in Israel and when I was a kid, he sent me lots of postcards from that area (Israel and Egypt).

card # 15 . egypt .

postcard no.: 15

how i got it: given to me (not mailed) by my uncle

details from back of postcard:
Egypt
Some statues of Abou Simbel

card # 18 . egypt .

postcard no.: 18

how i got it: given to me (not mailed) by my uncle

details from back of postcard:
Egypt
Giza
The Great Sphinx and the pyramid of Kephre

card # 14 . egypt .

postcard no.: 14

how i got it: given to me (not mailed) by my uncle

details from back of postcard:
Egypt
The Golden Mask of Tut Ankh Amon

comments:
As a child, I was fascinated with Egyptology, and especially with the story of Tut Ankh Amon. Even now, I find archeology and past cultures and civilizations really interesting, although my horizons have broadened beyond Egypt's past.

card # 13 . egypt .

postcard no.: 13

how i got it: given to me (not mailed) by my uncle

details from back of postcard:
Egypt
Giza - The Sphinx of Sakkara

card # 12 . egypt .

postcard no.: 12

how i got it: given to me (not mailed) by my uncle

details from back of postcard:
Egypt
Isis temple at Philae.

card # 11 . egypt .

postcard no.: 11

how i got it: given to me (not mailed) by my uncle

details from back of postcard:
Egypt
Painted limestone bust of Queen Nefertiti.

card # 10 . usa .

postcard no.: 10

how i got it: mailed to me by a friend

details from back of postcard:
New York
Syracuse - a major city and manufacturing center in central New York State.

card # 9 . netherlands .

postcard no.: 9

how i got it: mailed to me by a friend

details from back of postcard:
Amsterdam
Unforgettable

card # 8 . canada .

postcard no.: 8

how i got it: mailed to me by a friend

details from back of postcard:
End of Day

comments:
I never knew how beautiful the East Coast of Canada really was until I finally went there last year. This card is pretty, but it doesn't begin to show off how lovely Nova Scotia is. I can't wait to go back again - I could spend weeks there just eating the insanely fresh seafood.

card # 7 . canada .

postcard no.: 7

how i got it: mailed to me by a friend

details from back of postcard:
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
This colourful night scene shows the recent dramatic growth of Edmonton's business district. In the foreground are the illuminated pyramids of the Muttart Conservatory.

postcrossing update - july 18, 2008

Well, I'm very excited to post my first Postcrossing Update, which will be a weekly feature as I try to send/receive as many cards as I can through Postcrossing. I sent off 5 postcards last week and my first sent postcard has been registered at Postcrossing! How exciting! Plus, who knew that mail could take less than 4 days to get from Canada to Finland???

current postcrossing stats:

postcards sent: 1
postcards received: 0
travelling: 4

sent distance: 6,519 km (4,051 miles)
received distance: 0 km (0 miles)

my map:
(pink = sent, blue = received)

card # 6 . usa .

postcard no.: 6

how i got it: mailed to me by my sister

details from back of postcard:
Lunar eclipse over Anchorage, Alaska

card # 5 . canada .

postcard no.: 5

how i got it: mailed to me by a friend

details from back of postcard:
Oak Bay Beach Hotel
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
A charming, old-world hotel, set in the magnificent scenery of Vancouver Island. Panels, oak beams, open fireplaces, "The Snug" - all give a sense of history. Every guest room and suite has a character all of its own. It is Victoria's only seaside hotel with all the amenities and service you'd expect - and much, much more.

card # 4 . usa .

postcard no.: 4

how i got it: mailed to me by a friend

details from back of postcard:
Metropolitan Milwaukee
An aerial view of the dynamic city in its setting on the shore of Lake Michigan. Milwaukee is a sophisticated city steeped in the culture of its early settlers.

postcrossing.com

One of the reasons that I decided to start collecting postcards again was because I had discovered Postcrossing, a really great site for postcard collectors around the world to exchange cards. This is a great way to add to your own collection from places around the globe.

Basically, after signing up, you request an address through Postcrossing. You mail a postcard (with an assigned postcard ID) to that person and once they receive it, they register your postcard as received and you get added to the list of people whose address will be issued to the next person requesting an address.

You can have up to 5 postcards "travelling" at any single time and every time a postcard you've sent is registered by the recipient, you can request another address. The premise is the more cards you send out, the more cards you'll receive.

I just joined this program this weekend and requested my first 5 recipients. Wow! Talk about global! My first postcards are headed to Finland, the USA, Germany, China and the UK! Postcrossing also keeps track of all the locations you've sent and received postcards on a cool map (which I'll post on this blog from time to time).

The best part about Postcrossing is that you don't know who was assigned your address until you receive the card, which means that you'll always be surprised with where the postcards are coming from!

Check out these amazing Postcrossing stats:
~ 57,032 members
~ 184 countries
~ 162 postcards/hour
~ 1,219,271 postcards received
~ 60,152 postcards travelling
~ 6,665,283,931 kms travelled

I can't wait until I start getting my first Postcrossing postcards!

p.s. By the way, Postcrossing is celebrating a birthday today! Happy 3rd birthday Postcrossing! Many more years to come!

card # 3 . france .

postcard no.: 3

how i got it: mailed to me by a friend

details from back of postcard:
Paris, la nuit
The Champs-Elysees and the Arc de Triomphe

comments:
I've never been to Paris, but it's definitely on my list of "Must-See" places and I know that the Champs-Elysees and Arc de Triomphe will be high on my attractions to visit with I finally get to France!

card # 2 . tahiti .

postcard no.: 2

how i got it: mailed to me by a friend

details from back of postcard:
Tahiti
Magic of the South Seas

comments:
I love this postcard! The stunning island sunset (sunrise?) is so beautiful and just makes me wish I could spend all my days on an island like this!

card # 1 . poland .

postcard no.: 1

how i got it: given to me (not mailed) by a friend

details from back of postcard:
Torun
New Town - seen from the Town-Hall tower

card # 35 . egypt .

postcard no.: 35

how i got it: given to me (not mailed) by my uncle

details from back of postcard:
Egypt
Giza
The Great Sphinx and the pyramids of Kephren and Mikerinos

card # 34 . usa .

postcard no.: 34

how i got it: mailed to me by a friend

details from back of postcard:
Virginia Beach, VA

card # 33 . canada .

postcard no.: 33

how i got it: given to me (not mailed) by my mom

details from back of postcard:
Edmonton Space Sciences Centre
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Wonders of our planet and of the universe above are portrayed with startling realism in the centre's two spectacular theatres: a giant screen IMAX film cinema (the Devonian Theatre), and a 23 metre diameter planetarium (The Margaret Ziedler Star Theatre). Shows are scheduled daily.

card # 32 . usa .

postcard no.: 32

how i got it: purchased myself on location

details from back of postcard:
Hammersmith Farm
Ocean Drive - Newport, R.I.
This view from the south side of the main residence shows part of the terrace gardens designed by Boris V. Timchenko. Famous as a Summer White House during the Kennedy administration, the house and grounds are now open to visitors April 1 to November.

card # 31 . israel .

postcard no.: 31

how i got it: given to me (not mailed) by my uncle

details from back of postcard:
Eilat - under water scenery

card # 29 . canada .

postcard no.: 29

how i got it: purchased myself on location

details from back of postcard:
Parliament Hill, Ottawa
The winter twilight glow creates an ethereal view of the centre block and the Peace Tower with the beautifully illuminated library on the right.

card # 28 . canada .

postcard no.: 28

how i got it: purchased myself on location

details from back of postcard:
Black-footed Penguin
Spheniscus demersus
Aquarium de Montreal

card # 27 . usa .

postcard no.: 27

how i got it: purchased myself on location

details from back of postcard:
Detroit, Michigan
A view of Detroit's dramatic skyline as seen from the Canadian side of the Detroit river.

card # 51 . malaysia

postcard no.: 51

how i got it: given to me (not mailed) by my mom who received it in the mail from a friend

details from back of postcard:
Golden Sands Resort
Penang, Malaysia

card # 25 . usa .

postcard no.: 25

how i got it: purchased myself on location

details from back of postcard:
Brooklin, Maine
Schooners at Anchor

card # 30 . usa .

postcard no.: 30

how i got it: purchased myself on location

details from back of postcard:
New York State Capitol
State and Eagle Street
Albany, New York
New York's elegant stone Capitol. Highlights of the Capitol includes the Senate Chamber, considered one of the world's most beautiful legislative chambers and the "Million Dollar Staircase". Tours of the State Capitol are offered year-round.

card # 23 . usa .

postcard no.: 23

how i got it: mailed to me by a friend

details from back of postcard:
(no details about the image on the postcard)

comments:
I think every city/country has one of these gag postcards - I have two in my collection so far!

card # 22 . england .

postcard no.: 22

how i got it: given to me (not mailed) by a friend

details from back of postcard:
(no details about the image on the postcard)

comments:
Who knew that the Spice Girls were popular enough to get their own postcard? My friend picked this up while she was on holiday in London years ago and brought it back for me.

welcome to postcard travels!

When I was a child, I collected postcards, but that hobby got put to the side as I grew up.

I love to travel, but can't really afford lots of great vacations. But that hasn't stopped me from learning about different cultures through food, the Internet and talking with other travellers.

Recently, I discovered a site, Postcrossing.com, that has once again fueled my desire to collect postcards. I know that "snail mail" is kind of dying out. In this Internet age, where email, text messaging, instant message, Facebook, MySpace, etc. make communication free and almost instantaneous, why would anyone pay to send a message?

However, there is still a little thrill in opening your mailbox and finding a letter or package (or postcard!) from a friend letting you know that they were thinking enough about you to take the time to send you something the old-fashioned way.

So I'm once again collecting postcards - I figure it's a cheap way to "see the world" in a special way. I know I can look up any country on the Internet, but this seems more fun. And as I build my collection, I'm going to be putting all my postcards on this blog to share with anyone who's interested in joining me.

Let's start postcard travelling!