Wednesday, August 30, 2006

China...Africa...Europe...South America.... Wow!

The postcards are coming in more quickly than I can process them :) Here are 8 cards from the last two days, plus two bonuses :)

1. Chinese booklet on The Great Wall of China, from a tag with Yan in the People's Republic of China. This is a very lovely book with almost archival quality paper and many beautiful images, although written in Chinese. According to Yan, the English version is very rare...and therefore out of his budget for penpalling purposes. Quite a treasure...thank you! ;)



2. eLong.com discount card, as an added bonus from Yan in the tag above! I love how there's an "e" and then, I presume, the word "long" in Chinese. :) Very neat!




3. Before I turned this card over, I looked at it and said, "Hmmm.... Europe." Then I tried to narrow it down: "Germany?" Nope! This is a great aerial view of Szeged , Hungary, from a tag with Hanan! I love the card...the city looks so lively and busy and bustling...just not what I have in mind when I think "Hungary." My mind is obviously skewed and does not perceive reality properly :) But that's what this hobby is about...it's to correct my misperceptions and clarify my view of the world :) Thanks Hanan! Love the card!



4. Pottinger Street, Hong Hong, from a private swap with Ameko. I love this view! It is almost like I am stepping into a busy street in an average day-in-the-life of a native! And look at all the detail: the signs have both Chinese and English (shoes, fruit juice, photo supplies); on the right see the box of cereal featuring Tony the Tiger. And on the back, "Chinese" English: "Neighbored with modern buildings, this is where old and new charmingly mix." :) Love it! :)



5. The Olive Pit, Corning, California. A unique card from a private trade with Amy in Oregon! I love it! It's unusual...it's local...it's a real establishment! Thanks, Amy! :)



6. Atomium, Brussels. This card is from a private trade with Ron in New Jersey. I love science...especially cutting-edge stuff like M-theory...so this really appealed to me! I would love to visit this place...bet they have some cool souvenirs to be had! :)



7. Cape Town, South Africa, another card from my trade with Ron. I selected this card because it seems so hard to get cards from African nations...they are therefore rare and exotic to me...and any view I get is a treasured one :)



8. Ruta de los Volcanes, Quito, Banos, Ecuador...this, another card from Ron...chosen for the same reason. How many people have a card from Ecuador??? :)



9. Som Moro, Hervannan Kirjasto...an official postcrossing card from Maija in Finland! I love this card as well! It shows contemporary architecture...Finnish text...and it's just not your typical Finnish landscape-snow-bird card :) It represents the Finns well! :) Although it was not easy, Maija attempted to translate this card for me: "Words, this is a weird thing! Your dream has come true. Every one has it's own place and has been organized to lines. Just come in sight with smile." Now isn't that just the coolest?!? :)



10. The Forth Rail Bridge, also from Ron. This bridge is so unusual looking--and I just love unusual looking things :) It is a view from North Queensferry in Fife..which, I learned when I looked it up...is in Scotland, in the U.K. :)

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