Please note: you can find a more up to date version of this blog at http://blog.neilennis.com

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Herford

DE253804(Stamp)

A Postcrossing postcard from Eva in the north-west of Germany.

Eva is a teacher.

In the picture with the yellow building and red umbrella's you can see Eva's favourite bar, "Almundo".

That's a lovely stamp of the Brandenburg Gate on the reverse too.

Thanks Eva!

Lightning over Kansas City


US304901
Originally uploaded by MagicTyger

"The skyline of Kansas City is interesting by day, but at night a summer storm turns the night skyline into a spectacular sight".

A Postcrossing post card from Barb in Kansas City.

What a great picture.

Thanks Barb!

Fairsea - ASC


Fairsea - ASC
Originally uploaded by MagicTyger

A replica of an old Fairsea postcard I purchased while at the National Maritime Museum.

This is from the era shortly after World War 2 when she was bought by Alvion.

Old Cunard Postcard


Cunard
Originally uploaded by MagicTyger

A beautiful replica of an old Cunard postcard showing RMS Queen Mary and RMS Queen Elizabeth that I recently purchased from the National Maritime Museum.

The golden era of Ocean Liners!

Monday, December 22, 2008

Amedee Island


Amedee Island
Originally uploaded by MagicTyger

A Postcard from CruiseCritic friends Kym and Martin.

Amedee Lighthouse is built on Amedee Island, on the coral reef that surrounds most of New Caledonia. It was built in the 1860's in France by Napoleon III and transported to the Island. It stands 56 metres tall and is the second highest lighthouse in the world.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

"Ile de France"


DE-253807
Originally uploaded by MagicTyger

"Ile de France", French Line. Built 1927. A Postcrossing Postcard from Maren who lives in the west of Germany on the River Rhine.

The "Ile de France" was the first major ocean liner built after WW1, and was entirely decorated with Art Deco designs. She was considered the most beautifully decorated ship built until the SS Normandie.

Her dining room was said to be magnificent - three decks high, with a grand staircase.

She boasted a gymnasium, shooting gallery, a gothic style chapel and merry-go-round/

Her entrance foyer was four decks high, and cabins boasted beds instead of bunks.

She was the fastest mailship of her time. Not because of excessive speed, but because she had a sea-plane catapult at her stern. When the ship was within 200 miles of land, she would launch the mail in a seaplane. Thus the mail would arrive sooner than if it had stayed aboard the ship.

She had a distinguished record in World War 2, on loan to the British admiiralty.

She was eventually sold to Japansese scrap merchants in 1959.

What a grand old ship.

Thanks for the postcard, Maren!

More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Ile_de_France

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

South Carolina


South Carolina
Originally uploaded by MagicTyger

"Reflections in the late afternoon of Oconee State Park delight the visitors with a double vision"

A surprise postcard we received recently from our friends, Rosie and Chris, who were on holidays in the USA for a few weeks.

Thanks Rosie and Chris.

It's nice to have you back!

Red Lacewing


Red Lacewing
Originally uploaded by MagicTyger

Steve Coleman took this photo. The original is here:

flickr.com/photos/feenixfoto/2860177518/

He very kindly let me make a postcard out of it, linking it to a pretty stamp that Australia Post recently released. Steve is an excellent photographer.

It's a joy to send out a postcard as beautiful as this.

Thanks so much, Steve.

(Steve's photostream: feenixfotography - flickr.com/photos/feenixfoto/ )

Monday, December 01, 2008

Smiley Faces in the Sky

'Smiley'Smiley'Smiley'Smiley
Smiley Faces in the SkySmiley Faces in the SkySmiley Faces in the SkySmiley Faces in the Sky
Smiley Faces in the SkySmiley Faces in the Sky'SmileySmiley Faces in the Sky
'Smiley'SmileySmiley Faces in the SkySmiley Faces in the Sky
The Moon, Venus and Jupiter made some pretty wierd faces in the sky this evening.
Click on the thumbnails for more detail.
There's a short video in there too if you look hard enough :)

Monday, November 24, 2008

"Hannover"

DE-240159(Stamp 2)DE-240159(Stamp 1)

A postcrossing post card from Nika in Gernany.

Nika is a nanny for four kids from the USA.

She says she'd like to visit Australia, but the long flight discourages her.

Thanks for the postcard, Nika, and...Fight your fear!!!

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Emma-Zazzle

Emma-Zazzle(Stamps)
A surprise postcard from Emma who created it at Zazzle.com - I really must try making something there soon!

Thanks Emma!

"Finland"

FI-405757(Stamp)
A Postcrossing postcard from Kirsi in Lahti, Finland.

Kirsi lived in Australia for a while in Mt Gambier, Australia.

Thanks Kirsi!

"Neva. The Granite Sculptures. Shih Tze"

RU-26830(Stamps)
A Postcrossing postcard from Natalye in Moscow.

She works in a library and writes that the sculpture is based on what Alexander Pushkin wrote in the poem "The Bronze Horseman":

"...the Neva now is clad in granite with many a bridge to overspan it;
The islands lie beneath a screen
Of gardens deep in dusky green."

The stamps look amazing too.

What a wonderful world we live in.

Thanks Natalye!

"A Calm Sea"

FR-37203(Stamp)
A Postcrossing postcard from Aurore in France.

This is one of her favourite vacation spots on the Atlantic Coast.

Don't you just love that Mammoth stamp? :)

Thanks, Aurore!

Monday, November 10, 2008

More memory excavation


Another one of my very early memories is visiting the Daily Mail Boys and Girls Exhibition at Olympia in London sometime between December 1964 and January 1965.

Dr Who had just recently hit the airwaves and was very popular, so they had a Dalek Exhibition.

I used to be terrified when Dr Who came on the TV. Just the music was enough to make me hysterical.

Another Huutajat Video

These guys are amazing, funny and entertaining.

Gutsy too.

"Big Gate of Itsukushima-Shrine Miyajima"

JP-47964(Stamp)

A Postcrossing Postcard from Nao in Japan.

It's worth a closer look at the ships on those postage stamps too. Just click on the image. They're amazing.

Thanks, Nao!

Friday, November 07, 2008

"Tower Bridge - Gateway to the City of London"

GB-52649(Reverse)GB-52649(Stamp 1)GB-52649(Stamp 2)

Spans the River Thames. Constructed of steel, clothed in stone of Gothic style. Opened in 1894 by the Prince of Wales.

A Postcrossing Post Card from Susanna in Bournemouth who has a PhD in French Lit, but still has time to enjoy movies like "Gone Baby Gone".

Thanks, Susanna!

"Old Calendar Picture"

CN-31003(Stamps)

A 1930's painting about beautiful Asian women.

A Postcrossing Post Card from Wei Xue in China.

Wei Xue studies architecture.

Thanks Wei Xue!

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

"Aurora Borealis - Northern Lights"

DE-234477(Stamp 2)DE-234477(Stamp 1)

Aren't the Northern Lights amazing?

This is a Postcrossing Post Card from Birgit in Germany.

She's studying Geodesy (The science of measuring and representing the Earth, including its gravitational field, in a 3-dimendional time-varying space) and is currently applying for jobs.

Good luck and thank you, Birgit!