Islands in the Sun

 

2007: Island Jewels

Head for the sunny beaches of Rottnest Island.  It is also the place to see lots of cute quokka.

Maria Island, Tasmania, not only long sandy beaches, mountains and wildlife it is a World Heritage Australian Convict Site. Deported as punishment and wake up in paradise, eventually. Kangaroo Island off the south coast of Australia, I wonder what we will find there😀

Green Island a coral cay at the heart of the Great Barrier Reef.

1980: International Conference for Tourism, Manila

The subtropical island of Madeira, "the pearl of the Atlantic", as the card suggests it has an abundance and variety of fruit, something it shares in common with

1955: Landscapes

the Caribbean island of Martinique. This island however has an active volcano, it and the surrounding forests are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Heading away from the islands to France where the 'Race to the Sun'  begins today, a classic cycling stage race from Paris through France's mountainous centre and which will eventually arrive on to the sunlit riviera of Nice on the 16th March.

2015: Extreme Sports

A cooling activity for the heat of high summer in Portugal, white water rafting.

Sunday Stamps theme - Warm Location Vacations - soak up the sun at  See It On A Postcard

Blue Yonder

 See It On A Postcard's Thursday Postcard Hunt is looking at the colour Blue

A quiet day fishing in Moomin Valley

Lake Keitele by Akseli Gallen-Kallela (1905)

They might get lost in the huge expanse of Lake Keitele in central Finland. Gallen-Kallela painted the lake many times between 1904 and 1906. This is his third painting and is the only painting of his work in a British public collection. Some years ago the British National Gallery put on an exhibition of his works and brought together all four versions. This is considered his most elaborate, showing the lake under summer light.  I must admit the cool blue reminded me of icy waters but then in my experience lake water is rarely, if ever, warm. A beautiful lake to gaze across whatever the season.

La Grande Famille by Rene Magritte (1963)

A seascape from Rene Magritte of both tranquility and foreboding

Polynesia, The Sky by Henri Matisse (1946)

Time to relax on a Polynesian island under a blue sky.

Docks

 See It On A Postcard's Thursday Postcard Hunt for - harbour and port views...

Sailing ship being towed by Edwin Beattie (1845-1917)

Preston Docks, painted in 1894 with a tug boat towing a three masted sailing ship into port. Preston Docks were located on the banks of the River Ribble 15 miles from the Irish Sea. It closed in 1981 and the whole area was redeveloped so little remains. Today there is a marina here and the heritage Ribble Steam Railway still uses the dockside tracks.

The port of Brest is very much still in business however in 1941 the Germans based their formidable fleet of ships and submarines here so it was almost entirely destroyed when liberated in  1944. Only photos remain of the past.  The Richelieu battleship shown was commissioned just days before the Germans won the Battle of France, it fled to French West Africa and would eventually be part of the force that liberated Singapore. You might think the yacht or schooner Notre-Dame d'Etel was from simpler times but despite being built in 1913 she ended up being a patrol boat for the Free French Naval Forces.

South Bay, Scarborough, North Yorkshire

Time to head to the peaceful harbour of the seaside town of Scarborough for a summer walk along the harbour walls or a laze on the beach.  It is a beautifully sunny day today but one would need to wrap up warm for these two activities especially on the North Sea coast.

Explorers

 

1934: Jacques Cartier - 400th Anniversary of 1st voyage to Canada

Jacques Cartier setting out to eventually arrive and explore the St Lawrence River and in the process name a country Canada.

1963: Martin Frobisher

 Martin Frobisher set out to find the North West Passage to the Orient. Like Cartier he would try to finance his expeditions by finding gold but both would have been wise to take a geologist with them to avoid disappointment when they arrived back with little of value.

1982: Birth Centenary of Sir Douglas Mawson

Jumping forward in time enter a geologist Douglas Mawson but his motivation was adventure and scientific knowledge however the famous 1911 Australian Antarctic expedition turned into a horror show, of which he was the only survivor. His book 'The Home of the Blizzard'  gives a vivid account of this experience.

1983: Explorers and Discoverers

The interior of Australia is unforgiving. The German explorer Ludwig Leichhardt successfully travelled there twice but he and his companions disappeared on his third expedition never to be found. He is remembered for his extensive natural history collection and notes.

Robert O'Hare Burke and William John Wallis became the first Europeans to cross Australia north to south in 1861 however it was not the most professional of expeditions and they died during their return but entered Australian mythology as "heroic failures".

Sunday Stamps theme this week - Mustaches for movember - explore more at See It On A Postcard

Multifarious

See It On A Postcard's Thursday Postcard Hunt in search of multiples and multi views

 Henry Ford famously said his customers could "have any car so long as it is black" and in the same vein this card's multifarious cheese labels are saying that one can have any cheese as long as it is Camembert. A glass of  Calvados brandy  or cider made from Normandy apples might be nice too, perhaps while visiting the Maison du Camembert Museum.

A little more food variety on a Belgium card with some of the icons of the country - the twice fried Flemish frites and mayonnaise, mussels, chocolate, beer and lace.  The lace does seem an interloper on a food and drink card surely this should have celebrated the wonderful Belgium waffle instead.

Jewellery

 

1954: Export Development

Deciding what to wear or about to buy?

1992: Greetings stamps - Memories

Pearls

2010: Rings

Rings

1976: Archaeological Discoveries - Celtic Neck Torc 200-50B

A striking silver-iron torc although as this one weighs 6.7 kilo one would have to have a strong neck but as the article 'How do you put on a torc' explains, not designed to be worn

1982: Leipzig Autumn Fair

and it would never fit into this amber jewellery box.

Sunday Stamps theme - Jewellery - all the bling is at See It On A Postcard

Bridges of Dreams

 See It On A Postcard's Thursday Postcard Hunt in search of wooden bridges

Moomin Bridge over the creek leading to Moomin House.  Snufkin returns to Moominvalley every spring to spend time with his good friend Moomintroll and of course have adventures

and I am sure they would take a wooden ladder bridge over a crevasse with equanimity.

This Mont Blanc card was sent in 1911 from Gabrielle to her friend Jeanne..

France from Above

 

1951: Architecture - Buildings (Pic du Midi de Bigorre)

High in the French Pyrenees is the Pic du Midi Observatory which concentrates on looking to the skies but also has  a spectacular view of the Pyrenees from its elevation of 2,877 m (9,439 ft). One can visit by a series of cable cars eventually leading to a panorama terrace and it also promises "suspended above the void a 12 metre metal footbridge with a glass end skims the clouds with a vertiginous view". I might be heading for the observatory dome instead. Being France of  course there is also a panoramic restaurant with local cuisine.

1949-50: Cityscapes

Or how about a city break in Lille. The largest belfry in France can be seen on the stamp. Once you have climbed the first 109 steps there is a choice of a lift to the full 104 metres or continue to walk up to enjoy the panorama of the city at the top. There is a massive annual flea market in the city called the Braderie de Lille  which happens to be next weekend (14th September), I love a flea markets, for this one comfortable walking shoes and a large bag are recommended.

1949; Views - Les Andelys, Seine Valley

On a hill dominating the scene is the 12th Century Chateau Gaillard built by Richard the Lionheart which controlled the Seine valley in his battle against the French king. In today's more peaceful times there is an annotated view point up by the castle.

1954: Views

After all those quests for aerial views maybe its time to relax on the beach at Royan.

Sunday Stamps theme this week is - aerial views - See It On A Postcard

Olympics

 

1965: City Arms

We alas say goodbye to Paris.  The sailing ship on the city's coat of arms originates from the symbol of the 12th Century Marchands de l'eau guild who were given the rights to navigate the Seine. The Paris Olympic sailing however took place in the Mediterranean by the shores of Marseilles  

1976: Olympic Games, Montreal, Canada

At the Montreal Olympics they were on Lake Ontario.

1996: 100th Anniversary of the Modern Olympic Games

In 1996 the Olympic venue was in Atlanta and, looking forward, today's  athletes will be putting Los Angeles in their diaries for 2028. The UN must have had a presentiment for surely that is LA's coliseum on the mini sheet

1984: Olympic Games, Los Angeles - USA Gold Medalists

A venue where Carl Lewis won four of his gold medals. An evergreen athlete that would eventually win 9 gold medals and 1 silver in both track and field from three Olympic Games

1932: Summer Olympics, Los Angles

The 2028 games will be using the iconic LA Memorial Coliseum for the third time but it will be given an ambitious upgrade. The plan seen here.

1961: Tourist Publicity - Olympia

The Olympic flame will be extinguished in Paris and the Olympic flag passed on to the next hosts.  Once again Olympia waits for the flame to be reignited.

Sunday Stamps theme is - the Olympics - See It On A Postcard

Sports

 

1956: Sports (Design - Raoul Seres; Engraver Charles-Paul Dufresne)

The sevens version of rugby appeared at the Olympics (the French won gold)

and basketball is yet to be decided

but Basque pelote was only an official sport at the 1900 Paris Games where only two teams took part, France and Spain, in essence  the Basque Country.  So lets find some more small countries

2015: 15th Island Games (Photographs: Andy Le Gresley)

The first of what would become the  Island Games were first arranged as part of the Isle of Man's International Year of Sports to offer sports people the opportunity to compete against islanders of a similar standard. 700 islanders from the British Isles, Mediterranean, St Helena, Iceland and Scandinavia travelled  to take part.  It was such a success that the competition now takes place every two years with various islands playing host.  2015 was the second time Jersey had hosted the games and it welcomed 3000 competitors and 1000 officials.  Between 12 and 14 sporting events are selected by the host island. As you will notice the 14 sports chosen  all have a postcard rate to send a card home.

Handball

The Faroe Islands, who hosted in 1989, had a special combination of postcards and stamps.

Sunday Stamps theme this week - Sports - See It On A Postcard

Paris Olympics

 

1924: Olympic Games, Paris (Design E Becker; Engraver G Parison

Later this month eyes will be on Paris but I would guess in 1924 one would have to rely on the radio or newspapers. Radio of course was in its infancy and the BBC had many firsts for that year including the first Shipping Forecast which is still telling us what the weather forecast for Viking, North and South  Utsira etc will be as it gradually works its way around the other 29 shipping areas of sea.  The stamp has winged victory and the sights of Paris but I can't see the Eiffel Tower so

1996: Autumn Philatelic Exhibition (Design - Christian Broutin)

here it is. 

1953: Sports (Design Andre Jacquemin

 At this point I discovered I did not have many other Summer Olympic stamps from France,

1996: Centenary of the Modern Olympics

apart from this one of a discus thrower,  however a briefly existing entity which issued stamps for two years, came to my rescue

1968: French Olympic Champions

with a map of France and French champions.

Sunday Stamps theme this week - Norther Hemisphere - See It On A Postcard

Map

 See It On A Postcard's Thursday Postcard Hunt is in need of maps and waymarkers so

lets take the road to Denmark, the second happiest country in the world, according to the World Happiness Ranking. It must be true look at all those smiling faces.

Sometimes more than maps might be needed in the land of knights, magic spells, fairies and goblins. In the Brocéliande Forest you follow in the steps of King Arthur, Merlin and the fairies Vivien and Morgan le Fey,

The mysterious Nine Standards cairns, no one knows their origin only that they are very old.  For the day walker reaching Nine Standards Rigg there are excellent viewpoints and to coast to coast walkers these sentinels are a welcome sight because it means

they are almost at the half way point.