#344

Received: July 31st, 2014

From: Sara (Lund, Sweden)

Depicts: Fields of poppies, Sweden

Two cards from Sweden in the same day - can a girl ask for more, on what is related to Postcrossing? Sara told me that the part of Sweden she lives in is very flat and full of fields of flowers like the one you can see in the card and she goes through them when she goes on the train. It's beautiful.

Postcard stamp:

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#343

Received: July 31st, 2014

From: Erika (Gothenburg, Sweden)

Depicts: Typical Swedish houses

My love for Sweden is no secret at all: for years now, the country absolutely fascinates me and I don't want my life to pass me by before I can visit it, if only once. Erika was really nice and sent me this beautiful card with typical Swedish houses that I really, really like and that, somehow, helps to "quell" my desire to go to the country as soon as possible.

Postcard stamps:

My love for football was well resolved with these amazing stamps of Zlatan Ibrahimovic!

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#342

Received: July 30th, 2014

From: Eeva (Espoo, Finland)

Depicts: Winnie the Pooh and Piglet Disney card

It's common knowledge that I love Disney cards - well, imagine how I feel about glittery Disney cards! This really made my day and I loved it, even more because I didn't have any cards with Winnie the Pooh and Piglet yet. Finland always has the most beautiful Disney cards and I was happy Eeva could send me this! Besides, I didn't get any official cards in July and this one made it at the right time.

Postcard stamp:

A beautiful stamp too.

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#341

Received: July 29th, 2014

From: Heather (Dundee, Scotland)

Depicts: London Olympics 2012 Postcard

I won this card through a lottery on the Postcrossing forum and was amazed to get a card from the Olympics in London in 2012 - I love athletics and, of course, the Olympics are the best athletics competition ever - and so getting this original card, with stickers related to the Olympics, was really amazing too.

Postcard stamps:

I always like United Kingdom stamps, but the one with the Grand Staircase of Buckingham Palace was especially beautiful.

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#340

Received: July 24th, 2014

From: Johanna (Kiel, Germany)

Depicts: Views of Kiel, Germany

This was the second time Johanna and I swapped cards and, this time, she sent me a postcard with views of her hometown, Kiel. I learned that the city was founded in 1242, but there's not anything to see from the original city, because it was all destroyed in the World War.

Postcard stamp:

This stamp is really cute.

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#339

Received: July 23rd, 2014

From: Kelly (Maasbree, The Netherlands)

Depicts: Illustrated Dutch children

I won this card in a lottery through the Postcrossing forum and was so happy to get it, because it really is cute, original and so typically Dutch. I love those white hats on the girls, they always remind me of poppies and tulips fields! Also, Kelly told me a little bit about her everyday life and I really like it when people take the time to tell me those details.

Postcard stamps:

P.S: I'd like to take a little time to acknowledge that just yesterday it was my 1st anniversary as a Postcrosser and I couldn't be happier with the experience. It really brought the world to my home and opened some doors and made me meet amazing people and create a collection of - up until now - 344 delicious postcards that I know I'll cherish forever!

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#338

Received: July 21st, 2014

From: Leo (Ely, United Kingdom)

Depicts: Tower Bridge (London, United Kingdom)

Getting cards with the Tower Bridge never gets old - I just love this sight, whether it's a day or night view like this. It's a cliché, but what a beautiful one.

Postcard stamps:

I love to get football related stamps!

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#337

Received: July 21st, 2014

From: Leo (Ely, United Kingdom)

Depicts: London symbols

I love these "collage" kind of postcards so I really thankful when I realized that Leo had gotten me another one! Here you can see the taxis, the little houses, the tea ritual, the flag, the umbrella that represents the rain, the trees that (to me) represent Hyde Park, Big Ben, the buses, the London Eye (which was built to celebrate the new millenium) and the skyline. I really like this.

Postcard stamp:

This stamp was very useful because it tought me something I had no idea about: the robin is, apparently, the unofficial symbol of England!

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#336

Received: July 21st, 2014

From: Leo (Ely, United Kingdom)

Depicts: Views from Ely Cathedral (Ely, United Kingdom)

Leo had already sent me a card with Ely Cathedral, but I hadn't had the chance to see it properly and closer, and now I got it. In the top centre, that's the main entrance and the tower; the picture below shows the east end and the lady chapel on the right (Leo told me he thinks that chapel is the biggest in England, bigger than many churches). In the bottom left picture, we can see the medieval entrance into the Cathedral precinct. The other buildings are used by church officials and King's School.

Postcard stamp:

Stamp commemorating the 60th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II, back in 1986.

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#335

Received: July 21st, 2014

From: Leo (Ely, United Kingdom)

Depicts: The Duke and the Duchess and Prince George of Cambridge

I was really happy to get this card! And it was actually funny that it came today, since tomorrow it's the first birthday of Prince George. I really love William and Kate and every different card I can get of them is more than welcome, so this one was perfect. Little Prince George is third in line of succession to the British Throne, after his grandfather, Prince Charles, and his father, Prince William. The reigning Queen, Elizabeth II, has been reigning for over 62 years, and in about two more, she'll be the longest serving British monarch ever - right now, it's still her great great grandmother, the famous Queen Victoria.

Postcard stamps:

I love Princess Diana, so I really liked this stamp.

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#334

Received: July 21st, 2014

From: Leo (Ely, United Kingdom)

Depicts: The Fens, United Kingdom

This map card - which I appreciated, because I don't have many - shows The Fens. Ely (Leo's hometown) sits in a low outcrop of crop in what used to be marshland. The whole area what drained by the Dutch in the 17th century and this area, which has very fertile land, is good to grow vegetables and some fruit.

Postcard stamp:

*

#333

Received: July 21st, 2014

From: Leo (Ely, United Kingdom)

Depicts: Trooping the Colour at Buckingham Palace (London, United Kingdom)

Leo sent me a bunch of new postcards from England and I couldn't have loved them more. This is the first one of them, and shows something I had been wanting for a long time and hadn't still be able to get: a card with the Buckingham Palace guards! With this card, I learnt that "The Colour" is the regimental flag of these guardsmen. This card was also special because it's my 333rd, what a number.

Postcard stamps:

*

#332

Received: July 21st, 2014
From: Cristina (Las Palmas, Spain)
Depicts: Queen Elizabeth II of England

Knowing I love royal families, Cristina remembered to get me a card with the Queen - and I'm so lucky that she did, because it's my first with her! It's another great addition to my collection of royal families cards.

Postcard stamp:

Even though the card came in an envelope, Cristina used this little sticker that resembles a stamp, so I thought to put it here too.

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#331

Received: July 21st, 2014

From: Cristina (Las Palmas, Spain)

Depicts: London's Red Posts and Telephone Box (London, United Kingdom)

Cristina and her boyfriend went to London on holidays for a few days and she bought a few cards and remembered me - how sweet is that? This one shows two of the most typical symbols of the city: the red posts and telephone boxes, which you can find pretty much everywhere in the city. I really liked it.

Postcard stamp:

Even though the card came in an envelope, Cristina used this little sticker that resembles a stamp, so I thought to put it here too.

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#330

Received: July 21th, 2014
From: Cristina (Las Palmas, Spain)
Depicts: El Prat Airport (Barcelona, Spain)

There isn't a card that Cristina has sent me that I haven't loved, and this wasn't the exception. It's actually making me want to go to Barcelona right away! This is El Prat airport and this is actually a fun postcard, because it was made out of an Instagram photograph!

Postcard stamps:

*

#329

Received: July 18th, 2014

From: Braga's tourist office

Depicts: St. John

This postcard actually has a funny story - a while ago, I had asked Braga's tourist office if they could send me some postcards for my collection. They sent a bunch of blank ones - which I don't collect, but can send to other people - and also this one, which was written indeed, thanking me for my interest in their county. I found it very nice of them so I saved the card and added it to my collection - it is the first religious one I got.

Postcard stamp:

None, since it came in an envelope.

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#328

Received: July 18th, 2014

From: Sofia (Mangualde, Portugal)

Depicts: Royal Monastery of Santa Maria de Maceira Dão (Mangualde, Portugal)

I won this card through a game in the Postcrossing forum and it finally arrived: it's from Mangualde, in my own country, a city that I don't think I've ever visited and that I hadn't got a card from before. This one shows a drawing of a monastery in that city.

Postcard stamps:

This was the best part about the card: that it came full of stamps.

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#327

Received: July 18th, 2014

From: Pedro (Oliveira de Azeméis, Portugal)

Depicts: Dutch fields of tulips (The Netherlands)

When I knew that Pedro was going to The Netherlands and he offered to get me a card, this was what I asked for - one that had tulips, which are, by the way, my favorite flower. He said he wasn't as easy as expected to find a card with tulips, but he eventually managed to - and got me a really nice one, at that. Because it has a particularity that I really liked: that little "window" on the left is actually 3D, and moving the card that person disappears and the fields change colors; what was yellow turns red and vice-versa. I also really like that the card had pink tulips, which are the ones I prefer.

Postcard stamps:

*

#326

Received: July 18th, 2014

From: Pedro (Oliveira de Azeméis, Portugal)

Depicts: Maastricht, The Netherlands

Few things are better than having friends around the world who send you postcards when they travel. I still didn't have any cards of Maastricht, so this was an especially good surprise to add to my collection. Plus, I really liked this view of the city - those Dutch houses always get me - and the bridge of Sint Servaasbrug.

Postcard stamps:

*

#325

Received: July 18th, 2014

From: Luis (Barcelona, Spain)

Depicts: La Rambla (Barcelona, Spain)

Yet another one of Luis's amazing cards from Barcelona. This one shows a view I didn't have yet - La Rambla, the most known street in the whole city. Last year I spent a week in BCN and I went up and down La Rambla at least once every day and it didn't bother me the least - it's so busy and so crowded that there's always something new to see. Thankfully, I didn't get to appreciate the view like it is in this card: rainy and lonely. I much prefer all the people, but with sun and warmth.

Postcard stamp:

*

#324

Received: July 17th, 2014

From: Oscar (Lagos de Moreno, Mexico)

Depicts: Views of Lagos de Moreno, Mexico

This card was quite special, given that it was only my second coming from Mexico. Oscar sent it to me from its hometown, Lagos de Moreno, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Besides the nice card, Oscaar told me a little about Mexican traditional cuisine and left me wanting, very much, to try a Guacamaya.

Postcard stamp:

*

#323

Received: 16th July, 2014

From: Leo (Ely, United Kingdom)

Depicts: Views from London, United Kingdom

Out of the three cards that Leo sent me, this one is probably the one I like the most (but really, it's a close call). I fell in love with London four years (and almost a half) ago, when I visited it for the first (and, unfortunately, only) time, and that love will never burn out, I'm certain of it. So this postcard resumes almost perfectly the things I love the most about London (well, its most famous sights, really): Tower Bridge, Big Ben, Tower of London, Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey and the Buckingham Palace. It also shows other famous symbols of the city: a red telephone box, a red post office box, the London taxis and buses, Nelson's Column and the guards of the Tower of London and the Buckingham Palace. It really is an amazing card, one of my definite favorites ever!

Postcard stamp:

*

#322

Received: July 16th, 2014

From: Leo (Ely, United Kingdom)

Depicts: Desk set

I'll steal Leo's words to describe this card: it's a quintessential Postcrossing card! Leo calls this "the desk set" and I think it's a great name too. It reminds me of the things that make me want to write and keep writing, and what brought me to Postcrossing: the feeling of reviving the "old-fashioned way" of sending mail. I really like this card because of that, and also because it's different and original and I had none like it!

Postcard stamps:

I loved these stamps with the Queen and Prince Philip and Princess Diana (I love especially her).

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#321

Received: July 16th, 2014

From: Leo (Ely, United Kingdom)

Depicts: Ely Cathedral (Ely, United Kingdom)

This was the first of three cards that Leo sent me from United Kingdom, and it shows his hometown's cathedral, seen from a place called Roswell Pitts. I loved this card because of the unusual perspective, and also because the cathedral looks amazing! I love English churches and cathedrals, they're so immense and beautifully worked and decorated. Leo also told me that the "lake" that can be seen in the picture is a filled pit from which they used to extract mud, in medieval times, to make pottery and tiles for the monks and church buildings.

Postcard stamp:

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