Ships ahoy!

It's 2:08 on a Sunday morning. Here I am, intoxicated with coffee from a night out with high school friends. At 6 AM, I should already be starting my 5 hours journey to reach my hometown. The trip would be 3 parts: 3 hours by bus, an hour by a ferry/ship, then another one hour by a land coaster / van.

One of the biggest ironies in my life is my fear of riding a ferry / ship even though I am doing this almost 4 to 6 times a year! Well..I don't know how to swim! So...speaking of ferries / ships, here are some of the stamps that I'm sharing with Viridian's Sunday Stamps theme for today:

These Nippon stamps came with Crystal Concert Hall postcard, received on September of last year. I wish I have more information about them but I don't...if someone can provide, I'd be truly grateful.

This other stamp came with a postcard of Iduki, India. It's a part of a commemorative issue for the naval fleet review in December 2011, when the Supreme Commander (former President Pratibha Devisingh Patil) assessed India's Navy & Coast Guard. In India, this review happens once in a tenure of a president. 

Wishing every Sunday Stamps participant and everyone a happy Sunday while I'm enjoying my home bound journey :)

~ maria

Paris and its wonders.

Postcrossing Direct Swap, Sender: David Russell
Sent from Lyon, France, Sent on 20 March 2012
Received on 30 March 2012, Traveled 10,765.82 km in 10 days

After the glittering night view of the Eiffel Tower, here's a compelling day time view of the famous landmark. David said on his message at the back of the card:

This postcard shows a beautiful view of the Eiffel Tower on a clear fall afternoon. Everybody who comes to Paris visits the world famous monument.  

I hope one day I can visit Paris and see this monument for myself. Cause, tell me honestly, who doesn't really dream of experiencing this romantic city? ;-)

Postcrossing Direct Swap, Sender: David Russell
Sent from Lyon, France, Sent on 19 March 2012
Received on 30 March 2012, Traveled 10,765.82 km in 11 days

Another 'Paris and its wonders' postcard. I completely knew nothing about the view on the card and I thought it's just one random street view. But David said:

Bonjour to you again from the other side of the world in France. Today I am sending you a beautiful springtime view from Paris...it shows the steps leading up the famous hill of 'Montmartre', which is topped by the Sacrecoeur basilica. 

Doing some research about the Basilique du Sacré Coeur, Uncle Wiki and the Sacred Destinations page provided the most interesting literature. Apparently, the church plays a significant political and cultural role. It is a religious monument, a national vow true to the Roman Catholic traditions, dedicated to atone for the sins of Paris. The church is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. And may I mention that the chapel in my community in the province, has the same dedication.

Linking up again with Beth's Postcard Friendship Friday. Wishing a wonderful culmination for the week for everyone!

~maria

Hugs for Leontien: Sonnet CXVI

Postcard ID: UA-235752, Sender: Irina
Sent from Kyiv, Ukraine, Sent on 14 Mar 2012
Received on 30 Mar 2012, Traveled 8833.2 km in 16 days

Let me not to the marriage of true minds

Admit impediments. Love is not love

Which alters when it alteration finds,

or bends with the remover to remove:

Oh no! It is an ever fixed mark

That looks on tempests and is never shaken;

It is the star to every wandering bark,

Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.

Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks

Within his bending sickle's compass come:

Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,

But bears it out even to the edge of doom.

If this be error and upon me proved,

I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

- W. Shakespeare

A postcard that I received from the Postcrossing member with the most postcards sent from Ukraine :) Sharing this with Clytie for Random Hearts Thursday and the Leaves for Leontien campaign. 

  

~ maria

p.s. It would have been nicer if I could also post autumn leaves for Leontien but my only card with autumn leaves was already posted on September 28. I am a medical physicist and quality control of mammography equipment is one of the things I do. Breast cancer prevention and awareness is a big part of my job... I hope even without an autumn leaf and with just the green leaves with a beautiful love poem, I can send some warm hugs for her. :)

We'll always have Paris.

Friendship Gift Postcard, Sender: My twin, Wan
Sent from Paris, France, Sent on 06 February 2012
Received on 28 February 2012, Traveled 10,907.88 km in 23 days

Rick: I'm saying it because it's true. Inside of us, we both know you belong with Victor...If that plane leaves the ground and you're not with him, you'll regret it. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of your life.

Ilsa: But what about us?

Rick: We'll always have Paris.

My favorite lines from the 1942 movie, Casablanca. I am not particularly fond of romantic flicks but I got really drawn into this one. Casablanca is mostly about Rick, who's torn between virtue and love. With the World War II in the background, Rick, an American expatriate fell in love with Ilsa in Paris. Ilsa is a married woman who thought her husband is dead. However, when she learns that her Czech Resistance leader husband, Laszlo is alive, she left Rick with no explanation at all. The story developed when the three met in Rick's Cafe, with Laszlo and Ilsa, trying to get letters/passes to escape into the United States.

...it's midnight on a Friday and I'm supposed to be sleeping soundly after 3 days of fieldwork, but alas! I have urgent work stuff to do. But I realized I need my post for Beth's Postcard Friendship Friday blog roll, so here it is. Such a healthy distraction from all my technical stuff! :D

Oh by the way, the card was written on the date I turned quarter-a-century old: "Here is the postcard I promised the next time I go to Paris...I hope everything is going well for you and if not, hopefully this postcard from the romantic Paris will make you feel better for a while. I will never be able to thank God enough for having given me the chance to know you."

Now that's one lovely message. Something to keep me sane (I hope) from working up until very late on wee hours of a Friday morning night. Busy as it will always be, I'm still wishing that my weekend will be lovely if not very relaxing. May the dazzling night view of the Eiffel Tower in Paris inspire a lovely weekend for us all!

~maria