Albert Einstein: Self-Portrait

Albert Einstein, c. mid-1920's
Photograph courtesy of American Institute of Physics - Niels Bohr Laboratory
US-1897546, Sender: Gina, Sent: 3 Oct 2012 from Williamsburg, Virginia
Received: 17 Dec 2012, Traveled 13,972 km in 75 days

"One doesn't need to understand the world, it's enough to find one's way around it."
DE-1388891, Sender: Alare, Sent: 21 May 2012 from Cologne, Germany
Received: 8 June 2012, Traveled 10, 339 km in 18 days

Mass-Energy Equivalence
FI-1544668, Sender: Plp, Sent: 22 Sep 2012 from Espoo, Finland
Received: 5 Oct 2012, Traveled 8,952 km in 12 days

August 2013 is Inventor's Month. Before it ends, I wish to share some of my Einstein postcards and also one of my favorite essays of him from the book, Albert Einstein: Out Of My Later Years. --

Self-Portrait

Of what is significant in one's own existence one is hardly aware, and it certainly should not bother the other fellow. What does a fish know about the water in which he swims all his life?

The bitter and the sweet come from the outside, the hard from within, from one's own efforts. For the most part I do the thing which my own nature drives me to do. It is embarrassing to earn so much respect and love for it. Arrows of hate have been shot at me too; but they never hit me, because somehow they belonged to another world, with which I have no connection whatsoever.

I live in the solitude which is painful in youth, but delicious in the years of maturity.

The English translation of the quote on the second postcard was by the sender. Thinking deeper of it, I believe it's a shorter version of the essay I found on the book.

Sharing these postcards for Beth's Postcard Friendship Friday. Wishing every one a relaxing weekend.

~maria

Paris vs. New York 2

Facebook Postcard Swap, Sender: Terry
Sent: 3 May 2013, Sent from Sherwood, AR
Traveled ~12,288 km

My first Paris vs. New York post made me hungry, now I'm thirsty. 

The title for this comparison is l'apéro - the colloquial form of l'apéritif. According to Uncle Wiki, "This name is given to a drink, usually alcoholic, taken before a meal. It also relates to the 'social event' that happens alongside the actual drinking, for example going over the days/weeks events or just keeping up to date with friends/family events also involving little munchies, crisps, pastries, etc."

On the French side, of course we have bordeaux, which refers to grapes used to make the wine. Bordeaux is a place in southwest France notable for producing wine. It has a rich heritage of wine production and wines produced using Bordeaux grape varieties have registered names or are trademarked. For easy reference and for universal parlance, the wines are referred to as bordeaux.

On the American side, we have cosmo, or cosmopolitan. It is a cocktail made of vodka, cranberry juice, triple sec, and lime juice. It's served in a martini glass, garnished by a lemon twist. It became popular because of the HBO show, Sex and the City. This cocktail is light and fruity, a good choice for a casual night out with girl friends as seen in that tv series.

Personally, wine drinking appears to me as classic and relaxed, while cosmo (cocktail) drinking is hip and bubbly. I was first introduced to cosmo drinking; it's more of a feminine alcoholic drink. Now with the French beau who has a sommelier friend and housemate, I got to try different bottles of good wine. My taste has since preferred the more refined sensations of drinking wine. On a second thought though, both wine and cocktail drinks make me dead sleepy so I guess the difference doesn't really matter in the end. 

Yesterday is a 'Be An Angel Day' -- it's all about making the world a better place through acts of kindness, care, and support. I would like to note that in my deltiology and philately world, Terry - the sender of this postcard is one of my angels. She often sends me extra/surprise card with the cards arranged for swap. Also, the sisters Clytie of Random Hearts and Beth of The Best Hearts Are Crunchy are my angels, too. They allow me to share my postcards and stamps collection to a bigger audience.

Sharing with Beth for the Postcard Friendship Friday and Paulita for Dreaming of France, cheers for the weekend and for next week, everyone! 

~maria

...et l'amour

Private Swap, Sender: David Russell
Sent: 27 May 2013, Sent from Lyon, France
Received: 4 June 2013, Traveled 10,765.82 km in 8 days

I am truly grateful that postcard swap friends give it an effort to fulfill postcard preference requests. At the back of this card, David wrote: 

I looked around and finally found a postcard with hearts. It wasn't easy to pick just the right card. I hope you will enjoy it. :) 

-- and of course, I enjoy this card a lot! My favorite heart from this set is the one on the top row, to the right of the letter 'O'. 

There's a phrase in French at the bottom of the card. I asked Mr. Google to translate it for me, and he said it means, "...and love goes around your hearts." I wanted a more comprehensible translation, and from the beau, I got: "...and love is filling up your hearts". It's really complicated for me learning the French language but I hope I can at least comprehend the basics by trying to understand words and phrases.

I would also like to share, that this postcard is double heart-y treat for me. David sent it with a heart-shaped stamp. This is Hermès contribution to the annual 'Heart' collection of the French Postal Service (La Poste). The design is from the brand's iconic scarves, illustrated by Zoé Pauwels. The stamp was released 28 January 2013. I cropped the stamp to show the overlapping postmarks from the Lyon and Manila postal offices. I think they look nice.

For more Francophile posts, Paulita is running 'Dreaming of France' at her page, An Accidental Blog, click the icon below to proceed to her blog.

~maria

Philippine Wild Ducks

This is a souvenir sheet issued in 3 August 2007 for the 20th Asian International Stamp Exhibition. It was held at the Siam Paragon, Bangkok, Thailand from 3-12 August 2007.

The ducks featured on this sheet are the following:

Northern Pintail (Anas Acuta). Uncommon in wetlands from marshes to lakes. Males are unmistakable with long thin neck, brown head with white stripe up neck. Female ducks are surface-feeding and has greenish-brown speculum with white trailing edge, long slender neck and longer more pointed tail. 

Common Shellduck (Tadorna tadorna). Numerous species of shell duck are widely distributed in temperate and tropical regions of the world. It is a large surface-feeding duck, sometimes known as a Sheldrake. Common shellducks are found in estuaries and fishponds
 

Northern Shoveler (Anas c/ypeata). All shovelers have a large, shovel-like bill. Uncommon in freshwater marshes and shallow lakes, in pairs or small groups often with other ducks. It has a distinctive large bill which gives a top heavy look and is best field mark for female. Females are also noted with brown belly and give a typical Mallard-like quack look. Males have white breast and chestnut flanks and belly. Males are silent when not breeding. 
 

Greater Scaup (Aythya Marl/a). Usually found in brackish and saltwater bays and estuaries but also in freshwater lakes. It has rounded head and large and broad bill. White in wing extends well into primaries. Male has black front and rear, separated by grey back and white sides is indicative or diagnostic. Females are well-defined white face that differs from female tufted ducks. 

I'm sharing this for Viridian's Sunday Stamps theme today, mini-sheets.

~maria

Source: http://www.philippinestamps.net/RP2007-Ducks.htm

Beauties of Paris

Bookmark
Sender: The future
Sent: 2 Aug 2013
Rcvd: 12 Aug 2013

Today's post is inspired by last Postcard Friendship Friday's entry of Grace. She's French, a marketing strategy consultant, who also loves postcards. I can't exactly remember how we bumped into each other here at bloggers but ever since then, I've always loved visiting her page.

Her entry, 'Three Faces of Paris Beauty' shows postcards with the Eiffel Tower, a mix of French attractions (Montmartre, Mona Lisa, Arc de Triomphe, etc.), and Pont Alexandre III arch bridge. Following her post, I'm sharing here a bookmark, which I saw in my study table today, upon returning in my apartment from fieldwork. 

I got a message at the back of it: Someday in the not so far future, you will be sitting where this woman is, reading a book with your lover beside you. It was signed: Yours faithfully, the future -- Today is "Tell A Joke Day" and if the muse of destiny is gonna play a beautiful joke on me, may it be that this message of the future becomes a reality.

Still following Graces' lead, my second card is the Basilique du Sacré-Coeur de Montmartre -- the famous church on top of a hill at the heart of Paris. On a separate post from the past, I posted a postcard with the steps leading up the church. The name of the church means "mount of martyrs" because many saints visited the hill. The church is dedicated to the Heart of Jesus.

Facebook Swap, Sender: Ulla
Sent: 26 Nov 2012, Sent from
Marly, France, Rcvd: 28 Dec 2012
Traveled ~10,900 km in 32 days

If you checked Grace's entry, you can see that my third card is another view of the Pont Alexandre III arch bridge -- which is also the third card on her post. This historical monument spanning the Siene River connects the Champs-Élysées quarter and the Invalides and Eiffel Tower quarter.

Together with the bookmark from Paris above, I also received 9 other postcards from France today. I'm so excited to share them all here but will save them for future posts. I have two views of Avignon, two views of Le Mont Saint Michel, a postcard of raclette, one view of Saint Emilion, one of Le Pont du Gard, a card of La Grotte De Lascaux, and of Conques.

I am also very excited because Ulla, the sender of the 2 postcards on this post, has just agreed to send me two postcards of Alsace.

I am happy that I'm getting postcards of France from private swaps because I seldom get one from the official postcrossing website.

Facebook Postcard Swap, Sender: Ulla
Sent & Received dates similar to the one above

I am sharing this with Beth's PFF. Check out her blog roll at The Best Hearts Are Crunchy for more postcards to enjoy reading and viewing for the weekend. I am also sharing with Paulita at The Accidental Blog for the Dreaming of France blog roll. 'The future's message and the France postcards I got today have truly made me dreaming even more of France.

~maria

Friendly Hearts

   

DE-2142542, Sender: akiregreb
Sent: 1 May 2013, Sent from Meschede, Germany
Received: 3 July 2013, Traveled 10,245 km in 63 days
 

I am on fieldwork in Bukidnon, south of Mindanao. When many people think Mindanao is not a good place to visit because of the negative publicity it gets in the press, not all of it is really dangerous. Bukidnon for example, is a really peaceful part. I love going back here, and right now it's my 5th visit.

I named this card, friendly hearts because every time I visit here, I always meet female souls who resonates with mine. For this time around, I met two, Anne to my right, and Karen, to my left. 

I sometimes complain how tiring my job is: being in an airplane 4-6 times in a month, working even on Saturdays and sometimes even Sundays, and the feeling of not being properly compensated for the effort and time it demands from me. 

But looking at it in a bright perspective, the real reward of my job is meeting amazing people who eventually become my friends despite being with them just for a short time. That's the first. Second is getting to see awesome places. The one where the photo of us was taken is Lake Apo. There's a house by the lake that can be booked for a relaxing stay, away from the stress of the busy life and close to a quiet lake and rolling green mountains. I really wish I can come back here to stay at that house for vacation even just for a few days.

Well, it might be off topic, but third reward is knowing that the sacrifice you give: lots of effort and time but low pay -- results in uplifting the quality of healthcare in the country. I can smile and say that I'm doing something worthwhile and dedicating my strong and youthful years for the greater good.

I'll end it here for now before I get more sentimental... I still need to wake up before the sun rises tomorrow for a long land trip to reach the airport for my flight back to Manila. I don't wish to go back cause I'm truly being addicted to provincial life, but I have to.

~maria

P.S. The photographer is the husband of Anne. I am really grateful to him for these nice photos which are perfect souvenirs of my 5th visit in Bukidnon.

Colorful stamps

I wish the scanned versions are as bright as the original ones.

I'm calling this, an experience in the limits of technology.

Nevertheless, I'm sharing some colorful stamps here 

for Viridian's Colorful Sunday Stamps roll for today.

Enjoy!

My guess is that this stamp shows the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong.

I can't get more information about it. If someone knows more info, 

please leave in the comments section. Thank you so much!

These two attractive Ukranian stamps are from the subject: 

Treasures of Ukranian Museum - Hanna Sobachko-Shostak's works.

The ox-eye daisies and the nestling box.

These were printed on 2 August 2002.

Stamps from Poland, starting from left:

Subject: Toy World - a xylophone, printed 1 June 2008

The one in the middle, I'm really sad the colors were faded.

It's for the World Post Day, issued on 9 October 1998.

The last one is the Europa stamp, issued 22 May 2012.

~maria

La Liberté éclairant le monde

Friendship Gift Postcard, Sender: My twin, Wan
Sent: 1 August 2013, Sent from Paris, France
Received: 6 August 2013, Traveled 10,908 km in 6 days

My second black and white postcard from Paris, thanks to the beau. The first one is the Avenue des Champs-Élysées which can be found here.

The Liberty enlightening the world; La Liberté éclairant le monde is shown in this card in sculptor Auguste Bartholdi's studio. The time is 1885. The location is rue de Chazelles. It is shown here prior to its shipping to the United States of America; a gift from the people of France to commemorate the American Declaration of Independence on 4 July 1776.

The statue is modeled to Libertas, the Roman goddess of freedom. She bears a torch and a tablet evoking the law where the date of the American independence day is inscribed. She also has a symbolic broken chain lying on her feet.

I found it a bit odd that with so many postcards I have from New York, USA, I haven't got a single one with the Statue of Liberty on it. Oh wait, there's one but it's not a single view card of the famous statue but it's just included in my State of New York map card. I wish I can get one soon.

As mentioned in my previous entry, it's a national holiday here in the Philippines. I just want to go back to bed after posting this... Happy Friday everyone!

~maria

Sunny heart

CH-149695, Sender: Vre
Sent: 22 May 2013, Sent from Lucerne, Switzerland
Received: 5 June 2013, Traveled 10,458 km in 14 days

This is one of my most 'spirit-uplifting; smile-inducing' heart cards, officially received from postcrossing.com. I believe I mentioned in one of my previous posts that when it's summer in the other part of the globe, it's rainy and typhoon season for us. Hence, the choice of a sunflower heart card for today ... I miss the sun ... I miss my sunshine ... and eating sunflower seeds.

I'll keep this short, I got a terrible headache. It's a holiday tomorrow so I'm really drawn into my bed right now, thinking of a long sleep ahead.

Blessed and joyful celebrations of Eid Mubarak!

I'm sharing this post with Clytie's Guest Heart Thursday. Check out her page for more heart photos ;-) I'm honored that she featured on her page today the heart card I posted last week, I'm even more honored with the kind words she has for me. Thank you so much!! 

~maria

Philippine Marine Biodiversity

Probably this is the effect of being gone too long... I'm posting two entries for Sunday Stamps today. :)

I had the chance to see the beautiful corals in Coron, Palawan back in February this year. It was really amazing to learn about the role of this beautiful underwater fauna in supporting marine biodiversity. Reviewing the underwater photos from that trip, it's calming to see the peaceful and colorful environment of the fishes very similar to these in the stamp set.

It is important to note that the Palawan has the most beautiful coral reefs in the country, with the UNESCO listed Tubbataha Reef being in the area. For just the first half of this year, one US Navy ship and one Chinese fishing vessel crashed into that precious site. Looking at these dainty and cute fishes, you can just imagine their horror and panic with the big ships running aground their homes...it's heartbreaking.

*sigh* Moving on, I was lucky to be at our central post office on Thursday, 2 August when this sheet was released. This was issued for our participation at the Thailand 2013 World Stamp Exhibition. It's happening at the Siam Paragon Hall Shopping Complex since 2 until 14 August 2013.

I hope that with this issue, more awareness can be raised about how beautiful the Philippine marine biodiversity is and we'll be more vigilant in protecting our national riches found in the sea.

~maria

Ethnic groups of Vietnam

The info sheet that came with the stamp set reads:

Vietnam is the home of 54 ethnic groups. They have been living in harmony on the S-shaped land for thousand of years and fostering a rich and diversified culture.

On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Independence Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the Ministry of Posts and Telematics issued a definitive stamp set "Vietnamese Community of Ethnic Groups" consisting of 54 values, the largest number in the history of issuing Vietnam's Revolutionary Postage Stamp up to now.

Images on these are the characteristics of 54 ethnic groups respectively. On the basis of the "standard" value of King Group selected from all competition works, the artist designed stamps 53 other ethnic groups so as to ensure harmony in terms of form and the substance, as well as presentation style in the whole series. The ethnic groups are arranged in alphabetic order with two vignettes carrying the national flag, Dong Son Bronze Drum and the wordings: "60th anniversary of the foundation of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam": The country of Vietnam is an entity. Rivers can go dry, mountains can collapse but this truth cannot be denied."

I believe I got this stamp sheet in 2011. It was a gift from my beau, who was doing his internship in Vietnam back then.

This is my first post for Viridian's Sunday Stamps after being gone for a month. I'm glad the theme for this week is "anything you wish" so I grabbed this chance of posting this really special stamp sheet that I've been meaning to share for quite a while. I believe I just got the best opportunity to do so! ;-)

~maria

Dreaming of a beautiful sunset

All I wanted today was to drink tea while watching the sun set. The typhoon is out of the Philippines (although another one is approaching). So it was a sunny late afternoon and I know that I'd be able to see the red hot glow slowly disappearing in the horizon. I just wanted a quiet moment with myself, with a cup of calming tea, and the warm glow of the setting sun. 

But alas! I was just dreaming of it, sleepy inside a public utility vehicle which was stuck in traffic for almost two hours. I was picturing in my mind how the sunset would look like and I realized, I have a scanned copy of that postcard with sunset in Manila Bay.

May I also share that a sunset postcard arrived in the mail today.

US-2327385, Sender: Yukaka
Sent: 21 July 2013, Sent from Tampa, FL
Received: 2 Aug 2013, Traveled 14,750 km in 12 days

And while filing it on its respective album, I realized that I have another pretty sunset postcard that's yet to be posted.  So here it is :)

WIP General Swap, name of sender unreadable on the back of the card
Sent: 19 March 2012, Sent from Minneapolis, MN
Received: postmark not available on the card, Traveled 12,549 km

Missing the sun set wasn't that bad after all. At the end of the day, I'm still smiling while admiring the sun set postcards that I have. :)

Happy Postcard Friendship Friday everyone! 

I'm really glad to be back! :)

~maria

Love-ly cats

FI-1724304, Sender: mam-mam
Sent: 7 Apr 2013, Sent from Oulu, Finland
Received: 26 Apr 2013, Traveled 8,801 km in 19 days

As promised, I am back after 1 month of absence. :)

I am overwhelmed to share that the final assessment for my clinical residency went well. It was a grueling 4-day ordeal and I'm glad it's finally over. It's just the start though. I still have a few documentary requirements to finish. Then there's the certification board exams in November this year. It was a great experience. It allowed me to pin down my strength and weaknesses in regards with my development and training into the professional in  my field that I hope to be.

For the past 3 years of being into the program I learned that it's truly beneficial to work as a group; to always seek to study and learn together. There's truly great value in collective efforts. Hence my choice of postcard to feature for this first day of August and my first post for Clytie's Guest Heart Thursday after being gone for a month. It shows two cats joining their heads; in my mind, they could have been holding hands in a few - drawing strength from each other.

It's my second postcard of the artist, Minna L. Immonen. The first one can be found here, it features a hydrangea wreath.

I would like to express my gratitude to Grace of Le Blog de Grace Bailhache and Beth of The Best Hearts Are Crunchy for passing by my blog even though I didn't post any entry for a month. It's heartwarming to know that I was missed. Hugs to you both!

I'll end this post for now. Ciao! It's great to be back!

~maria

P.S. Let me share a goofy photo of our group from Monday, 29 July - the last day of the assessment. My co-residents and I are standing at the back, the clinical supervisors, members of the national steering committee, and our expert assessor from the International Atomic Energy Agency are seated in front. Here we flash our 'winner pose' with triumphant smiles. I am the one standing behind the woman in fuchsia pink top.