Sunday Stamps: Gardens or Forests

Left to right --

50th Anniversary of the Jardim Botanico Madeira

Issued in 2010 (Portugal)

Eero Järnefelt 150 Years Commemorative Stamp, Forest Landscape 

Issued in 2013 (Finland)

Nuuksio National Park

Issued in 2013 (Finland)

Singapore, my second home is a garden city. One of the most admirable features of this garden city is the lush greeneries lining the roadsides. Left to right --

Saga, Adenanthera pavonina

Issued in 2010 (Singapore)

Angsana, Pterocarpus indicus

Issued in 2010 (Singapore)

Rain tree, Samanea saman

Issued in 2010 (Singapore)

For Sunday Stamps: gardens or forests

~maria

Postcards for the weekend 37: Traditional costumes

Private Swap, Sent from Tabua, Portal
Sent 6 July 2013, Traveled 11,948 km in 20 days

I did a little research about Portuguese traditional costume for women and found out that although it typically varies by region, normally it consists of bouffant long skirt for women. The skirt is called saia and is of vibrant checkered or striped pattern. Well I shouldn't be surprised myself, hailing from a country that was a Spanish colony for 300+ years! The same item of clothing is called saya, in my lingua franca.

Direct Swap, sent from Lithuania
Sent 2 Feb 2012, Traveled 9,116 km

Diana, the sender wrote that this young lady is wearing a traditional Lithuanian costume and is seen here making a bird from yarn.

These two cards are for this weekend's theme -- traditional costumes. To discover more traditional costumes featured in postcards, check out what other participants below have shared on their respective pages.

Happy weekend,

~maria

Typical Houses in Aveiro

Friendship Gift Postcard, Sender: Anacrobat
Sent: 8 June 2013 from Tabua, Portugal
Received: 25 June 2013, Traveled 11,947 km in 17 days

While enjoying the long weekend (just this most recent one!) in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam -- I had an interesting discussion about the adventures of traveling brought by differences in languages. My bestfriend / travel buddy and I have agreed to travel around South-east Asia first before going somewhere else farther.

For Europe though, I mentioned that Portugal and Spain are on the top of my list. Considering that I came from a country that was a Spanish colony for 300 plus years, I'm keen to see what cultural similarities we have with them. I am interested with Portugal because during my visit in Macau in 2009 -- the country being a former Portuguese colony, I saw a lot of striking similarities between Macau and my home country. 

I was digging for a postcard from Spain in my collection but couldn't get my hand on one right away ... so here's one from Portugal, instead. The label at the back of the card says that these are typical houses in Aveiro. I can't really pinpoint any similarity with the houses that we have back home and in Macau with these ones but the one in the middle is perfect for Sally's Blue Monday link-up. 

I hope at least you enjoyed the postcard ;-)

~maria

Geek it up!

Facebook Swap, Sender: LaraLuis
Sent: 25 Dec 2012 from Sao Mamede de Infesta, Portugal Received: 16 Jan 2013, Traveled ~12,178 km in 23 days

The vacation with my beau is over by the end of today. As mentioned in my previous blog posts, my dreaded exam is tomorrow. Time to geek it up! I did my best to revise while on vacation. But I think my body took more on the 'relaxation' mode. I ain't too guilty. I believe it's also necessary to pay attention to other 'human' needs and not just always focusing on intellectual endeavors.

I know. I know. I'm doing my best to justify it to myself, this feeling of unpreparedness. But I guess in the end, it's not just professional accomplishments that matter but also a strong personal relationship with someone you hold so close to your heart.

As such, I'm delighted to share that for a change, my vacation was spent doing physical activities. Very different from the usual me -- wearing my glasses and deep in the pages of my books. Here, let me share snap shots of our activities that I'm really proud I did with him. Imagine, for the first time, I was shouting at the top of my lungs for going so fast downhill on a mountain bike and not because I completed a solution for a Physics problem? That was really cool!

I feel relaxed and just prepared with whatever the result of the exam will be. Deep in my heart, I'm wishing I will pass. But I guess we'll see... I am doing my best to block the pressure of "Will I pass or not?" and I'm just focusing on giving my best once the examination questions are laid out in front of me.

Cheers for optimism! Pressure will always be there but let's not allow it to always make us blue. Blue is a relaxing color. Blue is the favorite color of my beau, and is starting to be my favorite, too.

Happy Blue Monday everyone! I wish us all a great week.

For more nice blue, check out the Blue Monday linky party.

~maria

Round stamps plus more!

Working on the premise that usual shape for stamps is either square or rectangle,

I am sharing these two round stamps for the unusually -shaped stamps theme for Sunday Stamps.

The first stamp is from Portugal for the 2010 Campenato do Mundo de Futebol.

It was released on 31 May 2010.

The second stamp is an aromatic stamp from Russia

It's part of the series called the Gifts of Nature issued on 27 August 2003.

Other fruits on the series are pear, melon, wild strawberry, and apple.

On this second set, the first stamp is a cross with rounded edges from Finland.

It's from the theme Flora (Trees), with a birch bud printed on it.

It was issued 24 January 2011.

The hexagon stamp is from a set of 6, souvenir stamp called Bees of Taiwan.

Shown here is the Apis cerana or the eastern honey bee.

It was issued 12 July 2012.

~maria

Porta do Soar, Viseu

PT-227143, Sender: Ricardo
Sent from Viseu, Portugal, Sent on 10 March 2012
Received on 22 March 2012, Traveled 11,935 km in 12 days

This postcard makes me dreamy, it would be a real pleasure to walk around this place for sure with it's medieval charm.

Shown here is a part of the historical old walls of Viseu, Portugal. This is Porta do Soar or Porta de Sao Francisco. According to my readings, this is only one of the two existing doors (from an original count of seven) leading to the city of Viseu. This gives me the impression that during medieval times, Viseu was a city within the walls. Which is, similar to our very own Intramuros, the old capital of Manila. 

I think that just make someone raise a brow due to confusion, so I'll post an Intramuros postcard after this one :)

Moving forward, I am pleased that this card was sent by a 12-yr old who told me, "Do you know that Maria is a Portuguese name, too?" -- Yes, Ricardo I do. Many given names here in the Philippines are Spanish/Portuguese sounding. This is because we were a Spanish colony for 333 years.

Obrigado! Gracias! Salamat for the card.

~maria

Monsanto, Portugal

Olá! Here's a postcard of a village picture from Monsanto, Portugal. The net says it's the most authentic Portuguese village. The place with its granite houses is considered a living museum, thanks to the strict building regulations.

I can't really figure out if I got this from a private swap, because I can't remember mailing a card for someone with an address there...


Oh my unreliable memory! A sign of aging? Ugh. Kinda scary for a 20-something like me. :p

Trivia: During the Festival of The Holy Cross every 3rd of May, 'marafonas' - the typical ragdolls are carried by women to the top of the castle and clay jars full of flowers are thrown from the walls. This is to commemorate their victory over the Moors.

I am trying to verify whether the tall building in this postcard is the Torre do Relógio...someone help me please. Gracias!

Happy weekend everyone...kindly visit Beth at The Best Hearts Are Crunchy for more wonderful postcards. :)