Sunday Stamps - (M) Meatball from Taiwan

For the letter M - Meatball

2013 - Taiwan - Signature Delicacies

Designer: Creative Design and Advertising Corporation 

I've been to Taiwan twice but I've never had the chance to try their meatball or Ba Wan. I hope there could be a third time! 

This stamp, together with 3 more, were released on 16 August 2013. The other stamps could be seen here. 

For more stamps with the letter "I", visit See It On A Postcard

Postcards for the weekend 89: Anything you wish

TW-1110457, Sent from Taoyuan, Taiwan
Sent 16 December 2013, Traveled 1,171 km in 23 days

It's been almost 4.5 months now since I took a hiatus from blogging. I didn't totally stop from exchanging postcards though and I have plenty of beautiful postcards to share! Postcards are probably one of those things that I would always love despite the fact that I'm needing more and more storage boxes to keep them neat and tidy.

So the Postcards for the Weekend has now officially resumed. HOWEVER, I'm having issues with the linky tool. Pardon me! I will update this post as soon as that's sorted out.

I hope you've all been well and I'm looking forward to another series of beautiful postcards party!

~maria

Sunday Stamps: New Year

2018 is the year of the Earth Dog, the previous one being in 1958. Wow, that's 60 years ago! 

I just realized that my mother has an Earth Dog zodiac sign. She's turning 60, two days from now.

Now onto the stamps: (1) The Singapore stamp was released on 5 Jan 2018. It was designed by Mr. Leo Teck Chong, who has been designing Singapore's Chinese zodiac series of stamps since 2009 up to present. (2) The Taiwanese stamp was issued on 1 Dec 2017. It features a paper cutting of a dog surrounded by peonies. 

For Sunday Stamps hosted at See it on a Postcard.

~maria

Postcards for the weekend 57: Anything you wish

Friendship Gift Postcard, Sent from North Houston, Texas
Sent 2 Dec 2013, Traveled 13,241 km in 10 days

For our theme this weekend, anything you wish, I'm sharing an anecdote, facts, and trivia about the United States of America and the states that I'm visiting during this 3-week business trip.

CA-669234, Sent from Montreal, Quebec
Sent 11 Oct 2016, Traveled 14, 644 km in 15 days

According to a report published by Instituto Cervantes, the United States of America has more Spanish speakers as compared to Spain. My first conversation after getting out of my 13 hours flight from Tokyo to Washington, DC was with a gentleman, whom I asked for directions. My un poquito Español was put to the test. Good thing some Spanish words are incorporated in my native tongue, Filipino. Evidently, one needs more than English to efficiently get by in the USA.

RU-1711183, Sent from Yekaterinburg, Russia
Sent 29 Apr 2013, Traveled 6,872 km in 37 days

My flight from Tokyo (I flew in first from Singapore to Japan) landed at Washington Dulles International Airport. I wish I budgeted a couple of days for sightseeing. I could have seen the Lincoln Memorial in the capital. 

Direct Swap, Sent from Vienna, VA
Sent 22 Nov 2016, Traveled 15,685 km

From Washington DC, I flew here to Cleveland, Ohio. This is my first main destination for my 3-week business trip here in the USA. When I came to the office yesterday, I was given a goodie bag, containing several items and a paper with a Did You Know? header. As you can imagine, it's the inspiration for my choice of postcards for this post. I learned that Ohio is the Birthplace of Aviation, as the Wright brothers were born in Dayton, Ohio.

TW-1056264, Sent from Taiwan
Sent 25 Oct 2013, Traveled 1,171 km in 13 days

On Sunday, I will fly from Cleveland to Seattle, with a connection via Chicago. The Ferris wheel was invented in Chicago in 1893.

Friendship Gift Postcard, Sent from Seattle, WA
Sent 19 June 2015, Traveled 12,970 km

The state of Washington is my second and last main destination for this trip. Washington state produces more apples than any other states. I'm pretty curious if I'll have the chance to see apple orchards while I'm there. Moreover, I also hope to see one of our blogging friends, John.

Happy weekend everyone,

~maria

Postcards for the weekend 56: Children

October 6 is recognized as Children's Day in many places around the world. Hence, our theme for this weekend: children.

Friendship Gift Postcard, Sent from Sherwood, Arkansas
Sent 10 September 2016, Traveled 15,650 km

This book cover postcard is entitled "A Necklace of Raindrops and Other Stories". It was illustrated in 1975. I like the silhouettes in the foreground, with the little girl who seems to be marveling at the sight of something in the sky.

TW-505373, Sent from Kaohsiung
Sent 22 Mar 2012, Traveled 890 km in 8 days 

This photograph is from an exhibition, according to the sender. It seems that the little girl's name is Miyako.

FI-1999405, Sent from Nokia
Sent 29 Jan 2014, Traveled 8,982 km in 17 days

This one was sent for my birthday 3 years ago. I love the jolly faces and the merry-making on this postcard!

Have a great weekend everyone,

~maria

Postcards for the weekend 45: City views (night time)

For the night time city views theme, I'm sharing cities in Asia. 

Postcard sent to self, Sent from Taipei, Taiwan
Traveled 3,248 km

The Taipei 101 skyscraper clearly towers above any other building in the city on this scenery. The temperature of the print on the translucent material on this screen postcard offers a somewhat close to reality view of the city of Taipei. This first postcard is the fanciest I own to date. 

Friendship Gift Postcard, Sent by Renz & Raqz
Sent 14 July 2013, Traveled 2,994 km in 5 days

This is Ginza Street in Tokyo at night. The entire street with its neon lights was just magnificent and breathtaking when I saw it for real back in November 2016. 

Postcard sent for swap

Singapore Chinatown is recognized as one of the cleanest Chinatown all over the world. Seen here in the foreground is the Tooth Buddha Relic Temple and behind are the tall buildings in the cental building district of the city.

Postcard sent for swap

Behind those buildings on the Singapore Chinatown is the iconic Singapore Merlion. It's always very nice to visit Merlion Park in the evening as the area is full of lights.

Postcard sent for swap

And for this fifth postcard, here's one from Metro Manila -- a city where I lived for 11 years before moving to Singapore. This is a skyline of Makati, the central business district area. I worked for 5 years on the 29th floor of the leftmost building called RCBC Plaza. 

I'm sorry everyone for the late posting this weekend. I'm organizing a regional sales meeting at work, happening this Tuesday to Thursday (wish me luck!)

Happy weekend folks,

~maria

Mugs on a soap dish

TW-449203, Sender: Chi-Jou
Sent: 21 Jan 2012 from Changhua City, Taiwan
Received: 8 Feb 2012, Traveled 1,048 km in 18 days

This postcard looks odd; two ceramic mugs sitting on a soap dish...

Odd it may be, it perfectly describes my mood right now. I woke up at 5 AM for an early appointment. Wow! This early start makes me feel really enthusiastic for a busy week...I'm still very sleepy though, and I think I might end up unconsciously carrying my tea mug inside the shower room. Perhaps my mug will be sitting on my soap dish like on the postcard... Nyay!

The mugs seems to be for his and her; blue and red. And in my dreamy state right now, I can say I can't really wait for the day I'm waking up beside my beau again... one month and 8 days to wait -- that shouldn't be too long...

Good Monday morning everyone!

~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

Mantis & Beetles

The theme this week @ Viridian's Sunday Stamps 

is stamps from China and Taiwan.

I'm happy to find insects at the back of postcards received from 

China and Taiwan. This is like part 2 for my post last week, 

which are beneficial insects from Canada.

Here is a Tenodera aridifolia sinensis or Chinese mantis.

Being a fan of Kung Fu Panda, a computer-generated action/comedy

martial arts film, I was curious whether the mantis technique is related to the 

Chinese Mantis. The answer is yes. Mr. Wiki said that the Praying Mantis kung fu

was developed in the Shangdong Province of China in the mid-1600's

based on the quick movements of the Chinese mantis.

Our second insect is the Aphrodisium faldermannii yuagii.

What a long scientific name! Whew! It's common name is the

"musk long horned beetle". It was issued by the Chunghwa Post in 2010

to raise the awareness about the long-horned beetles.

It's a relatively relaxed Sunday for me so I'll probably get a nap after posting.

I wish it's a relaxed day for all of you, too!

Happy Sunday Stamps, everyone!

~maria

Eluan Pi Light

TW-358105, Sender: Hsinying
Sent: 24 August 2011, Sent from Taipei, Taiwan
Received: 1 September 2011, Traveled 1,152 km in 8 days

After posting one of the lighthouses from the northernmost  tip of Taiwan, 

here's from the southernmost: the Eluan Pi Light.

The sender wrote that this lighthouse is within the Kenting National Park.

The lighthouse was completed in 1883.

During its construction, Chinese troops were sent to protect it

from the attacks of local tribesmen.

It was surrounded by a fort with cannon and ditches.

The lighthouse is 21.4 metres high.

It is 56.4 metres above the tidal waters.

It flashes a white light every 10 seconds.

The light's range is 27.2 nautical miles.

I'm sharing this post with Smiling Sally for:

Thank you again wikipedia.net and the Lighthouse Digest for the info.

~maria

Sunday Lighthouses Stamps

The two lighthouses of Cape Arkona on the island of Rügen, Germany.

The taller lighthouse is the operational, called Isle of Rügen Light.

It started operation on 1 April 1905.

It is 35 metres high, with a focal height of 75 m above NN.

It emits three white flashes every 17 seconds.

The shorter one is 19.3 metres high, with a focal height of 60 m above sea level.

It was built in 1828 and is no longer operational.

The Klaipėda Light, guiding ships in the southern coast of Lithuania.

The present tower was built in 1950

The lighthouse has an active focal plane of 44 metres.

It emits three white flashes every 6 seconds.

Its light is visible for 18 nautical miles.

The Fukwei Chiao or Cape Fukwei lighthouse located in

Taiwan's northernmost point, the New Taipei City, Taiwan, R.O.C.

The present tower was built in the late 1940s.

It has a focal plane height of 31.3 metres.

It emits two white flashes every 15 seconds. 

Its light has a range of 27 nautical miles.

Sharing this with Viridian's Sunday Stamps.

Thank you wikipedia.net and the Lighthouse Digest for the information.

~maria

Daddy Long Legs

Facebook Postcard Swap, Sender: Claire Pai
Sent from Taiwan, Sent on: 26 Aug 2012
Received on: 7 Sep 2012
Traveled 1,185 km in 12 days

“He and I always think the same things are funny, and that is such a lot; it's dreadful when two people's senses of humour are antagonistic. I don't believe there's any bridging that gulf!

And he is--Oh, well! He is just himself, and I miss him, and miss him, and miss him. 

The whole world seems empty and aching. 

I hate the moonlight because it's beautiful and he isn't here to see it with me. 

But maybe you've loved somebody, too, and you know? 

If you have, I don't need to explain; if you haven't, I can't explain.” 

-Jean Webster, Daddy Long Legs

This is one of my most beloved animated TV series. In a way I can relate to Judy, the protagonist of the story. Like her, I also chronicled my professional and personal growth in college (even until now, actually!) through writing. She did it through letters, I did it through emails. She had Jervis Pendleton; I had Elizabeth, my Dutch foster mom. Judy and Jervis shared a rather comical romance, I developed a quasi - daughter-mother relationship with my foster mom. Like Judy who had a sweet finish to her story, I hope I can also have a chance for a long-awaited meet-up with my Dutch mom. It has been more than 9 years of a relationship based on good faith for us -- email correspondence, photo sharing, I hope one day I can say 'thank you' to her in person.

Happy Postcard Friendship Friday, everyone!

~ maria