Malaysia - Melaka (Melacca) and the Bullock Carts

Famous landmarks found in Melaka in Malaysia.

postmarked with stamp from Malaysia 11-2006

The last image is of  The Bullock Carts - they were used as one of the earliest forms of transportation in Melaka.  Today they are still used in some areas, but many you see now are for tourists.

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Malacca (Melaka) is the third smallest Malaysian state after Perlis and Penang.
The capital is Malacca City.
This historical city centre has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 7 July 2008.

Malaysia stamp 2006

Kongres Ginekoligi Dan Obstetrik Sedunia 50 sen

(Gynecology and Obstetrics World Congress - 50 sen)

XVIII FIGO world Congress of Gynecology and Obstetrics

Formosa (Taiwan) Map Postcard Made of Wood

Formosa (Taiwan)

Wood postcard in the shape of Taiwan, the back has a picture of a bottle cap engraved on it with the word 'postage' on it.  It is written on and addressed, but sent in an envelope.

sent in 2010

The sender writes that this postcard shows a map of the interesting things to do in Taiwan from Taipei to Kenting.

- Great postcard!!

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Taiwan, officially the Republic of China, is a state in East Asia.

Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China now governs the island of Taiwan (formerly known as Formosa).

1988's Hairspray with Sonny Bono, Colleen Fitzpatrick and Debbie Harry

Sonny Bono as "Franklin von Tussie, "Colleen Fitzpatrick as "Amber von Tussie, " and Debbie Harry as "Velma von Tussie," in John Waters' "Hairspray, 1988.

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Hairspray (released on Feb. 26, 1988) is a comedy film written and directed by John Waters. Set in 1962 Baltimore, Maryland, the film revolves around self-proclaimed "pleasantly plump" teenager Tracy Turnblad as she pursues stardom as a dancer on a local TV show and rallies against racial segregation.
Hairspray was only a moderate success upon its initial theatrical release, earning a modest gross of $8 million. However, it managed to attract a larger audience on home video in the early 1990s and became a cult classic.
In 2002, the film was adapted into a Broadway musical of the same name, which won eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical in 2003. A second film version of Hairspray, an adaptation of the stage musical, was also released by New Line Cinema in 2007, which included many changes of scripted items from the original.

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Salvatore Phillip "Sonny" Bono (February 16, 1935 – January 5, 1998) was an American recording artist, record producer, actor, and politician whose career spanned over three decades.
Most remember him best with his wife Cher as: Sonny & Cher.  They were an American pop music duo, actors, singers and entertainers in the 1960s and 1970s.
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Colleen Ann Fitzpatrick (born July 20, 1972) is an American pop music singer, songwriter, dancer, and actress better known by her stage name, Vitamin C. As an actress, she has appeared in the films Hairspray, Get Over It, Da Hip Hop Witch, Scary Movie 2, and Dracula 2000.
Mattel released a Vitamin C doll in 2000. She was a video game character in the game EA Sports Triple Play and she has her own Tommy Hilfiger lipstick color developed after her signature yellow and orange hair.
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Deborah Ann "Debbie" Harry (born July 1, 1945) is an American singer-songwriter and actress, best known for being the lead singer of the punk rock and new wave band Blondie. She has also had success as a solo artist. Her acting career spans over thirty film roles and numerous television appearances.

Slovenia: Ljubljiana, Bled, Kostanjevica, triglav, Soca, Piran

Slovenija (Slovenia)

Ljubljana - (capital and largest city of Slovenia)
Bled - (town within the Julian Alps and by Lake Bled, a popular tourist destination)
Kostanjevica - (a town completely surrounded by water)
Triglav - (highest mountain in Slovenia and the highest peak of the Julian Alps)
Soca - (a river that starts in the Alps of Slovenia and ends in the Adriatic Sea in Italy)
and
Piran - (one of the major towns of Slovenia with a lot of medieval architecture)

postmarked in 2013 with two Slovenia flower stamps 

 

A Woman With Real Hair Attached and an Add On Barrette

In this postcard the woman has real hair attached, and there is an add-on metal barrette.

The word postcard is written in several languages on the back.

it has writing on the back, but no address or stamp

Laurel and Hardy

Laurel & Hardy
USA 29 (postcard made from the image of the stamp)

unused, from 1991

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Laurel and Hardy were one of the most popular and critically acclaimed comedy double acts of the early Classical Hollywood era of American cinema. Composed of thin Englishman Stan Laurel (16 June 1890 – 23 February 1965) and large American Oliver Hardy (January 18, 1892 – August 7, 1957), they became well known during the late 1920s to the mid-1940s for their slapstick comedy, with Laurel playing the clumsy and childlike friend of the pompous Hardy.

They made over 100 films together, initially two-reelers (short films) before expanding into feature length films in the 1930s. Their films include Sons of the Desert (1933), the Academy Award winning short film The Music Box (1932), Babes in Toyland (1934), and Way Out West (1937).

Hardy's catchphrase "Well, here's another nice mess you've gotten me into!" is still widely recognized.

Great Trans-Alaska Pipeline in Alaska

Aaska's Oil Pipeline

48 inch pipe, 789 miles long will cross 3 mountain ranges and 70 rivers or streams
12 pumping stations
21 construction camps
3 years in construction

An estimated 10 billion barrels of crude oil

With central computer control at Valdez the pipeline is designated fro a maximum capacity of 2 million barrels of crude oil a day.

Oil was first discovered on Alaska's North Slope at Prudhoe Bay in March 1968.  Studies on a proposed pipeline started as early as August of the same year.  In September 1969 the State of Alaska held a Lease Sale of Prudhoe Bay land, a record 900 million dollars was paid to the State by those winning these leases.

There has been an unheralded number of engineering, ecological and permafrost studies along the pipeline route to assure safety of Alaska's wild-life and ecology.

Temperatures along the pipeline route vary from as much as 100 degrees F. in summer to more that 75 degrees below zero in winter.

The pipeline was three years in construction and cost over 8 billion dollars - the largest and most costly project ever undertaken by private industry.

this postcard is unused

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The Great Trans-Alaska Pipeline

The 800-mile, 48" Pipeline runs from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez.  Pictures left is, top center, Visitor Information Cabin near Fox; Upper left, The Last Cat train carrying supplies past Anaktuvuk Pass to Prudhoe Bay; upper right, Alyeska Security Helicopters patrolling the pipeline; lower left, Burying the firs piece of pipe at Tonsina; lower right, The 150,000-ton tanker ARCO Juneau and the 265,000-ton tanker Northern Lion taking on oil at Valdez; lower center, Commemorative State at Valdez.

unused postcard from 1995

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The Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) includes the trans-Alaska crude-oil pipeline, 11 pump stations, several hundred miles of feeder pipelines, and the Valdez Marine Terminal. TAPS is one of the world's largest pipeline systems. It is commonly called the Alaska pipeline, trans-Alaska pipeline, or Alyeska pipeline, (or the pipeline as referred to in Alaska), but those terms technically apply only to the 800 miles (1,287 km) of the pipeline with the diameter of 48 inches (122 cm) that conveys oil from Prudhoe Bay, to Valdez, Alaska. The crude oil pipeline is privately owned by the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company.

The pipeline was built between 1974 and 1977 after the 1973 oil crisis caused a sharp rise in oil prices in the United States. This rise made exploration of the Prudhoe Bay oil field economically feasible. The project attracted tens of thousands of workers to Alaska, causing a boomtown atmosphere in Valdez, Fairbanks, and Anchorage.

The first barrel of oil traveled through the pipeline in 1977, and full-scale production began by the end of the year. Several notable incidents of oil leakage have occurred since, including those caused by sabotage, maintenance failures, and gunshot holes. As of 2010, the pipeline has shipped almost 16 billion barrels (2.5×109 m3) of oil.

Kariba Dam in Zambia

Kariba Dam with all six gates open

postmarked in 1969 with a Zambia Dancer 8n stamp

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The Kariba Dam is a hydroelectric dam in the Kariba Gorge of the Zambezi river basin between Zambia and Zimbabwe. It is one of the largest dams in the world, standing 128 m (420 ft) tall and 579 m (1,900 ft) long.

The double curvature concrete arch dam was constructed between 1955 and 1959 at a cost of $135,000,000 for the first stage. Final construction and the addition of the Kariba North Power cavern was not completed until 1977 due to largely political problems for a total cost of $480,000,000.

Eighty-six men lost their lives during construction.

Hofburg Palace with Fountain in Vienna, Austria

 Innsbruk

Hofburg mit Leopoldbrunned und Hofkirche
Aufnahme Agfacolor

Photo: Steinmann Erwin

postmarked in 1958 with an Austria stamp

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Hofburg Palace is located in Vienna, Austria and since 1279 has housed some of the most powerful people in European and Austrian history, including the Habsburg dynasty, rulers of the Austro-Hungarian empire. It currently serves as the official residence of the President of Austria.

Austria (Republik Ofterreich or Osterreich) stamp

1951 Wilton Costume - 1.45 S

Mahabalipuram, India - Five Monoliths

Mahabalipuram
Five Monoliths
Sahadeva-ratha
Seventh century

This postcard is unused.

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Mahabalipuram is a  town in Kancheepuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, now officially called Mamallapuram.  It was a 7th century port city and has various historic monuments built largely between the 7th and the 9th centuries.  It has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Sahadeva-ratha (shown in the postcard) is one of the five Pancha Rathas Monoliths.
Each monolith is a temple carved whole from a rock outcropping of pink granite. The five monolithic shrines are named after the Pandavas brothers (Arjuna, Bhima, Yudhishthira, Nakula and Sahadeva) and Draupadi their collective wife.

Bill Clinton and Al Gore Light Switch Plate Cover Postcards

President Bill Clinton

You are supposed to glue this on a light switch plate, then when you 'flip the switch' you are flipping his 'nose'

This is an unused postcard from The American Postcard Co. 1999.

I have one for Vice President Al Gore  too.....

And speaking of noses on postcards ...

President Bill Clinton
This card is also unused and from 1999.

Mad Hatter's Tea Cup Party Ride at Disney

Disneyland Resort Paris

Mad Hatter's Tea Cups, Fantasyland, parc Disneyland

postmarked in 2013 with two France stamps 

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Mad Hatter's Tea Cup Party:  is a spinning tea cup ride at all five Disneyland-style theme parks around the world. The ride theme is inspired by the Unbirthday Party scene in Disney's Alice In Wonderland. The ride has gained infamy over the years for the number of guests who get motion sickness as a result of the spinning component to the ride.

The attraction is called Mad Tea Party at Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom. It is known as Alice's Tea Party at Tokyo Disneyland, Mad Hatter's Tea Cups at Disneyland Paris, and Mad Hatter Tea Cups at Hong Kong Disneyland.

The Paris version of the attraction is the only version to feature the stunning petal-shaped glass roof and extravagant surrounding gardens.

France stamp 2012 - C 

Le Bonheur!  (Happiness!)

Foire Internationale de Grenoble  (International Fair of Grenoble)

1-11 Novembre 2012 (November 1-11, 2012)

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France stamp

Bonne Annee (Happy New Year) 20 g

Mantenga Cultural Village - Swaziland

Mantenga Cultural Village
Swaziland

postmarked in 2007 with two Swaziland stamps

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In this little village you can see traditional houses and scenery of daily life in Swaziland.  There are also performances of traditional dances.

Swaziland stamp 2007
The Stem Fruit Tree, Umnumbela, E 1.40

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Swaziland stamp 1991

Red Forest Charaxes (Butterfly) 20

English Mastiff Postcards

This IS my happy face...

English Mastiff

postmarked in 2013

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The English Mastiff, referred to by most Kennel Clubs simply as the Mastiff, is a breed of large dog. Distinguishable by enormous size, massive head, and a limited range of colors, but always displaying a black mask, the Mastiff is noted for its gentle temperament. 

The greatest weight ever recorded for a dog, 343 pounds (156 kg), was that of an English Mastiff from England named Aicama Zorba of La Susa, although claims of larger dogs exist.  According to the 1989 edition of the Guinness Book of Records, in March 1989, when he was 7 years old, Zorba stood 35 inches (89 cm) at the shoulder and was 8.25 feet (251 cm) from the tip of his nose to the tip of his tail, about the size of a small donkey.  After 2000, the Guinness Book of World Records stopped accepting largest or heaviest pet records.

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Brindle English Mastiff

postmarked in 2013

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Valentine's Real Photograph

postmarked 1934

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Mastiff - The Star Series  of London

printed in Bavaria -  postmarked 1911

Valentine's / Friends Day - From Finland

Ystavanpaivana (Valentines Day)

Hyvaa Ystavanpaivaa (Happy Valentines Day)
Artwork by Elissa McLeod

The sender writes that it can also translate as Happy Friend's Day - which makes more sense with the artwork on the front  :D

postmarked in 2012 with a very cute Valentine's Day stamp

World's Largest Saguaro Cactus

World's Largest Saguaro

The largest known Saguaro at Saguaro National Monument in southern Arizona is this huge specimen which grows near the Madrona Ranger Station.  It is over 50 feet high and has 52 arms.  Its weight is estimated to be 14 tons!

From Kodachrome original by Hubert Lowman

unused
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Here is one more example of a Saguaro

Saguaros attain many fantastic shapes during their long reign of life.

unused

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The saguaro is a large, tree-sized cactus species in the monotypic genus Carnegiea, which can grow to be over 20 meter (~70 ft) tall. It is native to the Sonoran Desert in the U.S. state of Arizona, the Mexican state of Sonora, and some areas of California.  Some specimens may live for more than 150 years.

WhY Be NoRmaL?

Why be normal?
Where's the fun in that?

featuring Alice in Wonderland with the Mad Hatter and the White Rabbit (who's not so white in this picture :)

This postcard is one of many that my friend Laura sent me for my birthday this year.  Everyone should have a friend as great as she is!!

postmarked in 2013 with a 32 cent stamp

Russian Money

Russian Money

postmarked in 2012 with four Russia stamps 

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The ruble or rouble is the currency of the Russian Federation, it is subdivided into 100 kopeks.

Currently there is no official symbol for the ruble, though the abbreviation руб. is in wide use.

According to the most popular version, the word "rouble" is derived from the Russian verb руби́ть (rubit'), meaning to chop.

  

 

Vietnam Peoples Committee Building in Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Peoples Committee Building

Photo by Doan Duc Minh

postmarked in 2012 with a machine stamp from the Philippines

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Ho Chi Minh City Hall or Hôtel de Ville de Saigon was built in 1902-1908 in a French colonial style for the then city of Saigon. It was renamed after 1975 as Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee. The building is not opened to the public or for tourists.

Boats Called 'Moliceiros' in Aveiro, Portugal

 Aveiro
"Moliceiros"

postmarked in 2012 with a Portugal 'Circo Chapito' (circus clown or circus person) stamp for 0,80

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Aveiro is a city in Aveiro Municipality in Portugal, it is nicknamed "The Portuguese Venice", due to its system of canals and boats similar to the Italian city of Venice.

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Moliceiro is the name given to boats that you see in the Aveiro River. They were originally used for harvesting seaweed to be used as fertilizer for the farms in Aveiro, but now they are used more for tourists .

The boats have a low edge which made it easy for loading the seaweed. They also have a bow and a stern that are usually brightly decorated with paintings that show everyday situations.

Real Photo Postcard of Gibraltar

 Greetings from Gibraltar

featuring:
The Rock from Bay.
main Street.
South Port Gates.
Moorish Castle.
The Rock form Airfield.
and
Eye View of Town.

This is a real photo postcard postmarked in 1950 with two King George VI stamps.

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A Few Fun Facts about Gibraltar:

-Gibraltar consists of a long limestone mountain, which has as may as 140 caves.
-The official language of Gibraltar is English and the unofficial one is Spanish.
-There is a Gibraltar Cable Car which runs from ground level to the top of the Rock, with an intermediate station at Apes’ Den.
-Over 500 different species of flowering plants grow on the Rock.
-Gibraltar is the only place in Europe where the Gibraltar candytuft (Iberis gibraltarica) is found growing in the wild; the plant is otherwise native to North Africa.

 

Mount Everest Trail in Nepal

Top of the World
Changtse  755 m
Mt. Everest 8848 m.
Lhotse 8414 m.
Nuptse 7861 m.

Everest Trail
Nepal

Mt. Everest (the highest peak in the World) as seen from Kala Pathar 5545m un the Khumbu Region.

Photo: Sergiy Gutiyev

This is postmarked in 2012 with 5 Nepal stamps.

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Mount Everest is the Earth's highest mountain, with a peak at 8,848 metres (29,029 ft) above sea level and the 5th tallest mountain measured from the centre of the Earth. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. Its massif includes neighboring peaks Lhotse, 8,516 m (27,940 ft); Nuptse, 7,855 m (25,771 ft) and Changtse, 7,580 m (24,870 ft).

Mount Everest attracts many highly experienced mountaineers as well as capable climbers willing to hire professional guides. While not posing substantial technical climbing challenges on the standard route, Everest presents dangers such as altitude sickness, weather and wind.

Nepal stamp 2006

Golden Jubilee Year of Nepal Russia Diplomatic Relations R. 30

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Nepal stamp 2010

Maru Ganesh - Kathmandu R. 2

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Maru Ganesh is a temple that lies in the western side of Kathmandu Durbar square.

Kathmandu is the capital and, with almost one million inhabitants, the only metropolitan city of Nepal.

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Nepal stamp 2002

Let us not discriminate between Son and Daughter R. 1

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and two of these stamps...

Nepal stamp 2009

Poet Laxmi Prasad Devkota Centenary Year R. 1

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Laxmi Prasad Devkota (November 12, 1909 – September 14, 1959), was a Nepali poet. Devkota is considered the greatest poet of Nepal—he has been given the title of "Maha Kavi" ("The Great Poet") of Nepal.

In this piece Devkota connects the beggar with the divine as the ultimate fount of kindness and empathy:

कालो बादलबाट खसेको

अन्धकार भित्र बसेको,

ईश्वर हो कि भिखरी?

घर, घर, अागन चारी

बोल्दछ, अार्तध्वनिमा बोल्दछ

करुणामृत दिल भारी ।

translation:

Crushed under black clouds

Lodged in darkness

Is he a beggar or a god?

As he wanders from house to house

He speaks in tunes suffused with pain

A heart weighed with compassion.