City Hall in Belfast, Ireland

City Hall, Belfast

In 1888 Queen Victoria gave the town of Belfast the status of City.  In response the citizens built the magnificent City Hall which today dominates the heart of Belfast.  Work started in 1898 and the building was completed in 1906.  The building covers an area of about one acre and a half and is set in gardens which are open to the public.  It was built in the Classical Renaissance style in Portland stone and is rectangular in shape, enclosing a quadrangular courtyard.  A Porte-Cachere marks the Grand Entrance.

Photo Esler Crawford

Unused John Hinde postcard, from 2012

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Porte-cochère: a roofed structure extending from the entrance of a building that is over part of a driveway to shelter those getting in or out of vehicles.

Seminole Nation in The Everglades Celebrates Mothers Day

"Seminole Nation" holds "Mother's Day", Florida

The only "Indian Nation," that has not signed a Peace Treaty with the U. S. A. still carries on in primitive fashion, the tribal lure of its ancestors in the Everglades, Florida.

unused

Xel-Ha, (Xelha) in Mexico

Xel-Ha, Mexico

postmarked in 2013 with a Mexico stamp

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Xelha is an archaeological site of the Maya civilization, located on the eastern coastline of the Yucatán Peninsula, in the present-day state of Quintana Roo, Mexico. 

The etymology of the site's name comes from Yukatek Maya, combining the roots xel ("spring") and ha' ("water").

from their website:

Xel-Ha, one of the amazing attractions in Cancun, Riviera Maya, Mexico, a natural aquarium park considered the largest aquarium in the world, the perfect place to perform activities in Riviera Maya. If you love nature, there is no better place than Xel-Ha to practice snorkeling and water activities like swimming with dolphins, Snuba (combination of snorkeling and diving) or Sea Trek (walking under water).

Wise Old Owl - National Postcard Week

National Postcard Week, May 6-12, 2012

A wise old owl
Lived in an Oak

The more he saw
The less he spoke

The less he spoke
The more he heard.

Why can't we all
Be like that wise old bird?

Nursery Rhyme Series 1
from Joyce in Texas

limited edition #87 of 100

unused

National Postcard Week - 2013, Go Geochaching!

Explore New Worlds
Go Geocaching!

Happy National Postcard Week
May 5-11, 2013
from Kelly Glazner

In 2010 my husband and I decided to try a new hobby.  We downloaded the coordinates into an iPhone and set out to find one geochache. Little did we know finding that old toolbox under a bush in the desert would lead to exploring places we didn't even know existed close to home, then across the southwest US.  We have climbed mountains, forded rivers, followed our GPS underneath a mall, and explored mine tunnels in persuit of these little containers.  Want to know more? Learn more at geocaching.com.  All you need is a GPS or smart phone to get started. But it helps to remember a pen.

Limited edition #11 of 100

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A typical cache is a small waterproof container containing a logbook where the geocacher enters the date they found it and signs it with their established code name. After signing into the log, the cache must be placed back exactly where the person found it. Larger containers such as plastic storage containers (Tupperware or similar) or ammunition boxes can also contain items for trading, usually toys or trinkets of little value.

Celebrate 30 Years of National Postcard Week

Celebrate 30 Years
NCPW (NPCW) 30 May 5-13 (should read 11th) ,2013

Coupon (This is raised from the actual postcard!)
You are entitled to:
Stress Free Hours!
from Jackie

the following is from http://NationalPostcardWeek.com (be sure to go to this site and read more!)

NPCW began as a way for sellers and collectors to promote the hobby of postcard collecting.

Some of those Pioneers were DeeDee Parker of Western Reserve Post Card Society, John McClintock, Roy Cox and Richard Novick. An excerpt from the IFPD Newsletter of March 1, 1983 written by John McClintock. " For the past year we have been working on a Postcard Day, Week or Month to help promote the hobby/business. DeeDee Parker graciously accepted the task of correlating the thoughts of the postcard collectors/dealers in the matter. It seems the majority wishes to have a Postcard Week and that it be held the First full week of May. This will be a lot of fun and insure perpetuation of the hobby in the future.

Matrix Reloaded Movie and Keanu Reeves

Matrix Reloaded
This is a 3D postcard that when you tilt it makes it look like the code is running down the card.

postmarked in 2012 from Croatia with a 4.60 Posavina stamp

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The Matrix Reloaded is a 2003 American science fiction action film and the second installment in The Matrix trilogy, written and directed by The Wachowskis. It premiered on May 7, 2003, in Westwood, Los Angeles, California.

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, Harold Perrineau, Randall Duk Kim and Jada Pinkett Smith

The film earned an estimated $5 million during Wednesday night previews in North America. Then grossed $37,508,303 on its Thursday opening day in North America. Ultimately, the film grossed $281.5 million in the US, and $742.1 million worldwide.

main plot (of many plots) in one sentence:
Neo and the rebel leaders estimate that they have 72 hours until 250,000 probes discover Zion and destroy it and its inhabitants.
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Croatia - Stamp 2010

Posavina 4.60
from the 'Croatian Ethnographic Heritage' series

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Posavina is a Slavic name for the region of the Sava river basin in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia that is adjacent or near the Sava river itself.
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Here is a postcard of the main star in the movie series....

Keanu Reeves

unused

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Keanu Charles Reeves (born September 2, 1964) is a Canadian film actor. Reeves is perhaps best known for his role in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure as well as Speed, Point Break and the science fiction-action trilogy The Matrix.

In addition to his film roles, Reeves has also performed in theatre. His performance in the title role in a Manitoba Theatre Centre production of Hamlet was praised by Roger Lewis, the Sunday Times, who declared Reeves " … one of the top three Hamlets I have seen, for a simple reason: he is Hamlet."

On January 31, 2005, Reeves received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The New Hindenburg from Germany with Nazi Flags (1936)

(Notice the name 'Hindenburg' is not yet printed on the side of the zeppelin)

Das neue deutsche Zeppelin-Luftschiff, "Hindenburg" L.Z. 129
Das groBte Luftschiff der Welt.

Lange 248 m.  Hohe 44,7 m, groBter Durchmesser 41,2.
Vortriebsmaschinen: 4 Mercedes-Benz Dieselmotore von je 1100 PS Geschwindigkeit von etwa 130 Stdkm.

Foto Scherl

Translation:
The new German Zeppelin airship "Hindenburg" LZ 129
The biggest airship in the world.

Length m 248th Height 44.7 m, maximum diameter 41.2.
Boring Machines: 4 Mercedes-Benz diesel engines of 1,100 hp speed of about 130 Stdkm.

Photo Scherl

unused, from 1936

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LZ 129 Hindenburg (Luftschiff Zeppelin #129; Registration: D-LZ 129) was a large German commercial passenger-carrying rigid airship, the lead ship of the Hindenburg class.

The airship flew from March 1936 until destroyed by fire 14 months later on May 6, 1937, at the end of the first North American transatlantic journey of its second season of service. Thirty-six people died in the accident, which occurred while landing at Lakehurst Naval Air Station in Manchester Township, New Jersey, United States.

Hindenburg was named after the late Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg (1847–1934), President of Germany (1925–1934).

Orange You Glad it is National Postcard Week!

Orange you glad it's National Postcard Week?
May 5-11, 2013

9teen87sPostcards.blogspot.com

the back reads:
Q. Why was the girl staring at the carton of orange juice?
A. Because it said concentrate.

limited edition of 100

Chesapeake Bay Bridge, 1958 and 2002

Chesapeake Bay Bridge Linking Western and Eastern Shores of Maryland

Third longest bridge in the world composed of 123 spans, 4.35 miles over water.  Overall length 7.727 miles.  Length of suspension spans, 2,922 1/2 feet.  Roadway, 198 1/2 feet above Chesapeake Bay at highest point.  Cost, $45,000.000.

This card is postmarked in 1958 with a 2 cent Jefferson stamp.

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Chesapeake Bay Bridge, Maryland
The Baltimore-Annapolis Washington region is linked to the eastern shore of Maryland by the five mile dual Chesapeake Bay Bridge, with the longest steel spans over salt water in the world. Over 200 feet at its highest point, the first span was completed in 1952 and the second added in 1973.

Photo: David Harp

This one is postmarked in 2002 with first-class flag stamp.

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In December 2004, a study concluded that traffic across the bridge was expected to increase by 40% by 2025. The following year, a task force formed by Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich met to again explore the possibility of establishing a new Chesapeake Bay crossing. The task force concluded that a bridge would be the best option for an additional crossing, and four geographic locations for such a bridge were explored.  However in late 2006, the task force released a report on the study but did not make a final recommendation; members of the task force requested additional time to continue the study.

Wild Berries from Finland

Luonnonmarjat (wild berries in Finnish) Naturbar (berries in Swedish)

(the first word is Finnish, the second is Swedish)

Mustikka - Blabar
Vaccinium myrtillus
(blueberry)

Puolukka - Lingon
Vaccinium vitis-idaea
(lingonberry or cowberry)

Variksenmarja - Krakbar
Empetrum nigrum
(black crowberry)

Juolukka - Odon
Vaccinium uliginosum
(bog bilberry or northern bilberry)

Lakka, hilla - Hjortron
Rubus chamaemorus
(mulberry, cloudberry)

Mesimarja - Akerbar
Rubus arcticus
(arctic raspberry)

Tyrni - Havtorn
Hippophae rhamnoides
(buckthorn - seaberry)

Karpalo - Tranbar
vaccinium oxycoccos
(cranberry)

Vadelma - Hallon
Rubus idaeus
(red raspberry)

Metsamansikka - Skogssmultron
Fragaria vesca
(wild strawberries)

Pihlajanmarja - Ronnbar
Sorbus aucuparia
(rowan berry)

The back reads:
Kalatalouden Keskusliitto - Finnish - Fisheries Federation
Central Forbundet for Fiskerihushallning - Swedish - Central Association for Fisheries Housekeeping

This card is a little over 8 inches by 11 inches!  Yet it made it through the mail with no problems.

postmarked in 2013 with a blackberry stamp from Finland - the sender writes that blackberries are not naturally found in Finland and that is why they are not on the postcard - but I love that it is a fruit postcard and a fruit stamp  :D

Acadiana (Cajuns) in Louisiana

Acadiana
Laissez le Bon Temps Rouler (French for: Let the Good Times Roll)

Acadiana is one of the few pockets of American society that has its own unique heritage and culture, totally distinct from the rest of the country.  In the middle of the 18th century, some of the original Acadians of Canada sought refuge in Louisiana after they were expelled from their homeland by the British.  The Acadian people were primarily farmers of French nationality.  They finally settled in south Louisiana and brought with them their own customs and traditions which have helped shape what is now known as Acadiana.  The official capital of Acadiana is Lafayette, a fast-growing industrial, agricultural, and professional center.  Surrounding Lafayette are several towns and villages carrying on the traditions of the Acadians, or Cajuns as they are commonly known.

postmarked in  2007 with a USA Common Buckey stamp

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Acadiana, or The Heart of Acadiana, is the official name given to the French Louisiana region that is home to a large Francophone (French speaking) population.

Same Shack in California and Florida??

$5 Million California Oceanfront Home

*boat not included

$5 Million can buy you a beautiful oceanfront home in california.

(there is no photographer listed)

This unused postcard is from 2013.

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For Sale:  Florida Waterfront 

Home and Yacht...

Make Offer

'The Handyman Special!'

Photo:  M. Traver

This card was postmarked in 2008.

I have another postcard very similar to this one - -

For Sale!
Florida Waterfront Home and Yacht...
Make Offer

The Handyman Special
Photo by Mike Traver

This one was postmarked in 2009.