Floating Market in Ratchaburi, Thailand

Floating Market a Damnoensaduak, Ratchaburi.

Part of the bustling scene that takes place each morning on a canal in Ratchaburi, an hour's drive outside Bangkok,  Through a popular tourist destination, the Damnoensaduak floating market has managed to retain the genuinely of the local color.

Jatuporn Rutnin - Photography

This is postmarked in 2013 with two Thailand stamps.

 

Batman - Villains of Gotham City

Villains of Gotham

unused postcard printed in 1999

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Batman is a 1960s American live action television series, based on the DC comic book character of the same name. It stars Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin — two crime-fighting heroes who defend Gotham City. It aired on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) network for three seasons from January 12, 1966 to March 14, 1968.

Shown are:
Catwoman: Julie Newmar (Seasons 1 & 2)
The Riddler: Frank Gorshin (Seasons 1 & 3)
The Joker: Cesar Romero
Penguin: Burgess Meredith

Maramures, Romania: Train, Viseu De Sus

CFF Viseu de Sus, Maramures, Romania

This train postcard is postmarked in 2013 with three 'Flora and Fauna II'  Romania stamps.

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A Mocăniță is a narrow gauge railway in Romania, most notably in Maramureș, Transylvania, and Bukovina. They are now used mostly for tourism.

 

The Movie: Captain January with Shirley Temple and Guy Kibbee

"Captain January"
Shirley Temple and Guy Kibbee
A 20th Century-Fox Production

The back reads:
Post Card
British Manufacture
This is a Real Photograph

unused

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Captain January is a 1936 American comedy drama film directed by David Butler. It stars Shirley Temple, Guy Kibbee, and Sara Haden in a story about an abandoned child pursued by a truant officer.
The film features a famous dance routine for Temple and Buddy Ebsen called “At the Codfish Ball”.

Salar De Uyuni Salt Flats in Potosi, Bolivia

Salar De Uyuni
Potosi - Bolivia
Foto: Frderico Arispe R.

This unused postcard features Jeeps, Motorcycles, A Rabbit, and Llamas.  It was bought in 2013.

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Salar de Uyuni (or Salar de Tunupa) is the world's largest salt flat at 10,582 square kilometers (4,086 sq mi). It is located in the Potosí and Oruro departments in southwest Bolivia, near the crest of the Andes Mountains and is at an elevation of 3,656 meters (11,995 ft) above mean sea level.

At the bottom right is a picture of Isla Incahuasi, Inkawasi or Inka Wasi (Inca house).  It is a hilly and rocky outcrop of land found in the middle of the Salar de Uyuni Salt Flat.

Six Postcards from the Disney Movie Frozen

Disney's 

Frozen

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Frozen is a 2013 American computer-animated musical fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios.  It is the 53rd animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series. Loosely based on Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale The Snow Queen, and featuring the voices of Kristen Bell (Anna), Idina Menzel (Elsa), Jonathan Groff (Kristoff), Josh Gad (Olaf), and Santino Fontana (Hans).  

The film tells the story of a fearless princess who sets off on an epic journey with a mountain man, his pet reindeer and a snowman to find her sister, whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom in eternal winter.

 

 

Christmas in the Ukraine

Ukraine celebrates. Christmas

postmarked in 2012 with four Russia stamps

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Sviata Vecheria or "Holy Supper" is the central tradition of the Christmas Eve celebrations in Ukrainian homes and takes place in most parts of the country on 6 January. In Western Ukraine, especially in Carpathian Ruthenia, due to historical multi-culturism, Christmas can be observed twice—on 25 December and 7 January, often depends on whether the family belongs to Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, the (Roman) Catholic Church, one of the Ukrainian Orthodox Churches, or one of the Protestant denominations.

When the children see the first star in the eastern evening sky, which symbolizes the trek of the Three Wise Men, the Sviata Vechera may begin. In farming communities the head of the household now brings in a sheaf of wheat called the didukh which represents the importance of the ancient and rich wheat crops of Ukraine, the staff of life through the centuries. Didukh means literally "grandfather spirit" so it symbolizes the family's ancestors. In city homes a few stalks of golden wheat in a vase are often used to decorate the table. The dinner table sometimes has a few wisps of hay on the embroidered table cloth as a reminder of the manger in Bethlehem. A prayer is said and the father says the traditional Christmas greeting, "Chrystos rodyvsya!" which is translated to "Christ is born!", which is answered by the family with "Slavite Yoho!" which means "Let us glorify him!". In some families the Old Slavic form "Сhrystos rozhdayetsya!" is used. At the end of the Sviata Vechera the family often sings Ukrainian Christmas Carols. In many communities the old Ukrainian tradition of caroling is carried on by groups of young people and members of organizations and churches calling at homes and collecting donations. (Carolers walk through the town with a star on a long pole while singing as seen in the postcard above.)

Traditionally, Christmas Day opens for Ukrainian families with attendance at Church. Ukrainian Churches offer services starting before midnight on Christmas Eve and on Christmas morning. Christmas supper, without Lenten restrictions, does not have as many traditions connected with it as Sviata Vechera. The old tradition in Ukraine of giving gifts to children on St. Nicholas Day, December 19, has generally been replaced by the Christmas date. In Ukraine, at Christmas Eve when everyone is at the table, angels bring presents which they leave near the Christmas tree.

 

 

Avenida 20 de Noviembre in Mexico City, Real Photo Postcard

Avenida 20 de Noviembre - 27

This is postmarked in 1940 with a Mexico stamp.

This real photo postcard is from Mexico City and features Avenida 20 de Noviembre (November 20th Avenue) and the Metropolitan Cathedral in the background by Constitution Square. There is also many vintage late 1930's cars.

Mexico stamp 1934

From the series: Folklore and History

Red Building 4 c

Wrapping Paper with a Postcard Design

This is a roll of gift wrapping paper I bought. (Actually, I bought three rolls.) 

It is called Belle Papier and is 30" X 12' (30 SQ.FT.)

I bought them in 2013 at $2.99 a roll.  

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Here is a close up view ...

Durban, South Africa: Ricksha on Esplanade, Real Photo Postcard

Ricksha on Esplanade
Durban

unused real photo postcard
K Ltd is in the stamp box, so this is from 1918 to 1936

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Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal. It is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa and Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism because of the city's warm subtropical climate and extensive beaches. The municipality, which includes neighbouring towns, has a population of almost 3.5 million.

Part A - Lord of the Rings Postcard and Stamp Set from Great Britain

Map for The Lord of the Rings

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The Lord of the Rings is an epic high fantasy novel written by English philologist and University of Oxford professor J. R. R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien's 1937 children's fantasy novel The Hobbit, but eventually developed into a much larger work. It was written in stages between 1937 and 1949, much of it during World War II.

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The Forest of Lothlorien in Spring

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Lothlórien was a forest located in Middle-earth, next to the lower Misty Mountains. 

Some other beautiful names of this forest are:

TLaurelindórinan (Land of the Valley of Singing Gold) 

Lórinand (Golden Valley)

Lórien ("Land of Gold", although it carried within it also the meaning of "dream")

"Dreamflower" 

Dwimordene (from dwimor "phantom", an allusion to the perceived magic of the Elves)

and

The Golden Wood

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Dust-jacket for The Fellowship of the Ring

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The Fellowship of the Ring is the first of three volumes of the epic novel The Lord of the Rings by the English author J. R. R. Tolkien. It takes place in the fictional universe Middle-earth. It was originally published on July 29, 1954 in the United Kingdom.

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Rivendell

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Rivendell is an Elven outpost in Middle-earth, a fictional realm created by J. R. R. Tolkien. It was established and ruled by Elrond in the Second Age of Middle-earth (four or five thousand years before the events of The Lord of the Rings).

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The Hall at Bag-End

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Bag End is an un-numbered smial (smials are hobbit-holes, inhabited by the well-to-do Hobbits) built by Bungo Baggins of Hobbiton as a wedding gift to his bride Belladonna Took, a daughter of Gerontius Took of Tookland. Bungo built the hole in the side of a hill off a path leading from The Hill Road on the north side of Hobbiton. The two had one child, Bilbo. Since they both died relatively young by Hobbit standards, Bilbo Baggins remained there as a bachelor.

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From all the postcards:

JRR Tolkien (3 January 1892 - 2 September 1973) - The Lord of the Rings

Postcard reproduced from a stamp designed by HGV Design

issued by Royal Mail on 26 February 2004.

These unused postcard are from Great Britain in 2004 with the matching stamp attached to the back!

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Royal Mail celebrated the 50th anniversary of the publication of The Lord of the Rings with these special issue stamps.

The 10 illustrations relate to places and characters from JRR Tolkien's book and - with one exception - were taken from the author's original drawings. (the 'Map for The Lord of the Rings' was done by his son Christopher).

The stamp illustrations are as follows:

Map from the Lord of The Rings Drawn by Christopher Tolkien, the map depicts areas from Middle-earth.

The Forest of Lothlorien The name give to the land to the east of Misty Mountains (usually called Lorien).

The Fellowship of the Ring The title of part one; the quest to take the One Ring to Mount Doom to destroy it.

Rivendell Hidden refuge of Elrond Halfelven, founded in the 2nd Age against the assaults of Sauron in Eriador.

The Hall at Bag-End Where Bilbo Baggins lived, named after a Worcestershire lane where Tolkien's aunt lived.

Orthanc Granted by Beren to the Wizard Saruman. The Tower played an important part in the War of the Ring.

Doors of Durin The enchanted doors could be opened by a single word, mellon - Elvish for friend.

Barad-Dur The dark tower of Barad-Dur was constructed by Sauron, using the power of the One Ring.

Minas Tirith The seven-tiered citadel of the Kings of Gondor, originally named Minas Anor.

Fanghorn Forest The forest took its names from the Elvish word Fanghorn or Treebeard.

Part B - Lord of the Rings Postcard and Stamp Set from Great Britain

Orthanc

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Orthanc is a tower on a rock in the middle of the Ring of Isengard. During the assault on Isengard, the Ents destroyed most of the surrounding area, but could not harm Orthanc, for it is made of a single piece of unbreakable black stone.

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Doors of Durin

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The Doors of Durin, also known as West-gate of Moria, were built in the dark cliffs of Silvertine mountain and protected the great Dwarven city of Khazad-dûm.

The two greatest craftsmen of the Second Age, the elf-lord Celebrimbor and the Dwarf Narvi, built the Doors. They were made like a flush door, the jambs invisible to the eye, and matched so perfectly with the mountain rock that, when closed, the Doors could not be seen. The slabs were made by Narvi out of grey material stronger than stone, and inlayed by Celebrimbor with Ithildin, which can only be seen in starlight and moonlight.

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Barad-Dur

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Barad-dûr, also known as the Dark Tower, was the Dark Lord Sauron's main stronghold in Middle-earth. Built during the Second Age, it was destroyed at the end of the War of the Ring.

It was built by Sauron in the land of Mordor, not far from the volcano called Mount Doom. The construction of the tower took six hundred years to complete.

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Minas Tirith

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Minas Tirith was the capital of Gondor in the Third Age and the Fourth Age of Middle-earth. 

It is often referred to as the White City (though that name is not in the book) and the City of the Kings.  In the climax of The Lord of the Rings the city comes under a very large and determined attack by the allied forces of Mordor.

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Fangorn Forest

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Fangorn forest was a forest beneath the southeastern flank of the Misty Mountains.
It was known for being the last habitation of the Ents (Ents are tree-like creatures). It was named after the oldest Ent, Fangorn (Treebeard).

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From all the postcards:

JRR Tolkien (3 January 1892 - 2 September 1973) - The Lord of the Rings

Postcard reproduced from a stamp designed by HGV Design

issued by Royal Mail on 26 February 2004.

These unused postcard are from Great Britain in 2004 with the matching stamp attached to the back!

- - - 

Royal Mail celebrated the 50th anniversary of the publication of The Lord of the Rings with these special issue stamps.

The 10 illustrations relate to places and characters from JRR Tolkien's book and - with one exception - were taken from the author's original drawings. (the 'Map for The Lord of the Rings' was done by his son Christopher).

The stamp illustrations are as follows:

Map from the Lord of The Rings Drawn by Christopher Tolkien, the map depicts areas from Middle-earth.

The Forest of Lothlorien The name give to the land to the east of Misty Mountains (usually called Lorien).

The Fellowship of the Ring The title of part one; the quest to take the One Ring to Mount Doom to destroy it.

Rivendell Hidden refuge of Elrond Halfelven, founded in the 2nd Age against the assaults of Sauron in Eriador.

The Hall at Bag-End Where Bilbo Baggins lived, named after a Worcestershire lane where Tolkien's aunt lived.

Orthanc Granted by Beren to the Wizard Saruman. The Tower played an important part in the War of the Ring.

Doors of Durin The enchanted doors could be opened by a single word, mellon - Elvish for friend.

Barad-Dur The dark tower of Barad-Dur was constructed by Sauron, using the power of the One Ring.

Minas Tirith The seven-tiered citadel of the Kings of Gondor, originally named Minas Anor.

Fanghorn Forest The forest took its names from the Elvish word Fanghorn or Treebeard.

VIntage Russian 'Happy New Year' Postcard

Happy New Year!

Vintage Russian Postcard featuring a Christmas Tree and Symbols of Russia.

postmarked in 2013 with five stamps from Belarus

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During the Soviet period, religious celebrations were discouraged by the officially atheist state. Christmas tree and related celebrations were gradually eradicated after the October Revolution in 1917.

In 1935, in a surprising turn of state politics, the Christmas tradition was adopted as part of the secular New Year celebration. These include the decoration of a tree, festive decorations and family gatherings, and a visit by the gift-giving "Dyed Moroz" ("Grandfather Frost") and his granddaughter, "Snegurochka" ("The Snowmaiden").

With all that being said, the above Card says Happy New Year and is clearly vintage.  I wonder if it was a big deal at the time it was printed that it featured a Christmas tree?????

 
and three of these...