Going here and there by snail mail

I am really behind on posting all the wonderful

postcards I received, so here is a selection.

 Belgium

A view on the Vismarkt and

the St. Rumbold's Cathedral

Sri Lanka

Gal Vihara, shown on the card are 

the standing and reclining images of Buddha.

And last but not least, 

some beautiful illustrations from Seattle, USA

Cityscape

The Space Needle

Stamps, what else?

Lithuania

25 years of the 

Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania

2015

Vietnam

Chestnut-eared Laughingthrush

2018

The chestnut-eared laughingthrush (Ianthocincla konkakinhensis) is a species of bird in the family Leiothrichidae. It is found in Vietnam and possibly Laos.

Endemic to Kon Tum Province, Vietnam, the only known site for this species is a small area in Kon Ka Kinh National Park (which is also the origin of the species' scientific name). Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.

USA

from left to right:

Seashells: The Alphabet cone

set of four, 2017

World War I: Turning the tide

2018 

Scooby-Doo

2018

The Art of Magic

set of five, 2018

Stamps, what else?

These are all stamps I received on my mail. 

Belgium

Right:

Youth philately 

1999

Left:

Claude Lévi-Strauss

And middle:

"Alternative energy"

2001

China

More information on these stamps is very welcome!

Germany

The ancient oak, Quercus robur, known as the chimney oak because it is hollow, grows in the Reinhardswald in Hessen. It is honored on a stamp as part of the set of two for the series "Wilderness Germany".

2017

I love the flower stamps Germany issues, 

but I don't know much about them. 

Information is always welcome. 

Right:

Falkenlust Palaces

2018

I usually do separate posts for my Christmas stamps, 

but these beauties arrived out of season.

And I just have to show them.

 From Italy

2017

Malaysia

2016

Romania

George Constantinescu

2016

I got two Postcrossing stamps for you in this blog, 

the first one comes from Austria (2016)! 

  

The second comes from the Netherlands (2011)!

 I think this one probably already made it to my blog, 

but it doesn't hurt to show it again.

Top:

Hoge Veluwe National Park

set of 4, 2004

Bottom:

"occasion stamps"

2015

USA

Right:

Main Quad (Stanford University)

1990

Top:

With this new U.S. Flag stamp, the Postal Service continues its tradition of celebrating patriotism with one of the most recognizable symbols of the United States. The flag, in various forms has been pictured on U.S. stamps going as far back as the 30 cents 1869 Pictorial issue. In the modern era, the U.S. Postal Service makes sure that a Flag stamp is always available to mailers, and in a variety of formats. This stamp's design features a detail from a photograph of the billowing Stars and Stripes.

2017

Bottom:

Originally issued in 2016 in a coil format, Pears, a 10-cent definitive stamp featuring two red pears on a white background, is being offered in 2017, in panes of 20. The two most common red pears grown in the United States are the red Anjou, similar to green Anjous in all respects other than color; and red Bartlett pears, referred to as "Summer Pears" for the time of year in which they are harvested.

Originally issued in 2016 in a coil format, Grapes, a 5-cent definitive stamp featuring two clusters of deep-purple Pinot noir grapes growing on vines among several green leaves, is being offered in 2017, in panes of 20.

Identified as a French wine grape, it is now grown in other regions including Oregon and California in the United States. Translated from the French, "pinot" is "pine", for the pine-cone shaped clusters in which the grapes grow, and "noir" is "black".

The stamp art is an existing illustration by John Burgoyne, who created the original artwork with pen and ink and watercolor.

Let's visit some countries...

We will start in

Denmark, Copenhagen

Next stop, Hallstatt, Austria

We already have map for Milton Keynes, UK

München, Germany

This is the Palace of the Parliament, Romania

When possible, go to a Postcrossing meeting 

while travelling! Like this one in the Netherlands!

Or this one on the border of the Netherlands and Germany

We will end with a tour around the States

The bear guides us to California.

More specifically to Venice Beach.

Do you know The Magic House in Missouri?

A quick stop in Sun City West, Arizona

Hello Texas! 

Say goodbye to The White House in Washington D.C.

The lady with the beard

And suddenly I have more official Postcrossing card 

received than sent! I have to do something about that.

Another cat from France, cute! 

I know this is a very common stamp, 

I just thought the cancellation was pretty funny.

This card came unwritten from Spain, with a separate note, 

and a lot of stamps added in the envelope!

And on the envelope as well.

Stamp in the middle:

250th birthday of 

Vicente Martín y Soler

2004

Stamps on the right:

"Casa de Antonio Lópes Torres"

Unfortunately I couldn't find decent info 

about this painter

2013

 The last official for the day, 

from the U.S.A.

 This card was send to me through 

Sendsomething, from the U.S.A.

It is a picture of, the now dwarf, planet Pluto.

Top left:

100th birthday of Andrew Wyeth

2017

Top right:

World Stamp Show-NY 2016

Bottom:

Elvis Presley

2015

Three shoes and catching up on "old" mail

Some of this mail I received a while ago already, 

but I still felt it should be shared here now that 

I finally have a scanner. 

This greeting card was a nice surprise in the mail. 

It comes from the U.K.

"The first World War - 1917 special stamps"

artwork by Edward Wadsworth

I love these kittens! 

They were send to me from Russia.

"Treasures of Russia"

The Orlov diamond

The Diamond Fund of Russia forms a part of the State Fund of Precious Metals and Precious Stones of the Russian Federation. The fund houses one of the most renowned and largest collections of unique precious stones, noble metals and pieces of jewelry art, which have great historic, artistic, scientific and material value.

This envelope came from Portugal.

My pen-friend kept it for me because she knows

I love Pucca! 

The stamp matches quite well. 

A swap from the U.S.A. 

I am a Trekkie and proud of it. 

 I can't show any stamps with these cards from the Netherlands,

simply because they don't have any! 

They were send with the "niet plakken maar smakken"

event by PostNL. On the 13th of February you

can send mail with a kiss instead of a stamp, 

which will be delivered on Valentine's day. 

Actually it is supposed to be only for inside the country,

but I got some here in Ireland!