Postcrossing Meetup (Received Cards): SYLWIA from POLAND

This postcard was sent to us from Poland. It was sent by Sylwia, who lives in Toruń, 2322 kilometers away!

Toruń is a Unesco World Heritage Site, the hometown of Copernicus and an old city full of history and landmarks; and some of them can be viewed on the card that was sent to us. On the top right is the Gothic Old Town Hall (Ratusz Staromiejski) which dates back to the 13th century; below it, the Cathedral, from the same historical period and displaying the characteristically Nordic brick architecture; in the middle is the Star House, one of the most sumptuous and best preserved Baroque patrician houses in Central and Northern Europe; on the left is an assortment of other monuments.

On the back, Sylwia gives us some pieces of personal information about herself.

Dziękuję, Sylwia!

Postcrossing Meetup (Received Cards): MILK from SLOVAKIA

This postcard was sent to us from Slovakia. It was sent by Milk, who lives in Nová Dubnica, 2188 kilometers away!

On the card we can see a very typical English sight: the cartoon drawings of Winnie-the-Pooh and some of his friends. These are in their pre-Disney, original versions, as created by A.A. Milne and illustrated by E.H. Shepard.

On the back, Milk inquires briefly about how life is down here, in Noia and Spain.

Ďakujem, Milk!

Postcrossing Meetup (Received Cards): JOANNE from CANADA

This postcard was sent to us from Canada. It was sent by Joanne, who lives in Winnipeg, 6419 kilometers away!

On the card we can see one of the main landmarks of her city: the Louis Riel bridge. Joanne explains us some facts about this Canadian historical figure and politician, along with the date of the bridge's completion (2004).

Thanks, Joanne!

Postcrossing Meetup (Received Cards): PÄIVI from FINLAND

This postcard was sent to us from Finland. It was sent by Päivi, who lives in Pori, 2899 kilometers away!

On the card, we can see a flock of Finnish sheep! I imagine they might be rather usual in Päivi's area - she clearly lives in a small town, near the countryside.

On the back we learn about the relatively high temperature Finland was having in May (21 degrees!) and we can read some nice words and good wishes about our language learning.

Kiitos, Päivi!

Postcrossing Meetup (Received Cards): GAIL from the USA

This postcard was sent to us from the USA. It was sent by Gail, who lives in Cincinnati, 6143 kilometers away!

On the card we can seea riverboat in Gail's own city. Although a vintage form of transportation today, in the 19th century Paddlewheel steamboats were very important and they were the best means of transportation in America's great rivers, like the Ohio or the Mississippi.

On the back, Gail tells us a few things about Cincinnati: the importance of its riverfront and activities / places near it.

Thanks, Gail!

Postcrossing Meetup (Received Cards): YANA from RUSSIA

This postcard was sent to us from Russia. It was sent by Yana, who lives in Dolgoprudny, near Moscow, 3579 kilometers away!

On the card we have a very nice painting of traditional costumes from the Classical Russian opera 'Snow Maiden', as Yana kindly informs us in the back. It also comes with some lovely stamps and best wishes for our English learning.

Спасибо, Yana!

Postcrossing Meetup (Received Cards): LEVENT from TURKEY

This postcard was sent to us from Turkey. It was sent by Levent, who lives in Antalya, 3436 kilometers away!

This card was the result of a direct swap, as Levent wrote as an e-mail requesting a card and offering to send us one. The one we sent was Alejandro's, which you can see here. This is the one we received from Levent. It came in an envelope with some nice stamps.

On the card we have a nice view of the Turkish city and what seem to be old city walls or a fortress. Antalya was a very important city since Hellenistic times, and has Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman remains. It is also quite close to the ancient Greek city of Perga, the hometown of the famous mathematician Apollonius, writer of the Conics.

On the back we have a few more lovely stamps and good wishes from our Turkish contact.

Teşekkür ederim, Levent!

Postcrossing Meetup (Received Cards): CLAUDIA from ITALY

This postcard was sent to us from Germany. It was sent by Claudia, who lives in Pianengo, 1507 kilometers away!

On the card we can see an old, vintage black and white photo of the city of Lodi at the beginning of the 19th century. Some women appear to be washing clothes in the river Adda, next to its bridge (called alternatively ponte di Lodi, ponte sull'Adda, or now ponte Napoleone Bonaparte), which was built in 1864 to substitute for a previous wooden bridge that had been the site of a famous battle in the Napoleonic wars.

On the back, and very briefly, Claudia sends us a kiss.

Grazie, Claudia!

Postcrossing Meetup (Received Cards): NATALIYA from GERMANY

This postcard was sent to us from Germany. It was sent by Nataliya, who lives in Schildau, 1900 kilometers away!

On the card we can see a beautiful view of a garden landscape with palms. It seems to be part of the botanical garden located in the Island of Mainau, in lake Constance.

On the back, Nataliya tells us some things in German (a language I unfortunately don't understand). I think she mentions that she collects cards with someone called Kamille, that they have lots of them and that she loves summers.

Danke, Nataliya!

Postcrossing Meetup (Received Cards): IRIS from GERMANY

This postcard was sent to us from Germany. It was sent by Iris, who lives in Sankt Augustin, 1507 kilometers away!

On the card we can see a view of the city of Cologne and of its most representative monument: its cathedral. The Köln Dom is a massive construction in the Gothic style which was started in 1248 and not finished until 1880, more than six hundred years later! In the foreground, the river Rhine and a bridge can also be seen (sorry for the fuzzy photo, folks).

On the back, Iris tells us about her favourite hobbie (reading!), and gives us some facts about rhe Cologne Cathedral.

Danke, Iris!

Postcrossing Meetup (Received Cards): ALEXANDRA from GERMANY

This postcard was sent to us from Germany. It was sent by Alexandra, who lives in the island of Föhr, 1829 kilometers away!

Föhr is an island in the Baltic Sea, and more specifically, on Germany's Frisian coast, very close to Denmark. We have already received at least one postcard already from this beautiful region. In Alexandra's we get to see some of the local landmarks: canals, windmills, cottages, churches, boats, sea and sky views...

On the back, Alexandra tells us, among other things, that she used to live in the bigger and more cosmopolitan Hamburg, but that she relishes her relaxed life in a local museum now, along with the nice weather and the beaches. The stamps of the card are all of them pictures of lovely, colourful flowers.

Danke, Alexandra!

Postcrossing Meetup (Received Cards): AMANDA from the USA

This postcard was sent to us from the USA. It was sent by Amanda, who lives in Bloomington, 6291 kilometers away!

On the card we can see a cartoon by Charles Samuel Addams, known for his darkly humorous and macabre characters (including the world-famous Addams Family). Here we have a clown relaxing his feet in a tub as proportionately large as his shoes...

On the back, Amanda expresses her appreciation for our English studies, and tells us a little bit about her own experience learning (or wishing to learn) languages.

Thanks, Amanda!

Postcrossing Meetup (Received Cards): EMILY from SOUTH AFRICA

This postcard was sent to us from South Africa. It was sent by Emily, who lives in Port Elizabeth, 9227 kilometers away!

South Africa is famous, among other things, for its gold and diamond mines. From its name and from its looks, though, the one that appears in this postcard seems to be a salt mine.

On the back, Emily sends us her love and tells us how important is not to be lonely and to connect with people, even through the Internet and with strangers.

Thanks, Emily!

Postcrossing Meetup (Received Cards): VICTORIA AND JENYA from BELARUS

This postcard was sent to us from Belarus. It was sent by Victoria and Jenya, who live in Homyel, 3128 kilometers away!

On the card we have a nice view of a building that houses the National Library of Belarus in that country's capital city, Minsk. Even though it looks in the style of the Soviet 60's and 70's modernist constructions, it actually dates from 2006. Its shape is that of a rhombicuboctahedron, and it is the main information and cultural centre of the nation. You can go to its webpage here.

On the back, the Kaleichik family sends its regards, along with a nice, big stamp.

дзякуй, Victoria and Jenya!

Postcrossing Meetup (Received Cards): LUBOV from RUSSIA

This postcard was sent to us from Russia. It was sent by Lubov, who lives in Arkhangelsk, 3899 kilometers away!

The city where Lubov lives is one of the oldest Russian ports, and very important in the ancient Artic trade of furs between England and Russia! Already in the 16th century merchants came and went following the northern sea route. In the card we can see a beautiful sunrise in this city so close to the north pole.

On the back, Lubov tells us about the city's 'White Nights' and summer cultural activities and festivals. He also includes some words and greetings in Galician!

Спасибо, Lubov!

Postcrossing Meetup (Received Cards): MEREDITH from the USA

This postcard was sent to us from the USA. It was sent by Meredith, who lives in Chicago, 6222 kilometers away!

The card is very colourful and a quite explicit political statement against the current American president, Donald Trump, making a very ingenious wordplay with his name and the verb 'to trump' (= beat, overcome, especially when playing cards). The different hearts evoke diverse ethnic, cultural, sexual and other types of divesity.

On the back, Meredith mentions a few interesting things, like the cold winter they had up there, and that she was going to the lake after writing to us. We hope it was a nice experience!

Thanks, Meredith!

Postcrossing Meetup (Received Cards): ROSWITHA from GERMANY

This postcard was sent to us from Germany. It was sent by Roswitha, who lives in Berlin, 1977 kilometers away!

On Roswitha's card we can see some of the typical tourist attractions and landmarks of the German capital: the Brandenburg Gate, the Cathedral, the TV Tower and a train. On the back, she tells us how the famous Gate used to be a border zone between the two Germanies during the Cold War.

Danke, Roswitha!