A little French mystery... | France

This postcard was sent from France via Postcrossing [FR-589799]. It shows the painting 'Place du Theatre Francais' by Camille Pissarro. Camille Pissarro (10 July 1830 – 13 November 1903) was a Danish-French Impressionist and Neo-Impressionist painter born on the island of St Thomas (now in the US Virgin Islands, but then in the Danish West Indies). His importance resides in his contributions to both Impressionism and Post-Impressionism. Pissarro studied from great forerunners, including Gustave Courbet and Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot. He later studied and worked alongside Georges Seurat and Paul Signac when he took on the Neo-Impressionist style at the age of 54. [wikipedia]

It was postmarked on 30 October 2015. These amazing stamps were issued in 1960s [!!!]. They are from the Cote of Arms series. They show the coat of arms of Mont de Marsan, of Nevers - the administrative capital of the Nièvre department in the Bourgogne region in central France, of Oran and of Fox. I do not know if they are authentic or reproductions and how they were accepted by the French Post, but I like them a lot!!

Russian Textiles and Kremlins | Russia

This postcard was sent by Irina from Russia via Postcrossing [RU-4129126].

It was postmarked on 26 October 2015 in Moscow. They belong in the Sixth Definitives series - Russian Kremlins. The first one shows the Zaraisk Kremlin and the second one shows the Ryazan Kremlin.

La Giralda | Spain

This beautiful postcard was sent by Joey from Spain via Postcrossing [ES-377660]. It shows La Giralda. The Giralda (Spanish: La Giralda ; Arabic: الخيرالدة‎) is a bell tower of the Seville Cathedral in Seville, Spain. It was originally built as a minaret during the Moorish period, with a Renaissance style top subsequently added by Spaniards. The Giralda was registered in 1987 as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO along with the Alcazar and the General Archive of the Indies. The tower is 104.1 m in height and remains one of the most important symbols of the city, as it has been since medieval times. [wikipedia]

The stamp used was issued in commemoration of the International Year of Water Cooperation [2013].

Nongak | South Korea

These three postcards are from my private collection. Unfortunately they are not posted, but I really like the pictures which give me a glimpse to some of Korea's traditions.The first postcard is showing five beautiful traditional dancers in front of the 10 storey pagoda in Gyeongbokgung Palace. Gyeongbokgung (Hangul: 경복궁; hanja: 景福宫), also known as Gyeongbokgung Palace or Gyeongbok Palace, was the main royal palace of the Joseon dynasty. Built in 1395, it is located in northern Seoul, South Korea. The largest of the Five Grand Palaces built by the Joseon dynasty, Gyeongbokgung served as the home of Kings of the Joseon dynasty, the Kings' households, as well as the government of Joseon.

Xi'an China International Horticultural Exposition 2011 | China

This postcard was sent from Jingchen from China via Postcrossing [CN-1777415].

It was postmarked on 20 October 2015. The first stamp is from Xi'an China International Horticultural Exposition 2011.

Nagasaki Kunchi | Japan

This is one of my favorite postcards I have ever received! It was sent by Saho from Nagasaki, Japan, via Postcrossing [JP-740124]. As she writes: 'Greetings from Nagasaki. This photo is "Nagasaki Kunchi". It;s one of the three biggest festivals in Japan and now has a history of 380 years. Nagasaki is such a beautiful city, surrounded by the sea and mountains."

Kunchi (くんち), also Nagasaki Kunchi (長崎くんち) or Nagasaki Okunchi (長崎おくんち), is the most famous festival in Nagasaki. It began as a celebration of autumn harvests in the late 16th century and became a shrine festival when Suwa Shrine was founded in 1642. Another purpose was to check for hidden Christians after the ban on Christianity. This is still evident today in the custom of garden showing (庭見せ niwamise), when the presenting neighbourhoods open up their homes to public scrutiny. One of the most famous performances of the festival is the "Dragon Dance" which was originally performed on New Year's Eve by the Chinese residents of Nagasaki. Rehearsals for the festival begin on June 1. From October 7-9 the presentations of the festival, which vividly reflect Nagasaki's colourful history, spill over from the three festival sites into the streets and create an atmosphere of celebration throughout the city. [wikipedia]

It was postmarked in 22 October 2015 with a stamp commemorating the International Letter Writing Week.

Lavatanssit

This postcard was sent by Heli from Finland via postcrossing [FI-2530375]. She works at the local phone company and her hobby is Lavatanssit, which can be roughly translated as Barn Dance. A barn dance is any kind of dance involving traditional or folk music with traditional dancing, occasionally held in a barn, but, these days, much more likely to be in any suitable building.

The term “barn dance” is usually associated with family-oriented or community-oriented events, usually for people who do not normally dance. The caller will, therefore, generally use easy dances so that everyone can join in.

A barn dance can be a Ceilidh, with traditional Irish or Scottish dancing, and people unfamiliar with either format often confuse the two terms. However, a barn dance can also feature square dancing, Contra dancing, English Country Dance, dancing to Country and Western music, or any other kind of dancing, often with a live band and a Caller.

Barn dances, as social dances, were popular in Ireland until the 1950s, and were typically danced to tunes with 4/4 rhythms. [wikipedia]

The Iron and Golden King | Czech Republic

This postcard was sent by Eva and Martin from Prague via Postcrossing [CZ 723885].

It is postmarked in 19 October 2015 from Praha, Czech Republic. I really like these stamps. The first one depicts the sign of Aquarius. The second one depicts Ottokar II (Czech: Přemysl Otakar II; c. 1233 – 26 August 1278), the Iron and Golden King, who was a member of the Přemyslid dynasty who reigned as King of Bohemia from 1253 until 1278. He also held the titles of Duke of Austria from 1251, Duke of Styria from 1260, as well as Duke of Carinthia and Margrave of Carniola from 1269.

With Ottokar's rule, the Přemyslids reached the peak of their power in the Holy Roman Empire. His expectations of imperial crown, however, were never fulfilled. [wikipedia]

Coronation Stone | England

This is a vintage postcard of my beloved Kingston upon Thames. It depicts the Coronation Stone. The Coronation Stone is an ancient sarsen stone block which is believed to have been the site of the coronation of seven Anglo-Saxon kings. It is now located next to the Guildhall in Kingston upon Thames, England. Kingston is now a town in the Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames in Greater London, but remains the seat of the administration of the county of Surrey.

In Old English, tun, ton or don meant farmstead or settlement, so the name Kingston appears to mean farmstead of the kings. A local legend that these Saxon coronations gave Kingston its name is contradicted by the records of the 838 council.

Æthelstan was consecrated king at Kingston in 925, Eadred in 946 and Æthelred the Unready in 979. There is also some evidence that Edward the Elder, Edmund I, Eadwig and Edward the Martyr were consecrated in the town. According to John Stow, writing in the late sixteenth century, Æthelstan was crowned on a stage in the market place, but it was later believed that the kings were crowned in the ancient church of St Mary, which collapsed in 1730. A large stone block was recovered soon afterwards from the ruins of the chapel, and it has since been regarded as the 'Coronation Stone'. It was at first used as a mounting block, but in 1850 it was placed in the market place on a plinth which had the names of the seven kings believed to have been crowned on it inscribed around the side. [wikipedia]

I am trying to recognize where the Coronation Stone is situated in this postcard. It is definitely not where it is nowadays. Can anyone local figure it out? 

In the back there it is postmarked in 19 May 1905 from london, United Kingdom, and the handwriting reads: 'Lou finds she cannot get over. Would you care to go to Kew Gardens with us by Sunday. If so could you meet Lou about 4 or soon after at top of Sloane St. "Gardners" Corner. Shall be glad if you can go if you are over Kew was tomorrow. Call in M.P.'

Kingston’s historic Market Place | England

This is a beautiful postcard showing my beloved Kingston upon Thames. Kingston’s historic Market Place has been in use since around 1170 when Henry II was on the throne. Over the past 800 years Market Place has been used for much more than just selling produce and has been a place for both celebration and punishment - the busy Market Place was the ideal location for Kingston’s criminals to get their comeuppance in the stocks.

Kingston’s Market Place is the focal point for outdoor entertainment and activities in Kingston today and, just like in ancient times, it’s not just a place to sell produce. Market Place is a venue for music concerts, carnivals, car displays, promotional events, fun days, face-painting, ten pin bowling, cookery demonstrations, health checks, parades, stilt-walkers, birds of prey displays, and many more special events throughout the year.

Kingston’s Market Place regularly hosts visiting markets, including the festive Christmas Market, regular Continental Markets featuring delicious foods from the continent, and for arts and craft lovers the popular Thames Markets.

A visit to the Market Place offers much more than a shopping trip, you can grab some delicious local food, hot and cold drinks and be entertained by street performers or just relax and watch the world go by. [www.kingstonfirst.co.uk]

On the back side, I cannot really make out the handwriting but I can clearly see the date 1906.