forests

Alishan National Scenic Area, famous for its historic narrow-gauge railway that runs along an 86 km route from an elevation of 30 m up to the highest point in Taiwan of 2,316 m

The aunties are having fun dancing in a birch forest in Finland

gardens

This isn't a favourite card, but it came in a lot from someone who may have been clearing out a loved one's collection of postcards from a trip to Worthing.  Featuring two views of Beach House Park, Denton Park with its sunken garden, and Marine Gardens.  I like this one below as much for the architecture and the colourful cars as for the garden view from the windows (Steyne Garden)

pass

 I am glad I was in Venice several decades ago before all the current craziness.  Fighting through massive crowds of tourists and selfie sticks to see the beauty of this city does not feel like it would be enjoyable.  Plus, the charm of local culture is gone.

       this is as crowded as I feel comfortable with (1910s)

And, even without the current political climate, I have never wanted to go to Florida.  I even turned down an offer of free accommodation from some friends who had a condo they used during the winter.  I would rather have spent time exploring the states I'd have to drive through to get there than spend time in Daytona. 

 

 

 They do have a dizzying array of linen postcards, though.

 

 I could also include Disney World - or any of the Disney theme parks - in my list of places I'd not like to visit.

I'd rather visit a theme park that is unique to country you find it in.

summer fun

 I am more of  a hibernator in summer than winter.  heat (and humidity) and I are not best buds.

Maybe a road trip would be in order (is that van air conditioned?) 

This series is from prolific illustrator and designer Gavin Ryan.

I'm not sure this poor soul in Blackpool is having fun at the seaside.  I did not find these saucy postcards funny when I first came across them.  Apparently they were created as a reaction to prudish Victorians (I may have have been a prude.  Or just 14). They seem even more inappropriate now. The people were always fat.  I'm not sure why I even have this one - it may have been part of a 'lot'.  

One thing that will get me moving in summer is checking out flowers.  This is the Victorian era Halifax Public Gardens,  located at the appropriately named Spring Garden Road and Summer Street.  There are free historical tours several times a day throughout summer.

How about a bit of canoeing and fishing.  Although you can fish all year round, I always think of it as a summer thing (I don't fish, except when I was younger and at a cottage, or camping) Maybe these guys are looking for bass, pike, musky or carp.

Or a round or two of golf. This is Royal Troon Scotland which last held The Open in 2016.  This year, it will be at Portrush in Northern Ireland (July 13 - 20)

Or, a spot of tennis. Though this is hardly a casual match.  This year being held from June 30 to July 13, (ending just in time for golf)

tulips

 

Holland is the first country that comes to mind with tulips.  Above is Keukenhof and below are the tulips donated to Canada as a thank you for sheltering the future Queen Juliana during WWII

more tulips can be found at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton (above) and Butchart Gardens in Victoria (below)

watkins glen

Watkins Glen State Park is in the Finger Lakes region of New York.  A two mile hike will take you past 19 waterfalls.  Here are four of them.  Altogether there are 832 staircase steps, which should give you a good workout.

a waterfall tour that is definitely worth the challenge of the climb through the gorge.

nature

There is one thing I most admire about the US - it has excellent National Parks. This particular one is along the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia (75 miles from Washington D.C.) and has 500 miles of trails. As the postcard shows, it is famed for its waterfalls, bird watching and deer. The name Shenandoah may or may not mean "beautiful daughter of the stars"

Germany has an island garden in Lake Constance. Apart from several gardens, there is also a palm house, butterfly house, and a baroque palace. The history of the garden is quite interesting - and goes back to Teutonic times.

In The Netherlands, you can find the Keukenhof, truly the most beautiful spring garden in the world. But you must plan your trip - it's only open for 60 days of the year from March to mid May. There are other flowers that bloom, but the main attraction are the 800 different varieties of tulips. 2024 will be the 75th anniversary.

Or, maybe you'd be interested in scuba diving at Canada's only Marine National Park. There are 24 shipwrecks to be found under the clear waters of Lake Huron. The name comes from Shakespeare's The Tempest where Ariel laments "full fathom five thy father lies". Five fathoms, or nine metres, was considered a fatal and irretrievable depth.

 

 

some parks, gardens and nature reserves for our first Thursday Postcard Hunt under the theme: tourist sites

All new visitors are welcome, indeed encouraged, to join in by sharing their own postcards

cinesphere

 in the 1970s Ontario Place was the "showpiece" of Ontario

For this Victoria Day, Ontario Place is celebrating its 50th (+2) anniversary, since covid ruined plans in 2021.

fashionable cypress

Cypress Gardens

lush

 Garajonay National Park in the Canary Islands is 40 sq. km. This stamp shows some of the large rock formations which are former volcanoes carved by erosion and a small hint that it is also a lush forest. It has been a World Heritage Site since 1986.

From Spain

 to Singapore

and the Singapore Botanic Gardens which only became a World Heritage Site in 2015 (and Singapore's first UNESCO site and the first and only tropical garden on the heritage list) but it was created in 1859. The stamps feature the gazebo at the Bandstand, Burkill Hall (the original residence of the superintendent) and Tanglin Gate (the main entrance)

For Sunday Stamps - World Heritage Sites

turquoise

The crystal clear waters of Cyprus Lake are a little warmer than nearby Georgian Bay in 

Bruce Peninsula National Park

riverside dining

Busch Gardens, Florida

sunnyside

with one outlier dressed in red!

water

In keeping with social/physical distancing, these scenes are all void of actual people.

The Allegro is the newest train featured for the 150th year of railroads in Finland. I could not find which lake this is the train is bisecting.


It doesn't seem like the National Parks are closed but only gatherings of 10 or fewer are allowed.











These spots all look perfectly idyllic and quiet.

Ferdinand von Wright painted this double water scene of snow surrounding a still lake in Haminalahti where his family owned an estate. 

It won the most beautiful stamp competition in 2007.

for Sunday Stamps - water

on the water

perhaps these Chicagoans are enjoying a lazy Sunday at Lincoln Park Lagoon

bamboo

Zhuhai Bamboo Forest
from China

pyramids

"The lovely skyline of Edmonton with the Muttart Conservatory in the foreground"

lilacs

May 10-19, 2019 is the date for this year's festival, which, if you want a sensory overload of the heady aroma of sweet, sweet lilacs, I would highly recommend.