By the Seaside

Central Pier Head, Morecambe

Opened on March 25th, 1869 the pavilion on this pier's nickname was the 'Taj Mahal of the North'.  The Lancaster Guardian, in 1908, documents that 

the  "variety and excellence of the bill of fare' " to entertain the pier's patrons. From Rousby's electrical review entitled Paris and London – Le Entente Cordiale incorporating a version of the Eiffel Tower adorned with hundreds of coloured lights; to a 'charming and agreeable musical turn' by Coverdale and Huxley's Bijou Juveniles singing popular melodies. Then there was the high wire tumbling act The Three Lloyds. The Guardian reports that their tumbling 'is done with neatness and precision.'  Burke, Andrus and Frisco brought 'spectacular absurdity' while comedian and clog dancer T.W. Royal and comedian Sam Shipley had the audience roaring with laughter. Last but not least, the newspaper reports that the 'pretty ballroom is filled nightly by the votaries of dancing.'

And as can be seen by the sign at the end of the pier of "dancing free", this was the place to be.   Perhaps our sender saw the show for the card was sent on the 27 July 1908.

"Dear Sister, The weather is lovely send Annie and Fred by the next train. Your F.....? "

Perhaps our sender was watching this boat about to set sail while waiting for Annie and Fred

Going for a Sail. Morecambe

Take your choice whether to send this as a post card or printed matter, but take care, with one of those option only five words can be used.  I have never sent a post card with so few words, but if that was all available what would the words be?  If it was 1933 you could have written  "come quickly, pavilion on fire" because that is when it was destroyed, people came from miles around to watch.  The pier was later rebuilt and dancing was once again taking place at the end of the pier but at the end of the century it fell into disrepair and was demolished in 1992.

Beth at The Best Hearts Are Crunchy is the hostess of Postcard Friendship Friday.

Samos

What says the Greek islands more than this card. The island of Samos lies just off the coast of Turkey. It is a mountainous but fertile island, the poet Byron immortalised it in 'The Isles of Greece' with  "Fill high the cup of Samarian wine "  Its other claim of fame is as the birthplace of Pythagoras, and the small town on the south coast of the island was renamed Pithagorio in 1955 to celebrate his birthplace.  I don't know where this photo is but think it is the capital, and main port, of Vathi because it is also sometimes referred to as Samos.
   

Exercise

Its Sunday Stamps time again. Se-tenant is our quest this week, the French translates as joined together, so perhaps we should all join together in a Sunday Stamps gymnastics. Are you ready?

Time to limber up with some gentle exercise

And swing those arms for a grand crescendo.  And now........relax.

This is a set of stamps called "Gymnastics by Radio" issued in 1952.  Radio gymnastics had been introduced in China the previous year to develop mass physical fitness so I suppose the stamps were issued to reinforced the message.

Students and faculty at a middle school in Shanghai do radio exercises in this photo of Dec 1, 1951.

The radio program was not kept up in later years due to social change in China, however times changed again as Beijing resumed the daily broadcasts in August 2010 in a fitness campaign for all. Tune in at 10 am or 2pm and throw some shapes.  This middle school started to use the exercises in 2002:
 

 I suppose we would call this aerobics today rather than gymnastics

An entry to Sunday Stamps hosted by Viridian Postcards here

Guadalajara

Hidalgo Government Palace, Guadalajara

Painted by José Clements Orozco between 1936-1939 in the Government Palace, this portrait of Miguel Hidalgo, who initiated the independence of Mexico and in this same building abolished slavery in 1810.

Two influential people in one card, Hidalgo, who fought for Mexican freedom and, Orozo, one of the leaders of the Mexican Muralists.  Orozo was a politically committed artist and his bold murals established the Mexican Mural Renaissance. His art can be seen in both Mexico and the USA. My sender, Ramón, says the Orozo is one of the greatest muralists in Mexico's history and he thinks this mural is amazing.  I'm trying to imagine what it must look like full size, I've seen a photograph in its location and it looks huge.

The card came with

a postage label. which I am not keen on, prefering stamps, but I think it is interesting for two reasons.  One, I like the pigeon logo by Gonzalo Tassier, first used in June 2009, which replaced the head of an eagle symbol of the Correos de Mexico.  The computerised system in Mexico is called the "Sistema Integral de Operatión" (SIO), the history and a few pictures of post offices here.

The other reason is that as can be seen the label was affixed on 18 November 2010, then it must have nestled down into a postage bag until the postal weight exchange between Mexico and the UK took place when it was stamped with the date 24 March 2011 as it left Guadalajara. It plopped through my letter box having taken 222 days from when Ramón posted it, but worth the wait.

Thank you Ramón, an amazingly dramatic card.

Golden Mermaid

A mermaid combing her long golden tresses while the full moon and sea birds and fish surround her. But what is the significance of the watch?  In European legends, like fairies, mermaids have an uncertain temperament, and are known for enchanting humans.  This card however, despite its appearance, comes from China where the legends are different, mermaids are more a force of nature, their tears can turn in priceless pearls.

My sender, Lìwén, has an unusual surname because it consists of two words whereas most surnames in China are only one word. I had not noticed that about Chinese surnames before.  Like me she finds it interesting. 

The card came with three stamps:

two of the beautiful Formosan Blue Magpie which is sometimes referred to as the "long tailed mountain lady", in contrast to the long tailed sea lady of the postcard.   The Blue Magpies must look stunning perched in the trees. This stamp was issued in 2002 as was the other stamp

from the set of "Protecting the Common Homeland of Mankind", this one called "Air Conservation".  Always good to breathe clean air and indeed Earth is our only homeland. 

Thank you Lìwén for the pretty card and stamps   

Forests

Every year the member countries of PostEurop vote to choose the subject to appear on the Europa stamps.  UNESCO declared 2011 to be the International Year of the Forest and the subject for this year's Europa stamp is themed to tie in.  I have been squealing, ooh pretty stamps, as each one has appeared on the Europa Stamps blog here.  Now that they have all been issued then there is a vote for the favourite on the Post Europ's site. The results to be announced later in the year. 

Thanks to my Postcrossing friend, Eeva, I have the Finnish stamps. They are for second class postage and show Lake Mustalampi in the Nuuksio National Park through the four seasons.  Designed by Klaus Welp his idea was that you could use the appropriate stamp for the season. I love how not only is each stamp a reflection they also reflect each other, the reverse number, class of postage and the Europa symbol on the Autumn/Winter one.

An entry to Viridian Postcard's Sunday Stamps, this week it is "anything you like".

Bardsea Box

Postbox Number LA12 97

Postbox on Park View in the village of Bardsea. A scattering of houses, two pubs, a church and a post office sitting on a hill overlooking Morecambe Bay.

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