Detour Postcards - Canada

After reading and loving Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson, some GoodReads friends and I were inspired to send each other postcards! Since we weren't able to go on road trips ourselves, we figured postcards would be the next best thing. A couple months ago, about eight of us (from 5 different countries) participated in sending each other postcards. Now, I'm showcasing the postcards I've received.

I know, I'm late! It's been almost 2 months since the first post. I just got lazy, and then completely forgot. I have a couple postcards left, so I will try to keep up with these posts from now on.

Canada postcard/stamp.

This postcard is from Tina in Canada. On the back of the postcard it says that it's a sunset in Northern Canada. Sunsets are great! Always so orangery. The picture makes Canada seem a lot less cold than I imagined. Thanks to Tina for the postcard! :)

That's it for North America! Next up will be Australia. Check out more Detour postcards here.

Detour Postcards - California

After reading and loving Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson, some GoodReads friends and I were inspired to send each other postcards! Since we weren't able to go on road trips ourselves, we figured postcards would be the next best thing. Over the past two months, about eight of us (from 5 different countries) participated in sending each other postcards. Now, I'm showcasing the postcards I've received so far.

As you all know, I love sending and receiving postcards, so I'm excited to finally post my first Detour Postcards blog entry. I decided to start with the postcards I received from Arlene, who lives in California, because California was the state where Amy and Roger began their epic detour!

Los Angeles, California

Hollywood Boulevard

Book Lover!



USA Stamps

On the back of the Los Angeles postcard, it says: "A view at dusk showing the impressive skyline of the largest city in the West." And on the back of the Hollywood Boulevard postcard, it says: "The sights of Hollywood Boulevard at night. Hollywood Highland and the Hollywood sign."

I love the views on those postcards! Nightviews are so pretty. I've never been to California before, but I would love to go there one day, especially to visit Yosemite National Park. (Amy and Roger actually went to Yosemite in the book. I loved that one scene where they had to-- Sorry, I'll stop there! I can't give out spoilers. hehe) The Book Lover postcard I received the other day. I think it's really fitting, since other than loving books, this all started because of a book!

Big thanks to Arlene for the postcards! Stay tuned for the next Detour where I'll be finishing off North America. ;)

Book Postcard: Firelight

As you've probably noticed in my blog header, my blog is suppose to feature my various collections. I realized the other day that hadn't done anything, but books, in months. So throughout this month, I plan on posting more about postcards (and stamps)!

Front of postcard, of course. :D

This week I received some Firelight swag that I won from Ree at Literary Obsession (thanks!!). I was really excited that the swag included a postcard because I've always wanted one featuring a book cover! Swag tends to always be about the bookmarks, which isn't surprising, since well...the swag is for a book! But if I had to choose between a bookmark or a book postcard, I would definitely go with the postcard. ;) Anyway, here is the back of the postcard and the cool stamp Ree put on the envelope:

Back with Sophie Jordan's signature.

Stamp on envelope.

DE-597681

Last week I received a postcard from Germany: DE-597681! It's the 28th official postcard I've received from the Germany & the 215th official postcard I received through Postcrossing. The postcard traveled 7 days and 4,538 miles. :)

CN-197695 and D.C.

Yesterday I received a postcard from China: CN-197695! It's the 8th official postcard I've received from the China and the 214th official postcard I received through Postcrossing. The postcard traveled 14 days and 7,710 miles. I just really love this view, especially the colors! :D

And a few days ago, a buddy of mine sent me a postcard while he was visiting Washington, D.C. I've only been to there once, two summers ago. It's really nice over there. I would love to go again someday. :)

DE-583073

Today I received a postcard from Germany: DE-583073! It's the 27th official postcard I've received from the Germany & the 213th official postcard I received through Postcrossing. The postcard traveled 7 days and 4,412 miles. Really cute design on the postcard, and it came with two different stamps I don't believe I've received on a postcard before. :)

Trade - Turkey

Back in April, I had a postcard trade with someone living in the country of Turkey. The other day I received their postcard, including an extra postcard they decided to send me. :) Thought that was really nice of them. I've only received one postcard from Turkey through Postcrossing before, so it was cool being able to have more view postcards of this particular country. It looks really beautiful over there, doesn't it? :D The first postcard features the town of Çanakkale, a Clock Tower, Kilitbahir Castle, and Troy, the wooden horse. The second postcard shows the Ortaköy Mosque and the Bosphorus Bridge at night. Both postcards have the same stamp, and the stamp has an art piece that I think is called Çocuğunu Emziren Kadın Heykelciği.

RU-142115

I received a postcard from Russia! (RU-142115) It's the 4th official postcard I've received from the Russia & the 212th official postcard I received through Postcrossing. The postcard traveled 15 days and 5,284 miles. I love nightviews, and this view is so so pretty! Russia has some really nice views. I hope to receive more from this country. Their stamps are pretty cool as well.

FI-783662

The front of the postcard.

I received a postcard from Finland! (FI-783662) Very pretty view! It's the 38th official postcard I've received from the Finland & the 211th official postcard I received through Postcrossing. The postcard traveled 4 days and 4,776 miles. Finland is actually the country that has sent the most postcards through Postcrossing. I think that's pretty amazing, considering it's a tiny country compared to the United States. The USA, which is the second most sending country, hasn't even come close to Finland. I don't know if another country will ever beat Finland.

The stamp that came with the postcard.

Isn't the stamp just awesome? I think the person who sent me this postcard actually put stickers on top of the onions; however, I have a feeling those stickers came with the stamps. Because Finland knows how to make unique stamps. They seriously have some of the best postal stamps out there. So many different designs and shapes. Have a look on Flickr.

DE-561687 and NL-319830

The front of the postcard & the stamps.

I received a postcard from Germany. (DE-561687) It's the 26th official postcard I've received from the Germany & the 209th official postcard I received through Postcrossing. The postcard traveled 7 days and 4,365 miles. The stamp with the strawberries actually smells like strawberries! :D

The front of the postcard & the stamp.
(I used the same stamp scan from a previous postcard. heh)

I also received a postcard from the Netherlands. (NL-319830) It's the 20th official postcard I've received from the Netherlands & the 210th official postcard I received through Postcrossing. The postcard traveled 7 days and 4,248 miles. I don't know what the flower is called, but maybe it's an articoke flower? Those green plants kinda look like 'em to me.

War & Art

Yesterday, my friend gave me a Civil War postcard that she bought while visiting Charleston, South Carolina. :) She also gave me two Naruto stamps, Sasuke and Yondaime. I think she got them off a package she ordered from Japan. I already have copies of these particular stamps, but these aren't attached to the postcard, which is nice because I can hold 'em in my hands. :D

I got these next two postcards from my sister. She actually is the artist of both pieces. Aren't they freakin' amazing? Love these characters. She made them into postcards through Zazzle.com. They arrived over a week ago; however, I totally forgot to scan 'em. Her gallery can be viewed here.

NL-303210

The front of the postcard.

I received another postcard from the Netherlands! (NL-303210) Love the view of the pretty tulips. It's the 19th official postcard I've received from the Netherlands & the 208th official postcard I received through Postcrossing. The postcard traveled 16 days and 4,245 miles.

The stamp that came with the postcard.
(This is actually the most common stamp I receive on postcards from Netherlands.)

NL-294363

The front of the postcard.

I received a postcard from the Netherlands! (NL-294363) It's the 18th official postcard I've received from the Netherlands & the 207th official postcard I received through Postcrossing. The postcard traveled 22 days and 4,278 miles.

The stamp that came with the postcard.
(What kind of fruit/vegetable is that? XD)

HK-10272

The front of the postcard.

Today I received a postcard from Hong Kong! (HK-10272) I love the view! It's the 3rd postcard I've received from Hong Kong, and the 206th postcard I've received through Postcrossing. :) The postcard traveled for 53 days and 8,434 miles.

The stamp that came with the postcard.

474 & Yondaime

First I want to mention the recent chapter of Naruto (#474). Sakura loves Sasuke! I knew that already, but it just felt good actually having someone say it outloud after having first heard it nearly 300 chapters ago in chapter #181. :3 These were my favorite panels from this chapter:

So cute! Even though it's from Part I, it's still something new. And it brings back memories of all the SasuSaku moments from Part I. X3 The one talking in those panels is Sai. I'm glad he feels that it's his fault that Sakura did what she did. Still don't like him though. :p

colored version by PET

Looks good, don't it? Check out them lips on Sasuke. :3 hehe
Also, I finally received the Yondaime stamp that I mentioned in one of my other entries. (If you haven't seen it, then click here to see the other Naruto stamps I have.) Doesn't he look nice? :D heh

There's the Yondaime stamp, the Naruto postcard it came with, and a Hinata sticker that was placed on the back of the postcard. :D So it's been a nice week of Naruto.

IR-2457

I haven't been receiving much postcards lately. So when I checked the mail today I was glad to finally see one in the mailbox. Guess where it came from? Iran! :D I thought that was pretty cool.

This is the postcard!


It came with this stamp.

I just love nightviews. I was lucky to have received a postcard from Iran because it's considered a rare country on Postcrossing. And as of now I have received official postcards from 39 different countries. :)

Naruto postcards and stamps

Naruto postage stamps were released on October 23, 2009 in Japan. You can view all the stamps on Japan's Postal Service website. Only 10 characters are used for the stamps, and... I personally only care for about 6 of those characters. I'm going to try and collect those characters at least, but I wouldn't mind having them all.

Anyway, I found out about the stamps from a Japanese user on the Postcrossing forum. We did a trade and these are the postcards & stamps she sent me:

Hinata postcard with Naruto stamp.

Sakura postcard with Sakura & Sasuke stamps,
including special Naruto cancelation.

I received both on November 5, 2009. I was so excited when I got them because it's NaruHina & SasuSaku-related to me! XD I did another trade with her the other day, and I asked for the Yondaime stamp. Whenever I receive it, I plan on posting it. :D