PC #175: Schönes Schwerin, Germany

Fantastic castle of Schwerin from my postcard friend, Chris (LittlePuffin). Schwerin is the capital of the Bundesland of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The castle served as the home of the dukes and grand dukes in the region, according to sources. It now serves as the seat of the state parliament.

Ghosts. Well, it’s usual for ghosts to roam around abandoned, or even not, castles. Wikipedia says the ghost Petermännchen is believed to have been seen in the Schwerin Castle. It is a few feet high wearing clothes from the 17th century. Here’s an image of a statue of the Petermännchen:

Creepy, noh? Eeeee…..  Haha, but I really admire the architecture of the Schwerin Palace. Thank you so much, Chris! No wonder you like palaces and castles and ruins, they’re magnificently built.

Schwerin Castle

And here’s the German quote shared by Chris:

“Das Wort ‘unmoglich’ gibt es nurim Wörterbuch von Varen.” (The word ‘impossible’ only exists in the dictionary of idiots.) True enough. Nothing is impossible… as long as you believe.

Pretty Ballonblume stamp:

PC #174: An art card from the Netherlands

Really colorful card from Monique (Wiccamoon), who lives in the province of Brabant, the Netherlands. As we all know, the male peafowl/peacock (pabo in Tagalog) is more colorful than the female one/peahen. Actually the female is just plain brown or gray in color. The peacock’s elegant tail sort of attract the female during courtship.

Imagine if the same would happen to people. The male having to exert much effort in beautifying themselves so as to magnetize women. Haha, but it’s the other way around; women cover themselves with cosmetics.

But as they say, “The average woman would rather have beauty than brains, because the average man can see better than he can think.” Peace out!

I really like this card, Monique!

Nice stamp used:

PC #173: Hansestadt Lübeck, Germany

Simple yet elegant card of the Hanseatic City of Lübeck in northern Germany. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Lübeck – the former capital and Queen City of the Hanseatic League – was founded in the 12th century and prospered until the 16th century as the major trading centre for northern Europe. It has remained a centre for maritime commerce to this day, particularly with the Nordic countries. Despite the damage it suffered during the Second World War, the basic structure of the old city, consisting mainly of 15th- and 16th-century patrician residences, public monuments (the famous Holstentor brick gate), churches and salt storehouses, remains unaltered. –http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/272

The building shown is the famous Holstengate, built in the 15th century. It houses a museum which presents an exhibition of the life and work of Lübeck merchants.

Hanseatic City of Lübeck

The card is from Grit (unicorn69). Danke schön!

PC #172: Sunset at Moret (by Camille Pissarro) from Russia

SilberS (Alena) sent me this lovely painting by French Impressionist and Neo-Impressionist painter, Camille Pissarro. His painting is entitled Sunset at Moret. Pissarro’s paintings were selling in million dollars, yay!

If only sunlight can be sent via snailmail.. Anyways, hope you’ll have a refreshing spring time, Alena.

Sunset at Moret (1901) by Camille Pissarro

Varied stamps used. I particularly like the painting in the middle, but my, I can’t read Russian. Haha!

Used German stamps from the Netherlands

Yay, another surprise from a fellow Postcrosser. Steef (from the Netherlands) hosted this nice lottery which offered several used German stamps for a prize. Guess who’s the lucky winner?

Me.*smiles* Here are the stamps all safe in my newly bought stamp album:

German stamps

22 stamps in all. And here are my favorites:

     

Thanks so much, Steef! ♥

PC #171: Deutschland ist schön!

I really love this card! Indeed, Germany is beautiful and still one of my favorite countries. Thanks to Nadine (Trisa) for hosting the lottery where participants will have to guess which “rare” (meaning not really an active Postcrosser) country she’s sending her card. OMG, I forgot my guess, but I think it’s Uruguay? Haha, but I guessed it right, that’s all I can remember.

Nadine lives in the Ruhr Area which, according to her, is still an industrial area. Cold… windy.. and raining. That’s the weather when she’s writing the card. Well, if you’re longing for a sunny weather with lots of cool nice beaches, you’re always welcome to the Philippines! *laughs*

Viva Deutschland!

Germany is beautiful ♥

Pretty stamps:

PC #170: The Mast-Tree Grove (by Ivan Shishkin) from Russia

I’m definitely a HUGE fan of art. This card shows a masterpiece by Russian landscape painter, Ivan Shishkin (1832-1898). It’s entitled The Mast-Tree Grove, a depiction of Russian nature. Shishkin is really great, if I may say, being able to capture such a scenery.

I really prefer realism over the abstract form of art. I do appreciate every work of art, but honestly, how a dot becomes art is beyond my grasp.

Alina sent the card during the time Russia was celebrating the Maslenitsa, or Pancake Week. It’s a religious and folk holiday. It’s quite interesting how a holiday becomes a mixture of pagan and Christian origin. The Pancake Week is both a sun festival and a celebration of Great Lent, when Christians are prohibited to eat meat.

The Mast-Tree Grove (1898) by Ivan Shishkin. Oil on canvas. 165x252 cm.

Russian animals on stamps:

Interesting sticker of a Russian doll, a babushka if I’m not mistaken. Thanks Alina!