Living La Vida Loca In Japan: Postcrossing Incoming

To April 8, 2013

I have an interesting group of cards for your viewing pleasure today. Many of the cards have a "book" theme, so it is fun to write about them. Have a look at them and then if you have any comments I'd love to hear from you below.

My first card comes from Latvia. Renars sent it and says that if I visit I should come to this bookshop as there is a great atmosphere there. He also mentions that his favourite movies are about nature, different cultures and life on Earth. He wishes me a happy Easter, then asks if it is celebrated in Japan! It isn't, but the greeting was happily accepted!

Robert's Books. Books in English
Riga, Latvia

It is such a cool card! It gives me chills!

Valentina sent this card from Russia. She writes that she's from a big Siberian city. She prefers "love story" movies, such as Sabrina with Audrey Hepburn, and Pretty Woman. She loves old Russian films too, such as Girls and Moscow Doesn't Trust Tears.

I have received this card before, but since I looove crochet, I really don't mind!

There are also some beautiful stamps on the back. The corner stamp has raised surfaces and is really beautiful.

This card of a Jazz Festival comes from Finland. Stig sent it and invited me to swap cards with him. Sadly, I don't do swaps because I don't have a lot of places to get cards in my city. He sends his warm greetings and hopes I like it.

Pori Jazz Festival

To be fair to Stig, I should mention that this card didn't have as much damage on it when I first got it. However, my husband brought it to my school the day it arrived and I put it in my purse. It lost some of the surface and may have had a corner bent there too. I have asked him many times NOT to bring the cards to my school, but he doesn't listen!

Ilona sent this card from Belarus. She writes that she's a journalist. She hopes I'll like this card about Alice & famous book. She likes movies and so does her husband. The last film to make a big impression on her was the French film Holy Motors. "It's fine!" she writes.

Tatiana Perova "Miss A' Diary"

Elke from Germany sent this interesting Japanese painting (Isn't this a bit like sending coals to Newcastle??) to me. She says that the two cranes are supposed to bring good luck. She writes that this painting was part of the private collection of Erwin Bälz, a German benefactor of Kusatsu, Gunma. Bälz was born in her hometown, and discovered the hotsprings in Kusatsu. Another thing Bälz was famous for was being the personal doctor of the Japanese Emperor. Her hometown and Japan are still closely connected, they are Sister-Cities.

Two Cranes Under a Pine Tree
Yamamoto Baiitsu(1783-1856)

My take on this is that it was an appropriate card to send me because Tsuruoka means....Crane Hill. I love these mini lessons I get on the back of a postcard!

I've actually asked on my Postcrossing Profile for people to not send me any more pictures of dogs, cats, or children. I suppose the sender thinks that because there are books in the picture too, she can get away with it. And, she's very close.

Ivette from Holland sent this card, and wishes me all the best.