Chinese Proverb

The lovely Shanghai Museum, completed in 1996. This is the first postcard to be adopted and sent from China. Louisa claimed this card and writes that she used to visit the museum when she was a student. She also explains the design of the building. It is based on a Chinese saying, “Sky is round and ground is square.” I take that to mean that two opposites can exist to complement each other, but I may be completely off base. Anyone have another interpretation?

Slovakia, At Last!

Ahhh… finally! A postcard featuring Slovakia. I have traveled extensively in Slovakia, even though I only speak a few words of the language (ice cream is “zmrzlina,” what more do you need after that!) and I have a lot of Slovakia orphaned postcards, but this is the first to be adopted.

Sandy lives in the Czech Republic, Slovakia’s next door neighbor and once its other half when the countries were known as Czechoslovakia. She notes that Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, often gets overlooked because of its proximity to Vienna, Austria, only a short drive away. I agree, but that just adds to the wonder when you visit Bratislava for the first time... "Oh! Who knew this lovely city was so close-by!?"

In the photo are Bratislava Castle (left, the castle is up on the hill in the background), National Theatre (top right), National Gallery and Old Town Hall (bottom right, respectively). Sandy has seen all of them, but hasn’t been inside because of ongoing renovations while she was visiting. Good reason to go back!

Germany via Romania

This prettily framed view is Passau, Germany. The blue domed cathedral on the left is St. Stephen and the river is Danube. Calin, a gentleman from Romania, notes that the organ in St. Stephen is the largest cathedral organ in the world. Look at all the tour buses along the river! I bet that organ draws a lot of tourists from around the world.

Here, again, is a photography technique I often try to copy... framing a long view with something in the foreground. I'm more successful with this than framing something in doorways and windows.

Be The Change

I have a series of these postcards featuring various landmines and facts about their use (they do cite the source, this one is Donovan Webster, “Hidden Killers” New York Times Magazine, January 23, 1994). The publisher is Global Village, but I’ve never found any solid information about them.

Rachel adopted this card and sent it back from Australia. She writes, “The scary thing about this card is that it was designed in 1994. Before the “war on terror,” before the Rwandan genocide and before Princess Diana brought the prevalence of landmines to the world. 15 years on, what has changed?” Not enough, really. There is a decent article on the 1997 Ottawa Treaty banning landmine at wikipedia, but it seems a forgotten cause these days.

However, the person whose grassroots effort to rid the world of landmines, Jody Williams, is a perfect example of the change one person can make in the world. She won a Nobel Peace Prize for her work.

Mount St. Helens Before and After

Another card adopted via Jackie, whose letter writing publication is eagerly awaited by many. She sent it to her correspondent in Washington, Tami. I’ve written about Mount St. Helens before and this card is a nice addition to the original post. Both the mountain and I were less round come summer 1980. Thank you for the smile Tami.

UK Connection

Debbie adopted this lovely North Carolina courthouse. She said it is special to her because her family settled in the area in the 1700s. Wow! They were there when the man for whom the courthouse is named was arguing the American cause in the House of Lords in London, England.

This courthouse is called Pitt County Courthouse, named for William Pitt (the Elder). My city, Pittsburgh, is also named for the same man, a British Secretary of State, who, as the tensions between American colonists and the British crown intensified in the 1770s, defended the colonists’ demands for representation in government. That representation didn’t happen, the Revolutionary War was fought, and the US became its own nation.

Of Leaders and Chewing Gum

Loretta grew up in D.C., where local news is national news. She writes “every school field trip was a chance to see the US government in action.” Her favorite trip was to see the Supreme Court. She says the Justices were all larger than life, and in particular, the first African American Supreme Court Justice, Thurgood Marshall. There they were, a bunch of school kids, and here was Justice Marshall, and he was chewing gum! They loved it. He connected with them, and they him.

Loretta writes this message to leaders worldwide, “Conduct more of your business chewing bubble gum in front of school kids. The world will be a better place.” I’m not sure I would agree, being the type person who finds chewing gum a rather bizarre activity, but I get her message anyway. Be real.

Loretta wrote this postcard in memory of Thurgood Marshall (1908-1993), a man who was the embodiment of civil rights.