Never Forget

When I sent this card to Maaike in Netherlands, I noted that the back caption took up most of the writing space. Maaike wrote that it is probably a good thing since she could hardly find the words to say in the face of all the atrocities committed in Auschwitz. I am grateful that she was able to add her words on this card.

The caption notes that the words on the gate, "Arbeit macht frie" (work will make you free), is "painful irony" as nothing in that camp was about freedom.

Maaike writes that she knows this history must be confronted but she has never felt so bad as she did when she visited Auschwitz. The story of Joseph Mengele is especially horrific as Maaike is almost a doctor herself.

Maaike recommends the book If This is a Man by Primo Levi, and the poem that introduces the book. In the middle of the poem is the line "Meditate che questo è stato" (Never forget that this has happened). We won't, but do we have the strength to prevent it from happening again and again all over the world?

A Special Light

Antibes is the Alpes-Maritimes region of France. Marie writes that there is a special light here that draws artists to its shore. Picasso lived here and Antibes has a Picasso museum. And, one of Marie's favorite painters, Nicholas de Stael, lived here and drew his inspiration from the sea. I had never heard of de Stael and when I looked up his work, I was immediately pulled into the scenes. Very bold and colorful. Marie mentioned his seagull paintings, which remind me of my own coastal Massachusetts.

I love the book shape of this postcard. The image scans as a regular rectangle, but the actual card is book-shaped. I have a couple (mostly from Marie) in this format in my France collection. It's a very artistic way to present the history along with the view!

Interlude XXXI - Happy Birthday OPP!

It was three years ago today that Orphaned Postcard Project began. I could never have known how much this project would mean to me in the coming years. I have met many new friends, and learned so much about the world. I've enjoyed every connection and cannot imagine a day without posting another "orphaned" postcard. In fact, it has been almost two years of at least one post every day.

This postcard was sent to me recently by Jacqueline, who writes the postcard blog Little Red Mail Box. She was taken by the post that linked three of my OPP friends and sent me one of her favorite views to compliment that post. Benjamin Franklin, first Postmaster General of the United States, reading what looks to be a letter, with his bench companion, a pigeon.

Thank you to all the people who have adopted postcards, and all who continue to come back day after day to read about the returned "orphans"!

World Famous

This postcard is another card sent to me by Susan in Canada to add to OPP. It is an impressive view! But, I love the back caption, "The world-famous 405 Freeway entering the vast San Fernando Valley surrounded by mighty snow-capped mountains." The road is the highlight and the gorgeous peaks in the background don't even get named! And "world-famous"? Really?

Thanks to Jen, who adopted this card seemingly minutes after I added it to the database, I have some nice detail to add to this view. Jen loves living in the San Fernando Valley. She can get to the beach, camping, museums, sports arena, zoo, and Hollywood in just 20 minutes. Snow is only 45 minutes. Disneyland a hour. Jen does note, "without traffic, of course." Now Southern California traffic ... that is world famous!

In Ruins But Still Magical

This is a subdued, but beautiful view of Corfe Castle, in Dorset county, England. Esme writes that during the day one can see how the many battles it faced wore it down bit by bit. And there were many long, ferocious battles here. The castle dates to 11th century and was considered an important stronghold. After the last battle, the conquering army used explosives to damage the supporting walls so bad they could not be repaired, thus making the castle useless as a stronghold.

Esme also writes about the village below, also called Corfe, and that with the castle on the hill and the very old village below, one can imagine how it might have been like hundreds of years ago. I've been to Corfe and remember thinking just that. I stood in the narrow streets and could almost hear the long ago street vendors calling out their wares and see the townspeople bustling about their chores. I have never been to a place as magical.

What These Eyes Have Seen!

This magnificent domed room is a reading room in the Bibliothêque Nationale in Paris, France. There are nine domes and each has an "eye" that allows in natural light. Imagine all the wonders those eyes have seen over the years!

Amy writes that the main site of library in now in a modern building, built in 1996. That building has five towers and holds 30 million book, but Amy likes the character of the old library. I think I would, too.

There is a lovely quote on the back of this card, by author, and librarian, Jorge Luis Borges. "I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library."

Charmingly Altered

Ephraim Bales was a Tennessee farmer in the late 1800s and early 1900s and this cabin was where he and his wife and 14 children lived. Some of the children died young, but even just two children would be tight. I've been inside the cabin, and it is quite small.

Marguerite visited this park when her oldest daughter was three years old. They had been at a wedding in Illinois and decided to make a holiday of it by heading south and visiting three National Parks on their way back to their central Pennsylvania home.

Marguerite writes that Great Smoky Mountains was the most enjoyable camping she had ever experienced ... no bugs! And, on their way out of the park they came very close to hitting a large wild turkey. It flew over the hood, just clearing it. Marguerite's daughter spent the rest of the trip warning, "Watch out for churkeys!" She is now 10 years old and the story is often repeated at Thanksgiving :-)

Marguerite is a mail artist and "altered" the front of this card in the most delightful way. The postage stamp is vintage US and commemorates Tennessee's 150th anniversary. The man on the left is Andrew Jackson, 7th US president, but before that he was Tennessee's first senator. And the man on the right is John Sevier, first governor of Tennessee.  And Ephraim Bales Place is in Sevier County. Perfect postage for this card!

Marguerite also used the National Parks and Tennessee's state flag postage on the back of the postcard. I love how this all adds to the charm of the postcard. It sort of gives it a vintage look, too, even though the postcard is very modern. I'll be featuring more of Marguerite's art on orphaned postcards in the future.

Roman Engineering

I love this aerial view of Le Pont du Gard. This beautiful example of Roman architecture in southern France was built in the 1st century AD. It was used for about 800 years but because it was not regularly cleaned, it got clogged up with mineral deposits and was not useful for carrying water. It was used as a toll bridge through the Middle Ages, though.

Mar's aunt lives just a few miles away from Pont du Gard and Mar spends many holidays at her aunt's home. There is a swimming area nearby where they love to swim. That is a very impressive swimming place!