Happy Hollidays!

I wish everyone a great Christmas and a Happy New Year, full of wonderful momments and hapiness.

And to all postcrossers and card/stamp collectors I wish a great New Year of happy swaps. May your mail box always be full :)

Os Imigrantes - Domingos Rebelo

Of all the amazing stamps I have in my collection, this is probably my favourite. It was issued in 1999 by the CTT (Portuguese Postal Services) and depicts a painting named “Os Imigrantes”, painted by the Azorean painter Domingos Rebelo.

Domingos Rebelo, born in the city of Ponta Delgada, S. Miguel Island, in 1891, was a professor and a painter. He exhibited his first painting when he was only 13 years old. When he was 15 years old, due to his talent, and with the support of many people, he left the island to study in Paris, where he remained for six years. After returning to the island and marrying, he worked for thirty years in the same school where he studied, which today is named after him. In 1942, he settled in Lisbon, Portugal’s capital, doing several murals and paintings and getting involved in the National Arts Academy. He eventually died in that city in 1975.

He was a deeply religious person and gave a lot of importance to family and religion. Through out his life, he was always interested in helping and orientating young Azorean painters. He had a big impact in Azorean culture and Art, becoming the most known Azorean artist of all times.

Os Imigrantes (The immigrants) is his best known piece. It was painted in 1926 and shows local people in Ponta Delgada’s Harbour, waiting to leave the island and immigrate to other places in the world. It is considered a regionalist themed painting, because of its details: the traditional Azorean clothes, the Azorean guitar and the small frame next to the woman (it shows an image of Saint Christ of Miracles, a very important religious devotion in the islands).
I think it’s a remarkable painting, done by a remarkable painter.

Source: Wikipedia.

Busy bee :)

I have been so busy lately, that I have had no time to post here. But I´ve received some incredible cards. I will try and post a new topic tonight.

Hugs to all!

Santorini

This remarkable card was sent by neojojo. It depicts the town of Oia and the caldera, in Santorini, Greece. Santorini is what remains of an enormous volcanic explosion, destroying the earliest settlements on what was formerly a single island, and leading to the creation of the current caldera. Its spectacular physical beauty, along with a dynamic nightlife, have made the island one of Europe's tourist hotspots. Its typical architecture with white and blue colors is well known around the world.I adore this card! One day, when I became a very rich person, I will certainly visit this dream place.

Source: Wikipédia.

Pelourinho vs. Angra do Heroísmo

What are the odds of two different photographers, at different times, take two similar photographs of two different places? Well, I don’t know, but they must be slim.

Well, the above card was sent by baiana, from Brazil, and it shows Pelourinho, the historic centre of Salvador, the capital of the Brazilian state of Bahia. Salvador was founded in 1549, with the objective of becoming the headquarters of the Portuguese sovereignty in Brazil. Most of the buildings architecture was styled in colonial architecture (Portuguese baroque) and it has a unique look. The houses, buildings and churches still maintain the colourful colours that were usual in the 17th century and nowadays it’s a cultural centre. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985 and it includes places such as the Governors’ Palace, the Church of San Francisco, the church of Carmo, etc.

The bellow card (from my album for trade) shows the Town of Angra do Heroísmo, which was the first place in the Açores to be elevated to the status of city, in 1534. It has a special place in Azorean History as one of the most important locations in the archipelago. For many centuries, Angra do Heroísmo was an obligatory stop to caravels, carracks and galleons full of riches, which brought wealth to the city. It has many palaces and convents, churches and forts. Originally, it was simply called Angra ( in English cove or harbor) because it had a cove that allowed the protection of big ships from the winds and other dangers. In the 19th century the name was changed to Angra do Heroísmo (English: of Heroism) in recognition to the courage and heroism of its inhabitants during the Portuguese Civil War.
In 1983, UNESCO declared its Historic centre a World Heritage Site. The site includes the fortifications of S. Sebastião and São João Baptista, the City Hall, the Cathedral, the town square, etc.

Both cards are amazing and depict incredible places in the world. I find them beautiful, especially because they are so similar…

Source: Wikipedia.

Roter Sand Lighthouse

As I’ve said here before, I adore lighthouse cards, especially the ones that show lighthouses surrounded by water (wave-washed lighthouses).
I received this one from Germany, sent by eryore1974 and it shows the lighthouse of Roter Sand, located somewhere in Lower Saxony. It’s a very beautiful lighthouse.

Source: Wikipedia.

New Job!!!

I will be starting a new job today. I am nervous, nervous, nervous... Oh, well. I'll hope it will all go well...

Anyway, I guess I won't be able to post here until the weekend, but please, don't dispair. I will be back! :)

Almeida

A week ago, my best friend brought me a stack of postcards. He lives in the mainland (in Lisbon) and is here for the Holydays. Among all the great cards he brought me, there was this awesome one. He visited the site and because he knows I love History he thought I might like this card. Well, he was right.

It shows the Fort of Almeida, located in the town of Almeida, in the border with Spain. It was built in the 17th century and it’s a star fort, built in Vauban style. The Fort is a National Monument since 1927.

I had never heard of it until my friend gave me the card – a fact I find unforgivable. How is it possible that such beautiful places are not known by the public?

Source: Wikipedia.

Moomin Stamps

Before joining the Postcrossing Project, I had never heard of the Moomin. Now, I find them quite interesting.

The Moomins are characters created by the Finnish illustrator and writer Tove Jansson and they appear in nine books, five picture books and a comic strip. They have also been the basis for numerous television series and films. There is even a Theme Park in Finland!
The stories are set in a fictional place in Finland: the Moomin Valley. The Moomin family comprises of the Moominpappa, Moominmamma and their son, Moomintroll. All the stories are quite philosophical and they depict values such as tolerance, love, friendship, generosity and respect for others.

These stamps, issued in 2007 by the Finnish postal services, were sent to me by various postcrossers. I adore them! :)

Source: Wikipedia.