#64: Beford to Germany

Postcard number: 63
Bought in: Bedford, UK
Sent to: Gerald in Germany
Written: 22 August 2013
Sent: 22 August 2013

Text says:

Dear Gerald,

This Bedford scene seemed an appropriate choice for today as tomorrow we’re going to the wedding of a friend who grew up in the area. In 2010 and 2012, he invited us to join him at the Bedford River Festival. The river festival runs over the length of the weekend, with parades in the town and on the river, boat races, stalls by local organisations, fairground rides, live music, food from around the world, historical re-enactments and fireworks.

It’s a really popular event, and can be crowded, which means long waits when you want to get over a bridge or pick up a ‘quick lunch’ from one of the food stalls. However, the atmosphere is relaxed and it’s a good opportunity to sit, chat and catch up, and appreciate life outside of London. The next festival’s in July 2014. I wonder if we’ll be able to attend…

All the best,
Tash

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#58: St. Ives to Germany

Postcard number: 58
Bought in: St. Ives, UK
Sent to: Liane in Germany
Written: 19 August 2013
Sent: 19 August 2013

Text says:

19 August 2013, London UK

Dear Liane,

When I was little, I learnt a nursery rhyme which starts ‘When I was going to St. Ives, I met a man with seven wives…’ I’m not sure if this is the St. Ives from the rhyme, but I certainly couldn’t get it out of my head as we wandered through this seaside town back in 2010.

St. Ives is a very pretty town, with cobbled streets and lots of independent shops selling paintings and crafts. Up on the hill, we went to the Tate Gallery, for more artwork and coffee at their cafe… and being in Cornwall, we had to seek out a Cornish Pasty (a baked pastry that is usually filled with meat and/or vegetables).

I hope this postcard won’t take too long to find its way to its new home (and garden!) in Germany.

All the best,
Tash

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#47: Castle Neuschwanstein to Poland

Postcard number: 047
Bought at: Castle Neuschwanstein, Germany
Sent to: Agnieszka and Szymon in Poland
Written: 16 February 2012
Sent: 17 February 2012

Text says:

16 February 2012, London UK

Dear Agnieszka and Szymon,

Since your wedding is coming up soon, I thought I’d send you a postcard that I bought on my own honeymoon back in 2006. My husband and I were married in New Zealand on the 16th of September, and five days later we left for Europe. We spent just over two months travelling around Greece, Italy, France and Germany, before arriving in the UK – where we’ve lived ever since!  It’s been such an adventure, and I feel so lucky to have had my husband by my side through it all, to share the sights and the memories of all the places we’ve visited.

With this postcard comes my very best wishes to both of you, for your wedding day and your future together.

Tash

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#35: Granchester to Germany

Postcard number: 035
Bought at: The Orchard, Granchester
Sent to: Fabi in Germany
Written and sent: 10 April 2010

Text says:

Dear Fabi,

 This postcard is from one of my favourite spots in England: The Orchard, in Granchester. But I picked it out from my collection of unused stationery this morning, not because of its location, but because of the feeling of warmth in the painting. It’s almost 9am now, and I’ve been sitting in our lounge for the last couple of hours, engaged in Saturday morning projects such as knitting, eating breakfast and reading chapter after chapter of the last book of the Millennium Trilogy. Meanwhile, the sun has been streaming in through the window, and I’m beginning to think that the warmer months might be on their way at last. Last night, when I went for a run, there were trees covered in white and pink blossom all along the river, and daffodils in the park.

The deckchairs in our back yard aren’t as comfortable as the ones at the Orchard. We’ve got concrete rather than grass. And sadly, there’s no one to serve me scones with jam and clotted cream. But I’m going to spend some time outside today regardless. After all, this is England. The way the weather varies from day to day, this may be all the summer we get!

Tash

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From Barbara

Here’s another postcard which arrived this week, with musical notes and thoughts of Spring from Barbara, my epal in Germany.   After taking pictures of these postcards I’m putting them up on the pin-board in my kitchen so I can see all the lovely images as I go about the usual household chores.

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#25: The Globe to Germany

Postcard number: 025
Bought at: The Globe, London
Sent to: Tanja in Germany
Written: 17 March 2010
Sent: 18 March 2010

Text says:

17 March 2010, London UK

Dear Tanja,

I used to love the theatre when I was at high school: performing plays, reading texts, playing impromptu theatre games, singing in the choir, helping backstage, doing the lighting and so on.  These days I don’t have the time – or indeed the talent – to be a performer, but being here in London has definitely rekindled my love for the stage.  The Globe, shown on this postcard, is one of my favourite theatres, and my husband and I have recently booked our tickets for this year’s Globe season.  However, what’s amazing about this city is the variety it offers.  There’s not only Shakespeare at the Globe, there are also musicals such as Oliver and Avenue Q to see in the West End and open air theatre at Regent’s Park, comedians performing live at the Hammersmith Apollo or recording their shows in front of a live audience at the BBC’s Broadcastign House, as well as more serious plays.  We often get cheap, last minute tickets and have to sit right at the back, but it’s still great to see so many different shows!

I hope receiving this postcard has made you smile a little today,
Tash

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From Jenny

Here’s another lovely postcard that I’ve received recently.  It shows Jenny’s hometown in Germany.  She writes that she was born and raised in Castrop-Rauxel, that she’s been living there for 24 years, and she still loves it.  Sounds like a great place!

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From Kim

The postcard below, which arrived earlier in the week, shows Frankfurt in Germany.  I’ve never been there, but it’s the current home of Kim, who received one of my earlier postcards.  On the postcard, Kim talks about cycling across the bridges over the River Main on her way to work.

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#013: Stonehenge to Germany

Postcard number: 013
Bought at: Stonehenge, United Kingdom
Sent to: Jenny in Germany
Written: 25 February 2010
Sent: 26 February 2010

Text says:

25 February 2010, London UK

Dear Jenny,

My husband and I visited Salisbury and Stonehenge in early 2007.  It was our first trip out of London since arriving int he UK in November of the previous year, and we were surprised to discover how green and uncrowded other parts of England were!  We really enjoyed our trip to Stonehenge and the audio tour which explained the history of the area.  What this postcard doesn’t show is that the monument was flanked on two sides by motorways and that barrier ropes prevented you from approaching the stones.  Still, looking at this photo of the sun setting between the pillars, it’s not hard to understand why so many people over the centuries have though there was something magical about this spot. As we left we registered for English Heritage cards – ready to explore other sites of historical significance across the English countryside.

Wishing you all the very best,
Tash

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#11: New York to Germany

Postcard number: 011
Bought in: New York, USA
Sent to: Barbara in Germany
Written: 21 February 2010
Sent: 22 February 2010

 

Text says:

21 February 2010, London UK

Dear Barbara,

New York, New York.  The place of the song; the setting of the news and the movies and so many of the teenage novels I read growing up in New Zealand.  I first visited New York in 2002, on my way to a season working on a ski field in Vermont.  I was 21 and travelling alone.  I remember being overwhelmed by the vastness of it: the huge buildings, the huge Central Park, the huge empty space and outpouring of grief at Ground Zero – even the hostel dorm where I slept had something like 40 beds!  Last year we went back to New York for my husband’s 30th birthday.  We met his parents there, and went to a show on Broadway, to Radio City Music Hall, the US Open tennis, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Statue of Liberty, and the September 11 memorial.  We wandered the numbered streets for hours and cycled through Central Park.  I rediscovered my taste for bagels with cream cheese.  And yet it didn’t seem quite as big or impressive as it had been in 2002.  Perhaps that’s what living in London for three years does – makes you so much more used to big city life.  And while New York does hold special memories, I’m happy living on this side of the Atlantic for now…

Best wishes,
Tash

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