postcards

Six word Saturday

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Nine days in Poland with Dad

 

It almost didn’t happen because when I started to check us in online, I realised that Dad’s passport runs out on 30th April, 2013- the precise date we travel to Poland.  Thank goodness for the days of online check-in.  Otherwise, we might have been at the airport!  A swift dash to the Passport Office in Durham has rectified all, and we are good to go.

Here was Krakow

Here was Krakow

Veit Stoss Altar, Mariacki Church

Veit Stoss Altar, Mariacki Church

Gilded wood panels of the Altar in close up

Gilded wood panels of the Altar in close up

Courtyard of the Jagellonian University

Courtyard of the Jagellonian University

Professor's room in Collegium Maius

Professor’s room in Collegium Maius

And in complete contrast, a postcard that is very special to me, and seems appropriate for this time of year.  It was given to me by my Aunt Anna, who is no longer with us.

Good health from the mountains

Good health from the mountains

I won’t be about next week as I’m a very low tech traveller.  In any case I will be working hard at my abysmal Polish.  Wish me luck!

Don’t forget to visit Cate at Show My Face at check out this week’s Six word Saturdays.  Just click on the link or the header.

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Six word Saturday

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What do you do for fun?

My idea of fun is creating interesting travel-related blog posts. (well, trying to!)  It’s bordering on the obsessive some days but it’s all that’s kept me sane while I’ve waited (and waited) for warmer days to arrive.  Some of you may know that I’ve been taking a trip back in time and reliving the past in “A tale or two : my Greek Odyssey”.

In those days I used to keep a diary on the back of my postcard collection.  It served two purposes : preserving the memories, and providing a few reliable photos in case the holiday snaps weren’t up to much.  While I’ve been writing this series I’ve had to dig out the postcards to check a few facts. (the holidays were 20+ years ago)  I thought that this Saturday I might share a few with you.

The island of Zakynthos (Zante)

The island of Zakynthos (Zante)

Neos Marmaras in Halkidiki

Neos Marmaras in Halkidiki

Time for an ouzo- speaks for itself really

Time for an ouzo- speaks for itself really

Mandraki harbour on Rhodes

Mandraki harbour on Rhodes

The beautiful island of Symi, near Rhodes

The beautiful island of Symi, near Rhodes

A slightly too rosey Rhodes Town, but I like it

A slightly too rosey Rhodes Town, but I like it!

I love maps too! Bizarre for someone who excels in getting lost

I love maps!  Bizarre for someone who excels in getting lost

The Melissani Lake on Kephalonia

Last but not least, Melissani Lake on Kephalonia

The last postcard is the only one I’ve shared already.  Mostly our photographs were good enough, but on the lake we were too busy just looking, in awe.  Hope you enjoyed these.  Trigger any memories?

If you’re interested in the series at all, click on the Categories box in my sidebar and you will get a dropdown menu. Select “A tale or two : my Greek Odyssey” and it’ll take you there.  Wordpress is clever sometimes, isn’t it?  Meantime, let’s go and see Cate at Show My Face and see how she’s feeling this week.

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Jakesprinter’s Sunday Post : Sentimental Value

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Jake gave us a beautiful post this week for his theme, Sentimental Value, and I almost decided not to take part.  I have so many silly, sentimental things that I’ve hoarded down the years, and some of them are deeply personal.  But this is a travel blog, isn’t it, so in the interests of “the show must go on”, I’ve found some things that I can share with you.

Ticket montage

Ticket montage

Over the years I don’t know how many ticket stubs I must’ve pushed into a handbag pocket as a souvenir of whichever boat ride or ancient monument.  Some of them, I forget are there till months later.  But recently I had a great idea.  I’m going to compile some of the more colourful ones (as above) and decoupage them onto a coffee table top.  Well, if I’m truthful, I hoped that my daughter might do this for me, as she’s so much better at crafty things.  Still, I think I might manage.  What do you reckon?  It would make a great conversation piece, wouldn’t it?

I’ve kept old Snoopy watches that no longer work, cards that I have to cull every year otherwise they’d flow down the stairs, and, of course, postcards.  I used to buy them in quantity, in case the holiday photos weren’t a success.  In these digital days that’s not such a problem, but I still struggle to pass a postcard stand without a surreptitious glance.  I also used them as a holiday diary.  Nowadays I’ve progressed to a notebook.

Let’s share a couple of favourites.  Why would I want to part with them?  The memories are invaluable.

The Dalyan peninsula, Turkey

The Dalyan peninsula, Turkey

Salzburg in Austria

Salzburg in Austria

Kas, also in Turkey

Kas, also in Turkey

Sukiennice, Krakow

Sukiennice, Krakow

And, of course, Tavira

And, of course, Tavira

I’m feeling thoroughly sentimental now.  Thanks, Jake.  I’ll be over to check out the other entries later.  Click on the lucky snake logo or the links to go with me.