Japan

23/9/14
I love this postcard! It was sent to me by Noriko, who wrote my name in Japanese! She also told me the Japanese for Owl (Fukurou), Oriental Stork (Kouno Tori) and Japanese Crane (Tancho). Maybe one day I will visit and be able to use these words with the locals!

Thanks so much for this unique card - I'm going to try and identify the species with some help from other birding friends!

*****

30/8/14
Sun bought this postcard at Tennoji Zoo in Osaka. According to him, the Owl is a good symbol in Japan, so everyone likes seeing owls. At the zoo there were lots of different animals, including bears, penguins and monkeys.

Thanks for your postcard.

*****

8/8/14
Saki sent me this lovely postcard showing a Japanese Hokkaido Squirrel, a cousin to the Red Squirrel that we have in the UK. It looks very similar but our squirrels don't have as much of a pale chest and I think the Asian cousin may win on ear tufts!

Thanks for the postcard.

*****

30/5/14
Kayu sent me this postcard from Mt Fuji, which is now a World Heritage Site. This was sent as a TAG called "postcard from next journey" which I think is a great idea, sending a postcard to a random person while on your holiday.

Thanks so much for the postcard, and I hope you had a good time visiting this impressive mountain.

*****

31/3/14
Kat sent me this vintage "ad" postcard from Japan. It is advertising the Sapporo Brewery. Just before the war, Japanese women stopped wearing the kimono, and instead adopted the American "flapper" style, which I love!

Thanks so much for the postcard and the information about Postcrossing - I will definitely be sticking with it.

22/3/14
I included Japan on my list of "countries I would like to visit" for a tag. It is a country that has always intrigued me, so I was very happy to receive this postcard from Pjazz et al. They explained that it is actually quite rare to see a Maiko girl in public places, except at special events. Sometimes you can see them going to work around the Gion area of Kyoto, but you are lucky to see them.

Thanks so much for the card, and I hope to say Konnichiwa! someday in the future!

Argentina

22/4/14
This drawing was made by Lino Enea Spilimergo, a famous Argentinian artist. It is supposed to represent San Juan in 1929, before the city started to grow into the countryside. Paola lives in San Juan, so I can only imagine what it looks like today!

Thanks so much for the postcard and the information about the artists.

*****

20/3/14
Renzo sent me these two surprising postcards from Argentina. Surprising because I naively forgot that Argentina has some pretty high mountains and I did not expect to see snow! These could almost be Scotland!

Mendoza looks like a very pretty area - this postcard reminds me of Central Park in NYC.

I love reflections of landscapes in lakes, and this postcard is amazing for that! The building looks like a hotel or resort but I think the best view is definitely from where the photo was taken!

I definitely hope to visit Argentina in the future, and will make a point of visiting this area! Thanks so much for showing me your province.

Greece

18/3/14
My first Greek postcard could not get very more Greek! This is Santorini, which is Elena's favourite Greek island. She has visited twice and I'm very jealous - it looks beautiful! I love the white buildings with the blue dome roofs - this is what I think of when someone says Greece!

Thanks so much for the card - another place for me to visit one day!

Sweden

 20/9/14
My friend Dafne sent me this map card of Öland, where we met and worked over the summer. It shows the many species of birds that can be found on the island, including a Collared Flycatcher, the species we were studying! The only species shown on here that I didn't see was the Golden Oriole. 
I miss Öland so much, and definitely want to go back again!

Thanks so much for the postcard!

*****

19/9/14
I stayed with Amir in Uppsala and he was interested in my postcard collection. So when I got home, I sent him one from Wales and he sent me this one in return. This reminds me of celebrating Midsummer on Öland doing lots of traditional (and slightly crazy) dancing!

Many thanks for the postcard, and I'm sure we'll meet again!

*****

12/3/14
William responded to my request on a facebook group asking for bird postcards. We will be working together (on birds) in Sweden this summer, so I was looking forward to what he might send me. Certainly wasn't expecting Gulls! The names are given in Swedish, but I think we have a Common Gull, Arctic Tern, Black Headed Gull and Herring Gull.

Thanks for the postcard, and looking forward to birding Sweden with you this summer!

Morocco

8/7/14
Gouari sent me this postcard showing one of the famous mosques in Casablanca. He was enjoying the summer weather, which I can imagine is a lot hotter than the UK, despite our recent heatwave!

Thanks so much for the postcard.

*****

11/3/14
El Jadida is a UNESCO WHS on the coast of Morocco, and lives up to the "land of hospitality" with this amazing card from Merouan. He likes running and I can imagine this beach being really popular for running on.

Thanks for the postcard and good luck with the half marathon next month!

Jersey

11/3/14
Carla is a doggy facebook friend and we often chat about our love of Border Collies. She finally found some postcards from Jersey and sent me this lovely one! Without reading the back I was already planning a trip, but after reading about the wetlands reserve, the beaches and the lighthouse, I'm now DEFINITELY coming for a visit! You have been warned!

Thanks so much for the postcard, and hopefully see you in the not too distant future!

Spain

4/9/14
Patricia sent me this lovely postcard of a Canarian Canary! She lives in Tenerife in a house surrounded by banana trees, and loves sitting on the porch watching the birds and listening to their lively and cheerful songs.

Thanks so much for the postcard and the information.

*****

11/3/14
Ida sent me this postcard from her holiday to Valencia last year (she posted it in Italy). She says that it is a nice city with good food and a good climate, so I think I might have to visit one day!

Thanks for the postcard and hope you have more travels planned!

Belarus

19/9/14
Tanya sent me this postcard of storks. She enjoys travelling, hiking, reading and learning foreign languages, with Swedish being next on the cards. I only know a few words "Hej" meaning Hello, and "svartvit flugsnappare" is Pied Flycatcher, a small migratory bird that is common in the south.

Many thanks for the postcard, and good luck learning Swedish!

*****

25/7/14
I really am enjoying receiving these Fauna of Belarus postcards. This postcard was sent by Alexandr and shows some storks on a nest. They are huge birds and I remember from my travels that their nests can look quite messy on houses and churches. But I'd love them to nest so close to me... watching the babies grow up from your window must be a treat!

Thanks so much for the postcard.

*****

2/4/14
Another bird from Belarus! Catie sent me this postcard showing me a Rook, and said that they are common in parks and gardens, as well as in the forests. They are very used to people. Although they mostly eat insects, they do cause problems by also eating the seeds sown in the spring time.

Thanks so much for the postcard, and the info on Rooks in Belarus!

*****

20/3/14
Tanya sent me this Stork postcard. In literature, Belarus is often called the "land under white wings" which is a beautiful saying. She enjoys watching them flying and in the fields and has seen the much rarer Black Stork once in a preserved forest.

Thanks for the great postcard and insight into Storks in Belarus

*****

19/3/14
Minsk has lots of wonderful architecture! Olya sent me this lovely postcard showing one of the main squares in the town, with the symbolic Stork fountain!
Thanks for the postcard - I think I will definitely need to visit Belarus one day soon to see all of this for myself!

*****

10/3/14
This impressive building is the National Library of Belarus in Minsk. It was sent to me by Andrei who tagged me in the "Who are you?" thread. He described his likes in films and music and said that he has recently returned from the army and is making up for lost time by joining postcrossing to communicate with people around the world.

Thanks for the postcard, and good luck with your plans.

Slovakia

3/3/14
Lubo sent me this gorgeous postcard showing a Tatra Chamois. These goat like animals are the symbol of the High Tatra Mountains and are slowly recovering in population after the law changed, making them a protected species. I'd love to visit this area one day to see all the wildlife first hand!

Thanks so much for the postcard and the information.

New Zealand

27/8/14
I received this map card of New Zealand from Lynette. She feels that the best bit of being part of the Commonwealth is the Games, because New Zealand loves sports!

Thanks for the postcard.

*****

11/4/14
The Takahe is a large flightless bird which was thought to be extinct until a small population was discovered. They now survive on offshore islands and number about 270, though chick survival is not great.This bird is chewing the base of the grasses, which they require in high volumes for relatively low nutritional value.

Thanks again to Sharon for this brightly coloured bird.

*****

10/4/14
Not to be confused with the Kakapo, the Kakako (aka Blue Wattled Crow) is another bird from New Zealand that struggles to fly. Sharon says that they instead "run around the trees like squirrels." They are one of her favourite birds and have a beautiful song - I found a youtube video and it is enchanting.

Thanks so much for another Kiwi bird (and no Kiwi yet!)

*****

21/3/14
I got an interesting weather report from Mel in Auckland. Apparently it was a bit chilly when she was writing this card, but was supposed to hit 20 degrees later, which is quite warm for the area. Sounds a bit like Britain, except 20 would be classed as "shorts, t-shirts, flip flops and BBQ weather!"

Thanks for the postcard, and I hope it did warm up a bit later on.

*****

3/3/14
You can't help but smile at this! Sharon sent me this lovely postcard of Sirocco, a mischievous Kakapo who has gained celebrity status for his cheeky antics. Sharon told me about how rare these unique birds are (only 180 left) and they only breed every 3-5 years. But there is good news as they have had some chicks this year, so fingers crossed the population continues to grow.

Thanks so much for the postcard and information about this iconic species.

Serbia

1/3/14

Milan sent me this HUGE postcard showing the five six bridges of Belgrade. This city is built on the confluence of the rivers Sava and Danube. I love cities on rivers, and have spent some time on the Danube at Budapest, Bratislava and Vienna. It is possibly my favourite river and flows through some amazing countryside and cities.

Thanks so much for your postcard, and I'd love to visit Belgrade one day and explore the Danube some more.

*****

5/3/14
Sandra put out a request for postcards on a forum. She works in a kindergarten and was looking for postcards from around the world to show the children and help teach them about different countries. We are both members of Couchsurfing and she has invited me to visit her in Vrsac one day.

Thanks so much for the postcard and invite, and I hope that the children learn lots from your project.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

1/3/14
Sandra sent me this lovely multi-view card of her city, Banja Luka. It is the second largest city of the country and there are lots of green spaces and parks here, so it is often called the Green City. The fortress is a famous part of the city history and lots of cultural events take place here.

Thanks so much for the postcard, and I hope to visit one day.

Sri Lanka

3/3/14
I am always amazed that birds we in the UK consider exotic are very common in other countries! Yala National Park looks like THE place to go for birding, although I know that sleeping might be difficult with the resident Peacocks!

Massive thanks to Hema for this great postcard of Sri Lankan birds! Definitely want to visit even more now!

Albania

25/3/14
Holger sent me this lovely multiview card of archaeological sites around Albania. This area looks like it has been influenced by so many cultures and leaders over the years, with castles, amphitheaters and aqueducts alongside palaces and churches.

Thanks for the postcard!

*****

8/3/14
I sent Dritan a postcard at the special request of his friend, so was pleasantly surprised to receive a card in return from him. He collects lots of items, including stamps and coins. Berati looks like an amazing place, with plenty of history if it is 2400 years old! I'd certainly like to visit one day and explore this intriguing country.

Thanks so much for the postcard, and happy collecting!

Hong Kong

 9/9/14
Yip Yin sent me this lovely hand drawn Giraffe postcard, which made me smile. She is very excited about publishing some of her work later this month, which is great! She also tells of a time when she rescued a baby bird from the street, put it in her school bag and spent all day worrying about if the teacher found out. When she got home, she gave the baby some food and eventually it grew up and flew away.

Thanks so much for the postcard and the lovely story, and good luck with you published work!

*****

8/9/14
Ruby sent me this postcard showing a Beagle puppy coming over to say hello. She says that Hong Kong is like a city to China, but they are special administrative region and the culture is very different from China.

Thanks for the postcard.

*****

15/8/14
Liane sent me this impressive night view postcard of the famous Hong Kong skyline. She was a child when Hong Kong was declared independent of the UK in 1997. Since then it has officially been part of China. She says that many people would prefer to be ruled by Britain again.

Thanks for the postcard and the insights into your country.

*****

26/4/14
I received this card and was amazed at the amount of stickers and writing on the back. The stamps were also very nice, with a bird, a dog and a commemorative stamp for stamps!

Thanks so much for the postcard.

*****

15/3/14
Sarah sent me this postcard showing some dumplings, which are a traditional food in Hong Kong. They look a lot nicer than British dumplings, which are basically balls of dough, usually in stews. I was also very excited to have another Glow in the Dark Dinosaur stamp, this time a Protoceratops andrewsi. 

Thanks for the postcard and stamp, I now really want to try these dumplings!

*****

 8/3/14
Heidi tagged me in the thread "eyes closed", which means selecting a card at random to send to the person you've tagged. This painting is part of a tour of World Famous Paintings, but Heidi told me about her love of the BBC show Sherlock. I must admit that I don't watch much tv, so don't really follow it, but I know plenty of people who do! I always find it strange that UK shows, especially BBC shows are so popular in other countries. I guess it's the same as us going made over shows made in the USA.

Thanks for the TAG, and an insight into your tv schedule.

*****

6/3/14
My first official Postcrossing Postcard! Alan sent me this postcard showing the rural countryside of Hong Kong - I think it looks very similar to the UK!
I also got some special stamps, 2 birds and a Glow in the Dark dinosaur! Not sure what way to stick this on my wall now, as I want to see the Tuojiangosaurus multispinus glow!

Thanks so much for the postcard and the stamps!

Switzerland

8/3/14
Grace sent me this gorgeous postcard of a Labrador for my Dog collection. I love that the autumnal leaves match the colour of this delightful pup. I know lots of labradors (they are very popular pets in the UK) but haven't seen any this colour before!

Thanks so much for the postcard, and hope we can swap again soon.

Italy

17/5/14
My good friend Kat sent me this postcard from her holiday in Italy. She likes cars, so was very excited to spend some time surrounded by fast cars (mostly Ferraris) around Milan. She says that she is in love with Italy - the food, people and cars... I think she came home to the UK, but I have a feeling this will be the first of many trips to Italy for her.

Thanks for the postcard, and next time, I'm coming too!

*****

13/3/14
Ave sent me this lovely postcard showing the Pitti Palace in Florence. She loves visiting the Royal Apartments and the Art Galleries that are now housed in this fabulous building from the Renaissance period

Thanks so much for the postcard, and I hope you continue to enjoy the art.

*****

5/3/14
Max sent me this lovely postcard from Milan, showing the Duomo, or Cathedral. It is the most important monument in Milan and certainly looks like a very impressive building from the square, especially all lit up at night.

Thanks for the postcard, and I hope to visit Italy soon, so will definitely pay Milan a visit!

Portugal

 1/3/14
Kim is a friend from work who was visiting Portugal and promised me a postcard. I got a message from her saying that she had been unable to find one (she was visiting family in Picha, a remote area in the mountains and forest) so was going to make me one instead. I was looking forward to receiving my first home made postcard, and this is what I got! The recipe is for apple jam, which apparently has lots of sugar in it! Might try translating it so I can try it out - never had apple jam before!

I never considered Portugal as a place I'd visit for the wildlife, but reading her description of the owls, woodpeckers and boar, I may have to see about a trip out there someday! Picha is a very traditional village with a market, and the main industry is timber, but I was surprised to see eucalyptus mentioned.

Apparently, Portugal likes to sell postcards on the "wrong" side of the airport, so Kim bought me this postcard and posted it as soon as she landed in the UK.

Thanks again for the postcards, and maybe I'll tag along with you next time you visit!

Latvia

4/3/14
I did a direct swap with Zane, and absolutely love this postcard. It is embossed with the skyline of Riga across the centre, but this fits in so nicely with the images that it doesn't look out of place. Riga has lots of trees and parks, which must mean that there is plenty of urban wildlife to be found.

Thanks for the postcard.