Secret Garden of Capriccio: 2013

Friday, August 16, 2013

【Russia】Moscow: Plan for the city of Irkutsk

Distance:7,394 km (4,594 miles)

Travel time: 23 days

Another beautiful old map from Russia. This is the city plan for Irkutsk in the early 20th century.

【USA】Massachusetts: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Distance: 12,455 km (7,739 miles)

Travel time: 18 days

A beautiful map card from Massachusetts. The state has a nickname, Bay State.

Thursday, August 8, 2013

【Belgium】Brugge: drawing

Distance: 9,668 km (6,007 miles)

Travel time: 12 days

This is the first postcard from Belgium.

Distance: 9,219 km (5,728 miles)

Travel time: 15 days

Sent by Sven from Germany. This beautiful art piece is drawn by one of my favorite artists, Mucha, in 1898.

Distance: 7,934 km (4,930 miles)

Travel time: 21 days

I sent a postcard of cat to Katya in June. She liked it and offered a request of direct swap. Finally, after half a month, I found this adorable card in my mailbox. Filled with Belorussian stamps issued in the past twenty years, this stamp card is definitely a surprise.

【Brazil】São Paulo: Carnival

Distance: 18,716 km (11,630 miles)

Travel time: 22 days

The first postcard from Brazil. I have never received one with such special size--22 meters long. It's about the world-famous carnival.

Monday, August 5, 2013

【Netherlands】Leeuwarden: The World (1686)

Distance: 9,399 km (5,840 miles)

Travel time: 9 days

This beautiful old map came from Fei, a Chinese student in Netherlands. Though I put maps on the top of my list, few would actually send me one. This is the forth map card I got. So I'm really appreciated.

【swap-USA】Dan from Redondo Beach #5: San Francisco

Travel time: 12 days

The Golden Gate in San Francisco.

Travel time: 60 days

A very unique map of old stars in 1940s living in Shanghai. Unfortunately the color is grey and hard to read the map clearly.

【Netherlands】Zoetermeer: Fairy Tales photo

Distance: 9,543 km (5,930 miles)

Travel time: 9 days

【USA】Colorado: door bell

Distance: 12,139 km (7,543 miles)

Travel time: 10 days

Issued: Jan. 23, 2013

Spicebush Swallowtail (Butterfly)

Denomination: 0.66 USD

Issued: 1966

Humane Treatment of Animals

Denomination: 0.05 USD

Issued: July 30, 2005

American Treasure series - New Mexico Rio Grande Blankets

Denomination: 0.37 USD

New Mexico Rio Grande Blankets series

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

【Russia】Tula: dog

Distance: 7,422 km (4,612 miles)

Travel time: 39 days

From Svetlana in Russia. This lovely dog is a self-printed postcard.

Thursday, July 4, 2013

【swap-USA】Dan from Redondo Beach #4: Dodger Stadium

Travel time: 9 days

Dan and his friend from Taiwan paid a visit to Dodger Stadium and enjoyed a nice game.

Friday, June 28, 2013

【swap-Japan】Mamiko from Kumamoto #2: "Cherries"

Distance: 1,371 km (852 miles)

Travel time: 3 days

Cherries by an unknown Japanese artist. Unfortunately I can't read Japanese. Therefore I couldn't tell what the words mean.

【Australia】Melbourne: New York House Number and Transit Guide

Distance: 7,315 km (4,545 miles)

Travel time: 10 days

From Megan in Australia and the first card from there. The funny thing is that the recipient of the very first card I sent to Australia is also named Megan. What a coincidence.

This postcard is published by Cavallini, a famous stationary brand in San Francisco. The company is also well-known of its wrapping paper. I have a poster of this same map, but postcard is the other thing.

【Germany】Cologne: Schöne Grüße aus Bad Neuenahr

Distance: 9,484 km (5,893 miles)

Travel time: 9 days

The views of Bad Neuenahr, capital of Ahrweiler and the well-known hot spring area in Germany.

Distance: 696 km (432 miles)

Travel time: 15 days

From Yetta in Hong Kong. This card was published in 1998 by Sing Tao Daily for their 60th anniversary. On 4 January 1972, the luxury liner Queen Elizabeth caught fire in Hong Kong while being redecorated for use as a floating university. It blazed for four days before sinking in Victoria Harbor.

【USA】Florida: Miami city view

Distance: 14,048 km (8,729 miles)

Travel time: 10 days

Issued: Feb. 22, 2012

Four Flags - Equality

Denomination: forever

Thursday, June 13, 2013

【Russia】Velikiye Luki: Russian Money

Distance: 7,814 km (4,855 miles)

Travel time: 16 days

From a eleven-year-old kid. This is the field guide of Russian money.

Distance: 7,985 km (4,962 miles)

Travel time: 51 days

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

【USA】Pennsylvania: Gray Wolf Pack

Distance: 12,585 km (7,820 miles)

Travel time: 15 days

These are Gray wolves.

Issued: 2007

American Design series - American Toleware

Denomination: 0.05 USD

Thursday, May 30, 2013

【Germany】Frankfurt: cat #2

Distance: 9,432 km (5,861 miles)

Travel time: 14 days

Cute kittens from Katja in Germany.

【Switzerland】Zurich: Church of Saint Abbondio (XI century)

Distance: 9,582 km (5,954 miles)

Travel time: 28 days

First postcard from Switzerland. Kathrin said she found this vintage card in an old bookshop in Zurich.

【swap-Japan】Mamiko from Kumamoto: Kumamoto Prefectural Museum of Art--The Walking Beauty

Distance: 1,371 km (852 miles)

Travel time: 4 days

Mamiko sent me the card of Renoir's painting last time. Then we started swapping. This time she sent me the a traditional Japanese art postcard. The Walking Beauty is stored in Kumamoto Prefectural Museum of Art.