Postcards for the Weekend - from the U.K.

For this weekend, Maria has given us the PFTW theme
”from a country/ favorite place you have visited”

The foreign country that I have visited the most, even if it was long ago, is the U.K. In recent years, I have also received several postcards to remind me of those holidays spent in England, Wales and Scotland back in the 1970’s. Some have come from strangers via Postcrossing; but even more have dropped in from one particular postcrossing friend. 

Postcrossing card (GB-554872) 2014: The Houses of Parliament – London
Our first family holiday to Britain was a week in London in 1969.
I also visited London again in 1972.

 

From John, January 2016 - Piccadilly Circus, photo from 1893/94
This photo was taken a bit before my time!
But I have been there.

Windsor – The Henry III Tower and Round Tower
From John, 2014

While in London in 1969, we also went on one or two bus tours out of the big city, and visited both Windsor Castle (above), and Anne Hathaway’s cottage in Stratford-upon-Avon (below). (Anne Hathaway was the wife of William Shakespeare, and this cottage is where she lived as a child.)

Anne Hathaway’s cottage, Stratford-upon-Avon – from John, 2014

Devon Cottages - from John, 2013

My memories of Devon are rather vague, but I know we must have passed through there in 1974 to get to Cornwall…

Thatched roof cottages always remind me (still) of a book my mum used to read to me when I was even younger, about a little English girl by name of Milly-Molly who lived in such a cottage. Actually (I have learned more recently), in English she is called Milly-Molly-Mandy. But in the Swedish translation they skipped Mandy. So I know her as just Milly-Molly.

Little Moreton Hall, Cheshire - from John, 2016

One day on our family trip in 1971, my parents left me with a penfriend of mine and her family in Stoke-on-Trent. (First time I was left “all alone” with no choice but to speak English!) Together with them I visited this magnificent Tudor manor house from the 1500’s – Little Moreton Hall. I don’t think there was a straight angle in the whole building!

Scotland - From John, 2014

In 1971, we also drove up to Scotland (as far north as Inverness and Loch Ness). Lots of moors and sheep and hills and mountains… And I do seem to remember that we may also have seen/heard some bagpipers at Edinburgh Castle. (Not THE famous Edinburgh Tattoo event, but something minor, for tourists. Or perhaps my memory deceives me? Not sure…)

Scottish Bagpiper – from John, 2014

Postcrossing card (GB-612364), 2014

  We also visited both these castles in Wales.
▲Caernarvon in 1971, and Conway in 1974.▼

Conwy Castle, Wales – from John, 2016

 

Llanfair… – from John, 2014

And also the Welsh village Llanfairpwllgwyngyll, or…

(Wikipedia)

The long form of the name was invented for promotional purposes in the 1860s. With 58 characters it is the longest place name in Europe... And my dad, railway and steam engines enthusiast, wanted to visit it to get a platform ticket from there – and photos of the station house with sign, of course.

Platform ticket (scanned from my photo album from 1974)

 

My dad’s photo of the railway station
… which I recently found in a “surprise” envelope that fell out of an old writing pad that I must haven taken home when we emptied the House a few years ago. Besides this photo the envelope contained  a cutting from some magazine with the Swedish translation of that long name + two other railway photos.

(Now that you’ve seen that name four times in a row, you know it by heart, right? … Just kidding…) 

A Box of Air

Yesterday, I received a text message that I had a parcel to pick up. I was not too surprised that I had to go and collect it, but as all I had ordered was two sets of postcards and some stickers, I had still expected a flat and rather small parcel – not the big box that was handed to me over the counter. I had to check the address label twice to make sure it was really for me! The box was light, but still nothing seemed to be rattling around in there.

When I got home, the secret was revealed: On top of the few flat items at the bottom of the box, were 20 bags of Sealed Air:

The pleasure of popping those for recycling is still ahead of me.

(Little My - Moomin character - sticker)

Never Trust the Weather

Very little snow all winter – until now, a week into March…!

Yesterday it snowed and snowed (and with quite a strong wind blowing too), and I did not set foot outside. Today I did, though. Just for a short walk around the neighbourhood – but I still needed all the winter gear…

There’s always a certain magic to fresh and untouched snow.
Even in the month of March.

Why no children out playing? you might ask. The answer is that these photos were taken around 1 p.m. on a weekday, and at that time of day most children would be in school or daycare… 

Panorama view over football (soccer) field with untouched snow.

When I got back in and looked out onto my balcony, there was evidence that “someone” had come calling while I was out… but changed their mind! (…right in front of the balcony door…)

Postcards for the Weekend - Sweden

This week the PFTW theme is “from your home country”.

I was born in Sweden, my family roots in this country go back generations, and I’ve lived here all my life. So that’s the easy part.

Choosing what postcards to show… Not quite as easy, perhaps. But since I have scanned all cards I sent out on Postcrossing adventures over the past few years, I’ll have a look among those.

 

I’ll start with this, as it shows much that both tourists and natives often find typical of Sweden. At least in summer! Lots of nature – and easy access to it. There are rather generous rules allowing people to hike across or temporarily camp on another's land, boating on someone else's waters, and picking wildflowers, mushrooms and berries. However, you are of course not allowed to litter or cause damage; and there are special restrictions for endangered species and nature reserve areas etc.

If anyone is wondering about the elk/moose hugging the country, it’s because the European elk is known as the King of the Forest here.

Sweden is otherwise a constitutional hereditary monarchy with a parliamentary system; which means that we have a human King as well, but only as ceremonial head of state, while the real power lies with the democratically elected parliament.

The present royal family descends from Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, who was imported from France as crown prince back in the early 1800s when there was no legitimate heir from the previous royal family in Sweden. Our present king is Carl XVI Gustaf, born 1946, and on the throne since 1973. In 1976 he married Silvia Sommerlath, whose father was German and her mother Brazilian, and who grew up in both those countries. Next in line to the Swedish throne is their eldest daughter, Crown Princess Victoria. In 2010 Victoria married her former personal trainer Daniel Westling (there was some fuss about that…) who was then also given the title prince. By now they have two children together: Estelle (5) and Oscar (1).

Victoria’s two younger siblings also both married partners without royal background; and on the whole it’s all been rather a boost for the popularity of the royal family, with one big royal wedding after another, and no less than five little princesses and princes born in the last few years. In the postcard above you see, from left to right: Prince Daniel, Crown Princess Victoria,  King Carl XIV Gustaf, Queen Silvia, Prince Carl Philip (then not yet married), Princess Madeleine and her British-American husband Chris O’Neill (who declined the title of prince). (My guess is that the photo is from 2013, which is when Madeleine and Chris got married.) For certain traditional celebrations (like national day or midsummer) the queen and princesses often wear folk costumes.

Our National Day and Swedish Flag Day is 6th June. However, the most traditionally Swedish celebration of all is probably Midsummer. On a typical Midsummer dinner table you will find fresh potatoes (the early ones are ready to be harvested just about then), pickled herring (must confess I’m not a fan of it myself), meatballs (for those who don’t like herring), bread and butter… And for dessert: Fresh strawberries and whipped cream. Possibly on top of a cake decorated with little Swedish flags:

And of course - in our dreams/memories and postcards at least! - always perfect weather, lush green nature and picturesque old red wooden houses…

(Illustration postcard by Erkers Marie Persson)

… and/or looking out over the sea or a lake …

(Illustration postcard by Björn Berg)

Truth be told, though, it’s just as likely to be raining!

(Illustration postcard by Lena Andersson)

Indoors Spring

Last week, a florist’s shop close to where I live had a sell-out. (They may open again somewhere else in the future, but then probably not in my neighbourhood.) I’ll miss them; but meanwhile, I decided to take advantage of the sell-out and bought several new fresh indoor plants for my windows. With prices 50-70% off, I felt I could afford to indulge myself.

I also bought more tulips, even though they don’t last long…
All the more reason to take photos while I had them, though!

 

If fresh tulips are short-lived, orchids usually last all the longer.

As do Saintpaulias and Streptocarpus
(African violets and Cape primrose)

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