15th World Gymnaestrada 2015 Helsinki

The World Gymnaestrada 2015 Helsinki was the best festival of the summer of 2015! It was a perfect mixture of festival, friendship and joy. Seven days full of gymnasts’ passion and talent, good spirit and unity. The 15th World Gymnaestrada rounded up the Gymnastics World in Helsinki in July!

Helsinki, together with the whole metropolitan area, was ready to welcome the international gymnastics family as guests. The Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture, Cities of Helsinki, Vantaa and Espoo, the Finnish Gymnastics Federation and the Local Organising Committee worked closely with each other to make this event come to life. This top team is also living its own dream of organising a worldwide Gymnastics for All events with enthusiasm and excitement.

The Finnish summer is at its best in July. Warm days and a sun that doesn’t really set provided an unforgettable experience to all of the participants of the 15th World Gymnaestrada.

Thank you Ella.

The Aurora in St Petersburg

Aurora is a 1900 Russian protected cruiser, currently preserved as a museum ship in St. Petersburg. Aurora was one of three Pallada-class cruisers, built in St. Petersburg for service in the Pacific. All three ships of this class served during theRusso-Japanese War. Aurora survived the Battle of Tsushima and was interned under US protection in the Philippines, eventually returned to the Baltic Fleet. The second ship, Pallada, was sunk by the Japanese at Port Arthur in 1904. The third ship, Diana, was interned in Saigon after the Battle of the Yellow Sea. One of the first incidents of the October Revolution in Russia took place on the cruiserAurora.

Thank you Merja.

Wuling Farm

Purple Sunny Chang sent me this card about the Wonderful Wuling Farm, a well known tourist attraction in the central mountain area of Taiwan.

 

Way before the Central Highway was completed, Taiwan's aboriginal tribe, the Ataya, had long been residing along the upper stream of Da-Jia river. The residents of Huanshan, Sungmao, Lisan and Jiayang tribe in Taichung City lived a self sufficient farming life.

After the completion of the Central Highway in 1958, there was a gradual increase of population in Wuling, as people engaged in farming or foresting activities gradually moved into this area. A group of cultivators, in the name of "Taiwan's Veteran Cultivation Reclaim Service Station", started to build the "Wuling Cultivation Area" here.

In the spring of 1963, late president Chiang Ching-kuo, the Chairman of the Vocational Assistance Commission for Retired Servicemen (now titled Veterans Affairs Commission), devoted himself to exploring the mountainous areas in search of person with hardships. He then named the "Wuling Cultivation Area" as "Wuling Farm" on 10th May 1963, and appointed Mr. Lin De-Gi as the first director of the farm. At the initial stage, the farm was under the Veteran Farm Committee.

A Wonderful Card from Canada

This card was sent to me by Denise from Canada. The picture on the card is of a sheaf of wheat. Pretty nice really, but do look at the stamps my friend affixed to the card. They are simply superb, and almost a collection by themselves. Never before have I ever seen a card with so many stamps. Not ordinary stamps, they are wonderful stamps. Thank you Dear Denise. 

Mikhaíl Afanasyevich Bulgakov

Sabine from Belgium sent me this card featuring Mikhaíl Afanasyevich Bulgakov (May 15, 1891 – March 10, 1940), a Russian writer and playwright active in the first half of the 20th century. He is best known for his novel The Master and Margarita, which has been called one of the masterpieces of the 20th century.

Donald Duck

Saskia from Germany sent me this nice card. I have always enjoyed cartoons by Walt Disney. Thank you Saskia.

Sampaguita Festival in San Pedro, Laguna, Philippines

My friend Michael in the Philippines sent me this colourful card about the Sampaguita Festival which is a week-long celebration which includes various activities ranging from  cultural to athletics, trade fairs, dance contests, parades,  art-exhibits, social and religious gatherings, tribal dance and sports  exhibitions in San Pedro, Laguna, Philippines. The festival is about celebrating the national flower of the Philippines- the sampaguita flower.

The town of San Pedro, Laguna is a place that has a thriving 'sampaguita-industry' in the Philippines. Garlands of sampaguita flowers  are being made in the town. Farmers in the town are still  cultivating the flower. The Sampaguita Festival coincides with San Pedro Day- a local holiday for the town. San Pedro Day is celebrated every February 21- the actual day when the said festival is at its peak.  The pictures on this card show participants being awarded for their costumes.