Portland Head Light

Portland Head Light is a historic lighthouse in Cape Elizabeth, Maine that sits at the entrance of the shipping channel into Casco Bay. The headlight was the first built by the United States government, and is now a part of Fort Williams Park. Cape Elizabeth is the home of Portland Head Light. Situated along the spectacular shores of Fort Williams Park, at 1000 Shore Road, the popular landmark is owned and managed by the Town of Cape Elizabeth, Maine. The Museum at Portland Head Light is contained within the former Keepers' Quarters. The adjacent ninety acre Fort Williams Park offers picnic facilities, hiking opportunities, sports and recreation areas, historic fort structures, and unlimited ocean views. Portland Head has long protected Portland and the adjacent area. Cape Elizabeth residents were deeply committed to American independence from British rule. In 1776, the new Town of Cape Elizabeth posted a guard of eight soldiers at Portland Head to warn citizens of coming British attacks.

In 1787, the General Court of Massachusetts (the Massachusetts legislature) provided $750 to begin construction of a lighthouse. The original tower measured 72' from base to lantern deck and was lit with 16 whale oil lamps. It was first lit on January 10, 1791. By 1865, the tower was raised 20' and a 2nd order Fresnel lens was installed. A portion of this lens may now be seen at the Museum at Portland Head Light. Except for a period between1883 and1885, this lens was in the lighthouse until 1958.

Late on Christmas Eve in 1886, the three masted bark Annie C. Maguire struck the ledge at Portland Head. Keeper Joshua Strout, his son, wife, and volunteers rigged an ordinary ladder as a gangplank between the shore and the ledge the ship was heeled against. Captain O'Neil, the ship's master, his wife, two mates, and the nine man crew clambered onto the ledge and then to safety . The cause of the wreck is puzzling since visibility was not a problem. Members of the crew reported they "plainly saw Portland Light before the disaster and are unable to account for same." My dear Friend Maria sent me thiscard.

Moominworld at Naantali

Naantali is a city in south-western Finland, known as one of the most important tourist centres of the country. The municipality has a population of 18,782 (31 January 2011), and is located in the region of Finland Proper, 14 kilometres (8.7 miles) west of Turku. One of the oldest towns in Finland, Naantali was founded around the mediaeval Brigittine convent Vallis gratiae, the church of which still dominates its skyline. The name Naantali is the Fennecised version of the Swedish name of the town, Nådendal. The Swedish name was given as a direct translation from the Latin Vallis Gratiae which literally means "The Valley of Grace".

Moomin World (Muumimaailma in Finnish, Muminvärlden in Swedish) is the Moomin Theme Park especially for children, based on the Moomin books by Tove Jansson. Moomin World is on the island of Kailo beside the old town of Naantali, near the city of Turku in Western Finland. The blueberry-coloured Moomin House is the main attraction. Tourists are allowed to freely visit all five stories. Hemulen's yellow house is located next to the Moomin House. It is also possible to see Moominmama's Kitchen, Fire Station, Snufkin's Camp, Moominpappa's boat, etc. in Moomin World. Visitors may meet Moomin characters there or the Witch in her cottage. Moomin World isn't a traditional amusement park. There are many activities and fantasy paths for children there, e.g., Toffle's Path with Witch's Labyrinth, The Hattifatteners' Cave and The Groke's House. There are also performances in Moomin Theatre Emma. Moomin World is open daily from mid-June to mid-August. The nearby Väski Adventure Island is also a special sight for children.

The stamp and the postmark are also very illustrative of the Moominworl Theme. This Card was sent to me by my dear friend Brita from Naantali, which she visited recently.

Moulin Rouge

Moulin Rouge is a cabaret built in 1889 by Joseph Oller, who also owned the Paris Olympia. Close to Montmartre in the Paris district of Pigalle on Boulevard de Clichy in the 18th arrondissement, it is marked by the red windmill on its roof. This risqué world-famous cabaret, performed in a 19th-century windmill, has been exciting audiences since 1900. I had the dubious pleasure of sneaking into and witnessing the cabaret show there in the Summer of 1957, when rhe 16 year old son of our host, managed to smuggle me into it. It was touch and go for both of us almost.

The Moulin Rouge is best known as the spiritual birthplace of the modern form of the can-can dance. Originally introduced as a seductive dance by the courtesans who operated from the site, the can-can dance revue evolved into a form of entertainment of its own and led to the introduction of cabarets across Europe. Today the Moulin Rouge is a tourist destination, offering musical dance entertainment for visitors from around the world. Much of the romance of turn-of-the-century France is still present in the club's decor. However, it is said that due to better quality cabarets now available in Paris, the Moulin Rouge is left with more of a debatable reputation, than any real high quality. A real pity indeed. My dear friend Maria sent me this card during her recent visit there.

Brown’s Head Light.

Browns Head Light is a lighthouse in Vinalhaven, Maine. It is on the NW corner of Vinalhaven Island and was first established in 1832. The present structure was built in 1857. Browns Head Light was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as "Browns Head Light Station" on January 27, 1983. This nicely proportioned, compact station includes a fog signal in a small building shaped like a metronome. The lighthouse marks a popular seaway between Vinalhaven and North Haven islands. It is rented to Vinalhaven's town manager but the grounds are open to the public. The Maine State Ferry Service offers daily, year-round transportation to Vinalhaven Island; the lighthouse is at the end of Brown's Head Light Road there. The Brown's Head Light was built in 1832. Thank you Maria for this nice card.

SS Batavia

Batavia was a ship of the Dutch East India Company (VOC). It was built in Amsterdam in 1628, and armed with 24 cast iron cannons and a number of bronze guns. Batavia was shipwrecked on her maiden voyage, and was made famous by the subsequent mutiny and massacre that took place among the survivors. A twentieth century replica of the ship is also called the Batavia and can be visited in Lelystad, Netherlands. This pretty postcard was given to me by Maria.

USS Portsmouth

The second USS Portsmouth was a wooden sloop-of-war in the United States Navy in service during the mid-to-late 19th century. She was designed by Josiah Barker and built in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on the lines of a French-built privateer. She was described as an improvement over the USS Saratoga built in the same shipyard a year earlier. The Portsmouth was launched at the Portsmouth Navy Yard on 23 October 1843 and commissioned on 10 November 1844, with Commander John Berrien Montgomery in command. Built in 1843 as a 24 gun sloop of war, the Portsmouth was one of the last naval vessels constructed without steam and boasted as one of the most beautiful ever. Her career, which began with a record breaking voyage from Norfolk to the Sandwich Islands, ranged from participating in the African slave trade to being instrumental in the conquest of California. In this photograph from the late 1800’s the Portsmouth is at her home port where sails and jackets are hung up to dry in the breeze. My dear friend Maria gave me this nice historical card.

German submarine U-995

German submarine U-995 was a German Type VIIC/41 U-boat of the Kriegsmarine. She was laid down on 25 November 1942 by Blohm & Voss in Hamburg, Germany, and commissioned on 16 September 1943 with Oberleutnant Walter Köhntopp in command.

At the end of the war on 8 May 1945 she was stricken at Trondheim, Norway. She was surrendered to the British and then transferred to Norwegian ownership in October 1948. In December 1952 U995 became the Norwegian submarine Kaura and in 1965 she was stricken by the Royal Norwegian Navy. In 1945 the submarine was captured by the allies and from then it served in the Norwegian navy. The submarine was stricken from Norwegian service in 1965 and the Norwegians offered the German government the boat in 1965 for a token price of 1DM, but they refused. Thankfully the German Navy League (DMB) stepped in, paid the price and took over the boat, provided the space and she became a museum ship at Laboe Naval Memorial in October 1971. The U 995 has found its final destination at the Ostsee beach just a few kilometres from Kiel. The Kriegsmarine put 603 submarines of this type (VIIC/41) into service between 1939 and 1944. It was one of the most important submarine types of the Second World War. From 1943 till 1945 the U 995 fulfilled several missions against allied convoys heading for Murmansk. The U 995 is in a very good condition, looking like it has just returned from a mission. You can walk around the submarine but unfortunately you can't get on the bridge. This nice card was sent to me by Gerald.