Welcome home Worldman

This little boat is boldly setting off across Lac Léman towards Montreaux. If you look closely you might just be able to make out our globetrotting friend, Peter, on his way home from Sudan to his wife and family. I hope that you’ve had a good trip home, Peter and that you can have a well deserved break and get on with your retirement!

Perhaps you might even run into Bill Gates, Barbara Hendricks or Shania Twain?

Poor Dodo

I wanted to share this postcard of a Dodo with you. Weren’t they sweet? If they were alive today would they be;

1. served up for Christmas dinner
2. in a zoo
3. sold as pets?

If you read the Wikipedia entry, there doesn’t appear to be a stuffed Dodo that they know of. Well, you saw it here first! The postcard received a bid very quickly after being put up for sale on eBay.

Charming

There is only word that I can think of to describe this postcard; « charming ». The colours are subtle and the girls are naturally pretty. I imagine that they were really pleased to be allowed to wear those lovely hats.

A postcard in Braille

This postcard is very topical at the moment. Louis Braille was born on January 4th 1909. He developed the system by which millions read today at the age of 13!!

I managed to translate the Braille into French “Un cordial souvenir de mes petite souris blanches” - A friendly souvenir of my little white mice. A child’s hand has written searched and found, so I assume that the game was to translate the message.

The front of the postcard shows the King of Belgium presenting the 7th Infantry Regiment with the Legion of Honour during the First World War. Click on the image to get a better view

Vals-les-Bains

Happy new year everyone

I thought I’d start the year with a closer look at the costumes on this postcard from Vals-les-Bains famous for it’s water cures since the 17th century. In the past only the well to do would frequent places such as these. Today Doctors can prescribe a ‘cure’ if they think that their patients would benefit. Patients are sent to Vals-les-Bains for problems relating to nutrition, obesity and diabetes. Ordinary Visitors and tourists also benefit from the usual Jacuzzi, massage, well-being and beauty treatments associated with such places.

I couldn’t believe how clear the details on this postcard are! The people you can see would almost certainly not have posed for the photographer. Unfortunately the lady on the stairs is victim of a crease through the middle of the postcard.

Click on the images for a better view