The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

I received this postcard via a direct swap with another Postcrossing member. 

For some reason, the picture did not scan well, and is very grainy. The postcard itself is very crisp and vivid. I'll try again, and change it if I get a better scan.

A funny thing about this postcard is that it arrived without a stamp or postmark!

Khotyn Fortress

This is Khotyn Fortress in southwest Ukraine, overlooking the Dneister River. Construction on this fortress began in 1325! Here are some websites to read more about the fortress and the city of Khotyn: 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khotyn_Fortress

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khotyn

http://www.castles.com.ua/khotyn.html

This card was a direct swap with another postcrossing member. 

The stamp on the back. 

Hong Kong...but not what you'd expect from such an exotic locale!

Yes, this is from Hong Kong! The sender says one of her favorite books is "The Little Prince".

This stamp is pretty cool - a red-whiskered bulbul ~

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-whiskered_Bulbul

Brabant

Brabant is a province in the southern part of the Netherlands. It looks pretty and pleasant, as so much of the Netherlands does. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Brabant 

(officially it's North Brabant, and "south" Brabant is in Belgium)

Nice stamps!

Another card from Germany...

I don't know anything about this building or area, except that my sender, a nurse, says she works here. This is from the back of the card:

This is the postmark and stamp ~ 

The flower is a campanula (ballonblume in German) - 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campanula

Map Card of Russia

A very nice map card of Russia, received today, May 20, 2011.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia

The postmark and stamps. The stamp on the right is Yuri Gagarin, a Soviet pilot and cosmonaut, and the first human to journey into outer space on April 12, 1961.  Of course, the 50 year anniversary of that spaceflight was just celebrated this year! 

wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuri_Gagarin 

This cute little blue dog sticker was also on my postcard. 

Minsk, Belarus

This is such a pretty building, and I am guessing it is a church. Unfortunately, there is no information provided on the postcard in English. 

The postmark and stamps ~ 

received May 19, 2011

North Carolina, "The Old North State"

North Carolina Fun Facts:

(as stated on the backside of the postcard)

State Capital  -- Raleigh

State Tree     -- Long Leaf Pine

State Flower  -- Dogwood

State Bird      -- Cardinal

Highest Point  -- Mount Mitchell @ 6,684 ft

Largest City   -- Charlotte

Area               -- 48,843 sq. miles

Statehood      -- November 21, 1789 (12th state admitted)

State Motto   -- Esse quam videri (To be rather than to seem)

State Song     -- "The Old North State"

received on May 19, 2011

HRH Prince William & Miss Catherine Middleton, now The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

I exchanged this postcard with a postcrossing member in England.  

Here are some links to the Royal Wedding and the British Monarchy:

www.officialroyalwedding2011.org

www.flickr.com/photos/britishmonarchy/sets/72157626613171058

www.royal.gov.uk

A very pretty stamp!

I love how everything says "Royal Mail". 

:)

"Down East"

Very interesting! Here's the text of the postcard in case it is hard to read:

"One of the most asked questions of the Maine tourist has to do with the term "Down East." It would seem that inasmuch as Maine is north of the rest of the country, "down" is a contradiction of terms. In early times, it turns out, the state was generally reached from Boston and other points by sailing vessel. Since the prevailing wind is westerly, travelers sailed down wind to Maine, creating the local term, "going down to Maine" or "down east". 

www.visitmaine.com

Received May 16, 2011.

Theatrical Building in China

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bozhou_City

The stamp on the right matches the postcard!

Utrecht, Netherlands

Utrecht, the fourth largest city in the Netherlands!

www.utrecht.nl/smartsite.dws?id=13353

Iowa...where you can hear the corn grow!

www.iowacorn.org

www.iowa.gov

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iowa

Nice stamps!

A Louisiana Plantation Home

Historic Houmas House

River Road, Burnside, Louisiana

"The magnificent Greek revival plantation was built by Colonel John Smith Preston on land originally inhabited by the Houmas Indians. Mrs. Preston was the daughter of General White Hampton. Dr. and Mrs. Crozat acquired the property in 1940, and have restored it to its original splendor."

Stamp and postmark.

Dairy cows in Vermont

Holstein cows and Queen Anne's Lace in a "typical" summer Vermont setting. These cows look pretty content!