Did You Know Postcards

I recently got the postcard below from a friend visiting Washington, D.C.

I really like this postcard as not only is it of the most powerful monument I’ve ever encountered, but it is also a favoured genre of postcard. Postcards with information on them, such as this one, were one my favourite genres when I started collecting as a kid.

There are three types of text-heavy postcards. This type I’m calling “Did You Knows” as this title is often used on ones that contain factual information. The second type, I call Legend Of postcards as they recall a fable, myth, or legendary tale. The final one is recipes.

Here is the text of the front;
“Did you know?
* Descending into the earth before rising again, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial bears the names of the more than 58,000 Americans who died or remain missing in the Vietnam War.
* Currently there are 58,261 names on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall. The number of names on the wall can change every Memorial Day if the Department of Veterans Affairs receives additional information.
* The Memorial was completed November 1, 1982 and become an national monument November 11, 1984
* Student designer Maya Ying Lin who won the design competition for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial explained her entry: ‘ Take a knife and cut open the earth, and with time the grass will heal it.'”

The reverse side of the postcard has even more factual information on it:

Postcard caption:
“Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington DC
The memorial honors the men and women of the Armed Forces of the Untied States who served in the Vietnam War. The names of those who gave their lives and those whoe remain missing are inscribed chronologically by date of casualty. Our nations honors the courage, sacrifice and devotion to duty and country of its Vietnam Veterans. This memorial was built with private contributions from the American people.”

Postcard message:
“Dear Glen., Thank you for your lovely Christmas card and postal from Florida. I’m glad you can ride roller coasters with [your daughter]. I hope you received my card from England. I am in Washington for a week with friends. The city is as beautiful as it is dysfunctional! I will spend Christmas with my nephew. Best wishes for 2015.”

Another great thing about this postcard is the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer postal mark.

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Remembrance Day

Today is Remembrance Day, the most important holiday of the year.  I will be having a moment of silence at 11 am, although unfortunately this seems to be less observed every year.

In honour of Remembrance Day, here is a suitable postcard:

This is the Canadian National Vimy Memorial. It’s one of only two of Canada’s national historic sites outside of Canada. It commemorates the over sixty thousand Canadians who died in World War 1, but symbolically it represents the greater misery and human cost of war. As Veterans Affairs Canada‘s website puts it:

In recent times, the Vimy Memorial has come to symbolize Canada’s long commitment to peace in the world, as well as its stand against aggression, and for liberty and the rule of international law.

I hope one day to go there, but in the meantime the Vimy Foundation has put together an excellent interactive experience called Vimy Real.

Postcard caption:
“Les amis du Monument et Parc commémoratif du Canada [Friends of the Monument and Memorial Park of Canada]
Canadian Memorial
La connaissance et la vérité [Knowledge and truth]”

Postcard message:
[top] “Check out the cancellation mark” (Supposedly the interpretive centre there had a special stamp, but sadly this didn’t come through on my card. I would have loved it.)

“Hello from Vimy Ridge, the place Canada was made a nation. Going to go through the trenches now, unbelievable how close togehter they are – and how close it is to England!”

Ooh La La Sur Les Champs Elysées

Who needs the Moulin Rouge when such risqué fun can be found right on the streets of Paris. As this recent arrival demonstrates:

That is some nice tinting they have done – definitely brings some artistic flair to the picture. The cowboy musicians, however, I don’t get at all.

Here’s the flip side:

Postcard caption:
“Concours de houla-hoop sur les Champs Elysées.”

Postcard message:
“Oops, found this in the luggage when we got home – forgot to send it in Paris. The bass man really likes the green chick’s ass.

Lady Liberty en France

I knew the Statue of Liberty was designed and made in France, but I didn’t know there was a giant replica in France.  This postcard below that recently arrived enlightened me.

Here’s the reverse side

Postcard message:
“Bonjour! from Colmar. It’s super pretty… little canals run everywhere in the city. It reminds me of Germany. Were driving to Italy with gramma and Aunt Cathy. We’ve passed through Belgium (No chocolate enough). Tonight is Switzerland.”

Let’s Go to the Ex – Canadian National Exhibition Opens

For years the biggest event in Canada was the CNE (Canadian National Exhibition) and going to the Ex has been the highlight of many people’s summer.  The Ex began in 1879 and offers rides, shows, exhibits (new technology, travel destinations, agriculture, etc.), product demos, and glorious junk food.

Before other amusement parks and concert venues opened up going to the Ex was the best place in Canada for wild rides and rock concerts.  Now, other venues have opened up, but we took my daughter there a couple years ago and it is still a blast.

In honour of the Ex, here’s a blast from the past:

Postcard caption: 
Princes’ Gates, Eastern Entrance, Canadian National Exhibition, Toronto, Canada

I remember entering the Ex through these gates (which look pretty much the same today) and it was truly an awesome way to begin the day.

I got this from my great-grandfather’s collection. It was never sent, but probably bought as a souvenir. It’s definitely old as they are still flying the British flag (apparently, it was still flown in Canada after Confederation and even after we adopted our old Red Ensign flag – see Canada’s flag history).

It irks me to no end that many Toronto call this the “Princess Gates”. It is Princes’ Gate as it refers to the two royal princes who opened it in 1927. That is, Prince George (later king) and Prince Edward (also later king and Nazi collaborator).

The Ex runs today until September 2, 2013. Check out their program.