To open my mailbox like someone opening a surprise box and to feel the pleasure of discovery unleashed by an envelope decorated with stamps.
To be part of the world and also to discover it this way, with the help of those who share this vision.

Sunday, 16 January 2022

POSTCARD N.52 - Germany

Postcrossing postcard sent on the 25th November; received on the 13th December
Postcard image: Polar Aviation Il-14
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First postcrossing card for the year came from Germany, from the Baltic city of Kiel, the capital of the  Schleswig-Holstein state. Thanks a lot Joachim!

15 thumbnail views of some of the city highlights are contained in this nice card and although none of them particularly spectacular they were more than enough to make me go and read a bit about the city, whose main attraction is the Kiel week (/Kiel Woche), a sailing event involving more than 4000 athletes, competing in regattas of many sailing classes, held every year in the last complete week of June.

Even though I'm not a sailor of any sort, I'd love to got there someday, since cities with boats and ships ring a deep bell within anyone coming from a place like my own city of Lisbon.... I still remember the times that the Tall Ships Races touched Lisbon and the amazing sight of all those beautiful shopos going down the Tagus estuary under the 25th of April bridge....

2021 was meant to be one of those years but sadly, due to the bloody COVID 19 pandemic, the race it was cancelled, so no tall ships in Lisbon, this time...


Stamps
left to right:


The 0,15€ stamp was issued on 18DEC2018, as part of the long standing definitive emission started in 2005 themed on wild flowers. it shows a milkmaid (Cardamine pratensis). 

the 0,80€ stamp was issued on 05AUG2021, celebrating the 500th anniversary of the Fuggerei in Augsburg, 

The Fuggerei was the creation of Jakob Fugger (1459-1525) Europe's richest merchant and banker of his time, born in the Bavarian city of Ausgburg.

Citing from the foundations website: "The Fuggerei is the oldest existing social housing complex in the world, a city within a city with 67 buildings and 142 residences as well as a church. Jakob Fugger founded in Fuggerei in his own and his brothers' names in 1521. Approximately 150 needy Augsburg citizens of the Catholic faith live here for an annual base rent of €0.88 and three daily prayers." 

The image on the stamp depicts a general view of some of the houses and church of the Fuggerei in Augsburg,

The machine applied cancellation indicates that the postcard was processed via the Postal Centre at Kiel city.

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