Correspondence

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With love from Troyes, France (2017)

with love from Troyes

Hello Hilary, No sea for holiday this year for me, but typical Troyes city and champagne wineyard! It makes a change but rain and freshness are more present! Anyway it’s very plaisant to discover a new french department. A place to come Bises [kisses] Christine

Troyes looks great in the sunshine on the front of the card, but Christine has not been so lucky with the weather, it seems.

The card is postmarked 28-07-17 when most of northern Europe was suffering a very high rainfall during the, so called, height of the summer!

The stamp is the latest (controversial) version of Marianne.

Another message from Christine, who now regularly sends me cards from her travels 🙂

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With love from Pafos, Cyprus (2005)

with love from Paphos

Friday, Dear S,H,T,S,J&G. Just come out of the pool in Bob & Chris’s villa. They have a lovely house and are showing us the sights of Cyprus. Today we went inland & had spectacular views of the countryside. Last night we did quite well in the local quiz – home from home. It’s lovely to relax after our busy schedule – hope all are well. Much love, Mum & Dad

My in-laws are visiting friends who’ve recently moved to Cyprus – they are big quiz fans! Although the card features Pafos (Paphos), it is not clear if this where they are staying.

Interesting to see that the postmark here also reminds us (in English) to use the postcode. The postmark date is 16.05.05 and the stamps are the Refugee Stamp, which continues to be obligatory on all mail, together with a 25 cent stamp from the Jewellery definitive set issued in 2000

An earlier card from Simon’s parents.

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With love from Marrakech (2005)

with love from Marrakech

Dear Hilary – we’re having a great time in Marrakesh (5 night break over half term). We’ve explored the city & taken a trip into the Atlas Mountains. The hotel is wonderful, with a lovely pool & garden with tortoises, so the children are happy. Thanks for the b’day card – I do hope all is going to plan for your Dad. Take care – love Anne Tony Isobel & Dora xxx

This sounds wonderful – something for everyone!  Obviously finding the post office was not on their list of things to do, as this card was posted from London on their return 🙂

The postmark date is 08.06.05 and the other postmark is supporting the London 2012 Olympic Bid, which was, of course, successful!

In her message Anne refers to my Dad, who underwent a double heart bypass operation that year, which was quite stressful, but twelve years later he is still going strong 🙂

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With love from Jersey (1987)

with love from Jersey

Petit Port, St Brelade, Jersey  Dear Simon + Hilary Greetings! The …. are on holiday again; alright for some, eh? We’re staying with friends we met on honeymoon. Everything has been ‘just-so’…what a pity they can’t organise the weather equally well! Still we’ve been on lots of long walks and we are enjoying it all. Fingers crossed for our weekend with you in the Autumn – I just have to check with the Naval College that I’m not required (but it’s 99% o.k.). Will ring you soon. Looking forward to it. In the meantime, both fit, fat and well. Hope you are too! Love Graham and Sheila xx

Here’s Gra again with another chatty status update, this time from Jersey. They are expecting their first baby, hence the ‘fat’ reference.

The postmark is just visible as ‘JERSEY 14 AUG 1987 CHANNEL ISLANDS’ and the stamp is a 15p Europa.

We did indeed see Graham, Sheila and the new baby in the autumn, but we have lost touch with all of them now.

 

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With love from Berlin (2017)

with love from Berlin

Berlin, 30.05.17  Hallo Hilary! This is the Revival postcard from Berlin :)!! 30 years later I’m now able to walk through Brandenburg Gate – it’s still a marvel!! I hope we won’t start building new walls in the future! Love Claudia

A status update from earlier this year, in which Claudia refers to the other card she sent me, 37 years ago 🙂 Berlin is now much more of a tourist destination than it was in the 80’s

Claudia and I continue to exchange news and views 🙂

 

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With love from Singapore (1988)

with love from Singapore

Dear Hilary & Simon, Arrived safely Singapore is very hot & humid but a lovely place. Already planning a return visit. We’re enjoying the luxury of hotel life and Singapore Gin Sling at the Raffles bar then off to O3/D3 [?] later tonight. Been all around on  a couple of tours and spent this pm in the hotel pool Its really hell out here. Keep well & happy much love Marion xxx

A hectic status update but Marion does not say how long she is staying and there is no clue to the identity of her travelling companion/s.

Despite a google search I’ve no idea what O3 (or is it D3?) is, or was – can anyone else shed any light?

In 1964 the Merlion image (featured in the picture) was designed for use by the Singapore Tourism Board.

The card is postmarked ‘SINGAPORE 17 AUG 88’ and carries stamps from the 1985 definitive Insect series.

The timing suggests that this message was sent when en route to Australia. I liked Marion, but I do not feel that it is my place to reconnect with her.

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With love from Denmark (1981)

with love from Denmark

Hello Hilary! I send you many greetings from the danish island Møn. I stay here with 5 friends. We rent a house very near to the sea and the beach. The weather has been very good for the whole week and I got very brown. I’ll soon write more. Yours Claudia

This card from Møn is postmarked ‘STEGE 14.30 8 8 1981’ and carries a 1 krone 30 stamp commemorating the oldest Danish coin.

Claudia is enjoying some good weather in Denmark; she sent this card to me not long after I’d arrived in Norway.

There are now many cards posted here from Claudia – she continues to communicate regularly although these days it is usually via WhatsApp 🙂

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With love from Minehead (1986)

with love from Minehead

23.6.86 Had an easy journey here & weather varied. Sun & mist but warm. We are close to Exmoor & with a good pair of boots would love to walk up there. Sad but I think those days are past. Hope your Lake District holiday was a success. We return on Sat. Love Auntie Vi

Auntie Vi is in her favourite county of Somerset and coming to terms with the fact that she isn’t able to do as much as she once could. The Lake District holiday to which she refers was our honeymoon earlier in the year 🙂

The card is postmarked ‘MINEHEAD 23 JUN 1986’ and carries a 17p stamp which was part of a set issued in 1986 featuring medieval life, and commemorating the 900th anniversary of the Domesday Book.

(Great) Auntie Vi was a widow for much of her later life; she overcame her grief and regained her spirit and independence – an example to us all. 

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With love from Criccieth, Wales (1982)

with love from North Wales

Tues 10/8/82 Dear Hilary, Having a great time, & thank God!, the weather has brightened up today. Yesterday we went to Porthmadog, & got soaked! Visited Aberdaron today & the beaches & coves are lovely. The site just outside Criccieth is ideal & we’re just about surviving the meals we make for ourselves! Going to the Pwllheli market tomorrow & maybe Nefyn. We’ve just plonked down in a car park & making a coffee. Love to all. Wendy xx  P.S David is a better cook than you!! (only joking).

Despite the unpredictable Welsh weather Wendy and David seem to be enjoying their visit to the area. It’s not clear if they’re in a static caravan or camping in a tent – I suspect it’s the latter.

Wendy has helpfully included the day and date of writing, and the postmark is clearly visible. This was just after we’d both returned to our family homes at the end of our year working in Norway. Wendy was enjoying a much anticipated holiday with her boyfriend.

The card carries a 12½p stamp, the carriage for a small postcard in 1982. The stamp features, in the top left corner, an image of the Welsh Dragon, reflecting the regional identity.

It seems that Wendy wrote to me regularly with all her news, so now I’m sad that we have lost touch. I’ve been trying to remember her surname, but at the moment it eludes me. I do know that she came from the Rhyl/Abergele area of North Wales; if anyone out there recognises this Wendy, please let me know 🙂

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With love from Valbonne-Village (2005)

with love from Valbonne

27th of Jan 05 Dear Hillary, Thanks for a long and informative letter with a nice picture of a fantastic family! You manage to do so much and have so much enthusiasm… Next week Eivind and I will visit [son] five days skiing in Verbier. Lots of love and good wishes, from Vibeke  It has been snowing for some days. I only stay 3 days, fortunately.

On the front of the card are scenes of the picturesque Valbonne area, where Vibeke is staying.

The card is postmarked ‘NICE 31 01 05 ALPES MARITIMES’ and carries the Marianne du 14 Juillet stamp.

Another card from Vibeke in response to my earlier letter. This one was sent some 23 years after I left Norway. At the time, I was in full swing with my own family and probably considerably influenced by the experience of living and working within Vibeke’s own enthusiastic, busy and active household!