Norway

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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 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 London (1981)

with love from London

22-X-81 [Sailboard enthusiasts ‘en-masse’] Dear Guess, message received from krautland today. Hope “operation Clean-Up” is going ok – years supply of rubber yellow gloves will be parachuted in on specified date.  Am “checking out” pictured hideaway for possible ‘Leftie’ infiltrators or anti-royal ‘Moles’. DAM

DAM obviously had a supply of these cards, as the same picture also features here and although it shows Romsey, this message is postmarked ‘LONDON 22 OCT 1981’ the same day that it was written.

The 18p stamp depicts fishermen hauling in a trawl net and not windsurfers as DAM suggests! The stamp is from a commemorative set issued in 1981

I had been in Norway a few months by this time, working as children’s nanny, hence the reference to rubber gloves 🙂

I believe that DAM is still in Australia, but I continue to avoid reconnecting…

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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!

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With love from Romsey (1982)

with-love-from-romsey

Dear Guess, A picture taken by the bloody Argies whilst on a strafing raid against Romsey. Our Home-guard shot him down with ground-to-air oaths & curses & then forced the pilot to capitulate by the internationally dreaded “Romsey-Torture” which involves prawn-cocktail crisps stuffed up his rear & then being force to quick-march whilst carrying a union jack. Cracked up under the strain, you know DAM

Postmarked ‘SOUTHAMPTON 24th May 1982’ this card features a completely fictional narrative based on the Falklands Conflict which was taking place at the time.

The stamp is 19½p equivalent to 48p in 2016

The card was sent to me in Norway where I did not get to hear much British news; this message probably did little to further my understanding of the events taking place in the South Atlantic.

Another of DAM‘s black and white cards featuring Romsey and the surrounding area, together with more of his imaginative reflections.  I received many of these random notes from him during this period and they still make me smile, although I have no idea why he often addressed me by my surname!

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With love from Oslo (1982)

with-love-from-oslo

Thurs, 1st July ’82 Dear Hilary, writing to you on the fiord cruise, but it’s pouring with rain! Mind you it’s almost over & it has been dry. Thanks ever so much for your phone call, great to hear you & I hope you’re still keeping the good work up & smiling! Fantastic to be with family, they’re thoroughly enjoying themselves Unfortunately, though, just as they were leaving home the dog became very ill, worse than ever before! It’s something to do with her womb, most probably have to have an opperation. I just pray she’ll be O.K. & I’ve asked Anne if her dad can do something.  I’ll write again soon, but meanwhile take care lots of love, Wendy xxxx P.S I’ve got you card of midnight sun & also an ‘OSLOVE’ sticker

Lots going on here. Wendy’s enjoying a cruise up the fiords, but the dog is poorly and I’m about to receive an ‘OSLOVE‘ sticker!?

Featuring the Studenterlunden Park in Oslo and postmarked Oslo, the card was presumably posted after Wendy had returned from the cruise.

The two stamps are from the definitive series issued between 1977-1983 which illustrate traditional and historic buildings.

Another card from Wendy,  we were both still in Norway, but I had temporarily relocated, with my employers, to their summer holiday home and Wendy addressed the card to me there.  It is not clear whether Wendy was on the cruise with her own family or with the family that she worked for; I suspect it is the former, as she does sound very pleased to be with them.  We were both coming to the end of our contracts and Anne had already left to start her nursing training.  I cannot recall whether I saw Wendy again before leaving Norway, I certainly never received the ‘OSLOVE’ sticker! Although, we exchanged postcards for a few years, I have lost touch with Wendy and have not yet managed to reconnect with her.

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with love from Kvaenangsfjell, Norway (1988)

norway

8.7.88 Hey Hilary, Greetings from the Nordkapp in Norway. It’s very beautifull to see the sun at midnight. I am in Norway for 3 weeks and it’s nice to see this country again. I hope you’re well. Take care so long Salutations Christine

The beautiful image on the front of the card is possibly the midnight sun mentioned in the text.

Christine has dated the card, which is helpful as the postmark does not give any indication of date.

The stamp is 3.80 kroner and is one of the definitive set issued in 1988

I met Christine in Norway in 1981; unlike me she has returned on at least one occasion! We continue to exchange news and postcards.

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with love from Greece (circa 2002)

With love from Greece

Best wishes from Greece. We’re enjoying sun and water every day. The landscapes are beautifull, the life is easy. We don’t need to worry about the weather because it’s always warm, so that we’re tanking energy for the next winter. Amicalement, Hervé & Family

A cheerful status update from French friends who are obviously making the most of the sunshine.

The post mark is very feint on this one; ‘ATHENS AIRPORT’ is just about legible, but unfortunately there are no clues as to the exact date or where else in Greece Hervé and Family might have visited.

The stamp is part of the definitive set celebrating Greek dancers, issued in 2002

Typical of many Greek Islands, the picture on the front features white buildings, blue roofs and sunny skies, but the printing on the reverse offers no indication of the exact location.

Many years ago, my in-laws arranged a French exchange for my husband in what transpired to be a futile bid to help him pass his O Level French exam.  Hervé, however, spoke reasonable English, and this enabled the friendship to flourish; although these days, I am the one that maintains it.  As young marrieds we stayed with Hervé and his wife in France and we continue to exchange news and greetings at Christmas.

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with love from The Malvern Hills (1981)

with love from Malvern Hills

Dear Hiral, I hope this catches you some time before you leave.  Am having a lovely time. Have climbed one of these hills, and been to lots of towns etc. Please send your adress. Love Anne

On the back of the card this view of The Malverns is described as being ‘from the slopes of the Herefordshire Beacon, looking north towards wooded Wynd’s Point and along the outline of the oldest hills in England’

The card is post marked ‘BASINGSTOKE 10 July 1981 HANTS’, which is a considerable distance from The Malverns, so was obviously posted after the visit.  It also carries the familiar ‘Be Properly Addressed POSTCODE IT’ post mark, along with an 11½p stamp – the cost to send a small postcard in 1981

In her message Anne is hopeful that I will receive the card before leaving to start work in Norway. As letters and cards would be my only means of communication it was important to keep friends and family up to date with address changes, hence her request.

This is another of the many cards that I have received from Anne over the years and we remain in touch.

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