Olympics

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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 Rio de Janeiro (2016)

with-love-from-rio

Hiya! So Rio has been amazing. I am very excited to have some time off to explore properly, we are definitely going up this monument for the standard Rio photo! I have seen both the gymnastics & judo so far which is already more than I was expecting & both had incredible atmosphere! I can’t quite get over the fact that I am here after our convo 4 years ago! Love you both Tallulah x

A recent card, with a blurred postmark – although the Olympic Rings are just visible on the lower edge of the postmark.

I love the red, 1 riyal stamp with its illustration of a manicurist! More information on this definitive series here.

The picture on the front has to be one of the most famous and iconic views in the world.

Another one from my daughter, Tallulah, who continues to enjoy her job and is seeing some amazing places in the process. During London 2012 the we were lucky enough to be at Dornay Lake and then the Olympic park on Super Saturday but Tallulah was working away, so missed all the excitement. She was quite disappointed and vowed that she would be in Rio for the subsequent games – amazingly work took her there – hence her final comment above 🙂 

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with love from Niagara Falls (1976)

14 from Niagara with love

Dear Hilary, Canada is just terrific and I only wish that you could be here to share it. On Tuesday, 9th, we went to Niagara Falls and went in a boat right up to the base, which was really incredible! I can’t tell you how sorry I am to have stopped writing to you and would be overjoyed to start again. Lots of love Julian x

This post card from the amazing Niagara Falls is post marked ‘Campbellville 16 Aug 1976’

There are two post marks spoiling the picture on the front; one detailing the arrival of the card in the UK ‘Portsmouth & Southsea 21 Aug 1976’ (some five days after leaving Canada) and the other promoting the Portsmouth Navy Days on the Bank Holiday weekend of 28th, 29th & 30th August 1976

The stamp on this card is quite unusual – it is commemorating the Canadian Para Olympics which were held earlier in August 1976 and were the 5th Para Olympics, where amputees and visually impaired athletes competed for the first time.  The only stamp produced by Canada to mark this event was 20 cents and features a mixed-media painting of an archer by Tom Bjarnason.

Julian lived round the corner from the first house I can remember.  Our mums were friends and would often take us to the park. When we moved back to the area the friendship was rekindled. Julian went away to boarding school and we would write to each other regularly. Being fickle teenagers, sometimes we were romantic, other times each of us pursued love interests elsewhere. The wording on this card suggests it was sent to re-ignite romance! I have lost touch with Julian, but our mums are still in touch. I was lucky enough to see Niagara Falls when I was visiting the Canadian boyfriend some years later.