A Box of Postcards

Today’s postcard is a dusk photograph of a castle in Sinaia, a small town that is a short train ride from Bucharest. Bucharest May 10 th (1975) Dear Charlotte and Phil, This isn’t in the same class as a Doug Gore tour, but we certainly are seeing some beautiful country castles and churches. Sorry you and Phil aren’t here to go to the opera tomorrow night. It begins at 7 PM a little better than the 11 PM concert in Madrid. Eleanor and I are having a good time but I sure miss Les. Love Jo PS The plant needs very little water. Hope it isn’t raising your Hydro bill. You, dear reader, have maybe seen this castle, Peles, in some holiday movies on Netflix (A Christmas Prince and its two sequels). It is not as old as you’d expect, begun in 1873 to be a summer residence for King Carol I. The King was not easily satisfied, rejecting the first three plans he saw, and then, continually adding and renovating until he died in 1914. After King Michael I’s forced abdication in 1947, the Communist reg...

Today’s postcard is from Ehrwald, Austria. February 19, 1958. It says: “ Dear Phil & Charlotte, Enjoying a skiing and sight-seeing holiday in Western Austria. The kids are enjoying the snow, we had so little of it in France. Our Pension is called Daheim, and it is like a ski lodge and much cheaper than staying at a hotel. Expect to go up to the top of Germany’s highest mountain on a cable car soon and intend to go to Innsbruck tomorrow. Took some ski lessons from a read Austrian ski champ but I still get stiff & sore. Must be getting old! Best Regards from Austria, Ted & Mildred.” Hard to know who wrote it and who is stiff, Ted or Mildred, as in 1958 women might have written correspondence but signed husband’s name first. (As it is also addressed to a couple, man’s name first.) This is pre-Air BnB era, so I am interested in the idea of a Pension being cheaper than a hotel. Apparently, from Fodor’s Travel, I learn that a pensione (spelt correctly with an e on the end i...

 By MJ Malleck// Update: Mystery Solved Thanks to an anonymous friend, the mystery of the secret code is revealed. Here's what the postcard writer wrote: "Well, what do you know all the way from New Orleans and in semaphore. We are fine and hope you are too."  The key to unlocking the code came from his knowledge that, in English, the only double letters at the end of words are ll or ss. Seemed likely that the 3-letter word (sixth word in) must be ill or all. The symbol used for the second letter in the first word is used twice as much as any other symbol, so almost certainly an E, the most common English letter. (My friend plays Scrabble too.) Making the first word, Well.  After an hour, he had it. For those who don't know what semaphore means (I did not) it is a method of visual signaling, using flags or lights. The Chappe-Code I mention in the original post, was an kind of signaling using towers with moveable arms. The Boy Scouts used to teach the two-flag system...

 by MJ Malleck// Today’s postcard is written is a scrawling script, that in another generation, when cursive is no longer taught, will be hard to decipher. I got most of it, but I’m not sure what the one word at the top of the postcard says. (Not Saturday, May 10 in 1959 was a Sunday). Hazel smartly printed the mailing address. Rome, May 10 This is the best and we do so hope you two will be able to go with us next year. fine food. good hotels and lots of fun, and art. Love Hazel & Morty. The photo is a black and white of what looks like a football stadium. It says Roma Stadio Olympico. (On the other side, Olympic Stadium (English), Stade Olympique (French) Olympisches Stadium (German) The stamp was 35 Lires. I was curious why anyone would send a postcard of a sports stadium, from the city that holds the Coliseum and so many ancient wonders. Then I discovered that this stadium was part of the 1960 Summer Olympic Games, which Rome hosted. So, Hazel and Morty sound like they a...

How inspiring to pull a postcard from Paris, France - as I visited the City of Lights for the first time in 2014! I didn't get to this cafe, Cafe de la Paix, but did sit in a few outdoor cafes. This one is located in the Grand-Hotel de la Paix, and was opened in June, 1862 to serve hotel guests. It was declared a historic site by the French government in 1975. In many European cities the habit is to dine in one location and take coffee on a terrace in another. Back on November 11, 1967 (the year of Expo in Canada) Margaret and Harvey were in Paris. "This was a very interesting and moving experience - Nov 11 - in Paris!  Mr. De Gaulle shared the memorial service with the people too." Margaret doesn't mention that General Charles De Gaulle, the President of France, wasn't popular with everyone in Canada that year - although most Canadians likely knew who he was. Her remark about sharing with the people "too" may have been harking back to a diplo...

How interesting that today's postcard is dated February 23rd, 1972 - which was only a week ago (today is March 2). This seems to be one of those postcards that used as note-cards or greeting cards. You know, you go somewhere local and you pick up a postcard or two and send them. In this case, Irene is sending a card from Islington (Toronto) to another Irene who has been sick. Here's what it says: "Dear Irene, Gordon and I are just home after visiting the "Garden Show" at O'Keefe's. It was worth seeing and the Centre was crowded with people. We had lunch there and enjoyed it. I hope you are feeling well again. Take good care of yourself. I hope that Ena is better too. Love Irene" This year, 2012, the Toronto Sun reported that "Canada's largest flower and garden fest, Canada Blooms, will run side-by-side for the first time with the National Home Show. It's coming March 16 to 25 at the Direct Energy Centre (100 Princes Blvd.) at Toron...

Today's postcard is a picture of the Parliament Buildings in Victoria, B.C. The message is this: "Baker and I just returned to Harrison. We have been to Victoria for a couple of days to see about my storage, to be shipped to Banff, where that will be my next stop. Tom wants me to buy another Motel but I am not too well and feel I shouldn't. Just taking it easy these days. Love J." How intriguing. Checking the storage of what? Moving from Victoria to Banff for what? Buying another Motel? Who is this... an early Canadian version of Donald Trump. Who buys Motels? What a mystery. The card is undated, but the stamp is a Canadian 4 cent, which was made in 1963. The stamp is worth 15 cents today. I cannot find information on why the stamp included a "tower" in the corner, but the 1cent featured mineral crystal; the 2 cent a pine tree; the 3 cent a fish and the 5 cent wheat...so I am guessing they represent industry in Canada - the tower...