St. Petersburg illustration

On this super lovely card we can see some of Saint Petersburg's important landmarks, I can identify some but I'm not really sure I'm right, so if any russian reader of this blog wants to share with us please write in the comments which landmarks are seen here.

The stamps match perfectly the card, the one on the left (also seen on the right side of the card) features the church of our Savior on Spilled Blood (quite a name huh?) the other stamp features the Winter Palace, today part of the complex of Hermitage Museum (which we can also see in the card).

This cute card has made me want to start collecting illustrations! 

спасибо (Spasibo) Yulia!

Russian mailbox

I really like this postcard! The shot is quite clever and I love the little color splashes it has, also the back is quite colorful and the person who wrote it recommended me a couple of songs she really likes.

Super nice front and back (: 

Spasibo!

I love Moscow

I love Russian stamps and I absolutely love the doodle inside the heart!

Moscow is the capital of Russia. Having played a central role in the development of the Russian state and its history, Moscow was the capital of the former Soviet Union and continues to pave the way as Muscovites move into the 21st century. An 860 year-old city, Moscow has many reminders of its imperial and Soviet past. It is a sprawling city with numerous museums, Soviet-era monoliths and post-Soviet kitsch. If there is one thing to remember when visiting the city and interpreting its fruits, it's that Moscow is like a historical graffiti wall (those who have come and gone all left their mark) sometimes on top of those of their predecessors.

Moscow is the financial and political center of Russia and the former Soviet Union, with a population of around 13 million, and covers an area of around 1,080 km².

*Source

Spasibo Klim!

Snail-mailers around the globe: Russia

A new month, a new interview for our series! This time we have Kiril from Russia who was really kind to volunteer for this interview, he has a great sense of humor and he has become a total postcrosser at heart in just a few months!

In what snail-mailing activities do you take part?

Postcard swapping and Random acts of smileness (This are when people volunteer to send postcards without asking for anything in return just to cheer up others).

How did you became a snail-mailer? 
I heard about Postcrossing in a Russian forum that gathers the fans of G.R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" and the TV show "Game of Thrones". 

For how long have you been doing this? 
For about six months.

Can you show me 3 of your favorite postcards and make a little explanation on why you like them? 

I received this postcard from a swap with a Russian postcrosser. I like it because it's really funny! Sometimes I call my beloved girl "my little witch", specially when she's freaking out. And when I look at this amusing picture I think about her.

I received this card on the official Postcrossing from Ukraine. It's really magical and romantic, all these fireflies and the reflection of the moon... it makes it a really peaceful and meditative picture.

This card was a surprise from a nice and warm-hearted Russian postcrosser. It's a French postcard with the image of Joan of Arc, a folk heroine of France and a Roman Catholic saint. I've always admired people who changed history with only their will and faith, exactly like in old legends and stories. 

How much does it cost to send a postcard in your country? 

Within Russia - 9.20 RUB ≈ $0.30 USD ≈  0.20 € 

Abroad - 21.40 RUB (24.10 RUB by air mail) ≈ $0.70 ($0.80) USD 

≈ 0.50 € (0.60 €)

Do you have any themed collections? If you do, why are you collecting them? 

Since I'm new to Postcrossing I don't have any for now. I just enjoy the fact of receiving a card from any distant point in the globe.

If you are into pen-paling, from which countries do you have pen-pals from? 
I don’t have pen-pals... but later who knows! 

Have you discovered any destination you'd like to travel to thanks to a postcard? 
I've always wanted to travel to the Scandinavian countries, British Isles and China, Japan and Korea. I guess it's my Euro-Asian nature!

A few fun/strange/surprising facts you'd like to share about your country? 

Well... today when I was eating pancakes with red caviar for breakfast I realized I had been sleeping all night with valenki on my feet! And my pet bear broke my favorite balalaika again! 

That was just a joke... speaking seriously I don't know exactly what to say, Russia is a big country. I've never been to the European part of it and for me Moscow is as foreign as Ciudad de Mexico ! Russia is full of surprises and strange things, you should better see it for yourself, welcome to Russia!  

In your opinion, what is it that makes sending postcards and letters through snail-mail special?
It's a fine way to make someone smile with just a piece of paper, that's really worth it. 

Spasibo Bolshoye Kiril!

Les Fines Herbes

This was actually the first of the Atelier Nouvelles Images series and it came with really cool russian stamps!

In this one the names come in french an english, we can see:

*Sarriette (Savory)
*Sauge (Sage)
*Romarin (Rosemary)
*Estragon (Taragon)
*Cerfeuil (Chervil)
*Coriandre (Coriander)
*Ciboulette (Chives)
*Laurier (Laurel)
*Basilic (Basil)
*Origan (Oregano)
*Menthe (Menta)
*Marjolaine (Marjoram)
*Persil (Parsley)
*Thym (Thyme)
*Aneth (Dill)

Spasibo Sveta!

Voronezh mystery building

Awesome stamps! 

I don't have a lot of information about this building because the back of the postcard is all in russian and the person didn't mention anything about it, all I know it's located in the city of Voronezh so if anyone reading this knows about it,  any info will be appreciated 

Spasibo Ksenia!

Matryoshka dolls

I really love this postcard, I think it's quite a clever shot! 

Since this is not a touristic card let's talk a little about the famous matryoshka dolls 

At one time or another, most of us have been fascinated with the colorfully painted matryoshka or nesting dolls. They come in a variety of sizes, characters and number of dolls nested one inside the other. How did the matryoshka come to be and why? First of all, the name, also spelled matriosha, was a popular name for girls. It is believed that it was derived from the Latin word, mater, which means mother or, more to the point, grandmother. A peasant mother of old Russia often tended to a large family. The largest doll is the grandmother with future generations of dolls tucked inside her. This symbolizes the hope and value of life and the family; the heart an soul of Russian people. While not known for certain, it is commonly agreed that this is the image which resulted in the matryoshka. Traditionally, a matryoshka was given to newborns to wish them a long and prosperous life.

You can read some more information on names and dates here:

*Source

Spasibo Lara! 

007: Dr.No

I got this awesome postcard with an awesome Christmas stamp (you can't appreciate it but it's shiny!) from Russia.

The card is a reproduction of the 1962 poster for the first James Bond movie: Dr. No

The movie was based on the novel of the same name written by Ian Fleming and was directed by Terence Young, James Bond was portrayed by (the very handsome) Sean Connery.

On the movie James Bond (007) is Britain's top agent and is on a exciting mission, to solve the mysterious murder of a fellow agent. The task sends him to Jamaica, where he joins forces with Quarrel and a loyal CIA agent, Feliz Leiter. While dodging tarantulas, "fire breathing dragons", femme fatales and a trio of assassins, known as the three blind mice. Bond meets up with the beautiful Honey Ryder and goes face to face with the evil Dr. No

*Source

And as I like to do with movie cards, here's the trailer of the film:

Spasibo Natasha!

St. Basil's Cathedral

A beautiful card of one, if not the most emblematic building of Russia under the snow along some really cool stamps! 

Although it's known to everyone as St. Basil's, this legendary building is officially called "The Cathedral of the Intercession of the Virgin by the Moat". The popular alternative refers to Basil the Blessed, a Muscovite 'holy fool' who was buried on the site (in the Trinity Cathedral that once stood here) a few years before the present building was erected.

The Cathedral was ordered by Ivan the Terrible to mark the 1552 capture of Kazan from Mongol forces. It was completed in 1560. Nothing is known about the builders, Barma and Postnik Yakovlev, except their names and the dubious legend that Ivan had them blinded so that they could not create anything to compare. Historians unanimously state that this is nothing but urban folklore.

The Cathedral is now a museum however once a year a service is held in the Cathedral, on the Day of Intercession in October.

*Source

Spasibo Yulia!

Kazan Cathedral

The Cathedral of our Lady of Kazan (along with a matching stamp of the Cathedral!)

Kazan Cathedral, constructed between 1801 and 1811 by the architect Andrei Voronikhin, was built to an enormous scale and boasts an impressive stone colonnade, encircling a small garden and central fountain. The cathedral was inspired by the Basilica of St. Peter’s in Rome and was intended to be the country’s main Orthodox Church. After the war of 1812 (during which Napoleon was defeated) the church became a monument to Russian victory. Captured enemy banners were put in the cathedral and the famous Russian Field Marshal Mikhail Kutuzov, who won the most important campaign of 1812, was buried inside the church.

The cathedral was named after the "miracle-making" icon of Our Lady of Kazan, which the church housed till the early 1930s. 

*Source

Spasibo Marina!

Saint Petersburg

Saint Petersburg is a world-class destination and Russia's second largest city, with a population of 5 million (September 2012) perched at the eastern tip of of the Baltic Sea and the Neva River. The city was formerly known as Petrograd, and later Leningrad. UNESCO list the city among the top 10 destinations worldwide.

This is one of the most breathtakingly beautiful places on earth, and virtually any building in the large historic center, threaded with canals dotted with baroque bridges, can be considered an attraction—and indeed, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site. This is a magical city, with a long list of major attractions. Its Hermitage Museum, housed in the Winter Palace of the Romanov Dynasty, is both one of the world's greatest and oldest collections of art, treasure, and antiquities, and one of its most beautiful buildings.

*Source

Spasibo Kate!

The Red square

The Red square in Moscow after rain.

The Red Square remains, as it has been for centuries, the heart and soul of Russia. Few places in the world bear the weight of history to the extent that Moscow's central square does. From the 16th century St. Basil's Cathedral (one of the most famous pieces of architecture in the world) to the constructivist pyramid of Lenin's Mausoleum. Red Square is rich in symbols of Russia's intriguing past. 

The square's name has nothing to do with communism or with the color of many of its buildings. In fact it derives from the word "krasnyi", which once meant "beautiful", and has only come to mean "red" contemporary Russian. The name became official in the middle of the 17th century (previously it had been Trinity Square, due to the Trinity Cathedral, the predecessor of St. Basil's). Popularly, it was also known as 'Fire Square', reflecting the number of times medieval Moscow burned. 

Some of the different attractions along the different sides of the Red square are St. Basil's Cathedral, Kazan Cathedral, the Kremlin wall, Lenin's mausoleum, the statue of Minin and Pozharsky, the Resurrection gate and the Iberian chapel, GUM (Russia's most famous shopping mall) and the Lobnoe Mesto. 

*Source 

Thank you Paula! 

Black horse

A beautiful black horse from Russia plus a bunch of really cool stamps! 

Spasibo Olga!

Voor de jarige!

A nice card from Russia that says "Voor de jarige!" which according to the sender it's actually a way to say "Happy birthday" in dutch.

Very cute!

Spasibo Viki!

наш триумф в космосе Гимн стране Советов

Another re-print of a soviet poster celebrating their activities on space

This one says наш триумф в космосе Гимн стране Советов which means "Our triumph in space is the hymn to the Soviet country" 

One of the stamps even came with an explanation in Spanish! 

Spasibo Natalia!!!

во имя мира и прогресса!

 

An awesome re-print of a poster from the USSR to celebrate their triumph on space!
And it came with great stamps as well!
во имя мира и прогресса means "In the name of peace and progress"

Spasibo Natalia!!! 

St. Petersburg watercolor

A lovely watercolor by Danevich G. of St. Isaac's cathedral in Saint Petersburg, Russia

St. Isaac's Cathedral was originally the city's main church and the largest cathedral in Russia. It was built between 1818 and 1858, by the French-born architect Auguste Montferrand, to be one of the most impressive landmarks of the Russian Imperial capital. One hundred and eighty years later the gilded dome of St. Isaac's still dominates the skyline of St. Petersburg. Although the cathedral is considerably smaller than the newly rebuilt Church of Christ the Savior in Moscow, it boasts much more impressive fades and interiors.

The cathedral's facades are decorated with sculptures and massive granite columns (made of single pieces of red granite), while the interior is adorned with incredibly detailed mosaic icons, paintings and columns made of malachite and lapis lazuli. A large, brightly colored stained glass window of the "Resurrected Christ" takes pride of place inside the main altar. The church, designed to accommodate 14,000 standing worshipers, was closed in the early 1930s and reopened as a museum. Today, church services are held here only on major ecclesiastical occasions.

*Source 

Spasibo Sveta! 

The world in words

I love this print of a map of the world with the countries names marking their territories and it came with great stamps as well!

Spasibo Marina!

Cookies from Russia

Cookies by Julia Ostrovskaya

Such a cute illustration!

Spasibo Polina!