Dragon Dance

Postcard US-3372308 to Finland shows a Kung Fu team performing the dragon dance at Chinatown Plaza in Las Vegas on February 22, 2015. Dancers manipulate the poles positioned at regular intervals along the length of the flexible dragon body, mimicking the supposed movements of this mystic creature in a sinuous, undulating manner.

Similar to the lion dance and often performing together, the dragon dance can usually be seen during the Chinese New Year celebrations.  It was a highlight during the Year of the Monkey Spring Festival at Chinatown on Spring Mountain Road earlier today.

Dragon dance at Chinatown Plaza in Las Vegas on February 21, 2016

Cobb Hall at the University of Chicago

On January 23, 1992, USPS issued a stamped postal card with a 19-cent pre-printed stamp to commemorate the Centennial of the University of Chicago. The card features the first building completed on campus in 1892 - Cobb Hall, named after benefactor Silas Cobb. Designed by Henry Ives Cobb (not related to Silas Cobb), the building was modeled after the Gothic style featured prominently on the Oxford University campus in England. It currently hosts the humanities and social sciences, as well as the Center for the Study of Languages, and the Renaissance Society Contemporary Art Museum.

The first-day-of-issue postmark, cancelled from the city of Chicago, IL, also features an outline of Cobb Hall.

Update: the card was later sent to Belarus as US-3841631.

Loving Day

Today is Loving Day, an annual celebration held on June 12 each year, marking the anniversary of the 1967 United States Supreme Court ruling "Loving v. Virginia" that struck down all anti-miscegenation laws remaining in sixteen U.S. states. Citing "there can be no doubt that restricting the freedom to marry solely because of racial classifications violates the central meaning of the equal protection clause," the ruling invalidated U.S. state laws banning interracial marriage, mainly forbidding marriage between non-whites and whites.

Postcard US-3284982 to Russia features a pair of beautiful swans forming a heart shape with red flowers. It was purchased at Zazzle.

World Oceans Day

World Oceans Day, celebrated on June 8 every year, was originally proposed by Canada at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1992. It was officially recognized by the United Nations in 2008. The 2015 Theme is "Healthy oceans, healthy planet."

The United Nations Postal Administration issued three panes of 12 stamps on May 31, 2013 to raise awareness for World Oceans Day. The artwork by Yoshito Hirano on Postcard JP-240233 from Japan illustrates the important relationship between human settlements and the ocean.

Flower Market, Guangzhou, China

I just got this postcard from a private swap showing a pair of kids in traditional Chinese costume at a flower market in Guangzhou, China. The Guangzhou Flower Market, held annually during the Spring Festival, is a city-wide street fair where the public can purchase all kinds of flowering and decorative plants as part of the Chinese New Year celebration. As vendors literally line up the streets, the Flower Market is also known to locals as the "Flower Streets" where you can go shopping flowers by "walking the Flower Streets." The tradition can be traced back to the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644). Peony, orchid, and related arts, crafts and supplies are popular items in the market.

Chiang Mai, Thailand

Postcard TH-191063 from Thailand shows an elephant with texts of "Chiang Mai" forming as in circles as rays from the sun. Located 700 kilometers or 435 miles north of Bangkok, Chiang Mai is the largest and most culturally significant city in Northern Thailand. Surrounded by the highest mountains in the country, the city sits astride the Ping River, a major tributary of the Chao Phraya River. The location helped Chiang Mai to gain historic importance due to its close proximity to major trading routes associated with the river.

Today marks the first day of the Songkran festival (潑水節) that is celebrated in Thailand as the traditional New Year. The festival lasts from April 13 to April 15. It coincides with the New Year of the Buddhist and Hindu solar calendar used in South and Southeast Asia. The traditional water pouring during the festival symbolizes a ritual of washing away all of the past evils and sins.

Dance 4 A Course under the High Roller

As part of the CNY in the Desert 2015 celebration, Fighting United hosts a free "Dance 4 A Cause" event, the largest Dance a thon on the Las Vegas strip to celebrate Chinese New Year while getting fit, under the backdrop of the High Roller at the LinQ parking lot on Saturday February 21, 2015.

Participants are asked to bring a gently used or preferably new K-12 book for donattion to Spread the Word Nevada and Clark County School District. You can also select your very own cause by choosing fighting for AUTISM, HUNGER or CANCER by donating $25 or $50, to get an event T-Shirt and dance in your own special "Pick Your Cause” or VIP Section.

Postcard US-3038661 to Germany shows one of the 28 passenger capsules on the High Roller, which weighs 44,000 pounds or 20,000 kilograms each with a diameter of 22 feet or 6.7 meters and an area of 225 square foot or 20.9 square meters. It can host 40 passengers each with a total capacity of 1,120 passengers for a full ride. Each capsule is individually rotated by electric motors to maintain a stable horizontal cabin floor throughout the rotation.

Ram Sculptures at Wynn Las Vegas

Las Vegas rings in the Year of the Sheep, Goat or Ram with lion and dragon dances today. Postcard US-3202717 to Oklahoma, USA shows one of the three 600-pound ram sculptures gilded in gold leaf to mark the occasion at Wynn Las Vegas and Encore at Wynn Las Vegas. Fruiting tangerine trees, begonias, calandivas and red, yellow and orange chrysanthemums greet guests throughout the Wynn Atrium.

Las Vegas Spring Festival will be held at at The LINQ Promenade on February 20 and 21, 2015, featuring cultural performances, a live dragon and lion dance, martial arts demonstrations, a car show and a culinary show. The 2015 Las Vegas Spring Festival Parade, part of CNY in the Desert/Las Vegas Spring Festival, will take place from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on February 21 in downtown Las Vegas.

25th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall

The Berlin Wall was a 96-mile or 155-kilometer barrier built in 1961 by East Germany that divided West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin,  preventing people from fleeing the communist East. Many people were killed when trying to scale the wall.

As the result, the Brandenburg Gate, an 18th-century neoclassical triumphal arch and a landmark in Berlin, became isolated and inaccessible because it was immediately next to the Berlin Wall.

On November 9, 1989, after a series of radical political changes which eroded the pro-Soviet influence and under months of protests, the East German government announced opened the border, which resulted in the collapse of the wall and paved the way for German reunification on October 3, 1990.

Postcard DE-1702613 from Germany shows the Brandenburg Gate, a site that witnessed many major historical events in Europe. 25 years after the Fall of the Berlin Wall,  it is once again the center for celebration and a symbol for unity and peace.

Happy 150th Birthday, Nevada!

Postcard US-3017742 was sent to Germany with warm greetings from Nevada. On October 31, 1864, Nevada became the 36th state of the United State during the Civil War. Today marks the 150th birthday of the "Silver State" Nevada.

Las Vegas hosted a special Nevada Day Parade for the first time started at 10 a.m. to celebrate the State’s Sesquicentennial, highlighting the legacy of Southern Nevada. 150 groups marched up 4th Street in Downtown Las Vegas, consisting of floats, antique cars, horses, motorcycles, and marching bands. Hard to miss were larger-than-life Birthday Cake, Elvis, and American Eagle balloons.

Celebrations continue tomorrow including the 76th annual Nevada Day Parade in Carson City on November 1, 2014.

You can purchase a copy of the Greetings from Nevada postcards from Zazzle.

All Star Concert at the Smith Center Celebrates Nevada's Sesquicentennial

Nevada’s 150-year history was condensed into a two-hour 250-cast 27-act concert at Reynolds Hall in the Smith Center for the Performing Arts in Las Vegas tonight on September 22, 2014.  It was one of the 450 statewide events that celebrate the 150th anniversary of Nevada Statehood.

Outgoing postcard US-3000615 to New Zealand was a variation of the Las Vegas Springs Preserve postcard, sent in to obtain a first-day-of-issue postmark on the Nevada Statehood Forever stamp by mail on July 26, 2014. The turn around time is usually around 30 days. However, it took longer than usual this time as I just received the order on September 20, 2014.

America the Beautiful -- Baltimore: Inner Harbor

The celebration of the bicentennial of the National Anthem took place at its birth place Baltimore, Maryland this weekend with appearances of the U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley, and other celebrities and elected officials last night. The week-long Star-Spangled Spectacular, from September 10 to September 16, 2014, features more than 30 tall ships and U.S. Navy vessels, the Blue Angels airshows, concerts, festivals and fireworks.

Before the fireworks on September 13, 2014, one of the 21 songs performed at a concert, live on THIRTEEN'S Great Performances on PBS, from Baltimore's Pier Six Pavilion was "America the Beautiful" by Little Big Town and Kenny Rogers.

This Baltimore: Inner Harbor stamped card, issued by USPS on October 7, 1989, was one of the several "America the Beautiful" series I bought from the Israel I. Bick Coin, Currency, Jewelry and Stamp Shows early this year. The USS Constellation, shown on the postcard, is one of the 30+ ships accessible during the Star-Spangled Spectacular, It was the last all-sail ship built by the United States Navy. A sailing ship is usually referred to a wind-powered vessel. Among its early missions were disrupting the slave trade, and delivering famine relief supplies to Ireland.

The USPS postcard rate between April 3, 1988 and February 3, 1991 was 15¢.

Bicentennial Celebration of the Star-Spangled Banner

Two hundred years ago, Francis Scott Key, a Maryland-born lawyer and amateur poet, wrote a poem "Defence of Fort M'Henry" after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by British ships throughout the night of September 13-14, 1814 during the War of 1812. The Star-Spangled Banner, the then American flag with 15 stars and 15 stripes, was seen still flying the next morning. The poem made into the lyrics of "The Star-Spangled Banner" which became the national anthem of the United States.

On September 11, 2014, Fort McHenry hosted a ceremony where the National September 11 Flag, a patchwork stitched onto the flag that flew above the rubble at the site of the World Trade Center attacks, was raised. Threads from the original Star-Spangled Banner that soared above Fort McHenry in 1814 were sewn onto a patch and attached to the National September 11 Flag in June 2012.

The featured postcard shows the present flag of the United States, hoisted by two firetrucks at the annual Las Vegas Firefighters 9/11 Tribute and March in downtown Las Vegas on September 11, 2014.

Today on September 13, 2014, USPS issued a The War of 1812: Fort McHenry forever stamp, the third in the series, to commemorate of the bicentennial of the War of 1812 that ultimately helped forge our national identity and gave us our national anthem “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

National Day of the American Cowboy

Yesterday was the National Day of the American Cowboy, declared by a resolution passed by the U.S. Senate. Senator Craig Lyle Thomas (February 17, 1933 – June 4, 2007) first started the tradition by naming the fourth Saturday in July “National Day of the American Cowboy” in 2005, coinciding with Cheyenne Frontier Days, an outdoor rodeo and western celebration held annually since 1897 in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

The 2014 resolution, the tenth in a row, was introduced by U.S. Senators Mike Enzi (R-Wyoming) and John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), and co-sponsored by Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Heidi Heitkamp (D-North Dakota), John Hoeven, (R-North Dakota), James Inhofe (R-Oklahoma), Mike Johanns (R-Nebraska), Tim Johnson (D-South Dakota), Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Jon Tester (D-Montana), and John Walsh (D-Montana). The day this year falls on July 26, 2014, acknowledging the contributions from cowboys throughout history and their continued impact to the U.S. today.

The Senate passed the S.Res.488 unanimously on July 17, 2014. It's a rare feat for the 113th Congress.

Postcard US-2680033 to Massachusetts shows a Wyoming tourism poster with a tag line "Rodeo! stamped on every plate and into every heart, in Wyoming."

Bellville, Cape Town, South Africa

Postcard ZA-50304 from South Africa shows car lights brighten the busy national road from the north at Bellville, a city in the greater Cape Town metropolitan area. Originally called "12 Mile Post" as it is located 12 miles or 20 kilometers from the city center of Cape Town, Bellville was originally founded as a railway station on the line from Cape Town to Stellenbosch and Strand. It was renamed to Bellville in 1861, named after the Surveyor-General Charles Davidson Bell (October 22, 1813 - April 7, 1882),  who was also an artist and designer.

The postcard arrived a few days before what would be Nelson Mandela's 96th birthday on July 18, 2014. As the former president of South Africa and Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Mandela passed away at 95 last year on December 5, 2013. His birthday was officially declared as Nelson Mandela International Day by the United Nations in November 2009; and the first Mandela Day celebration hosted by UN was held on July 18, 2010. This is the first time the day has been celebrated since his death, in honor of his legacy through volunteering and community service.

Google Doodle made a beautiful tribute to Nelson Mandela today.

Color Our World with Pride

Member of Balloon Magic Marches in the 42th SF Pride Parade on June 24, 2012.

The 44th Annual San Francisco Pride Parade kicked off at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday June 29, 2014.  attracting hundreds of thousands of spectators and participants to this one of the largest LGBT gatherings in the nation. The theme of this year's parade was "Color Our World With Pride."

Balloon Magic marches along the Market Street in 2014 (Screen capture from livestream)

Adding a splash of colors to the parade, the group Balloon Magic has been a staple over the years and one of my favorites. They have usually been marching between the leading Dykes on Bikes and Cheer San Francisco. The featured postcard was made from one of my photos taken on June 24, 2012.

Balloon Magic in the 43 the Pride Parade on June 30, 2013 (Screen capture from livestream)

Badlands

I got this postcard from a Capital Pride Festival in Washington D.C. more than 10 years ago, showing Badlands that was located near the Dupont Circle and first opened in 1983. Once billed as Washington D.C.’s most progressive and longest running gay dance club, it later changed its name to Apex and was abruptly shutdown on July 5, 2011 after 28 years. The space, listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Codman Carriage House and Stable, is now occupied by Phase One of Dupont, a 21+ lesbian venue.

Today, for the first time in the Annual Capital Pride Parade's 39-year history, the U.S. Armed Forces color guards marched along with the rainbow flag. An eight-member color guard team from the U.S. Army Military District of Washington led off the parade, started at 4:30 pm on June 7, 2014. It is the same team that presents the flags at congressional and White House events. The Department of Defense authorized the participation. Celebrations continue tomorrow at the Capital Pride Festival from 12:00 pm to 7:00 pm on June 8, 2014.

Fruit Sculpture

Postcard US-2242693 to Seattle shows a fruit sculpture presentation made out of a melon during the Chinese New Year Celebration at the Fremont Street Experience in downtown Las Vegas. The art of fruit carving can be traced to Japan, Thailand and China in ancient times.

If you would like to learn how to carve vegetables and fruits, I found a Youtube video from Mutita offering very simple and easy step by step lessons for making a cantaloupe flower.

Happy Birthday to You

Postcard TW-1236766 from Taiwan shows "Happy Birthday" both in English and in Chinese with a sweet strawberry theme. I am re-sending this card to anyone who is having her/his birthday today.

Also, today marks the 6th anniversary of Wenchuan Earthquake, measured at 8.0 Ms and occurred at 02:28:01 PM Beijing Time on Monday, May 12, 2008 in Sichuan province, China. It killed 69,195 people and left 18,392 missing. About 100 kids, who were born over the three months following the earthquake in a thousand-year-old temple, have gathered to celebrate their fifth birthday in Shifang City, Sichuan Province.

Panda!

Postcard US-2598763 to Taiwan shows that a charming Panda looks out over a beautiful valley with cranes flying by, created by Birgit Schulz from London, Ontario, Canada. Although unrelated, I was reminded to this card when I saw the crew from Panda!, a new resident show at Palazzo, performing at the Chinatown Plaza in Las Vegas for the Chinese New Year Celebrations today on February 9, 2014.

The new show follows the hero’s journey of a panda Long Long, trying to save his girl peacock princess from evil. Director An Zhao, who had involved in directing the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, said in a news release: "We've taken two of China's national treasures, pandas and kung fu, and illuminated them in a visually stunning production that tells an unforgettable and timeless story. Our team couldn't be happier to bring this experience to the international audiences Las Vegas is known to attract."

The show's opening was planned for December, 2013 but was delayed by a month due to visa problems. The congressional office of the U.S. Representative Dina Titus was involved to help securing the visa. She was pictured with the Panda! crew at the festival today.