My first visit across the Atlantic earlier this month to the U.K.. My daughter and I spent most of the 2 weeks in Scotland, but ferried one evening from Islay to Ballycastle, N. Ireland, and later drove down to Liverpool for some Beatles tours, and then drove into Wales, so we did see all four of the nations of the U.K.
It was after business hours, so I wasn't able to go inside, but in Sanquhar a small town south of Glasgow we drove by the Sanquhar Post Office which claims to be the oldest working Post Office in the world, opening and continually operating since 1712. It would've been nice to have been able to send a post card home from here:
Not my home post office, but one I encountered while vacationing on St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. This is the central P.O. of the capital, Charlotte Amalie, the largest "city" with population of about 15,000. The entire island's pop was 42,261 in the 2020 census.
It was built in 1937-38. In 1994 it was named in honor of Alvaro de Lugo (1906-1958) who was the first native-born postmaster of St. Thomas (1934-1958)..
I made a non-philatelic use inside, mailing a utility bill I'd prepared in the moments before leaving home as it would be due the day we got back to the mainland. No post box at the airport (removed during covid), so I brought it here. Regular U.S. postage of course.
Arcos de la Frontera is one of the 'white towns' of Andalusia. Its steep narrow streets are lined with white-washed houses. Calle Cuna, Arcos de la Frontera
The town lies about 35 kilometres west of Jérez de la Frontera, the city that lends its name to the Sherry wine, in the province of Cádiz. The high-speed rail service between Madrid and Cádiz call at the train station of Jérez de la Frontera. From Seville's Prado de San Sebastián bus station, busses service Jérez de la Frontera as well. Regular bus services connect Jérez de la Frontera with Arcos de la Frontera. The two stations of Jérez de la Frontera stand on the same square. Old town atop the Hill (100 metres over the Guadalete River), Arcos de la Frontera
Arcos the la Frontera sits on a hill in a bend of the Guadalete River. The old town sits atop a 100-metres high cliff. The name derives from its Roman name 'Arx-Arcis' meaning high fortress. It became an Arab town after the Muslim invasion of the Iberian Peninsula. After the fall of the Caliphate of Córdoba in the early 11th century, the 'taifa' kingdom of Arcos was established. The walls, of which little remains were erected at the time. The Muslims built a fortress (alcázar) At the edge of the cliff. It was reconstructed in the 15th century as ducal castle.
In the 13th century, the Christians reconquered the town that became part of the frontier between the Muslim and Christian territories. The addition of 'de la Frontera' refers to this period. The parish church of the Assumption of Saint Mary arose on the ruins of the mosque that stood near the alcázar. The church dating to the 14th or 15th century has undergone many changes and is a usual mixture of Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque architecture.
In above picture, the alcázar is on the far left. The tower to the right of it is the basilica minor of the Asumption of Saint Mary. The white building with balconies visible between the two on the edge of the cliff is the local Parador de Turismo (hotel) with magnificent views from its restaurant.
The post office stands just below the old town (in above picture, to the left of the alcázar). From the street in front of the post office, there is a view of the alcázar. Like many post offices in Spain, nowadays, it only opens on workdays, until 14:30 CET. Post office, Arcos de la Frontera
Carmona is one of the oldest towns in Europe. The town lies about 35 kilometres west of Seville (25 from Seville's airport), on the road to Córdoba. There is a very frequent bus service (somewhat less frequent on Saturday and even less frequent on Sunday) from besides the San Bernardo train station and a sparse service from the Prado de San Sebastián bus station in Seville and Carmona.
The town is believed to have been strongly fortified during the Tartessian era. It, later, was colonised by the Phoenicians, and then by the Carthaginians. In the third century before Christ, the Carthaginians constructed the current 'Sévilla' gate that stands on the old road to Seville. The town, consequently, became the Roman town of Carmo. Julius Caesar wrote about Carmo. 'Carmo, by far, is the most fortified town in the province' (i.e., the province of Baetica). The Romans raised the gate and built a temple on the flanking tower. The Almohades extended it to its present size, turning it into an alcázar (castle). The alcázar, largely, survived to the present time. Alcázar de la Puerta de Sévilla, Carmona
After the reconquest of the town by Pedro I "el Cruel" in the thirteenth century, a second alcázar with a palace was constructed at the highest point of the town.
From the fifteenth century, the Gothic church of the Assumption of Saint Mary was built on the site of a mosque. It preserves a patio of this old mosque. One of the pillars of the patio has Visigoth inscriptions.
About a kilometre from the Puerta de Sévilla, on the old road to Seville there are the remains of the Roman amphitheatre and the Roman necropolis. Archaeological excavations have unearthed several Roman graves, including one of enormous dimensions. Post office, Carmona
The post office of Carmona is quite a distance from the centre. Those familiar with Spanish towns, will know that these often have an ALDI discount supermarket on the outskirts. Coming from the old town, you pass by the ALDI supermarket before getting to the post office.
I took the opportunity to replenish my stock of Spanish stamps. To my surprise, they had stamps for the 'D' tariff (North America, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and Russia). These are quite difficult to find, as most post offices do not stock these. The stamps are the following: B (Europe): 7-11-2022, Christmas, Nativity Scene of the Rocks (Roca de Meliana); C (outside Europe): 22-04-2019, 500th Anniversary of the Arrival of Hernán Córtez in Mexico; D (would that be 'out of this world'): 20-6-2022, Humanitarian organisations / Amesty International. These replenished the stamps I used on postcards during my trip, leaving me probably a handful more than I started with. Sending friends postcards is quite an expensive activity. It should not surprise anyone people will settle for sending an app. In response, postal services increase the cost of postage to cover their costs. Spanish post offices sell packing materials for parcels. Among the boxes for sale are those for sending one or two wine bottles.
Here is one especially for our member Roberto. On my way from Carmona to my next destination, and a few days later on my return journey to Madrid, I passed through this station where the high speed trains call.
In front of the station - actually, just behind me when I took above photograph - is this small post office.
Nerja is a beach resort on the Costa del Sol, fifty kilometres east of Málaga. Regular busses connect the centre of Nerja with the bus station in Málaga. Busses call at the bus stop near the main pier of Málaga's harbour.
In my opinion, this is a town that is not worth a visit itself. It is highly touristic: British tourists eating British food (bland curries, tasteless pizzas, spaghettis Bolognese – do not ever ask for that in Italy! -, BLT sandwiches, and hamburgers with chips) where they offer excellent seafood and cold soups (gazpacho, salmorejo, ajoblanco).
Some years ago, I got stranded at Madrid Airport when mist prevented my connecting flight to Málaga to depart. The next morning, on the minibus from the hotel back to the airport, I spoke with Spanish people. When I told them I was going to Málaga, they praised Málaga's 'pescaítos fritos.'
The 'Balcón de Europa' is a viewpoint overlooking the Mediterranean. Advertised as a major attraction, I cannot imagine how this is special. It is a platform on a rock.
Four to five kilometres past the town of Nerja are the Nerja Caves. These were formed five million years ago and were rediscovered in 1959. Parts of the caves are open to tourists. Some of the busses connecting Málaga with Nerja continue to the caves.
Cueva de Nerja, Nerja
In the centre of the town, hidden between the souvenir shops close to the Balcón de Europa, is the post office. Looking for it to take the picture, I must have passed it twice before I noticed the 'Correos' sign. This is one of those offices that opens on weekdays until 14:30 CET.
Alcalá de Henares is a city in the Madrid Autonomy, situated 35 kilometres northeast of Madrid itself. Local trains connect the main train stations in the centre of Madrid with the city of Alcalá de Henares. From terminals 1, 2 and 3 of Madrid Airport, there is a direct bus service that runs every half hour, or hourly on Sundays.
In 1486, Cristóbal Colón (Columbus) had his first meeting with Queen Isabella "the Catholic" of Castile, presenting her his plans for the westward journey to Cathay. On 12 October 1492, that journey would result in the rediscovery of the Americas.
The town is the birthplace of Spain's most famous author, Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (Don Quijote). The museum birth house of Cervantes was reconstructed on the presumed site of the original house. Colegio Mayor de San Ildefonso (1499), Alcalá de Henares
In 1499, Cardinal Cisneros founded the Complutensis Universitas, considered the second most important university of Spain after the 'Civi' in Salamanca. The adjective 'Complutense' refers to the Roman name for the town, Complutum. Post office, Plaza de Cervantes, Alcalá de Henares
The post office in the town centre stands on the Plaza de Cervantes, at a stone's throw from the Colegio Mayor de San Ildefonso founded by Cardinal Cisneros.
The bus mentioned in the previous post (Alcalá de Henares) calls at the freight area of Adolfo Suarez Airport. On the way to terminal two of the airport, the bus passed this distribution facility of Spain's postal service, Correos. This might be the international mail centre at the airport.
Another post office in Bordeaux is that on the Avenue Theirs. In front of the post office is the tram stop "Jardin Botanique" on line A that serves the airport in Mérignac.
The small mediaeval town of Saint-Émilion is located about 40 kilometres east of Bordeaux. The town is listed by UNESCO as a world heritage site. Around the town are many vineyards that produce wines with the Saint-Émilion and the Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Appellation d'origine contrôlée.
Cloisters of the collegiate church of Saint-Émilion (12th - 14th centuries)
We went to St Emilion a few years ago on a blindingly hot day, with one of the cafés on the main square spraying diners with water from a fan-type apparatus. The Bordeaux area is a wonderful place to visit.
I was there early this afternoon. It was very chilly and foggy. When we arrived, we could only vaguely see the collegiate church from 100 metres away. Half an hour later, the fog started to lift.
The town of Tomar is some 125 kilometres northeast of Portugal's capital Lisbon. A regional train takes 2 uncomfortable hours to reach the town from the Oriente Station, near Lisbon's airport, stopping about every five minutes.
In the twelfth century, after the reconquest of the region, Afonso Henriques, Portugal's first king, ceded the Muslim Thamara (twelve waters) to the Order of the Knights Templar. On a hill where there had been a Muslim fortification, the Templars built their castle with a convent. It became the seat of the Order in Portugal. The Order was suppressed at the beginning of the fourteenth century by the Pope. However, a few years later, the new Order of Crist, essentially a continuation of the Order of the Knights Templar, was founded. The Order of Crist returned to Tomar in 1356. (The Cross of the Order is the cross that appears in the Portuguese arms.)
The Convent of Crist was extended in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries when it got its present Manueline (Portuguese late-Gothic) and Renaissance appearance. Across the river from the old town also is the church and pantheon of the Grandmasters of the Order of the Knights Templar.
The town's main post office is located near the river.
As I needed postage stamps for the usual postcards, I visited the post office to buy the necessary stamps (Europe and Rest of World - € 1.16). I also picked up some extra stamps to gift to a colleague, whose brother-in-law collects anything he can get.
There is a small post office in the Santa Maria dos Olivais neighbourhood of Tomar (where the aforementioned Church of the Grandmasters of the Knights Templar is).
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Posted 08/30/2023 10:55 pm
