If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 540

 

 

 

 

 

Presidential Guard, Athens, Greece

 

This is an unused postcard shared by J & K that has a photograph of the Greek Presidential Guard.  The card was printed in Greece but the photographer is not credited. 

 

The soldiers, the last unit of Evzones in the Hellenic Army, guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Presidential Mansion in Athens, Greece.  The guard is ceremonial only.  In addition to guarding the tomb and the entrance to the mansion it provides personnel for raising and lowering the Greek flag on the Acropolis of Athens, acts as honor guards during foreign head of state visits, and participates in parades.  The present guard was established by Royal Degree on 24 December 1868. 

 

The distinctive uniform evolved from clothes worn by klephts (highwaymen) in the Greek War of Independence or the Greek Revolution of 1821.  The scarlet fez has the national emblem on the front, and a long black silk tassel.  The white cotton kilt is called a Foustanella and has 400 pleats.  The white shirt has very wide sleeves.  The embroidered waist coat has traditional designs.  The fringes seen under the waist coat are blue and white, the colors of the Greek flag.  The two garters on each leg are black silk, the two stocking on each leg are white wool, and the shoes are red leather clogs with black pompons.  An interesting bit a trivia about the shoes is under the soles, depending on the shoe size, there are between 60 and 120 nails and each shoe weighs about 1.5 kilos or 3.5 pounds.  The cartridge belt is of black leather and has a bayonet holder case. 

 

Thanks K & J for sharing the card.

 

For additional information, see:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidential_Guard_(Greece)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_War_of_Independence

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 539

 

 

 

 

 

Wright Brothers glider flight, 1902, Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina

 

The two postcards shared this week feature the Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur, on flights in glider and powered aircraft.  The black and white pictures from 1902 and 1903 are historical photographs that were made into postcards and distributed by the Eastern National Park Monument Association in 1984. 

 

Oriville Wright was born in Dayton, Ohio in 1871 and died in 1948 in Dayton.  Wilbur Wright was born 1867 in Millville, Indiana, an died in 1912, in Dayton, Ohio.  Neither brother married.  Both brothers attended high school but did not receive a diploma.  Orville dropped out of school in his junior year and started a printing business in 1889.  He ha designed and built his own printing press with help from Wilbur.  Wilbur joined the print shop and the brothers first printed a weekly newspaper, the West Side News and converted that to a daily paper in 1890 but it only lasted 4 months.  They then switched to commercial printing projects.  In 1892 they opened a bicycle repair and sales shop and in 1896 began manufacturing their own brand.  Their work of many years with printing presses, bicycles, motors and other machinery convinced them  that just like balancing on a bicycle it should be possible to build a flying machine that could be controlled and balanced with practice.  Beginning in 1900 until the first powered flight in 1903 they tested the idea with glider flights.  One of their shop employees, Charles Taylor, became an important part of the team and helped build the first airplane engine with the brothers.  

 

 The Wright brothers made approximately 1000 glider flights in 1902 that provided knowledge and experience leading to successful powered flights.  In the card above we see Orville Wright on the glider with Wilbur Wright at the left and Dan Tate on the right assisting in the glider lift off.  Dan Tate was a fisherman who was a part-time general helper for the Wright brothers.  The photograph was taken 10 October 1902.

 

 Powered aircraft flight, 1903, Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina

 

The first successful powered flight was captured in this postcard photograph above that has Wilbur Wright watching his brother, Orville, lifting off, 17 December 1903.  The aircraft went 120 feet in 12 seconds. 

 

The community of Kill Devil Hills did not exist until 1953 but Kitty Hawk, 4 miles north, did so these first flights are usually identified as being at Kitty Hill, North Carolina.  The location was chosen for good winds that would help with the gliders and later with the powered airplanes.  The Wright Brothers National Memorial, dedicated in 1932, is found in the town of Kill Devil Hills. 

 

Thanks to K and J for sharing the postcards.

 

For additional information, see:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wright_brothers

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitty_Hawk_North_Carolina

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kill_Devil_Hills,_North_Carolina

 

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 538

 

 

 

 

 

 

Piazza Unità d’Italia, Trieste, Italia

 

This beautiful used postcard sent by a friend features a photograph of the Piazza Unità d’Italia, Unity of Italy Square in English, found in the main square in Trieste, Italy.  The card was printed by www.tipografia.com and has the identifier Art.002.PI TS on the reverse center line.

 

Trieste is a port city on the Adriatic Sea.  Unity of Italy Square is thought to be Europe’s largest square located next to the sea.  Prior to 1919 the square was called Piazza Grande or the Great Square.  Occasionally concerts are held in the square with crowds between 12,000 and 15,000 people in attendance.  The square has also been used for visits from foreign heads of state, such as in 2017 with Angela Merkel, Emmanuel Macron, and Paolo Gentiloni.  Vladimir Putin met with the Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta for bilateral talks in 2013.  The 4^th Western Balkans Summit was held here.

 

The way the light is shining on the building gives it a gilt appearance.  Sometimes we get that illusion here when the setting sun hits the windows on the houses across the lake and they look bright gold.  An interesting and beautiful effect. 

 

As always my thanks to the friend who shared the card.

 

For additional information, see:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piazza_Unit%C3%A0_d%27Italia

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 537

 

 

 

 

 

Trieste, Italy – Barcolana

 

This beautiful used postcard was printed by www.tipografia.com  and has a photograph of the Trieste harbor during the Barcolana regatta.  This international sailing regatta is held on the second Saturday in October in the Gulf of Trieste.  The regatta is organized by the Società Velica di Barcola e Grignano.  In 2019 a record number of boats, 2,689, participated in this “greatest sailing race,” and was listed as a Guinness World Record holder.  Boats of all sizes are divided into divisions according to their overall length. 

 

The Barcolana was founded in 1969 and its full name is Barcolana Autumn Cup Regatta.  Each year the event has become more popular and today attracts international crews and world-famous sailors.  There is a 15 mile or 24 km four-sided, fixed mark course that starts between the Miramare Castle and the yacht club and since 2014 has finished just off Piazza Unità d’Italia.  There have been several changes in the course over the years and for a while one buoy floated in Slovenian waters.  Prizes are awarded in a ceremony at the end of November. 

The event attracts not only the participants but also as many as 250,000 spectators.  This year the friend who sent the card was fortunate enough to be among those watching.

 

 Thank you M for sharing the card.

 

For additional information, see:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcolana_regatta