Cat Postcards from Italy

During last year's week in Rome, we found these attractive postcards featuring cats wearing elaborate theatrical costumes.  There are possibly more than 12 different designs and these are some of my favourites:

Postcards are always popular but it was not easy to find anywhere to buy stamps - even a small post office I visited did not have any!  The easiest place to get stamps and know that the postal service will be reliable is the Vatican post office.  Other options are to buy  your stamps in a local Tabbacchi - small tobacconist shop or in a  general store,  

Newsagents and street kiosks  offered special  Swiss post stamps, but you can only post these in designated boxes which again, were  not  easy to find. (I later discovered that you can get a map of the box locations, but it was too late on this occasion).

So these beautiful cards, which are printed in Venice,  have been added to my growing  collection of Cat cards!  

April Fool (Poisson d'Avril) cards

A few spoof posts on facebook and in the papers today, but I don't think anyone sends postcards in the mail anymore.

Our old postcard collection contains these lovely examples of French postcards sent to loved ones on 1st April.  In France April Fool's day is known as "Poisson d'Avril" (April Fish) and the cards were often sent anonymously, or with a cryptic message.

The beautiful card (top left) is a more romantic design and like the one at the bottom, contains the words, "Devinez qui vous l'envoie - 1er Avril" - Guess who sends you this - 1st April.
The humorous card (top right)also carries a very romantic message on the back from a "fair haired young man"!