Friday, July 15, 2011

A Trek in the Himalayas

These cards belong to Pamela Gerard, who has a wonderful blog on mail art and sent me these to post.  The story of these postcards also involves the story of how I got to know Pamela.  We did not meet in the Himalayas. Here are the postcards -story to follow.


According to Wikipedia,  the Pindari Glacier trail provides for a 90 km (56 mile) round-trip trek that most people find comfortable to complete in five days. Notice William Archer's fancy initials there on the left. I wonder which one of these fellows is Archer.  I assume that Archer was the author of India and the Future, published by Knopf in 1918. I am also guessing that William George Archer (1907-1979), expert on Indian art, was his son. 


Here are the backs of the cards, sent by Archer from Calcutta, 15 Park Street, top flat, and the Calcutta YMCA, by W. Archer.


Now, more on Pamela, the owner of these fabulous cards: Pamela lives in San Francisco and has a fondness for Chinese and other Asian restaurants. I asked her for some San Francisco restaurant recommendations, and she mailed me menus and commentary. Then, somehow, we started exchanging music CDs. And then recently, I received an email from my friend Susi in Germany who had read something about Pamela and thought I might be interested:

This all made me think of you!‏

Check out "Wait a minute, Mr. Postman":
http://www.vormirdiewelt.de/?category_name=sanfrancisco&paged=2

Pamela was becoming famous in Germany. Who knew! Of course I replied that I already knew Pamela, and I asked my friend how she had learned about her.
My German friend responded:
I follow "Vor Mir Die Welt" and read her post mentioning Pamela. 
Meike (VMDW and a journalist) won €500,000 on the German version of Who wants to be a Millionaire and is traveling the world (12 months, 12 cities). I got onto her, because another journalist (bro. of a friend in Munich) is traveling through Germany on foot from South to North and stayed with us one night. He told me about his friend Meike...
It just goes to show you that there are a lot of connections made through the blog world.

Speaking of that, you can make all sorts of good connections with the past and present over at Sepia Saturday.
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26 comments:

  1. Cappuccinoandartjournal.blogspot.comJuly 15, 2011 at 9:22 AM

    How fun to see this -- and what a nice post. Thanks, Christine. And, I should mention, what a lovely thing it has been to "meet" you.....we'll have lunch in an Asian restaurant in SF one of these days....

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  2. Karen S.July 15, 2011 at 1:19 PM

    Oh goodness this was a nice group of men and fab postcards yours or not, thanks for sharing them with us! Have a great weekend!

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  3. UnknownJuly 15, 2011 at 8:01 PM

    The post Cards are amazing and such a wonderful story of how you came to have them. Thanks so much for sharing with us :)

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  4. AnonymousJuly 15, 2011 at 9:18 PM

    The first photo is spectacular! What a unique shot. And the story behind the friendship in the blog world is cool too!

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  5. JinksyJuly 16, 2011 at 2:43 AM

    And thereby hung a tale... Thanks!

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  6. PostcardyJuly 16, 2011 at 7:05 AM

    Those are very interesting and classic photos/postcards.

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  7. Mike BrubakerJuly 16, 2011 at 7:18 AM

    Compare these well dressed gentlemen with photos of today's scruffy trekkers, and you see how fashion standards have deteriorated.

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  8. TracyJuly 16, 2011 at 7:44 AM

    What incredible cards...and what a great story! Thanks for sharing!

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  9. papel1July 16, 2011 at 8:47 AM

    Great postcards with a charming story about your friend Pamela.
    Judy

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  10. dakotabooJuly 16, 2011 at 8:48 AM

    These are great cards. I've come across some vintage mountaineering books in the past but have never seen mountaineering depicted on postards before.

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  11. MargaretJuly 16, 2011 at 11:56 AM

    Fantastic poses and expressions! I love this. As to the fashionable clothes... I can't imagine hiking in them. I'll take the "deteriorated" fashion choices of today! ;)

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  12. Christine H.July 16, 2011 at 12:34 PM

    Mike and Margaret,
    I am guessing that there were some not-so-well-dressed people who accompanied them and carried their belongings.

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  13. Sheila @ A Postcard a DayJuly 16, 2011 at 12:37 PM

    We have Archers in our family.... I'm fairly sure they were never in the Himalayas though.

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  14. Bob ScotneyJuly 16, 2011 at 1:05 PM

    Classic cards, very interesting to hear about the Archers.

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  15. Tattered and LostJuly 16, 2011 at 1:38 PM

    Oh yes, the adventurers who went up the mountain and went down the mountain. They had boisterous stories to tell the rest of their lives. Did people ever tire of hearing of their adventures? Great images.

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  16. NancyJuly 16, 2011 at 3:17 PM

    I am surprised to see these men dressed as they are - almost suits jackets or sport coats (whichever they are). It makes me think the climb was not too strenuous! Thanks to Pamela for sharing them and to you for posting them. It's amazing how the blog world brings people together.

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  17. MuseSwingsJuly 16, 2011 at 6:43 PM

    Wonderful photos of these dashing travelers. His congratulations were probably 6 months late - it took months to get newspapers. I would certainly consider doing a bit of mountain climbing in a shirt and tie.

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  18. AnonymousJuly 17, 2011 at 12:33 AM

    Ha! I love this (also told Meike about it). SmallEST world alert. Can I join you and Pamela for lunch? I mean it!
    Love and kisses from Germania
    Susi

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  19. Alan BurnettJuly 17, 2011 at 2:53 AM

    Not just a lot of connections - a lot of such fascinating connections. It is a kind of parallel village, inhabited by people of your own choosing. As for the cards - absolutely wonderful. History on a Postcard

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  20. HowardJuly 17, 2011 at 8:02 AM

    Great postcards, the top one is particularly good

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  21. Archie TechtJuly 17, 2011 at 10:20 AM

    I'm with Margaret, looking dapper on the trail is fine if you want to impress the wildlife with your fashion sense, but functional/comfortable is all I care about. I feel blessed to not have such rigid dress codes to conform to these days, and am thrilled to have not worn a tie to the office in the past decade...

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  22. Brian PaperSpongeJuly 17, 2011 at 12:38 PM

    What a triumphant trio! And the full story of the small world of friends. Blogs are awesome!

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  23. Isabel BushJuly 17, 2011 at 1:05 PM

    great postcards

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  24. JanineJuly 17, 2011 at 3:49 PM

    Wenn man Überlegt mit welcher Ausrüstung heute Berge bestiegen werden und sich das ansieht, dann kann man den Mut dieser Mänbner nur bewundern, oder sie über ihrer Leichtsinn wundern

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  25. Bruno LalibertéJuly 17, 2011 at 4:14 PM

    fabulous postcards and a great story.
    :)~
    HUGZ

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  26. christineJuly 18, 2011 at 1:51 AM

    Hi, how fun is this, fabulous postcard and a brillant story.

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