Tonight I didn’t have anything specific that came to mind to write about, so decided to choose a couple of random cards from my set of Improved Geographical Cards and see where my mind would wander. The cards are from the 1880’s.

You can read more about these cards in my post: Early Flash Cards

One of the first cards that I pulled out of the box was Amsterdam.

Here are the points for Amsterdam:

Population: 302,000

City Traversed by Canals.

Has Two Hundred and Ninety Bridges.

The Chief Commercial City of the Netherlands.

Here is a picture that I took back in 2002 of a canal and bridges in Amsterdam. One of my colleagues gave me a tour of the city and it included a boat ride through the canals.

The next card is Buenos Ayres. Evidently this was the spelling of Buenos Aires back in 1883.

Here are the points for Buenos Ayres:

Population: 178,000

City Noted for its Healthful Atmosphere.

On the Right Bank of La Plata.

Exports Hides, Tallow and Horse Hair.

Founded by the Spaniards in 1535

Capital of Argentine Confederation.

I had many pictures to choose from, but decided to use this picture from my post Once in a Blue Moon.

This picture shows the colorful barrio of La Boca. About the time that the cards were published La Boca seceded from Argentina due to a prolonged strike at the port on the river La Plata. The neighborhood had always been home to workers in the shipyard and many of the homes are built from leftover material from their work. The vibrant colors of the houses are also attributed to using leftover paint.

La Boca is also home to the famous La Bombonera stadium.

The third card that I selected was of a familiar place. I have lived in Kansas City twice during my wanderings.

Here are the points for Kansas City:

City at the Confluence of the Kansas and Missouri Rivers.

The Second City in Missouri.

Great Market for Live Stock.

Noted for Wonderfully Rapid Growth

As I look at the points I think of several things.

First, my brother recently Paddled Across Missouri from the Confluence of the Kansas and Missouri Rivers to the First City of Missouri.

Second, I know that Kansas City was at one time a Great Market for Live Stock, and I worked in the meat packing field when I moved there the second time.

I decided to pick a picture that shows the downtown of Kansas City. I took this picture about seven years ago when I was visiting there. There had been a lot of growth in the downtown area since I had moved away just after the turn of the century.

Which of these places have you visited?

Steven