A great first day cover from 20 March 1996 of the Official Souvenir Postcard issued by the Amateur Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong.  The 1996 Summer Olympics were held in Atlanta, United States. There were 10 318 athletes, in 271 events, from 197 National Olympics Committees.  Athens was the popular choice to host the centennial games, but their bid was described as "arrogant and poorly prepared," being regarded as "not being up to the task of coping with the modern and risk-prone extravaganza" of the current Games. Athens also faced political instability, potential security problems, air pollution, traffic congestion, and the fact they would have to spend US$3 billion to improve its infrastructure of airports, roads, rail lines, and other amenities. Athens would be awarded the 2004 games.  Toronto finished third in voting, followed by Melbourne, Manchester, and Belgrade.  The United States won the most medals, with Canada finishing 21st. Hong K...

This bicycle is a Belgian made Eddy Merckx Corsa Extra. This is a 1990 model.  The sender is from Atlanta and she mentions that Coca-Cola was invented here. Coke was invented her in 1886 by Confederate General John Pemberton. He was wounded in the American Civil War and became addicted to morphine. He also had a medical degree and tried to find a substitute for morphine.  Pemberton's first concoction was called Pemberton's French Wine Coca nerve tonic. It contained the African kola nut, which was the beverages source of caffeine. In 1886, Pemberton developed a non-alcoholic version of his tonic and renamed it Coca-Cola, with the tag line, "The Temperance Drink." The first sales for Coca-Cola were at Jacob's Pharmacy in Atlanta on 8 May 1886 and sold for five cents a glass. Drugstores had soda fountains because at the time it was believed that carbonated water was good for health. Coca-Cola was sold as a patent medicine and claimed it to be able to cure many diseas...

A great World Postcard Day card from Atlanta. She included her favourite quote: When the power of love, overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace -  Jimi Hendrix. 

Atlanta has had two National Hockey League hockey teams in the history of the city.  The first team, the Atlanta Flames, were founded to begin play in 1972 along with the New York Islanders. The Flames actually made the playoffs in six of their eight seasons, but failed to advance beyond the first round, winning a total of two playoff games. Unfortunately the team only averaged 10 000 fans per game. The owner looked to sell the team. Calgary was the frontrunner in the rumoured new locations, but Dallas and Houston were also mentioned. An ownership group from Calgary agreed to buy the team for $16 million. The Calgary Flames played their first season in Calgary in the 1980-81 season. That year the Flames won their first two playoff rounds, before losing in the semi-finals to the Minnesota North Stars. The second team, the Atlanta Thrashers, joined the league for the 1999-2000 season. The Thrashers won the 2006-07 Southeast Division Championship but were swept by the New York Rangers...