Dozens of yachts and motorboats bob in the sparkling blue inner harbour of Torquay — the so-called "English Riviera" — as seen from Vane Hill in this vivid chrome-era colour photograph card posted in February 1977, when Britain's 9p Machin definitive stamp was still a relative newcomer. The card travelled by airmail from Torquay to Mr & Mrs Gallagher at their Hollywood, Florida address, the message written in energetic red ballpoint by a sender named Constance, who reports being "very busy … just learning to speak a few phrases" of a foreign language, mentions Scotland, and signs off cheerfully. Photo credit on the reverse goes to John T. Pullen, whose name appears on numerous West Country chrome cards of the 1970s; the publisher's code V.8209 appears bottom left. A lovely slice of 1970s transatlantic holiday correspondence.