National Park of American Samoa

This card is also a first, the first from American Samoa, and it was also sent by Nancy. 

The National Park of American Samoa is a national park in the United States territory of American Samoa, distributed across three islands: Tutuila, Ofu, and Ta‘ū. This card is from Tatuila island and it shows Pola Island.

The park preserves and protects coral reefs, tropical rainforests, fruit bats, and the Samoan culture.

 

Pola Island is an island just offshore from the village of Vatia on Tutuila Island.The island is known for its high cliffs, populated by seabirds, and is one of American Samoa's primary seabird nesting sites.

Rashaida Women - Eritrea

I've tagged Nancy on a UNESCO tag and the she asked me if we could swap a few cards. I said yes and that's how I got this card from Eritrea, a new country in my collection 😃 

The Rashaida migrated to Eritrea and north-eastern Sudan from Saudi Arabia in 1846. The cause of their migration was due to ethnic warfare breaking out in Saudi Arabia. The Rashaida are thought to be related to the Bedouin of Saudi Arabia and are the only true nomadic people left in Eritrea. They are primarily Muslim, and very few Christians are known to exist among the group. According to the Eritrean government, the Rashaida made up 2.4% of Eritrea's population, and numbered around 78,000 in 1996. The language spoken by them is Arabic, although some are capable in speaking Tigre.

 

 

Photograph © Carol Beckwith and Angela Fisher

Rashaida women are famous for their black-and-red geometrically patterened dresses, and their burkas (long, heavy veils) elaborately embroidered with silver thread, beads and sometimes seed perals. Once a Rashaida girl reaches the age of 5, she is required to wear a veil that covers most of her face, with the exception of her eyes. Since the sexes do not mix freely in Rashaida culture, young men and women have few chances to meet of their own accord. As a result, marriages are usually arranged by familes. However, if a Rashadian girl is ready to marry, she will at times approache the man she wants and flirtatiously lift her veil so that he can see her chin. If he accepts her offer he must find 100 camels for her bride price. - in: http://www.madote.com

Red foxes

A beautiful red foxes from Finland and Belarus sent by Sirpu and Anna. 

Red foxes live around the world in many diverse habitats including forests, grasslands, mountains, and deserts. They also adapt well to human environments such as farms, suburban areas, and even large communities. The red fox's resourcefulness has earned it a legendary reputation for intelligence and cunning.

 

Kuva: Vastavalo / Anja West

Red foxes are solitary hunters who feed on rodents, rabbits, birds, and other small game—but their diet can be as flexible as their home habitat. Foxes will eat fruit and vegetables, fish, frogs, and even worms. If living among humans, foxes will opportunistically dine on garbage and pet food.

In winter, foxes meet to mate. The vixen (female) typically gives birth to a litter of 2 to 12 pups. At birth, red foxes are actually brown or gray. A new red coat usually grows in by the end of the first month, but some red foxes are golden, reddish-brown, silver, or even black. Both parents care for their young through the summer before they are able to strike out on their own in the fall. - in: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/r/red-fox/

Chaves Church - Portugal

Paula also sent me a non Christmas card to wish me happy holidays. I believe that all the cards that I've posted from Church were about the roman bridge. Today I'm showing the city's parish church.

Francisco Más, Lda

 

The historic Church of Santa Maria Maior (the Igreja Matriz or Parish Church) is located in the center of Chaves. 

The original Romanesque church dates back to the mid-13th century and may even be 12th century and have been built over a previous Visigothic church, which was constructed over an even earlier Roman temple. The bell tower and Romanesque portal date from the 13th century.

In the 16th century the Church of Santa Maria Maior underwent major renovation which included the integration of two Mannerist (Late Renaissance) portals into the existing Romanesque structure, one on the main facade, crowned by a circular oculus (circular opening) crowned with an image of Christ and the other on the north side, surmounted by two medallions with the images of St. Paul and St. Peter. - in: https://www.portugalvisitor.com

1st of May Park in V. N. de Famalicão - Portugal

I liked all the Christmas cards I received last year, of course I did, but the best card of the year award goes to this one that isn't even a Christmas card. This was really the card that I liked the most to receive. It was sent by Miguel, Oscar's son 😍 I loved it!! The postcard is from Vila Nova de Famalicão, where I've never been to, with the exception of the bus terminal, and from where I only have 2 or 3 more postcards. This one shows the 1st of May Garden.

The “1st  of May Garden” arose due to the construction of the avenue crossing it, by the established connection between the city centre and the railway station. With the final design of the landscape Architect Viana Barreto, it’s in the year of 60’s of the 20th century that the garden acquired its current configuration.

Since then, has been subject to an intervention in year of the 80’s, which resulted in the design of a longitudinal passage and the central square, where the sculpture in honour of a volunteer Fireman was set up.

This garden has excellent recreational conditions for children and their families, along with its main equipment, especially the children’s playpark, the lake with its birds and a picnic park. Establishes a crossing and connection to the various public facilities. - in: http://www.portoenorte.pt

Monthly Fav. Surprise RR * October '21

This new year has just started but I still have some some unfinished business in 2021, meaning that I still have a few cards to show from last year. This 1st one from China was actually the last one to arrive in 2021. It was supposed to arrive in October but it took a bit longer and only arrived in the last days of December.

It was worth to wait for this card. Eels sent me a card from my favorites, grassland in Inner Mongolia region. 

Inner Mongolia is the land of endless green grass with grazing herds of sheep and horses decorating the landscape.

Photo: Pihla Liukkonen - Postcard Design: Marku Kulmala

 

In October Finland celebrated 150 years of postcards in the country and a few meetings were held in a several cities. In November I posted the cards that I've got from Helsinki, Sastamala, Jyväskylä and Kuopio meetings, only the card from Mikkeli was missing. It was sent by Flora and it shows the city's harbor.

Hōryū-ji is a Buddhist temple in Ikaruga, Nara Prefecture, Japan. In 1993, Horyu-ji Temple, along with Hokki-ji, was registered as Japan's first UNESCO World Heritage Site under the name of Buddhist Monuments in the Hōryū-ji Area.  

The temple was founded in 607 by Prince Shotoku, who is credited with the early promotion of Buddhism in Japan. Horyuji is one of the country's oldest temples and contains the world's oldest surviving wooden structures. - in: https://www.japan-guide.com

This card was sent by Sawako.

 

Zagreb Cathedral was one of the historic buildings damaged by a 5.3-magnitude earthquake on the morning of 22 March 2020. One of its two spires broke off and crashed onto the roof of the adjacent Archbishop's Palace. The second, which was significantly damaged, on expert recommendations, was partly removed a few days later.

Card sent by Anja.

HR-95874

Hello and happy new year!! 

Have you already received any mail this year? Today I've received 2 Christmas cards and a letter, I'm still waiting for my 1st official. 

Speakinf of officials, is now time for some stats.  In 2021 my mailbox was happy 62 days, with a total of 114 official cards. I've sent 112. These numbers are slightly better than in 2020. One thing didn't changed, most of the sent and received cards are from Germany, USA and Russia. Besides these three countries, I've received cards from 23 other countries and sent to 21 others. One of the received was this one from Croatia, my 2nd official from there.

 

HR-95874, sent by Nada. 

Labin and Rabac are two cute, not overcrowded Istrian towns.
Labin is a medieval town located in the southeastern part of Istria, on a 320 meters high hill above Rabac. The town developed on the site of a Roman settlement called Albona (“alb” meaning hill), which was first mentioned in 285 AD. Labin consists of two parts: the old town, which is located on top of the hill, and the new settlement, the so-called Podlabin (“Underlabin”). The combination of the old and new town makes the walk through the streets like a visit to a museum. You can see the town gates from the 15th century, the lodge from the 17th century, renaissance details and baroque facades. 

Known as “Pearl of the Kvarner Bay”, Rabac is a famous tourist resort that was a small fishermen village until the middle of the 19th century. Due to its location (beautiful bay and splendid surroundings), Rabac started to attract visitors, including the English writer Richard Francis Burton, who even wrote a book called “The Istrian coast”. - in: https://www.myistria.com