Meeting of the Waters - Brazil

hen I 1st saw this card I thought it was a painting but then looked closer and realized it depicts the Encontro das Aguas - Meeting of the Waters, a phenomenon that occurs at the confluence between the dark (blackwater) Rio Negro and the pale sandy-colored (whitewater) Amazon River, referred to as the Solimões River in Brazil upriver of this confluence. For 6 km the waters of the two rivers run side by side without mixing.

This is one of the main attractions and one of the most spectacular views of the city of Manaus, where the beauty and majesty of nature Amazon is object of admiration.

Not only are the waters meet in Manaus, some postcrossers have also met there last month. Luzia sent me this card signed by two other postcrossers.

 

Photo: Herivelto Costa

This phenomenon provides an unforgettable experience. It occurs due to the different temperatures, densities and flows of rivers: the Rio Negro is about 2 km/h and a temperature of 22 ° C, while Rio Solimões runs from 4 to 6 km/h with a temperature of 28 ° C. The light-colored water is rich with sediment from the Andes Mountains, whereas the black water, running from the Colombian hills and interior jungles, is nearly sediment-free and colored by decayed leaf and plant matter.
Traveling to the Encontro das Aguas in a small boat is a unique experience, people can put their hands in the water, and feel the temperature change of both rivers.

Ennedi Massif - Chad

New country, new UNESCO site!!!

Sometimes months go by without receiving any postcards from UNESCO sites but these last weeks I've received a few and from some unique places. This is not only my 1st UNESCO card from Chad but also my very 1st card from this African country. Even though Svenja sent it from Germany, I still think this is a good addition to my collection. 

The Ennedi Massif, inscribed by UNESCO in 2016, is located in the eastern Sahara, northeast of Chad, and is one of the six mountain ranges of the Sahara.

 

Look/Robertharding

The Ennedi Massif first came into being in the Paleozoic era, approximately 500-350 million years ago. It was part of one of the primordial oceans which covered the majority of the Sahara. The ocean dried up. What was left behind were sandstone formations which ever since have been carved and re-shaped by water, wind and sand.
Today the sandstone plateau consists of a rock labyrinth, bizarre rock formations and gorges and valleys up to 200 metres deep, through which narrow rivers and streams still run.
The Sahara was once green and full of life. About 10,000 years ago, heavy monsoon rains had transformed it into a fertile savanna. It reached all the way to the Nile. Wild animals lived here and people on their way through the savanna settled here and there. Reptiles and fish inhabited the lakes and swamps.
Climate change saw the disappearance of the rains from the Sahara - and with it the life. Only by the rivers in the rocky valleys of the Ennedi mountains was life even possible. People, animals and plants found retreat here, with its life-giving water - sheltered for thousands of years from the outside world.
In the course of the Ennedi's formation, wind, sand and water partially hollowed out some of the rocks, forming very large over-hangs. In prehistoric times people used these cave-like niches as their living space. They added scenes of their lives on the walls.
The scenes depict stories of a long ago culture. They show, in their own way, the changing climate and the effects this had on living conditions.
The petroglyphs show people dancing, cows with their herders and hunters with their horses or camels, as well as scores of wild animals - for example, giraffes, rhinoceroses or elephants. - in: https://explore-chad.org

Markha Valley - India

Sachin and I share the love for hiking. He sent me this card of Markha Valley, one of the most popular and beautiful treks in Ladakh, North India. 

These last weeks I've been hiking more than usual and I've a few more trails on my list for the next weeks.

Set in the arid cold desert of Ladakh, Markha is a stunning river valley in Hemis National Park. 

The Markha valley is known for its panoramic views, its Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and remote villages. The valley is a huge favourite among trekkers due to its easy accessibility, it’s not difficult to navigate and it’s one of the few multi-day treks in the region that can be done independently by staying in homestays.

Pyhätunturi - Finland

 My friend Anne has been to Lapland once again, last february, but this time things didn't go that well. Too cloudy to see the northern lights, too warm to have decent snow and she got the flu. She got the flu but I got a nice card from there.

 

Foto: Sampsa Sulonen

 Pyhätunturi – is situated in eastern Lapland, in the north of Finland, right in the middle of pure, pristine nature. It is part of Pyhä-Luosto National park. 

Pyhätunturi is, in fact, a ski centre where Finns and foreigners alike come for their skiing holidays. Like with most destinations in Lapland, downhill skiing is the main activity in Pyhä.