Monthly Fav. Surprise RR * August '25

No, I didn't make a mistake, these are the postcards from the August's group of last year. One of the cards didn't make it here and it had to be resent. 

www.papersisters.de

Is not that I don't like plants and flowers but gardening isn't definitely one of my hobbies. There's a lot of flower pots in my house but if they depended on me to survive, I'm sure most of them would be dead by now. 

This Happy Postcrossing card was new in my collection and it was sent by Daniela.

The retablos are one of the most distinctive features of the Baclayon church on the island of Bohol. It is one of the oldest and best-preserved colonial churches in the Philippines.

Originally founded in 1596, Baclayon Church was constructed by the Jesuits using coral stones held together with egg whites and lime. Its massive walls and resilience over time have made it one of the best-preserved colonial churches in the country. The architectural style combines Baroque and Neoclassical elements, while the interior features elaborate woodcarvings, ancient frescoes, and an altar adorned with gilded ornaments. Although it suffered severe damage during the 2013 earthquake, the church has since been restored and continues to serve as a vital religious center. - in: https://en.webtours.bg

The card was sent by Jill, who used a Pope Francis stamps to make the roman catholic theme even more complete.

 

Unfortunately mm6's 1st card got lost in the mail and she had to resend it. 

Kaiping, Jiangmen is home to Guangdong's first World Cultural Heritage, Kaiping Diaolou. Most of these unique structures were built by returning overseas Chinese in the 1920s and 30s, resulting in a fusion of Chinese and Western architectural styles. The Diaolou are categorised into three types: watchtowers, residential towers, and communal towers. Watchtowers were typically built at the entrance of villages, equipped with searchlights and alarm devices to fend off bandit invasions, while residential towers and communal towers are mainly for residential purpose. - in: https://www.gbayouth.org.hk

 

And another card from Asia. Hirosaki Castle, in Japan, sent by Tomoko.

Hirosaki Castle was built in 1611 by the Tsugaru Clan. A three-story castle tower, fortified moats, castle gates and some corner turrets (yagura) survive or were reconstructed. The castle is located in Hirosaki Park, a spacious public park of about 0.6 square kilometers.
The castle's original five-story keep burnt down in 1627 after being struck by lightning. Rebuilt in 1810, the present three-story keep is the only one in the Tohoku Region that was not rebuilt in the modern era, amongst only a handful in all of Japan. - in: https://www.japan-guide.com