US-2628631

From a different state in the US, comes this snowy view of Timberline Lodge and Mt. Hood in Oregon. 

Declared a National Historic Landmark in 1977, Timberline Lodge is one of Oregon’s most popular tourist attractions, drawing nearly two million visitors every year. Considered an architectural wonder, it’s still being used for its original intent—a magnificent ski lodge and mountain retreat for all to enjoy. - in: http://www.timberlinelodge.com/plan-your-visit/explore-the-lodge/

Photo © Josef Muench

US-2628631, sent by Tammy.

Timberline Lodge is a mountain lodge on the south side of Mount Hood in Oregon, about 60 miles (97 km) east of Portland.

 The lodge was constructed between 1936 and 1938. 

Lifestyles Northwest published a story about the history of Timberline Lodge in its February 2005 issue, based heavily on interviews with the family who have operated the lodge for fifty years. The story noted that in the lodge's early years, it had had four different operators, none of which was willing or able to maintain it. By 1955 Timberline Lodge was closed and in disrepair.

Richard Kohnstamm, the patriarch of the family that currently operates it, remembered those difficulties as being due to financing problems arising from the fact that the government owned it. Kohnstamm decided to maintain the place as if he owned it himself; he lost money during his first five years of operation, but his timing turned out to be fortuitous, since he began operating it only a few years before skiing started exploding in popularity in the late 1950s. That popularity helped the family generate a profit starting in 1960. Kohnstamm, "The man who saved Timberline", died at the age of 80 on April 21, 2006. Richard's son Jeff is now the Area Operator of Timberline Lodge.

Today, the lodge and its grounds are host to a ski resort also known as Timberline Lodge. It has the longest skiing season in the U.S., and is open for skiers and snowboarders every month of the year. Activities include skiing, snowboarding, walking, hiking and climbing. - in: wikipedia

US-2628633 & US-2281692

These aren't exactly the same card but they're both from the same place, Arches National Park, and both showing the Delicated Arch. 

 Photo: William Carr

US-2628633, sent by Michael and written in a perfect portuguese.

Delicate Arch has become the unofficial symbol of Utah.  Towering eighty feet over hikers, Delicate Arch is one of the highlights of Arches National Park and is possibly the most beautiful arch in the world. 

Photo by Allen Karsh 

US-2281692, sent by Laura-Lynne.

On the back of the card: Delicate Arch, in Arches National Park, is the most famous formation in this spectcular park, north of Moab, Utah. It was formed by wind and rain erosion on Entrada Sandstone. The salmon colored arch is 45 feet (13 metres)  high and 33 feet (10 metres) wide. 

US-2636847

What a great volcano card!! Carlos read that I like volcanoes and sent me this card from his home country, Mexico. 

Karten Collection * Photo by Erick Schnabel

US-2636847, sent by Carlos.
Volcán Popocatépetl, whose name is the Aztec word for smoking mountain, towers to 5426 m 70 km SE of Mexico City to form North America's 2nd-highest volcano. The glacier-clad stratovolcano contains a steep-walled, 250-450 m deep crater. The generally symmetrical volcano is modified by the sharp-peaked Ventorrillo on the NW, a remnant of an earlier volcano. 

Popocatepetl is one of Mexico's most active volcanoes. After almost 50 years of dormancy, "Popo" came back to life in 1994 and has since then been producing powerful explosions at irregular intervals. 

In the past centuries befor European invasions, large eruptions produced giant mud flows that have buried Atzteque settlements, even entire pyramids. - in: http://www.volcanodiscovery.com/popocatepetl.html

AU-336564

I believe that many people may think that Sidney is Australia's capital but that's not true, Canberra is the country's capital city. 

The card shows a view of the city along the parliamentary axis with the War Memorial in foreground and the Old and New Parliament Houses in background. 

Canberra became the site for the newly federated nation of Australia in 1908 by a ballot in Parliament after extensive searching. The Indigenous peoples of this area have lived here for over 20,000 years. Since then the city has grown to become the proud home of the Australian story. - in: http://www.visitcanberra.com.au/Canberra-and-surrounds.aspx

www.visitgallery.com.au

AU-336564, sent by Elizabeth.

Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of 374,245, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory.

The site of Canberra was selected for the location of the nation's capital in 1908 as a compromise between rivals Sydney and Melbourne, Australia's two largest cities. It is unusual among Australian cities, being an entirely planned city outside of any state. Following an international contest for the city's design, a blueprint by the Chicago architects Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin was selected and construction commenced in 1913.

The city's design was influenced by the garden city movement and incorporates significant areas of natural vegetation that have earned Canberra the title of the "bush capital". The growth and development of Canberra were hindered by the World Wars and the Great Depression, which exacerbated a series of planning disputes and the ineffectiveness of a procession of bodies that were created in turn to oversee the development of the city. The national capital emerged as a thriving city after World War II.

As the seat of the government of Australia, Canberra is the site of Parliament House, the High Court and numerous government departments and agencies. It is also the location of many social and cultural institutions of national significance, such as the Australian War Memorial, Australian National University, Australian Institute of Sport, National Gallery, National Museum and the National Library. The Australian Army's officer corps are trained at the Royal Military College, Duntroon and the Australian Defence Force Academy is also located in the capital. - in: wikipedia

Rainbow Valley - Australia

An australian card sent by Manuela. 

Rainbow Valley Conservation Reserve is a protected area located south of Alice Springs, Northern Territory in Australia. The reserve was established to protect the unique sandstone formations and culturally significant Aboriginal art, artifacts and sacred natural objects within an area of 24.83 km2 (9.59 sq mi) around a large sandstone bluff. The sandstone layers in the main formation resemble the colored stripes of a rainbow, with the red-orange hues of sandstone that is rich with iron creating a strong contrast with the lighter shaded sandstone that turns pale yellow or gold in the late day sun as it shines on the northwest-facing cliffs.

Photo: Derek Roff * Published by Baker Souvenirs

Rainbow Valley is known as Wurre by the local Aboriginals, the Twertentyeye group of Upper Southern Arrernte people, and is a significant part of their homeland which they call Imarnte. Since 2008, the area has been jointly managed by the Twertentyeye and the Parks and Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory (PWCNT) and is the first conservation reserve to have a joint management plan. - in: wikipedia

Kapitan Keling Mosque - Malaysia

Kapitan Keling Mosque is the largest mosque in Georgetown and one of Penang's landmarks. 

The card was sent by SL. 

Photo by Ng Tien Khuan

Built in 1801 by Penang’s first Indian Muslim settlers, the Indo-Moorish structure was named after the ‘kapitan’ of the Keling (a leader of the South Indian community), Cauder Mydin Merican. The whitewashed mosque is topped with large golden-yellow Mughal-style domes, crescents and stars and features a single, typical Indian-Islamic minaret from which the sound of the azan (call to prayer) can be heard. 

JP-500753 & JP-500863

Two very different official cards, both from Japan. 

JP-500753, sent by Kiziri.

Shionomisaki Lighthouse is a lighthouse on Cape Shiono in Kushimoto, Wakayama, Japan.The lighthouse was designed by Richard Henry Brunton, who was hired by the government of Japan during the Meiji period to help construct lighthouses to make Japan safe for foreign ships. It was first lit on September 15, 1873; 138 years ago. - in: http://www.touristlink.com/japan/shionomisaki-lighthouse/overview.html

Photo by MORI hideo / Designed by NDC Grafics / Produced by Kohga Communications Products Inc. 

JP-500863, sent by Harumi.

Yokohama Chinatown (Yokohama Chukagai) is Japan's largest chinatown, located in central Yokohama. 

Yokohama Chinatown quickly developed, after the port of Yokohama had been one of the first Japanese ports to be opened to foreign trade in 1859. It became the residence of the many Chinese traders who settled down in the city. 

Today, a large number of Chinese stores and restaurants can be found in the narrow and colorful streets of Chinatown, while the number of actual residents has been decreasing. 

Four colorful gates stand at the entrances to Chinatown, and five more gates can be found within. The Kanteibyo is a gaudily colored temple in the center of Chinatown. Constructed in 1873 by Chinese residents, it is dedicated to the Chinese god of good business and prosperity. - in: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3201.html