Monthly Favorite Surprise RR * December '15

I didn't join the November's RR, I didn't notice it, so I'm jumping for October to December. In December I got cards from Russia, Estonia and Netherlands. 

The volvano on this card is one of the Udina volcanos in Klyuchevskoy Nature Park, considered one of the main natural attractions of the Kamchatka Peninsula. 

As a result of the numerous and lengthy eruptions in the area formed the huge lava plateaus, and today a natural park is one of the most powerful volcanic massifs are not only on the Kamchatka Peninsula, but throughout the Russian Federation. The volcanic group consists of 13 volcanos and the park register at least two new eruptions per year, which lasts from several days to two or three months.

The card was sent by Alyona.

This beautiful Suzdal card was in my favorites. Thanks Rita. The card shows the Wooden Church of St. Nicholas and the Cathedral of the Nativity.

 St. Nicholas church was built in Glotovo in 1766 and was moved to Suzdal in 1960 to be part of a Museum of Wooden Architecture & Peasant Life. This church is made out of all wood and represents the close relationship between wood and stone architecture and how precise the Russians were while building this back in 1766.

The Cathedral of the Nativity is a World Heritage Site. It is one of the eight White Monuments of Vladimir and Suzdal. One of the most complex monuments of Russian medieval architecture. It was built between 1222-1225. - in: wikipedia

Daire from Estonia sent me a card with the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Tallinn. This orthodox cathedral was built in a typical Russian Revival style between 1894 and 1900, during the period when the country was part of the Russian Empire. 

The cathedral was built during the period of late 19th century Russification and was so disliked by many Estonians as a symbol of oppression that the Estonian authorities scheduled the cathedral for demolition in 1924, but the decision was never implemented due to lack of funds and the building's massive construction. As the USSR was officially non-religious, many churches including this cathedral were left to decline. The church has been meticulously restored since Estonia regained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. - in: wikipedia

HAMAR

The Royal Palace of Amsterdam is situated on Dam Square in very the centre of Amsterdam. It was originally built as the city hall for the magistrates of Amsterdam. In the 17th century it was the largest secular building of Europe. Learn more about its history.

Today the Royal Palace on the Dam is one of the three Palaces, which the State has placed at the King's disposal by an Act of Parliament. It is used for Royal Events like reception of the foreign heads of state during their visits in The Netherlands, the King's New Year reception and other official receptions. Every year, it provides the setting for the presentation of various official and royal prizes. - in: http://www.amsterdam.info/sights/royal_palace/

This last card was sent by Mendy.

Monthly Favorite Surprise RR * October '15

This week started with 5 cards, one of them from this very same RR and it is an amazing card. 

These four are nice too and are October's cards. They came from Germany, Netherlands, New Caledonia and Taiwan. 

© Photography & Design - Hans Fine Art Photography

Sabine sent me a card from one of the german cities on my must visit list, Dresden.

The Hofkirche stands as one of Dresden's foremost landmarks. It was designed by architect Gaetano Chiaveri from 1738 to 1751. The church was commissioned by Augustus III, Elector of Saxony and King of Poland while the Protestant city of Dresden built the Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) between 1726 and 1743. The Catholic Elector decided that a Catholic church was needed in order to counterbalance the Protestant Frauenkirche.

In the crypt the heart of King Augustus the Strong is buried along with the last King of Saxony and the remains of 49 other members of the Wettin family, as well as the remains of people who married into the family, such as Princess Maria Carolina of Savoy, wife of Anthony of Saxony.

The church was badly damaged during the bombing of Dresden of the Second World War and was restored during the mid-1980s by the East German government. Today it is the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dresden-Meissen. - in: wikipedia

Kinderdijk was also on my must visit list but I've already been there, exactly one year ago. I'd love to go there again on a snowy day, it must be so beautiful. 

The card was sent by Mendy.

© 2007 Photo - Mike Hosken

Azzi went on holidays with her nieces to Amédée Island, New Caledonia, lucky girls!!

The Amédée lighthouse is an iron lighthouse located on Amédée Island.

The metal components were made by Rigolet in North-East Paris in 1862 and the tower was constructed in Paris as a demonstration. It was then disassembled into pieces weighing a total of 387,953 kilos and transported along the River Seine to the port of Le Havre for its voyage to New Caledonia. 

At 56 metres tall (247 steps), it is one of the tallest lighthouses in the world and it was the first metallic lighthouse constructed in France. The foundation stone was laid on 18 January 1865 and it was first lit on 15 November 1865, the saint day of the Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III. 

Its light signals the entrance to the passage of Boulari, one of only three natural passages in the reef surrounding New Caledonia. 

On the other side of the world, the Roches-Douvres Light in the English Channel is the twin brother of the Amédée lighthouse. It is now a very popular tourist attraction. - in: wikipedia

Photo by Yuyen

Reuen also sent me a lighthouse card. This is is Eluanbi light located on Cape Eluanbi, the southernmost point of Taiwan, to the south of Hengchun in Pingtung County, Taiwan. 

 The lighthouse is built between the Pacific Ocean and the Taiwan Strait, facing toward the Luzon Strait. Thus, the lighthouse has a splendid panorama. The lighthouse is open to the public all year around. Today, Eluanbi Lighthouse is called "The Light of East Asia", because its intensity is the most powerful among Taiwan lighthouses. - in: wikipedia

Canadian UNESCO WHS

I'm only missing cards from 2 canadian UNESCO sites. These two, sent by Natasha, were the last that I got from this country. Waterton Glacier International Peace Park was added to the WHS list in 1995 and the Wood Buffalo National Park in 1983.

 © 2015 Canada Post

In 1932 Waterton Lakes National Park (Alberta, Canada) was combined with the Glacier National Park (Montana, United States) to form the world's first International Peace Park. Situated on the border between the two countries and offering outstanding scenery, the park is exceptionally rich in plant and mammal species as well as prairie, forest, and alpine and glacial features. - in: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/354

© 2015 Canada Post

Situated on the plains in the north-central region of Canada, the park (which covers 44,807 km2) is home to North America's largest population of wild bison. It is also the natural nesting place of the whooping crane. Another of the park's attractions is the world's largest inland delta, located at the mouth of the Peace and Athabasca rivers. - in: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/256

White House - USA

In a few months the americans will choose a new president. There's no need to choose a house for the president as the White House has been the official residence of every U. S. president since 1800. 

This card was sent by Lindsey.

The first president, George Washington, selected the site for the White House in 1791. The cornerstone was laid in 1792 and a competition design submitted by Irish-born architect James Hoban was chosen. After eight years of construction, President John Adams and his wife, Abigail, moved into the unfinished house in 1800. During the War of 1812, the British set fire to the President’s House in 1814. James Hoban was appointed to rebuild the house, and President James Monroe moved into the building in 1817. During Monroe’s administration, the South Portico was constructed in 1824, and Andrew Jackson oversaw the addition of the North Portico in 1829. During the late 19th century, various proposals were made to significantly expand the President’s House or to build an entirely new house for the president, but these plans were never realized.

Photography © 1996 Fred Hirschmann

In 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt began a major renovation of the White House, including the relocation of the president’s offices from the Second Floor of the Residence to the newly constructed temporary Executive Office Building (now known as the West Wing). The Roosevelt renovation was planned and carried out by the famous New York architectural firm McKim, Mead and White. Roosevelt’s successor, President William Howard Taft, had the Oval Office constructed within an enlarged office wing.

Less than fifty years after the Roosevelt renovation, the White House was showing signs of serious structural weakness. President Harry S. Truman began a renovation of the building in which everything but the outer walls were dismantled. The reconstruction was overseen by architect Lorenzo Winslow, and the Truman family moved back into the White House in 1952.

Every president since John Adams has occupied the White House, and the history of this building extends far beyond the construction of its walls. From the Ground Floor Corridor rooms, transformed from their early use as service areas, to the State Floor rooms, where countless leaders and dignitaries have been entertained, the White House is both the home of the President of the United States his family and a museum of American history. The White House is a place where history continues to unfold. - in: https://www.whitehouse.gov/about/inside-white-house

CA-579741, US-3691842 & US-3809162

Cards from New York, Michigan and North Carolina.

CA-579741, sent by Mengyao.

This card is actually a canadian official card but as it is easily seen, it shows the skyline of the city that never sleeps, New York. 

 Photos by Diane Cauchy

US-3691842, sent by Diane.

Some lighthouses in Michigan. The pictures were all taken by Diane. 

Manistee Light; Point Betsie, Waugashance Light; Old Mackinaw Light; White Shoal Light and St. Helena Light. 

www.postcardfair.com

US-3809162, sent by Neil.

North Carolina fun facts:

- The state was named after King Charles I of England. Carolina comes from Carolus, the latin form of Charles;

- The Wright brothers, the aviation pioneers who were first to fly an airplane at Kitty Hawk in 1903, both dropped out of high school. They designed and manufactured their own bicyles to fund their airplane pursuits;

- Caleb Bradham invented Pepsi in New Bern in 1898. The drink was named "Brad's Drink.";

- The largest black bear ever recorded in North carolina weighed 880 pounds (199kg);

- The Biltmore Estate in Asheville is the largest private house in the US. It boasts of 25o rooms, which include 33 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, 65 fireplaces and 3 kitchens. Today is open to public;

- Cape Hatters Light, located on Hatters Island, is the tallest lighthouse in the US. Its height is 210 feet (64 m);

- Virginia dare was born in Roanoke Colony on August 18, 1587. She was the first child born in the New World to English parents, who were among the colonists from London. 

UNESCO WHS from Cuba

In the last two trades with Emerich I've got two missing UNESCO sites from Cuba, Historic Centre of Camagüey and Desembarco del Granma National Park. Camagüey was added to the list in 2008 and the park in 1999. 

© BARON

One of the first seven villages founded by the Spaniards in Cuba, Camagüey played a prominent role as the urban centre of an inland territory dedicated to cattle breeding and the sugar industry. Settled in its current location in 1528, the town developed on the basis of an irregular urban pattern that contains a system of large and minor squares, serpentine streets, alleys and irregular urban blocks, highly exceptional for Latin American colonial towns located in plain territories. The 54 ha Historic Centre of Camagüey constitutes an exceptional example of a traditional urban settlement relatively isolated from main trade routes. The Spanish colonizers followed medieval European influences in terms of urban layout and traditional construction techniques brought to the Americas by their masons and construction masters. The property reflects the influence of numerous styles through the ages: neoclassical, eclectic, Art Deco, Neo-colonial as well as some Art Nouveau and rationalism. - in: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1270

© BARON

Desembarco del Granma National Park, with its uplifted marine terraces and associated ongoing development of karst topography and features, represents a globally significant example of geomorphologic and physiographic features and ongoing geological processes. The area, which is situated in and around Cabo Cruz in south-east Cuba, includes spectacular terraces and cliffs, as well as some of the most pristine and impressive coastal cliffs bordering the western Atlantic. - in: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/889

Christ the Redeemer - Brazil

Located at the peak of the 700-metre (2,300 ft) Corcovado mountain in the Tijuca Forest National Park overlooking the city of Rio de Janeiro, the statue of Christ the Redeemer is a symbol of Christianity across the world and cultural icon of both Rio de Janeiro and Brazil.

Since the beginning of my postcrossing activity, I've got a few cards of this world famous statue. These were sent by Miguel, Aleks, Luzia, Luana, Mauro and Ana. 

 Completed in 1931 and standing 120 feet tall, Christ the Redeemer (O Cristo Redentor) in Rio de Janiero is the second largest statue of Christ in the world. It was named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007.

The idea of placing a large Christian monument atop Corcovado peak in Rio dates back to the 1850s, when a local Catholic priest requested funds from Princess Isabel to build one. The princess was not enthusiastic and the plan was scrapped entirely with the founding of the Republic of Brazil in 1889, which separated church and state.

In 1921, the Catholic Circle of Rio began to collect signatures and donations for a privately-funded Christian monument. Various designs were considered, including a large cross and a statue of Christ holding a globe, but ultimately an image of Christ with his arms wide open was chosen.

Fotografia: Rudolfo Machado

Construction began in 1922. The statue of Christ the Redeemer was designed by local engineer Heitor da Silva Costa and sculpted from concrete and soapstone by Paul Landowski, a Frenchman. After nine years and a cost of $250,000, the statue opened to the public on October 12, 1931.

To celebrate Christ the Redeemer's 75th anniversary in 2006, a chapel dedicated to the patron saint of Brazil (Nossa Senhora Aparecida) was built at the base. The statue was struck by lightning in February 2008 during a major electrical storm, but escaped any damage due to the insulating properties of soapstone.

 Cristo Redentor depicts Christ with his arms spread wide in a welcoming gesture, representing his role as redeemer of the world. It stands 120 feet high including the pedestal and is 98 feet wide. Made of concrete and soapstone and sculpted in a modern style, it weighs a total of 635 tons.

 Standing on a peak over 2,000 feet high, Christ the Redeemer is famed for its magnificent views over the city of Rio de Janeiro.

The small Chapel of Nossa Senhora Aparecida (2006) at the base of the statue hosts weddings, baptisms and Mass on Sundays. There is a cafe near the statue.

Christ the Redeemer is located on Corcovado peak (710 m/2329 ft) in the southern part of Rio de Janeiro. The monument is accessible by road and a cog railway (3.8km), which provides fine views along the way. From the parking lot or train terminus, visitors have a choice of 220 steps or a system of elevators to reach the statue. - in: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/brazil/rio-christ-the-redeemer