Kilauea - USA

Volcanoes are dangerous but beautiful at the same time. Well, is easy to say this because there's no active volcanoes nearby!!

Kilauea is one of the world’s most active volcanoes. It is a shield-type volcano that makes up the southeastern side of the Big Island of Hawaii.

 The volcano rises 4,190 feet (1,227 meters) above sea level and is about 14 percent of the land area of the Big Island. The summit caldera contains a lava lake known as Halema`uma`u that is said to be the home of the Hawaiian volcano goddess, Pele.

To the casual observer, Kilauea appears to be part of the larger volcano Mauna Loa, but geological data indicates that it is a separate volcano with its own vent and conduit system. Kilauea has had 61 recorded eruptions in the current cycle, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, and has been erupting on a continuous basis since 1983.

 © mauritius images / Photo resource

DE-3961332, sent by Lisa.

The long-lasting eruption has destroyed more than 200 structures, including the Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park visitor center, the Royal Gardens subdivision and many homes and buildings in the town of Kalapana. For the last few years, lava from Pu`O O`O crater mostly streamed south toward the ocean. But on June 27, 2014, flow erupted from a vent on the northeast flank of the crater. - in: http://www.livescience.com/27622-kilauea.html

US-4966804

When I first saw this card, I thought this was Brooklyn Bridge but I was wrong, this is Manhattan Bridge. 

Manhattan Bridge, suspension bridge over the East River connecting southeastern Manhattan with western Brooklyn in New York City. The bridge first opened to traffic in 1909, eight years after construction started.

manhattanpostcards.com

US-4966804, sent by Elizabeth.

The bridge is newer than the Brooklyn Bridge and the Williamsburg Bridge, the other two suspension bridges that span the East River, and often acts as an alternate route due to its proximity to the Brooklyn Bridge. The Manhattan Bridge, which is 6,855 feet (2,089 metres) long, consists of a double-deck motorway with four lanes on top and three lanes on the bottom that are designed to change direction when necessary to assist traffic flow. In addition to cars, the bridge carries four subway lines, a pedestrian lane, and a separate bikeway. Nearly 80,000 vehicles and more than 320,000 people use it (via public transportation) each day. - in: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Manhattan-Bridge

PH-121817

If I counted correctly, in 2017 I've sent 96 official cards and received 92. One of the received was this one from the Philippines, only my 3rd official from there. 

St. Paul's Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Vigan. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site  Historic Town of Vigan, added to the WHS list in 1999.

Photographer: Roland Weiss

PH-121817, sent by Susan.

The St. Paul’s Cathedral, also known as the metropolitan Cathedral, is considered a major religious landmark not only of northern Luzon but the country as well. Visitors must include a visit to the cathedral when in Vigan as it has been a center of Roman Catholic devotion for centuries. The church as it stands now was completed in 1800. The original structure was built in 1574 upon the command of the Spanish founder of Vigan, Juan de Salcedo. It was a mere chapel then, made of wood and thatch. In 1641, the chapel was replaced by a church.

When the seat of the Nueva Segovia Diocese was transferred to Villa Fernandina de Vigan from Cagayan’s Lal-lo in 1758, the church was elevated to the status of a cathedral and became the center of Catholic faith in the north. Another structure was ordered by then Governor Jose de Basco to be built to replace the existing church in 1786. With the Augustinians, the cornerstone of the new church was laid in the beginning of 1790.

Overall, the cathedral follows a Baroque architectural design that has been modified by Ilocanos to strengthen the structure against earthquakes. This is now known as earthquake Baroque. Testament to the style’s effectivity is the fact that the structure’s original interior walls have remained complete.

Other influences can be observed from the architecture of St. Paul Cathedral, that of neo-Gothic, pseudo-Romanesque and Chinese craftsmanship. Facing the cathedral, visitors are greeted by the statue of St. Paul above the main opening. - in: https://www.vigan.ph/heritage/st-pauls-cathedral.html

TW-2385264

A new year brings new travel plans and possibilities. I definitely would like to visit Cambodia and I really hope I can make it some day but that won't happen this year. 

Lily, from Taiwan, also loves to travel and she has been to Cambodia in 2016. 

Unlike most of the temples of Angkor, Ta Prohm has been largely left to the clutches of the living jungle. With its dynamic interaction between nature and man-made art, this atmospheric temple is a favorite for many - who can't help but feel a little like Indiana Jones or Lara Croft (which was filmed here) as they pick through the rubble.

TW-2385264, sent by Lily.

Construction on Ta Prohm began in 1186 AD. Originally known as Rajavihara (Monastery of the King), Ta Prohm was a Buddhist temple dedicated to the mother of King Jayavarman VII.

A rare inscription at Ta Prohm provides statistics on the temple's workers. Allowing for some exaggeration to honor the king, the inscription's report of around 80,000 workers, including 2700 officials and 615 dancers, is still astounding.

Sadly, Ta Prohm was looted quite heavily in recent years due to its relative isolation, and many of its ancient stone reliquaries have been lost.

Ta Prohm is extensively ruined, but you can still explore numerous towers, close courtyards and narrow corridors, discovering hidden gems of stone reliefs beneath the encroaching foliage. Many of the corridors are impassible, thanks to the jumbled piles of carved stone blocks that clog their interiors.

There are 39 towers at Ta Prohm, which are connected by numerous galleries. Visitors are no longer permitted to climb onto the crumbling galleries, due to the potential damage to both temple and visitor. - in: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/cambodia/angkor-ta-prohm

Kudle Beach - India

Last post of 2017. When it comes to cards, this year was better than 2016 and I hope 2018 will be even better, for me and for all my postcards collector friends. 

Aparna is a new friend and this is the 2nd card I got from her. Kudle Beach is a beach she has recently been to. This is one of the many beaches of Gokarna, small temple town on the western coast of India in the state of Karnataka.

The beach is a paradise for those who love peace and quietude while they travel. A complete recluse, this beach offers the most silent and serene atmosphere to enjoy a sunset, a walk along the shore or simply to sit and observe the never-ceasing tides. Many local people prefer this beach for a morning or evening walk or practising yoga, as the Kudle beach is not invaded by large groups of tourists and as a result, has very little crowd and quite noiseless.

The beach is usually deserted, except for the peak months from November to February, when it is populated by foreign travellers and backpackers. They choose the Kudle beach for the solitude and privacy. The sea is calm and safe enough to have a bath or simply for wetting your feet at the shoreline,but it is always better to be careful. Hiding behind a hillock, this mesmerising beach is a safe haven for sea lovers who want to observe and enjoy the vastness in front rather than be a part of a frolicking crowd. - in: https://www.holidify.com/places/gokarna/kudle-beach-sightseeing-1886.html

Historic City of Ahmadabad - India

India adds new sites to the UNESCO WHS list almost every year and 2017 was no exception. The Historic City of Ahmadabad was the site added this year. The card was sent by Shrish.

When it comes to monuments in Ahmadabad, Bhadra fort is one name that indeed deserves a special mention. Constructed in the year 1411 A.D. during the rule of Marathas, it was established by Sultan Ahmad Shah, the founder of Ahmedabad city. - in: http://www.ahmedabad.org.uk/monuments/bhadra-fort.html

The walled city of Ahmadabad, founded by Sultan Ahmad Shah in the 15th century, on the eastern bank of the Sabarmati river, presents a rich architectural heritage from the sultanate period, notably the Bhadra citadel, the walls and gates of the Fort city and numerous mosques and tombs as well as important Hindu and Jain temples of later periods. The urban fabric is made up of densely-packed traditional houses (pols) in gated traditional streets (puras) with characteristic features such as bird feeders, public wells and religious institutions. The city continued to flourish as the capital of the State of Gujarat for six centuries, up to the present. - in: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1551

Sibenik's Cathedral - Croatia

When I finally decide to visit Croatia again, I want to travel along the Adriatic coast and visit a few towns along the way. Sibenik is one of those towns. One of the main sights in Šibenik is the Cathedral of St. James, classified as UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Sunny and Mirna sent me these cards. 

Photo by A. Carli

Sibenik's Cathedral of St James is the largest and most beautiful building of the transitional Gothic-Renaissance period in Dalmatia. Named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000, the Cathedral reflects influences of Northern Italy, Tuscany Dalmatia which combined to solve the considerable technical, structural and artistic challenges in building a vaulted church entirely in stone.  No bricks or timber were used in the church's construction.

The building was begun by local and Venetian builders in 1431 but when, after ten years, their work hadn't progressed very far, the great Dalmatian master-builder, Juraj Dalmatinac (who also designed Pag Town) took over. He devoted most of his life to the cathedral before passing away in 1473. He worked predominantly in the Gothic Flamboyant style but many sculptural works (such as the exterior frieze of 71 sculpted heads) already show Renaissance elements.  He gave the cathedral its basic monumental plan such as the transept, domes, sacristy and baptistery. After his death, the work was taken over by Nikola Firentinac who introduced the elements of the Tuscan Renaissance. The cathedral was finally completed in 1536. - in: https://www.croatiatraveller.com/Heritage_Sites/CathedralSibenik.htm