Holidays in Czech Republic

 This summer Óscar and I have both been to Czech Republic on holidays, not together though. I traveled with my friend Susana in June and one month later, Óscar traveled there with his family. When visiting the country, Prague is obviously a mandatory visit and is no surprise that we both sent each other cards of this beautiful city.

 

Photo: Milan Kincl

 

This was my 2nd visit to the country and to the city. During my 1st visit I got to visit Prague Castle but I didn't see the Golden Lane, which can only be visited with the castle ticket that also included access to the Old Royal Palace, St. Vitus Church and St. George's Basilica. 

The rain on the day of my visit delayed my plans and when we finally got to the castle, it was way too crowded and I didn't fully enjoy it, especially in the Golden Lane, which was the place I wanted to see the most and the reason why I bought the ticket. My advice, go as early as you can to avoid the crowds.

This tiny street (...) is lined with colourful houses resembling something out of a fairy tale. These houses were built into the castle's fortifications around the end of the 16th century and were occupied until the Second World War. The current appearance of the Golden Lane dates to the year 1955, and after a recent extensive renovation, the houses now contain exhibitions about life in the lane over the past 500 years. Franz Kafka lived and worked in house number 22 from 1916 to 1917. - in: https://prague.eu

 

I mentioned rain but it was a bit more than just rain, it was a thunderstrom. We were in the middle of the Charles Brigde when it started to rain heavily and we had to run for shelter under the Old Town Bridge Tower. Fortunately the rain didn't last too long and when it stopped, we climbed the tower and enjoyed the nice views from the top. 

Right next to the bridge, there's the St. Francis Seraph/Assisi Church. 

The current early Baroque appearance of this church of the Order of the Knights of the Cross with a Red Star dates back to 1679-1685. Its magnificent interior decoration, including a fresco of the Last Judgment by V. V. Reiner in the monumental, nearly 41 m high dome, can be admired during one of the many regular concerts of religious music that are held here. Concertgoers will especially appreciate the sound of the second oldest organ in Prague – a unique Baroque one dating from 1702. - in: https://prague.eu

Utrecht - Netherlands

I've been to the Netherlands for the second time in 2018. The first time I visited the country I stayed in Rotterdam and that second time I chose Utrecht, where I had a guided tour of the city with my friend Tessa. 

Last month Tessa was also a guide to our friend Anne and they sent me a card of their meeting.

 

Fotografie: Merijn van der Vliet

NL-5415046, sent by Patricia.

One of the things we did was to visit the cathedral and its tower. As suggested in the last postcard, we went up the tower but did even more, we went down under the tower. We did the Dom Under visit, which presents us with 2000 years of Utrecht history. With the help of interactive flashlights, we discovered the archaeological finds, which date back to the Roman Castellum 'Trajectum', the Roman fortress that protected the northern border of the Roman Empire. I had already climbed many church towers, but it was the first time I walked through a cathedral foundations.

NL-284990.

Utrecht is the fourth largest city in the Netherlands, and many regard it as the cozier alternative to Amsterdam. The city boasts beautiful canals and parks, lively restaurants and cafés, fascinating museums and remarkable historical buildings. Its city center alone is absolutely worth a visit. 

The Dom Tower of Utrecht is the tallest church tower in the Netherlands, at 112.5 metres (368 feet) in height,and the Gothic-style tower is the symbol of the city.

 The tower was part of the Cathdreal of Saint Martin, also known as Dom Church, and was built between 1321 and 1382 to a design by John of Hainaut. The cathedral was never fully completed due to lack of money. Since the unfinished nave collapsed in 1674 the Dom tower became a free standing tower." - in: wikipedia

 © Donker Utrecht

NL-2234352, sent by Maryn.

This is an unsual view of the Dom Tower in Utrecht. 

Climbing the Dom Tower is a wonderful opportunity to explore the city of Utrecht in an entirely different way! Via 465 steps (there is no lift), a guide will take you to the top of the highest church tower in the Netherlands. Halfway there, you will get a view of the historic bells with a total weight of no less than 32,000 kg. One floor higher is the magnificent 17th-century Hemony carillon. The tower galleries at 70 and 95 metres provide a spectacular view of the city and province of Utrecht. - in: www.domtoren.nl/en

Postcrossing 20th Anniversary Meetups

 Last month Postcrossing turned 20 and the date didn't go unnoticed. There were many ways to celebrate this special anniversary but the one that postcrossers like the most, are probably meetings. Hundreds of postcrossers met in many place around the globe, in a total of 179 meetings!! Unfortunately I didn't attend any of them but got cards from 2.

 

Photo by Clementina postcardshop

The Postcrossing logo is a registered trademark

Leiria was the city that hosted the Portuguese meeting and this card was sent by Miguel.

 

The Postcrossing logo is a registered trademark

I'm sure that besides Jyväskylä, other Finnish cities may have also hosted meetings  This card was sent by Heidi. 

The Postcrossing logo is a registered trademark

Photo by Luzia

The city of São Paulo in Brazil also hosted a meeting.

The picture on the card was taken by Luzia and the card was also sent by her.

US-1155645

 This is only my 2nd or 3rd card from Arkansas and I don't know much about the state but apparently, fishing is more than a past time over there, it is a time-honored tradition and a passion to many.

 

US-1155645, sent by Mia.

 Arkansas is home to over 300 public fishing areas.

Anglers in Arkansas know that there are no “best” times to fish–go whenever you feel like it. Four distinct fishing seasons, yet mild temperatures add to the pleasures of wetting a line in some of the best fishing lakes, rivers and streams in the South. There are no closed fishing seasons. 

You can reel in a variety of fish species, from largemouth and smallmouth bass,to crappie, catfish, bluegill and trout. But anglers can enjoy the challenge of many often-overlooked species as well, such as the bowfin, gar, carp, paddlefish and pickerel.

North Cascades - USA

 This has to be one of my favorite cards from the USA in these last months. How beautiful is this?? I just love it. It was sent by Helen.

Photo by: Jamie & Judy

Established in 1968, the rugged wilderness sanctuary within the North Cascades National Park Service Complex boasts over 300 glaciers, making it the most heavily glaciated area in the United States outside of Alaska. - in: https://wnpf.org

This beautiful lake is Lake Lewis and in the background there's Black Peak.

Xixia Imperial Tombs - China

 China has also added a new site to its already long list of sites classified as World Heritage. By long list I mean 60 sites, making it the 2nd country with the most UNESCO sites. I'm only missing one site.

Xixia Imperial Tombs are located in the foothills of the southern Helan Mountains in Ningxia, this necropolis is the imperial cemetery of the Xixia Dynasty.

It includes nine imperial mausoleums, 271 subordinate tombs, a northern architectural complex, and 32 flood control structures. Founded by the Tanguts in 1038, the Xixia Dynasty lasted until its destruction by Genghis Khan’s Mongol army in 1227. Positioned along the Silk Road, it became a multicultural civilization modelled on Chinese imperial traditions, with Buddhism at its core. The property reflects the dynasty’s religious and socio-political legacy. - in: https://whc.unesco.org

Pratapgad Fort - India

Pratapgad Fort is one of the 12 mountain forts in India, classified this year as UNESCO WHS. It didn't take me too long to get my 1st card of this new site. It was sent by Sriram. 

Maratha Military Landscapes of India includes twelve major fortifications, mostly in Maharashtra State, with one in Tamil Nadu. These forts (...) were built, adapted, or expanded by the Marathas between the late 17th and early 19th centuries. Strategically located on coastal and mountainous terrain, they formed a complex defence system supporting Maratha military dominance, trade protection, and territorial control. This network played a key role in the Marathas’ rise as a major political and military force. - in: https://whc.unesco.org

The pride of the Maratha Empire, the Pratapgarh Fort is a historical monument (..) perched in Satara district and at an altitude of 3500 feet above ground level, the Pratapgarh Fort was built by Maratha King – Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in 1656 to guard the Par Pass.
Three years later, a major fight between the General of Bilaspur - Afzal Khan, and Shivaji happened here. Shivaji emerged as the winner at that time of the battle. However, in 1818, after losing the 3rd Anglo-Maratha war, the Marathas had to surrender it to the English East India Company. - in: https://mahabaleshwartourism.in