US-12167865

 We all have heard of Grand Canyon but Grand Canyon West is not part of the Grand Canyon National Park. But what are the differences between them?

To start, they are in opposite corners of Arizona, with the South Rim closest to Williams and Flagstaff. Grand Canyon West is closer to Las Vegas, Nevada. Grand Canyon West is operated by the Hualapai tribe, while Grand Canyon - South Rim is managed by National Park Service, so it is completely different in terms of history and cultural significance.

Grand Canyon West does not accept National Park passes; requires a specific, higher-priced entry package. It features the Skywalk and Hualapai Ranch, but has fewer hiking trails than the National Park and it is often more focused on quick, tourist-oriented experiences. The National Park may be more crowded but offers a more traditional, expansive wilderness experience.

 

Photo by Mike Jones © Smith - Southwestern

US-12167865, sent by Julie.

The most impressive attraction at Grand Canyon West, the horseshoe-shaped glass Skywalk curves out 70 feet (21 m) over the edge of the canyon, so visitors feel as though they're floating on air above one of the world's Seven Natural Wonders. This engineering feat is incredibly supportive: The SkyWalk can hold 70 fully loaded 747 passenger jets—so go on, do a couple of jumping jacks if you're so bold. Or, simply look below to the canyon floor; 4,000 feet (1219 m) beneath you. - in: https://www.visitarizona.com

US-12167856

 A US official card that really is from USA. 

The United States has 63 designated national parks, and this is one of the few I've never heard of.

US-12167856, sent by Mary Beth.

Nestled in the peaceful forests and wilderness of Northern California is Lassen Volcanic National Park. Lassen Peak is the largest plug dome volcano in the world and the southernmost volcano in the Cascade Range.
Established in 1916, Lassen Volcanic National Park is home to meadows freckled with wildflowers, clear mountain lakes and numerous volcanoes. A closer look at the landscape, however, reveals the hissing fumaroles and boiling mud pots that still shape and change the land, evidence of Lassen's fiery volcanic past. - in: https://www.nationalparks.org

 

US-12167858

 This is another American official card, it was sent from Seattle, but Basílica de Guadalupe is located in Mexico. I've never heard of it before but this basilica is the second most important site for the Catholic world after Rome. I had no idea.

It is said that the Virgin appeared before Juan Diego on four occasions on the Hill of Tepeyac. These apparitions occurred ten years after the fall of Tenochtitlán, in 1531. According to tradition, the Virgin appeared to Juan Diego and asked him to have a temple built there. The remains of a small adobe temple can still be seen in the old parish for Indigenous people, which is believed to have been this first temple. - in: https://visitmexico.com

 US-12167858, sent by Leo.

In response to our Blessed Mother request, the first Bishop of Mexico, Fray Juan de Zumárraga, ordered the construction of a small hermitage in 1531, which became a place of pilgrimage from its very beginnings.
However, with the increasing number of faithful, the need for a larger space became evident, so in 1709, the first basilica was inaugurated, today known as the Old Basilica of Guadalupe.
Due to the structural deterioration of the old basilica and the continuous increase in visitors, it was decided to construct a new building.
 The New Basilica of Guadalupe was designed by the architects Pedro Ramárez Vázquez, José Luis Benlliure, Alejandro Schoenhofer, Fray Gabriel Chávez de la Mora, and Javier García Lascuráin.
It was consecrated on October 12, 1976, as the most modern house of Our Lady of Guadalupe. This modern building can accommodate thousands of faithful and features a circular architecture that allows a clear view of the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe from any point inside. - in: https://guadalupe500mexico.com

US-12167852

 The ID of this card is American, it was sent from New Jersey but the card, as it can easily seen, is from Costa Rica.

Laura visited the country for the third time in January and says that Manuel Antonio National Park is her favorite place there.

 

Fotos: Jean Mercier / Françoise Bourrigaul

US-12167852, sent by Laura.

Manuel Antonio National Park is located on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, just south of the city of Quepos, Puntarenas, and 157 km (98 mi) from the national capital of San José.

Established in 1972, Manuel Antonio National Park, is the smallest national park in the country,but its 683 hectares boast an unparalleled blend of stunning landscapes and vibrant wildlife.

Nestled within this compact yet extraordinary park is a mesmerizing mix of rainforest, pristine beaches, and coral reefs, creating a sanctuary of natural beauty. The beaches, considered among the most picturesque in Costa Rica, are fringed by dense, green forests, offering outstanding snorkeling opportunities in their clear, inviting waters.
The forest itself is a haven for an array of wildlife, including sloths, iguanas, the enchanting squirrel monkeys—a species rarely seen elsewhere—along with white-faced monkeys and countless vibrant crabs that add a splash of color to the landscape. 

The trail weaving around Punta Catedral affords hikers breathtaking panoramic views, further enhancing the park’s allure. - in: https://manuelantoniopark.net

 

Sydney's Harbour - Austrália

 Port Jackson, most commonly known as Sydney's Harbour, is regarded as one of the most beautiful natural harbours in the world, around which Sydney was built. I had no idea it's official name was Port Jackson.

It is the location of significant landmarks such as the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge. The location of the first European settlement and colony on the Australian mainland, Port Jackson has continued to play a key role in the history and development of Sydney. - in: wikipedia

AU-1060899, sent by Cindy.

Sydney Harbour is famed for its sparkling waters, iconic sights, spectacular events and hundreds of kilometres of shoreline. Sydney Harbour is also a working harbour with a thriving maritime industry that supports the city’s economic development.
Australia’s busiest waterway, Sydney Harbour sees thousands of recreational, passenger and working vessels share the water with around 1,200 large commercial vessels each year, including the cruise ships that call into Sydney’s two cruise terminals: the Overseas Passenger Terminal and White Bay Cruise Terminal.
At the heart of Sydney Harbour is Glebe Island, a working port for over 100 years that today provides Sydney with a vital maritime supply route for construction materials that will build the city’s future. - in: https://www.portauthoritynsw.com.au 

Foto:  © State Library of New South Wales

DE-4135230, sent by Cristina.

Construction of Sydney's Harbour Bridge in the 1930's. 

The Sydney Harbour Bridge is one of Australia's most well known and photographed landmarks. It is the world's largest (but not the longest) steel arch bridge with the top of the bridge standing 134 metres above the harbour. It is fondly known by the locals as the 'Coathanger' because of its arch-based design.

It was as early as 1815 that Francis Greenway proposed building a bridge from the northern to the southern shore of the harbour.

It took some time for this to become a reality with design submissions invited in 1900. All the submissions were considered unsuitable and so the momentum for the bridge crossing stopped.

However, after the First World War more serious plans were made, with a general design for the Sydney Harbour Bridge prepared by Dr J J C Bradfield and officers of the NSW Department of Public Works. The New South Wales Government then invited worldwide tenders for the construction of the Bridge in 1922 and the contract was let to English firm Dorman Long and Co of Middlesbrough.

The Sydney Harbour Bridge construction started in 1924 and took 1,400 men eight years to build at a cost of 4.2 million. Six million hand driven rivets and 53,000 tonnes of steel were used in its construction. It now carries eight traffic lanes and two rail lines, one in each direction, but at the time of its construction the two eastern lanes were tram tracks. They were converted to road traffic when Sydney closed down its tram system in the 1950s. - in: http://www.australia.gov.au

Campbell Island - New Zealand

 New Zealand only has 3 UNESCO sites but it wasn't easy to get cards from them all. I finally got a card of the Sub Antarctic Islands, which was added to the WHS list, in 1998. 

The card was sent by Jodine.

The New Zealand Sub-Antarctic Islands consist of five island groups (the Snares, Bounty Islands, Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands and Campbell Island) in the Southern Ocean south-east of New Zealand. The islands, lying between the Antarctic and Subtropical Convergences and the seas, have a high level of productivity, biodiversity, wildlife population densities and endemism among birds, plants and invertebrates. They are particularly notable for the large number and diversity of pelagic seabirds and penguins that nest there. There are 126 bird species in total, including 40 seabirds of which eight breed nowhere else in the world. - in: https://whc.unesco.org

 

© Henry Elsom

Campbell Island/Motu Ihupuku is an uninhabited subantarctic island of New Zealand. The terrain is mountainous and its solitary Sitka spruce is considered the world's most remote tree.
A designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, Campbell is an untouched natural environment known for its successful conservation efforts, including the complete eradication of various invasive species.
Home to the southern royal albatross among other seabirds, the island is a significant breeding ground for many types of wildlife. - in: https://explorearth.com

JP-2386593

Toji's five-story pagoda is one of the structures that make up this temple. 

 The temple, also known as Kyōōgokoku-ji, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994, as part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto.

 

JP-2386593, sent by Noriko.

Toji Temple (東寺, Tōji), literally "East Temple", was founded at the beginning of the Heian Period just after the capital was moved to Kyoto in the late 700s. The large temple, together with its now defunct sister temple Saiji ("West Temple"), flanked the south entrance to the city and served as the capital's guardian temples.
 Toji's five storied pagoda, which was originally erected by Kobo Daishi in 826. It stands 57 meters tall, making it the tallest wooden pagoda in Japan, and has become a symbol of both the temple and Kyoto as it can be seen from many places across the city. The ground floor of the pagoda is occasionally opened to the public and houses four smaller Buddha statues. - in: https://www.japan-guide.com