Matmata - Tunisia

 I've said before that getting cards from places on the UNESCO tentative list is almost as good as getting cards from classified sites. I already have cards from all the Tunisian sites and now I've cards from a few villages, on the tentative list due to their troglodyte houses. 

These are the underground houses of Matmata.

 

 Matmata sits in a hilly landscape of soft sandstone 40 km inland from Gabès, in southern Tunisia.

The Berbers built these over a thousand years ago as an ingenious response to an extreme environment. These underground homes offered protection from the intense summer heat, the cold winters, and even served as shelter in times of possible invasion.

 These houses were built by digging deep circular pits — typically 6–8 metres deep and 10 metres across — and then carving living rooms, kitchens and storerooms horizontally into the pit walls. The result is a cool, naturally air-conditioned dwelling invisible from the surface.

 

Several of these houses are still inhabited. A handful are open to visitors for a small fee, and three have been converted into basic hotels — the most famous being Hotel Sidi Driss, which George Lucas used as the Lars family homestead in the original Star Wars (1977) and revisited for Attack of the Clones (2002).

Sidi Bou Said - Tunisia

Last week I had the (un)fortunate idea of ​​looking for postcards on olx (an online marketplace). I found two lots of super cheap postcards and couldn't resist. One of the lots had dozens of postcards from Africa and the Middle East. Although it was clear that the postcards were a few years old, I thought it was worth buying them. And it was. There are too many postcards to show, but I'll show some in the next few days. 

 

Most of the postcards are from Tunisia, many of them from places listed as World Heritage Sites. I already had postcards from all of them, including Sidi Bou Said, which was added to the UNESCO list this year. Only the middle postcard was part of this lot; the others were sent by Déa and Maïte in 2007 and 2012.

Sidi Bou Said is a town located about twenty kilometers north-east of Tunis. Perched on a cliff overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.

Picturesque white and blue village Sidi Bou Said enchants with the magic of its colors, its streets of bougainvillea and the beauty of its traditional architecture, jealously preserved.

 

 It developed around the tomb of a Sufi master and saint, known as Sidi Bou Saïd, who lived in the 12th-13th centuries. Through its architectural fabric and urban planning in symbiosis with the natural environment, its recognisable aesthetic created by emblematic colours, and a mystic aura associated with the Sufi spirituality that permeates the site, the property brings together geomorphology, architecture, and spirituality. - in: https://whc.unesco.org
 

If there is an attraction not to be missed in Sidi Bou Said is its cafe. They are meeting places for artists for over a century. The most famous are the Café des Nattes, a typical Arabic coffee shop, located in the square at the top of the main street. 

Monthly Fav. Surprise RR - August '26

 Lets move on to August.  These cards are from India, Belarus, Finland and Italy.

 

Photo: Sreekanth Sekar

What a beautiful animal.

The Indian Leopard (Panthera pardus fusca), once widely distributed across the Indian subcontinent, has in recent years come under threat. Due to a variety of factors such as habitat encroachment, rapid urbanization, and man-animal conflict, they are becoming increasingly rare outside the bounds of designated nature preserves and protected areas. - in: https://wildlifesos.org

In India, the leopard population is believed to be 12,000 to 14,000 individuals.  

I didn't need to look up information about these mills because Kate told me everything I needed to know about them.

The cards features de only operating windmill in Belarus. It was built in 1905 and it is located in a museum complex.

The watermill, in the village of Krasnikovo, Kursk Oblast, Russia, it is the only functioning watermill in Russia that has been preserved in its original form. Built in 1861, without a single nail, it operated continuously for agricultural purposes until 2006. Currently, it serves as an important historical monument and tourist site, holding regular demonstrations of traditional flour milling for visitors.

Photo: Esko Pärssinen

I visited Turku in 2019 and Leena lived there a few years ago when she was studying. 

Turku is the oldest town of Finland. The earliest records of the city date back to the 13th century.
Turku is unique for several reasons. The city is most famous for its old city charm and historical sites, such as Turku Castle. Turku also has a thriving urban scene with exquisite restaurants and cafés. The charming River Aura, that runs through the city centre, adds to the city's charm with riverboats moored along the riverbank. Turku is also famous for its old port, and the proximity to sea and the archipelago. - in: https://www.visitfinland.com

 

 

Foto: Luigino Visconti

 We don't know exactly where Christopher Columbus was born but it is known that he lived part of his life in Genova and this is his house. 

 This small house was identified in the nineteenth century as the home of the Colombo family in the period from 1455 and 1470, when Cristopher was growing up from the age of 4 till he was 9. It was certainly not a luxurious home: on the ground floor there are small spaces dedicated to a shop and kitchen, with a basin to collect water and a rudimentary latrine; upstairs, two small rooms, perhaps for eating and for the night.
The building was damaged during the bombing to which the “Sun King” subjected the city in 1684. It was the only one to be rebuilt, due to the importance of those who had lived there and subsequently surviving the widespread demolition that affected the area in the 1930s.
It is a small memorial to the great navigator, inside which displays and objects tell his story and, above all, recount his daily life. - in: https://www.museidigenova.it

The card was sent by Daniela.

Monthly Fav. Surprise RR * June '26

 I have to go back in time again because one of the postcards from June only arrived now this week.

 

Photo: Niclas Nordlund

On the island of Sälskär, stands the stately whitewashed Sälskär Lighthouse, built in 1868.
It is Åland's oldest sea lighthouse and has also been called the most beautiful lighthouse in the Baltic Sea. Until 1948 it was manned and in 1949 it was automated. Today it is powered by solar energy. The lighthouse is 39 metres high and there are 164 steps up to the lantern. In 2022, the lighthouse was completely renovated but has now reopened to visitors. A hiking trail with information boards runs across the island. - in: https://www.eckerolinjen.se

The card was sent by Flora and was also signed by a few other postcrossing during a Postcrossing meeting. 

Matthew is in the USA but this card is from the UK. 

Beachy Head is the great chalk headland, rising to 162 metres (531 feet) above the waves. It is the highest chalk sea cliff in Britain.
From the clifftop the view runs west over the full rhythm of the Seven Sisters and east across Eastbourne to the pier. Far below, the red-and-white Beachy Head Lighthouse stands in the sea, while the older Belle Tout lighthouse sits back on the grass. It is one of the most recognisable coastal scenes in England. - in: https://sevensisters.co.uk

On the back of the card: The tallest volcano in the contiguous United State, Mt. Rainier is considered "episodically active" by geologists, meaning that it may erupt again in the future. Each year, approximately two million people visit the national park to hike, camp, sightsee and climb.

The card was sent by Rosanne.

www.papersisters.de

Grace noticed that this card was missing in my collection. 

2026 is the year of the Fire Horse. It is viewed as a year of optimism and opportunity, with strong public and investor confidence pointing towards economic growth, particularly driven by AI advancement.
In Chinese culture, the Horse is known for its energetic and dynamic nature. It symbolizes vitality, speed, and perseverance. People born in the Year of the Horse are believed to possess similar traits, such as being hardworking, warm-hearted, and independent.
The Horse is also associated with success and good fortune. There is a phrase "马到成功" in Chinese. It represents achieving success swiftly and smoothly, just like when a victorious horse arrives at the battlefield. It implies that success can be achieved rapidly and effortlessly. Some people may wear clothing or accessories depicting horses or incorporate horse imagery in their homes for positive energy and fortune. - in: https://www.chinahighlights.com

Monthly Fav. Surprise RR - July '26

 Back to 2026 with the cards that I received in July. These are from Russia, China, Finland and Canada.

 

The stone Resurrection Church was built on the Trade square of Ples in 1817, in honor of the victory of Russia over Napoleon. 

The card was sent by Nadezhda.

 

Since I bought my own house, I'm quite interrested to see how traditional houses look like around the world. mm6 sent me this one, Qiao’s Family Compound, a large architectural complex located in Qiaojiabao village of Qixian county, in Shanxi Province.

It’s originally built in 1756 during the Qing Dynasty and was possessed by Qiao Zhiyong, a famous business man in that historical period.

The compound was renovated twice and enlarged once to become the present magnificent building which reflects the unique living styles of northerners in ancient China during the Qing Dynasty.The compound is an enclosed castle-like architecture which occupies an area of 4,175 sq.m. (44,939 sq. ft.) and is now composed of six large courtyards, 20 small courtyards and 313 rooms. - in: https://windhorsetour.com

 PALETTI

I believe that most of us associate Finland with snow, not beaches. I've been to beach in Finland, but I really, really want to see snow in Finland. 

Hailuoto is the largest island in the Bay of Bothnia with an area of approximately 200 square kilometres. The island is located off the coast of Oulu, approximately 7 kilometres from the mainland. A significant part of Hailuoto’s surface area is included in the Natura 2000 nature conservation programme. - in: https://www.luontoon.fi

Anna mentioned that a brand new bridge is now connecting the island to mainland, so it may no longer be as peaceful and quiet as it was before. 

www.papersisters.de

This was Shelley's 1st RR in the forum and she wanted to share with me this card that she got from the Paper Sisters, in person, at a meet up in Toronto in 2018. It probably was the 1st version of the Happy Postcrossing from Canada.

Monthly Fav. Surprise RR * August '25

No, I didn't make a mistake, these are the postcards from the August's group of last year. One of the cards didn't make it here and it had to be resent. 

www.papersisters.de

Is not that I don't like plants and flowers but gardening isn't definitely one of my hobbies. There's a lot of flower pots in my house but if they depended on me to survive, I'm sure most of them would be dead by now. 

This Happy Postcrossing card was new in my collection and it was sent by Daniela.

The retablos are one of the most distinctive features of the Baclayon church on the island of Bohol. It is one of the oldest and best-preserved colonial churches in the Philippines.

Originally founded in 1596, Baclayon Church was constructed by the Jesuits using coral stones held together with egg whites and lime. Its massive walls and resilience over time have made it one of the best-preserved colonial churches in the country. The architectural style combines Baroque and Neoclassical elements, while the interior features elaborate woodcarvings, ancient frescoes, and an altar adorned with gilded ornaments. Although it suffered severe damage during the 2013 earthquake, the church has since been restored and continues to serve as a vital religious center. - in: https://en.webtours.bg

The card was sent by Jill, who used a Pope Francis stamps to make the roman catholic theme even more complete.

 

Unfortunately mm6's 1st card got lost in the mail and she had to resend it. 

Kaiping, Jiangmen is home to Guangdong's first World Cultural Heritage, Kaiping Diaolou. Most of these unique structures were built by returning overseas Chinese in the 1920s and 30s, resulting in a fusion of Chinese and Western architectural styles. The Diaolou are categorised into three types: watchtowers, residential towers, and communal towers. Watchtowers were typically built at the entrance of villages, equipped with searchlights and alarm devices to fend off bandit invasions, while residential towers and communal towers are mainly for residential purpose. - in: https://www.gbayouth.org.hk

 

And another card from Asia. Hirosaki Castle, in Japan, sent by Tomoko.

Hirosaki Castle was built in 1611 by the Tsugaru Clan. A three-story castle tower, fortified moats, castle gates and some corner turrets (yagura) survive or were reconstructed. The castle is located in Hirosaki Park, a spacious public park of about 0.6 square kilometers.
The castle's original five-story keep burnt down in 1627 after being struck by lightning. Rebuilt in 1810, the present three-story keep is the only one in the Tohoku Region that was not rebuilt in the modern era, amongst only a handful in all of Japan. - in: https://www.japan-guide.com

US-12661365

 I think I've never posted so many cards in a row from the US or any other country. But this is the last one, for now. A new FOTW for my collection.

 

www.postcardsmarket.com

US-12661365, sent by Beth.

The USA have an area of 9.833.517 km², a population of 324.099.593 and its capital is Washington D. C.
Unique:
* Statue of Liberty - symbol of the American Dream;  
* Boing Everett Factory, WA - the largest building in the world by volume at 13.385.378 m3;
Famous:  
* Benjamin Franklin - one of the Founding Fathers of the US;
* The bald eagle - symbol of freedom and national bird of the United States since 1782;
History: 

* Declaration of Indepence - July 4, 1776 (from the Great Britain);

* Constitution - June 21, 1788.