US-1207729

I live in the mountains, far from the sea, i only go to the beach once or twice a year and i really don't miss it. I mean, i like beaches as landscape not as a place to go on summer to spend a day. I get bored easly and i don't like beeing surrounded by people. The postcard below is a perfect example of a place i would never visit!!

US-1207729, sent by Nancy.
Huntington Beach is a seaside city in Orange County in Southern California.

Huntington City Beach is a 3.5-mile stretch of pristine shoreline. Popularly known as "Surf City," Huntington Beach is home to the world famous municipal pier, and is a west coast surf mecca for more than 8 million annual visitors. Whether enjoying an evening at one of our fire pits or enjoying a day at a professional sporting event such as the U.S. Open of Surfing, "Surf City" offers a variety of exceptional, recreational, cultural, and entertainment opportunities. - in: http://www.ci.huntington-beach.ca.us/residents/beach_info/

Ischigualasto National Park - Argentina

Another Unesco card, Ischigualasto National Park in Argentina, sent by Nicole "sternchen86". Together with the Talampaya National Park, Ischigualasto was designated a Unesco World Heritage site in 2000.

Ischigualasto or Valle de la Luna (Valley of the moon) as it's often called, is one of the most important paleontologic sites in Argentina and the world.
It has fossil remains of vertebrates, foot prints of dinosaurs and petrified araucaria trunks that go back to the Mesozoic era, some 180 million years ago.
It's located in the NE of San Juan province, Argentina, near the border with Chile.
This is a major tourist attraction in Argentina you wouldn't want to miss: its impressive scenery and unspoiled beauty are unique and totally different from other natural areas in the country. "The mushroom", "The submarine", "The parrot" and "Alladin's lamp", are peculiar grey-green rock formations sculpted by the constant action of wind erosion over a period of millions of years. - in: http://www.unique-southamerica-travel-experience.com/ischigualasto.html

The Norway unesco card wasn't the only one i got these last days, i've also received this card sent by Janet. The card shows stilt houses at the Pfahlbau Museum Unteruhldingen. This is an archaeological open air museum on Lake Constance (Bodensee) in Uhldingen-Mühlhofen, Germany, consisting of reconstructions of stilt houses or lake dwellings from the Neolithic Stone Age and Bronze Age.

Uhldingen-Mühlhofen is one of the 111 sites classified as Unesco WHS last June, on the list under the name "Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps". This prehistoric stilt house settlements are also located in Austria, France, Italy, Slovenia, and Switzerland.

This serial property of 111 small individual sites encompasses the remains of prehistoric pile-dwelling (or stilt house) settlements in and around the Alps built from around 5000 to 500 B.C. on the edges of lakes, rivers or wetlands. Excavations, only conducted in some of the sites, have yielded evidence that provides insight into life in prehistoric times during the Neolithic and Bronze Age in Alpine Europe and the way communities interacted with their environment. Fifty-six of the sites are located in Switzerland. The settlements are a unique group of exceptionally well-preserved and culturally rich archaeological sites, which constitute one of the most important sources for the study of early agrarian societies in the region. - in: www.whc.unesco.org/en/list/1363

Postcrossing Meeting in Stockholm

Today i started my morning shift, which i don't really appreciate, not only because i can't sleep all morning but also because i can only check my mailbox after 9 hours of work. And today, after 9 hours of work i had 3 cards waiting for me at home. One of them is the swedish card sent by Anja "anjaaustel" from a postcrossing meeting that took place last saturday in Stockholm.

This is my 1st card from a meeting in Sweden. The card shows a view of Grundsund, a small fishing village on the west coast of Sweden.

The card was signed by Anja "anjaaustel", "notivagus" (i think), "caitun", "akalle", "willysson", "depechechrissy", "stina", "lellykate" and "anastasiya".

Church of Santa Maria do Olival, Tomar - Portugal

Like the previous 2 years, some portuguese postcrossers gathered in a meeting to celebrate another postcrossing anniversary. This year the meeting was in Tomar on July 16th, 2 days after the postcrossing anniversary. Unfortunatelly i wasn't able to celebrate with them but i've received this 3 lovely postcards, this one was sent by Vitória.

The postcrossers there were: Paula "geminiscp", Ana "ninocas" and her son Dudu; Joana "joaninha", Carole "cloable", Vitória "blicas blocas", Helena "leninha", José "zepombal" and the other José "pilotOne".

 The Church of Santa Maria do Olival was built in the second half of the 12th century by the provincial master of the order of the Knights Templar in Portugal, Gualdim Pais. It was used as a burial place for the Knights Templar of Tomar and, later, by the Knights of the Order of Christ, which succeeded the Templars in the 14th century. Gualdim Pais is buried in the church, and his original tomb slab, dated from 1195 and bearing a gothic inscription, is still preserved inside.

The current building is mostly the result of a reconstruction carried out in the 13th century in early Gothic style. - in: wikipedia

Meetings with Andréa

Andréa "andreaeiko" is a brazilian postcrossing who visited Portugal a few days ago and she wanted to meet some of us. I was more than excited about this because she's a dear friend and i really wanted to meet her after swaping some many cards and after so many hours talking on msn.

She had two meetings, the 1st in Lisbon and the 2nd in Porto, where we met. These were specila meetings and we also had to sign cards.

The meeting in Lisbon was in July 9th and she met Paula "geminiscp", Joana "Joaninha", Susana "susanaportugal" and José "pilotOne". Paula sent me this card with the Rossio, the popular name of the Pedro IV Square.

José also sent me a card, this one shows another Lisbon square, the Commerce Square with the Rua Augusta Arch and King José I statue.

Two days after the meeting in Lisbon she met me and Miguel "leugim" in Porto. It was great mini-meeting.

I'm looking foward to meet her again.... maybe in Brazil next time :D

Surprise cards

This month i bought a few portuguese cards for my collection and i've also received quite a few from my postcrosser friends. I really love to get cards from my lovely country.

These 2 are from 2 different regions and from 2 different postcrossers, Ana "ninocas" and Graça "gracinha".

Ana went on holidays to Algarve a few days ago and she sent me this beautiful card of the Southwest Coast, which is on the Unesco Tentative List.
The so-called "Costa Vicentina", the western coast of the Algarve stretches over more than 60 km from Cape St.Vincent, the south-western most corner of the European continent, to Odeceixe on the Algarve-Alentejo border. The rugged rocks of the steep coast are interrupted by small sandy bays. The climate is harsher than other parts of the Algarve and the surging swell from the Atlantic is spectacular, attracting surfers and paragliders in particular.
The landscape is still generally unspoilt by the tourism and rich in flora and fauna species. - in: http://www.algarve-portal.com/en/country/landscapes/costa_vicentina/

I don't know if Graça was on holidays too but she also sent me a card. The card is from Pessegueiro, a village in Coimbra district.

Green Turtle - Malaysia

Lyan "imajica" got married a few months ago and i sent her a congratulations card. To say thank you she sent me this lovely card with a green turtle.

Green turtles also known as Chelonia Mydas are the most commonly seen animals around Sabah's Underwater. It is possible to spot over 20 of these animals on a single dive especially around Sipadan.

Commoner's House - South Korea

A few weeks ago Steffi "catty412" was offering South Korean cards and i liked this one, which shows a Commoner's House.

The walls of these house were generally built of mud over timber framework and the roofs were thatched with rice straw. Inside floors were of beaten earth.
There's no information about the specific location of the house on the card, it only says is somewhere in the northern region.

Cathedral of the Archangel - Moscow

One more card from Russia but this one is from Moscow and has been sent by Katerina "eminova". She sent 2 other cards but i already had them.

The 16th-century Cathedral of the Archangel stands on Cathedral Square in Moscow's Kremlin.

The Cathedral of the Archangel was commissioned by Ivan the Great (1440-1505) and constructed between 1505 and 1508 under the supervision of an Italian architect Aleviz Fryazin Noviy. The new edifice was built over the site of an earlier cathedral dating from 1333.

The Archangel Cathedral has played an important role in Russian political history, hosting celebrations of victories by the Russian military and the burials of tsars and grand princes until 1712, when the capital moved to St. Petersburg.

In total there are 54 burials in the cathedral, included 46 ornamented whitestone tombs and glazed cases made of bronze. Especially notable among the long-term residents are Ivan Kalita ("Moneybags"; c.1304-20), Dmitri Donskoi, Ivan the Great, and Ivan the Terrible (1530-84) behind the altar. - in: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/russia/moscow-cathedral-of-archangel

Aurora Borealis

I really like this one, the colors are amazing. Seeing this natural phenomenon must be something really great. This card was sent by Jutta "blizzard".

Many visitors to Finland come with hopes of seeing the Finland Northern Lights, which is a natural phenomenon that is also known as the Finland Aurora Borealis. The best place to see the Northern Lights in Finland is in the northern Lapland region, which is almost entirely located within the realm of the Arctic Circle. During the dark winter months here, when the sun rarely peaks its head over the horizon, you can expect to see the Finland Northern Lights with regularity, and other peak seasons include February through March and September through October. If you have never seen the Northern Lights wherever they commonly occur in the world, then chances are good that you will be amazed the first time that you lay eyes on them. Swirling shades of blue, green, and red are most common when it comes to the Finland Northern Lights, and as one might expect, clear nights are best for viewing them.

The Finland Aurora Borealis, while best seen in Lapland, can also be witnessed as far south as the capital city of Helsinki from time to time, though on average, there are only some twenty days out of the year when viewing them is possible in most southern parts of the country. Part of the reason why it can be difficult to see the Northern Lights of Finland in Helsinki is because of the fact that it is hard to escape to dimly lit areas. The relative lack of city lights is just one of the reasons why the Lapland region sees some 200 nightly occurrences every year, and one must also consider the region’s northern location. The lower reaches of the Arctic Circle are ideal for viewing the Northern Lights across the planet, which is why Canada and Alaska are good destinations in the Western Hemisphere.

For those who are wondering what causes the Northern Lights in Finland, solar flares are largely responsible. These flares effectively cause solar winds and solar storms, which create lingering atmospheric particles or matter upon colliding with the earth’s atmosphere. As such, scientists can often accurately predict when the best times are for viewing the Northern Lights in Finland by keeping an eye out for solar flares. As mentioned, Lapland is the best place to see the Finland Aurora Borealis, with the Kilpisjarvi area offering the most abundant opportunities. The best time of the day to see the Finland Northern Lights is between 9 p.m. and 11:30 p.m., though they are certainly not restricted to this time frame. - in: http://www.destination360.com/europe/finland/northern-lights

FI-1133926

I love snowy views but i don't received many snowy views cards from Finland.

FI-1133926, sent by "dotdotpc".

Cottages in the middle of nowhere covered in snow always look so lovely and cozy.

BE-105386

In exactly 2 months i'll be here and by here i mean Brussels ;) Yep, my next travel will be to Belgium! Too bad i still need to wait 60 days to pack.

BE-105386, sent by Ghislaine.

This a view of the Flower Market at the Grand Place in Brussels.

NL-701177 & NL-703505

And ducth officials too.

NL-701177, sent by Wim.

This is the Westhoofd Lighthouse in Ouddorp, South Holland. "This lighthouse was built to replace the light on the church in the village of Goedereede, which was too far from the sea. The optic was transferred from the church to the new tower in 1912. The light was discontinued in 1940, and the original lighthouse destroyed in 1945. The current tower was built in 1947-48, and the light re-established in 1950." - in: http://www.lighthousedepot.com/lite_explorer.asp?action=display_details&LighthouseID=2142

NL-703505, sent by Anja.

"Zuid-Limburg... one of the most striking and most beautiful parts of the Netherlands. A region with a character all of its own. Charming with gently rolling countryside and, above all, surprising. A place on earth where life is still rich and good.
Zuid-Limburg consists of hills, plateaux and plains created by the river Maas, villages and towns. The region is located between Maastricht (NL), Aachen (Ger) en Liege(B) in the so called Euregio Meuse-Rhine." - in: http://www.vvvzuidlimburg.nl/index_en.aspx

DE-968100

"Charlottenburg Palace is the largest palace in Berlin, Germany, and the only royal residency in the city dating back to the time of the Hohenzollern family. It is located in the Charlottenburg district of the Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf burough.

 

DE-968100, sent by Heike "unigo".

The palace was built at the end of the 17th century and was greatly expanded during the 18th century. It includes much exotic internal decoration in baroque and rococo styles. A large formal garden surrounded by woodland was constructed behind the palace. In the grounds of the palace various buildings were erected, including a belvedere, a mausoleum, a theatre and a pavilion. During the Second World War the palace was badly damaged but has since been reconstructed. The palace, its gardens and the buildings in the grounds are major visitor attractions." - in: wikipedia

US-1179701 & US-1196175

Postcrossing is now 6 years old :D When i joined the project i never thought postcards could have such an huge impact in my life. Thanks to postcards i met some really good friends and visited a few great places. I honestly can say that i don't imagine my life without postcrossing!!

Lets keep showing cards, now an official from the US.

US-1179701, sent by Jez.

This is a card from Bailey Island, in Maine, famous for its lobster, fine scenery and Bailey Island Bridge, the only cribstone bridge in the world, completed in 1928. The unique cribstone design of the bridge permits the substantial tides of that area to flow freely through it, greatly reducing the effect that flow would otherwise have on boats transiting its narrow channel opening.

Sewell Mining Town - Chile

Thanks to Judy "missdaisy66" i've got my second Unesco site from Chile, Sewell Mining Town, on the WHS list since 2006.

"Situated at 2,000 m in the Andes, 60 km to the east of Rancagua, in an environment marked by extremes of climate, Sewell Mining Town was built by the Braden Copper company in 1905 to house workers at what was to become the world’s largest underground copper mine, El Teniente. It is an outstanding example of the company towns that were born in many remote parts of the world from the fusion of local labour and resources from an industrialized nation, to mine and process high-value natural resources. The town was built on a terrain too steep for wheeled vehicles around a large central staircase rising from the railway station. Along its route formal squares of irregular shape with ornamental trees and plants constituted the main public spaces or squares of the town. The buildings lining the streets are timber, often painted in vivid green, yellow, red and blue. At its peak Sewell numbered 15,000 inhabitants, but was largely abandoned in the 1970s." - in: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1214

Virgin Komi Forests - Russia

With this card of the Virgin Komi Forests, i'm only missing 2 unesco sites from Russia. I haven't seen any cards from those sites, i guess getting them won't be easy.

This one was sent by Olya "reddew" and this time both card and stamps arrived in perfect conditions.

"The Virgin Komi Forests cover 3.28 million ha of tundra and mountain tundra in the Urals, as well as one of the most extensive areas of virgin boreal forest remaining in Europe. This vast area of conifers, aspens, birches, peat bogs, rivers and natural lakes has been monitored and studied for over 50 years. It provides valuable evidence of the natural processes affecting biodiversity in the taiga." - in: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/719

Dorset - England

This is the impressive and dramatic Dorset coastline, an english WHS since 2001, on the list under the name "Dorset and East Devon Coast".

The card was sent by Dave "booga315".

"The Dorset and East Devon Coast has an outstanding combination of globally significant geological and geomorphological features. The property comprises eight sections along 155 km of largely undeveloped coast. The property's geology displays approximately 185 million years of the Earth's history, including a number of internationally important fossil localities. The property also contains a range of outstanding examples of coastal geomorphological features, landforms and processes, and is renowned for its contribution to earth science investigations for over 300 years, helping to foster major contributions to many aspects of geology, palaeontology and geomorphology. This coast is considered by geologists and geomorphologists to be one of the most significant teaching and research sites in the world." - in: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1029

Spanish WHS

I've received these spanish cards in the last days, 2 of them are from 2 new Unesco places, Garajonay National Park, sent by Ave "madeincanarias" and San Cristobal de la Laguna, sent by Luís "ludovico". The Teide National Park card is also a Unesco site and it was also sent by Luís.

All these Unesco places are located in the Canary Islands.

"Garajonay National Park is located in the center and north of the island of la Gomera, one of the Canary Islands. It was declared a national park in 1981 and a World Heritage Site by Unesco in 1986. It occupies 40 km² (15 sq mi) and it extends into each of the municipalities on the island.

The park is named after the rock formation of Garajonay, the highest point on the island at 1,484 m (4,869 feet). It also includes a small plateau whose altitude is 790-1,400 m above sea level.

The park provides the best example of laurisilva, a humid subtropical forest that in the Tertiary covered almost all of Europe. It is also found on the Azores and the Madeira Islands. Laurus azorica, known as Azores Laurel, or by the Portuguese names Louro, Loureiro, Louro-da-terra, and Louro-de-cheiro, can be found in the park, as well as Laurus canariensis, known as Canary Laurel. Although named as a single type of forest, the National Park englobes several varieties of forests. Most humid and protected valleys oriented to the North have the richest and complex forests. It is called valley laurisilva, a true subtropical rainforest where the largest laurel trees can be found. As we reach higher mounts, with less protection from wind and sun, the forest loses some of its more delicate species. It is called the slope laurisilva (laurisilva de ladera). At the south the forest is mainly a mix of beech and heather, species adapted to the less humid atmosphere." - in: wikipedia

"Situated on the island of Tenerife, Teide National Park features the Teide-Pico Viejo stratovolcano that, at 3,718 m, is the highest peak on Spanish soil. Rising 7,500 m above the ocean floor, it is regarded as the world’s third-tallest volcanic structure and stands in a spectacular environment. The visual impact of the site is all the greater due to atmospheric conditions that create constantly changing textures and tones in the landscape and a ‘sea of clouds’ that forms a visually impressive backdrop to the mountain. Teide is of global importance in providing evidence of the geological processes that underpin the evolution of oceanic islands." - in: www.whc.unesco.org/en/list/1258

"San Cristóbal de La Laguna, in the Canary Islands, has two nuclei: the original, unplanned Upper Town; and the Lower Town, the first ideal 'city-territory' laid out according to philosophical principles. Its wide streets and open spaces have a number of fine churches and public and private buildings dating from the 16th to the 18th century." -in: www.whc.unesco.org/en/list/929

Obertraun - Austria

And lets keep with unesco cards. This is a new one from Austria, Hallstatt-Dachstein / Salzkammergut Cultural Landscape. The card was sent by "nordfriesland".

The card shows Obertraun, a village in the Salzkammergut, a region in Austria. It is located near the Hallstätter See, a lake and Hoher Dachstein, a strongly karstic mountain.

"Human activity in the magnificent natural landscape of the Salzkammergut began in prehistoric times, with the salt deposits being exploited as early as the 2nd millennium BC. This resource formed the basis of the area’s prosperity up to the middle of the 20th century, a prosperity that is reflected in the fine architecture of the town of Hallstatt." -in: www.whc.unesco.org/en/list/806