PT RR - Group 59 * I wish

For this group of the RR in the portuguese speaking community, I wanted to receive churches, castles or snow. Both, Joana and Luzia, sent me churches. 

© Collection «Les authentiques et les imaginaires»

Joana lives in Mont-de-Marsan but she has never visited this church. 

St. Marie Madeleine Church is the most important church of this town. It was built between 1825-1829. 

 Foto: Paulo Laborne

I really like cute little chapels like this one in Catas Altas, Minas Gerais state, Brazil. St. Quitéria Chapel was built in the 18th century on a hill overlooking the Caraça mountain. 

March Alternative RR (IV)

In this last group I've cards from Australia, Malaysia, Russia and Taiwan. 

Photographs:Lynette Traynor and State Library of Victoria

The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) was a First World War army corps of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force. It was formed in Egypt in December 1914, and operated during the Battle of Gallipoli. General William Birdwood commanded the corps, which comprised troops from the First Australian Imperial Force and 1st New Zealand Expeditionary Force. The corps disbanded in 1916, following the Allied evacuation of the Gallipoli peninsula and the formation of I ANZAC Corps and II ANZAC Corps. The Corps was reestablished, briefly, in the Second World War during the Battle of Greece in 1941. - in: wikipedia

Card sent by Azzi.

I thought this was a WWII propaganda card but this is actually the cover of a british war comic magazine, published  from 8 March 1975 to 23 January 1988. 

Card sent by Miza.

Orenburg is the administrative center of Orenburg Oblast (region), Russia. It lies on the River Ural, 1,478 kilometers (918 mi) southeast of Moscow, on the boundary of Europe and Asia. Orenburg is also very close to the border with Kazakhstan. - in: wikipedia

Card sent by Vera.

Mazu Temple in Penghu is the oldest Mazu Temple in both Taiwan and Penghu. It has a history of 400 years and is now listed as the country’s first-class historic site. Mazu is the most commonly worshipped sea Goddess in areas south of the Yangtze River. She also represents one of the most dominant folk religion in Taiwan. 

Card sent by Chien.

Satay is a dish of seasoned, skewered and grilled meat, served with a sauce. Satay may consist of diced or sliced chicken, goat, mutton, beef, pork, fish, other meats, or tofu. These are grilled or barbecued over a wood or charcoal fire, then served with various spicy seasonings. Satay can be served in various sauces, however most often they are served in a combination of soy and peanut sauce. Hence, peanut sauce is often called satay sauce. in: wikipedia

C. K. says it is a must try food in Malaysia.

March Alternative RR (III)

A bit of nature from Australia, Taiwan, China and Austria. 

Peter Matthews, QLD

Never-ending blue sent by Krystiina. 

Photography © 2012 Lin Chien Chuan Art Co. Ltd

Menghuan Pond is located in Yangmingshan National Park, in northern Taipei City During winter, the pond covers 10000SQ. M and sometimes has a higher water level, while during summer, the pond sometimes may dry up. 

card sent by Rachel.

Miancimu Peak is one of the many peaks of the Meili Snow Mountain, located 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) northeast of Deqin County of Yunnan Province. It sits on the border of Yunnan Province and Tibet. Meili Snow Mountain is one of the most sacred mountains of Tibetan Buddhism.

Card sent by Rain.

© Photo Lohmann

The small hotel village of Hochsölden is in the middle of the Ötztal Alps. On the sunny and snowy plateau high above Sölden you will enjoy fantastic views of the surrounding mountains and slopes.

The small district is located at 2,090 metres above sea level and virtually in the middle of the Sölden skiing area. 

The card was sent by Grace. 

March Alternative RR (II)

On this 2nd round of the March Alt. RR, I've cards from the USA, Germany and Netherlands.

Photo: Alan Schein, NYC

On the back of the card: With its huge dome, the Capitol is the most impressive building in Washington, housing the legislative branch of the Government. 

This nice card was sent by Mimi.

Foto: Ullstein-Bild

Marina sent a card with Brandenburg Gate and the infamous Berlin Wall. 

The Berlin Wall enclosed West Berlin from August 13, 1961 to November 9, 1989, cutting a line through the entire city center. It was supposed to prevent East Berliners and citizens of East Germany from fleeing to the West, but the Wall was unable to entirely stop the mass of people from fleeing. Consequently, in 1961, the SED, the ruling Communist Party in East Germany, began adding more border fortifications to the Wall, creating a broad, many-layered system of barriers. In the West people referred to the border strip as the “death strip” because so many people were killed there while trying to flee. With the downfall of East Germany in 1989, the Berlin Wall that the SED had for so long tried to use to maintain its power, also fell. The fall of the Wall marked the definitive end of its dictatorship. - in: http://www.berliner-mauer-gedenkstaette.de/en/the-berlin-wall-10.html

© WERBEVERLAG R. 

Also from Germany, a card sent by Manu with Herrenchiemsee Palace. 

In 1873 King Ludwig II of Bavaria acquired the Herreninsel as the location for his Royal Palace of Herrenchiemsee (New Palace). Modelled on Versailles, this palace was built as a "Temple of Fame" for King Louis XIV of France, whom the Bavarian monarch fervently admired.

The actual building of this "Bavarian Versailles", which was begun in 1878 from plans by Georg Dollmann, was preceded by a total of 13 planning stages. When Ludwig II died in 1886 the palace was still incomplete, and sections of it were later demolished. - in: http://www.herrenchiemsee.de/englisch/n_palace/index.htm

Foto: Laura Visser

A beautiful snow view of Oranjepark in Apeldoorn, a city in the province of Gelderland in the centre of the Netherlands.

The card was sent by Franciska.

March Alternative RR 3 (I)

Last March I decided to join again an Alternative monthly RR. I've received a total of 19 cards, from 10 countries. These are from Russia, Malaysia, USA and Finland. 

This card was actually sent from Belarus by Tanya but there's no doubt that this is a russian card. The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, on the northern side of the Moskwa River, near the Moscow's Kremlin, is probably one of the most well known russian cathedrals.

Anya sent me an unique and beautiful religious temple card. 

Located in the Russian city of Kazan, the colorful Temple of All Religions, or Universal Temple is a mish-mash of architectural flourishes culled from most of the major world religions to create an uber-complex where all religions can come together in harmony. - in: http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/temple-of-all-religions

Built in 1753, Christ Church commemorates the 100th-year occupation of Malcca by the Dutch, and it stands on Jalan Gereja. 

Card sent by Wei.

Photo: Bob Clemenz

Jacquelynn sent me this beautiful church in Arizona. 

Mission San Xavier del Bac is a historic Spanish Catholic mission located about 10 miles (16 km) south of downtown Tucson, Arizona, on the Tohono O'odham San Xavier Indian Reservation. It was founded in 1692 by Padre Eusebio Kino in the center of a centuries-old Indian settlement of the Tohono O’odham (formerly known as Papago), located along the banks of the Santa Cruz River. The mission was named for Francis Xavier, a Christian missionary and co-founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuit Order) in Europe.

Today's Mission was built between 1783-1797; it is the oldest European structure in Arizona.

Widely considered to be the finest example of Spanish Colonial architecture in the United States, it hosts some 200,000 visitors each year. - in: wikipedia

Now a finnish church sent by Minna.

The church of Sastamala in Karkku (dedicated to St. Mary) was built in the end of 15th century. Unfortunately church was nearly abandoned for decades in the 19th and 20th centuries. During this time the floor was destroyed. The church was renovated in 1960-1977 and today it's used mainly for summer ceremonies.

There is a fine collection of historical artefacts in Sastamala church. Oldest items are probably a stone font from the 13th century and the part of gravestone with engraving "1304". - in: https://www.spottinghistory.com/view/46/sastamala-church/

Photographed & published by Pentti Harala, Espoo

Another church from Finland, this one sent by Liisa.

Tampere Cathedral, originally called St. John's Church was built in 1902-1907 after a National Romantic design by Lars Sonck. It has seating capacity of 2000, and the interior is decorated with famous works by Hugo Simberg, such as The Garden of Death and The Wounded Angel. The large altarpiece was painted by Magnus Enckell. The each of the six entrances to the building has its own gate in the surrounding stone wall. The church became a Cathedral in 1923, and is a popular place for weddings and concerts. - in: http://www.muuka.com/finnishpumpkin/churches/tampere/cwtata/church_cwtata.html

Canadian WHS

Red Bay Basque Whaling Station and Mistaken Point were the last canadian sites inscribed on the UNESCO WHS list. These were the 2 places I was still missing to have all the UNESCO sites from Canada. Both were sent by my dear friend Marie. 

Design: Lara Minja, Lime Design Inc. * © 2015 Canada Post

Red Bay, established by Basque mariners in the 16th century at the north-eastern tip of Canada on the shore of the Strait of Belle Isle is an archaeological site that provides the earliest, most complete and best preserved testimony of the European whaling tradition. Gran Baya, as it was called by those who founded the station in 1530s, was used as a base for coastal hunting, butchering, rendering of whale fat by heading to produce oil and storage. It became a major source of whale oil which was shipped to Europe where it was used for lighting. The site, which was used in the summer months, includes remains of rendering ovens, cooperages, wharves, temporary living quarters and a cemetery, together with underwater remains of vessels and whale bone deposits. The station was used for some 70 years, before the local whale population was depleted. - in: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1412

Design: Lara Minja, Lime Design Inc. * © 2017 Canada Post

This fossil site is located at the south-eastern tip of the island of Newfoundland, in eastern Canada. It consists of a narrow, 17 km-long strip of rugged coastal cliffs. Of deep marine origin, these cliffs date to the Ediacaran Period (580-560 million years ago), representing the oldest known assemblages of large fossils anywhere. These fossils illustrate a watershed in the history of life on earth: the appearance of large, biologically complex organisms, after almost three billion years of micro-dominated evolution. - in: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1497

DE-6369546

The ID of this card is german but the card is from USA. Unalaska is the largest city of the Aleutian Islands, a chain of 14 large volcanic islands and 55 smaller ones belonging to both the United States and Russia. The city of Unalaska, covers part of the Unalaska island, in the US state of Alaska.

DE-6369546, sent by Rüdiger.

During World War II the remote Aleutian Islands, home to the Unangax̂ (Aleut) people for over 8,000 years, became a fiercely contested battleground in the Pacific. This thousand-mile-long archipelago saw invasion by Japanese forces, the occupation of two islands; a mass relocation of Unangax̂ civilians; a 15-month air war; and one of the deadliest battles in the Pacific Theater. - in: https://www.nps.gov/aleu/index.htm

A memorial overlooking downtown Unalaska is dedicated to the Unangax who were forcibly evacuated during WWII and the Aleutian villages that were never resettled. - in: http://www.alaskapublic.org/2017/06/02/75th-anniversary-of-aleut-evacuation/

US-4680108

The Cloud Gate Sculpture, also known as the "bean," is one of the highlights of Millennium Park in Chicago. 

Photo: Jeff Lewis

US-4680108, sent by Donna.

Designed by the artist Anish Kapoor, the Chicago the Bean sculpture is made of 168 highly polished stainless steel plates - giving the appearance of liquid mercury. Up close, the highly reflective nature of the sculpture captures the beautiful skyline of Chicago. The Cloud Gate Sculpture has thus become a tourist hot spot and is the perfect place to take your vacation snapshots. - in: http://www.chicagotraveler.com/cloud-gate-chicago

US-4230848

An official from USA with the famous Liberty Bell. 

Photo: David Traub

US-4230848, sent by Sarah.

In 1751, the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly—part of the state’s colonial government—paid around 100 pounds for a large bell to hang in its new State House (later known as Independence Hall). Cast at London’s Whitechapel Bell Foundry, the bell arrived in Philadelphia in August 1752.

On July 8, 1776, the bell was rung to celebrate the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence. After the British invasion of Philadelphia, the bell was hidden in a church until it could be safely returned to the State House. A popular icon of the new nation and its independence, it wasn’t called the “Liberty Bell” until the 1830s, when an abolitionist group adopted it as a symbol of their own cause.

After being moved to a pavilion near Independence Hall in 1976 (the bicentennial of the Declaration of Independence), in 2003 the Liberty Bell was relocated to Liberty Bell Center in Independence National Historic Park, where millions of visitors view its famous crack each year. - in: http://www.history.com/news/ask-history/why-is-the-liberty-bell-cracked