Monthly Fav. Surprise RR * April '26

I was still missing one card to have the 4 cards of  the MFS April, and it finally arrived in June.

 

 Tanya always sends me churches. I've quite a few church cards from Belarus in my favs but I've never seen this one before.

The catholic Church of Saint John the Baptist is located in the village of Mscibava. It stands as a prominent architectural landmark in the village, which boasts a rich, centuries-old local history dating back to the Middle Ages.

www.papersisters.de

Ni Hao! Happy Postcrossing from China, even thought Karissa sent the card from USA. That's really not important, this is a new HP in my collection. 

About 1,4 billion people call the Peoples Republic of China home. The combination of a long history and traditions and a very modern presence makes it an exciting place to discover. The Great Wall of China, the Terracotta Army and iconic Giant Panda are just some ambassadors. Chinese New Year celebrations continue for days and are held all over the world. 2026 marks the Year of the Horse.

I believe that my very 1st card of China was a card of this lake, Erhai. Xinyi said it is a UNESCO site but it actually is part of the Dali-Cangshan UNESCO Global Geopark, which in turn is on the UNESCO Tentative list.

Known as the ‘Pearl of the Plateau,’Erhai Lake is the second largest lake in Yunnan Province and the seventh biggest freshwater lake in China, by area and water storage. Formed in a rift depression, Erhai Lake has been known since ancient times as the "flawless jade among mountains" due to the color and clarity of its waters.
Stretching 42 kilometres from north to south and 3.9 kilometres from east to west, it covers an area of more than 250 square kilometres, with the deepest point reaching 21.5 metres.
In Dali, locals regard Erhai Lake as their ‘mother lake.’ Hence why it is so important in the region and an unmissable tourism spot. - in: https://www.visityunnanchina.com

 

I'm more likely to find myself on a beach taking sunset photos than lying on the sand sunbathing. 

If beaches are your weakness then Malaysia should sit right at the top of your vacation wish list. Malaysia’s east coast is a great destination for getting a dose of reliable, relaxing sun, sand and sea. This corner of the country, separated from the frenetic trading ports of the south and west by dense jungle, has its own distinct culture, rooted in traditional fishing and farming. Just under an hour by plane from Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Terengganu is a bustling modern town with several laid back beach resorts dotted along the nearby coast, including one of our absolute favourites: Tanjung Jara. Even though this coast has its fair share of mass tourism, it's a great place to come if you want some simple, slower-paced beach bliss. - in: https://www.selectiveasia.com

This card was sent by Beatrice.

Monthly Fav. Surprise RR - May '25

 No, I didn't forget April's cards, one is still missing, so let's move on to May.

 

It may look centuries old but the White Mosque is a relatively new architectural monument in Bolgar. Built in 2012 near the city entrance, the grandeur of the building attracts visitors, and the mosque’s oriental design creates a fairy-tale atmosphere. Inspiration for the White Mosque came from some of the world’s best Islamic architecture. The mosque complex includes a prayer area with an elegant arcade of 88 oriental columns, refined minaret towers, and a main dome adorned with intricate stained glass. Inside, the prayer hall features tall columns with crescent-topped crowns, while the walls display verses from the Koran in elegant Arabic script.  - in: https://visit-tatarstan.com

Card sent by Yuliya. 

 This is not my 1st card of this church in Gierviaty. This one was sent by Anastasiya.

The Church of the Holy Trinity in Gierviaty was built at the beginning of the 20th century, on the site of a former wooden Catholic church of the 16th century.
5 Interesting Facts about the Church of the Holy Trinity:
* The church in Gierviaty is one of the top three tallest temples in Belarus.
 * A brick factory was specially built near the village for the construction of the structure, which supplied the material for the building erection.
 * No less than 70 people worked daily on the construction.
 * For enhancing the strength of the building mixture, raw chicken eggs, collected from local residents, were added.
  * The church has astonishing acoustics. Its walls house an antique organ from 1882, made by a Vilnius musical craftsman specifically for the acoustical capabilities of the church. Nowadays, organ music concerts are held here, which are attended by guests from Belarus and abroad. - in: https://en.belarus.travel

Not my 1st card of this church either. 

Mission San Xavier del Bac is a historic Spanish Catholic mission about 16 km south of downtown Tucson, Arizona. 

A National Historical Landmark, this mission was founded as a Catholic mission by Father Eusebio Kino in 1692. Construction of the current church began in 1783 and was completed in 1797. The oldest intact European structure in Arizona, the church's interior is filled with marvelous original statuary and mural paintings. It is a place where visitors can truly step back in time and enter an authentic 18th century space. 

Card sent by Karissa.

www.papersisters.de

I've said many times that I really like Happy Postcrossing cards but my favorites are definitely those of the countries. I was a lovely surprise to get this one from Lara, new to my collection. 

Eiffel Tower, Nimes, Pont du Gard, Mont Saint Michel, baguette and croissant, wine and champagne, etc, there's no doubt this is a french card.

BY-3314388

 This house in Minsk isn't just a house, it is a house museum and is the only example of the wooden architecture of the late 19th century in the city center.

 

BY-3314388, sent by Natallia.

The House Museum of First Congress of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party is the oldest operating museum in Minsk and Belarus: its history dates back to 1923. For almost half a century the museum was the most visited museum of the Belarusian capital. - in: https://minsktime.com

BY-3271012

I don't dislike this postcard, although I not a big fan of the size, the vegetable stamps are cute but apart from the address, the date and the postcard ID, Olga didn't write anything else on the postcard!! I always have so much to write.

 

BY-3271012, sent by Olga.

Trinity Suburb is an old picturesque part of Minsk located on the bank of the Svisloch River in the city center. Its cozy little streets and houses, with tile roofs and delicate colors, have become a symbol of Minsk. Their image can be often seen on souvenirs and candy.
Many houses in this part of Minsk are considered to be architectural landmarks though people still dwell in many of them. - in: https://www.belarus.by

Cathedral of the Holy Spirit - Minsk

Not much has been happening on this blog. I haven't had much time, I just received a few cards these last weeks and I don't always like them. A few days ago, some official postcards arrived, including the first of these postcards of the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Minsk. The 2nd card is also an official postcard, with the same church, received in 2019.

 BY-3271011, sent by Kamila. 

One of the most visible churches in Minsk, with its central location overlooking the Svisloch river in the historic Upper Town, the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit is the most important Russian Orthodox church in the city.

 

BY-2417108, sent by Kate.

Its origins date back to the 17th century when the building served as a Catholic Bernardine monastery. After several devastating fires and a conversion to Orthodoxy, the church was expanded and renovated, though the monastery was closed in 1922. The church's holiest icon is the image of the Mother of God, which is said to have been found by Minsk residents in 1500.

BY-3207973

 I've a few cards of Belarusian churches in my wall of favorites and this card could have been there if I'd seen it before. Beautiful church. 

Luzhki - is a village of Sharkaŭshchyna district, Vitebsk region of Belarus. The main attraction of the village Luzhki is St. Michael the Archangel Catholic church, which was built from 1744 to 1756.

 

 

BY-3207973, sent by Ira.

Originally, the church in the village of Luzhki was part of the monastery, which was founded here in 1741. After the uprising of 1830, this monastery, like many other Catholic monasteries in the territory of modern Belarus, was closed. And in 1843 the church in the village of Luzhki was transferred to the Orthodox Church, a little rebuilt and converted. After the First World War, when the village of Luzhki was part of Poland, the church again moved to Catholics. In 1949 the church in the village of Luzhki was closed by the Soviet authorities. Later, the building of the temple was refurbished and used as a warehouse for mineral fertilizers. In the late 1980s, the church was returned to the Catholic Church and restored. 

The church in the village of Luzhki is a very vivid embodiment of the architecture of the so-called "Vilna" baroque. This ancient and very unusual church stands out among other churches of Belarus in that its main facade gives the impression that it is bent inside. This effect is achieved due to the fact that the two high towers of the main facade are not in the same plane with it, but are rotated at an angle. - in: https://vedaj.by

Monthly Fav. Surprise RR * July '24

 One card from June is still missing but July's cards have safely arrived to my mailbox. These are from Belarus, Russia, Aland Islands and Madagascar.

 

A unique monument of neo-gothic architecture of the 19th century is situated in the Belarusian town of Kossovo. The Palace of the Puslovskys, or Kossovo Castle, consists of the central two-storied building and two wings. Because of the rectangular merlons at the top of the towers the palace is often called a mini-castle. Each tower symbolizes one month of the year, with four highest towers in the center standing for May, June, July and August when harvest is reaped. It's construction started in 1838.

The palace boasts over 100 rooms with no walk-through rooms. Thanks to a system of corridors and a special location of the windows every year one of the palace’s rooms was flooded with sunlight for two and a half days. This was the time when the owners of the palace celebrated the Day of the Room adorning it and spending there most of the time.
During the Second World War the palace suffered the worst damage. For many days a fire blazed through its rooms in 1944 and destroyed the decoration of the chambers and left only the magnificent walls.
Despite the destruction, Kossovo Palace still impresses and attracts tourists. It had been restored to it's former glory and beauty and it is now a social, cultural and tourism center. 

Card sent by Kate.

Trinity-Sergius Lavra is probably one of the places / monuments in Russia that I've the most cards from. 

The card was sent by Nadezhda.

An Åland card, with an Åland flag stamp, sent from the Åland by Zaara. 

The Jan Karlsgården open-air museum shows the visitors how life may have been at a farm on Åland in the late 1800s – how people lived and worked there. Various activities are also arranged here all the year round.
The museum was founded in the 1930s and got its name from the farm Jan Karls in Finström, from where the main building was also moved. All buildings at Jan Karlsgården have been brought here from various parts of the Åland islands. Jan Karlsgården provides the visitor with a comprehensive view of the life and building traditions that once existed here. - in: https://book.visitaland.com

 

I've tagged and swapped with Nancy in the past and in July I "met" her again on this RR. We always sent UNESCO cards to each other and this time was no different. She sent me this UNESCO card from Madagascar, still missing in my collection.Tsingy de Bemaraha is one Madagascar’s Andrefana Dry Forests classified as UNESCO WHS in 1990.

Tsingy de Bemaraha Reserve is located in the drier eastern side of Madagascar and supports a quite distinct fauna and flora in a dramatic karst landscape.  The limestone plateau has been carved into an impressive forest of pinnacles (tsingys) and caves, with deep gorges filled with forest. The undisturbed forests are the habitat of many rare and endangered species with highly restricted ranges including lemurs, chamealeons, and other taxa. - in: https://www.africanworldheritagesites.org

Monthly Fav. Surprise RR * March '24

 Lets start posting in May with the MFS RR cards from March.

 

www.papersisters.de

 

I totally agree with Whitney, receiving these HPC cards is like getting tiny glimpses into cultures!! 

This is the 3rd version of the HPC from USA.

New windmill from the Netherlands. 

Until 1985, this mill stood about 1.5 kilometers further north in 't Waar. In 1793, a mill was built there to drain the De Dellen polder. Unfortunately, the mill burned down, after which the current mill was built in 1855. Because the polder became dry, it was decided to move the mill to its current location, next to the Tichelwaark polder. Although the mill is no longer in use, it still has an emergency function. If the Tichelwaark pumping station fails, the mill can take over.

The card was sent by Alice.

Freiburg is one of the warmest and sunniest cities in Germany but I'd rather visit it on a cold, snowy day just to enjoy views like this. 

The card was sent by Isa.

I believe this was the 1st time Kate sent me a card and she sent a great one from my favs. 

Aleksander Nevsky Church, sanctified in 1898, was built on the territory of the Military Cemetery as a memorial for the heroes of Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878. The church is built in the tradition of Russian baroque church XVII - XVIII centuries. This is the only Orthodox church that has never been rebuilt in Minsk and the last Orthodox church that was closed before World War II (1938). Inside the church, there is a small mobile church that Russian troops used when they fought in Bulgaria. - in: https://yesbelarus.com

BY-3075045

The previous cards was the last official of 2023 and this card was the 1st, and so far, the only official I've received this year.

 

BY-3075045, sent by Ludmila.

An image from the past of Minsk. 

Previously known as the Governor’s Garden, Gorky Park was Eastern Europe’s first public garden. The park was founded on May 1, 1805.

BY-2850190

The beautiful neo-Gothic Church of St. John the Baptist in the village of Opsa, Vitebsk region in Belarus.

 

BY-2850190, sent by Olga.

The red brick Catholic church of St. John the Baptist was built in 1887.

In 1928 the church was damaged by a fire but it remainded opened thanks to the efforts of the parishioners until 1949. In 1949 - 1990 it  was used as a warehouse and storage.

In 1990 it was thought to transform the church into an art gallery and concert hall. However, due to lack of funds the church of St. John the Baptist returned to parishioners and to its original appearance and beauty.

BY-2850187

A year has passed since I've received the last official from Belarus. It was worth the wait, this new card is really great. It depicts the Church of the Nativity of the God's Mother in Muravanka, one of the first fortified churches in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. This church is one of the Edifices for Worship of Fortress Type in Belarus, Poland and Lithuania added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List.

BY-2850187, sent by Alla.

The church in Muravanka arose in the first half of the 16th century. Church inspections made by the archeologists showed that it was probably built between years 1524 and 1542. The church was severely damaged in 1656 during the war against Russia and in 1706 during the Great Northern War. Then it was empty for many years and restored only in the middle of the 19th century. During World War I the German army used the space of the church as a warehouse for provisions. In the Interwar Poland it was turned into the Roman Catholic church. 

In 1990 the church was returned by the Soviet government to the Orthodox believers and has been in use since then. - in: wikipedia

Red foxes

A beautiful red foxes from Finland and Belarus sent by Sirpu and Anna. 

Red foxes live around the world in many diverse habitats including forests, grasslands, mountains, and deserts. They also adapt well to human environments such as farms, suburban areas, and even large communities. The red fox's resourcefulness has earned it a legendary reputation for intelligence and cunning.

 

Kuva: Vastavalo / Anja West

Red foxes are solitary hunters who feed on rodents, rabbits, birds, and other small game—but their diet can be as flexible as their home habitat. Foxes will eat fruit and vegetables, fish, frogs, and even worms. If living among humans, foxes will opportunistically dine on garbage and pet food.

In winter, foxes meet to mate. The vixen (female) typically gives birth to a litter of 2 to 12 pups. At birth, red foxes are actually brown or gray. A new red coat usually grows in by the end of the first month, but some red foxes are golden, reddish-brown, silver, or even black. Both parents care for their young through the summer before they are able to strike out on their own in the fall. - in: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/r/red-fox/