Aldabra Atoll - Seychelles

I'm a lucky girl to have this card in my collection. Brigitte is even luckier bacause she has already been to Seychelles, where she got this great card of the Aldabra Atoll, one of Seychelles' Unesco WHS.

© Claude Pavard

Located in the Indian Ocean, the Aldabra Atoll is an outstanding example of a raised coral atoll. Due to its remoteness and inaccessibility, the atoll has remained largely untouched by humans for the majority of its existence.  Aldabra is one of the largest atolls in the world, and contains one of the most important natural habitats for studying evolutionary and ecological processes. It is home to the largest giant tortoise population in the world. The richness and diversity of the ocean and landscapes result in an array of colours and formations that contribute to the atoll's scenic and aesthetic appeal. - in: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/185

Anse Patates - Seychelles

My 3rd card from the Seychelles Islands. Like the Iran card, this one was sent by Luis.

Photo by H. Espanet

On the northern most tip of La Digue, Anse Patates is close to Patatran Village and borders the longer beach of Anse Gaulettes. Blessed with soft white sand and calm seas, it is well suited for both swimming and snorkelling. - in: http://www.seychelles.travel/en/products/beaches.php?aid=12

German official cards

DE-563669, sent by Andre.
This is the Castle of the Counts of Erbach, in Erbach, the district seat of the Odenwaldkreis in Hesse, Germany.

"The castle of the princely Counts of Erbach was built into a residence in the style of the times in the 18th century. Since the noble house did not have the needed materials on hand, only the middle wing of the planned three-winged building was ever built. The façade is to a great extent built out of not sandstone, but rather sheeting or wood coloured to look like it.

The antique collections at the castle have remained almost unchanged since Count Franz I’s time (1754-1823).

In 2005, the state of Hesse bought the castle for €13,000,000.

Within the castle complex is the likewise Late Barroque orangery with the castle garden." - in: wikipedia

DE-559587, sent by Mario.

"The Zugspitze is the highest mountain in Germany, at 2,962 metres above sea level. It is located on the Austrian border beside the town of Grainau in the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, in the federal-state of Bavaria.

There are also two cable cars that go to the peak from the base of the mountain: one ascends from the German side of the mountain at the lake Eibsee, and the other ascends from Austria near Ehrwald. The peak is regularly crowded with tourists.

For those wishing to reach the summit under their own power, various hiking and ski trails can also be followed to the top. Hiking to the top from the base takes between one and two days, or a few hours for the very fit. Food and lodging is available on some trails. In winter the Zugspitze is a popular skiing and snowboarding destination, with several slopes on both sides. The Zugspitzplatt is Germany's highest ski resort, and thus normally has sufficient snow throughout the winter." - in: wikipedia

DE-513548, sent by Karin.

This is an official from Germany but the card is from La Digue, the fourth largest inhabited island of the Seychelles.
"It has a population of about 2,000 people, who mostly live in the west coast villages of La Passe (linked by ferry to Praslin and Mahé) and La Réunion. It has an area of 10 km². La Digue is named after a ship in the fleet of French explorer Marc-Joseph Marion du Fresne, who visited the Seychelles in 1768." - in: wikipedia

Seychelles

Ladies and gentlemen, and the new country in my collection is..... Seychelles :D

I've found this great card today in my mailbox. Country #90!! It was sent by Brigitte "apperveilchen".

"Seychelles is an archipelago nation of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, some 1,500 kilometres (930 mi) east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar. Other nearby island countries and territories include Zanzibar to the west, Mauritius and Réunion to the south, Comoros and Mayotte to the southwest, and the Suvadives of the Maldives to the northeast. Seychelles has the smallest population of any sovereign state of Africa." - in: wikipedia

This cards is from one of the many small islands of the archipelago, Île Cocos. It has been a marine park since 1996 and is a great spot for snorkelling and diving. On the right side of the card there's the coco de mer, a big double coconut that only grows on 2 of the inner Seychelles islands.

When i was looking for some information about Seychelles, i've discovered that the the first recorded sighting of them took place in 1502, by the Portuguese Admiral Vasco da Gama :o This is something new for me. I need to creat a list of the countries discovered, colonized by the portuguese. Since i joined postcrossing, i'm discovering some interesting things about the portuguese discoveries ;)