Colonia del Sacramento - Uruguay

 Colonia del Sacramento, is one of the three UNESCO sites in Uruguay and is of Portuguese origin.

These postcards have been sent by Atali.

Colonia del Sacramento is one of the most important tourist references in Uruguay, receiving thousands of visitors throughout the year. Just an hour from Buenos Aires by boat and two hours from Montevideo by road, this is a place where the visitor meets the culture, history and magic of a wonderful destination on the Rio de la Plata. The city's charm is linked to the particularity of its history.

 

Founded in 1680 by the Portuguese Manoel Lobo, the city passed from the Portuguese domain to the Spanish domain several times.

Throughout the successive destructions and occupations of its territory, the Historic Quarter acquired the urban and architectural heterogeneity that characterizes it:  to the contributions of the Portuguese and Spanish, were added those of the artisans who emigrated there during the second half of the 19th century.

All of its modest buildings, in regard both to their dimensions and their appearance, are a particularly interesting testimony to the singular fusion of the Portuguese and Spanish traditions. in: https://whc.unesco.org

The building on the card is a museum, the Regional Historical Archive Museum, a portuguese house that dates back to 1750. The walls, beams and tiles are all original as are parts of the floor. The museum hold all the important documentation about the city and the region that has been brought back from Spain, Portugal, England, France and neigbouring countries. These includes old maps, police records (1876-1898) and water color paintings from 1840 to 1865.

Winner of the Month * July '24

In July I've received these cards as a prize for being the winner of the month.
 

Ice cream is probably my favorite dessert, there's always ice cream in my freezer, no matter the season of the year. My favorite flavors are hazelnut and walnut. 

This card was sent by Celeste.

 

Last June I've been to Spain and visited Plasencia, which I thought it was Maritere's hometown. Then in July I got this card and realized I was wrong. Her hometown is Palencia not Plasencia. The names are quite similar, I'm sure I'm not the 1st to get confused with the cities names. 

San Miguel Church is an example in its typology of religious constructions that best confirms the transition between the Romanesque and the incipient Gothic. Its most outstanding element is the rough openwork tower located on the main façade, with a height (reaches 70 meters) and appearance that invite the visitor to imagine a defensive or military use. Raised on the remains of an earlier construction, it was built in the early eleventh century. Legend has it that in this place Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar and his wife Doña Jimena got married. The temple of San Miguel is also the scene every January 1 of one of the traditions that best define the cultural heritage of the city. This is the so-called "Baptism of the Child", an interesting and special celebration with status of Festival of National Tourist Interest. - in: https://turismo.aytopalencia.es

I've said a few times before that getting cards from UNESCO tentative sites is almost as good as getting cards from places that already are classified. I've just found out that the Rambla of Montevideo is on the tentative list. I don't know if Atalí knew about this but it makes the card even more interresting.

The Rambla of Montevideo is the coastal avenue that goes along the coastline of the Rio de la Plata in Montevideo, Uruguay. At a length of over 22.2 uninterrupted kilometres (13.7 mi), the promenade runs along the Río de la Plata and continues down the entire coast of Montevideo. - in: wikipedia

The building with a tower, right in the middle of the image, is the Zoological Museum, inaugurated in 1956.

This card is from Norway but it was sent from Portugal by Isabel. 

In winter, much of Norway transforms into a snow-clad paradise. The average temperature is -6.8 degrees Celsius, but the local conditions may vary quite a lot. Around Oslo, snowfall is common and the average winter temperatures are just below zero.
The lower inland areas of Finnmark, Troms, Trøndelag, and Eastern Norway often have very cold winters with lots of snow.
The inland areas of Northern Norway have an Arctic climate with snow and cold temperatures. However, the climate is usually much milder in coastal areas, thanks to the Gulf Stream. Strong winds occur frequently.
The coastal areas of Fjord Norway and Southern Norway also enjoy a milder climate, with temperatures around 0 degrees Celsius at sea level. However, much of the region is snowy and cold, which makes for good skiing conditions, especially in the mountains. - in: https://www.visitnorway.com

PT RR - Surprise Group * August '24

 These cards arrived quite fast, even the uruguaian card.

 

 

On the list of architects with works classified as a World Heritage Sites, one will find the name of Eladio Dieste (1917-2000), an Uruguayan engineer and architect who made his reputation by building silos, factories, markets and churches, considered as a top name of Latin American architecture. 

St Peter's Church of Durazno is one of his works but not the church on the UNESCO list. The Church of Atlántida is one of his most recognized works in Uruguay and was added to the WHS list in 2021.

Looking at other works of Dieste, and looking at this facade, I would say that this church has nothing to do with his style. This is explained because Dieste was responsible for the church rebuilding project after being destroyed by a fire in 1967. Although several neo-Romanic and neo-renaissance elements of the original architecture were recovered, the interior of the church as well as its ceiling, had to be rebuilt. For this reconstruction then the Engineer Eladio Dieste would then be invited. This project provided for the maintenance of the original outer facade, but the total reconstruction of its interior and ceiling in reinforced brick, a constructive technique developed by the Dieste itself. 

The postcard was sent by Atalí.

 

I was pretty sure about Boticas location but still had to confirm it. Boticas is a town in northern Portugal and that's pretty much all I know about it. The old stone houses on the card are the tourim office, the perfect place to learn more about the town. 

The card was sent by Eric.

Tiago sent me a card depicting a long-lost  profession, water carrier. Before the advent of centralized water supply systems, water carriers collected water from a source (a river, a well, water pumps, etc.) and transported or carried containers with water to people's homes. After the construction of pipe networks, the profession of water carrier became unnecessary and disappeared.

PT RR - Suprise Group * July '24

 Cards written in Portuguese, all from different countries.

 

© concept by Postcardsmarket.com

Atalí is a regular visitor of the Portuguese speaking corner of the PC forum. Even though she speaks Spanish, she tries to communicate with us in Portuguese. 

Uruguay has an area of 176.215 km², a population of 3.444.006 and its capital is Monteviedo.
Unique:
* Cows outnumber people 4 to 1 - Uruguay is a nation of 12 million cattle but just 3 million people;  
* Renamed many of its catholic holidays - Christmas is called Family Day and Holy Week is called Tourism Week;  
Famous:  
* Outside of the tropics - the only country in Latin America which is entirely outside of the tropics;
* One of the world's highest literacy rates - with 98.1% for adults, it is largely thanks to the Uruguayans' access to free and compulsory education;
History: 

* Name origin - the name Uruguay comes from the Uruguay river which means "river of the painted birds" in the Guaranini language:

* Free laptop & Wifi access - in 2009 Uruguay became the 1st country in the world to provide them to every schoolchild.

 

Editado por Danieli Dagnoni - Valdenio Vieira

This isn't my 1st card of the Brazilian Serra da Capivara National Park but it is the 1st I'm posting here. It was sent by Maria Eliza.

Serra da Capivara National Park, a treasure trove of prehistoric art and natural beauty, is located in the northeastern state of Piauí, Brazil. Spanning over 129,000 hectares (319,000 acres), the park is a remarkable blend of geological wonders, archaeological significance, and unique biodiversity. Established in 1979, the park's primary goal is to protect its prehistoric artifacts and rock paintings, some dating back tens of thousands of years. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991, Serra da Capivara is a testament to ancient human ingenuity and a vital sanctuary for the diverse flora and fauna of the Caatinga biome.

Serra da Capivara is renowned for its extensive collection of prehistoric rock art. Over 300 archaeological sites have been discovered within the park, featuring rock and wall paintings dating from 50,000 to 30,000 years ago. These paintings offer a window into the lives of ancient hunter-gatherer communities and later ceramic-farming societies. - in: https://lacgeo.com

Fotos: Matos Simões

A shepherd and his sheep in the Portuguese South West Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park.

Card sent by Tiago.

PT RR - Surprise Group * June 24

No surprise groups in April and May but in June the postcards written in Portuguese returned to the mailbox.

Old ladies in Piódão washing clothes as it was done in the past. 

Card sent by Tiago.

Fotografia: Oswaldo Santos

Arte xávega in one of the Costa de Prata beaches. 

Card sent by Nídia.

 

And when you least expect it, a postcard arrives from a new UNESCO site. Atalí is from Uruguay and after some time without being in Postcrossing, she has now returned and has participated in the Portuguese community, including in this RR. She saw that I still didn't have postcards from Fray Bentos and sent me this one. The Fray Bentos Industrial Landscape was added to the World Heritage list in 2015.

Located on land projecting into the Uruguay River west of the town of Fray Bentos, the industrial complex was built following the development of a factory founded in 1859 to process meat produced on the vast prairies nearby. The site illustrates the whole process of meat sourcing, processing, packing and dispatching. It includes buildings and equipment of the Liebig Extract of Meat Company, which exported meat extract and corned-beef to the European market from 1865 and the Anglo Meat Packing Plant, which exported frozen meat from 1924. Through its physical location, industrial and residential buildings as well as social institutions, the site presents an illustration of the entire process of meat production on a global scale. - in: https://whc.unesco.org

UY-2977

An ID only with 4 digits, I don't remember when was the last time that happened. This is my 1st official card from Uruguay and only my 4th card from this country. Another neat detail is that it was fully written in Portuguese. Obrigada Natalia. 

Teatro Solís, in Montevideo, is Uruguay’s oldest and most renowned cultural theater.

 SYNA Producciones

UY-2977, sent by Natalia.

Located in Montevideo’s Plaza Independencia, the building is a perfect example of neoclassical, Old World architectural splendor. 

The theater was designed by the Italian architect Carlo Zucchi using timber and marble brought over from Europe and stored away while war raged in Uruguay. After years of delay, the theater finally opened in 1856 with a rendition of Verdi’s opera Ernani. 

The design—including the elegant façade (which has been completely restored), carved canopy and pillars, and elliptical interior—was heavily influenced by Italian architecture. The similarities can be seen in the Teatro Carlo in Genoa, the Milanese Teatro alla Scala, and most of all the Teatro Metastasio di Prato near Florence. - in: https://www.atlasobscura.com

Montevideo - Uruguay

When i open the envelepe i've found today in my mailbox, i just felt like jumping, not only because i've got a card from a new country but also because it was sent by a dear friend, better said, it was sent by my dear "sister" in Brazil Andréa "andreaeiko".

Montevideo is the largest city, the capital and chief port of Uruguay. Montevideo has a fine harbour, one of the most important in the Americas.

"Salvo Palace is a building in Montevideo, designed by the architect Mario Palanti, an Italian immigrant living in Buenos Aires. Finished in 1925, Palacio Salvo stands 100 metres high with the antenna included and was the tallest building in South America at the time.
The building was originally intended to function as a hotel, possibly mixed with some private residential units. This did not work out, and it never functioned as a hotel. There is now a mixture of offices and private residences in the building." - in: wikipedia