Brunei Darussalam

A new country today :) Brunei!! Thanks Dewi for the great cards and all the informations.

"Brunei Darussalam is a country located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia. Apart from its coastline with the South China Sea it is completely surrounded by the state of Sarawak, Malaysia, and in fact it is separated into two parts by Limbang, which is part of Sarawak.
Brunei, the remnant of a very powerful sultanate, regained its independence from the United Kingdom on 1 January 1984." - in: wikipedia.

This is the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, built in 1958 by the 28th Sultan of Burnei. In it's construction it has been used italian marble, gold mosaic and english stained glass with design that reflects classical Islamic architecture.

The mosque was built inside a man-made lagoon surrounded by water villages.

The scene of a bustling Bandar Seri Begawan capital city day converts into a peaceful city of lights by night. The mosque on the left corner is called Jamé Asr Mosque built to commemorate Sultan's 25th anniversary accession to the throne.

The Royal Regalia Building in Bandar Seri Begawan. It was built also to commemorate the 1991 Silver Jubilee of his Majesty's accession to the throne. Inside there's a collection of Brunei unique collection of royal artefacts such as the crown and a royal chariot.

São Vicente - Cape Verde

São Vicente is one of the 10 islands of Cape Verde.

"It was discovered on in 1462. Due to its lack of water, the island was initially used only as a cattle pasture by some proprietors of the neighboring island of Santo Antão. The island remained practically uninhabited until the middle of the 19th century. It was only in 1838, when a coal deposit was established in Porto Grande to supply ships on Atlantic routes, that the population started to grow rapidly. Due to the lack of rain and consequent lack of natural resources, the economy of São Vicente is based mainly on commerce and services." - in: wikipedia.

1, 2, 3......... 8 postcards

Today was a great day, 8 cards :) 2 from Angola, 1 from Mozambique - a new country - and 2 from Portugal sent by Paulo + 2 other portuguese cards sent by Inês "askforanswers".

The Bica Elevator is classified as National Monument and it is one of the Lisboa’s tourist attractions. Inaugurated in 1892, with conception of Raul Mesnier Ponsard, and capacity for 23 persons, this funicular started working in steam, and some years after, in 1914, it started working with electrical energy.Around this epoch several funicular, or lifts, were built with the propose to facilitate everyday life to those who travel around the “seven hills” city.

Electric tram in Lisbon.

Pera River watermills in Pedrogão Grande.

Terceira Island is an island in the Azores, in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean.

This a card from a new country: Mozambique. The 5 star Hotel Polana located on the Bay of Maputo epitomises the luxury and hospitality of time gone by and assures guests of an extraordinary experience. At this Mozambique hotel tourists can enjoy an experience characterised by the magical mix of Colonial charm and African appeal with world-class comfort and service.
Luanda is the capital and largest city of Angola. Located on Angola's coast with the Atlantic Ocean, Luanda is both Angola's chief seaport and administrative center. It is the world's most expensive city for expatriates to live in.

Kicombo - Kwanza Sul, Angola.

Unescos

These are the cards i've received today. The french cards are sent by Joana "joana122" and the greek, a RAS card by Andréa Eiko.

"Used by the kings of France from the 12th century, the medieval royal hunting lodge of Fontainebleau, standing at the heart of a vast forest in the Ile-de-France, was transformed, enlarged and embellished in the 16th century by François I, who wanted to make a 'New Rome' of it. Surrounded by an immense park, the Italianate palace combines Renaissance and French artistic traditions.". - in: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/160

"The fortified medieval town of Provins is situated in the former territory of the powerful Counts of Champagne. It bears witness to early developments in the organization of international trading fairs and the wool industry. The urban structure of Provins, which was built specifically to host the fairs and related activities, has been well preserved." - in: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/873

"The Acropolis of Athens and its monuments are universal symbols of the classical spirit and civilization and form the greatest architectural and artistic complex bequeathed by Greek Antiquity to the world. In the second half of the fifth century bc, Athens, following the victory against the Persians and the establishment of democracy, took a leading position amongst the other city-states of the ancient world. In the age that followed, as thought and art flourished, an exceptional group of artists put into effect the ambitious plans of Athenian statesman Pericles and, under the inspired guidance of the sculptor Pheidias, transformed the rocky hill into a unique monument of thought and the arts. The most important monuments were built during that time: the Parthenon, built by Ictinus, the Erechtheon, the Propylaea, the monumental entrance to the Acropolis, designed by Mnesicles and the small temple Athena Nike." - in: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/404

Estonia, USA

Nice cards today.

"Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It lies on the northern coast of Estonia, along the Gulf of Finland. The city is an important industrial, political and cultural center, and seaport.
Historically, the city has been attacked, sacked, razed and pillaged on numerous occasions. Although extensively bombed by Soviet air forces during the latter stages of World War II, much of the medieval Old Town still retains its charm. The Tallinn Old Town (including Toompea) became a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in 1997." - in: wikipedia.

"The ancient Tarvanpea fenced fortification on Rakvere Vallimägi was first mentioned in Henric's Livonian Chronicle in 1226. In the second and third quarters of the 13th Century the first stone buildings were built in the ancient stronghold encircled by a wooden palisade." - in: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A685244. These cards were sent by Pirjo "muhv".

The Plaza, site of Albuquerque's first settlement, still provides a cool, grassy oasis with banches for sitting in the sun or shade. The bandstand is often used for summer entertainments. This card was sent by Jecelyn "nowaglas".

Mauritius

"The Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about 900 kilometres (560 mi) east of Madagascar. In addition to the island of Mauritius, the republic includes the islands of St. Brandon, Rodrigues and the Agalega Islands. Mauritius is part of the Mascarene Islands, with the French island of Réunion 200 km (125 mi) to the southwest and the island of Rodrigues 570 km to the northeast." - in: wikipedia.

"Flamboyant (Flame tree) was introduced from Madagascar. It blooms in November-January, changing the landcape of several coastal areas of Mauritius. The red of in the Mauritian flag (red, blue, yellow, green) represents the magnificent flowering of this tree." - in: http://www.mauritius.voyaz.com/

Card sent by Jenita "wolfgirlmu".