Piódão - Portugal

 I've recently met Rui and Carla when they visited my city last month during their holidays. Besides my city, they've also been to a lot of other places. The beautiful Historical Village of Piódão was one of those places and Carla sent me a card from there- The other one was sent by Joana back in 2008.

Nunes de Almeida Editores

"The village of Piodão lies on a curve in the road, like a little crib nestling at the foot of a hill. The delightful, orderly appearance of the houses and streets, all built of schist, is interrupted by the deep blue of the windows and doors of some of the houses. This use of colour is said to originate from the fact that the one shop in the village stocked only blue paint, and due to the isolation it was not easy to travel elsewhere. 

 

It was also the isolation that preserved the historic characteristics of Piodão as we see them today. The charming, whitewashed parish church dedicated to N.S. da Conceição, with its unusual cylindrical buttresses, stands out among the small two-storey houses. The villagers built it with their own money and gold in the early nineteenth century. Due to its hidden position at the foot of the mountains, Piodão also used to be a haven for fugitives from justice." - in: http://www.visitportugal.com/ 

Monthly Fav. Surprise RR * September '21

MFS RR update with the cards that I've received in September. 

 

This 1st card, sent by Tanya, was actually the last one to arrive. 

The Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul is one of the main Orthodox sightseeings in Minsk. The cathedral was founded in 1612, completed in 1613.

The cathedral is the oldest Orthodox church in Minsk and the only architectural monument of the Renaissance, remaining in the capital of Belarus.

Every time I get a castle card from Japan, I always need to check whether I've or not because they all seen so similar!! After checking all my japanese castle cards, I can confirm that this is a new one in my collection.

Gujo Hachiman Castle was built in 1559 by the local feudal lord on the top of a hill. Although the castle had been destroyed in the early Meiji Period, it was rebuilt in 1933. Unlike most reconstructed castles, Gujo Hachiman's was rebuilt using wood rather than concrete. However, its interior does not follow its original design.

The castle's hilltop location provides a beautiful view of the town in the valley below. Maple trees surround the castle and make the area particularly attractive during the autumn leaf season in early to mid November. During this time, the colorful leaves are further showcased by a night time light display. - in: https://www.japan-guide.com

Card sent by Yuka.

 

I've many cards from Kinderdijk but this one has to be one of my favorites.

Edith chose a beautiful card.

www.papersisters.de

 

This card was in my favs wall and was still missing in my Happy Postcrossing from... collection. Then, in just a few days got it twice. Whitney sent this one and I also got another one as RAS, sent by Nicole on behalf of Tatiana. It was one of those coincidences. 

 Hazelnuts, pumpkins, grapes, mushrooms, fog... and all things autumn.

Cholula - Mexico

A day when you get a card from your favorites, is always a great day. I'm really happy to finally have this mexican card that has been on my favs wall for quite some years. I got it thanks to Desireé who was offering some cards on FB. 

Cholula is located in the central Mexican state of Puebla. The city  is best known for its Great Pyramid (the largest pyramid by volume known to exist in the world today), with the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios sanctuary on top, as well as its numerous churches. 

In the background there's Popocatépetl,  one of the most active volcanoes in Mexico.

Foto: Luis G. Aguirre R.

The Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios (Our Lady of Remedies Church) is a 16th-century Mexican Catholic parish church built atop the Tlachihualtepetl pyramid. The church was built with carved stone and embellished with 24-carat gilded panels and shims, called laminilla. It has an altar in the neoclassical style. It was built between May 1574 and August 1575 and consecrated on March 25, 1629. The base on which the church is built is one of the largest pyramids of the ancient world, being 54 metres (177 ft) high, covering 54 acres and shaped by several superimposed structures over the course of six centuries. - in: wikipedia

DE-11063051

Once again google images helped me to identify the image on a card. This card is an official from Germany but nothing on the card could confirm that this was a german lighthouse. The lighthouse is located way far from Germany.

metaFox

DE-11063051, sent by Iris.

Cape Nelson Lighthouse is an australian lighthouse located in Portland on Victoria's southwest coast.

The lighthouse was completed in 1884 and today offers accommodation in the Light Station Keepers Cottages.

Kek Lok Si Temple - Malaysia

Standing on a hilltop at Air Itam, near Penang Hill, Kek Lok Si is the largest Buddhist temple in Malaysia.
Comprising a series of monasteries, prayer halls, temples and beautifully-landscaped gardens, this national icon was built in 1890 by Beow Lean, a devout immigrant Chinese Buddhist. The ten-acre site was purchased in 1893 and the initial temple structure was built on the summit of He Shan.

The complex is a cornerstone of the Malaysian Chinese community.

 

 

 Kek Lok Si is both carved into the rock face as well as perched atop the slopes of Air Itam. The main attraction here is the impressive pagoda of Rama VI and at the centre of the complex, the seven-storey, 30-metre high tower is acknowledged as the ‘face’ of Kek Lok Si.
Topped with a Burmese crown, Ban Po Thar – the Ten Thousand Buddhas Pagoda – displays a collection of alabaster and bronze Buddhas and has a Chinese octagonal base while its middle tiers are of Thai design.

 

Additionally, there’s a three-storey shrine with a large Buddha icon that was donated by King Bhumibol of Thailand. - in: http://www.penang.ws

These cards have been sent by SLLiew and Lyan. 

Angla Windmills - Estonia

Churches and castles are a must whenever I travel and recently I've also included mills on my list. A few weeks ago I've been to the north of Portugal, in Viana do Castelo, and I've seen a few mills, they were actually the reason why I decided to visit the city. 

On Saaremaa island, Estonia, is also possible to visit windmills and also  test your skills at traditional handicrafts, take part in heritage culture events and taste Angla rye bread in the Angla Heritage Center, inaugurated in 2011.

 

 Photo: Indrek Pajuste

The only windmill park in Saaremaa we can find an entire hill of windmills that has been preserved in its original form. Out of the five surviving windmills, four are typical Saaremaa post mills, built at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century. Among them stands a slightly taller Dutch-type tower mill from 1927, with the miller's house next to it.

150 Years of Postcard in Finland

Last month Finland celebrated the 150 years of postcard in the country. From October 1st till the 10th, a few meet ups were held in different cities, I don't know exactly how many but I've got cards from meetings in 5 cities. Anna-Maria sent me a card from the meeting in Helsinki and Heidi from the others cities. She also she me a card from Mikkeli, which I also received from Flora for the MFS RR and that I'll show later.

 

Photo: Sirkku Saariaho - Postcard Design: Marku Kulmala

 Aerial view from the sea from Hakaniemi and surrounding districts.

 

 Photo: Kimmo Lahtinen - Postcard Design: Marku Kulmala

Tyrvää Church and Vammaskoski Bridge in the center of Sastamala.

Photo: Sanna van Leeuwen - Postcard Design: Marku Kulmala

 Ylistö Bridge, 208 m, 1991.

Photo: Henri Heiskanen- Postcard Design: Marku Kulmala

The Puijo Tower, 75 m, 1963.