My Picture Postcards

The Frog Prince

2012-01-06T00:18:00.000-08:00

This card was sent to me by Melanie from Canada. This picture of a frog took me back to my childhood, when I was first narrated the tale about the handsome young prince who had the misfortune to offend a wicked witch. To avenge herself she turned him into an ugly frog and put him into a well. One day a Princess who was very beautiful (as were all princesses in fairy tales) happened to pass that way, and ......... ………………………………………..the rest is now history. But, this card is indeed nice and pretty. And I do think that the frog shown is quite a handsome guy as frogs go.

Punakha Dzong

2012-01-05T02:14:00.000-08:00

Punakha is the administrative centre of Punakha dzongkhag, one of the 20 districts of Bhutan. Punakha was the capital of Bhutan and the seat of government until 1955, when the capital was moved to Thimphu. It is about 72 km away from Thimphu and it takes about 3 hours by car from the capital Thimphu. Unlike Thimphu it is quite warm in winter and hot in summer. It is located at an elevation of 1,200 metres above sea level and rice is grown as the main crop along the river valleys of two main rivers of Bhutan, the Pho Chu and Mo Chu. Dzongkha is widely spoken in this district. Pungthang Dewachen Phodrang (Palace of Great Happiness) or Punakha Dzong was constructed by Tuebi Zaow Balip under the great command of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal in 1637 and believed to have been completed in two years of time period. It is also the country's most beautiful Dzong.It is the winter residence of Bhutan's Central Monastic Body led by HH the Je Khenpo. The Dzong houses the most sacred relics of the Southern Drukpa Kagyu school including the Rangjung Kasarpani, and the sacred remains of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal and Terton Padma Lingpa. In 1907, Punakha Dzong was the site of the coronation of Ugyen Wangchuck as the first King of Bhutan. Three years later, a treaty was signed at Punankha whereby the British agreed not to interfere in Bhutanese internal affairs and Bhutan allowed Britain to direct its foreign affairs. In 1987, the dzong was partially destroyed by fire.

This card was sent to me by Shashi.

Mushrooms of Cyprus

2012-01-04T00:43:00.000-08:00

Mushrooms are in fact the 'fruit' of the (in many cases huge) underground fungi organism. They are very important for ecosystems as many species live symbiotically with plant species. Mycorrhizae constitute the symbiosis between fungi and plant roots and improve dramatically the roots' ability to absorb nutrients. Cypriots have traditionally looked at wild mushrooms as a delicacy. Extreme care must be taken in selecting wild mushrooms for food, as it is VERY DIFFICULT to identify edible from poisonous ones. The stamps shown on the card were issued on 4^th March, 1999. Brief details about the four stamps are given below. Merja gave me this card.

Pleurotus eryngii (10) (also known as king trumpet mushroom, French horn mushroom, king oyster mushroom, boletus of the steppes) is an edible mushroom native to Mediterranean regions of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa, but also grown in parts of Asia. In Italian it is called cardoncello; in Chinrse, it is called xìng bào gū ("almond abalone mushroom"), cì qín gū ("stab celery mushroom"), or cì qín cè ěr ("stab celery side ear"); in Japanese, it is called eringi.

Lactarius deliciosus (15), commonly known as the Saffron milk cap, Red pine mushroom, is one of the best known members of the large milk-cap genus Lactarius in the order Russulales. It is found in Europe and North America and has been accidentally introduced to other countries under conifers and can be found growing in pine plantations. A fresco in the Roman town of Herculaneum appears to depict Lactarius deliciosus and is one of the earliest pieces of art to illustrate a fungus.

Sparassis (25) (also known as cauliflower mushroom) is a genus of parasitic and saprobic mushrooms characterised by their unique look. Its look can be described as similar to a sea sponge, a brain, or a head of cauliflower, from which it has been given its popular name. They are increasingly cultivated and being sold in the Korea, Japan, USA and Australia. The generic name comes from the Greek sparassein meaning to tea.

Morchella elata (30) is a species of fungus in the family Morchellaceae. It is one of three related species commonly known as the black morel, the others being M. eangusticeps and M. conica. The fruiting bodies of M. elata are known to be consumed by grizzly bears (species Ursus arctos horribilis) in Yellowstone National Park.

Josien Broeren the Dutch Artist

2012-01-03T01:06:00.000-08:00

Josien Broeren was born on the 27th of February 1956 in Den Dungen, the Netherlands. After obtaining her High school diploma she went to a hairdressing school. Besides cutting hair, she was busy painting. Karel Appel (a well known Dutch painter and coincidently also a former hairdresser) was her mentor and role model.

Marion of Holland who sent me this card says about Josien Broeren, that, she has developed her own style and uses pop-art like colours. The motto on this painting means, “He whom the divine gift of passion owns, grows older but never old”. How true.

Bird’s eye View of Helsinki

2012-01-02T01:02:00.000-08:00

What a lovely view this bird has as it flies over the Finnish Capital of Helsinki. Prominent in this picture is the St John’s Church in the centre. The large building at the lower left of the picture is a school. Helsinki, the capital of the Republic of Finland, is a modern city with over half a million residents and is situated on the Baltic Sea. In 2000 Helsinki was an official European City of Culture while celebrating its 450th anniversary. Helsinki together with the neighbouring cities of Espoo, Kauniainen and Vantaa forms the Helsinki metropolitan area with more than a million inhabitants.

Helsinki is unique among Northern European cities. The lifestyle in the second-most northern capital city in the world is full of contrasts and activities in the form of hundreds of events and friendly people. Helsinki’s identity has been formed by cultural influences from both the East and West. The archipelago that surrounds Helsinki with hundreds of tiny islands creates an idyllic environment for cruises, for example. In the Upper part of the card one observes three massive ferries which generally sail between Sweeden, Åland, Finland and Estonia and some other Baltic States as well.
Over 450 years of history, several architectural layers and the impact of different periods can be clearly seen in Helsinki. Finnish design has also made the country’s capital city world famous. The beauty of the surrounding nature blends seamlessly together with high-tech achievements, while old traditions mix with the latest contemporary trends. The city centre has many beautiful parks, and the nearby forests offer an ideal setting for peaceful and quiet walks. Helsinki’s rhythm is laid back yet at the same time refreshingly active in terms of both the number and quality of restaurants and nightclubs. Everything is nearby – Helsinki is a pocket-sized metropolis that is ideal for visitors! This pretty card was sent to me by Pia.

Finland's National Bird

2012-01-01T00:56:00.000-08:00

The Whooper Swan (pronounced hooper), is a large Northern Hemisphere swan. It is the Eurasian counterpart of the North American Trumpeter Swan. An old name for the Whooper Swan is Elk. The Whooper Swan is similar in appearance to the Bewick's Swan. However, it is larger, at a length of 140–165 cm (55–65 in) and a wingspan of 205–275 centimetres (81–108 in). Weight typically is in the range of 7.4–14 kilograms (16–31 lb), with an average of 9.8–11 kg (22–24 lb) for males and 8.2–9.2 kg (18–20 lb) for females. The verified record mass was 15.5 kg (34 lb) for a wintering male from Denmark. It is considered to amongst the largest flying birds. It has a more angular head shape and a more variable bill pattern that always shows more yellow than black (Bewick's Swans have more black than yellow).

Whooper swans require large areas of water to live in, especially when they are still growing, because their body weight cannot be supported by their legs for extended periods of time. The whooper swan spends much of its time swimming, straining the water for food, or eating plants that grow on the bottom.^[4]

Whooper swans have a deep honking call and, despite their size, are powerful fliers. Whooper swans can migrate many hundreds of miles to their wintering sites in northern Europe and easternAsia. They breed in subarctic Eurasia, further south than Bewicks in the taiga zone. They are rare breeders in northern Scotland, particularly in Orkney, and no more than five pairs have bred there in recent years. This bird is an occasional vagrant to western North America. Icelandic breeders overwinter in the United Kingdom and Ireland, especially in the wildfowl nature reserves of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and of the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust.

Whooper swans pair for life, and their cygnets stay with them all winter; they are sometimes joined by offspring from previous years. Their preferred breeding habitat is wetland, but semi-domesticated birds will build a nest anywhere close to water. Both the male and female help build the nest, and the male will stand guard over the nest while the female incubates. The female will usually lay 4-7 eggs (exceptionally 12). The cygnets hatch after about 36 days and have a grey or brown plumage. The cygnets can fly at an age of 120 to 150 days.

The Whooper Swan is the national bird of Finland and is featured on the Finnish 1 euro coin. This pretty card was sent to me by Auli.

Makarios Memorial

2011-12-31T00:17:00.000-08:00

Makarios III died unexpectedly, of a heart attack, on August 3, 1977. It has recently emerged that, in order to confirm the cause of death, Makarios' heart had been removed during an autopsy. The heart has since been preserved in his former bedroom in the Archbishopric. He is buried in a tomb on the mountain of Throni, a site he personally chose. The tomb is near Kykkos Monastery, where he served as a novice in the 1920s and 1930s. Two kilometres uphill is Throni - the seat of Virgin Mary. Close to this holy monument is the site of the tomb of Archbishop Makarios III. Makarios was not only the first president of the Republic of Cyprus but also a leading member of Kykkos Brotherhood, and he personally chose the location of his tomb. It has a spectacular view over Cyprus and faces his birthplace - the village of Panagia (Virgin Mary). Since Makarios' death in 1977, Throni has become an additional place of pilgrimage for all visitors to Kykkos Monastery. To commemorate his life, an imposing bronze statue of Makarios was erected outside the Archbishop's palace in Nicosia; in 2008 the statue was moved to Kykkos monastery and replaced by a life-size marble statue of Makarios.

At his funeral, held at St. John's Cathedral outside the Archbishopric in Nicosia, 182 dignitaries from 52 countries attended whilst an estimated 250,000 mourners --about half the Greek Cypriot population of the island-- filed past the coffin. Merja gave me this nice maximum card showing guards at the monumement in honour of Archbishop Makarios III.

Colosseum

2011-12-30T03:54:00.000-08:00

The Colosseum, or the Coliseum, originally the Flavian Amphitheatre (Latin: Amphitheatrum Flavium, Italian Anfiteatro Flavio or Colosseo), is an elliptical amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy, the largest ever built in the Roman Empire. It is considered one of the greatest works of Roman architecture and Roman engineering.

Occupying a site just east of the Roman Forum, its construction started in 72 AD under the emperor Vespasian and was completed in 80 AD under Titus, with further modifications being made during Domitian's reign (81–96). The name "Amphitheatrum Flavium" derives from both Vespasian's and Titus's family name (Flavius, from the gens Flavia).

Capable of seating 50,000 spectators, the Colosseum was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles such as mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and dramas based on Classical mythology. The building ceased to be used for entertainment in the early medieval era. It was later reused for such purposes as housing, workshops, quarters for a religious order, a fortress, a quarry, and a Christian shrine.

Although in the 21st century it stays partially ruined because of damage caused by devastating earthquakes and stone-robbers, the Colosseum is an iconic symbol of Imperial Rome. It is one of Rome's most popular tourist attractions and still has close connections with the Roman Catholic Church, as each Good Friday the Pope leads a torchlit "Way of the Cross" procession that starts in the area around the Colosseum.

The Colosseum is also depicted on the Italian version of the five-cent euro coin. Maria sent me this card.

Kataklysmos Festival

2011-12-29T01:23:00.000-08:00

The card shows ca 19^th century engraving depicting the Kataklysmos Festival in Larnaka in Cyprus. Kataklysmos, or the Flood Festival, takes place in Cyprus every year 50 days after Orthodox Easter. Larnaca organizes the biggest Festival of Flood in Cyprus and celebrates Kataklysmos for several days. The sea front promenade takes on the appearance of an open-air fair with scores of stalls selling toys and traditional food. Traditional culture takes pride of place with a competition for chatista or rhyming songs in the Cypriot dialect. Other performers include popular Greek and Cypriot singers and dance troupes. In line with the spirit of the celebrations, events include competitions in the water. Merja sent me this very interesting card.

The Archaic Period (750 - 475BC)

2011-12-28T00:53:00.000-08:00

The picture on the card depicts a coin with a ram symbol. It is in fact a Silver Coin of the Archaic Period in Cyprus, namely 750-480 BC. These coins were circulated during the reign of King Evelthon of Salamis (560-525). This was the first coin struck in Cyprus as per the Cyprus Museum. The production and use of silver coins spread outwards from Asia Minor during the sixth century BC, and was taken up late in the century on the island of Cyprus. The city of Salamis was probably producing a primitive form of coinage by around 525 BC. The design of a lying ram on the obverse (front) of these coins was established early and would become common on Salaminian coinage. Remarkably, the reverse sides of the earliest issues were completely flat with no design at all, not even a punch mark. In this respect they were unlike those of Greece and Asia Minor.

By the accession of the greatest king of Salamis, Evagoras (about 411-374/3 BC), however, coin design was fully developed. Evagoras, a staunch ally of the city of Athens in the late fifth and early fourth centuries BC, produced a substantial coinage, in part to pay for his unsuccessful attempt to bring the entire island under his sway. The issue of his coinage represented by this silverstater features the head of Herakles on the front, a lying goat on the reverse. The inscription, written in the Greek language, but in a non-Greek script peculiar to Cyprus, reads 'Of King Evagoras'. Thank you Merja for this nice card.

Mountain Bike Racing

2011-12-27T00:45:00.000-08:00

The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) recognised the sport of mountain bike racing relatively late in 1990, when it sanctioned the world championships in Purgatory, Colorado. The first mountain biking world cup series took place in 1991. Its nine-race circuit covered two continents—Europe and North America—and was sponsored by Grundig. In 1992, the Grundig-UCI world cup circuit expanded to ten races, and remained a trans-Atlantic series. Cross-country racing was the only world cup sport at this time, then in 1993 a six-event downhill world cup was introduced. In 1996, cross-country mountain biking events were added to the Olympic Games. NORBA refers to the Board of Trustees that represent the sport of mountain bike racing for USA Cycling. There are three USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Calendars: Endurance, Gravity and Ultra-Endurance. USA Cycling runs the USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships. In 2006, cross-country mountain biking events became part of the World Deaf Cycling Championships for the first time in San Francisco, USA.^[1] There are mountain bike racing types that are not recognized by the UCI, such as mountain bike orienteering, that are governed by the IOF.

Short track Cross-country – This card features these guys involved in Short Track Cross Country (XCC). A very short XC style event of about 800m in length but generally about 1 minute 30 seconds in winning time. A short, sharp exciting event to watch and participate in. Than you Alex for this nice card.

Kuopio

2011-12-26T01:12:00.000-08:00

Kuopio is a city and a municipality located in the region of Northern Savonia, Finland. A population of 96,830 makes it the ninth biggest city in the country. The city has a total area of 2,317.24 square kilometres (894.69 sq mi), of which 719.85 km² (277.94 sq mi) is water and half forest. The population density is only 61 /km²(160 /sq mi), but the city's urban areas are populated very densely (urban area: 1 617.6 /km²), nationally second only to capital Helsinki (urban area: 1,690.0/km²). The population of the entire Kuopio region is 119,472.

The city is surrounded by lake Kallavesi, and several parts of it are built on islands. Kuopio's ample waterfronts and islands are also utilized in the Saaristokaupunki (lit. Archipelago city) -project, the biggest residential area currently being built in Finland. Saaristokaupunki will accommodate a total of 14,000 inhabitants in 2015. All houses will be situated no more than 500 metres (1,600 ft) from the nearest lakeshore.

Kuopio has always been a city of education. Some of the first schools offering education in Finnish (such as the School for the Blind in 1871, and the Trade School in 1887) were established in Kuopio. Currently the most important institutions are the University of Eastern Finland, the Savonia University of Applied Sciences, Vocational College of Northern Savonia and the Kuopio department of the Sibelius Academy. Thank you Elina for this pretty card.

Season's Greetings

2011-12-25T01:08:00.000-08:00

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and Very Happy New Year

Windjammers

2011-12-25T00:30:00.000-08:00

A windjammer is the ultimate type of large sailing ship with an iron or for the most part steel hull, built to carry cargo in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Windjammers were the grandest of merchant sailing ships, with between three and five large masts and square sails, giving them a characteristic profile. The windjammers were cargo ships designed for ultra-long voyages. They usually carried bulk cargo, such as lumber, guano, grain or ore from one continent to another, usually following the prevailing winds and circumnavigating the globe during their voyages. Several of these ships are still in existence — either as school ships, museum ships or restaurant ships.

Windjammers 0f the Future. Due to environmental concerns and rising fuel costs, there has recently been consideration of constructing windjammer-derived ships for commercial service. Many of these may not be "true" windjammers, as they will likely have multiple propulsion systems for non-ideal wind conditions. They may also include kites to catch even more wind. One proposal by B9 Energy would see modern cargo ships with sails plying European waters by 2012. Maria sent me this card wit a Dutch windjammer on it.

Parc de la Ciutadella - Barcelona

2011-12-24T00:21:00.000-08:00

Cristina sent me this lovely card that shows The Parc de la Ciutadella or "Ciutadella Park" is a park in Ciutat Vella, Barcelona, Spain. After its establishment during the mid 19 century, it was for decades the only green area in the city, and hitherto of the most popular. It is located at the north-eastern edge of the old town, and hosts within its 70 acres (280,000 m²) the city's substantial zoo (which was home to the famous albino gorilla Snowflake), the Parliament of Catalonia, a lake, some museums, and a fountain of considerable size designed by Josep Fontserè (with perhaps some attributions of the young student Antoni Gaudí, who at this time worked at Fontserès office). It is characterized by being a very busy place, crowded with tourists, and locals, who are usually going for a walk or taking their children to the special section for kids found near the upper margin of the park. This park is optimal for sports, like for example boating in the lake, cycling (both boat and bicycle can be hired), or jogging.

The main attraction has, from its establishment hitherto been the zoo. This was due to out of the 7,000 animals present the albino gorilla Snowflake, who has died in 2004. Near the zoo's entrance, the famous climbable gigantic stone mammoth is to be seen, just as the metallic cat in another perimeter of the park.
Another yet to be mentioned conspicuous characteristic is the park's paths' layout, one half being made up by sinuous and rather natural seeming trails, and the other by direct and refined ones. Along both, huge a variety of vegetation is assertively displayed, having small signposts at their front, serving as nametags.

Dzongs of Bhutan

2011-12-23T01:30:00.000-08:00

Dzong architecture is a distinctive type of fortress architecture found in the present and former Buddhist kingdoms of the Himalayas; Bhutan and Tibet. The architecture is massive in style with towering exterior walls surrounding a complex of courtyards, temples, administrative offices, and monks' accommodation. The Dzong’s of Jakar, Trongsa, Paro and Punaka are shown on this card sent to me by Shashi.

The details of Paro and Trongsa may be read from my posts on 16th and 28th November 2011. Jakar is a town in the central-eastern region of Bhutan. It is the district capital (dzongkhag thromde) of Bumthang District and the location of Jakar Dzong, the regional dzong fortress. The name Jakar roughly translates as "white bird" in reference to its foundation myth, according to which a roosting white bird signaled the proper and auspicious location to found a monastery around 1549. According to the Jakar foundation myth, a roosting white bird signaled the proper and auspicious location to found a monastery around 1549. The settlement thus earned the monicker Jakar, meaning "white bird."Punakha is the administrative centre of Punakha dzongkhag, one of the 20 districts of Bhutan. Punakha was the capital of Bhutan and the seat of government until 1955, when the capital was moved to Thimphu. It is about 72 km away from Thimphu and it takes about 3 hours by car from the capital Thimphu. Unlike Thimphu it is quite warm in winter and hot in summer. It is located at an elevation of 1,200 metres above sea level and rice is grown as the main crop along the river valleys of two main rivers of Bhutan, the Pho Chu and Mo Chu. Dzongkha is widely spoken in this district. Pungthang Dewachen Phodrang (Palace of Great Happiness) or Punakha Dzong was constructed by Tuebi Zaow Balip under the great command of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal in 1637 and believed to have been completed in two years of time period. It is also the country's most beautiful Dzong.It is the winter residence of Bhutan's Central Monastic Body led by HH the Je Khenpo. The Dzong houses the most sacred relics of the Southern Drukpa Kagyu school including the Rangjung Kasarpani, and the sacred remains of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal and Terton Padma Lingpa. In 1907, Punakha Dzong was the site of the coronation of Ugyen Wangchuck as the first King of Bhutan. Three years later, a treaty was signed at Punankha whereby the British agreed not to interfere in Bhutanese internal affairs and Bhutan allowed Britain to direct its foreign affairs. In 1987, the dzong was partially destroyed by fire.

The Round Tower of Vyborg

2011-12-22T00:58:00.000-08:00

Vyborg, or Viipuri to the Finns, was once Finland's second-largest town and a thriving and cosmopolitan place. Vyborg was the largest community in the area of Karelia that was ceded to the Soviet Union after the Winter War, and though it was recaptured and briefly annexed once more by Finland in the next conflict, it returned to Soviet hands with the Paris Peace Treaty of 1947, when Finland relinquished all claims on the place.

The Round Tower and the Rathaus Tower date from the mid-16th century. One of the bloodiest stories of Vyborg is related to the Round Tower. In 1599, in Sweden a serious struggle for the throne was in full swing between officially crowned ruler Sigismund and his uncle Duke Charles. Charles had great influence in the army and turned his claims for the throne into a real war. Sigismund was forced to flee to Poland, and Charles began to persecute his supporters. Just like in other Swedish castles, carnages occurred in Vyborg. Charles’ soldiers beheaded the most influential city-dwellers in public including town major Arvid Tavast. The heads of the executed were brought from the site of carnage to the Round Tower and put there on iron rods for all to see. This event that took place on 30 of September of 1599 is remembered as “the Vyborg massacre.”

Only in 1923, the Round Tower received a new life, as it became a historical restaurant and a place of meetings of a Technical Club – a union of Vyborg’s architects. In the WWII years, the building was almost not harmed. In 1940, in the “three-storied stone tower” a Museum of local lore was opened; it existed several months. In 1970s, restoration works were carried out in the tower, and a restaurant, which successfully works to this day, was opened there again. The so-called "Round Tower" is now a very nice and beautiful place. Upstairs they have an upper class restaurant, where you can for instance taste the famous Russian dish "the blinis" served with hacked onion, smetana (a creamy thick diary product) and caviar. Thank you Merja for this nice card.

Joensuu - The Happening Place

2011-12-21T00:55:00.000-08:00

Joensuu ("mouth of the river") is a city and municipality in North Karelia in eastern Finland. It is located in the province of Eastern Finland and is part of North Karelia region. It was founded in 1848. The population of Joensuu is 73,373 (January 31, 2011). Joensuu is a lively student city with over 15,000 students enrolled at the University of Eastern Finland and a further 4,000 at the North Karelia Technical School. The largest employers are the municipal City of Joensuu, North Karelian Hospital District Federation of Municipalities, Abloy and Punamusta. The European Forest Institute, the University and many other institutes and export enterprises such as Abloy and John Deere Forestry give Joensuu an international flavour.

Each year during the three-day festival weekend some 100 bands from both Finland and abroad take to the Festival's five stages and numerous clubs. The variety of genres available is wide, from jazz to heavy metal and from reggae to the brightest stars of Finnish rock'n'roll scene. Ilosaarirock's supreme line-up, uniquely relaxed atmosphere and immaculate organising have all contributed to the fact that the festival has been sold out already in advance for an entire decade now. This pretty card was sent to me by Merja. So, come on all ye potential rock stars - Joensuu is a happening place. And, if you meet Merja there, say Hi to her on my behalf.

Old Church at Petäjävesi

2011-12-20T00:44:00.000-08:00

The Petäjävesi Old Church is a wooden church located in Petäjävesi, Finland. It was included in 1994 in the UNESCO World Heritage List. It was built between 1763 and 1765. The clock tower that has been built in 1821 is connected to it. UNESCO considered it to be a representative Lutheran church of the Scandinavian tradition, mixing Renaissance with older Gothic architectural elements. The old church has retained its original appearance and its interior decoration exceptionally well. It is a popular church for weddings in the summer, and there is a church service on most Sundays. Merja sent me this picture postcard of this historical church.

Talbot Lago T26 Grand Sport 1948

2011-12-19T01:07:00.000-08:00

One of the immediate post-war cars that received notoriety for its speed was the T26 Grand Sport (GS). It was built for either racing or luxury and benefited directly from Talbot's successful T26 Course Grand Prix car. As such it was expensive, rare and helped Louis Rosier win the LeMans 24 Hour race.

The GS replaced the Record chassis which was named for its remarkable top speed. Having a 4.5-liter, inline-6 with aluminium cylinder heads and triple carburettor fuel feed from the T26 the Grand Prix cars, the GS was one of the world's most powerful production cars. It produced 190 bhp which was good for around 125 mph depending on the body that was fitted. Chassis details were similar to the Grand Prix cars, but it was longer and wider. It came it two wheelbase lengths -104 and 110 inches. All Talbots of the period used a body-on-frame design and had a strong enough chassis to receive a body from wherever the customer chose. Thus, no two cars were alike in the series of 36, and some became the most beautiful expressions of automotive art. Many of the great pre-war design houses like Saoutchik and Figoni & Falaschi were still around to body the T26 in their own way.

Two competition T26s, chassis 110055 and 90131, were prepared for LeMans and looked like underdogs with their pre-war technology compared to competition like Ferrari. However, 24-hour reliability helped the two cars, especially after the Ferraris dropped out, and they placed both first and second place. Louis Rosier raced the winning car for the whole duration except for two laps that his son Jean-Louis drove. In the 24 hours, Rosier personally changed a rocker arm while in the pits and suffered a black eye in the night when an owl went through the windscreen! For his victory, Louis Rosier was named the Champion of France. Tony Lago must have been pleased with the LeMans result as four years earlier he said ‘‘whenever one of my cars wins a race, I feel that I am paying a moral debt to the country which has permitted me to realize my life's dream.''

Unfortunately the Grand Sport was one of the last great cars made by Talbot-Lago. In 1958 the company was bought by Simca. This card was sent to me by Diana.

Bei Carna, Connemara

2011-12-18T01:32:00.000-08:00

Carna is a small area in Connemara, County Galway, Ireland, located on the country's west coast in the heart of the Gaeltacht and about 50 km west of Galway city. Carna may be a small area but it has a big enough influence on the surrounding areas in Connemara as it contains a Garda Síochána station, a Health Centre including a Rapid Response Ambulance and it also houses an Irish Coastguard lifeboat. Carna is located close to the village of Cill Chiarain and they share the peninsula locally called Iorras Aithneach. There is currently 178 people living in Carna Village but there are 1786 people living in the townlands around Carna and the Iorras Aithneach area. The population dramatically dropped from the previous average of 8000 before the Great Famine. There are a number of public buildings in Carna. There is a hotel in carna called Carna Bay Hotel, there is a nursing home located there and there is a pharmacy called Cogaslann Agatha located in the village centre. There are also 4 shops located in Carna and 3 pubs.

The National University of Ireland, Galway, has an Irish-language and educational centre (Áras Shorcha Ní Ghuairim) in Carna. It also operates a marine biology station Martin Ryan Institute in Maínis and an atmospheric research station at Mace Head, Carna, which is run by the university's experimental physics department. There is a water reservoir in Carna that provides West Connemara including Roundstone with fresh water. A bus is also based in Carna that brings passengers between Carna and Galway City picking up passengers along the N59.

Since Carna is in Conamara, it is an area that Catholics emigrated to during the Cromwell days, when the statement "to hell or to Connacht" was familiar to all Catholics. Carna is in a strong Gaeltacht region, so most of the people speak Irish at home. The population is almost totally (96 per cent - 2006) bilingual with English being the second language spoken. There is an Irish language college for second level students located in Carna and Cill Chiarain called Coláiste Sheosaimh. Claudia sent this pretty card, which looks like a painting to me.

2011-12-17T01:10:00.000-08:00

Automobiles E. Bugatti was a French car manufacturer founded in 1909 in Molsheim, Alsace, as a manufacturer of high-performance automobiles by Italian-born Ettore Bugatti.

Bugattis were well known for the beauty of their designs (Ettore Bugatti was from a family of artists and considered himself to be both an artist and constructor) and for the large number of races they won. The death of Ettore Bugatti in 1947 proved to be the end for the marque, and the death of his son Jean in 1939 ensured there wasn't a successor to lead the factory. No more than about 8000 cars were made. The company struggled financially, and released one last model in the 1950s, before eventually being purchased for its airplane parts business in the 1960s. Today the name is owned by Volkswagen Group, who have revived it as a builder of limited production exclusive sports cars.

The Type 41 Royale was Ettore Bugatti's most luxurious and extreme car. It was designed for heads of state and massive chauffeur-driven bodies. Thus, it was the largest Bugatti both in length and engine displacement. It was also Bugatti's most exclusive model. Only six were ever manufactured and each had considerable presence due to their massive and distinct bodies. These typically had long, sweeping fenders that hugged 24-inch aluminium wheels.

Powering the Royale was a 12.7-liter, straight-8 engine that produced 300 bhp. This was enough power to haul a 7000 lb limousine or whatever body that was affixed to it. Bugatti had to use a nine-bearing crankshaft and a single modified carburettor. Initial production was slated for 25 units, but much less where made due to the depression. This exclusivity has made these cars the most desirable in the world. Even when new, a Royale with a roadster body by Weinberger was $43,000 USD. Each Royale received a standing elephant mascot for its radiator cap. Ettore’s younger brother, Rembrandt Bugatti who was one of the premier animal sculptors of the era, cast these from an original sculpture. Total production of the Type 41 is still up for debate since we have six original cars, 11 total bodies and a crashed prototype. Of the cars manufactured, only three went to actual owners while the rest where kept by the Bugatti family for some time. The project wasn't a complete loss as Bugatti eventually sold 25 Royale engines to power the French Autorail.

Coupé De Ville Napoleon. The first prototype, chassis 41100, was completed in 1927. It featured engineering traits from Bugatti's eight-cylinder Grand Prix cars including their cast aluminum wheels with built-in brake drums. This first car initially wore a Packard body, and two subsequent bodies before being nearly destroyed in an accident. It later became the famous Coupé De Ville Napoleon as designed by Ettore's son Jean Bugatti at the age of 21. At that time 41100 may have been wearing it's fifth body!

This extravagant limousine was fashioned specifically for Ettore himself. It had a split skylight and a wood-rimmed interior with plush upholstery. Every detail was thoroughly considered and a speedometer was even included for the passengers. Currently, the Coupé De Ville Napoleon is the most valuable car in the world. Ettore used the car up until his death in 1947. It eventually ended up with the Schlumpf brothers and still resides as a highlight in their Mulhouse Museum, which is now preserved by the government as the Musée National de l'Automobile de Mulhouse.

The Kellener-bodied Royale, 100141, still holds the world record for fetching $8 700 000 USD at Christie's Auction in 1983. When adjusted for inflation, this price would be over $16 million, a price that only other Royales or the first Rolls Royce Silver Ghost could eclipse. In 1985, Pebble Beach hosted a fantastic reunion that brought together all six of the surviving Royales. The Goodwood Festival of Speed again attempted this feat in 2007 but they failed to get the Berline de Voyage car out of the Blackhawk Collection. This nice card was given to me by Maria.

Viking Alphabet - Runic alphabet

2011-12-16T01:19:00.000-08:00

Little is known about the origins of the Runic alphabet, which is traditionally known as futhark after the first six letters. In Old Norse the word rune means 'letter', 'text' or 'inscription'. The word also means 'mystery' or 'secret' in Old Germanic languages, and runes had an important role in ritual and magic. Here are some theories about the origins of runes:

The alphabet was probably created independently rather than evolving from another alphabet.
Runic writing was probably first used in southern Europe and was carried north by Germanic tribes.
The Runic alphabet is thought to have been modelled on the Latin and/or Etruscan alphabet.

The earliest known Runic inscriptions date from the 1st century AD, but the vast majority of Runic inscriptions date from the 11th century. Runic inscriptions have been found throughout Europe from the Balkans to Germany, Scandinavia and the British Isles. The Notable features are the direction of writing in early Runic inscriptions is variable. Later they settled down into a left to right pattern, and the Word divisions were not generally recognised in Runic writing, although one or more dots were occasionally used for this function. Elder Futhark is thought to be the oldest version of the Runic alphabet, and was used in the parts of Europe which were home to Germanic peoples, including Scandinavia. Other versions probably developed from it. The names of the letters are shown in Common Germanic, the reconstructed ancestor of all Germanic languages. This nice card was sent to me by Kristiny from Norway.

L’Attaque de la Malle-Poste

2011-12-15T01:33:00.000-08:00

L’Attaque de la Malle-Poste is a French adaptation of Rawhide a 1951 western film made by Twentieth Century-Fox. It was directed by Henry Hathaway and produced by Samuel G. Engel from a screenplay by Dudley Nichols. The music score was by Sol Kaplan and the song "A Rollin' Stone" by Lionel Newman. The cinematography was by Milton R. Krasner. The film stars Tyrone Power and Susan Hayward with Hugh Marlowe, Dean Jagger, Edgar Buchanan, Jack Elam and George Tobias.

The story in brief is about Tom Owens who travels west to learn more about the stagecoach business. Sam Todd is waiting at a remote way station to teach him the ropes. A woman named Vinnie Holt and her young niece Callie arrive on a coach that has been robbed. Owens and Todd are told that four escaped convicts named Zimmerman, Tevis, Yancy and Gratz intend to ambush the stage again when it returns east carrying a shipment of gold. Zimmerman pretends to be a lawman and Todd is killed. He and the other outlaws spare Owens' life because they need an official from the overland stage line to vouch that all is well when the gold shipment goes through.

Vinnie pretends to be Owens' wife. In an attempt to escape, they use a kitchen knife to open a hole in a wall, but it is only the smaller Callie who gets out. Tevis tries to force himself on Vinnie and when Zimmerman makes an effort to stop him, Tevis shoots him in the back. Gratz intervenes and is gunned down by Tevis as well. Tevis has the child, forcing Owens to cooperate with him. Owens' life is in grave danger but Vinnie is able to recover Gratz's rifle. She shoots Tevis with it. That leaves only Yancy, who discovers that the gang's plan has failed.

This card showing the French poster of this very riveting movie was given me by Maria.

The Bore Star of the Silja Line

2011-12-14T00:54:00.000-08:00

The history of Silja Line can be traced back to 1904 when two Finnish shipping companies, Finland Steamship Company (Finska Ångfartygs Aktiebolaget, FÅA for short) and Steamship Company Bore, started collaborating on Finland–Sweden traffic. The initial collaboration agreement was terminated in 1909, but re-established in 1910. After World War I in 1918 a new agreement was made that also included the Swedish Rederi AB Svea. Originally the collaboration agreement applied only on service between Turku and Stockholm, but was also applied to the Helsinki–Stockholm in 1928. As a precursor to the policies later adopted by Silja Line, each of the three companies ordered a near-identical ship for Helsinki–Stockholm service to coincide with the 1952 Summer Olympics, held in Helsinki. Eventually only Finland SS Co.'s SS Aallotar was ready in time for the olympics. At this time the city of Helsinki constructed the Olympia Terminal in Helsinki's South Harbour, that Silja Line's ships still use

Bore Star was built in 1975 by Dubigeon-Normandie SA, Nantes. She was one of three sisters built for Silja Line services, being owned by Silja Line consortium member Bore. During the winters of 1975/76 and 1976/77 she was chartered to Finnlines for cruises around the Canary Islands and African coast. These were marketed as the Finnpartner, although her official name was unchanged.

In 1980 Bore Star was sold to Silja Line consortium member Finska Ångfartygs Ab, and renamed Silja Star. She remaining with them until replaced by larger tonnage in 1986, when she was sold to Sea Containers for use as the cruise ferry Orient Express, on a service between Venice-Piraeus-Istanbul. She operated under charter as the cruise ship Club Sea in the winter of 1986-87 and then became Eurosun under charter and then sale to an Effjohn subsidiary in November 1989. She ran as Orient Express again during the summer of 1990 under charter, before transfer to another Effjohn subsidiary as Orient Sun for cruises out of Singapore. In 1992 she was sold to a further Effjohn company for use as the Wasa Queen between Sundsvall-Vasa and Umeå-Vasa.

In 2001 she was sold to India and became the MV AMET Majesty, India’s first cruise liner. The ship is also a training ship. The acronym AMET stands for “Academy of Maritime Education and Training.” AMET University is operating the ship as both a cruise ship for 1,150 passengers and a training ship for 90 nautical cadets and 120 engineering cadets. How this hybrid operation will function remains to be seen, but one has to admire the evident enthusiasm. The cruise marketing site promises “a total royal treat on a seven star category cruise liner.” I have never seen a crusie ship rating higher than five stars, so seven stars sounds very impressive. Thank you Pia for this pretty card.

Kathakali

2011-12-13T01:06:00.000-08:00

Kathakali is a highly stylized classical Indian dance-drama noted for the attractive make-up of characters, elaborate costumes, detailed gestures and well-defined body movements presented in tune with the anchor playback music and complementary percussion. It originated in the country's present day state of Kerala during the 17th century and has developed over the years with improved looks, refined gestures and added themes besides more ornate singing and precise drumming. Kathakali is originated from a precursor dance-drama form called Ramanattam and owes it share of techniques also to Krishnanattam. The word "attam" means enactment. In short, these two forerunning forms to Kathakali dealt with presentation of the stories of Hindu gods Rama and Krishna. Kottarakkarao complement Krishnanattam, which had its origin under the Zamorins of Kozhikode.

Ignoring the first phase when it was Ramanattam, Kathakali had its cradle in Vettattnad. Here Vettathu Thampuran, Kottayathu Thampuran and many dedicated artists like Chathu Panicker laid foundations for what is known as Kathakali now. Their efforts were concentrated on the rituals, classical details and scriptural perfection. The Kottaythu Thampuran composed four great works, ...viz. Kirmeeravadham, Bakavadham, Nivathakavacha Kalakeyavadham and Kalyanasaugandhikam. After this the most important changes in Kathakali were brought about through the effors of a single person namely, Kaplingad Narayanan Nambudiri (1739–1789). He was from the Northern Kerala, but after basic instructions in various faculties of the art in Vettathu Kalari he shifted to Travancore. In the capital and many other centres he found many willing to co-operate with him in bringing about the reformations. This lovely card was sent to me by Kasinath on 11.11.11.

Polish Folk Art

2011-12-12T01:21:00.000-08:00

Wycinanki is the Polish folk art of paper cutouts. Pronounced vee-chee-non-key, it is known throughout the world as a beautiful paper cut art form. Wycinanki are handmade and have a very distinctive look. Multiple layers of colored paper are folded, cut and sometimes embossed to create wonderful patterns. The intricacy of the designs is created by repeating symmetrical patterns and folk motifs inspired by nature and geometric forms. Wycinanki cutouts come in many different sizes. Wycinanki became a popular folk craft in the mid 1800’s and was used by Polish peasants to decorate the walls and ceiling beams in countryside cottages. They were also given as gifts to family members and friends. A form of decoupage was used; the intricate designs were cut with scissors and glued to whitewashed walls and ceiling beams to create a happy cheerful appearance.

The colorful cutouts of flowers, circles, roosters and stars with a symmetrical arrangement reflect a high level of folk art artistry. Wycinanki cutouts are in a wide variety of colors and shapes including peacocks, roosters and other birds as well as rural scenes. They are also used for special occasions such as Christmas and Easter. Wycinanki remains a treasured form of Polish folk art.

This distinctive and lovely card was sent to me by Ada from Warsaw.

Notre Dame Cathedral

2011-12-11T00:55:00.000-08:00

Notre Dame Cathedral is an impressive marvel of medieval architecture. Further to my post on 2.12.2011, here is another lovely view of the famous Notre Dame Cathedral sent to me by Maria.

Qu Yuan Memorial

2011-12-10T02:21:00.000-08:00

Located in Zigui County in Hubei Province, the Qu Yuan Memorial in Zigui is a memorial of Chinese historical figures. It was opened to the public in 1981. Françoise sent me this pretty card.

There are two floors of exhibition halls -- the second floor displays more than 800 unearthed relics in the county, such as ancient daggers, spears and swords, the most precious of which is the sword of the Yue King Goujian of the Warring States Period (475-221BC); the first floor showcases cultural relics related to Qu Yuan, including the precious poetry Chu Ci (literally, poetry of the Chu Kingdom), 500 sets of books collected by Qu Yuan, and over 300 calligraphic works and paintings of various dynasties collected by him.

The memorial also houses the stone sculpture and bronze sculpture of Qu Yuan, the Jusong Pavilion (the pavilion used to praise tangerines), and the stele corridor. The stone sculpture of 103 centimetres tall was made in the 16thyear (1573) during the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty (1644-1911) with the money donated by the common people in Guizhou, and is the earliest extant stone sculpture of Qu Yuan in China. The bronze sculpture stands in the centre of the memorial, its pedestal made of granites is 2.5 meters high and the body is 3.92 meters tall. In the tangerine grove 50 meters away from the Qu Yuan Tomb, there are 60 steles carved with 25 pieces of Qu Yuan's poetry Li Sao(Sorrow after Departure).

A small town in Cyprus

2011-12-09T01:21:00.000-08:00

A serene and peaceful scene from a small town in Cyprus. I'd love to be there forever. Thank you Merja for this lovely card.

The Great Wall of China

2011-12-08T01:10:00.000-08:00

The Great Wall of China is the longest wall in the world and is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. This Wall of China was built by Qin Shi Huangdi, the first emperor of China during the Qin (Ch'in) Dynasty during 221 B.C - 206 B.C., over 2,000 years ago.

The wall is 6,400 km long, which is around 4000 miles. It stretches from Shanhai Pass in the east to Lop Nur in the west. It actually demarcates the southern edge of Inner Mongolia. The structure is one of the greatest structures built by man using a series of stone bricks, tiles, and lime from the hills. The steps that form the Great Wall of China are very abrupt and lofty in some areas. Climbing the Great Wall is not so easy. Mao Zedong said "You're not a real man if you haven't climbed the Great Wall". But over a period of time a promotional slogan 'real man stone' has been engraved on it. The Great Wall of China was built mainly to protect the Chinese Empire from the Mongolians and other enemies. The earthen fortifications of this Great Wall have many gaps where weapons, smoke signals, and house troops were being stored. Here the barracks and administrative centers are located at regular intervals. This Great Wall had the ability to communicate well to the military forces and warning the garrisons of enemy movements.

There were many Signal Towers built upon hilltops for any visibility. The Wall has many famous scenic spots and nearly 10 million tourists visit every year from all over the country. It was made UNESCO’s world Heritage Site in 1987. In the period of Warring States, many extensive fortifications were constructed by the states of Qi, Yan and Zhao to defend their own borders. They were built to withstand the attack of small arms such as swords and spears and these walls were made mostly by stamping earth and gravel between board frames.

In 221 BC, Qin Shi Huang conquered all opposing states and unified China and in order to prevent the resurgence of feudal lords, he removed the wall sections that divided his empire along the former state borders. But to protect the empire against external intrusions by the Xiongnu or the Turks, he ordered to build a new wall connecting the remaining fortifications along the empire's new northern frontier. As procuring building materials was difficult, local resources like stones from mountains were used. Many of these walls were ruined during the period and Han, Sui, Northern and Jin dynasties repaired, rebuilt, and expanded the sections of the Great Wall.

The picture on the card is of the Great Wall at the very picturesque location of Heituoshan Jiankou, which is Northwest of Huairou. Françoise gave this lovely card to me.

Treasures of Latvia

2011-12-07T00:57:00.000-08:00

This picture postcard is one of 8 of the Postcard collection ”Latvian Treasures” which has opened a small peephole in the window of the indescribably rich collection of the Latvian museum. Collection of eight postcards are made, using materials from the museum exhibitions and storage and trying to show variety of culture and styles in the territory of Latvia. This card concentrates on Women’s jewelry of Latvia during the 6–13th centuries. Thank you Maija, who sent me this card from Riga.

Taoist Temple

2011-12-06T00:37:00.000-08:00

Built in 1972, the Cebu Taoist Temple is located in Beverly Hills Subdivision in Cebu City, Philippines. The temple was built by Cebu's substantial Chinese community. With an elevation of 300 meters above sea level, the temple is a towering, multi-tiered, multi-hued attraction accessible by three separate winding routes.

Unlike the neighboring Phu Sian Temple, the Taoist temple is open to the worshipers and non-worshipers alike. A ritual among devotees is where one prays to the gods to grant one's wish. The ritual includes washing of hands, going inside the chapel barefoot and dropping two blocks of wood. If the blocks of wood are both face up then one could make a wish. If not then it is not yet the time for one's wish to be granted and one has to come to the temple some other time.

The temple is the center of worship for Taoism, the religion which follows the teachings of the ancient Chinese philosopher, Lao Tze. Another ritual among Taoist devotees, which is done during Wednesdays and Sundays,^[3]is the climbing of its 81 steps (representing the 81 chapters of Taoism scriptures) to light joss sticks and have their fortune read by the monks.

Some guide books and travel agencies offer trips to the temple or as a side-trip in a tour around Cebu City. But it is more popular with grade school students. No student who grew up in Cebu City or the neighboring Mandaue City has not gone to the temple in any one of their field trips.

The entrance to the temple is a replica of the Great Wall of China. The temple includes a chapel, a library, a souvenir shop and a wishing well. The spacious balconies offer a scenic view of the downtown Cebu. This extremely pretty card was sent to me by Gina.

Presidency of the Council of the European Union

2011-12-05T01:04:00.000-08:00

The stamp on this maxi card and the card itself were issued on 1.7.1999 to celebrate Finland assuming the Presidency of the European Union from the 1^st of July to the 31^st of December 1999. Ella sent me this significant maxi card.

The Presidency of the Council of the European Union is the responsibility for the functioning of the Council of the European Union that rotates between the member states of the European Union (EU) every six months. The presidency is not a single president but rather the task is undertaken by a national government. It is also not the "Presidency of the EU" (although it is sometimes called that), as there is no such thing: each EU institution has its own President. Three successive Council presidencies, known as presidency trios, cooperate for an 18-month period to provide additional continuity by sharing common political programmes. The current (2011–2012) trio consists of Poland (which took up the position 1 July 2011), Denmark (which will take over in January 2012) and Cyprus (will take over in July 2012).

Saiga Tatarica

2011-12-04T00:48:00.000-08:00

High-nose Antelope (Saiga Tatarica). High nose antelope Alias saiga antelope big nose, is bovine, scientific name Saiga tatarica. Body length100 ~ 150 cm, shoulder height from 63 to 83 antelope cm, adult males weighing 37 ~ 60 kg, female 29 ~ 37 kg. Male with a horn, long 28 ~ 37 cm, the base about. are hundreds of large migration only.Activities during the day in winter and summer activities mainly in the twilight. The phenomenon of seasonal migration, moving south in winter the warmth of sunnyhillside area. Run very fast and have endurance, were nomads known as the “long-distance athlete.” Dominated by grass and shrub food. In autumn and early wintermating is not. Intense competition between male female phenomenon, but not for long. Pregnancy more than six months, each child 1-2 Aberdeen. China’s wild populations have become extinct, has been introduced back in Gansu and Xinjiangsemi-range, for the restoration of wild populations for experiments and research.Commonly referred to as valuable medicinal antelope horn, is from the high noseantelope. Junggar Basin of Xinjiang origin. Belong to the state level to protectanimals. This pretty maxicard was sent to me by Francoise from China.

Hot Air Ballooning on The Great Tea Route

2011-12-03T00:59:00.000-08:00

For eventful tourism fans Kungur has something interesting. Its winds create perfect conditions for aeronautic sport. Now Kungur is considered to be one of the centers of air navigation in Russia. The annual international festival “Sky Fair of the Urals” is a branded event of Perm Krai. The festival program includes team competitions in hot air balloons, “Elephants’ dancing” show and opportunity to get off the ground for everyone. It begins with grand opening show on the “Trud” stadium that holds more than 1000 spectators. After what the air battles continue for 7 days and the city awakes. The fest traditionally ends with “Night lighting” of aerostats. Masha sent me this lovely card from Moscow, and with the pretty stamps affixed on it..

Notre Dame

2011-12-02T01:11:00.000-08:00

Notre Dame de Paris (Our Lady of Paris), also known as Notre Dame Cathedral, is a Gothic, Roman Catholic cathedral on the eastern half of the Île de la Cité in the fourth arrondissement of Paris, France. It is the cathedral of the Catholic Archdiocese of Paris: that is, it is the church that contains the cathedra (official chair) of the Archbishop of Paris, currently André Vingt-Trois. The cathedral treasury houses a reliquary with the purported Crown of Thorns.

Notre Dame de Paris is widely considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture in France and in Europe, and the naturalism of its sculptures and stained glass are in contrast with earlier Romanesque architecture. The first period of construction from 1163 into 1240s coincided with the musical experiments of the Notre Dame school. The cathedral suffered desecration during the radical phase of the French Revolution in the 1790s, when much of its religious imagery was damaged or destroyed. An extensive restoration supervised by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc removed remaining decoration, returning the cathedral to an 'original' gothic state.

Notre Dame de Paris was among the first buildings in the world to use the flying buttress (arched exterior supports). The building was not originally designed to include the flying buttresses around the choir and nave. After the construction began and the thinner walls (popularized in the Gothic style) grew ever higher, stress fractures began to occur as the walls pushed outward. In response, the cathedral's architects built supports around the outside walls, and later additions continued the pattern. The cathedral was essentially complete by 1345. Maria sent me this pretty card.

Unity of Chinese Ethnic Groups

2011-12-01T01:31:00.000-08:00

Unity of Ethnic Groups - Marking the 50th Anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China (1949-1999). China is a multi-national country with 56 ethnic groups. To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the founding of the PRC, the State Postal Bureau issued a set of 56 piece commemorative stamps, "Unity of Ethnic Groups-Marking the 50th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China (1949-1999)". The maxi card displayed has one of these 56 stamps. The card was issued on 1.10.1999. For those interested in the Hui people, the paragraphs below may be of interest.

The Hui people are an ethnic group in China, defined as Chinese-speaking people descended from foreign Muslims. They are typically distinguished by their practice of Islam, however some also practice other religions, and many are direct descendants of Silk Road travellers.

In modern People's Republic of China, the term "Hui people" refers to one of the officially recognized 56 ethnic groups into which Chinese citizens are classified. Under this definition, the Hui people are defined to include all historically Muslim communities in People's Republic of China that are not included in China's other ethnic groups. Since China's Muslims speaking various Turkic, Mongolian, or Iranian languages are all included into those other groups (e.g.,Uyghurs, Dongxiang, or Tajiks) the "officially recognized" Hui ethnic group consists predominantly of Chinese speakers. In fact, the "Hui nationality" is unique among China's officially recognized ethnic minorities in that it does not have any particular non-Chinese language associated with it.

The Hui people are of varied ancestry, many of whom are direct descendants of Silk Road travellers. Their ancestors include Central Asian, Arabs, and Persian, who married Han Chinese. Several medieval dynasties, particularly the Tang Dynasty, Song Dynasty, and Mongol Yuan Dynasty encouraged immigration from predominantly-Muslim Persia and Central, with both dynasties welcoming traders from these regions and appointing Central Asian officials. In the subsequent centuries, they gradually mixed with Mongols and Han Chinese, and the Hui people were formed. On account of this mixing and long residence in China, the Hui have not retained Central Asian, Persian, or Arabic names, using instead names typical of their Han Chinese neighbours; however, certain names common among the Hui can be understood as Chinese renderings of common Muslim (i.e. Arabic), Persian, and Central Asian names. This pretty card was given to me by Françoise.

Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed

2011-11-29T23:54:00.000-08:00

The Cathedral of the Protection of Most Holy Theotokos on the Moat, popularly known as Saint Basil's Cathedral, is a Russian Orthodox church erected on the Red Square in Moscow in 1555–61. Built on the order of Ivan the Terrible to commemorate the capture of Kazan and Astrakhan, it marks the geometric centre of the city and the hub of its growth since the 14th century. It was the tallest building in Moscow until the completion of the Ivan the Great Bell Tower in 1600.

The original building, known as "Trinity Church" and later "Trinity Cathedral", contained eight side churches arranged around the ninth, central church of Intercession; the tenth church was erected in 1588 over the grave of venerated local saint Vasily (Basil). In the 16th and 17th centuries the church, perceived as the earthly symbol of the Heavenly City, as happens to all churches in Byzantine Christianity, was popularly known as the "Jerusalem" and served as an allegory of the Jerusalem Temple in the annual Palm Sunday parade attended by the Patriarch of Moscow and the tsar. The building's design, shaped as a flame of a bonfire rising into the sky, has no analogues in Russian architecture: "It is like no other Russian building. Nothing similar can be found in the entire millennium of Byzantine tradition from the fifth to fifteenth century ... a strangeness that astonishes by its unexpectedness, complexity and dazzling interleaving of the manifold details of its design." The cathedral foreshadowed the climax of Russian national architecture in the 17th century.Under the Soviet Union the church was re-purposed and has operated as a division of the State Historical Museum since 1928. It was completely secularized in 1929 and, as of 2011^[update], remains a federal property of the Russian Federation. The church has been part of the Moscow Kremlin and Red Square UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1990.

It is often mislabelled as the Kremlin owing to its location on Red Square in immediate proximity of the Kremlin. This extremely pretty card was sent to me by Alena.

Ben Schonzeit

2011-11-29T01:25:00.000-08:00

Born May 9, 1942 in Brooklyn, New York. Ben Schonzeit, one of the old school original Photorealists is exhibiting this month at Elaine Baker Gallery, Boca Raton, Florida.
With over 40 years of painting behind him, Ben is now widely recognized for his strong , photorealistic images of opulent flowers set against dramatic backgrounds. While being highly photorealistic, Schonzeit’s paintings also bend our perception by combining real and surreal imagery. His flower paintings are symbolic of the old with the new, and a general theme of passing time. Schonzeit’s works are settings for dreamscapes, full of melancholy, romantic irony, and intense color. This very pretty card with the wonderful ”forever” series of ship stamps was sent to me by My Good Friend Hemant.

Year End Trongsa Festival

2011-11-28T01:23:00.000-08:00

Trongsa, situated along a gorge in the heart of the kingdom has a rich history dating back to 16th century. During the year 1541, a saint known as Lam Ngagi Wangchuk built a small retreat house, which was soon followed by many other retreat houses built by his disciples. The surrounding villagers seeing the area turning into a small village, started naming the place as Trongsar meaning, new village. Since then the place was known as Trongsa. It was in 1644 that Chhogyel Minjur Tenpa under the command of Shubdrung Nawang Namgyal built the fortress in its present form. About 300 years later Ugyen Wangchuk was unanimously elected as the hereditary king of Bhutan, during which Trongsa served as the capital of the nation until the 3rd King moved it to Thimphu. Since then Bhutan have enjoyed peace, stability and economic growth.

The local people in this valley celebrate their annual five-day festival after the harvest during the winter. This festival held in the courtyard of the fortress is one of the popular festivals in Bhutan. The festival begins with mask dances and ends with unfurling of huge ancient old Thangkha (Buddhist Religious Scroll) that is hung from a 3-story building.

One can truly appreciate the beauty of Bhutan in winter. There aren’t many tourist in the main areas, the crops are in, village rooftops are bright red with the colours of drying chillis, and the pace of life in the villages is slow as villagers spend most of their time basking in the winter sun. The sky is crystal clear as far as the eye can see with snow-capped mountains forming a backdrop of brilliant white against the azure skies. Jyotsna sent me this card from Trongsa.

SS Vega and the Northern Passage

2011-11-27T04:18:00.000-08:00

Finnish marine research celebrated its 100th and the Finnish Marine Research Institute its 80th anniversary this year. The “Aranda” vessel depicted on the stamp was assigned to the Finnish Marine Research Institute in 1989. As early as in the winter of 1989/90 (and again in 1995/96) the vessel set sail towards the seas of the Antarctic. “Aranda” continues its round-the-year expeditions on the Baltic and other seas of the world. In 1878-80, the expedition led by A.E. Nordenskiöld sailed around the Old World starting from the Northern coast of Siberia and continuing through the Bering Strait.

The vessel Vega portrayed on the card and depicted on the commemorative stamp, was a three-mast barque and it had an auxiliary steam engine. Nordenskiöld, who was a senior lecturer in mineralogy in Helsinki University, moved to Sweden in 1857 and was nominated professor in 1858. He became the director of the Swedish Academy in 1893.

SS Vega was a Swedish barque, built in Bremerhaven Germany in 1872. She was the first ship to complete a voyage through the Northeast Passage, and the first vessel to circumnavigate the Eurasian continent. Constructed as a whaler, the vessel was acquired and rebuilt for Arctic exploration by Nils Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld with financial assistance from King Oscar II of Sweden and others On 22 June 1878 the ship set out from Sweden through the Northeast Passage around the north coast of Eurasia. Blocked by ice on 28 September of that year only 120 miles (200 km) short of the Bering Strait marking the eastern end of Asia, the ship was not freed until 18 July 1879. Two days later East Cape was passed, and Vega became the first ship to complete a voyage through the Northeast Passage. Returning by way of the Western Pacific, Indian Ocean, and Suez Canal, Vega also became the first vessel to circumnavigate the Eurasian continent. This nice maximum card was given to me by Ella.

DECLARATION ON THE OCCASION OF THE FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY

2011-11-26T00:54:00.000-08:00

Fifty years ago the United Nations was born out of the sufferings caused by the Second World War. The determination, enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, "to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war" is as vital today as it was fifty years ago. In this, as in other respects, the Charter gives expression to the common values and aspirations of humankind. Ella gave me this maxim card issued on 20.10.1995 by Finland with this nice representative stamp.

Kilpisjärvi in Lapland

2011-11-25T00:53:00.000-08:00

Kilpisjärvi is a village in the municipality of Enontekiö, Lapland, Finland. It is located in Finland's northern "arm" near the very north westernmost point of Finland. Although Kilpisjärvi is one of the largest villages in Enontekiö, it is still quite small. In 2000 its population was recorded as 114. Like most Lappish villages, Kilpisjärvi is built mainly around one major road, Käsivarrentie, or the "Arm Road" and Neljäntuulentie, or the "Four Winds' Road" — also known as E8. Near the Kilpisjärvi is the highest point of Finnish road network, at altitude of 528 m. Kilpisjärvi has its own school and a hotel, and the northernmost research station of the University of Helsinki is situated there. The most famous tourist attractions in Kilpisjärvi are the Saana fell and the "three-country border point", a monument at the border point of Finland, Sweden and Norway, located roughly 2.5 km northwest from the end of Lake Kilpisjärvi. In the music video for Röyksopp's Poor Leno, Leno's place of origin is listed as Kilpisjärvi.
On the card is shown this happy Laplander drill fishing in Lake Saana with Mount Saana in the background. I remember having practised this form of angling in Vladivostok in the winters of late ‘60s. The idea is to drill a few holes around you, let your line and hook through the holes and let the poor unsuspecting fish do the rest for you. But, this guy is also daydreaming of catching larger fish in some lush green tropical island. Ari sent me this interesting card from Kilpisjarvi.

Forests - 2011 - International year of forests

2011-11-24T03:11:00.000-08:00

Europa stamps have been issued annually since 1956. First sets representing the founding 6 members of the ECSC, European Coal and Steel Community, then by the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT) in 1959, (first stamps issued in 1960) and by PostEurop since 1993. Initially in 1956 a total of 13 stamps were issued with a common design from 6 different countries. A common theme of Peace and Welfare through agriculture and industry was used for 1957. The common design reappeared in 1958 and continued until 1973. From 1974 the designs reflect a common theme. The common design idea replaced the common theme in 1984, which was the CEPT 25th Anniversary (1959-84) and shows a symbolic bridge, said to represent Liaison, Exchange and Communication. With the split of posts and telecoms providers in most countries, CEPT is no longer responsible, but the postal authorities under the guidance of PostEurop continue the Europa tradition. From 1993 all the stamps have "Europa" inserted into the design in small print. For the new millennium in 2000, the common design once more replaced the common theme. The stamp design for 2000 clearly shows a column of 6 stars representing the original 6 members of the ECSC. 4 Children,(of different heritage) represent Europe's future and are adding to the Vertical Star Column with the background depicting the GREEN letter E meaning a fertile Europe. CEPT is from the French acronym Conférence Européenne des administrations des Postes et des Télécommunications.

The Russian Post in keepimg with te theme for 2011 issued this pretty stamp on ”Forests of Russia” on the maximum card, which was sent to me by Ella. The stamp has been postmarked with a lovely cancellation as well.

Weesp

2011-11-23T02:10:00.000-08:00

Weesp is a town and a municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It has a population of 17,533 (2010). Weesp lies next to the rivers de Vecht and Smal Weesp and also next to the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal. It is in an area called the "Vechtstreek". It is only 3 km from the end of the Amsterdam metro, but the wide Amsterdam-Rhine Canal keeps it geographically separate. The town is surrounded by open grassland. In this picture card you can see two of the three pretty windmills in this town. The card was sent to me by Mardi.

Weesp is a popular stop for tourists. It has a protected historical centre with canals and many buildings dating from the seventeenth and eighteenth century. Weesp has three full-size historical windmills. It features a bastion and fortifications that are part of the Defence line of Amsterdam and the Dutch Water Line. These structures have never been attacked, though. The scenic river Vecht and the small roads that line it attract yachters and cyclists. The Naardermeer area, the first nature reserve in the Netherlands, is at 15 minutes cycling distance from Weesp.

Christmas Stamps 2011

2011-11-22T01:41:00.000-08:00

These three lovely maxi cards with the pretty Christmas 2011 stamps issued on 7.11.2011 were given to me by Ella.

The card on the top left has a stamp that portrays that The night is falling in the little town in the winter time. Just some lights in the attic rooms. The atmosphere is very traditional, enacted in modern way.
The second stamp is about The cheerful little boy elf has two lambs in the lap. The hat made of felt and the boots too; how about the beard?
The new stamp for the Christmas greetings is designed by Kaarina Toivanen.
Let the straw mobile swing! The girl elf likes to swing on the straw mobile, laughing and enjoying. A lovely Christmas-red stamp for cards and letters!

Card & Christmas Stamp 2003

2011-11-21T00:58:00.000-08:00

This lovely postcard and stamp were designed and painted by the very well-known and popular postcard artist in Finland Virpi Pekkala. This stamp was issued as a Christmas stamp in 2003. This maxicard was given to me by Ella..

Sean Connery

2011-11-20T00:51:00.000-08:00

Ksenia from Russia sent me this card featuring the famous James Bond 007. Who doesn’t know 007 or for that matter Sir Thomas Sean Connery (born 25 August 1930),better known as Sean Connery, a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards (one of them being a BAFTA Academy Fellowship Award) and three Golden Globes (including the Cecil B. DeMille Award and a Henrietta Award). Connery is best known for portraying the character James Bond, starring in seven Bond films between 1962 and 1983 (six "official" Eon productions films and the non-official Thunderball remake, Never Say Never Again). In 1988, Connery won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in The Untouchables. His film career also includes such films as Marnie, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, The Hunt for Red October, Highlander, Murder on the Orient Express, Dragonheart, and The Rock. He was knighted in July 2000. Connery has been polled as "The Greatest Living Scot". In 1989, he was proclaimed "Sexiest Man Alive" by People magazine, and in 1999, at age 69, he was voted "Sexiest Man of the Century".

Neil’s Harbour, Nova Scotia

2011-11-19T02:37:00.000-08:00

Neil's Harbour is a small fishing village in northern Cape Breton Island, in Victoria County, Nova Scotia, Canada. It is located between Ingonish and Dingwall, just south of the Cape Breton Highlands National Park. Although the population is unknown, an estimate is between 200 and 404. The town has one operating church, which is Anglican, and one non-operational church, which was Presbyterian. There are a few cottages/summer homes in Neil's Harbour, but mostly there are local residents who work in the Lobster/Crab and Fishing Industry

The Canadian Coast Guard owns the lighthouse. Interestingly, the tower has served as an ice cream shop in the summer. Thank you Maria for this nice card.

Date of the Century

2011-11-18T00:54:00.000-08:00

These three maxicards were sent to me by Merja on 11.11.11. A worthy keepsake indeed.

These are Christmas stamps for the year 2011, issued by Cyprus. The exceptional thing about these cards is the palindromic date of the Century 11.11.11.

The first card pictures the birth of Christ. It was taken from a fresco in the Cathedral of Saint John, in Nicosia (1740 – 1750). The other two cards display snow crystals in all their majestic beauty.

Romio’s Rock

2011-11-17T00:30:00.000-08:00

Petra Tou Romiou (Rock of the Greek), or Aphrodite's Rock, is a sea stack in Pafos, Cyprus. Petra tou Romiou, a rock off the shore along the main road from Paphos to Limassol, has been regarded since ancient times as the birthplace of Aphrodite, goddes of love and fertility. This myth makes it a popular tourist location. According to ancient tradition, Aphrodite was born from the waves on the site off the coast of Cyprus. In his Theogony (178-206), Hesiod provides the following dramatic account of the event:

"Chronos took the great long jagged sickle; eagerly he harvested his father's (Zeus') genitals and threw them all off behind.... The genitals...were carried for a long time on the waves. White foam surrounded the immortal flesh, and in it grew a girl, her name is Aphrodite among men and gods, because she grew up in the foam (aphrizo).

Aphrodite was then escorted ashore on a shell by the soft breezes of the Zephyrs at the rocks known as Petra tou Romiou. This myth is, of course, most memorably depicted in Botticelli's Birth of Venus (on display in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence). A much older rendering of the event can be seen in a fine mural at Pompeii.

Homer's account of Aphrodite's birth is less dramatic. He said she was the daughter of Zeus and the fresh water nymph Dione, at whose bosom she would sometimes seek solace (Iliad 5.370-417). Petra tou Romiou means "the Rock of the Greek" and does not refer to Aphrodite but to another myth, that of the Byzantine hero Dighenis who threw the rocks at pirates to protect his lady.

It is said that in certain weather conditions, the waves rise, break and form a column of water that dissolves into a pillar of foam. With imagination, this looks for just a moment like an ephemeral, evanescent human shape. There is a long narrow pebbly beach at Petra tou Romiou that extends to either side of the largest rock and its satellites. Merja sent me this card with a fascinating story.

The Tiger's Nest

2011-11-16T01:09:00.000-08:00

Taktsang is one of the holiest places in Bhutan the monastery is perched on a high granite cliff overlooking the northern Paro valley. This place is especially venerated because of its association with Guru Rinpoche, who is said to have flown to Paro Taktsang in the form of Dorji Drolo, mounted on a flaming dakini-tigress in the 747A.D. Guru visited Bhutan 3 times. His first visit to Bhutan 746 A.D from India was when he was invited to Bumthang to treat the Sindhu Raja, the ruler of Bumthang, who was seriously ill. The king was cured and was converted to Buddhism. He promised to return to Bhutan again to further propagate the Buddhist teachings. A year later, Guru was invited to Tibet by King Thrisong Deutsen to assist him in the construction of the Samye Monastery. He traveled to Tibet, by tantric powers, he cleared away the demonic forces that were disturbing the construction of the monastery, and so the monastery was successfully completed.

During this visit in 747 A.D to Tibet, Guru Rinpoche decided to visit Bhutan again with his Tibetan consort Khandro He travelled all over the country and blessed the people.
While in Singye Dzong inKurtoe, Guru is believed to have flown to Paro Taktsang in the form of Guru Dorji Drolo, the 8th and the final aspect that he assumed, mounting on a dakini-tigress. Before his arrival, the whole country was believed to have been inhabited by hostile evil spirits. On his arrival, he subdued eight categories of evil spirits and bounded them by solemn oath to be the protectors of teaching for all times to come. He also concealed various forms of Dharma treasures including 3 teachings of Yoga to be discovered later by his disciples called Tertons (Treasure Discoverers). According to his biography â€˜Yidkyi Munselâ€™, he meditated there for 4 months and blessed this place as the best among the sacred places (Ney). The Tiger's Nest

Paro Taktsang (spa phro stag tshang / spa gro stag tshang), is the popular name of Taktsang Palphug Monastery (also known as The Tiger's Nest), a prominent Himalayan Buddhist sacred site and temple complex, located on the cliffside of the upper Paro valley, Bhutan. A temple complex was first built in 1692, around the Taktsang Senge Samdup (stag tshang seng ge bsam grub) cave where Guru Padmasambhava is said to have meditated for three months in the 8th century. Padmasambhava is credited with introducing Buddhism to Bhutan and is the tutelary deity of the country. Today, Paro Taktsang is the best known of the thirteen taktsang or "tiger lair" caves in which he meditated.

This lovely card with the pretty stamps, was sent to me by Shashi and Jyotsna from Bhutan during their recent visit there.

Kimon the Athenian

2011-11-15T00:44:00.000-08:00

Merja sent me this nice scene from Larnaca in Cyprus, showing the monument to Kimon the Athenian. For those who are not familiar with Kimon, the next two paragraphs should tell you who he was.

Kimon was an Athenian general and statesman, a member of the distinguished Philaid family and the son of the great Miltiades, the victorious general at Marathon. Kimon first came to public notice when he tried to obtain his father’s corpse for burial. Militiades had convinced the Athens to put him in charge of a fleet which he used for his own private purposes. Returning to Athens, he was fined the enormous sum of fifty talents, which he could not pay, and so died in prison in 489. According to Athenian law Kimon was required to take his father’s place in prison until the fifty talents were paid, which it eventually was by Kallias, a very rich Athenian who married Kimon's sister Elpinike. Kimon was a passionate opponent of the Persians and met them in battle many times as general in the 470’s and 460’s BC. In the years following the defeat of the Persians at Plataia in 479 he and Aristeides gained the support of the Aegean islanders for the new Delian league. Kimon was commander of the Athenian naval contingent, and thus (since the Athenians provided most of the ships) the commander of the allied Greek navy arrayed against the Persians in the Aegean Sea. One of his earliest acts as commander was to seize the island of Skyros in 476 BC from the Dolopians, the native inhabitants (who were accused of piracy), and to settle Athenian colonists in their place. It was at this time that Kimon claimed that he had found the bones of the legendary Athenian king Theseus, which were brought to Athens with great ceremony. Shortly after this Karystos on the island of Euboia was forced to joined the Delian League, and the island state of Naxos, which had seceded from the League, was put under siege and forced to return, the earliest actions which showed that the League was no longer a voluntary association. Both actions were almost certainly carried out under the command of Kimon, who now had the most influential voice in Athenian foreign policy. Domestically, Kimon led the aristocratic opposition to Themistokles, the leader of the democratizing forces in Athens. The death of Aristeides (probably about 468) and the ostracism of Themistokles (in 470) left Kimon as Athens' most influential leader for several years.

Kimon's greatest military success was the Eurymedon campaign in 467, when he destroyed the Persian fleet on the south coast of Asia Minor. Kimon’s next achievement was the expulsion of the Persians from the Chersonese in the northern Aegean, and its inclusion in the Delian League. The combination of these various victories put the Persians permanently on the defensive. Kimon’s efforts against Persia were eventually crowned by the famous peace of Kallias (448), named for Kimon's brother-in-law and chief negotiator for the Athens. This treaty imposed humiliating conditions on the Persians, that no Persian satrap would approach within three days' march of the coast and that no Persian ship would sail into the Aegean controlled by the Athenians.

Harlingen

2011-11-14T02:31:00.000-08:00

Harlingen is a municipality and a city in the northern Netherlands, in the province of Friesland at the Wadden Sea. Harlingen is an old town with a long history of fishing and shipping. Harlingen is served by two stations on the railway line from Leeuwarden, operated by Arriva: Harlingen Haven railway station and Harlingen railway station. From 1904 to 1935 there was a passenger service on the North Friesland Railway, freight being carried until January 1938. Rederij Doeksen operate ferries to the Wadden islands of Vlieland and Terschelling depart from Harlingen. The famous Dutch writer Simon Vestdijk was born in Harlingen and used to depict his hometown in his writings as Lahringen. The Admiralty of Friesland was established in Dokkum in 1597 but moved to Harlingen in 1645.

The town of Harlingen, Texas, in the United States is named after this city because many of the original settlers of the Texas town came from Harlingen. This pretty card was sent to me by Janneke.

Singapore By Night

2011-11-13T00:33:00.000-08:00

Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, 137 kilometres (85 mi) north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the Singapore Strait to its south. Singapore is highly urbanised but almost half of the country is covered by greenery. More land is being created for development through land reclamation. Singapore had been a part of various local empires since it was first inhabited in the second century AD. It hosted a trading post of the East India Company in 1819 with permission from the Sultanate of Johor. The British obtained sovereignty over the island in 1824 and Singapore became one of the British Straits Settlements in 1826. Singapore was occupied by the Japanese in World War II and reverted to British rule after the war. It became internally self-governing in 1959. Singapore united with other former British territories to form Malaysia in 1963 and became a fully independent state two years later after separation from Malaysia. Since then it has had a massive increase in wealth, and is one of the Four Asian Tigers. The economy heavily depends on the industry and service sectors. Singapore is a world leader in several areas: it is the world's fourth leading financial centre, the world's second biggest casino gambling market, the world's top three oil refining centre. The port of Singapore is one of the five busiest ports in the world, most notably being the busiest transshipment port in the world. The country is home to more US dollar millionaire households per capita than any other country. The World Bank notes Singapore as the easiest place in the world to do business.

Singapore is a parliamentary republic with a Westminster system of unicameral parliamentary government. The People's Action Party (PAP) has won every election since the British grant of internal self-government in 1959. The legal system of Singapore has its foundations in the English common law system, but modifications have been made to it over the years, such as the removal of trial by jury. The PAP's popular image is that of a strong, experienced and highly qualified government, backed by a skilled Civil Service and an education system with an emphasis on achievement and meritocracy; but it is perceived by some voters, opposition critics and international observers as being authoritarian and too restrictive on individual freedom. Some 5 million people live in Singapore, of whom 2.91 million were born locally. Most are of Chinese, Malay or Indian descent. There are four official languages: English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil. One of the five founding members of the Association of South East Asian Nations, Singapore also hosts the APEC Secretariat, and is a member of the East Asia Summit, the Non-Aligned Movement, and the Commonwealth. This lovely picture card depicting a spectacular Singapore at night was sent to me by Shashi.

The Paris Opera

2011-11-12T00:49:00.000-08:00

The Palais Garnier is an elegant 1,979-seat opera house, which was built from 1861 to 1875 for the Paris Opera. It was originally called the Salle des Capucines because of its location on the Boulevard des Capucines in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, but soon became known as the Palais Garnier in recognition of its opulence and its architect, Charles Garnier. The theatre was also often referred to as the Opéra Garnier, Opéra de Paris or simply the Opéra. It was the primary home of the Paris Opera and its associated Paris Opera Ballet until 1989, when a new 2,700-seat house, the Opéra Bastille, with elaborate facilities for set and production changes, opened at thePlace de la Bastille. The Paris Opera now mainly uses the Palais Garnier for ballet.

The Palais Garnier is "probably the most famous opera house in the world, a symbol of Paris like Notre Dame cathedral, the Louvre, or the Sacré Coeur basilica." This is at least partly due to its use as the setting for Gaston Leroux's 1911 novel The Phantom of the Opera and the novel's subsequent adaptations in films and Andrew Lloyd Weber's popular 1986 musical. Another contributing factor is that among the buildings constructed in Paris during the Second Empire, besides being the most expensive, it has been described as the only one that is "unquestionably a masterpiece of the first rank."

The Palais Garnier also houses the Bibliothèque-Musée de l'Opéra de Paris (Paris Opera Library-Museum). Although the Library-Museum is no longer managed by the Opera and is part of the Bibliothèque nationale de France, the museum is included in unaccompanied tours of the Palais Garnier.

The Paris Opera is the primary opera company of Paris, France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the Académie d'Opéra and shortly thereafter became the Académie Royale de Musique. Currently called the Opéra National de Paris, it primarily produces operas at its modern theatre Opéra Bastille which opened in 1989, and ballets at the older Palais Garnier which opened in 1875.

The Paris Opera, as well as the Paris Opera Ballet founded in 1661, are the oldest and amongst the most renowned theatre and company in the world. The ballet is the parent company of the Paris Opera Ballet school (French: École de danse de l'Opéra de Paris) created in 1713 and which shared the same residence than the ballet until 1987. The school has become a world-leading school of ballet, whose former pupils won a record of 17 Benois de la Danse awards since 1992. It will celebrate its tercentennial in 2013.This pretty card was sent to me by Maria.

Centenary of the Aero Club of France

2011-11-11T00:55:00.000-08:00

The Aéro-Club de France was founded as the Aéro-Club on 20 October 1898, as a society 'to encourage aerial locomotion' by Ernest Archdeacon, Léon Serpollet, Henri de la Valette, Jules Verne and his wife, André Michelin, Albert de Dion, Alberto Santos-Dumont, Henry Deutsch de la Meurthe, and Henry de La Vaulx. On 20 April 1909 its name was changed to Aéro-Club de France. It was a founder member of the International Aeronautical Federation (FAI) in 1905.

The Aéro-Club de France originally set many of the regulations that controlled aviation in France. From its formation it also set the rules that have marked some of the 'firsts' in aviation: the first 1 km, the first helicopter flight, and has organised competitions, including:

the Prix Deutsch de la Meurthe, a challenge for Derigibles from 1901,

the Gordon Bennett Cup for fixed-wing aircraft in 1906.

The club published the journal L'Aérophile from 1898 to 1947, and since 1997 publishes the magazine Aérofrance. After 1945 some of its early regulatory roles were taken by other bodies. It now focusses on the promotion of aviation and certification. Attended by delegates from all over the world, the two-day FAI Annual General Conference closed with the official celebration of the FAI Centenary on Friday 14 October, exactly 100 years after the foundation of FAI. Some of greatest living aviators attended this "High Flyers’ Night" at the Senate (Palais de Luxembourg), personalities like Buzz Aldrin, Steve Fossett, Bertrand Piccard, Catherine Maunoury, Svetlana Kapanina and Valery Poliakoff. On the occasion of the FAI Centenary, the President of the Aero-Club de France, Jean-François Georges, wished to "pay tribute to the great achievers" in each air sport discipline. FAI President Pierre Portmann, elected in 2004 and a long standing French resident, is very pleased to be celebrating the FAI Centenary in Paris: "The history of FAI consists mainly of colourful and independent characters who pushed forward the limits of what can be done in the air. It’s a great privilege for us to be the heirs of these exceptional men and women who marked the history of FAI. The "dream of Icarus" is still alive, and our job is to perpetuate this dream into the future".

The six cards displayed show the evolution of aircraft from the humble “Demoiselle de Santos Dumont” 1908 to the menacing fighter aircraft “Rafale” 1998. These cards were given to me by Maria.

Life in the Countryside

2011-11-10T00:35:00.000-08:00

There are no trains, crowds, or food stands. You won’t find any of these signature city attributes in a Cypriot village. The average traveler visits the popular attractions of a destination, soaking in local culture and history, but rarely engages with the true personality of the area. Cyprus is certainly not the exception because when you visit the city of Limassol you’ll find the promenade, the water park, and the ancient ruins, but will you truly understand what Cyprus has to offer?

The Elderly, who grew up in Cyprus, were raised during a time when villages still operated as fully functional societies. Each village had a school, a doctor, a church, and market, so everyone was able to meet their needs without having to travel to another village. People lived in one village their entire life possibly. The day in the village would begin with a breakfast consisting of cereal, eggs, fruit, and halloumi. If you’re not familiar, halloumi is a wonderful cheese that does not melt when fried, creating a deliciously unique dining experience. After, breakfast, the family would venture down to the Old grandfather’s coffee shop. Since most of Cyprus consists of mountainous terrain, walking to the coffee shop from the house was always an adventure. The roads were narrow and the cement was patch worked together over dozens of years by local village dwellers. Beautiful grape vines grew everywhere from any crevice or crack in the cement, crawling up walls and over awnings. It was and possibly still is a wonderful natural life in many parts. Merja sent me this nice card.

Aviator Roger Sommer

2011-11-09T00:48:00.000-08:00

“SOMMER IN BIPLANE BEATS WRIGHT'S TIME”; Flies 2 Hours 27 Minutes 15 Seconds Around French Course and Makes World's Record. HE STARTS BY MOONLIGHT Frenchman Pupil of Farman, Who Designed Machine and Slept While Sommer Flew with Damaged Wing.

These then were the headlines in a French newspaper that Autumn morning in 1909 about that famous aviator Roger Sommer.

Born on 4 August 1877, the son of a felt manufacturer at Mouzon, Roger Sommer became interested in machinery, won fame at age 18 as a bicycle-racer, and built a one-cylinder 4-wheeled car. By the end of 1908 he had built his first aeroplane, a large biplane which foreshadowed Henry Farman's Type III of 1909. It had a monoplane forward elevator, the pilot seated on the leading edge of the lower wing. Sommer's design included a pair of small wings at the middle of the 4 tail-booms, with the rectangular rudder placed just forward of the biplane tail surfaces. The engine, reportedly an Anzani, was mounted below the lower wing, driving a pusher propeller mounted in the middle of the airframe; but photographs show a 50 hp water-cooled Vivinus, which Sommer knew well, since he owned a 60 hp Vivinus automobile. The machine rolled on 3 wheels.
As the third aviator at Chalons, Sommer had his hangar between Farman's and Voisin's, and his machine was tested there in the spring of 1909, achieving only occasional hops. There in May Sommer met Farman and bought one of his Type IIIs, which was delivered at the end of June; Sommer installed the 50 hp Vivinus.
On 7 August 1909 he became famous by bringing back to France the endurance record previously held by Wilbur Wright: Sommer had flown for 2 hr 27 min 15 sec. In December he sold the Farman to Daniel Kinet, since he had finished his own completely successful design: this 1910 Sommer was to undergo many alterations, and several were built in different forms; by the spring of 1910 he had 58 aeroplanes on order and 60 men working for him. Maria sent me this very interesting card.

Athens the Monument of the Unknown Soldier - Tsolias

2011-11-08T01:01:00.000-08:00

The massive rear terrace wall of the broad, rectangular Parliament Square (Plateia Voulis) on busy Vasilissis Amalias avenue opposite Syntagma Square, forms the monument called The Monument of the Unknown Soldier was decided on in 1928 and designed by the architect Emmanuel Lazaridis in 1929/30. The main element of the monument is a large bas - relief representing a dying Greek heavily armed soldier (hoplite, in the Archaic and Classical periods) by Kostas Demetriadis (1881 - 1943). This is based on the dying nude hoplite in the east pediment of the early 5th - century BC temple of Aphaia on the island of Aigina in the Saronic Gulf. On either side of the relief is the ancient Greek text of Perikles funeral oration given in 431/30 BC (Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War, II, 34 - 46): The bronze shields on other walls commemorate military victories since the Greek War of Independence (1821). The monument was unveiled on 25 March 1932 (Greek Independence Day) during the last government of Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos (1928 - 1932). It is guarded 24 hours a day by two Evzoni (or Tsoliades), members of the Presidential Guard (Proedriki Phroura), an elite, specially chosen unit of the Greek Army. The Evzoni (meaning well-dressed) were created by King Othon to serve as the personal guard of the royal family. Their uniform is based on a traditional 19th - century style costume form southern Greece. The red Ottoman - style felt cap symbolizes the blood shed in the revolution against Ottoman occupation, or the Struggle. Its black tassels stand for the tears of the Greeks shed during 400 years of Ottoman rule. The 400 pleats of the kilt (foustanela) equal the number of years the Greeks were enslaved. The pigskin shoes (tsaroukhia) with pompoms are a traditional form. The Evzoni now serve as an honorary guard for this monument and the presidential palace, as with a more formal changing of the guard ceremony occurring every Sunday at 11:00 am accompanied by military band.

The monument is used as a backdrop for two important holiday parades each year in Athenian and in Greek life. First occurs on March 25th, the national birthday of the country. On this day in 1821, Bishop Germanos of Patras, at the Aghia Lavra Monastery in Kalavryta, in the mountains of northern Peloponnesos, officially declared the start of the revolt of the Greek people against the Ottoman rule, by raising the flag. The President of Greece, the prime Minister and other dignitaries review the collective military might of the Greek armed forces marching up Vasilissis Amalias avenue, and then down Panepistimiou Street. Jets and helicopters fly overhead. The second national holiday falls on October 28th, the so called NO Day, when unending squads of elementary and high school pupils, as well as girl guides and boy scouts, along with marching bands and a military honour guard troop pass in front of the Minister of Education, following the same route. In 1940, on this day, in response to the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini’s ultimatum that Greece surrender or face invasion by his troops from Albania, the Greek dictator Ioannis Metaxas responded with a simple, but clear, NO! Thus, started the tragedy of the World War II for Greece. For many in the tourist industry, the 28th of October marks the end of a long season. Both are impressive parades to observe first - hand! Thank you Merja for this lovely cover.

Wife Carrying in Finland

2011-11-05T05:24:00.000-07:00

Yes that’s right. This is no joke. In Finland this sport is taken very seriously and there is an annual event for it. There are many thoughts as to how this sport first originated in Finland. Tales have been passed down from one person to another about a man named Herkko Rosvo-Ronkainen. This man was considered a robber in the late 1800s, lived in a forest, and ran around with his gang of thieves causing harm to the villages. From what has been found, there are three ideas to why/how this sport was invented. First, Rosvo-Ronkainen and his thieves were accused of stealing food and women from villages in the area he lived in; then carried these women on their backs as they ran away, (hence the “wife” or women carrying). For the second idea, it has been said that young men would go to villages near their own, steal other men’s wives, and then have the woman become their own wife. These wives were also carried on the backs of the young men; this was referred to as “the practice of wife stealing." Lastly, there was the idea that Rosvo-Ronkainen trained his thieves to be “faster and stronger” by carrying big, heavy sacks on their backs, which could have eventually evolved to a sport because of the hard labour (endurance), and muscle strengthening; which most sports ensure. Even though this sport has been considered by some as a joke, competitors take it very seriously, just like any other sport. Wife carrying is now practiced in the United States of America, Hong Kong, and other parts of the world besides Finland, and has a category in the Guinness Book of Records. Merja who sent me this card wanted to convince me about this sport. I am convinced, and I genuinely feel that this event must be included in the next Olympic games.

Fanfan la Tulipe

2011-11-04T01:55:00.000-07:00

Fanfan la Tulipe is a 1952 French comedy adventure film directed by Christian-Jaque. It has also been categorized under swashbuckler films. The film starred Gérard Philipe and Gina Lollobrigida. The film was remade in 2003 with Penélope Cruz in Lollobrigida's role.

Directed by Christian-Jaque Produced by Francis Cosne
Georges Dancigers
Alexandre Mnouchkine Written by René Wheeler
René Fallet
Christian-Jaque
Henri Jeanson
René Wheeler

Starring Gérard Philipe & Gina Lollobrigida

Music by Maurice ThirietGeorges Van Parys Cinematography Christian Matras

Editing by Jacques Desagneaux

Distributed by Filmsonor.

Release date 21 March 1952.

Running time 102 minutes.

The film is set in France during the Seven Years' War. As the film begins, Fanfan (Gérard Philipe) is a charming, attractive young man who is trying to escape a shotgun marriage. At this vulnerable point in his life, he is approached by the daughter of a recruiting officer, Adeline (played by Gina Lollobrigida), who tells him that if he joins the army, he will find fame, fortune, and will marry the king's daughter. Accordingly he joins the army, only to discover that she made the whole thing up in order for her father to get a recruiting bonus. Nevertheless, encouraged by a series of improbable circumstances, he accepts her prediction as his destiny. A series of events ensues which shows off to great advantage his athleticism and leadership ability. As the film progresses, we become aware of a developing attraction between himself and Adeline which however conflicts with his perceived “destiny” of marrying a king's daughter. Thank you Maria for a lovely card.

John Wayne in The Oregon Trail

2011-11-03T02:36:00.000-07:00

For those of you who, like me, are still interested in vintage English films, especially those with the Legendary Great Actors, then The Oregon Trail a 1936 Western film starring John Wayne is a must. Incidently this card is much sought after. I won’t spoil the fun by telling you the story, but a few details of this film given below would go a long way in whetting your appetite for it :-

Directed by Scott Pembroke;

Produced by Trem Carr;

Written by Jack Natteford, Lindsley Parsons and Robert Emmett Tansey

Starring John Wayne & Ann Rutherford

Cinematography Gus Peterson

Editing by Carl Pierson

Release date(s) 18 January 1936.

Running time 59 minutes.

This nice Card was given to me by my dear friend Maria.

The Dambuster's

2011-11-02T02:48:00.000-07:00

The Lancaster was the RAF’s best heavy bomber of World War II. It first saw active service in 1942, and together with the Handley Page Halifax it was one of the main heavy bombers of the RAF, the RCAF, and squadrons from other Commonwealth and European countries serving within RAF Bomber Command., The "Lanc", as it was affectionately known, became the most famous and most successful of the Second World War night bombers, "delivering 608,612 tons of bombs in 156,000 sorties." Although the Lancaster was primarily a night bomber, it excelled in many other roles including daylight precision bombing, and gained worldwide renown as the "Dam Buster" used in the 1943 Operation Chastise raids on Germany's Ruhr Valley dams. Originally designed to carry an 1800kg bomb, the adaptable Lancaster was later equipped to carry a variety of bombs, most memorably the spinning, bouncing bombs of ”Dambusters” fame. Designed by Barnes Wallis, they were carried by the Lancasters of 617 squadron led by Wing Commander Guy Gibson, to breach the Ruhr dams. Thank you Maria for this wonderful card, where the aircraft is in embossed plastic. Surely a collector’s item.

San Juan Capistrano, California

2011-11-01T01:45:00.000-07:00

Mission San Juan Capistrano was a Spanish mission in Southern California, located in present-day San Juan Capistrano. It was founded on All Saints Day November 1, 1776, by Spanish Catholics of the Franciscan Order. Named for Giovanni da Capistrano, a 15th century theologian and "warrior priest" who resided in the Abruzzo region of Italy, San Juan Capistrano has the distinction of being home to the oldest building in California still in use, a chapel built in 1782; known alternately as "Serra's Chapel" and "Father Serra's Church," it is the only extant structure where it has been documented that the padre Junipero Serra celebrated mass. One of the best known of the Alta California missions (and one of the few missions to have actually been founded twice—others being Mission San Gabriel Arcángel and Mission La Purísima Concepción)—the site was originally consecrated on October 30, 1775, by Father Fermín Lasuén, but was quickly abandoned due to unrest among the indigenous population in San Diego.

San Juan Capistrano is a city in southern Orange County, California, located approximately 23 miles (37 km) southeast of Downtown Santa Ana. The current OMB metropolitan designation for San Juan Capistrano and the Orange County Area is “Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA.” The population was 34,593 at the 2010 census, up from 33,826 at the 2000 census. The city was created around Mission San Juan Capistrano, and many of the homes and strip malls resemble the Spanish architecture that compose the building. It is home to the widest variety of homes in Orange County, including those built prior to 1900 in its central district (some being adobes from the 18th century), a number of 10 million-dollar homes in the gated communities of the hills, and working ranches in its foothills. San Juan Capistrano is probably best known for the annual migration of the cliff swallows that reputedly migrate each year from Argentina to the Mission San Juan Capistrano. This pretty card was sent to me by Gina.

An Old Beauty on Rails

2011-10-31T05:18:00.000-07:00

One of the old time beauties. Manufactured at the Krupp Locomotive works in 1957. This engine was then the pride of the the German Railways. This card was sent to me by my dear friend Maria.

Oporto, Portugal

2011-10-29T23:44:00.000-07:00

Porto, also known as Oporto in English, is the second largest city in Portugal and one of the major urban areas in the Iberian Peninsula. Its administrative limits (an area of 41.66 km²/16 sq.mi) include a population of 237,559 (2011) inhabitants distributed within 15 civil parishes. The Porto Metropolitan Area includes approximately 1.7 million people, and is recognized as a Gamma-level global city by the Globalization and World Cities (GaWC) Study Group, being one of the four cities in the peninsula with global city status (the others being Madrid, Barcelona and Lisbon).

Located along the Douro river estuary in northern Portugal, Porto is one of the oldest European centres, and registered as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996. Its settlement dates back many centuries, when it was an outpost of the Roman Empire. Its Latin name, Portus Cale, has been referred to as the origin for the name "Portugal," based on transliteration and oral evolution from Latin. In Portuguese the city is spelled with a definite article as "o Porto" (English: the port). Consequently, its English name evolved from a misinterpretation of the oral pronunciation and referred to as"Oporto" in modern literature and by many speakers.

One of Portugal's internationally famous exports, port wine, is named for Porto, since the metropolitan area, and in particular the adegas of Vila Nova de Gaia, were responsible for the production and export of the fortified wine. This card shows a few very nice views of Oporto.This card was sent to me by Maria of Oporto.

Pafos Harbour

2011-10-29T01:31:00.000-07:00

Pafos, a small charming harbor town, on the west of the island, which has been, during certain times in antiquity, the capital of Cyprus, has a history which goes back literally thousands of years, and has always attracted visitors from the rest of the island and abroad.

Pafos has been inhabited since the Neolithic period. It was a centre of the cult of Aphrodite and of pre-Hellenic fertility deities. Aphrodite's legendary birthplace was on this island, where her temple was erected by the Myceneans in the 12th century B.C.The remains of villas, palaces, theatres, fortresses and tombs mean that the site is of exceptional architectural and historical value. This pretty card is thanks to Merja.

A cloudy day in Paris

2011-10-28T04:43:00.000-07:00

A wonderful view of Paris on this lovely painting, which includes the Alexander III Bridge in the fore ground ant the Eiffel Tower in the background. This is a lovel card from my dear friend Maria.

A Saloon of the French Postal Adinistration

2011-10-26T02:21:00.000-07:00

I must say the French Postal Staff did work and live in wonderful and very pretty surroundings, if this chic Saloon is anything to go by. Thank you my dear Maria for this lovely card.

Medieval Castle in Limassol

2011-10-25T03:31:00.000-07:00

The medieval castle is one of the nine castles of Cyprus (the others are at Kolossi, Larnaca and Paphos now in the Republic of Cyprus controlled area, and Famagusta, Kantara, Buffavento, St. Hilarion and Kyrenia now within the de facto but internationally unrecognised state of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus). It was built by the Byzantines around 1000 AD. Around the same period, a chapel was also built there. Richard the Lionheart is supposed to have married his fiancée Princess Berengaria of Navarre on this site after her ship was grounded nearby in 1191 as she accompanied him to the Third Crusade, on his way to Holy Land. The Castle was used as a prison, between 1790–1940 and it now serves as a medieval museum. The collection that the museum provides covers the era of 400 - 1870 AD. A visitor can see numerous exhibits: cannons, wood carvings of the 17th and 18th century, paintings and tombstones, statues, suits of armour, coins, terracotta, metalware and pottery, glass and marble articrafts. This pretty card was sent to me by my dear friend Merja.

Bear Island Light

2011-10-24T01:37:00.000-07:00

Bear Island Light is a lighthouse on Bear Island near Mt. Desert Island, at the entrance to Northeast Harbour, Maine. It was first established in 1839. The present structure was built in 1889. It was deactivated in 1981 and relit as a Private Aid to Navigation by the Friends of Acadia National Park in 1989. Bear Island Light was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Bear Island Light Station on March 14.

In the foreground can be seen the lovely Windjammer Angelique. Since acquiring the windjammer Angelique in 1986, Mike and Lynne and their children Katie and Ryan have enjoyed the lifestyle, the people and the beautiful scenery of Maine. This pretty postcard was sent to me by Maria.

Navy Day

2011-10-23T01:35:00.000-07:00

The picture on the card is of the Navy Day being celebrated in the days of the erstwhile Yugoslavian Navy. This card was sent to me by Karoly of Serbia.

A German North Sea Fishing Village.

2011-10-22T01:20:00.000-07:00

A German fishing village on the North Sea coast. This pretty card was sent to me by Michaela.

Arc de Triopmphe

2011-10-21T01:51:00.000-07:00

The Arc de Triomphe (Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile) is one of the most famous monuments in Paris. It stands in the centre of the Place Charles de Gaulle (originally named Place de l'Étoile), at the western end of the Champs-Élysées. There is a smaller arch, the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, which stands west of the Louvre. The Arc de Triomphe (or as said in English: "Triumphal Arch") honours those who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and the Napoleonic Wars, with the names of all French victories and generals inscribed on its inner and outer surfaces. Beneath its vault lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I.

The Arc de Triomphe is the linchpin of the historic axis – a sequence of monuments and grand thoroughfares on a route which goes from the courtyard of the Louvre, to the Grande Arche de la Défense. The monument was designed by Jean Chalgrin in 1806, and its iconographic program pitted heroically nude French youths against bearded Germanic warriors in chain mail. It set the tone for public monuments, with triumphant patriotic messages.

The monument stands 50 metres (164 ft) in height, 45 m (148 ft) wide and 22 m (72 ft) deep. The large vault is 29.19 m (95.8 ft) high and 14.62 m (48.0 ft) wide. The small vault is 18.68 m (61.3 ft) high and 8.44 m (27.7 ft) wide. It is the second largest triumphal arch in existence (after Arch of Triumph in Pyongyang). Its design was inspired by the Roman Arch of Titus. The Arc de Triomphe is so colossal that three weeks after the Paris victory parade in 1919, (marking the end of hostilities in World War I), Charles Godefroy flew his Nieuport biplane through it, with the event captured on newsreel. Thank you Maria for this nice card.

“Once Upon a Time in the West”

2011-10-20T01:30:00.000-07:00

Once Upon a Time in the West (C'era una volta il West) is a 1968 Italian epic spaghetti western film directed by Sergio Leone for Paramount Pictures. It stars Henry Fonda cast against type as the villain, Charles Bronson as his nemesis, Jason Robards as a bandit, and Claudia Cardinale as a newly widowed homesteader with a past as a prostitute. The screenplay was written by Leone and Sergio Donati, from a story devised by Leone, Bernardo Bertolucci, and Dario Argento. The widescreen cinematography was by Tonino Delli Colli, and Ennio Morricone provided the film score.

In Europe, the film was a substantial box office success, playing for multiple years in some cities. However, it was greeted with a mostly negative critical response upon its 1969 theatrical release in the United States and was a financial flop. The film is now generally acknowledged as a masterpiece and one of the best western films ever made.

In 2009, it was named to the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for being “culturally, historically or aesthetically” significant and will be preserved for all time. This film poster card was sent to me by Bettina.

Missile Boat of the erstwhile Yugoslavian Navy

2011-10-19T01:34:00.000-07:00

This card brings back nostalgic memories of my days in the Missile Boat Squadron (with OSA class boats) in the Indian Navy. SFR Yugoslav Navy guided missile gunboat of the Končar class, which was a class of fast attack craft that was built for the SFR Yugoslav Navy in the late 1970s. Following the break-up of Yugoslavia one craft went to the Croatian Navy whilst the remaining five went to the Montenegro Navy. As of 2009 three vessels remain in service.

As planned by the Yugoslav navy, the entire class of six ships was due to undergo extensive overhauls and modernization during the early 1990s. The ships' anti-ship armament was to be replaced by the Swedish state-of-the-art RBS-15 system after the removal of the old Soviet P-15 Termit missiles. The stern Bofors 57 mm gun was also due to be removed and replaced by a CIWS AK-630M unit. However, only one ship managed to undergo these changes. It was the RTOP-402 which, as the war in Yugoslavia broke out, was being worked on in a Croatian shipyard and thus remained in Croatian service. All other RBS-15 missiles (out of roughly 100 delivered by the time) were captured by the Croatian forces. This ship entered Croatian Navy service as RTOP-21 "Šibenik" in late 1991 and saw additional light upgrading and overhauls over the years.

The class is named after the first vessel which in turn was named after Rade Končar. Armed with two SS-N-2B launchers, the Končar-class boats were modeled after the Swedish Spica class. This card was sent to me by Karoly from Serbia.

Mountain Lion

2011-10-18T02:21:00.000-07:00

The cougar, also known as puma, mountain lion, mountain cat, catamount or panther, depending on the region, is a mammal of the family Felidae, native to the Americas. This large, solitary cat has the greatest range of any large wild terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere, extending from Yukon in Canada to the southern Andes of South America. An adaptable, generalist species, the cougar is found in every major American habitat type. It is the second heaviest cat in the Western Hemisphere, after the jaguar. Although large, the cougar is most closely related to smaller felines and is closer genetically to the domestic cat than to true lions.

A capable stalk-and-ambush predator, the cougar pursues a wide variety of prey. Primary food sources include ungulates such as deer, elk, moose, and bighorn sheep, as well as domestic cattle, horses and sheep, particularly in the northern part of its range. It will also hunt species as small as insects and rodents. This cat prefers habitats with dense underbrush and rocky areas for stalking, but it can also live in open areas. The cougar is territorial and persists at low population densities. Individual territory sizes depend on terrain, vegetation, and abundance of prey. While it is a large predator, it is not always the dominant species in its range, as when it competes for prey with other predators such as the jaguar, grey wolf, American Black Bear, and the grizzly bear. It is a reclusive cat and usually avoids people. Attacks on humans remain fairly rare, despite a recent increase in frequency.

Because of excessive hunting following the European colonization of the Americas and the continuing human development of cougar habitat, populations have dropped in most parts of its historical range. In particular, the cougar was extirpated in eastern North America in the beginning of the 20th century, except for an isolated sub-population in Florida. However, in recent decades, breeding populations have moved east into the far western parts of the Dakotas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. Transient males have been verified in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and Illinois, where a cougar was shot in the city limits of Chicago and, in at least one instance, observed as far east as Connecticut. This impressive card was sent to me by Graham of Kansas City.

The town of Salo in Finland

2011-10-17T01:46:00.000-07:00

Salo is a town and municipality of Finland. It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Finland Proper region. The municipality has a population of 55,243(January 31, 2011) and covers an area of 2,168.27 square kilometres (837.17 sq mi) of which 181.78 km² (70.19 sq mi) is water. The population density is 27.81 /km² (72.0 /sq mi). In Finnish salo means woodland, backwoods but also a wooded island. It is thought that Salo has meant the island that over thousand years ago existed to the South of the current town but is today a hill, not even very close to the sea. The municipality is unilingually Finnish. Salo has existed as a centre of rural commerce since at least the 16th century, grewn in the location where the Great Costal Road, the important East-West road, crossed River Salo; the river provided the fairway to the sea. In 1887 Salo officially became a market town and, in the beginning of 1891, an independent municipality. The area of the municipality was initially very small, only 0.65 km². In 1932 it grew to 18 km² when areas from neighbouring Uskela and Halikko were annexed to Salo. Eventually Salo became a town in 1960. Today its main claim to notability is as a developing and manufacturing plant for Nokia, and can therefore be considered as the original home town of Nokia phones. Nokia also is one of biggest employers in this region. Salo is located between the capital Helsinki and the provincial capital Turku, making it a busy small city. The short distance from these bigger cities keeps the Salo region and its business life growing. Farming also plays a considerable part in the area.

On the card is featured the Salo Art Museum (the round house in the upper part of the card). In the lower part of the card is a locomotive shed with an ancient steam engine by the name of Kana (meaning chicken). This nice card was sent to me by my dear friend Ella.

Centenary of the “Chemins de fer de provence”

2011-10-16T01:10:00.000-07:00

The stamp on this maxi card and the card itself were issued to commemorate the 100^th anniversary of the “Chemins de fer de provence” an old railway company located in the south of France which is now running a unique route between Nice and Digne-les-bains. This route, that opened in 1911, is locally referred as the “train des pignes” (the pine nuts train) as indicated on the stamp.

In 1861, Alphonse Beau de Rochas, an engineer from Digne who invented the four-stroke internal-combustion engine, wanted to link Nice, annexed to France the previous year, to Grenoble via the Var Valley, Digne-les-Bains and Gap. But, it was not until 1882 that the military authorities granted their approval for the project, which could then begin. To adapt to the very rugged relief, the engineers chose to build a narrow-gauge railway: a 1-metre gauge - instead of the standard 1.40 metres - provided for tighter curves (100 metres instead of 300 metres) and lower construction costs. In all, there are no less than twenty-five tunnels, sixteen viaducts and fifteen metal bridges on the line’s 150 kilometres.

The ‘Train des Pignes’ (pinecone railway) finally reached Nice in 1911 and was inaugurated on 3 July.
Despite many obstacles - climate, finances, the rising popularity of automobiles, war... - and thanks to close fruitful cooperation with local economic players (local communities, schools, Chamber of Commerce and Industry, travel agencies, associations), CFSF- Chemins de Fer de Provence was able to anchor the railway in the local economic fabric, thereby offering regular transport by train from the Mediterranean Sea to the Alps, also revealing the wealth of the cultural and tourist heritage of the 30 communes along the line. This pretty maximum card was given to me by my dear friend Maria.

Parliament House in Budapest

2011-10-15T01:17:00.000-07:00

As the millennial celebrations of 1896 approached, the nation's demand for representation channelled the conception of a unique Parliament building. The Palace of Westminster in part inspired the design, but a well-known Hungarian architect, Imre Steindl, laid out the plans in their entirety. The building stretches 268 meters in its length, along the Danube embankment. Ornamented with white neo-gothic turrets and arches, it forms the most outstanding landmark of the Pest side horizon. Statues of Hungarian monarchs and military commanders decorate the outer walls. The unique interior design includes huge halls, over 12,5 miles of corridors, a 96-meter high central dome, and 691 rooms. When the Parliament is not in session, all these can be visited (cameras are allowed); tours are offered in English, French, German, Russian, Hebrew, Japanese, Italian and Spanish.

The Hungarian Parliament Building is the seat of the National Assembly of Hungary, one of Europe's oldest legislative buildings, a notable landmark of Hungary and a popular tourist destination of Budapest. It lies in Lajos Kossuth Square, on the bank of the Danube, in Budapest. It is currently the largest building in Hungary. Similar to the Palace of Westminster, the Parliament Building is in the Gothic Revival style; it has a symmetrical facade and a central dome. It is 268 m (879 ft) long and 123 m (404 ft) wide. Its interior includes 10 courtyards, 13 passenger and freight elevators, 27 gates, 29 staircases and 691 rooms (including more than 200 offices). With its height of 96 m (315 ft), it is one of the two tallest buildings in Budapest, along with Saint Stephen's Basilica. The number 96 refers to the nation's millennium, 1896, and the conquest of the later Kingdom of Hungary in 896. The main façade faces the River Danube, but the official main entrance is from the square in front of the building. Inside and outside, there are altogether 242 sculptures on the walls.

On the façade, statues of Hungarian rulers, Transylvanian leaders and famous military people are displayed. Over the windows, there are pictures of coats of arms of kings and dukes. The main entrance is the stairs located on the eastern side, bordered by two lions. When entering the Parliament, visitors can walk up great ornamental stairs, see frescoes on the ceiling and pass by the bust of the creator, Imre Steindl, in a wall niche. Other statues include those of Árpád, Stephen I and John Hunyadi. One of the famous parts of the building is the hexadecagonal (sixteen-sided) central hall, with huge chambers adjoining it: the Lower House (today the National Assembly meets here) and the Upper House (until 1945). The Holy Crown of Hungary, which is also depicted in the coat of arms of Hungary, has been displayed in the central hall since 2000.

Further features include the stained glass and glass mosaic paintings by Miksa Róth. Due to its extensive surface and its detailed handiwork, the building is almost always under renovation. During the Communist regime, the government added a large red star to the central steeple at the dome of the building, but after its downfall, the star was removed from the steeple. This pretty post card was sent to me by Katalin from Budapest. She pasted some pretty stamps on the card too.

Rose Garden Lakes in Palermo, Buenos Aires

2011-10-14T01:09:00.000-07:00

Viviana my friend in Argentina sent me this lovely card of Parque Tres de Febrero, also known as the Bosques de Palermo ("Palermo Woods"), is a city park of 25 hectares (62 acres) located in the neighborhood of Palermo in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Located between Libertador and Figueroa Alcorta Avenues, it is known for its groves, lakes, and rose gardens (El Rosedal). Following the 1852 overthrow of strongman Juan Manuel de Rosas, his extensive northside Buenos Aires properties became public lands and, in 1862, a municipal ordinance provided for a city park on most of that land. On the initiative of Congressman Vicente Fidel López and President Domingo Sarmiento, work began in 1874 on Parque Tres de Febrero (February 3 Park), named in honour of February 3, 1852, the date of the defeat of Governor Rosas, among whose opponents had been Sarmiento. Designed by urbanist Jordán Czeslaw Wysocki and architect Julio Dormal, the park was inaugurated on November 11, 1875. The dramatic economic growth of Buenos Aires afterwards helped to lead to its transfer to the municipal domain in 1888, whereby French Argentine urbanist Carlos Thays was commissioned to expand and further beautify the park, between 1892 and 1912. Thays designed the Zoological Gardens, the Botanical Gardens, the adjoining Plaza Italia and the Rose Garden.

The Andalusian Patio and Munument to the Four Argentine Regions (the "Spaniards' Monument") were added in 1927, the Municipal Velodrome in 1951 and the Galileo Galilei planetarium, in 1966. Its Modernist architecture is distinctive in the city—a sphere supported by three arches. A popular field trip destination for the city's schoolchildren, the planets and other astronomical phenomena are projected on the dome, inside. The demolition of the original Japanese Garden in the Retiro area led to the 1967 opening of the current Buenos Aires Japanese Gardens, the World's largest outside Japan. An Edwardian-style former café on the grounds became the Eduardo Sívori Museum in 1996.

Many people use the park everyday, both on foot and bicycle, and this number increases greatly at the weekends. Boat rides are available on the three artificial lakes within the park. Close to the boating lake is the Poets' Garden, with stone and bronze busts of renown poets, including Jorge Luis Borges and William Shakespeare.

National personification of Finland

2011-10-13T01:31:00.000-07:00

The Maiden of Finland is the national personification of Finland. She is a barefoot young woman in her mid-twenties with often-braided blonde hair, blue eyes, wearing a blue and white national costume or a white dress. She was originally called Aura after the Aura River in Turku. As a symbol, the Finnish Maiden has been used since the 19th century when she was pictured as a woman wearing a turreted crown, and then developing as Finland gained a national consciousness and independence.

The Maiden of Finland can also refer to the shape of Finland on the map. With a little imagination it looks like a female form, which has one hand, raised (and another before the Moscow Armistice of 1944), a head, and a skirt. The metaphor is so commonly used that the northwestern area around Enontekiö is known as the Arm (Käsivarsi) even in official contexts. My dear friend Pia sent me this card.

St. Angelo’s Castle, Rome

2011-10-12T01:07:00.000-07:00

The Mausoleum of Hadrian, usually known as the Castel Sant'Angelo, is a towering cylindrical building in Rome, Italy. It was initially commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself and his family. The building was later used by the popes as a fortress and castle, and is now a museum.

The tomb of the Roman emperor Hadrian, also called Hadrian's mole, was erected on the right bank of the Tiber, between 135 AD and 139 AD. Originally the mausoleum was a decorated cylinder, with a garden top and golden quadriga. Hadrian's ashes were placed here a year after his death in Baiae in 138 AD, together with those of his wife Sabina, and his first adopted son, Lucius Aelius, who also died in 138 AD. Following this, the remains of succeeding emperors were also placed here, the last recorded deposition being Caracalla in 217 AD. The urns containing these ashes were probably placed in what is now known as the Treasury room deep within the building. Hadrian also built the Pons Aelius facing straight onto the mausoleum – it still provides a scenic approach from the centre of Rome and the right bank of the Tiber, and is renowned for the Baroque additions of statues of angels holding aloft elements of the Passion of Christ. My dear friend Maria sent me this card.

“Mr. Flying Finn” of Rally Driving

2011-10-11T01:55:00.000-07:00

Timo Mäkinen (born 18 March 1938 in Helsinki, Finland) was one of the original "Flying Finns" of motor rallying. He is most famous for his hat tricks of wins in the RAC Rally and the 1000 Lakes Rally. Mäkinen's start in international rallying came in the 1959 1000 Lakes Rally (now Rally Finland), in a Triumph TR3. He later drove works Austin-Healeys and Minis. In the big Healey, he finished fifth in the RAC Rally in 1963. Mäkinen drove Minis during most of 1964 but came second in the RAC Rally in a Healey, at the end of that year. He returned to the Mini Cooper S in 1965, winning the Monte Carlo Rally and the 1000 Lakes. He came second in the 1965 RAC Rally, again in a Healey.

In 1967, Timo Mäkinen drove his Mini at a high speed through the famous Ouninpohja stage of the 1000 Lakes with the car's bonnet open. Leather straps holding the bonnet were not thoroughly tightened, and they opened after a few rough bounces. He tried to put his head out of the side window but his helmet was too big and he could only stick his head halfway out. So he had to skid the car sideways continuously to see the road ahead. Even so Mäkinen was third fastest on that special stage and he also won the rally overall, for the third year in a row. In 1975, Mäkinen won the RAC for the third time in a row, at the wheel of a Ford Escort, preceded only by Erik Carlsson (Saab 96) in that feat. Mäkinen won the Finnish Rally Championship three times, the ice track championship six times and the saloon car race championship three times. In 1969, Mäkinen competed in the very first Round Britain Powerboat Race, which he won. In 1994, Mäkinen made a brief return as Mini celebrated the 30th anniversary of their 1964 Monte Carlo win by Paddy Hopkirk, who also participated in the race. Mäkinen retired on the second stage with a fuel system problem. My dear friend Merja gave me this maxi card.

Montenegro the pearl of the Mediterranean

2011-10-10T05:11:00.000-07:00

Montenegro, the pearl of the Mediterranean, unique in many ways is situated in the south of the Adriatic. There is nowhere else that you can find, in such a small place, so much natural wealth, beauty, mild beaches, clear lakes, fast rivers and gorgeous mountains – like you can in the small country of Montenegro. In the morning you can wake up along the beautiful Adriatic coast, have lunch on the banks of Skadar Lake, and enjoy the evening walks in the Montenegrin Mountains. Montenegro is a place that cannot leave you indifferent.

Montenegro meaning "Black Mountain" is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the southeast. Its capital and largest city is Podgorica, while Cetinje is designated as the Prijestonica , meaning the former Royal Capital City. This lovely card was sent to me by my friend Karoly.

A bird's eye view of Peter and Paul Fortress - St. Petersburg

2011-10-09T01:44:00.000-07:00

The Peter and Paul Fortress is the original citadel of St. Petersburg, Russia, founded by Peter the Great in 1703 and built to Domenico Trezzini's designs from 1706-1740.The fortress contains several notable buildings clustered around the Peter and Paul Cathedral (1712–1733), which has a 123.2 m (404 ft) bell-tower (the tallest in the downtown) and a gilded angel-topped cupola. The cathedral is the burial place of all Russian tsars from Peter I to Alexander III, with the exception of Peter II. The remains of the Imperial martyrs, Nicholas II and his family and entourage, were also interred there, in the side St.Catherine's Chapel, on the 80th anniversary of their deaths, July 17, 1998. Towards the end of 2006, the remains of Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna were brought from Roskilde Cathedral outside Copenhagen to finally rest next to her husband, Alexander III.

The newer Grand Ducal Mausoleum (built in the Neo-Baroque style under Leon Benois's supervision in 1896-1908) is connected to the cathedral by a corridor. It was constructed in order to remove the remains of some of the non-reigning Romanovs from the cathedral where there was scarcely any room for new burials. The mausoleum was expected to hold up to sixty tombs, but by the time of the Russian Revolution there were only thirteen. The latest burial there was of Nicholas II's first cousin once removed, Grand Duke Vladimir Cyrilovich (1992). The remains of his parents, Grand Duke Cyril Vladimirovich and his wife Viktoria Fyodorovna, were transferred to the mausoleum from Coburg in 1995.

Other structures inside the fortress include the still functioning mint building (constructed to Antonio Porta's designs under Emperor Paul), the Trubetskoy and Alekseyevsky bastions with their grim prison cells, and the city museum. According to a centuries-old tradition, a cannon is fired each noon from the Naryshkin Bastion. Annual celebrations of the city day (May 27) are normally centered on the island where the city was born. The sandy beaches underneath the fortress walls are among the most popular in St. Petersburg. In summer, the beach is often overcrowded, especially when a major sand festival takes place on the shore. This lovely card was sent to me by Olga

HMS Hood

2011-10-08T02:37:00.000-07:00

HMS Hood (pennant number 51) was the last battlecruiser built for the Royal Navy. One of four Admiral-class battlecruisers ordered in mid-1916, her design—although drastically revised after the Battle of Jutland and improved while she was under construction—still had serious limitations. For this reason she was the only ship of her class to be completed. She was named after the 18th-century Admiral Samuel Hood. The Admiral-class battlecruisers were designed in response to the German Mackensen-class battlecruisers which were reported to be more heavily armed and armoured than the latest British battlecruisers of the Renown and the Courageous classes. The design was revised after the Battle of Jutland to incorporate heavier armour and all four ships were laid down. Only Hood was completed, however, because the ships were very expensive and required labour and material that could be put to better use building merchant ships needed to replace those lost to the German U-boat campaign. Hood carried eight 42-calibre BL 15-inch Mk I guns in hydraulically powered twin gun turrets.

When war with Germany was declared in September 1939, Hood was operating in the area around Iceland, and spent the next several months hunting between Iceland and the Norwegian Sea for German commerce raiders and blockade runners. After a brief overhaul to her engine plant, she sailed as the flagship of Force H, and participated in the destruction of the French Fleet at Mers-el-Kebir. Relieved as flagship of Force H, Hood was dispatched to Scapa Flow, and operated in the area as a convoy escort and later as a defence against a potential German invasion fleet. In May 1941, she and the battleship HMS Prince of Wales were ordered to intercept the German battleship Bismarck which was en route to attack convoys in the Atlantic. On 24 May 1941, Hood was struck by several German shells early in the Battle of the Denmark Strait and exploded; the loss had a profound effect on the British. Prime Minister Winston Churchill ordered the Royal Navy to "sink the Bismarck", and they fulfilled his command on 26–27 May. This impressive card was sent to me by my dear friend Maria.

SS Susan Constant

2011-10-07T01:52:00.000-07:00

Susan Constant, captained by Christopher Newport, was the largest of three ships of the English Virginia Company (the others being the Discovery and the Godspeed) on the 1606-1607 voyage that resulted in the founding of Jamestown in the new Colony of Virginia. This picture is of course a model of the original. This card was sent to me by Hank Holliman.

A view of Paris

2011-10-06T01:50:00.000-07:00

This is indeed a lovely view of Paris.

Portland Head Light

2011-10-05T01:55:00.000-07:00

Portland Head Light is a historic lighthouse in Cape Elizabeth, Maine that sits at the entrance of the shipping channel into Casco Bay. The headlight was the first built by the United States government, and is now a part of Fort Williams Park. Cape Elizabeth is the home of Portland Head Light. Situated along the spectacular shores of Fort Williams Park, at 1000 Shore Road, the popular landmark is owned and managed by the Town of Cape Elizabeth, Maine. The Museum at Portland Head Light is contained within the former Keepers' Quarters. The adjacent ninety acre Fort Williams Park offers picnic facilities, hiking opportunities, sports and recreation areas, historic fort structures, and unlimited ocean views. Portland Head has long protected Portland and the adjacent area. Cape Elizabeth residents were deeply committed to American independence from British rule. In 1776, the new Town of Cape Elizabeth posted a guard of eight soldiers at Portland Head to warn citizens of coming British attacks.

In 1787, the General Court of Massachusetts (the Massachusetts legislature) provided $750 to begin construction of a lighthouse. The original tower measured 72' from base to lantern deck and was lit with 16 whale oil lamps. It was first lit on January 10, 1791. By 1865, the tower was raised 20' and a 2nd order Fresnel lens was installed. A portion of this lens may now be seen at the Museum at Portland Head Light. Except for a period between1883 and1885, this lens was in the lighthouse until 1958.

Late on Christmas Eve in 1886, the three masted bark Annie C. Maguire struck the ledge at Portland Head. Keeper Joshua Strout, his son, wife, and volunteers rigged an ordinary ladder as a gangplank between the shore and the ledge the ship was heeled against. Captain O'Neil, the ship's master, his wife, two mates, and the nine man crew clambered onto the ledge and then to safety . The cause of the wreck is puzzling since visibility was not a problem. Members of the crew reported they "plainly saw Portland Light before the disaster and are unable to account for same." My dear Friend Maria sent me thiscard.

Moominworld at Naantali

2011-10-04T02:00:00.000-07:00

Naantali is a city in south-western Finland, known as one of the most important tourist centres of the country. The municipality has a population of 18,782 (31 January 2011),and is located in the region of Finland Proper, 14 kilometres (8.7 miles) west of Turku. One of the oldest towns in Finland, Naantali was founded around the mediaeval Brigittine convent Vallis gratiae, the church of which still dominates its skyline. The name Naantali is the Fennecised version of the Swedish name of the town, Nådendal. The Swedish name was given as a direct translation from the Latin Vallis Gratiae which literally means "The Valley of Grace".

Moomin World (Muumimaailma in Finnish, Muminvärlden in Swedish) is the Moomin Theme Park especially for children, based on the Moomin books by Tove Jansson. Moomin World is on the island of Kailo beside the old town of Naantali, near the city of Turku in Western Finland. The blueberry-coloured Moomin House is the main attraction. Tourists are allowed to freely visit all five stories. Hemulen's yellow house is located next to the Moomin House. It is also possible to see Moominmama's Kitchen, Fire Station, Snufkin's Camp, Moominpappa's boat, etc. in Moomin World. Visitors may meet Moomin characters there or the Witch in her cottage. Moomin World isn't a traditional amusement park. There are many activities and fantasy paths for children there, e.g., Toffle's Path with Witch's Labyrinth, The Hattifatteners' Cave and The Groke's House. There are also performances in Moomin Theatre Emma. Moomin World is open daily from mid-June to mid-August. The nearby Väski Adventure Island is also a special sight for children.

The stamp and the postmark are also very illustrative of the Moominworl Theme. This Card was sent to me by my dear friend Brita from Naantali, which she visited recently.

Moulin Rouge

2011-10-03T02:18:00.000-07:00

Moulin Rouge is a cabaret built in 1889 by Joseph Oller, who also owned the Paris Olympia. Close to Montmartre in the Paris district of Pigalle on Boulevard de Clichy in the 18th arrondissement, it is marked by the red windmill on its roof. This risqué world-famous cabaret, performed in a 19th-century windmill, has been exciting audiences since 1900. I had the dubious pleasure of sneaking into and witnessing the cabaret show there in the Summer of 1957, when rhe 16 year old son of our host, managed to smuggle me into it. It was touch and go for both of us almost.

The Moulin Rouge is best known as the spiritual birthplace of the modern form of the can-can dance. Originally introduced as a seductive dance by the courtesans who operated from the site, the can-can dance revue evolved into a form of entertainment of its own and led to the introduction of cabarets across Europe. Today the Moulin Rouge is a tourist destination, offering musical dance entertainment for visitors from around the world. Much of the romance of turn-of-the-century France is still present in the club's decor. However, it is said that due to better quality cabarets now available in Paris, the Moulin Rouge is left with more of a debatable reputation, than any real high quality. A real pity indeed. My dear friend Maria sent me this card during her recent visit there.

Brown’s Head Light.

2011-10-02T03:04:00.000-07:00

Browns Head Light is a lighthouse in Vinalhaven, Maine. It is on the NW corner of Vinalhaven Island and was first established in 1832. The present structure was built in 1857. Browns Head Light was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as "Browns Head Light Station" on January 27, 1983. This nicely proportioned, compact station includes a fog signal in a small building shaped like a metronome. The lighthouse marks a popular seaway between Vinalhaven and North Haven islands. It is rented to Vinalhaven's town manager but the grounds are open to the public. The Maine State Ferry Service offers daily, year-round transportation to Vinalhaven Island; the lighthouse is at the end of Brown's Head Light Road there. The Brown's Head Light was built in 1832. Thank you Maria for this nice card.

SS Batavia

2011-10-01T01:35:00.000-07:00

Batavia was a ship of the Dutch East India Company (VOC). It was built in Amsterdam in 1628, and armed with 24 cast iron cannons and a number of bronze guns. Batavia was shipwrecked on her maiden voyage, and was made famous by the subsequent mutiny and massacre that took place among the survivors. A twentieth century replica of the ship is also called the Batavia and can be visited in Lelystad, Netherlands. This pretty postcard was given to me by Maria.

USS Portsmouth

2011-09-30T01:39:00.000-07:00

The second USS Portsmouth was a wooden sloop-of-war in the United States Navy in service during the mid-to-late 19th century. She was designed by Josiah Barker and built in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on the lines of a French-built privateer. She was described as an improvement over the USS Saratoga built in the same shipyard a year earlier. The Portsmouth was launched at the Portsmouth Navy Yard on 23 October 1843 and commissioned on 10 November 1844, with Commander John Berrien Montgomery in command. Built in 1843 as a 24 gun sloop of war, the Portsmouth was one of the last naval vessels constructed without steam and boasted as one of the most beautiful ever. Her career, which began with a record breaking voyage from Norfolk to the Sandwich Islands, ranged from participating in the African slave trade to being instrumental in the conquest of California. In this photograph from the late 1800’s the Portsmouth is at her home port where sails and jackets are hung up to dry in the breeze. My dear friend Maria gave me this nice historical card.

German submarine U-995

2011-09-29T01:40:00.000-07:00

German submarine U-995 was a German Type VIIC/41 U-boat of the Kriegsmarine. She was laid down on 25 November 1942 by Blohm & Voss in Hamburg, Germany, and commissioned on 16 September 1943 with Oberleutnant Walter Köhntopp in command.

At the end of the war on 8 May 1945 she was stricken at Trondheim, Norway. She was surrendered to the British and then transferred to Norwegian ownership in October 1948. In December 1952 U995 became the Norwegian submarine Kaura and in 1965 she was stricken by the Royal Norwegian Navy. In 1945 the submarine was captured by the allies and from then it served in the Norwegian navy. The submarine was stricken from Norwegian service in 1965 and the Norwegians offered the German government the boat in 1965 for a token price of 1DM, but they refused. Thankfully the German Navy League (DMB) stepped in, paid the price and took over the boat, provided the space and she became a museum ship at Laboe Naval Memorial in October 1971. The U 995 has found its final destination at the Ostsee beach just a few kilometres from Kiel. The Kriegsmarine put 603 submarines of this type (VIIC/41) into service between 1939 and 1944. It was one of the most important submarine types of the Second World War. From 1943 till 1945 the U 995 fulfilled several missions against allied convoys heading for Murmansk. The U 995 is in a very good condition, looking like it has just returned from a mission. You can walk around the submarine but unfortunately you can't get on the bridge. This nice card was sent to me by Gerald.

Bath Iron Works

2011-09-28T02:15:00.000-07:00

Bath Iron Works (BIW) is a major American shipyard located on the Kennebec River in Bath, Maine, United States. Since it’s founding in 1884 (as Bath Iron Works, Limited), BIW has built private, commercial and military vessels, most of which have been ordered by the United States Navy. The shipyard has built and sometimes designed battleships, frigates, cruisers and destroyers, including the Arleigh Burke class, which are among the world's most advanced surface warships. The card shows some ships being readied for commissioning.

Since 1995, Bath Iron Works has been a subsidiary of General Dynamics, the fifth-largest defense contractor in the world (as of 2008). During World War II, ships built at BIW were considered to be of superior toughness, giving rise to the phrase "Bath-built is best-built." Thank you Maria for this nice card.

Saint Peter’s Square

2011-09-27T01:37:00.000-07:00

Saint Peter's Square is located directly in front of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, the papal enclave within Rome The open space which lies before the basilica was redesigned by Gian Lorenzo Bernini from 1656 to 1667, under the direction of Pope Alexander VII, as an appropriate forecourt, designed "so that the greatest number of people could see the Pope give his blessing, either from the middle of the façade of the church or from a window in the Vatican Palace" (Norwich 1975 p 175). Bernini had been working on the interior of St. Peter's for decades; now he gave order to the space with his renowned colonnades, using the Tuscan form of Doric, the simplest order in the classical vocabulary, not to compete with the palace-like façade by Carlo Maderno, but he employed it on an unprecedented colossal scale to suit the space and evoke emotions awe.

St. Peter's Basilica (Italian: San Pietro in Vaticano) is a major basilica in Vatican City, an enclave of Rome. St. Peter's was until recently the largest church ever built and it remains one of the holiest sites in Christendom. Contrary to what one might reasonably assume, St. Peter's is not a cathedral - that honor in Rome goes to St. John Lateran.

St. Peter's Basilica stands on the traditional site where Peter - the apostle who is considered the first pope - was crucified and buried. St. Peter's tomb is under the main altar and many other popes are buried in the basilica as well. Originally founded by Constantine in 324, St. Peter's Basilica was rebuilt in the 16th century by Renaissance masters including Bramante, Michelangelo and Bernini. This lovely card was sent to me by Maria.