Appella Beach on Karpathos Island

This nice card was sent to me by Jens from Germany. The card has a photo of the Appella Beach on Karpathos Island.

Karpathos is the second largest of the Greek Dodecanese islands, in the southeastern  Aegean Sea. Together with the neighboring smaller Saria Island it forms the municipality of Karpathos, which is part of the Karpathos regional unit. Because of its remote location, Karpathos has preserved many peculiarities of dress, customs and dialect, the last resembling those of Crete and Cyprus. The island has also been called Carpathus in Latin, Scarpanto in Italian and Kerpe in Turkish.

The beaches of Karpathos island can be divided into four large groups: the beaches on the east coast are smaller and gravelly but without wind; the beaches of the southern part of the island, near the airport, area made of fine white sand; the sandy beach on the west coast are the most exposed to the Meltemi and they are only available in low wind conditions; the beaches of the north of the island, accessible only by sea and partly by a jeep.

East Coast: Amoopi, Karpathos Beach, Achata, Kato Latos (reachable only by foot), Kyra Panagia, Apella, Agios Nikolaos (Spoa).

South Coast - Damatria, Diakoftis, Devils Bay, Agriopotamos (nude beach).

West Coast - Lefkos beach, Mesohori Finiki, Arkasa Leucadius.

North Coast - Diafani, Vananda, Forokli

Kiel - The Bicycle City

This card with a photo of a bike was sent to me by Alexandra from Kiel, which is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 240,832 (June 2014).

Alexandra tells me that Kiel is a bicycle city. That's one great way of keeping fit. I loved cycling too, but that was many many years ago. I wonder if I would be able to balance on a cycle now!

A little bit about Kiel. Kiel has also been one of the traditional homes of the German Navy's Baltic fleet, and continues to be a major high-tech shipbuilding centre. Located in Kiel is the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (GEOMAR) at the University of Kiel. Kiel is an important sea transport hub, thanks to its location on the Kiel Fjord (Kieler Förde) and the busiest artificial waterway in the world, Kiel Canal (Nord-Ostsee-Kanal). A number of passenger ferries to Sweden, Norway, Russia, and other countries operate from here. Moreover, today Kiel harbour is an important port of call for cruise ships touring the Baltic Sea.

In 2005 Kiel's GDP per capita was €35,618, which is well above Germany's national average, and 159% of the European Union's average.

Within Germany and parts of Europe, the city is known for its leading handball team, THW Kiel. The city is home to the University of Kiel (established in 1665).

The name of the city is most likely derived from the wedge form of its bay (Keil in German).

The Holy Rosary Cathedral

The Holy Rosary Cathedral  is the oldest Catholic church in Taiwan, located in Lingya District, Kaohsiung, just east of the Love River. It is the seat of the Bishop of Kaohsiung. The cathedral was first established in 1860 and rebuilt to its present dimensions in 1928.

Thank you Yi-zhen for this lovely card.

Frankfurt on the Main

Ellen sent me this card with a view of Frankfurt on the Main. Frankfurt is the most important trade and economic center in Germany. 

This view is over the Main.

Russian Beauty

This lovely card was sent to me by Elena.

Winter in Germany

Roland sent me this card showng a typical winter's scene in Germany.

Painting by Ivan Aivazovsky

The painting shown on the card is by Ivan Aivazovsky (1817-1900). He was a famous marine painter. Maria from Samara in Russsia who sent me this nice card says she like the works of this artist. Thank you Samara.