Israel - Sinai Peninsula

Vera from Israel sent me this map card of The Sinai Peninsula; Sinai is a triangular peninsula in Egypt which is about 60,000 km² (23,000 sq mi). It lies between the Mediterranean Sea to the north, and the Red Sea to the south, and is the only part of Egyptian territory located in Asia as opposed to Africa. In addition to its formal name, Egyptians also refer to it affectionately as the "Land of Fayrouz", based on the Ancient Egyptian "Dumafkat", which has the same meaning. The bulk of the peninsula is divided into two Egyptian governorates (with three more splitting the Suez Canal area), and has a population of approximately 500,000 people.

The region has historically been the center of conflict between various political factions, based largely on its location. In addition to periods of direct rule by Egyptian governments (including the Ayyubids, the Mamluks, the Muhammad Ali Dynasty, and the modern Egyptian republic), it was like the rest of Egypt also occupied and controlled by the Ottoman Empire, and the United Kingdom which occupied Egypt from 1882 onwards. Israel occupied Sinai in the Suez Crisis of 1956, and again during the Six Day War of 1967. In the October War of 1973, it was the site of fierce fighting between Egyptian and Israeli forces. In 1982, after the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty of 1979, Israel withdrew from the entirety of Sinai. Today, Sinai has become a tourist destination due to its natural setting, rich coral reefs, and biblical history. Mount Sinai is one of the most religiously significant regions in Abrahamic faiths.

Netherlands - Friesland

Friesland is a province in the north of the Netherlands. Up until the end of 1996, the province bore Friesland as its official name. In 1997 this Dutch name lost its official status to the Frisian Fryslân. Nevertheless, Friesland remains in common usage, being the Dutch (and English) name for the province. Friesland has 646,000 inhabitants (2010) and its capital is Leeuwarden (W.Frisian: Ljouwert), with 91,817 inhabitants, in the center of the province. Fryslân distinguishes itself from the other eleven provinces by having its own language, West Frisian, which is also spoken in a small adjacent part of the province of Groningen, to the east. Closely related languages, East Frisian ("Seeltersk", which is different from "East Frisian (Ostfriesisch)", a collection of Low German dialects of East Frisia) and North Frisian, are spoken in the Saterland and in North Friesland areas in Germany, respectively. Friesland is mainly an agricultural province. The famous black and white Frisian cattle and the well known black Frisian horse originated here. Tourism is another important source of income, principal greatest tourist destinations including the lakes in the south west of the province, and the islands in the Wadden Sea in the north. Another interesting feature is the presence of many windmills. There are 195 windmills in the province of Friesland, from a total of about 1200 in the entire country. This lovely map card of the area was sent to me by Mariska.

Czech Republic - Vlasta Burian

Josef Vlastimil Burian, better known as Vlasta Burian (April 9th, 1891, Liberec - January 31st, 1962, Prague) was a Czech stage and film actor and director, singer, sportsman, businessman, author and imitator. His boundless spontaneity and urge to win turned him into a real star on the Czech film and theatre scene. One of the most popular Czechoslovak stars between the two world wars, he was unjustly sentenced for Nazi collaboration. Vlasta Burian, winner of the King of Comedians award, as well as movies starring him are still widely popular among Czech audiences. He is well known in the Czech Republic for his comic roles in many movies before and during World War II. He ran a popular comic theatre until 1944, when the Nazis closed down all Czech-language theatres. After the war Burian was charged and convincted of collaboration with the Nazis. He was briefly imprisoned, and then not permitted to return to the stage until 1950. He was officially exonerated of all charges in 1994. His famous movie partner was Jaroslav Marvan, with whom he made many movies. Thank you Stan for this nice card with the commemorative stamp and the special postmark.

Belarus – Mir Castle

Mir Castle is a unique monument of Belarusian architecture, it was built by duke Ilinich in early 16th century near village Mir (Grodno Region) instead of wooden feudal farmstead, which existed there in 15th century. This is a square-planned building with towers at the corners. The fifth tower had a drawbridge and a forged grille chersa which could urgently stop a sudden attack. The castle was well adapted for gunshot defense. Its walls had two rows of loop-holes, and its towers were intended for heavy cannon shooting from them. The basis of the volumetric castle's composition is its high towers which jut out beyond the wall-line. All of them have the same structure - tetrahedral core with octahedral top, but they differently decorated which gives original decorative value and beauty to the castle. Since 1568 the Mir Castle was owned by Dukes Radziwils, who finished its building in Renaissance style. A three-storied palace was built along the eastern and northern walls. Its plastered facades were decorated with lime-stone portals, plates, balconies and porches. During excavations they collected a lot of glazed tiles with vegetable and geometrical ornaments, and coats of arms of the castle's owners. Earth walls were made around the castle with bastions at the corners; a water moat surround them. To the north of the walls an Italian garden was laid, to the south - an artificial lake. Despite numerous destruction's (the heaviest were during 1812 war) the Mir Castle survived till now; and at present it is being successfully restored. This monument is under UNESCO's auspices. This lovely card was sent to me by Maria.

Cyprus – Michael Jordan

Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963) is a former American professional basketball player, active businessman, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats. His biography on the National Basketball Association (NBA) website states, "By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time. Jordan was one of the most effectively marketed athletes of his generation and was instrumental in popularizing the NBA around the world in the 1980s and 1990s.
After a standout career at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was a member of the Tar Heels' National Championship team in 1982, Jordan joined the NBA's Chicago Bulls in 1984. He quickly emerged as a league star, entertaining crowds with his prolific scoring. His leaping ability, illustrated by performing slam dunks from the free throw line in slam dunk contests, earned him the nicknames "Air Jordan" and "His Airness". He also gained a reputation for being one of the best defensive players in basketball. In 1991, he won his first NBA championship with the Bulls, and followed that achievement with titles in 1992 and 1993, securing a "three-peat". Although Jordan abruptly retired from basketball at the beginning of the 1993–94 NBA season to pursue a career in baseball, he rejoined the Bulls in 1995 and led them to three additional championships (1996, 1997, and 1998) as well as an NBA-record 72 regular-season wins in the 1995–96 NBA season. Jordan retired for a second time in 1999, but returned for two more NBA seasons from 2001 to 2003 as a member of the Washington Wizards. This cool maxicard from Cyprus was given to me by Merja.

Cyprus – The Green Line of Nicosia

The United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus runs for more than 180.5 kilometres (112.2 mi) along what is known as the Green Line and has an area of 346 square kilometres (134 sq mi). The zone partitions the island of Cyprus into a southern area effectively controlled by the government of the Republic of Cyprus (which is the de jure government for the entire island save for the British Sovereign Base Areas), and the northern area controlled by the Turkish army. The term Green Line refers to the cease fire line that de facto divides the island nation of Cyprus into two, cutting through the capital of Nicosia. It was first established in 1964, when Major-General Peter Young was the commander of a "peace force", a predecessor of the present UNFICYP. After stationing his troops in different areas of Nicosia, the general drew a cease-fire line on a map with a dark green crayon, which was to become known as the "Green Line". The Green Line became impassable following the July 1974 invasion by Turkey which intervened by air, sea, and land, capturing approximately 8% of Cyprus territory in response to a short lived Greek Cypriot coup (Greek-inspired coup d'etat that sought to overthrow the government of President Makarios. Three days later, the coup was dissolved, and the elected government was re-established). When the coup dissolved, the Turkish Armed Forces advanced to capture approximately 37% of the island and meet the "Green Line". The meandering green line marks the southernmost points that the Turkish troops occupied during the Turkish Invasion of Cyprus in 16 August 1974. With the self-proclamation of the internationally unrecognized Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, the Green Line became its de facto southern border.

This line is also referred to as the Attila Line on some maps, named after the Turkish code-name for the 1974 military intervention: Operation Atilla. The closed off zone has become a haven for Cyprus' wildlife, an example of an involuntary park. Traffic across the buffer zone was very limited until 2003, when the number of crossings and the rules governing them were relaxed. My Dear Friend Merja sent me this lovely card.

Moldova – King Petru Aron

Peter III Aaron, bastard son of Alexandru cel Bun, was a Voivode (Prince) of Moldavia on three separate occasions: October 1451 to February 1452, August 1454 to February 1455, and May 1455 to April 1457. The first two were during a civil war with Alexăndrel. Aron ascended to the throne after assassinating Bogdan II, while the latter was at a wedding in Rauseni. Immediately, his rule was challenged by Alexăndrel, whom Petru managed to defeat in March 1455, forcing Alexăndrel to take refuge in the fortress at Cetatea Albă. Petru confirmed his father's commercial privileges awarded to Polish traders in Moldavia, and took an oath of vassalage to King Casimir IV. In 1456, Petru agreed to pay the Ottomans a tribute of 2,000 gold ducats, in order to ensure his southern borders, thus becoming the first of the Moldavian rulers to accept the Turkish demands.

The real challenge to his throne came with Bogdan II's son Ştefan cel Mare. The young prince had been given the protection of Kingdom of Hungary captain-general John Hunyadi and, after John's death, that of Vlad III Dracula (Vlad Ţepeş) - the new Prince of Wallachia. According to the interpretation of the account in the Chronicle (Letopiseţ) of Putna, Vlad had offered Ştefan his full support for his venture. In April 1457, after two battles, Petru was deposed and had to flee, taking refuge first in Poland and then in Székelyföld. There, he played a part in increasing the tensions between Ştefan cel Mare and King Matthias Corvinus. Following Matthias's incursion and subsequent defeat at the Battle of Baia (December 15 1467), Petru was captured and executed.

Petru Aron issued new billon (is an alloy of a precious metal (most commonly silver, but also mercury) with a majority base metal content (such as copper). It is used chiefly for making coins, medals, and token coins.) and copper currency - on the grosh design but struck in better silver, probably as a part of a reform in monetary standards. My Dear friend Leisea sent me this nice maxi card.