Finland - Lapland

A reindeer from Finnish Lapland or shoud I say Santa Clausland? Thank you Taru for this nice card.

Holland - Cycling in Dutch Life

Ingrid sent me this nice card about cycles. There is no country in the world where biking is so normal as it is in The Netherlands - except China. This is a tribute to Dutch Bikes. Yes, they really do a lot of bicycling - and they have the bikes to show for it. Want to commute to work or run weekend errands on a bicycle without looking like a sweaty, beady-eyed bike messenger? Want to save the planet and your clothes? Get a Dutch bike. Good for the environment and for keeping fit, bicycles in the Netherlands are more than just a leisure item, they are the workhorses of many families You need to realise that cars (even second-hand ones) are expensive to both buy and run , petrol costs Euro 1.43 per litre (unless it has changed since then). Bikes are so prevalent in The Netherlands that in some places there are just too many. All Dutch train stations have places for bikes to be parked, but when many people make use of that facility, chaos ensues.
One reason why bikes work in Holland is that the country is so flat. What the dutch call hills would hardly be recognized as such in most other countries. Bikes are also very practical in crowded cities. But, you will also find Dutch people riding their bike in the country-side during weekends. You will find bikes in villages. You will find bikes just about everywhere you go in The Netherlands. Try crossing the street in Amsterdam - you won't be able to, if you don't pay attention to the bikes. Bikes could be one reason why Dutch women wear pants so much ;-))

Germany – Ole West

Ole West was born in 1953, the son of the painter Gerhard West in Wedel near Hamburg. He got the first art lessons as 12-year old boy with the Wedeler painter Albert-Ludwig Glaser. In 1975, he began to study at the College of Further Education in Hamburg and finished in 1979 with a diploma in design. After that he created different designs for house fronts, exhibition stands, large graphics, film, project and ships painting, amongst others for the Studio Hamburg of the NDR and the Ernst-Deutsch-Theatre. Since 1984, he lives as a free painter and drawer on the island of Norderney (Germany), with a main focus on etchings, oil watercolour painting and mixed technics. His works are in public and private collections all around the world. Ute sent me this pretty card of the Lighthouse Dicke Berta off Cuxhaven paited by Ole West.Ole West is quite a popular artist in Northern Germany. He combines beautifully nautical maps with his paintings of ships and lighthouses. As characterised by this drawing on the card.

Built in 1871Dicke Berta has been Inactive since 1983 13 m (43 ft) round cylindrical steel tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern and gallery black. The lighthouse carried the front light of a range; the rear light was the 34 m (112 ft) cast iron Osterende-Groden Oberfeuer, nicknamed Schlanke Anna (Skinny Anna). Between 1915 and 1918 Dicke Berta was taken down and rebuilt a short distance away because of a change in the range line. The range was replaced in 1968 by the Altenbruch-Wehldorf range, but Dicke Berta remained active until 1983. The lighthouse was then transferred to a preservation society, which has restored the building. The building has since become a popular site for weddings. Located near the Altenbruch harbor.

Germany – Sanssouci, Potsdam

Annett sent this lovely card about the famous palace in Potsdam. Potsdam incidentally is the capital city of the German federal state of Brandenburg and is part of the Metropolitan area of Berlin/Brandenburg. It is situated on the River Havel, 24 km (15 miles) southwest of Berlin city center.

Sanssouci is the name of the former summer palace of Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, in Potsdam, near Berlin. It is often counted among the German rivals of Versailles. While Sanssouci is in the more intimate Rococo style and is far smaller than its French Baroque counterpart, it too is notable for the numerous temples and follies in the park. The palace was designed by Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff between 1745 and 1747 to fulfill King Frederick's need for a private residence where he could relax away from the pomp and ceremony of the Berlin court.

Taiwan

USA – Howard Chandler Christy

Born in 1873, Howard Chandler Christy was just 22 when the first "Christy Girl" was published in the November, 1895 issue of The Century magazine. Actually, he produced four images for the story, The Tragedy of the Comedy, by Chester Bailey Fernald (who?) and they depicted five women and little else. Like his contemporaries, W.T. Benda, Franklin Booth, Frank Craig, Harrison Fisher, and J.C. Leyendecker, he was a young artist in New York at a time when the magazines of the day were clamoring for images.

The patriotism he displayed in the Spanish-American war was rekindled during WWI. He drew upon that fervor and his tremendous talent to create posters for the war effort. Among the most popular were his Red Cross and Navy images, both featuring the famous Christy Girl. A lesser-known, similar image appeared in the 1921 Naval Academy yearbook. Mary Jones send me this card, with the picture that was so popular during WWII.

Cyprus- boat

Lovers of ships and boats are bound to love this little boat. It may differ slightly from the traditional ;-)), but this tree bark boat looks definitely sea-worthy. Merja thanks.

USA – Mount Rainier

Mount Rainier is a massive stratovolcano located 54 miles (87 km) southeast of Seattle, United States. It is the most prominent mountain in the contiguous United States and the Cascade Volcanic Arc, with a summit elevation of 14,411 feet (4,392 m). Mt. Rainier is considered one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world, and it is on the Decade Volcano list. Because of its large amount of glacial ice, Mt. Rainier could potentially produce massive lahars that would threaten the whole Puyallup River valley. Thank you Hemant for this nice card.

Lithuania - Nida

Nida is a resort town in Lithuania, located on the Curonian Spit. It has 1,650 residents and is the administrative center of the Neringa municipality. Nida Airport is located in the town. Nida is the westernmost point of Lithuania and the Baltic States. The town is an upmarket holiday resort, hosting about 200,000-300,000 tourists each summer, mostly Lithuanians, Germans, Latvians, and Russians. It is characterized by low-key entertainment and a distinct family focus. Since 2000, a jazz festival has been organised every year. There are also interesting places to see nearby, including some of the highest sand dunes in Europe, a large sundial (now partially destroyed by storm), fisherman's ethnographic museum, gallery-museum of amber, neo-Gothic church (built in 1888). There is also a camping site. Nida's beach participates in the Blue Flag Programme. This card was sent by Ausra.

Netherlands - 25th Anniversary of Queen Beatrix & Claus

This lovely maxi card is about the 25^th Wedding Anniversary of Queen Beatrix & Claus of the Netherlands. The 1966 marriage of Princess Beatrix to German-born Prince Claus, sparked a wave of protests. The discovery that he had been a member of Nazi youth organizations and served in the German army during World War II, only intensified the animosity many Dutch felt toward Claus. It had been 21 years since the end of the Second World War, but the Dutch people still had deep scars from the Nazi German occupation of their country. The very thought of their future Queen marrying a man who served in Hitler's army was impossible for many to accept. From the start, Prince Claus worked hard to win over the Dutch people. Unlike his father-in-law, Prince Bernhard, Prince Claus learned to speak Dutch without a trace of a German accent. A modest man, he refused all honorary degrees, employed wit, charm and patience to overcome Dutch hostility and win the affection of his adopted nation. Matters were substantially improved when he and the future Queen produced the first male heir in the Dutch Royal House in over a century. Two additional sons were born in 1968 and 1969. Her mother, Queen Juliana, was Queen of the Netherlands from 1948 until her 71st birthday, April 30th, 1980, when she abdicated in favor of her daughter Beatrix. In April of 2005, Queen Beatrix celebrated the 25th anniversary of her reign. Willem sent me this nice card.

Finland - Valentine's Day

Wishing You All a Very Happy Valentine's Day.

Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Valentine and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 500 AD. It was deleted from the Roman calendar of saints in 1969 by Pope Paul VI, but its religious observance is still permitted. It is traditionally a day on which lovers express their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as "valentines"). The day first became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished. Modern Valentine's Day symbols include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten valentines have given way to mass-produced greeting cards.

USA - The Great Smoky Mountains

The Great Smoky Mountains are a mountain range rising along the Tennessee-North Carolina border in the southeastern United States. They are a sub range of the Appalachian Mountains, and form part of the Blue Ridge Physiographic Province. The range is sometimes called the Smoky Mountains or the Smokey Mountains, and the name is commonly shortened to the Smokies. The Great Smokies are best known as the home of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which protects most of the range. The park was established in 1934, and, with over 9 million visits per year, it is the most-visited national park in the United States. The Great Smokies are part of an International Biosphere Reserve. The range is home to an estimated 187,000 acres (760 km²) of old growth forest, constituting the largest such stand east of the Mississippi River. The cove hardwood forests in the range's lower elevations are among the most diverse ecosystems in North America, and the Southern Appalachian spruce-fir forest that coats the range's upper elevations is the largest of its kind. The Great Smokies are also home to the densest black bear population in the Eastern United States and the most diverse salamander population outside of the tropics.

Along with the Biosphere reserve, the Great Smokies have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The U.S. National Park Service preserves and maintains 78 structures within the national park that were once part of the numerous small Appalachian communities scattered throughout the range's river valleys and coves. The park contains five historic districts and nine individual listings on the National Register of Historic Places. The name "Smoky" comes from the natural fog that often hangs over the range and presents as large smoke plumes from a distance. This fog, which is most common in the morning and after rainfall, is the result of warm humid air from the Gulf of Mexico cooling rapidly in the higher elevations of Southern Appalachia. Thank you Hemant.

France - Boulogne-sur-Mer

Boulogne-sur-Mer is a city in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department of Pas-de-Calais. The population of the city was 44,859 in the 1999 census, whereas that of the whole metropolitan area was 135,116. The name Boulogne was first recorded during the Roman Empire as Bononia, a derivative of the Germanic word bona meaning "plank floor", related to "Bühne", German for theater stage and also found in Vindobona, the Roman name for Vienna. A "bona" was probably a granary. This derivation is also found in the name of the Italian city of Bologna. This city was founded by the Germanic Boii. "Sur mer" is French meaning "on the sea". This nice card was sent by Fleur.

USA - The 94th Aero Squadron

The 94th Aero Squadron was one of the first American fighter squadrons to see combat service in World War 1. Though America was late coming into the war as far as air fighting was concerned, they succeeded in contributing greatly to it's outcome with such personages as Eddie Rickenbacker and Raol Lufberry. Both men were members of the 94th, "Hat in the Ring" Aero Squadron which was based in Toul France, Just 18 miles from the German border. The 94th Fighter Squadron has a long history and traditions that date back to World War I. The squadron was officially activated at Kelly Field, Texas, on 20 August 1917, as the 94th Aero Squadron. On 8 April 1924, the unit was officially consolidated with the 103d Aero Squadron which was organized on 31 August 1917. The squadron today flies advanced air dominance fighter, the F-22A Raptor, being the USAF's second operational F-22 squadron in 2006.

But, what I want to tell you about is The 94th Aero Squadron Restaurant, San Diego, California, which over looks the runway of College Park Airport, the oldest, continuously operating airport in the world. The entire dining room faces this historic airport, and its lights lend to our special atmosphere. On warm evenings and at lunchtime you can sit outdoors on a grassy embankment at umbrella topped tables and be surrounded by an old model airplane, an army jeep, and a duck pond. It would be difficult to find another restaurant with as much warmth and charm as the 94th Aero Squadron. Located inside a replica of a World War I French farmhouse, the restaurant sits overlooking Montgomery Field Airport, and is packed full of military memorabilia, antique farm implements, and aviation relics. The interior is cozy and romantic, with huge stone fireplaces, masses of hanging green plants, dark wood paneling, beamed ceilings, and old airplane wings hanging over the dining area. There are even headphones at some of the tables for diners to listen to the FAA control tower.

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

The Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon is a group of small French islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, the main islands being Saint Pierre and Miquelon, south of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The islands are as close as 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) from Green Island, part of Newfoundland. The archipelago has the status of overseas collectivity within France. It is the only remnant of the former colonial empire of New France that remains under French control. Saint-Pierre is French for Saint Peter, who is a patron saint of fishermen. The present name of Miquelon was first noted in the form of "Micquelle" in the Basque sailor Martin de Hoyarçabal's navigational pilot for Newfoundland. It has been claimed that the name "Miquelon" is a Basque form of Michael, but it appears that this is not a usual form in that language. Many Basques speak Spanish as well as their native-tongue, and Miquelon may have been influenced by the Spanish name Miguelón, a form of Miguel meaning "big Michael". BTW this is my first card from these islands, and the stamp on it is also my first from SP & M. Thank you Christine for sending this card.

Finland – Nature and Finland

This lovely card is all about Nature and Finland. National Parks are Finland’s Natural Treasures. National parks are over-1,000-hectare protected areas, which are also natural sights open to everyone. Their primary purpose is to ensure the diversity of Finnish nature. National parks are established by law on state-owned lands. The natural features and landscape in national parks are typical of Finland, but they are also a nationally and internationally valuable part of our nature. They have within them national landscapes and other natural sights. This nice card was sent to me by Kathleen.

Germany

A calendar card showing lighthouses in Germany, besides of course the months and days of 2011. This nice card was sent to me by Helga.

Japan

A luxury liner with Mount Fujiyama in the background. Mount Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan at 3,776.24 m (12,389 ft). An active stratovolcano that last erupted in 1707–08, Mount Fuji lies about 60 miles south-west of Tokyo, and can be seen from there on a clear day. Mount Fuji's exceptionally symmetrical cone is a well-known symbol of Japan and it is frequently depicted in art and photographs, as well as visited by sightseers and climbers. It is one of Japan's "Three Holy Mountains" along with Mount Tate and Mount Haku. This nice card was sent to me by Y. Yonchara

Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in the United States in the state of Arizona. It is largely contained within the Grand Canyon National Park, one of the first national parks in the United States. President Theodore Roosevelt was a major proponent of preservation of the Grand Canyon area, and visited it on numerous occasions to hunt and enjoy the scenery. The Grand Canyon is 277 miles (446 km) long, up to 18 miles (29 km) wide and attains a depth of over a mile (1.83 km) (6000 feet). Nearly two billion years of the Earth's geological history have been exposed as the Colorado River and its tributaries cut their channels through layer after layer of rock while the Colorado Plateau was uplifted. While the specific geologic processes and timing that formed the Grand Canyon is the subject of debate by geologists, recent evidence suggests the Colorado River established its course through the canyon at least 17 million years ago. Since that time, the Colorado River continued to erode and form the canyon to the point we see it at today. Before European immigration, the area was inhabited by Native Americans who built settlements within the canyon and its many caves. The Pueblo people considered the Grand Canyon ("Ongtupqa" in Hopi language) a holy site and made pilgrimages to it. The first European known to have viewed the Grand Canyon was García López de Cárdenas from Spain, who arrived in 1540. Thank you Hemant. This is really a very impressive card.

UK – Henry Blogg, G.C., B.E.M

One of the Bravest Men Who Ever Lived. Coxswain Henry Blogg (1876-1954) was the RNLI's most decorated lifeboatman. During his 53 years of service Blogg was awarded three Gold and four Silver RNLI medals for gallantry, as well as the George Cross and British Empire Medal. The card shows his awards and all his medals. With the assistance of his dedicated crew, he launched some 387 times and helped to save 873 lives around the Cromer coast. This card will always be very special for me. Thank you Mary.

San Giulio Island

San Giulio Island (Isola di San Giulio) is an island within Lake Orta in Piedmont, northwestern Italy. The island is 275 meters long (north/south), and is 140 meters wide (east/west). The largest structure on the island is the Basilica of Saint Giulio. The large island, just west of the lakeshore village of Orta San Giulio, has some very picturesque buildings, and takes its name from a local saint (Julius of Novara), who lived in the fourth century. In the 9th century the bishop of Novara built the Basilica of Saint Giulio on the island. William of Volpiano (Saint William of Dijon) was born here in 962, in the family citadel located on the island.

According to the legend, a big serpent that destroyed everything dominated the Island of St. Giulio. But when St. Giulio, who had the power to command the waves, the storms, wild animals and human beings, arrived near the lake, waving his hand. He chased away the dangerous and menacing animal. He reached the Island journeying over the water on his cloak guided by his staff. The big reptile disappeared and St. Giulio, tired and near to his death, thought that the island was the right place to build his hundredth and last church dedicated to the Holy Apostles. The Island of San Giulio is today a place of great mysticism. Here was born in 962 William of Volpiano, during the siege to Queen Willa by Emperor Otto, King Berengario II's wife, who had taken the Island from the Bishop of Novara. The big central building was a Castle. The island was the governor 's seat that represented the bishop. In 1842 it was destroyed to build a seminary in its place. Now there is a Benedictin monastery that helps giving more mystic power to a place that is by nature immersed in the silence. This pretty card was sent to me by Barbara.

Belarus - Minsk

Minsk is the capital and largest city in Belarus, situated on the Svislach and Niamiha rivers. Minsk is also a headquarters of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). As the national capital, Minsk has a special administrative status in Belarus and is also the administrative centre of Minsk Region (voblast) and Minsk raion (district). It has a population of 1,837,000 inhabitants (2009). The earliest references to Minsk date to the 11th century (1067), when it was a provincial city within the principality of Polotsk. In 1242, Minsk became a part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and it received its town privileges in 1499. From 1569, it was a capital of the Minsk Voivodship in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. It was annexed by Russia in 1793, as a consequence of the Second Partition of Poland. From 1919–1991, Minsk was the capital of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1499 Minsk received the so called Magdebourg right - the right of an independent city, the inhabitants of which were released from feudal duties, from the court and the authority of voivodes and other state persons.

The picture is of the very impressive Independence Square in Minsk. There is a monument of Lenin there. As a matter of fact the previous name of this square was in fact Lenin Square. The red building to the right of the picture is the Catholic Church of St. Simon & Helen. The locals also call it the Red Catholic Church. My friend Nastya sent this card to me.

France - Vintage Stuff

Wow! What a beauty. Don't you feel like driving this great Vintage 1922 Renault 45? This lovely card was sent to me by Elvira.

Germany - Fastest train in Germany

The fastest train in Germany is the ICE or the Inter City Express. As the name indicates the train travels to bigger cities only. The train travels at 300 Kilometers per hour or 186 Miles per hour according to the Deutsche Bahn or the German train company. The ICE is the most comfortable form of travel in Germany, but it is also the most expensive form of travel. Alexander sent this exceptional card to me. I would have loved to travel by this train but it reaches its destination too quickly! What’s the use of being in such a great train if the journey is not at least three or more days ;-}}

France - Pierres Noires

This lovely picture – A lighthouse in stormy seas -Pierres Noires (“Black Rocks") lighthouse, built between 1867 and 1871 is located at sea on Conquet city limits, Finistère district in France. It secures and lights Saint Mathieu fore land and path since May 1st 1872. The original signal was a red flash, 10 seconds interval. In 1872 mineral oil was used as light fuel, then lamp-oil vapours in 1903, electricity was used from 1984. Automated in 1992, it is remotely controlled from Créac'h lighthouse (Ouessant Island). This lovely card is from Merja.

USA - North Pole Exploration - USS Polaris

The Polaris expedition (1871) was led by the American Charles Francis Hall, who intended it to be the first expedition to reach the North Pole. Sponsored by the United States government, it was one of the first serious attempts at the Pole, after that of British naval officer William Edward Parry, who in 1827 reached latitude 82°45′ North. The expedition failed at its main objective, having been troubled throughout by insubordination, incompetence, and poor leadership.

Under Hall's command, the Polaris departed from New York City in June 1871. By October, the men were wintering on the shore of northern Greenland, making preparations for the trip to the Pole. Hall returned to the ship from an exploratory sledging journey, and promptly fell ill. Before he died, he accused members of the crew of poisoning him. An exhumation of his body in 1968 revealed that he had ingested a large quantity of arsenic in the last two weeks of his life.

The expedition's notable achievement was reaching 82°29'N latitude by ship, a record at the time. On the way southward, nineteen members of the expedition became separated from the ship and drifted on an ice floe for six months and 1,800 miles (2,900 km) before being rescued. The damaged Polaris was run aground and wrecked near Etah, Greenland, in October 1872. The remaining men were able to survive the winter, and were rescued the following summer. A naval board of inquiry investigated Hall's death, but no charges were ever laid. Ella sent this card too.

USA - North Pole Exploration - Admiral Peary's Ship

Robert Edwin Peary, Sr. (May 6, 1856 – February 20, 1920) was an American explorer who claimed to have been the first person, on April 6, 1909, to reach the geographic North Pole. Peary's claim was widely credited for most of the 20th century, though it was criticized even in its own day and is today widely doubted.

For his final assault on the pole, he and 23 men set off from New York City aboard the Roosevelt under the command of Captain Robert Bartlett on July 6, 1908. They wintered near Cape Sheridan on Ellesmere Island and from Ellesmere departed for the pole on February 28-March 1, 1909. The last support party was turned back from "Bartlett Camp" on April 1, 1909, in latitude no greater than 87°45' north. (The figure commonly given, 87°47', is based upon Bartlett's slight miscomputation of the distance of a single Sumner line from the pole.) On the final stage of the journey towards the North Pole only five of Peary's men, Matthew Henson, Ootah, Egigingwah, Seegloo and Ooqueah, remained. On April 6, he established "Camp Jesup" allegedly within 5 miles (8.0 km) of the pole. In his diary for April 7, Peary wrote: "The Pole at last!!! The prize of three centuries, my dream and ambition for twenty-three years. Mine at last." Peary was unable to enjoy the fruits of his labors to the full extent when, upon returning to civilization, he learned that Dr. Frederick A. Cook, who had been a surgeon on an 1891-92 Peary expedition, claimed to have reached the pole the year before. Ella sent me this important card.