South Harbour, Helsinki

Thank you Leena for this pretty card. What a nice picture the aerial view of South harbour makes. Amongst the many buildings in the background is the imposing Cathedral easily identifiable by its blue dome in the centre of the picture.

South Harbour is a bay and harbour area immediately next to the centre of the city of Helsinki, Finland. It is the largest passenger harbour in Finland, and 5.4 million passengers travel through it every year. Most of the harbour's traffic is to Stockholm, Sweden and Tallinn, Estonia, and cruises. In summer, there is a lot of small ship traffic.

White-tailed Eagle

Thank you Merja for this lovely maxicard of The White-tailed Eagle issued by Lithuania on 8.10.2011. Please note the lovely postmark also showing this big bird. This Eagle, also called the Sea Eagle,  Erne (sometimes Ern). The White-tailed Sea-eagle is a large bird of prey in the family which includes other raptors such as hawks, kites, and harriers. It is considered a close cousin of the Bald Eagle and occupies the same ecological niche, but in Eurasia.

The Barn Swallow

This lovely maxicard from Estonia was given to me by Merja. This stamp and the card was issued to celebrate the fact that the swallow was declared the The Bird of the Year in Estonia. 

The Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) is the most widespread species of swallow in the world. It is a distinctive passerine bird with blue upperparts, a long, deeply forked tail and curved, pointed wings. It is found in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. In Anglophone Europe it is just called the Swallow; in Northern Europe it is the only common species called a "swallow" rather than a "martin".

There are six subspecies of Barn Swallow, which breed across the Northern Hemisphere. Four are strongly migratory, and their wintering grounds cover much of the Southern Hemisphere as far south as central Argentina, the Cape Province of South Africa, and northern Australia. Its huge range means that the Barn Swallow is not endangered, although there may be local population declines due to specific threats, such as the construction of an international airport near Durban.

The Barn Swallow is a bird of open country which normally uses man-made structures to breed and consequently has spread with human expansion. It builds a cup nest from mud pellets in barns or similar structures and feeds on insects caught in flight. This species lives in close association with humans, and its insect-eating habits mean that it is tolerated by man; this acceptance was reinforced in the past by superstitions regarding the bird and its nest. There are frequent cultural references to the Barn Swallow in literary and religious works due to both its living in close proximity to humans and its annual migration. The Barn Swallow is the national bird of Austria and Estonia.

Maritime Romance

Thank you Sveta for this lovely card from the Primorski Krai (Russian Far Eastern Maritime Zone). Yes, it does portray a sense of Maritime Romance.

MV Kronprins Carl Gustaf (1966-1975)

Kronprins Carl Gustaf was built in 1966 by Werft Nobiskrug, Rendsburg for Lion Ferry Ab of Halmstad. Her sisterships were Prins Bertl andGustav Vasa, and B&I Line ferries Munster, Leinster and Innisfallen were developments of the design. Kronprins Carl Gustaf entered service for Lion Ferry between Halmstad-Copenhagen-Travemünde. In 1967 she was transferred to the Trave Line service Helsingborg-Copenhagen-Travemünde. Kronprins Carl Gustaf was chartered to SJ (Statens Järnvägar - Swedish State Railways) in 1969 for their Malmö-Travemünde route. From 1972 this service was run by Rederi Ab Öresund. In 1975, Kronprins Carl Gustaf was sold to Polskie Linijskie Oceanica and renamed Wilanow, for service between Ystad-Swinoujscie. Ownership of Wilanow was transferred to Polska Zeluga Baltycka in 1977 for Swinoujscie-Rønne/ Ystad/ Copenhagen service, marketed as Polferries. In 1991 Wilanow was rebuilt in Gdansk with more berths. She was sold in 1997 to SEM Maritime, and renamed Split 1700 for eastern Mediterranean service. Thank you Merja fgor this nice card.

Shenzhen OCT East – It’s Theme Parks, Resorts, Villages and more

Once again China leaves everyone in awe of the scale of some of  it’s undertakings, people here think big, but I guess they have to! The Shenzen OCT East is a combination of two large theme parks, resort hotels, three small scenic towns, golf courses and more covering an area of 9 square kilometers. It is huge. I guess you could call it destination tourism, a man made one stop holiday utopia.

Their intention is clear, they’ve built a one stop destination for a surreal holiday experience. Packed into one big location is the adventure, excitement, wonder, thrills and eye-opening sights matched together with comfort and relaxation. OCT East is located a little out of the way, about 40 minutes or so from central Shenzhen by bus or taxi. It’s another tourist attraction where its best to arrive early and beat the long entry lines due to volumes of tour buses.

The picture on the card Kathylee sent me is of Huaxing Mahayana Hotel of Shenzhen OCT East, sanctuary of Zen. The Mahayana OCT Boutique Hotel Shenzhen. Located in the breathtaking Wind Valley of OCT East, The Mahayana OCT Boutique Hotel, sanctuary of Zen, within Hua Xing Temple, offers a brand new level of tranquility, elegance, peace and nature for the soul searching being.

A brief about the Hua Xing Temple here won’t be out of place. It is located in the breathtaking Wind Valley of OCT East, and offers the perfect bolthole from the hustle and bustle of city life. It covers 12000㎡and contains Guanyin Statues, Hua Xing Temple, The Mahayana OCT Boutique Hotel, Buddhist Holy Place, Buddhist Music Performance, Grand Hall, Market, vegetarian restaurant, and the Guiyi Pavilion.

Liechtenstein National Day

This item is a Maxicard issued by Liechtenstein on 9^th May 1981.  A lovely 80 Rappen Europa CEPT stamp is affixed to the card.  The beautiful Flower Pageant was par of the National Day procession at the Vaduz Castle. This lovely card was given to me by my friend Merja.

Arctic Olympics

You are right Merja, Finns do have some very interesting habits. But, don't you realise, that, Finland has found a member for their Arctic Olympics.

Sister Mountain

Sister Mountain one of the many picturesque peaks in the Far East of Russia, namely in the Primorye. It is very popular amongst tourists. The stark volcanic top emerges from the autumnal colours of the sides of the mountain. Thank you Sveta for this lovely card.

Asian black bear

The Asian black bear, also known as the moon bear or white-chested bear, is a medium-sized species of bear, largely adapted for arboreal life, seen across much of the Himalayas and the northern parts of the Indian Subcontinent, Korea, northeastern China, the Russian far east and the Honshu and Shikoku islands of Japan. It is classed by the IUCN as a vulnerable species, mostly due to deforestation and active hunting for its body parts. The species is morphologically very similar to some prehistoric bears, and is thought by some scientists to be the ancestor of other extant bear species. Though largely herbivorous, Asian black bears can be very aggressive toward humans, and have frequently attacked people without provocation. The species was described by Rudyard Kipling as "the most bizarre of the ursine species." But, the little fellow on the card seems to be more interested in tree climbing. Thank you once again Sveta.

Old Ironsides - USS Constitution

USS Constitution is a wooden-hulled, three-masted heavy frigate of the United States Navy. Named by President George Washington after the Constitution of the United States of America, she is the world's oldest commissioned naval vessel afloat. Launched in 1797, Constitution was one of six original frigates authorized for construction by the Naval Act of 1794 and the third constructed. Built in Boston, Massachusetts, at Edmund Hartt's shipyard, her first duties with the newly formed United States Navy were to provide protection for American merchant shipping during theQuasi-War with France and to defeat the Barbary pirates in the First Barbary War.

Constitution is most famous for her actions during the War of 1812 against Great Britain, when she captured numerous merchant ships and defeated five British warships: HMS Guerriere, Java, Pictou, Cyane and Levant. The battle with Guerriere earned her the nickname of "Old Ironsides" and public adoration that has repeatedly saved her from scrapping. She continued to actively serve the nation as flagship in the Mediterranean and African squadrons, and circled the world in the 1840s. Retired from active service in 1881, she served as a receiving ship until designated a museum ship in 1907 and in 1934 she completed a three-year, 90-port tour of the nation. Constitution sailed under her own power for her 200th birthday in 1997, and again in August 2012, to commemorate the 200th anniversary of her victory over Guerriere.

Constitution's stated mission today is to promote understanding of the Navy’s role in war and peace through educational outreach, historic demonstration, and active participation in public events. As a fully commissioned US Navy ship, her crew of 60 officers and sailors participate in ceremonies, educational programs, and special events while keeping the ship open to visitors year round and providing free tours. The officers and crew are all active-duty US Navy personnel and the assignment is considered special duty in the Navy. Traditionally, command of the vessel is assigned to a Navy Commander. She is berthed at Pier 1 of the former Charlestown Navy Yard, at one end of Boston's Freedom Trail. Thank you Charli for this lovely card.

Minsk - Upper Town

Minsk is the capital and largest city of Belarus, situated on the Svislač and Niamiha rivers. It is the administrative centre of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). As the national capital, Minsk has a special administrative status in Belarus and is the administrative centre of Minsk Region (voblast) and Minsk raion (district). In 2009, it had a population of 1,836,808.

The card shows a nice view of Upper Town of Minsk, with Svislach River in the foreground and the main churches.

Minsk’s Upper Town is “Where Angels Fear to Tread” is popularly believed.  Minsk’s few remaining historic buildings cluster around the handful of surviving churches that cling grimly to the small hill in the center of the old town that seems to have protected them just as well from the architectural purges of Stalin as it once did from the seasonal floods of the Svisloch River. The architecturally anomalous Holy Spirit Cathedral and its attached monastery complex dominate all with a unique Vilna-Baroque façade and a prime position on the very summit of the upper town. Equally worth looking out for are the Virgin Mary Catholic Church with its attached former Jesuit College and the heavily fortified Saints Peter and Paul Church that was once built into the city wall.Finally remember to drop by the reconstructed Town Hall for a quick look into the city’s somewhat glorious past and it’s hopefully glorious future.  My friend Larissa from Minsk sent me this nice card.

Turku Föri

A truly unique city ferry serves the Aura River, taking passengers from Turku to Åbo and back again in just a few minutes.

Föri (comes from the Swedish word färja) is a light traffic ferry that has served the Aura River for over a hundred years, first taking passengers in 1904. Beloved by Turku citizens, the little orange ferry runs nonstop back and forth across the Aura River approximately 500 metres after the last bridge heading toward the mouth of the river.This card was made specially for the Turku Stamp Club. It depicts the "Föri " of Turku. The stamp on the card (shown) is a customised stamp, also designed for the Turku Stamp Club.

 
Föri takes around a minute and a half to cross the river and starts back when the passengers have been replaced with new ones. Hop aboard – it's free! Thank you Pia, I will, very soon!

Sausages on Hot Stones

'Makkarra', or sausages, which for instance can be cooked on the hot stones in the sauna are very popular in Finland.  Nakkimakkara or literary knock-sausage is popular and pretty much the same as wiener-sausage or frankfurter.

Sausage in natural casing, especially suitable for barbecuing/grilling. Regular barbecue sausages are mainly made with pork, but also a variety of other meats may be used, like chicken, reindeer, salmon,etc. Besides using various meats, the sausage meat may be flavoured with different spices, herbs, peppers, cheese, etc. Nowadays also vegetarian "sausages" are available for grilling. Barbecue sausages are popular "junk food" in Finland, especially in summertime when outdoor grilling is widely practised.

After a sauna session, there’s a customary light meal of sausages (like the one shown on this card sent by Merja), beer and soft drinks, or coffee and pastries.   Tourists might gain a deep understanding of how integral, even holy, the sauna experience is to Finns, whose humour and easy-going charm practically guarantee a fun evening.

Lake Baikal

My friend Tatiana from Irkutsk sent me this card with a view of the famous Baikal. 

Lake Baikal meaning "rich lake" is the world's oldest lake, at 25 million years (possibly older), and deepest, averaging 744.4 m (2,442 ft).

Located in the south of the Russian region of Siberia, between Irkutsk Oblast to the northwest and the Buryat Republic to the southeast, it is the most voluminous freshwater lake in the world, containing roughly 20% of the world's unfrozen surface fresh water.

At 1,642 m (5,387 ft), Lake Baikal is the deepest and among the clearest of all lakes in the world. Similar to Lake Tanganyika, Lake Baikal was formed as an ancient rift valley, having the typical long crescent shape with a surface area of 31,722 km² (12,248 sq mi). Baikal is home to more than 1,700 species of plants and animals, two thirds of which can be found nowhere else in the world and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. It is also home to Buryat tribes who reside on the eastern side of Lake Baikal, rearing goats, camels, cattle and sheep, where the regional average temperatures vary from a minimum of−19 °C (−2 °F) in winter to maximum of 14 °C (57 °F) in summer. Lake Baikal is nicknamed "Older sister of Sister Lakes (Lake Khövsgöl and Lake Baikal)".

Prairies in Canada

Rolf sent me this interesting card showing grain elevators in the prairies in Canada.

The Canadian Prairies is a region of Canada, specifically in Western Canada, which may correspond to several different definitions, natural or political. Notably, the Prairie provinces or simply the Prairies comprise the  provinces of Alberta,  Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, as they are partially covered by prairie(grasslands). In a more restricted sense, the term may also refer only to the areas of those provinces covered by prairie. Prairie also covers portions of northeastern British Columbia, though that province is typically not included in the region in a political sense.

The word prairie usually refers to a type of grassland, and true prairies occur only in the southern reaches of Alberta and Saskatchewan. Contrasted to this are other biomes such as the boreal forest taking up the majority of the Prairie Provinces, or the aspen parkland.

However "the prairies" may also refer to all of the Interior Plains region within Canada, in contrast with the Rocky Mountains and Canadian Shield, and is a continuation of the Great Plains region of the United States.

It may also refer to all of the farmland in the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, a definition based on human use, which includes all of the aspen parkland biome.

Autumn Colours in the Primorye

This really is a very pretty card. What a lovely picture - Autumn Colours in the Primorye. Thank you very much Sveta.