Mount Kirishima

Konnichiwa dear friends. This lovely card comes from Japan, courtesy Hiroko from Kumamoto. Mount Kirishima is a 1700 meter high active volcano group in Kagoshima Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan. Numerous eruptions have been recorded since 742. Very strong eruptions happened in 788, 1716 and 1717.  

The highest peak is Mount Karakuni (1700 m). Other peaks are Takachihonomine (1573 m) and Shinmoedake, both active volcanoes. They are part of Kirishima-Yaku National Park near Mount Kirishima is a 1700 meter high active volcano group in Kagoshima Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan. Numerous eruptions have been recorded since 742. Very strong eruptions happened in 788, 1716 and 1717.

The highest peak is Mount Karakuni (1700 m). Other peaks are Takachihonomine  (1573 m) and Shinmoedake, both active volcanos. They are part of Kirishima-Yaku National Park near Kirishima City. Mount Kirishima is considered one of the 100 Famous Japanese Mountains. The area is often foggy, and it is believed that the name Kirishima comes from the mountain looking like an island in the fog. The Kongō class battlecruiser Kirishima of the Imperial Japanese Navy, and the Kongo class guided missile destroyer Kirishima  of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force were both named after this mountain.

Shinmoedake erupted in January 2011 and again in March 2011. Mount Kirishima is considered one of the 100 Famous Japanese Mountains. The area is often foggy, and it is believed that the name Kirishima comes from the mountain looking like an island in the fog. The Kongō class battlecruiserKirishima of the Imperial Japanese Navy, and the Kongō class guided missile destroyer Kirishima of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force were both named after this mountain.

Shinmoedake erupted in January 2011 and again in March 2011.

Any interesting tid-bit about this mountain is that the secret SPECTER base of “You Only Live Twice” is located under the crater lake that you see at the centre of the picture.

Thank you Dear friend Hiroko for this lovely card.

M/s Skandia

M/s Skandia was Silja Line's first newly buiit car ferry and was put into service on the Turku – Àland – Stockholm route. The ferry carried 1200 passengers and 175 cars and was the first purpose-built car-passenger ferry for year-round service. The bow doors opened fore and aft, resulting in a full-length cardeck.

Thank you Sini from Lahti for this card.

750th Anniversary of the Mongols Battle of Legnitz

The card shows the painting "The Mongols at Liegnitz Battle" by Karl Homely, painted in the year 1870. The Mongol Invasion of Poland from late 1240 to 1241 culminated in the battle of Legnica, where the Mongols defeated an alliance which included forces from fragmented Poland and members of various Christian military orders, led by Henry II the Pious, the Duke of Silesia.

750 years ago, on April 9, 1241, the Mongols under Orda Khan defeated the German army of knights under Henry II of Silesia atLiegnitz. However, the Mongols could not take advantage of their victory, and had to retreat down south, due to internal unrest in their homeland.

The Battle of Legnica , also known as the Battle of Liegnitz was fought between the Mongol Empire and the combined defending forces of European Christendom that took place at on the plains of Legnica Pole (Wahlstatt) near the city of Legnica (Liegnitz) in Silesia on April 9, 1241 in what is now modern-day Poland.  

The Mongols invaded Europe with three armies. One of the three armies was tasked with distracting Poland, before joining the main Mongol force invading Hungary. That army, under Baidar, Kadan and Orda Khan, began scouting operations in late 1240.

The death of Duke Henry, who was close to unifying the Polish lands and reversing their fragmentation, set back the unification of Poland, and also meant the loss of Silesia, which would drift outside the Polish sphere of influence until the unification took place in the 14th century.

Thank you Merja for this nice maxi card, with the pretty stamp postmarked 9.4.1991, commemorating the 750^th anniversary of the famous Battle of Leignitz.

Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest is a 16-day festival celebrating beer held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, running from late September to the first weekend in October. It is one of the most famous events in Germany and is the world's largest fair, with more than 6 million people from around the world attending the event every year. 

To the locals, it is not called Oktoberfest, but "die Wiesn", after the colloquial name of the fairgrounds themselves. The Oktoberfest is an important part of Bavarian culture, having been held since 1810. Other cities across the world also hold Oktoberfest celebrations, modeled after the original Munich event.

Thank you Manuella for this nice card.

Color TV Camera

The color TV camera converts the brightness, hue and color saturation of the image, transferring them into electrical signals. It is the physical realization that each color is represented by appropriate mixing of the three primary colors Red, Green and Blue.

Color television is part of the history of television, the technology of television and practices associated with television's transmission of moving images in color video. In its most basic form, a color broadcast can be created by broadcasting three monochrome images, one each in the three colors of red, green and blue (RGB). When displayed together or in rapid succession, these images will blend together to produce a full color image as seen by the viewer.

This maximum cover with the special stamp postmarked 16.6.1982 commemorates the colour TV camera during a Soccer match in Germany involving the Argentinian team also.

Thank you Maria for this interesting card.

Chernigov

Stacy sent me this card from Chernihiv or Chernigov is a historic city in northern Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Chernihiv Oblast (province), as well as of the surrounding Chernihivskyi Raion (district) within the oblast. The estimated population of the city is  around 299,000 (as of 2006).

Wenchi Crater Lake

Pavel sent me this pretty card as well.

The beautiful Wenchi Crater Lake is 155 km west of Addis Ababa, between Ambo and Welliso.   An extinct volcano (the top of which is 3380 metres above sea level) the crater contains a large lake, hot mineralsprings, waterfalls and beautiful valleys and farmland.

There is an old monastery with a church is situated on one of the lake islands.  

Cape Verde

Thank you Pavel for this pretty picture of waves crashing on a rock coast of Cape Verde. Officially the Republic of Cape Verde, is an island country, spanning an archipelago of 10 islands located in the central Atlantic Ocean, 570 kilometres (350 miles) off the coast of Western Africa. The islands, covering a combined area of slightly over 4,000 square kilometres (1,500 sq mi), are of volcanic origin and while three of them (Sal, Boa Vista and Maio) are fairly flat, sandy and dry, the remaining ones are generally rockier and have more vegetation.

The previously uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized by the Portuguese in the 15th century, and became important in the Atlantic slave trade for their location. The islands' prosperity often attracted privateers and pirates, including Sir Francis Drake, a corsair (privateer) under the authority of the English crown, who twice sacked the (then) capital Ribeira Grande, in the 1580s. The islands were also visited by Charles Darwin's expedition in 1832. The decline in the slave trade in the 19th century resulted in an economic crisis for the islands. With few natural resources, and without strong sustainable investment from the Portuguese, the citizens grew increasingly discontented with the colonial masters, who nevertheless refused to provide the local authorities with more autonomy. A budding independence movement culminated in 1975, when a movement originally led by Amílcar Cabral (who was assassinated on 20 January 1973) then passed onto his half-brother Luís Cabral, achieved independence for the archipelago.

The country has an estimated population (most of them creole) of about 500,000, with its capital city Praia accounting for a quarter of its citizens. Nearly 38% of the population lives in rural areas according to the 2010 Cape Verdean census. The literacy rate is around 85%. Politically, the country is a very stable democracy, with notable economic growth and improvements of living conditions despite its lack of natural resources, and has garnered international recognition by other countries and international organizations, which often provide development aid. Since 2007, Cape Verde has been classified as a developing nation.

Ernst Henne with his BMW World Record Machine in 1936

Ernst Jakob Henne (22 February 1904 – 23 May 2005 (aged 101) ) was a distinguished German motorcycle racer and racecar driver.

Henne was born in the village of Weiler, near Wangen im Allgau. His father was a saddlemaker. In 1919 Henne was apprenticed to a become a motor vehicle mechanic. He started racing in 1923 and in 1925 he competed in the Monza Grand Prix, his first major international event. He placed sixth in the 350cc class.

Henne soon became one of the most successful German motorcycle racers. He was the 1926 German champion in the 500cc class, 1927 German champion in the 750cc class and the 1928 winner of the Targa Florio in Sicily. Between 1928 to 1937, he achieved a total of 76 land speed world records, the last on 28 November 1937 with the 279.5 km/h (173.7 mph) on a fully faired 500cc supercharged BMW. This record stood for 14 years.

Henne was one of the most successful sportsmen in the 1930s in the company of such German greats as Max Schmeling, Gottfried von Cramm, Rudolf Harbig, Rudolf Caracciola, Manfred von Brauchitsch and Bernd Rosemeyer. After the end of World War II, he developed a contract workshop with Mercedes-Benz. In 1991 he founded the Ernst-Jakob-Henne Foundation to help innocent victims of misfortune. From 1996 until the end of his life, he lived in retirement with his wife on the Canary Islands.

Henne died at his home in Gran Canaria in 2005 at the age of 101.

The card Maria gave me shows a photograph of Ernst Henne with his BMW World Record Machine in 1936.The hallmark BMW became a concept of the world as 1929 a racing machine with the white and blue emblem gained the absolute world speed record for the first time. The then fastest man on two wheels, Ernst Henne rode from year to year on constantly enhanced BMW compressor machine new records. In 1937 he finally reached with 279.5 km / h world record.

Thank you Maria for this nice maxicard.

Olavinlinna

Olavinlinna is a 15th-century three-tower castle located in Savonlinna, Finland. It is the northernmost medieval stone fortress still standing.

The castle is built on an island in the Kyrönsalmi strait that connects the lakes Haukivesi and Pihlajavesi.

Thank you Virpi for this nice card.

Kingston

Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the Saint Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario.

Growing European exploration in the 17th century and the desire for the Europeans to establish a presence close to local Native occupants for purpose of trade led to the founding of a French trading post known as Fort Frontenac in 1673. The fort became a focus for settlement.

Located midway between Toronto and Montreal, Kingston was named the first capital of the Province of Canada on February 15, 1841, by Governor Lord Sydenham. While its time as a political centre was short, Kingston has remained an important military installation.

Kingston was the county seat of Frontenac County until 1998. Kingston is a separated municipality from the County of Frontenac. According to the 2011 Canadian census, the population of the city proper was 123,363, while the population of the census metropolitan area (CMA) was 159,561.

Kingston is nicknamed the "Limestone City" because of the many heritage buildings constructed using local limestone.

Look at the lovely stamps Karen has affixed to the card. The prominent stamp is the RMC cadet in his impressive uniform. The Royal Military College of Canada, established in 1876, is Canada's only military university (Collège Militaire Royal in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec is a military college), providing academic and leadership training to officer cadets, other members of Canada's armed forces and civilians. There are currently 1,100 undergraduate students and 500 full and part-time graduate students.

Thank you Karen for this nice card.

Pärnu

Pärnu is a city in southwestern Estonia on the coast of Pärnu Bay, an inlet of the Gulf of Riga in the Baltic Sea. It is a popular summer vacation resort with many hotels, restaurants, and large beaches. The Pärnu River flows through the city and drains into the Gulf of Riga. The city is served by Pärnu Airport.

Pärnu is a health resort of international stature. In addition to guests arriving from around fifty countries, it is also proved by its membership in the European Spas Association (since 2000) and the European Flag that has been flying at the beach of Pärnu since 2000. Many tourists in Pärnu are Finns and Estonians. Hotel and restaurant staff speak English, Russian and some Finnish in addition to Estonian.

Thank you Este for this card. 

Bobsleigh World Championships 1991

1991 Bobsleigh World Championships

This maxi card is about the 1991 World Bobsleigh Championships which was awarded to Altenberg. It was held from 4 to 17 February 1991.

Altenberg is a town in the Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge district, in the Free State of Saxony, Germany. It is situated in the Ore Mountains, close to the border with the Czech Republic, 15 km northwest of Teplice, and 32 km south of Dresden.

It is home of the Altenberg bobsleigh, luge and skeleton track that has been in use since 1987.

The FIBT World Championships 2008 ran February 11–24, 2008 in Altenberg, Saxony, for the fifth time, having done so in 1991 (bobsleigh), 1994 (skeleton), 1999 (skeleton), and 2000 (men's bobsleigh). It was the first time Altenberg has hosted all of the events at one championship.

Thank you Maria for this maxicard with the pretty minisheet on it.

Ithaca College

Aimee sent me this pretty card. What a nice and peaceful scene at the Ithaca College. I’d love to lie down under one of those trees and keep watching the ducks and geese the whole day.

Ithaca College for those who are interested is a private college located on the South Hill of Ithaca, New York, United States. The school was founded by William Egbert in 1892 as a conservatory of music. The college has a strong liberal arts core, but also offers several pre-professional programs and some graduate programs. The college is also known internationally for its communications program:the Roy H. Park School of Communications. 

The college is set against the backdrop of Cayuga Lake, the city of Ithaca, and several waterfalls and gorges. The college is perhaps best known for its large list of alumni who play or have played substantial roles in the world ofbroadcasting. The college has been ranked among the top ten master's universities in the North by U.S. News & World Report every year since 1996. For the 2010 rankings, the college was ranked 7 in this category.

An old Adage

This pretty and thought provoking card was sent to me by Heike from Halle in Germany. Some of you may remember that the composer G.F. Handel was born in Halle, near which flows the River Saale.

Coming back to the card. The main text says, “A great man is he who has not lost his child’s heart”. So true. And the tub boat says it all, “Old Love”. Thank you Heike for this very nice card.

Khamis Mosque in Bahrain

The Khamis Mosque is believed to be the first mosque in Bahrain, built during the era of the Umayyad caliph Umar II. According to Al Wasat journalist Kassim Hussain, other sources mention that it was build in a later era during the rule of Uyunids  with one minaret. The second was built two centuries later during the rule of Usfurids. The identical twin minarets of this ancient Islamic monument make it easily noticeable as one drives along the Shaikh Salman Road in Khamis.

It is considered to be one of the oldest mosques in the region, as its foundation is believed to have been laid as early as 692 AD. An inscription found on the site, however, suggests a foundation date of sometime during the 11th century. It has since been rebuilt twice in both the 14th and 15th centuries, when the minarets were constructed. The Khamis mosque has been partially restored recently.

Thank you Joanita for this nice card.

"Seaknights" by Igor Arty.

Thank you Yulia for this lovely card with the painting of a battle at sea. The "Seaknights" by a well known Ukrainian painter Igor Arty.

Stamp Exhibition ‘Filacento’ 1984

This interesting card was sent to me by Bert from Zwolle in Holland.  It shows the Stamp Exhibition ‘Filacento’ held in Holland on 13.6.1984.

I would also like to draw your attention to the three lovely stamps affixed to the card. The first one was in accordance with the theme of EUROPA86, which was “Conservation of Nature”.

The second stamp commemorated The Roman Catholic Cathedral Church of St. John (Sint-Janskathedraal) of Hertogenbosch, North Brabant which is the height of gothic architecture in the Netherlands. It has an extensive and richly decorated interior, and serves as the cathedral for the bishopric of Hertogenbosch. The cathedral has a total length of 115 and a width of 62 metres. Its tower reaches 73 metres high.

St. John’s Cathedral is a so-called ‘Kanjermonument’ (whopper-monument, loosely translated) and being such, it receives financial support from the Dutch government. In 1985, it received the honorary title of Basilica Minor from Pope John Paul II.

And the third stamp is for the 400^th Death Anniversary of William of Orange. Now, William I, Prince of Orange (24 April 1533 – 10 July 1584), also widely known as William the Silent, or simply William of Orange, who was the main leader of the Dutch revolt against the Spanish that set off the Eighty Years' War and resulted in the formal independence of the William I, Prince of Orange. William joined the Dutch uprising and turned against his former masters. The most influential and politically capable of the rebels, he led the Dutch to several successes in the fight against the Spanish. Declared an outlaw by the Spanish king in 1580, he was assassinated by Balthasar Gérard (also written as "Gerardts") in Delft four years later (1584).

The Arctic Circle

Now, this card is indeed very interesting. It was sent to me by Tonni who lives north of Oslo. The card shows the monument indicating the Polar Circle latitude 66° 33′  . The Arctic Circle Centre is situated by the E6 h ighway at Saltfjellet in the county of Nordland. It is also situated in a national park with wonderful hiking opportunities.

In the area around the centre, there are Russian and Yugoslavian war memorials from World War II. The centre's architecture is adapted to the surrounding nature, and a path made of marble shows how the Arctic Circle runs through the centre. 
At the centre you will find a cafeteria serving Norwegian food, a large souvenir/gift shop and an exhibition covering art, marble and stuffed arctic animals - including Europe's largest stuffed polar bear. There is an excellent movie theatre showing the multi-vision programme "Northern Norway". You will find a post office selling postcards with a special Arctic Circle seal. The Arctic Circle Centre is open from 1 May to 15 September.

The Arctic Circle is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. In 2012, it is the parallel of latitude that run 66° 33′ 44″ (or 66.5622°)  north of the Equator.

The region north of this circle is known as the Arctic, and the zone just to the south is called the Northern Temperate Zone. The equivalent polar circle in the Southern Hemisphere is called the Antarctic Circle.

The Arctic Circle is the southernmost latitude in the Northern Hemisphere at which the sun can remain continuously above or below the horizon for 24 hours (at the June solstice and December solstice respectively). North of the Arctic Circle, the sun is above the horizon for 24 continuous hours at least once per year (and therefore visible at midnight) and below the horizon for 24 continuous hours at least once per year. On the Arctic Circle those events occur, in principle, exactly once per year, at the June and December solstices, respectively.

It would therefore seem that the Arctic Circle marks the southern extremity of the northern hemisphere polar day (24-hour sunlit day, often referred to as the midnight sun) and polar night (24-hour sunless night). In fact, because of atmospheric refraction and mirages, and because the sun appears as a disk and not a point, part of the midnight sun may be seen on the night of the northern summer solstice up to about 50′ (90 km (56 mi)) south of the Arctic Circle; similarly, on the day of the northern winter solstice, part of the sun may be seen up to about 50′ north of the Arctic Circle. That is true at sea level; those limits increase with elevation above sea level although in mountainous regions, there is often no direct view of the true horizon.

The position of the Arctic Circle is not fixed. It directly depends on the Earth's axial tilt, which fluctuates within a margin of 2° over a 40,000 year period, notably due to tidal forces resulting from the orbit of the Moon. The Arctic Circle is currently drifting northwards at a speed of about 15 m (49 ft) per year.

The AEG turbine factory

The AEG turbine factory was built around 1909, in the Berlin district of Moabit, the best known work of architect Peter Behrens. It is an influential and well-known example of industrial architecture. Its revolutionary design features 100m long and 15m tall glass and Steel walls on either sides. A bold move and world first that would have a durable impact on Architecture as a whole.

The site was since 1892, occupied by the electrical company founded by August Thyssen and the Thomson Houston Electric Company, the Union-Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft (UEG). The company's goal was to get into the booming electrical industry, and this site was dedicated to the production of electrical Trams. But the company quickly encountered financial difficulties, and the Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft (AEG) took over in 1904 and planned the construction of a new turbine factory, as the existing factory had become too small.

The architect Peter Behrens was commissioned with the construction of the new building. More than an architect, Behrens was employed from 1907 by AEG as an artistic consultant and designed the company logo, and other company graphics for the building. He was also in charge of the overall image of the company. Initially influenced by the developing Art Nouveau , the architect turned soon to the Werkbund, which in turn was influenced by the British Arts and Crafts.

Thank you Dear Merja for this nice maxicard.

XIV International Botanical Congress Berlin 1987

This maxi card and the lovely stamp on it was to commemorate the XIV International Botanical Congress in Berlin in 1987. The Berlin Congress's motto was “The Forests of the Earth".

International Botanical Congress (IBC) is an international meeting of botanists  in all scientific fields, authorized by the International Association of Botanical and Mycological Societies (IABMS) and held every six years, with the location rotating between different continents. The current numbering system for the congresses starts from the year 1900; the XVIII IBC was held in Melbourne, Australia, 24–30 July 2011, and the XIX IBC will be held in Shenzen, China, 23–29 July 2017.

This nice card was given to me by Maria.

Audrey Hepburn

Dasha from Kiev sent me this lovely card. Audrey Hepburn (born Audrey Kathleen Ruston; 4 May 1929 – 20 January 1993) was a British actress and humanitarian. Recognised as both a film and fashion icon, Hepburn was active during Hollywood's Golden Age. She has since been ranked as the third greatest female screen legend in the history of American cinema and been placed in the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame.

Born in Ixelles, a district of Brussels, Hepburn spent her childhood between Belgium, England and the Netherlands, including German-occupied Arnhem during the Second World War. In Amsterdam, she studied ballet with Sonia Gaskell before moving to London in 1948 to continue ballet training with Marie Rambert and perform as a chorus girl in West End musical theatre productions.

After appearing in several British films and starring in the 1951 Broadway play Gigi, Hepburn played the Academy Award-winning lead role in Roman Holiday (1953). Later performing in successful films like Sabrina (1954), The Nun's Story (1959),Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961), Charade (1963), My Fair Lady (1964) and Wait Until Dark (1967), Hepburn received Academy Award, Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations and accrued a Tony Award for her theatrical performance in the 1954 Broadway playOndine. Hepburn remains one of few people who have won Academy, Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Awards.

She appeared in fewer films as her life went on, devoting much of her later life to UNICEF. Although contributing to the organisation since 1954, she worked in some of the most profoundly disadvantaged communities of Africa, South America and Asia between 1988 and 1992. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in recognition of her work as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in late 1992. A month later, Hepburn died of appendiceal cancer at her home in Switzerland in early 1993 at the age of 63.

Edinburgh

Edinburgh Castle is a fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, from its position atop the volcanic Castle Rock. Human habitation of the site is dated back as far as the 9th century BC, although the nature of early settlement is unclear. There has been a royal castle here since at least the reign of David I in the 12th century, and the site continued to be a royal residence until the Union of the Crowns in 1603. From the 15th century the castle's residential role declined, and by the 17th century its principal role was as a military base with a large garrison. Its importance as a historic monument was recognised from the 19th century, and various restoration programmes have been carried out since. As one of the most important fortresses in the Kingdom of Scotland, Edinburgh Castle was involved in many historical conflicts, from the Wars of Scottish Independence in the 14th century, up to the Jacobite Rising of 1745, and has been besieged, both successfully and unsuccessfully, on several occasions.

Few of the present buildings pre-date the Lang Siege of the 16th century, when the medieval fortifications were largely destroyed by artillery bombardment. The most notable exceptions are St Margaret's Chapel, which dates from the early 12th century and is the oldest surviving building in Edinburgh, the Royal Palace, and the early-16th-century Great Hall. The castle also houses the Honours of Scotland, the Scottish National War Memorial, and the National War Museum of Scotland.

Edinburgh Castle is in the care of Historic Scotland, and is Scotland's most-visited paid tourist attraction, with over 1.3 million visitors in 2011. The British Army is responsible for some parts of the castle, although its presence is largely ceremonial and administrative, including a number of regimental museums. As the backdrop to the annual Edinburgh Military Tattoo it has become a recognisable symbol of Edinburgh and of Scotland.

High above Princes Street, nestled beside Edinburgh Castle, there have probably been dwelling houses for well over 1,000 years. The present buildings, however, only go back to a redevelopment in the 18th century. Since there were no official planning controls in those days, there is a delightful mix of architectural styles, including an octagonal "Goose-pie" house built by Allan Ramsay the poet. There is a beautiful spacious flat, with a panoramic 360 degree view, designed by Sir Patrick Geddes (regarded as the "father" of town planning) which was created to encourage the University professors to return to the "Old Town" of Edinburgh.

The apartments, with their magnificent views over Edinburgh to the river Forth and Fife on the other side of the river, are now privately owned, high priced, luxury dwellings but visitors to Edinburgh Castle will find wandering around on the outside of the complex a rewarding experience. The nearby "Camera Obscura" which was also built by Geddes, offers amazing views of Edinburgh and beyond from the camera which projects its image inside the building. 

Thank you Dear Pamela for this lovely card.