Russia – Wishing you All a Happy New Year from Vladivostok.

Vladivostok. Its right on the Southern edge of Siberia. With temperatures varying from a comfortable 30 plus in Summer to freezing minus 40 sometimes on Winter nights. I spent two very enjoyable winters there in the late ‘60s. By sending this delightful card Elena from the Primorski Krai in Siberian Russia has rekindled so many old memories. Thank you Elena , and a Very Happy New Year to You too.

Germany

This pretty card was painted by Daniela just 10 years old from SOS – Kinderdorf in Munich, Germany. Interestingly it was sent to me by another Daniela from Germany.

SOS Children's Villages (German: SOS-Kinderdorf) is an independent, non-governmental international development organisation which has been working to meet the needs and protect the interests and rights of children since 1949. It was founded by Hermann Gmeiner in Imst, Austria. It has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize 14 times and received the 2002 Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize. According to the Financial Times, the 2004 turnover of SOS Children's Villages altogether was US$807 million, and it was ranked 33 out of a 100 global NGOs for "global accountability". Its international umbrella organisation, SOS-Kinderdorf International, was founded in 1960, after national associations had been established in France, Germany and Italy in addition to the original Austrian association. Over a hundred national associations across the world have since been established.

Romania - Peles Castle

Located in Sinaia (44 km from Brasov), Peles Castle is considered by many one of the most beautiful castles in all Europe. It was the final resting place for several Romanian monarchs including King Carol I, who died here in 1914. This lovely fairy-tale castle can be seen on my blog dated 31 October 2009.

The castle was built in wood, stone, bricks and marble and comprises more than 160 rooms. The representative style used is German Renaissance, but one can easily discover elements belonging to the Italian Renaissance, Gothic, German Baroque and French Rococo style.
Peles is surrounded by seven terraces decorated with statues (sculptured by the Italian, Romanelli), stone-made-wells, ornamental vases and Carara marble. The architects used an abundance of wooden decoration, both for the exterior and for the interior of the castle, which confers a very special quality to the building.
Quite outstanding are the Big Armory Room, the small Armory Room, the Florentine Room, the Reception Room (where paintings and wooden sculptures depicting 16 castles of the Hohenzollerns are exhibited), the Moresque Room, The French Room, the Turkish Room, the Council Room, the Concert Room as well as the Imperial Suite.
Other exquisite attractions such as the statues, the ceramics, the gold and silver plates, the Meissen and Sevres porcelain, the Murano crystal chandeliers, German stained-glass windows, walls covered with Cordoba leather, ebony and ivory sculptures, as well as the extensive weapon collections are worth mentioning. It is also important to know that Peles Castle shelters one of the most important and most valuable painting collections in Europe, almost 2.000 pieces.
Sala Florentina (The Florentine Room) combines revived elements of the Italian Renaissance, mostly Florence. Most impressive are the solid bronze doors executed in Rome ateliers of Luigi Magni and the Grand Marble Fireplace executed by Paunazio with Michelangelo motifs.

Salonul Maur (The Moorish Salon) was executed under the guidance of Charles Lecompte de Nouy, and as the name suggests it is meant to embody elements of  North-African and Hispanic Moorish style. Mother of pearl inlaid furniture, fine Persian Saruk and Ottoman Isparta rugs, Oriental weapons and armour are perhaps the most expressive elements, complete with an indoor marble fountain.

Estonia - Tallinn

Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies a surface of 159.2 km² (61.5 sq mi) in which 406,573 inhabitants live. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, 80 km (50 mi) south of Helsinki.

The picture shows the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral on the left and the Dome Church on the right.

SS WENNO

This picture is of the unique steel-hulled steamship Wenno. Wenno (aka Vetehinen) was built in 1907 and is still fully operational. Today the ship serves the town and tourists by providing cruises along the Saimaa during the summer season.

Romania -Brasov - Kronstadt

Braşov (Corona or Brassó or as medieval Germans called it - Kronstadt) is a city in Romania and the capital of Braşov County, with a population of 284,596, according to the 2002 census, is the 8th largest Romanian city.

Braşov is located in the central part of the country, about 166 km from Bucharest. It is surrounded by the Southern Carpathians, and is part of the Transylvania region.

The city is notable for hosting the Cerbul de Aur, (Golden Stag) International Music Festival.

The city was first attested in the 13th century under the name Corona. The current Romanian and Hungarian names are derived from the Pecheneg word, barasu, meaning "fortress". On Tâmpa Mountain, located on the southern side of the city, there was a citadel called Brassovia, which gave both the Romanian and the Hungarian name of the city.

The first attested mention of Braşov is Terra Saxonum de Barasu ("Saxon Land of Baras"), in a 1252 document. The German name Kronstadt means "Crown City", and is reflected in the city's coat of arms, as well as in its Medieval Latin name, Corona. The three names of the city (Braşov/Brassó, Kronstadt, and Corona) were used simultaneously in the Middle Ages.
This nice card was sent to me by my friend Daniela. 

Kurenai – Curonian Lagoon - Lithuania

Boats were the most important assets for the Curonian fishermen in their daily life. It was the only means, which connected them to the continent. Besides fishing, Curonians used them for hay and animal transportation from the meadows in the Nemunas delta. Flat-bottomed boats, whose draught and shape were the most suitable according to sailing conditions, prevailed in the lagoon. Curonian fishermen sailed four different kinds of boats: dragnet boat, sailing boat, fish-trap boat, and kurenai (korno valte); they had the name given according to the net they were drawing. Depending on purpose, boats were of different size. For instance, Kurenas was eight to ten meters in length and 3 meters in width. Four or five fishermen could fit in it.
An interesting fact is that fishermen from Juodkrante didn't use bi-masted sailboats for dragnets, sealing-nets or kurenai.

The prerogative of constructing sail boats belonged to masters from Gilija, Labguva and Dreverna. Nobody from the Curonian Spit had such skills. The great boats were constructed on the southwestern side of the lagoon and smaller, fish-trap boats and keelboats came from the northeastern side. Experienced masters were able to build a traditional boat in one month. Such a boat would cost as much as a fisherman's house. The fisherman described the type, shape and size to the constructor, and it was custom built.

The first picture of the flat-bottomed boats was found on the map from the 16th century. Such boats were used until 1956. Now there are only three kurenas and one fish-trap boat which sail the Curonian Lagoon.


This nice black and white picture postcard was sent to me by Kotryna from Lithuania. The picture was taken sometime in the 1940’s of  a fishing fleet of Curonian boats at anchor in the Curonian Lagoon.