Troodos National Forest Park

The Troodos National Forest Park is at the centre of the island of  Cyprus and covers an area of about 9,000 hectares. The highest point is Chionistra or Mount Olympus at 1,952 metres (also the highest point on the island) and the lowest is Moni forest at 700 metres. The park is suitable for myriad activities ranging from picnics to hiking, skiing and mountain biking. There are 10 nature trails which cover over 50 Km. The park contains 12th to 15th century frescoed churches, winemaking villages and pine forests. There are also monasteries dating from the Byzantine period. The best known and most beautifully restored of these is Kykkos, built in the 12th century (Refer to my post dated     ). The main resorts of the Troodos are Platres and Kakopetria, attractive villages with bakeries, shops and an alpine atmosphere. Over 750 plant species can be found in the area, making Troodos National Forest Park the richest botanical garden of Cyprus. 12 of these species can only be found in Troodos National Forest Park.
As for fauna, within the park live among other species: ravens, Bonelli's eagles, Treecreepers and Griffon vultures. The distinctive geology of Troodos Forest area has been studied by scientists from around the world. The rock types and formations found in the Troodos area allow scientists a better understanding of how the sea bed of the Sea of Tethys was formed 90-million years ago. Along many trails in the forest, examples of plutonic rock, formed far under the bed of the Sea of Tethys, can be seen. This nice maximum card was given to me by my dear friend Merja.

Old Porvoo riverside

Porvoo  is a city and a municipality situated on the southern coast of Finland approximately 50 kilometres (30 mi) east of Helsinki. Porvoo is one of the six medieval towns in Finland, first mentioned as a city in texts from 14th century. Porvoo is the seat of the Swedish speaking Diocese of Borgå of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. The card sent to me by my dear friend Ella shows a pretty picture of the Old Porvoo riverside, featuring wooden storage buildings

The town received its name from a Swedish earth fortress near the river Porvoonjoki which flows through the town. The name Porvoo is the Fennicised version of the Swedish name (Borgå) and its parts of borg meaning "castle" and å "river". 

The Flag of Detroit

The flag of the city of Detroit, Michigan, was designed in 1907 by David E. Heineman and was officially adopted as the city's flag in 1948.

The flag has the city seal emblazoned on quartered background, with each section representing a country that once controlled the city. The lower hoist (left) quarter represents France, which founded the fort and settlement in 1701; it has five gold fleurs-de-lis on a white field. The upper fly (right) quarter represents Britain, which controlled the fort from 1760 to 1796. It has three gold lions on a red field. The lower fly has 13 red and white stripes and the upper hoist has 13 white stars on a blue field, representing the original thirteen colonies of the United States.

The two Latin mottos read Speramus Meliora and Resurget Cineribus, meaning "We hope for better things" and "It will rise from the ashes," which was written by Gabriel Richard after the fire of 1805. The seal is a representation of the Detroit fire, which occurred on June 11, 1805. The fire caused the entire city to burn with only one building saved from the flames. The figure on the left weeps over the destruction while the figure on the right gestures to the new city that will rise in its place. This very symbolic card was sent to me by Jill

Fountains of Pershamaiskaya Street

Mogilev also spelled  Mahilyow, is a city in eastern Belarus, about 76 km from the border with Russia's Smolensk Oblast and 105 km from the border with Russia's Bryansk Oblast. As of 2011, its population was 360,918. It is the administrative centre of Mahilyow voblast and the third largest city in Belarus. The picture on the card is of the Fountains in Pershamaiskaya street in Mogilev.  Alina sent me this card.

Ibirapuera Park

Karina sent me this lovely card featuring The Ibirapuera Park, a major urban park in São Paulo, Brazil. It has a large area for leisure, jogging and walking, as well as a convention centre. Its importance to São Paulo is comparable to that of the Central Park to New York City. The Ibirapuera is one of Latin America largest city parks, together with Chapultepec Park, in Mexico City and Simón Bolívar Park in Bogota. Inaugurated in 1954 for the 400th anniversary of the city, with buildings designed by famous architect Oscar Niemeyer and landscape by designer Roberto Burle Marx, Ibirapuera Park covers an area of almost 2 square kilometres (0.77 sq mi). It is the second biggest park in the city.

The park complex has many interesting features for residents and visitors. They include: The Grande Marquise ("The great marquee"), location of the MAM - Museu de Arte Moderna] ("Modern Art Museum"); The Cicillo Matarazzo Pavilion, home for the Museum of Contemporary Art, University of São Paulo, and a space for events and expos, including the São Paulo Art Biennial and the São Paulo Fashion Week; The Manoel da Nóbrega Pavilion, which until 1992 was the city hall; The Lucas Nogueira Garcez Pavilion, formerly known as "Palácio das Exposições"("Expositions Palace") and now known as the Oca ("hut", given its round shape), which harbors both the Museu da Aeronáutica ("Air Force Museum") and the Museu do Folclore ("Folklore Museum"); The Armando de Arruda Pereira Pavilion, home for the Prodam - Companhia de Processamento de Dados do Município ("Municipal Data Processing Company"); The Palácio da Agricultura ("Agriculture Palace"), home of Detran, municipal transit department. The building was originally intended to harbor the municipal agriculture department; The Planetarium and Municipal Astrophysics School. The Planetarium building which is shaped like a flying saucer. It was the first Planetarium in the Southern Hemisphere and has a dome, which is 20 meters in diameter. The German projection machine shows the sky above São Paulo from dusk to dawn. During the projection a professional astronomer explains the most famous stars and constellations as well as the movements of the Earth and other planets; The Gymnasium; The Japanese Pavilion; The Monumento às Bandeiras; The Ibirapuera Auditorium, controversial building that was on the original Niemeyer plan, but was only built recently; The Obelisk of São Paulo, symbol of the Constitutionalist Revolution of 1932 and the statue of Pedro Alvares Cabral that proclaims "Brazilians owe everything to Portugal."

A very innovative way indeed of portraying the map of the World. Thank you Anouchka for this very interesting card.

St. Michael the Archangel Church, Kaunas

St. Michael the Archangel's Church or the Garrison Church is a Roman Catholic church in the city of Kaunas, Lithuania, closing the perspective of the Laisvės alėja, the main pedestrian street. It was built between 1891 and 1895 when Kaunas was part of the Russian empire, in Neo-Byzantine style largely for the use of the Russian Orthodox garrison of Kaunas Fortress. Toma send me this impressive card.