Vegetarian borshch with mushrooms

Let me tell you first that the correct Oxford transliteration for the Russian word борщ is not borscht, but borshch. There are as many variations of borshch as there are cooks in the former Soviet Union. Its origins are Ukrainian, but it has become a staple dish of Russia. Some like it hot. Some prefer a cold version. It could be meat-based, or meat-free.

I had lots and lots of it when I lived in Vladivostk a long long time ago. But, that’s another story. 

If you are really interested in the actual cooking method of the dish shown on the card sent to me by my friend from the Urals Olya, do contact me.

Gediminas Avenue in Vilnius

This card sent to me by Renata gives a view of Gediminas Avenue as seen towards the Cathedral Square in Vilnius where she lives.

Gediminas Avenue is the main street of Vilnius, where most of the governmental institutions of Lithuania are concentrated, including the government, parliament, Constitutional Court and ministries. It is also the place of cultural institutions such as Lithuanian National Drama Theatre, Bank of Lithuania, Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre and Martynas Mažvydas National Library Nowadays it is also a popular shopping and dining street. It is partially a pedestrian street in the evenings when the traffic is prohibited.

Named after the Grand Duke of Lithuania Gediminas, the street terminates at the Žvėrynas Bridge over the Neris River near Seimas Palace on one end and at the Cathedral Square and Vilnius Castle Complex on the other, passing the Lukiškės Square. It connects the Old Town with Žvėrynas.

Aurora Borealis

Why do the Northern Lights occur?  A brief explanation of what happens according to me is, that, The Aurora Borealis or the Northern Lights are caused when charged particles from the Sun collide with atoms and molecules in the Earth’s atmosphere at altitudes between 100 and 250 kms. Due to the collision, oxygen and nitrogen emit what is seen by us as auroral light. These lights are mostly seen in the areas north of the Arctic Circle, and rarely, below the Circle, and then only sometimes.

This card was sent to me by Tero .

The Riverwalk

San Antonio (Spanish for "Saint Anthony") is the seventh most populous city in the United States of America and the second most populous city in the state of Texas, with a population of 1.3 million

San Antonio was named for Saint Anthony of Padua, whose feast day is on June 13, when a Spanish expedition stopped in the area in 1691.Famous for Spanish missions, the Alamo, the River Walk, the Tower of the Americas, the Alamo Bowl, Marriage Island and host to SeaWorld and Six Flags Fiesta Texas theme parks. The city is home to the four-time NBA champion San Antonio Spurs and theannual San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, one of the largest in the country.

San Antonio has a strong military presence—it is home to Fort Sam Houston, Lackland Air Force Base, Randolph Air Force Base (which constitute Joint Base San Antonio), Lackland AFB/Kelly Field Annex and Brooks City-Base, with Camp Bullis and Camp Stanley outside the city. Kelly Air Force Base operated out of San Antonio until 2001, when the airfield was transferred over to Lackland AFB .

The picture on the card sent to me by Diane Marie of San Antonio is that of The famous San Antonio River Walk (also known as Paseo del Río) is a network of walkways along the banks of the San Antonio River, one story beneath the streets of Downtown San Antonio, Texas, USA. Lined by bars, shops and restaurants, the River Walk is an important part of the city's urban fabric and a tourist attraction in its own right.

Today, the River Walk is an enormously successful special-case pedestrian street, one level down from the automobile street. The River Walk winds and loops under bridges as two parallel sidewalks lined with restaurants and shops, connecting the major tourist draws from the Alamo to River centre Mall, to the Arneson River Theatre, to Marriage Island, to La Villita, to Hemis Fair Park, to the Tower Life Building, to the San Antonio Museum of Art, and the Pearl Brewery. During the annual springtime Fiesta San Antonio, the River Parade features flowery floats that "float" down the river.

Paparoa National Park

This is a typical scene on the West coast of South Island, New Zealand. I believe driving along the coast here is superb, though it does get quite wet at times. One can see the native Punga ferns and rushes framing the picture on this card sent to me by Aaron. This is a scene from the Paparoa National Park Area. Melville Bay is in the distance.

Black Forest gateau

This card was sent to me by Melanie from Rastatt, a city and baroque residence in the District of Rastatt, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is located on the Murg river, 6 km (3.7 mi) above its junction with the Rhine and has a population of around 50'000 (2011). Rastatt was an important place of the War of the Spanish Succession (Treaty of Rastatt) and the Revolutions of 1848 in the German states. This town is in Southern Germany but, North of the famous Black Forest.

Maybe, you know of the Black Forest gateau? You see the two pretty women in this picture on the card. The ones in the traditional costumes! They are in the colours of the cake. The red hat for the lovely cherries, the white shirts represent whipped cream and the dark dresses for the chocolate cake itself. Delicious (the cake of course J). 

Black Forest gâteau and Black Forest cake are the English names for the German dessert Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte, literally "Black Forest cherry torte". Black Forest cake originated in Germany.

What exactly is this cake? Typically, Black Forest cake consists of several layers of chocolate cake, with whipped cream and cherries between each layer. Then the cake is decorated with additional whipped cream, maraschino cherries, and chocolate shavings. In some European traditions sour cherries are used both between the layers and for decorating the top. Traditionally, Kirschwasser (a clear liquor distilled from tart cherries) is added to the cake, although other liquors are also used (such as rum, which is common in Austrian recipes). In the United States, Black Forest cake is most often prepared without alcohol. German statutory interpretation states Kirschwasser as a mandatory ingredient, otherwise the cake is legally not allowed to be marketed as Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte. True Black Forest cakes are decorated with black cherries. A small tip: if black cherries are not available, use glacee cherries dipped in melted chocolate.

"Stamp Day" Turku

This maxi card was issued on 9.10.2013 at Turku, Finland to commemorate Philately Day or “Stamp Day”as the locals in Turku call it. The stamp is a personalised one by the Post Offices in Turku. The sailing vessel featured on this card is the famous SS Soumen Joutsen, better and more affectionately known as the “Swan of Finland”. Thank you Pia for this nice card.

The Finnish Training Ship Suomen Joutsen is featured on this stamp on the FDC commemorating the Tall Ship Race in 1972. Suomen Joutsen (Swan of Finland in English) (former names are Laënnec, Oldenburg) is a three-mast, steel hull, full rigged ship. She was built in 1902 in St. Nazaire, France to serve in the trade between Atlantic and Pacific ports. In 1930 she was bought by the Government of Finland to serve as Finnish Navy training ship. Before World War II she made eight long ocean voyages. From 1956 she was a stationary Seamen's School for the Finnish Merchant Navy. Since 1991, she has been a museum ship owned by City of Turku, Finland.