US-1207729

I live in the mountains, far from the sea, i only go to the beach once or twice a year and i really don't miss it. I mean, i like beaches as landscape not as a place to go on summer to spend a day. I get bored easly and i don't like beeing surrounded by people. The postcard below is a perfect example of a place i would never visit!!

US-1207729, sent by Nancy.
Huntington Beach is a seaside city in Orange County in Southern California.

Huntington City Beach is a 3.5-mile stretch of pristine shoreline. Popularly known as "Surf City," Huntington Beach is home to the world famous municipal pier, and is a west coast surf mecca for more than 8 million annual visitors. Whether enjoying an evening at one of our fire pits or enjoying a day at a professional sporting event such as the U.S. Open of Surfing, "Surf City" offers a variety of exceptional, recreational, cultural, and entertainment opportunities. - in: http://www.ci.huntington-beach.ca.us/residents/beach_info/

Ischigualasto National Park - Argentina

Another Unesco card, Ischigualasto National Park in Argentina, sent by Nicole "sternchen86". Together with the Talampaya National Park, Ischigualasto was designated a Unesco World Heritage site in 2000.

Ischigualasto or Valle de la Luna (Valley of the moon) as it's often called, is one of the most important paleontologic sites in Argentina and the world.
It has fossil remains of vertebrates, foot prints of dinosaurs and petrified araucaria trunks that go back to the Mesozoic era, some 180 million years ago.
It's located in the NE of San Juan province, Argentina, near the border with Chile.
This is a major tourist attraction in Argentina you wouldn't want to miss: its impressive scenery and unspoiled beauty are unique and totally different from other natural areas in the country. "The mushroom", "The submarine", "The parrot" and "Alladin's lamp", are peculiar grey-green rock formations sculpted by the constant action of wind erosion over a period of millions of years. - in: http://www.unique-southamerica-travel-experience.com/ischigualasto.html

The Norway unesco card wasn't the only one i got these last days, i've also received this card sent by Janet. The card shows stilt houses at the Pfahlbau Museum Unteruhldingen. This is an archaeological open air museum on Lake Constance (Bodensee) in Uhldingen-Mühlhofen, Germany, consisting of reconstructions of stilt houses or lake dwellings from the Neolithic Stone Age and Bronze Age.

Uhldingen-Mühlhofen is one of the 111 sites classified as Unesco WHS last June, on the list under the name "Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps". This prehistoric stilt house settlements are also located in Austria, France, Italy, Slovenia, and Switzerland.

This serial property of 111 small individual sites encompasses the remains of prehistoric pile-dwelling (or stilt house) settlements in and around the Alps built from around 5000 to 500 B.C. on the edges of lakes, rivers or wetlands. Excavations, only conducted in some of the sites, have yielded evidence that provides insight into life in prehistoric times during the Neolithic and Bronze Age in Alpine Europe and the way communities interacted with their environment. Fifty-six of the sites are located in Switzerland. The settlements are a unique group of exceptionally well-preserved and culturally rich archaeological sites, which constitute one of the most important sources for the study of early agrarian societies in the region. - in: www.whc.unesco.org/en/list/1363

Røros - Norway

Rita "jenta" is a russian girl who recently travel to Norway. She was supposed to spend 3 weeks there and she volunteered to send a few unesco cards from there. Unfortunatelly she got sick and had to cancel her tour from South Norway to Troms. I hope she's feeling better by now and thanks for the Røros card, which is a new unesco site in my collection.

Røros Mining Town and the Circumference is linked to the copper mines, established in the 17th century and exploited for 333 years until 1977. The site comprises the Town and its industrial-rural cultural landscapes; Femundshytta, a smelter with its associated area; and the Winter Transport Route. Completely rebuilt after its destruction by Swedish troops in 1679, Røros contains about 2000 wooden one- and two-storey houses and a smelting house. Many of these buildings have preserved their blackened wooden façades, giving the town a medieval appearance. Surrounded by a buffer zone, coincident with the area of privileges (the Circumference) granted to the mining enterprise by the Danish-Norwegian Crown (1646), the property illustrates the establishment and flourishing of a lasting culture based on copper mining in a remote region with a harsh climate. - in: www.whc.unesco.org/en/list/55

Postcrossing Meeting in Stockholm

Today i started my morning shift, which i don't really appreciate, not only because i can't sleep all morning but also because i can only check my mailbox after 9 hours of work. And today, after 9 hours of work i had 3 cards waiting for me at home. One of them is the swedish card sent by Anja "anjaaustel" from a postcrossing meeting that took place last saturday in Stockholm.

This is my 1st card from a meeting in Sweden. The card shows a view of Grundsund, a small fishing village on the west coast of Sweden.

The card was signed by Anja "anjaaustel", "notivagus" (i think), "caitun", "akalle", "willysson", "depechechrissy", "stina", "lellykate" and "anastasiya".

6h Postcrossing Anniversary Meeting

Like the previous 2 years, some portuguese postcrossers gathered in a meeting to celebrate another postcrossing anniversary. This year the meeting was in Tomar on July 16th, 2 days after the postcrossing anniversary. Unfortunatelly i wasn't able to celebrate with them but i've received this 3 lovely postcards.

The postcrossers there were: Paula "geminiscp", Ana "ninocas" and her son Dudu; Joana "joaninha", Carole "cloable", Vitória "blicas blocas", Helena "leninha", José "zepombal" and the other José "pilotOne".

This lovely card was sent by Paula and it shows the Church of Saint John the Baptist on a Tabuleiros Festival day. This is the main church of Tomar, was built between the 15th and 16th centuries and is located in the main square of the town.

The Tabuleiros Festival is an important festival that takes places every four years. The last one was the weekend before the meeting.

This festival is an ancient tradition of the city. It originally begun in a little village of the city, called Carregueiros. The population parades in pairs with the girl carrying a tabuleiro on her head.

One of the Josés, "pilotOne" sent me this card with a tabuleiro in detail. The tabuleiro is made of 30 bread, either 6 rows of 5 or 5 rows of 6 and its decorated with flowers. At the top of the tabuleiro one can find the crown which normally contains either the white fowl, symbolising the holy spirit, or the esfera armilar, a symbol revaluing the Portuguese maritime expansion.

The 3rd card was sent by Vitória and it shows the Church of Santa Maria do Olival. The church was built in the second half of the 12th century by the provincial master of the order of the Knights Templar in Portugal, Gualdim Pais. It was used as a burial place for the Knights Templar of Tomar and, later, by the Knights of the Order of Christ, which succeeded the Templars in the 14th century. Gualdim Pais is buried in the church, and his original tomb slab, dated from 1195 and bearing a gothic inscription, is still preserved inside.

The current building is mostly the result of a reconstruction carried out in the 13th century in early Gothic style. - in: wikipedia

Meetings with Andréa

Andréa "andreaeiko" is a brazilian postcrossing who visited Portugal a few days ago and she wanted to meet some of us. I was more than excited about this because she's a dear friend and i really wanted to meet her after swaping some many cards and after so many hours talking on msn.

She had two meetings, the 1st in Lisbon and the 2nd in Porto, where we met. These were specila meetings and we also had to sign cards.

The meeting in Lisbon was in July 9th and she met Paula "geminiscp", Joana "Joaninha", Susana "susanaportugal" and José "pilotOne". Paula sent me this card with the Rossio, the popular name of the Pedro IV Square.

José also sent me a card, this one shows another Lisbon square, the Commerce Square with the Rua Augusta Arch and King José I statue.

Two days after the meeting in Lisbon she met me and Miguel "leugim" in Porto. It was great mini-meeting.

I'm looking foward to meet her again.... maybe in Brazil next time :D

Surprise cards

This month i bought a few portuguese cards for my collection and i've also received quite a few from my postcrosser friends. I really love to get cards from my lovely country.

These 2 are from 2 different regions and from 2 different postcrossers, Ana "ninocas" and Graça "gracinha".

Ana went on holidays to Algarve a few days ago and she sent me this beautiful card of the Southwest Coast, which is on the Unesco Tentative List.
The so-called "Costa Vicentina", the western coast of the Algarve stretches over more than 60 km from Cape St.Vincent, the south-western most corner of the European continent, to Odeceixe on the Algarve-Alentejo border. The rugged rocks of the steep coast are interrupted by small sandy bays. The climate is harsher than other parts of the Algarve and the surging swell from the Atlantic is spectacular, attracting surfers and paragliders in particular.
The landscape is still generally unspoilt by the tourism and rich in flora and fauna species. - in: http://www.algarve-portal.com/en/country/landscapes/costa_vicentina/

I don't know if Graça was on holidays too but she also sent me a card. The card is from Pessegueiro, a village in Coimbra district.

Green Turtle - Malaysia

Lyan "imajica" got married a few months ago and i sent her a congratulations card. To say thank you she sent me this lovely card with a green turtle.

Green turtles also known as Chelonia Mydas are the most commonly seen animals around Sabah's Underwater. It is possible to spot over 20 of these animals on a single dive especially around Sipadan.

Commoner's House - South Korea

A few weeks ago Steffi "catty412" was offering South Korean cards and i liked this one, which shows a Commoner's House.

The walls of these house were generally built of mud over timber framework and the roofs were thatched with rice straw. Inside floors were of beaten earth.
There's no information about the specific location of the house on the card, it only says is somewhere in the northern region.

Moscow cards

More cards from Russia but these are from Moscow and have been sent by Katerina "eminova". She sent 2 other cards but i already had them.

For most visitors, Red Square is indelibly associated with images of stonefaced Soviet leaders standing in the bitter cold as a panoply of military might rumbles past their review stand atop Lenin's Mausoleum. Although the Square is no longer witness to the imposing parades of May Day, it remains a profoundly impressive space. Delimited by the stark severity of the mausoleum, the expansive facade of the world-famous GUM department store, and the exuberant colors of St. Basil's Cathedral, Red Square is, and deserves to be, the requisite first stop for any visitor to Moscow. - in: http://www.geographia.com/russia/moscow03.htm

The 16th-century Cathedral of the Archangel stands on Cathedral Square in Moscow's Kremlin.

The Cathedral of the Archangel was commissioned by Ivan the Great (1440-1505) and constructed between 1505 and 1508 under the supervision of an Italian architect Aleviz Fryazin Noviy. The new edifice was built over the site of an earlier cathedral dating from 1333.

The Archangel Cathedral has played an important role in Russian political history, hosting celebrations of victories by the Russian military and the burials of tsars and grand princes until 1712, when the capital moved to St. Petersburg.

In total there are 54 burials in the cathedral, included 46 ornamented whitestone tombs and glazed cases made of bronze. Especially notable among the long-term residents are Ivan Kalita ("Moneybags"; c.1304-20), Dmitri Donskoi, Ivan the Great, and Ivan the Terrible (1530-84) behind the altar. - in: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/russia/moscow-cathedral-of-archangel

Church of the Resurrection..... again ;)

This is my 4th card of the Church of Resurrection in St. Petersburg and i'll probably want more because this church is so beautiful. The card was sent by Angela.

After 4 cards i don't really have much to say about this church. Enjoy it!!

Dunajec Castle - Poland

Monika sent me this great polish card, which was one of my favorites. It shows the Dunajec Castle, located in the southernmost part of Poland in Niedzica.

Niedzica Castle also known as Dunajec Castle was erected between the years 1320 and 1326 by Kokos of Brezovica on the site of an ancient stronghold surrounded by earthen walls in the Pieniny mountains. The Niedzica Castle stands at an altitude of 566 m, on a hill 300 m upstream from the Dunajec River mouth, measured from the center of the dam on Czorztyn Lake. The outline of Niedzica Castle can best be viewed from the ruins of Czorsztyn Castle on the other side of the lake. It is known as one of the most picturesque castles in the country and adorns the covers of many books. - in: wikipedia

Königssee - Germany

The Königssee is Germany's third deepest lake. It is located in the state of Bavaria, near the border with Austria. Large parts are comprised by the Berchtesgaden National Park. This card was sent by Sandra.

The lake is noted for its clear water and is advertised as the cleanest lake in Germany. For this reason, only electric driven passenger ships, rowing and pedal boats have been permitted on the lake since 1909. Due to its picturesque setting, the lake and surrounding parklands are very popular with tourists and hikers. In addition, the lake's position surrounded by sheer rock walls creates an echo, which is known for its clarity. On boat tours, it has become traditional to stop and play a flugelhorn or trumpet to display the echo; formerly demonstrated by shooting a cannon, it could be heard reflected up to seven times. - in: wikipedia

St. Bartholomä, a famous pilgrimage church, originally dating back to the 12th century. It can only be reached by boat. Neighboring the chapel stands the former hunting lodge of Berchtesgaden's provosts and Bavaria's kings, today an idyllic location for an inn.

Connemara - Ireland

Claudia "chrissybaby" has already sent a few of my favorites from Ireland and a few days ago she tagged with another another irish view card.

From the rugged Twelve Bens mountain range in the north through lake-rich Roundstone Bog to the golden beaches reaching out into the Atlantic Ocean, you'll know you're in Connemara by the light that constantly changes the mood and tone of the landscape.

Connemara has long been regarded as the real emerald of Ireland.

This natural terrain and unspoilt environment offers the visitor a wonderland of sights, experiences, adventure and activities. The people are warm, friendly and extend a hospitality which is the essence of Ireland.

The beautiful spring flowers, buds on the trees, newborn lambs dancing on the hills and the call of the cuckoo all make Spring time a very special and magical time in Connemara. This is an ideal time to take a break as the countryside is totally renewed. On mellow Autumn days, one can enjoy the Connemara countryside, now clothed in different colours with each passing day. In the evening enjoy lovely warm turf fires after a day spent walking, cycling, painting, shooting, fishing or golfing. - in: http://www.connemara.ie/en/

Aurora Borealis

I really like this one, the colors are amazing. Seeing this natural phenomenon must be something really great. This card was sent by Jutta "blizzard".

Many visitors to Finland come with hopes of seeing the Finland Northern Lights, which is a natural phenomenon that is also known as the Finland Aurora Borealis. The best place to see the Northern Lights in Finland is in the northern Lapland region, which is almost entirely located within the realm of the Arctic Circle. During the dark winter months here, when the sun rarely peaks its head over the horizon, you can expect to see the Finland Northern Lights with regularity, and other peak seasons include February through March and September through October. If you have never seen the Northern Lights wherever they commonly occur in the world, then chances are good that you will be amazed the first time that you lay eyes on them. Swirling shades of blue, green, and red are most common when it comes to the Finland Northern Lights, and as one might expect, clear nights are best for viewing them.

The Finland Aurora Borealis, while best seen in Lapland, can also be witnessed as far south as the capital city of Helsinki from time to time, though on average, there are only some twenty days out of the year when viewing them is possible in most southern parts of the country. Part of the reason why it can be difficult to see the Northern Lights of Finland in Helsinki is because of the fact that it is hard to escape to dimly lit areas. The relative lack of city lights is just one of the reasons why the Lapland region sees some 200 nightly occurrences every year, and one must also consider the region’s northern location. The lower reaches of the Arctic Circle are ideal for viewing the Northern Lights across the planet, which is why Canada and Alaska are good destinations in the Western Hemisphere.

For those who are wondering what causes the Northern Lights in Finland, solar flares are largely responsible. These flares effectively cause solar winds and solar storms, which create lingering atmospheric particles or matter upon colliding with the earth’s atmosphere. As such, scientists can often accurately predict when the best times are for viewing the Northern Lights in Finland by keeping an eye out for solar flares. As mentioned, Lapland is the best place to see the Finland Aurora Borealis, with the Kilpisjarvi area offering the most abundant opportunities. The best time of the day to see the Finland Northern Lights is between 9 p.m. and 11:30 p.m., though they are certainly not restricted to this time frame. - in: http://www.destination360.com/europe/finland/northern-lights

FI-1133926

I love snowy views but i don't received many snowy views cards from Finland.

FI-1133926, sent by "dotdotpc".

Cottages in the middle of nowhere covered in snow always look so lovely and cozy.

BE-105386

In exactly 2 months i'll be here and by here i mean Brussels ;) Yep, my next travel will be to Belgium! Too bad i still need to wait 60 days to pack.

BE-105386, sent by Ghislaine.

This a view of the Flower Market at the Grand Place in Brussels.

NL-701177 & NL-703505

And ducth officials too.

NL-701177, sent by Wim.

This is the Westhoofd Lighthouse in Ouddorp, South Holland. "This lighthouse was built to replace the light on the church in the village of Goedereede, which was too far from the sea. The optic was transferred from the church to the new tower in 1912. The light was discontinued in 1940, and the original lighthouse destroyed in 1945. The current tower was built in 1947-48, and the light re-established in 1950." - in: http://www.lighthousedepot.com/lite_explorer.asp?action=display_details&LighthouseID=2142

NL-703505, sent by Anja.

"Zuid-Limburg... one of the most striking and most beautiful parts of the Netherlands. A region with a character all of its own. Charming with gently rolling countryside and, above all, surprising. A place on earth where life is still rich and good.
Zuid-Limburg consists of hills, plateaux and plains created by the river Maas, villages and towns. The region is located between Maastricht (NL), Aachen (Ger) en Liege(B) in the so called Euregio Meuse-Rhine." - in: http://www.vvvzuidlimburg.nl/index_en.aspx

DE-963065 & DE-968100

If i'm showing officials i had to have german official cards.

DE-963065, sent by Michaela "michigirl".

Rügen is Germany's largest island. Is located in off the north-eastern coast of Germany in the Baltic Sea and is one of the most visited holiday destinations in Germany. The island offers a huge variety of different beach and shore areas. Rügen is often visited by windsurfers and kitesurfers and offers more than fifteen different locations for surfing.

DE-968100, sent by Heike "unigo".

"Charlottenburg Palace is the largest palace in Berlin, Germany, and the only royal residency in the city dating back to the time of the Hohenzollern family. It is located in the Charlottenburg district of the Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf burough.

The palace was built at the end of the 17th century and was greatly expanded during the 18th century. It includes much exotic internal decoration in baroque and rococo styles. A large formal garden surrounded by woodland was constructed behind the palace. In the grounds of the palace various buildings were erected, including a belvedere, a mausoleum, a theatre and a pavilion. During the Second World War the palace was badly damaged but has since been reconstructed. The palace, its gardens and the buildings in the grounds are major visitor attractions." - in: wikipedia