Le port

This postcard I have got from private swap. A sender is from France. Merci beaucoup Delphine pour ta carte  :)   

La Rochelle is a city in western France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente - Maritime departament (from wikipedia).

La Rochelle was founded in the 10th century as a fishing village which began to expand in the 12th century to reach its apogee in the following century through the wine and salt trade.

With the protestant coup d’état on January 9th 1568, the people of La Rochelle opted for the reformed side. The city then acquired the status of free city. But in 1628, Louis XIII and Richelieu laid siege to the city, which threatened the latter's policy of unification, for thirteen months. Faced with famine, the city fell and found itself without a town hall and stripped of its privileges.

Sea trade helped it back to its former glory, especially thanks to regular interchange with New France and the West Indies. From 1694, trade picked up as did the intellectual renaissance and artistic influence.

In the 19th century, wars and the French Revolution put the city into a stupor until the creation of the port of La Pallice in 1890. During the Second World War this became a German submarine base. In 1945, La Rochelle was the last French city to be liberated but luckily escaped major damage (from http://www.ville-larochelle.fr)

Temple in Japan

That's another card which I've got from Japan.

On the eastern side of the Itsukushima Shrine is the 27.6-meter tall Goju-no-to, a five-story pagoda that stands next to the Senjokaku (literally "hall of 1,000 tatami mats"). It is said that this pagoda was built in 1407. Its architectural style is a skillful combination of Japanese and Chinese features. Its warped cypress-bark roofing is Chinese style while the wooden door at the entrance is Japanese. Although visitors cannot go inside the pagoda, they still can enjoy the richly-colored Buddhist drawings on its walls and the magnificent gold decorative paintings on the upper part of its pillar. Although an ordinary five-story pagoda usually has a central pillar from its base all the way to the top, this one is made in an extremely rare style because its pillar stops at the second level.

Both this pagoda and the next-door Senjokaku have been designated as important cultural assets. Indeed, its elegantly curved roof and vivid vermilion color create a beautiful silhouette that stands out strikingly among the other features of the cityscape (from)

Kentucky's cave

Mammoth Cave National Park is a U.S. National Park in central Kentucky, encompassing portions of Mammoth Cave, the longest cave system known in the world. The official name of the system is the Mammoth-Flint Ridge Cave System for the ridge under which the cave has formed. The park was established as a national park on July 1, 1941. It became a World Heritage Site on October 27, 1981, and an international Biosphere Reserve on September 26, 1990. (from wikipedia) 

Mammoth Cave National Park was established to preserve the cave system, including Mammoth Cave, the scenic river valleys of the Green and Nolin rivers, and a section of south central Kentucky. Beneath the sandstone-capped ridges of Mammoth Cave National Park lies the most extensive cave system on earth, with over 350 miles of passageway mapped and surveyed. And yet after 4,000 years of intermittent exploration, the full extent of this water-formed labyrinth remains a mystery. (from here)

The Mammoth Cave is the largest cave in the world. There are a lot of caves in Kentucky. The Natives American used caves as their shelters. Sometimes soldiers in their civil war were also used caves as bunkers and storage places. 

In Kentucky a lot of people go to explore caves in hopes to finding artifacts. 

Sweden

This is the next postcard which I have got from my dear penfriend. Thank you J.

Lund, situated in the centre of the attractive and expansive Öresund region in southern Sweden, is one of the oldest cities in Sweden with a history more than one thousand years old. Over the centuries it has earned a reputation for being a place where people meet, and, today, more than ever, Lund is a meeting place for ideas and creativity.

Here, the university, science-park, multicultural atmosphere and historical surroundings make up a unique combination. This, along with its central situation, has turned Lund into an international city where ideas are born - ideas that build enterprises and achieve success both nationally and internationally (from here).

Twin towns — sister cities (from Wikipedia):

• Viborg Municipality – Denmark
• Hamar – Norway
• Porvoo – Finland
• Dalvík – Iceland
• Nevers – France
• León – Nicaragua
• Greifswald – Germany
• Zabrze - Poland

The Jolly Fisherman

On the postcard you can see the Jolly Fisherman. It is the statue and fountain which you can find in Skegness J.

Skegness is a seaside town and civil parish in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. Located on the Lincolnshire coast of the North Sea, 69 km east of the city of Lincoln it has a total resident population of 18,910 (from Wikipedia).

The Jolly Fisherman it is a local mascot, designed by John Hassall in 1908 for the Great Northern Railway), and a slogan - "Skegness is so bracing" - a reference to the chilly prevailing north-easterly winds that can and frequently do blow off the North Sea. The slogan is thought to have come from an unknown member of staff of the railway. The poster was first seen at Easter in conjunction with an excursion from Kings Cross Station. The last of these trips ran in 1913 (from Wikipedia). 

Apologize

I am sorry for that huge delay in writing here. I had a small problem with scanner. However now is all OK and I will start to make my blog bigger and bigger, maybe also it will be still interesting for you :)
Thank you all for your patience :)

Afon Teifi

I have got this postcard from my penpal - Heidi. Thank you a lot my dear friend, you made my day with this card! 

The River Teifi forms the boundary between the counties of Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire in south-west Wales for most of its 75 mile length, flowing into the sea below the town of Cardigan.

The Teifi has its source in Llyn Teifi, one of several lakes known collectively as the Teifi Pools. These are situated towards the north of the county of Ceredigion. This wide area of Mid-Wales, with a very sparse population, is part of what is sometimes called the "desert of Wales". The river flows past Strata Florida Abbey and then through Pontrhydfendigaid before reaching the main river valley floor. Here it passes through one of the great raised mires of Britain, Gors Goch Glan Teifi, also known as Tregaron Bog. Over the next 30 miles, the Teifi meanders generally south-west in a gentle arc, passing through the towns and villages of Tregaron, Llanddewi Brefi, Cwmann, Lampeter, Llanybydder, Llandysul, Newcastle Emlyn, Cenarth, Llechryd and finally Cardigan. The river becomes tidal below Llechryd and descends into Cardigan through the steep-sided Cilgerran Gorge. Below Cardigan, the river broadens into a wide estuary, passing the seaside resort of Poppit Sands before finally entering the sea in Cardigan Bay (from).

Wentworth Falls

The Blue Mountains, located immediately to the west of the sprawling metropolian area that is Sydney, is one of the most accessible areas of (relatively unspoilt) highland natural beauty in New South Wales, Australia. Although not particularly high as a mountain range, the Blue Mountains is nonetheless renowned for its majestic scenery of a unique kind, for its cultural attractions and for its relatively tranquil, alternative mode of life.

The Blue Mountains region was inscribed as a World Heritage Area by UNESCO in 2000.

Consisting mainly of a sandstone plateau, the area is dissected by gorges up to 760 metres deep. The highest point of the range is Mount Werong at 1,215 metres above sea level. A large part of the Blue Mountains is incorporated into the Greater Blue Mountains Area World Heritage Site, consisting of seven national park areas and a conservation reserve.

The Blue Mountains area includes the local government areas of the City of Blue Mountains, the City of Hawkesbury, the City of Lithgow and Oberon.

The Greater Blue Mountains Area is inhabited by over 400 different forms of animals. Among them are rare mammal species like spotted-tailed quoll, the koala, the yellow-bellied glider and long-nosed potoroo. There are also some rare reptiles, like the Blue Mountains water skink.There are also some dingos in the area, which form the top predators and hunt for grey kangaroos.

The haze that gives them their name is the result of light glancing from tiny drops of airborne eucalyptus oil.

On the postcard you can see also and Wentworth Falls. It is a three-tiered seasonal waterfall fed by the Kedumba Creek, near the Blue Mountains town of Wentworth Falls in New South Wales, Australia. The falls are accessible via the National Pass and the Overcliff/Undercliff Walk. The total height of the waterfall is 187 metres.

Near the falls, there is a rocky knoll that has a large number of grinding grooves created by rubbing stone implements on the rock to shape and sharpen them. These marks have been determined to be signs of early human habitation nearby (from wikipedia).

Sanford Mills

This is postcard which I have received from official exchange on Postcrossing:)

On that postcard you can see an old factory mill in Medway, in Massachusetts state. It looks like hundreds of other mills built in the 1800s in this part of US.
Sanford Mills first opened as a wool mill in 1885. Later it became a candle-making factory. In 1989 it was converted into condominiums. It's located off of Village Street along The Charles River. 

Postcard from Bali

This postcard I received from my dearest friend who lives in Indonesia. Thank you my dear Corryn.

Besakih Temple is the biggest Hindu temple in Bali which the local people call Pura Besakih. It owns beautiful view from the top of temple area where we can see the wide nature panorama until to the ocean so that way this temple is many visited by tourists from all over the world. Besakih Temple is located in Besakih countryside, Rendang sub district, Karangasem regency, east part of the island. It is located in southwest side bevel of mount Agung, the biggest mounts in Bali. It is because pursuant to Agung Mount confidence is holiest and highest mount in Bali Island (from here)

The temple is actually a complex made up of twenty-two temples that sit on parallel ridges. It has stepped terraces and flights of stairs which ascend to a number of courtyards and brick gateways that lead up to the main spire Meru structure, which is called Pura Penataran Agung. All this is aligned along a single axis and designed to lead the spiritual upward and closer to the mountain which is considered sacred.

The symbolic center or main sanctuary of the complex is the Pura Penataran Agung and and the lotus throne or padmasana is the symbolic center of the main sanctuary and ritual focus of the entire complex. It dates to around the seventeenth century.

A series of eruptions of Mount Agung in 1963, which killed approximately 1,700 people also threatened Puru Besakih. The lava flows missed the temple complex by mere meters. The saving of the temple is regarded by the Balinese people as miraculous, and a signal from the gods that they wished to demonstrate their power but not destroy the monument the Balinese faithful had erected (from here)

Capilano Suspension Bridge

The Capilano Suspension Bridge is a simple suspension bridge crossing the Capilano River in the District of North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The current bridge is 136 metres (446 ft) long and 70 metres (230 ft) above the river. It is part of a private facility, with a charge for admission, and draws over 800,000 visitors a year.

 

Capilano Suspension Bridge is one of Vancouver, British Columbia's most popular tourist attractions. The reason is simple, there are so many things to see and do! Just minutes from the bustle of downtown Vancouver, the attractions at Capilano Suspension Bridge offers a unique mix of adventure, history and culture making this Vancouver tourist attraction a complete British Columbia experience and an essential on your list of things to do in Vancouver, BC.

The tittle-tattle: The bridge has been featured as a setting in episodes of several television series, including: MacGyver, Sliders, The Crow: Stairway to Heaven, and Psych.

Un lettre du Canada

I received these 2 postcards from my dearest pen pal from Canada. She is my first penfriend from that country. I hope we will stay friends for many many years J

Canada is on my list of country which I would like to visit before I'll die J

Montreal is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America. Originally called Ville-Marie, or “City of Mary”, the city takes its present name from Mont-Royal, the triple-peaked hill located in the heart of the city, whose name was also initially given to the island on which the city is located, or Mont Réal as it was spelled in Middle French, (Mont Royal in present French).

The city is consistently rated as one of the world's most livable cities, was called “Canada's Cultural Capital” by Monocle Magazine and recently was named a UNESCO City of Design. Though historically the commercial capital of Canada, it was surpassed in population, as well as economic strength, by Toronto after 1976. Today it continues as an important centre of commerce, aerospace, finance, pharmaceuticals, technology, design, culture, tourism, film and world affairs.

Montreal is located in the southwest of the province of Quebec. The city proper covers most of the Island of Montreal at the confluence of the Saint Lawrence and Ottawa Rivers. The port of Montreal lies at one end of the Saint Lawrence Seaway, which is the river gateway that stretches from the Great Lakes into the Atlantic Ocean. Montreal is defined by its location in between the St. Lawrence river on its south, and by the Rivière des Prairies on its north. The city is named after the most prominent geographical feature on the island, a three-head hill called Mount Royal, topped at 232 m above sea level.

Montreal is at the centre of the Montreal Metropolitan Community, and is bordered by the city of Laval to the north, Longueuil, Saint-Lambert, Brossard, and other municipalities to the south, Repentigny to the east and the West Island municipalities to the west. The anglophone enclaves of Westmount, Montreal West, Hampstead, Côte Saint-Luc, the Town of Mount Royal and the francophone enclave Montreal East are all entirely surrounded by the city of Montreal (from wikipedia)

Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal, (French: Oratoire Saint-Joseph du Mont-Royal), is a Roman Catholic minor basilica and national shrine on the west slope of Mount Royal in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

St. Joseph's Oratory is a great basilica with a giant copper dome built in honor of St. Joseph, patron saint of Canada. The massive edifice, high on the slopes of Mount Royale in Quebec, belies its simple origins as the dream of a humble lay brother named Brother André. Pilgrims still come from all over North America to pray for healing at the shrine of Fr. André, who was canonized a saint in 2010.

At 263 m (863 ft.), the shrine of St. Joseph is the highest point in Montréal. Its dome is second in size only to St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.

The basilica is largely Italian Renaissance in style, its dome recalling the shape of the Duomo in Florence, but of much greater size and somewhat less grace. Inside are outstanding sculptures, stained glass (depicting 10 scenes from Canadian religious history) and other artworks.

Liturgical music and concerts are provided by a great organ (with 5,811 pipes), a carillion in 56 bells in their own building, and a choir school.

Also inside is a museum dedicated to Saint André, where a central exhibit is hisembalmed heart. The heart was stolen in 1972 but recovered two years later.

Outside, a Way of the Cross lined with sculptures was the setting of scenes for the film Jesus of Montréal. Brother André's wooden chapel, with his tiny bedroom, is on the grounds and open to the public.

Pilgrims, some ill, come to seek intercession from St. Joseph and St. André and often climb the middle set of 100 steps on their knees (http://www.sacred-destinations.com)

Valle d'Aosta

My next postcard I received from Davide. We exchange some postcards J In this town he spend every vacation since 1983.

Cogne is a town and comune in Aosta Valley, northern Italy. Cogne is located in the valley with the same name, leading to the Gran Paradiso massif Ibex, wild goat, marmots, royal eagles are easy to see. Many walks and hikes of different level, to lakes, waterlfalls and other natural attraction.

In the winter Cogne offers 70 km of cross country skiing, 9 km down hill, many walks on the snow and more than 140 icefalls.

30th State of America

This is a postcard which I received from Beth. :) Thank you :)

Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is considered part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is Madison, and its largest city is Milwaukee. It’s 30th state of US (from wikipedia)

State Motto: Forward - Reflecting Wisconsin's continuous drive to be a national leader, the state adopted "Forward" as the official state motto in 1851

State Song: On Wisconsin! - The rhythmic and rousing beats of "On Wisconsin," already a popular football song since 1909, began filling the air as the official state song in 1959.

State Flower: Wood Violet - Adopted as Wisconsin's official state flower on Arbor Day 1909, the wood violet's gentle green leaves and purple petals sway in the breeze reflecting Wisconsin's scenic beauty.

State Bird: Robin - A welcome sign of the coming spring, the red-breasted robin won the hearts of school children across the state, who voted to name it the state bird in 1926-27.

State Tree: Sugar Maple -  With its bright yellow fall colors, and its delectable spring harvest of sweet maple sugar, the sugar maple became the state's official tree in 1949.

State Fish: Muskellunge - Source of many monster fish stories in the state's famed Northwoods, the "muskie" leapt into the state books as the official state fish in 1955.

State Animal: Badger - Closely associated with Wisconsin since the territorial days, the ferocious Badger has lent its likeness to the state's coat of arms, flag, and song, and is even the proud mascot of the University of Wisconsin.

State Wildlife Animal: White-Tailed Deer - The white-tailed deer, in all its grace and power, perked its ears as it was appointed the state wildlife animal in 1957.

State Domesticated Animal: Dairy Cow - State Domesticated Animal: Dairy Cow (Bos taurus) Reflecting the importance of the dairy industry in Wisconsin's economy and heritage, the docile dairy cow became the state domesticated animal of "America's Dairyland" in 1971.

State Mineral: Galena - A combination of abundance, uniqueness, economic value, historical significance and native nature lead to the appointment of Galena as the state mineral in 1971.

State Insect: Honey Bee - The state recognized the sweet contributions of the honeybee as it buzzed from blossom to blossom in 1977.

State Soil: Antigo Silt Loam - Created during the last great glaciers, the level, silty soil was chosen to represent the more than 500 major soil types found in Wisconsin.

State Fossil: Trilobite - Flourishing in the warm, shallow salt waters of prehistoric seas, the extinct marine arthropod crawled its way into the state record in 1985 as the state fossil.

State Dog: American Water Spaniel - Full of life, and always ready to spring into action for the hunt, the American water spaniel won the hearts of the citizens of Wisconsin, who selected it as the state dog in 1985

State Beverage: Milk - The perfect complement to cookies, "America's Dairyland" chose to make milk the official beverage of the state to echo its abundant dairy heritage in 1987.

State Grain: Corn - Used for everything from livestock feed, to ethanol fuel, to the cornerstone of a delectable summer barbecue, corn was made the official state grain in 1989 to bring attention to its many uses.

State Dance: Polka - Reflecting the rich Czech-Polish and German heritage found throughout the state, the Polka was adopted as the newest state symbol, the official state dance, in 1993.

All informations about Wisconsin’s symbol I took from http://www.wisconsin.gov

South California

This is my first postcard from this area – South California. Myrtle Beach is a coastal resort city in Horry County, South Carolina, United States.

Myrtle Beach is situated largely on a barrier island in Long Bay between the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway on the west and the Atlantic Ocean on the East. However, building west of the waterway is rapidly increasing and the city of Myrtle Beach is expanding further west.

Land east of the waterway is on a slightly elevated sandbar or dune area. West of the waterway the land is mostly pine forest with a normal high water table and is more dense than the sandbar to the east, in which developers dredge ponds and use the soil to create elevated areas for better drainage around buildings and structures.

The sender of this card wrote that her family are going there every summer for vacation. I probably know why – the place looks great J. 


p.s. I found this small destroyed on postcard when I took out from mailbox...:(  

My first postcard from Brazil

My next postcard was sent from São Paulo. It’s the largest city in Brazil.

It’s difficult to talk about São Paulo without mentioning its size. It is the fourth most populous city in the world, and the largest in the southern hemisphere. Almost 11 million people live within its 1,530 square kilometers, according to the year 2000 Census. 

Yet São Paulo is not an island in this sea of people. The São Paulo Metropolitan Area includes, besides the city itself, 38 other municipalities. As in any great metropolis, the population density is quite high and in many cases, it is difficult to know where the city ends. All told, the region is home to 20 million people, many from all over Brazil and the world.

Puffins

This postcard I receive from my dear friend from Iceland. 


Puffins are any of three small species of auk (or alcids) in the bird genus Fratercula with a brightly coloured beak during the breeding season. These are pelagic seabirds that feed primarily by diving in the water. They breed in large colonies on coastal cliffs or offshore islands, nesting in crevices among rocks or in burrows in the soil. Two species, the Tufted Puffin and Horned Puffin, are found in the North Pacific Ocean, while the Atlantic Puffin is found in the North Atlantic Ocean.

All puffin species have predominantly black or black and white plumage, a stocky build, and large beaks. They shed the colourful outer parts of their bills after the breeding season, leaving a smaller and duller beak. Their short wings are adapted for swimming with a flying technique under water. In the air, they beat their wings rapidly (up to 400 times per minute) in swift flight, often flying low over the ocean's surface.

There are migratory birds that arrived in Iceland in April. Their breeding and fledgling season span from May until September, after which the puffins leave for the open Atlantic ocean.

Their nest rest at ent of approximately metre-long burrowed tunnels. Rhese tunnels riddle the ground here the puffins colonize on cliff faces, grassy islands and mountain ledges near the sea.

Petrograd

Saint Petersburg (Russian: Санкт-Петербург, tr. Sankt-Peterburg) is a city and a federal subject (a federal city) of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea. In 1914 the name of the city was changed to Petrograd (Russian: Петроград), in 1924 to Leningrad (Russian: Ленинград,) and in 1991 back to Saint Petersburg.

In Russian literature and informal documents the "Saint" (Санкт-) is usually omitted, leaving Petersburg (Петербург, Peterburg). In common parlance Russians may drop "-burg" (-бург) as well, leaving only Peter (Питер, pronounced as "Piter").

Saint Petersburg was founded by Tsar Peter the Great on 27 [O.S. 16 May] 1703. From 1713 to 1728 and from 1732 to 1918, Saint Petersburg was the capital of Russia. In 1918 the central government bodies moved from Saint Petersburg (then named Petrograd) to Moscow. It is Russia's second largest city after Moscow with 4.6 million inhabitants. Saint Petersburg is a major European cultural centre, and an important Russian port on the Baltic Sea.

Saint Petersburg is often described as the most Western city of Russia. Among cities of the world with over one million people, Saint Petersburg is the northernmost. The Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of Monuments constitute a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Saint Petersburg is also home to The Hermitage, the largest art museum in the world. A large number of foreign consulates, international corporations, banks and other businesses are located in Saint Petersburg. (from wikipedia)

Maiko

I received this postcard from Shiho.

Maiko it is a term which describe a geisha – apprentice from Kioto.

Maiko originated from women who served green tea and Dango (Japanese dumpling made from rice flour) to people who visited the Kitano Tenman-gū or Yasaka Shrine (these are the two of the famous shrines in Kyoto) at teahouses in the temple town about 300 years ago. At first, women served only green tea and dango, but they gradually started to perform songs and dances for the visitors.

Maiko is the young girl, who are preparing to being geisha through learning by observation. Maiko are usually aged 15 to 20 years old and become geiko after learning how to dance (a kind of Japanese traditional dance), play the shamisen, and learning Kyō-kotoba (dialect of Kyoto), regardless of their origins.

Maiko’s kimono is more colorful. Arms are huge and they are touching ground. Also she wears high boots buskin okobo and loosely called dissolved obi belt.

Maiko’s hairstyle is called nihon-gami (Japanese traditional hairstyle from Edo period.) They arrange their hairstyle with their own hair. Maiko put kanzashi (Japanese traditional hair accessories) on their hair with seasonal flowers. The hairstyle changes by the years of experience they have.

Their jobs consist of performing songs, dances, and playing the shamisen (three-stringed Japanese instrument) for visitors at a feast.

Third P&L exchange postcards :)

This postcard I received from Samantha. She lives in north west area in Italy, in Cigliano.

It is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Vercelli in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 35 km northeast of Turin and about 30 km west of Vercelli. She wrote that her town it's still quiet place, even with 4500 inhabitants. 

Pike Place Market

This postcard I received from Joyce. It's show Seattle's Pike Place Market in the past and in the recently. 

Its nine acres and more than a century of operation encompass thousands of fascinating stories — tales of immigration, internment, renovation and urban renewal — all that help explain why Pike Place Market is called "The Soul of Seattle."

Here is a snapshot of how the Market came to be. Between 1906 and 1907, the cost of onions increased tenfold. Outraged citizens, fed up with paying price-gouging middlemen too much for their produce, found a hero in Seattle City Councilman Thomas Revelle. Revelle proposed a public street market that would connect farmers directly with consumers. Customers would "Meet the Producer" directly, a philosophy that is still the foundation of all Pike Place Market businesses.

On August 17, 1907, Pike Place Market was born. On that first day, a total of eight farmers brought their wagons to the corner of First Avenue and Pike Street—and were quickly overwhelmed by an estimated 10,000 eager shoppers. By 11:00 am, they were sold out. Thousands of would-be customers went home empty-handed, but the chaos held promise. By the end of 1907, the first Market building opened, with every space filled.

A century later, Pike Place Market is internationally recognized as America's premier farmers' market and is home to more than 200 year-round commercial businesses; 190 craftspeople and approximately 100 farmers who rent table space by the day; 240 street performers and musicians; and more than 300 apartment units, most of which provide housing for low-income elderly people. "The Market," as the locals affectionately say, attracts 10 million visitors a year, making it one of Washington state's most frequently visited destinations (from here).

The Beekeeper

This postcard I received today from Eunice. She live in Breeston - a lovely place with lots of independant shops.

Beeston is a town in Nottinghamshire, England. It is 5,5 kilometres southwest of Nottingham city centre. Although typically regarded as a suburb of the City of Nottingham, and officially designated as part of the Nottingham Urban Area, for local government purposes it is in the borough of Broxtowe, lying outside the City's unitary authority area.

To the immediate northeast is the University of Nottingham’s main campus, University Park. The pharmaceutical and retail chemist group Boots has its headquarters on a large campus just 1 km east of the centre of Beeston, falling on the border of Broxtowe and the City of Nottingham. To the south is the River Trent, Attenborough and its extensive wetlands.

The Beekeeper

The earliest recorded name given to the area was Bestune. This is now generally thought to be derived from “bes” = rye grass and “tune” a farmstead settlement. The description of local pasture is still preserved in the name of Beeston Rylands. However there are alternative derivations from “Bedestun” = the farm of Bede.

In the late nineteenth century, a genteel convention was contrived that the town’s name derived from bee. This would have also been consistent with the notion of Beeston as a “hive of industry”. The bee was adopted as the emblem of the town council. Beehives appear carved in the brick of the town hall exterior, and in 1959 three bees were included in the coat of arms adopted by Beeston and Stapleford Urban District Council. However, as this derivation was known to be dubious, the College of Arms subtly included some long grasses entwined with meadow crocuses in the arms as an alternative visual pun on the more likely origins of the name. With the formation of Broxtowe District (later Borough) Council in 1974, the bees were carried on to its coat of arms, representing Beeston. The tradition of the bee as symbol continues - the litter bins and other street furniture in the High Road are decorated in black and gold, with a symbol of a bee on each.

There is also a sculpture on the High Road of a man sitting next to a bee hive. Again, this is another reference to the “Bee”. The sculpture is popularly known as the “Bee-man”, “the man of Beeston”, “The Beekeeper” or “Bee King”(from here).

Siegessäule

This postcard I found in my mailbox few days ago. The sender is…my dear friend Marta. The card showed Siegessäule – The Victory Column in Berlin. Thank you, thank you and one more time: thank you :)

It is a monument in Berlin, Germany. Designed by Heinrich Strack after 1864 to commemorate the Prussian victory in the Danish-Prussian War, by the time it was inaugurated on 2 September 1873, Prussia had also defeated Austria in the Austro-Prussian War (1866) and France in the Franco-Prussian War (1870–71), giving the statue a new purpose. Different from the original plans, these later victories in the so-called unification wars inspired the addition of the bronze sculpture of Victoria, 8,3 meters high and weighing 35 tonnes, designed by Friedrich Drake. Berliners, with their fondness for giving nicknames to buildings, call the statue Goldelse, meaning something like "Golden Lizzy".

The total height of the column with the statue is 66,89 m. The columns are inside the stairs (285 steps) leading to situated at a height of 50,66 m viewing platform.

If you have claustrophobia – better do not try go on the viewing platform, however…view from this platform is magnificent. Also you should know that inside the Victory Column you will not find the elevator ;) 

Photocard

This card I have got from Sean - USA. The card...well, it is difficult call it the postcard, because it is a photo printed and with a stamps. However....this self made card is acceptable, because it is....very beautiful. Look alone:

Sean took this photo during very peaceful morning, and when fog rising off the lake. Maybe because f this the lake looks like more surreal. 

Any way..Sean has good eye for photography :) 

Asti

Asti is a city and comune of c. 75,000 inhabitants located in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy, about 55 kilometres east of Turin in the plain of the Tanaro River. It is the capital of the province of Asti and it is deemed to be the modern capital of Monferrato (Montferrat in English).

The Collegiata di San Secondo (13th century) in the old medieval centre next to the Palazzo Civico. Its name refers toSecundus of Asti, the city's patron saint. The crypt is from the 6th century. The façade has three notable Gothic portals, while the interior houses a polyptych by Gandolfino d'Asti and other works.

Lviv

The stormy and extremely interesting history of the unique Ukrainian city Lviv is seven and a half centuries long. Lviv emerged in mid-13th century as the capital of a powerful Eastern European state – the Halychyna-Volyn Principality. Owing to its unique geographical location at the intersection of the main trade routes between the West and the East, in the 15th-17th centuries Lviv became the leading trade centre of the Eastern Europe and the largest city in Ukraine. Having spent half of a millennium in the European cultural space, the city turned into a genuine architectural gem, a centre of book printing, crafts and arts.

In the 18th-20th centuries Lviv as a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire became known as the city of technical innovations. For instance, kerosene and the kerosene lamp were invented here. In early 20th century Lviv became the capital of the third largest oil producing region after the USA and Russia. Lviv spent the period between 1939 and 1991 under the reign of totalitarian Soviet Union. From the first days of Ukraine’s independence Lviv obtained the status of the cultural and spiritual capital of the Ukrainian state. 

In 2004 Lviv acted as the principal social catalyst of the democratic Orange Revolution. Quite recently, in 2006, Lviv celebrated its 750th birthday.

World Heritage Committee in Kyoto (Japan), Lviv was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The following reasons for the inclusion of Lviv in the World Heritage List and the compliance with the following UNESCO criteria were named:

Criterion Р С’: In its urban fabric and architecture, Lviv is an outstanding example of the fusion of Eastern Europe architectural and artistic traditions with those of Italy and Germany;

Criterion B: The political and commercial role of Lviv attracted to the city a number of ethnic groups with different cultural and religious traditions, who established separate yet interdependent communities within the city, evidence for which is still discernible in the modern townscape.

The territory of the Lviv Historic Centre Ensemble covers 120 ha of the Old Russ and Medieval part of the city, as well as the territory of the St. George’s Cathedral on the St. George’s Hill. The buffer area of the Historic Centre, which is defined by the historic area bounds, is approximately 3,000 h

Vilnius

Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County. The first known written record of Vilnius as the Lithuanian capital is know form Gediminas' letters in 1323.

The name of the city originated from the Vilnia River. The city has also been known by many derivate spellings in various languages throughout its history. The most notable non-Lithuanian names for the city include: Polish: Wilno, Belarusian: Вiльнюс, Вiльня, German: Wilna, Latvian: Viļņa, Russian: Вильнюс, Yiddish: ווילנע (Vilne). An older Russian name was Вильна/Вильно (Vilna/Vilno), although Вильнюс (Vilnius) is now used. The names Wilno, Wilna and Vilna have also been used in older English, German, French and Italian language publications. The name Vilna (וילנה) is still used in Finnish, Portuguese, Spanish, and Hebrew (from here). 

Fragment of the Old City

The Old Town of Vilnius (Lithuanian: Vilniaus senamiestis), one of the largest surviving medieval old towns in Northern Europe, has an area of 3.59 square kilometres (887 acres). It encompasses 74 quarters, with 70 streets and lanes numbering 1487 buildings with a total floor area of 1,497,000 square meters. The oldest part of the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius, it has developed over the course of many centuries, and has been shaped by the city's history and a constantly changing cultural influence. It is a place where some of Europe's greatest architectural styles - gothic, renaissance, baroque and neoclassical - stand side by side and complement each other.

Pilies Street is the Old Town's main artery and the hub of cafe and street market life. The main street of Vilnius, Gediminas Avenue, is partially located in the Old Town. The central squares in the Old Town are the Cathedral Square and the Town Hall Square.

One of the most elaborate architectural complexes is the Vilnius University Architectural Ensemble, which occupies a large part of the Old Town and has 13 courtyards. It was selected to represent Lithuania in the Mini-Europe Park in Brussels.

In 1994 the Vilnius Old Town was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List (No. 541) in recognition of its universal value and originality. The definition of "historic center" itself has a broader meaning than the Old Town, formerly encircled with defensive walls. It embraces the valuable historical suburbs of Vilnius, such as Užupis, which historically used to be outside the city boundaries. Therefore Užupis is often considered a part of the Old Town of Vilnius (from here). 

Peaks of Europe

This postcard came to me from Spain. 

The Picos de Europa (English: "Peaks of Europe", often abbreviated to the Picos) is a range of mountains 20 km inland from the northern coast of Spain, located in the Autonomous Communities of Asturias, Cantabria and Castile and León, forming part of the Cantabrian Mountains. The most widely accepted origin for the name is that they were the first sight of Europe for ships arriving from the Americas.

The Lakes of Covadonga (el. 1134 m.) are of two glacial lakes located on the region of Asturias, Spain. These lakes, usually also called Lakes of Enol, are Lake Enol and Lake Ercina located in the Picos de Europa range and they are the original center of the Picos de Europa National Park, created in 1918.

Summer's time

This postcard I receive from Johanna. She lives in Bielefeld on Germany.

Both of us, loves summer, holidays and sea:) And she and I have access to the Baltic Sea:). Her profession will be common with children so...it's obviously why she sent me this summer card :)

Picture from Findland

This postcard I have received from Anne. She lives in Finland.

The postcard shows a illustration by Rudolf Koivu (1890 - 1946). He was a Finnish illustrator and painter, best known for illustrating books of fairytales for children, which are enduringly and timelessly popular.

Krtek

This postcard I have got from Miroslav, from Czech Republic.

The Mole (in the Czech original called Krtek, or Krteček (little mole); Slovak Krtko; German Der kleine Maulwurf; Hungarian Kisvakond; Polish Krecik; Finnish Myyrä) is an animated character in a series of cartoons, created by Czech animator Zdeněk Miler.

It was first to be seen in 1956 in Prague, when Miler wanted to create a children's cartoon about how flax is processed. He wanted a strong Disney-influence to the cartoon by choosing an animal for the leading role, and decided to pick a mole after stumbling over a molehill during a walk. The first film called “Jak krtek ke kalhotkám přišel” (“How the mole got his pants”) was released in 1956, and the cute main character won itself an enormous popularity in many Eastern European countries as well as Germany, Austria, India and China. Production for further episodes started in 1963 and since then, around 50 episodes have been created.

The first episode of the cartoon was narrated, but Miler wanted the cartoon to be understood in every country of the world, so he decided to use his daughters as voice actors, reducing the speech to short non-figurative exclamations in order to express the mole’s feelings and world perception. They also became the bottleneck of the creation process as they were the ones who got to see the whole film first, thus Miler was able to decide whether the message of the movie was able to get to children or not (from here).

When I was younger it was one of my favourites cartoon. Well…still I spend a great time when I watch it or on TV or on youtube (for example from here).

Blackberries

Finally I have got a postcard. Today I opened my mailbox and I found this tasty card inside :)

The postcard came to me from The Netherlands from Natalie. It showed a painting by Margaret Tarrant (1888 -  1959). She was a daughter of the artist Percy Tarrant, trained at Clapham School of Art and at Heartherley's. She worked in watercolour, painted figurative subjects, landscapes and wild flowers, but is best know for her illustrations for children's book an designs for cards. much of her painting was inspired by the Surrey countryside, where she lived, but also travelled abroad gathering material for her work.

Greetings from the mountains :)

This postcard I receive from one of my good Polish friends  - Ania :). She and her family were in Muszyna on vacation in this year :) Dziękuję Aniu :)

Muszyna is a town in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, southern Poland. It is a railroad junction, located near border with Slovakia, with trains going into three directions - towards Nowy Sącz, Krynica-Zdrój and southwards, to Slovakia. 

New Zealand

First at all I must say: Big thank you to my wonderful friends Marta and her boyfriend to willingness to send me this postcard to expand my postcard's collection :) :)

On this postcard are some national symbols from New Zealand. So we have:

• the fern - Cyathea dealbata, or the silver tree fern or silver fern (kaponga or ponga in the Māori language), is a species of medium-sized tree fern, endemic to New Zealand. It is a symbol commonly associated with the country both overseas and by New Zealanders themselves (they have this plant on their sports uniforms), 
• Paua - Paua is unique to New Zealand. The most colourful species of Abalone. Regarded by New Zealanders past and present as a taonga or treasure. Maori legend has it that paua was a special gift from Tangaroa, the God of The Sea. It is unique to New Zealand, that lives on the rocky shoreline all around the coast, but grows best in the waters of southern NZ. This marine mollusk eats seaweed and lives clinging to rocks at depths of 1-10 meters, normally along the shoreline. Paua Shell is the most colorful of all the abalone shells. Most other abalone are pale in comparison.
• The Pōhutukawa is a coastal evergreen tree in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, that produces a brilliant display of red flowers made up of a mass of stamens. The Pōhutukawa is one of twelve Metrosideros species endemic to New Zealand. Renowned for its vibrant colour and its ability to survive even perched on rocky, precarious cliffs, it has found an important place in New Zealand culture for its strength and beauty and is regarded as a chiefly tree (rākau rangatira) by Māori. It's Christmas Tree on New Zealand :)  
• Koru is the Maori word for “bight” or “loop” and refers to new shoots of the silver fern. The spiral shaped koru design is derived from this unfolding silver fern frond. The circular movment towards an inner coil refers to ‘going back to the beginning’.  The unfurling frond itself is symbolic for new life, hope, perfection, rebirth, a new start, awakening, personal growth, purity, nurturing, a new phase (in life), the spirit of rejuvenation, and peace. The koru design is an integral symbol in Maori art forms. Both on itself as well as incorporated in more intricate designs.

Here is the post-stamp from the card with....The Pōhutukawa :)