FRANCE ~ A Children's choir - Painting by Hansi ~

... Lovely painting of a children's choir...  wearing  the traditional headdresses of Colmar... this watercolor was made in 1920...  Hansi loved children and his work shows it well...  famous for his watercolors and caricatures, commercials and signs, engravings and paintings... a "the tender and rebellious artist" in the history of the 20th C... Thanks a lot Gilles!!【ツ】

ⒸSARL HANSI Jean-Jacques Waltz (1873-1951), also known as "Oncle Hansi", or simply "Hansi" ("little John") was a French artist of Alsatian origin. He was a staunch pro-French activist, and is famous for his quaint drawings, some of which contain harsh critiques of the Germans of the time. He was also a French hero of both the First and the Second World Wars.

“Hansi” tell us testimonies on the popular traditions and daily life in the Alsatian villages in the 19th century. Naive and incisive the draftsman presents a magical world for children and caustic reading on the annexation of Alsace for adults.

Stamps:

Vincent Van Gogh
(Issued ???)

Star Wars stamps
(Issued 2015??)

CANADA ~ The Rooms - St. John's - Newfoundland & Labrador ~

... Wonderful St. John's postcard nr2... one of the primary indoor places to visit on a trip to the oldest and most easterly city in North America... this cultural hub is situated on a ridge above the city, and has an observation deck with spectacular views over the entire harbor... it's a cross between a museum, a gallery, archives, a venue, a lunch spot, and an activity center... 4 floors of historical displays and information about the first settlers and natural history of Newfoundland... Thanks a lot Glenn!! (✿ ♥‿♥)

Photo by David Howells From Backside postcard: "
"An Innovative, cultural institution that tells the story of Newfoundland & Labrador through archival records, art and artifacts."
The Provincial Museum, the Provincial Archives, and the Art Gallery of Newfoundland and Labrador are grouped together as "The Rooms" and opened in 2005.

Built on a hill at a historic location once occupied by Fort Townshend.  Almost 250 years ago, this star-shaped citadel was one of the largest British fortifications in North America at the time, defended Britain's fishing interests. Before construction began on The Rooms, archaeological work was done to ensure none of the history was lost. The Rooms was built in a way that preserved the history beneath it.

The building's name, as well as its architecture, is a reference to the simple gable-roofed sheds (called "fishing rooms") that were once so common at the waterline in Newfoundland fishing villages.

Stamps:

3X Weather Wonders
(Issued 26-07-2018)

CANADA ~ Cabot Tower - St. John's - Newfoundland & Labrador ~

... Great Tower view at the top of Newfoundland’s most famous Hill... a historic symbol and icon in impressive late-Gothic style... located at the highest point of "Signal Hill" it offers breathtaking 360-degree views of St.John's, and ocean vistas.... if time is right, you may watch whales or iceberg's from there....  home to the first wireless transatlantic communication by Marconi and a key location of Newfoundland & Labrador military and communications history... while it no longer functions as an active mast signaler, you can still see the tower’s history at the small museum display...  there are also plenty of trails for hiking... Big Thanks Glenn!! ヽ(ヅ)ノ(maybe a photo of you in the T-shirt?😉 )

Signal Hill overlooks the narrow entrance to St John's harbour. Cabot Tower is sitting on Signal Hill at an impressive 167 meters above sea level. Originally commissioned in 1897 to celebrate Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee and also to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Cabot’s discovery of Newfoundland (1497), the historic tower opened its doors in 1900.

Built of irregularly coursed red sandstone and composed of a two storey, 9.4m (30-foot), square structure with a three storey, 15.24m (50-foot) octagonal tower that stands on the southeast corner of the building. The attached tower houses the main entrance,

For 58 years, the tower was used for flag mast signaling as well as a Marconi wireless station, with the latter function continuing until about 1960. Beyond the tower’s general uses, perhaps its most historic moment came when Marconi received the world’s first transatlantic wireless signal at a site very near Cabot Tower in 1901.

Cabot Tower became a “National Historic Site of Canada” in 1958.

Stamps: 

3X Weather Wonders
 (Issued 26-07-2018)

REPUBLIC of TATARSTAN ~ The Kazan Kremlin - UNESCO

... Great aerial view of an important cultural place... the impressive walled Kremlin in Kazan provides wonderful views over the city... it contained the huge blue domed Kul Sharif Mosque and Orthodox Church.... the place where Christian and Muslim cultures merge together... symbolizing the peaceful coexistence of the two main religions of the republic... a very authentic place with the combination of historic, cultural and religious places and monuments... Thanks a lot Dmitry!!【ツ】

Photo:© Nail Ziyatdinov
The autonomous Republic of Tatarstan is a fedral subject of Russia located in the center of the East European Plain, part of the Volga Federal District. Kazan is the capital city of the region.

The construction of the Kazan Kremlin began in the XVI century by order of the Tsar Ivan the Terrible on the ruins of the former castle of Kazan khans. The territory of the Kazan Kremlin includes 8 towers, the Cathedral of the Annunciation, built in the XVI century, the  Monastery of Transfiguration and the Kul-Sharif  Mosque.

The Kul Sharif Mosque is built in place of the old mosque of the Khanate of Kazan that was destroyed in 1552. The reconstruction of the Mosque began in 1996 and ended in 2005. The Kul Sharif Mosque is a complex that consists of three parts: a mosque, a memorial stone and an administrative building.

The Historic and Architectural Complex of the Kazan Kremlin  is listed a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.

Stamps:

Definitive Issue - Kremlins (Pskov)
(01-10-2009)

2003 Carillon. Russia-Belgium Joint Issue (Issued 15-05-2003)

Definitive Issue. Kremlins -Stamps (Kazan)
(Issued 01-10-2009)

Vladimir Mikhailovich Zeldin, 1915-2016 (Issued 22-01-2018)

SWITZERLAND ~ Benedictine Convent of St John at Müstair - UNESCO ~

.... Beautiful scenic view of a convent tucked away in an amazing mountain landscape in the Swiss Alps just next to the Italian border... the major symbol of this rather remote valley... not only a historic site... but a living convent for the nuns, which means Benedictine nuns are actually still living here... its uniqueness lies in the fascinating combination of cloister life, cultural heritage, museum, research and restoration... this 8th century convent houses the world's largest and best preserved early medieval fresco's... Thanks a lot Rosmarie!! (✿ ♥‿♥)

The convent was probably constructed around the year 780, and the church tower was added in the 10th century. The Bishop of Chur, acting for Charlemagne, founded the building for the Benedictines. The tower home, cloister, and chapels of St. Ulrich and St. Nicholas were added in the 11th century. The establishment became a convent in 1163.

St. John Convent is located in Müstair the easternmost village in Switzerland in the canton of Graubünden.

It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983 largely due to its magnificent frescoes and Carolingian architecture.

Stamp:

Pope Francis
(Issued 21-06-2018)

AUSTRALIA ~ Wilpena Pound - Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park ~

... Great new National Park postcard and a favourite Outback destinations in Australia... it includes some of the most dramatic mountain scenery... Wilpena is a major tourist hotspot at Flinders... it is a spiritual place and ancient meeting place of the park’s traditional owners, the Adnyamathanha people... the Pound is a very popular area for bushwalking... there are numerous scenic routes, gorges, walking and bushwalking trails, and a variety of wildlife can be seen... with nice Wilpena Pound postmark... Thanks ??ヽ(ヅ)ノ

The Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park is situated approximately 400 km north of Adelaide in the northern central part of South Australia's largest mountain range, the Flinders Ranges and covers an area of 912 km².

The park's most characteristic landmark is Wilpena Pound, a large, sickle-shaped, natural amphitheatre covering nearly 80 km², containing the range's highest peak, St Mary Peak (1,170 metres). Wilpena Pound looks very much like the crater of an extinct volcano or a depression caused by a massive meteor strike, but it is in fact the product of millions of years of geologic pressures and erosion.

On 12 February 2016 the park was renamed to include the Adnyamathanha word, Ikara, "meeting place", referring to the traditional name for Wilpena Pound.



Stamp:

Prepaid postage

SRI LANKA ~ Traditional Designs - Masks ~

... These beautiful, colorful masks are used at different occasions by the locals in Sri Lanka... the making and wearing of traditional masks has been an integral part of Sri Lankan culture and art for thousands of years... for those interested in the art of Sri Lankan mask carving or mask dances, a trip to the coastal town of Ambalangoda is a must... there you will find the Mask Museum: a museum, workshop and library dedicated to everything mask related... with matching "masks" stamps... Thanks  a lot Ravindra!!【ツ】

Originating from the coastal regions south of Colombo in southern Sri Lanka, this ritualistic dance evolved from folk rituals.

These masks also carry different facial expressions according to the dance act. To name some, Kolam masks in Kolam dramas carry a funny looking humorous type of an expression while Raksha masks carry a fearless devilish expression.

As the dance gets going, the drummer sets a hypnotic rhythm on the special 'demon drum' and the dancers start spinning by rotating their torsos in increasing speed until they achieve their awe inspiring finale.

Stamps:

International Organizations (Lions International)
(Issued 06-10-2007)

2X Traditional Sinhalese Exorcism ritual
(Issued 1-05-2018)

VIETNAM ~ Map Indochina ~

.... Wonderful "cartoon" map card of three countries linked by the Mekong river... the land between China and India with influences of both... highlighting their most famous tourist attractions... although the term “Indochina” is still used to refer to these three countries, it’s nowadays more known as “Southeast Asia”, which also encompasses other countries in the area, such as Burma and Thailand... Vietnam territory has a shape of a narrow ‘S’ letter... located on the eastern edge of the peninsula  Indochina... the narrowest point of Vietnam is only 40.3 km wide.... with a great selection of lovely stamps... Thanks a lot Manh!【ツ】

Indochina, also called (until 1950) French Indochina are strictly described as being the countries of the former French colonies, which were Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Located in the Southeast Asia region, east of Thailand, and south of China.

 It became part of the French colonial empire in the late 19th century. The Japanese Empire conquered it in the Second World War, and other wars went on for decades tearing the region apart for a generation.


The term Indochina refers to the intermingling of Indian and Chinese influences in the culture of the region.





Stamps:

2X Ancient Architecture
(Issued 25-01-2018)

3X Vietnamese Community of Ethnic Groups
(Issued 30-09-2005)

Flowers of Vietnam
(Issued 01-03-2018)

SRI LANKA ~ Working Elephant ~

...Nice view of a working elephant with his handlers... elephants hold symbolic, cultural and economic importance in Sri Lanka... this human-elephant relationship dates back to a period of over 5,000 years... these majestic beasts have been used for transportation of people on their back, carrying, hauling and lifting logs and other heavy objects like stones for construction purposes...  currently in Sri Lanka elephants are mostly used for ceremonial occasions... but elephants are at the centre of a dilemma in Sri Lanka between centuries-old tradition and a growing awareness of animal rights.... today the elephant has become part of Sri Lanka’s ecotourism... Thanks a lot Ravindra!! ❀◕ ‿ ◕❀

Ⓒ Lasantha Lakmal
The Sri Lankan subspecies is the largest and also the darkest of the Asian elephants, with patches of depigmentation areas with no skin color on its ears, face, trunk and belly. They are about 3.4 m tall, and can weigh up to 5,400 kg.
This subspecies is the National animal of Sri Lanka and is native to the island country. It once lived over the entire island. They now live in the dry zones in the north, east, and southeast. These zones are mainly dry deciduous woodland, scrubland, grassland, and marshes. There is a small group in the rainforest. 

Today, the Sri Lankan elephant is considered to be an animal that is in immediate danger of becoming extinct due to the fact that Sri Lankan elephant populations have been declining at a critical rate. Sri Lankan elephants are thought to be suffering primarily due to habitat loss in the form of deforestation and hunting for their ivory tusks by human poachers.

Stamps:

60th Anniversary of Sri Lanka Navy
(Issued 09-12-2010)

2X Traditional Sinhalese Exorcism ritual
(Issued 1-05-2018)

AUSTRIA ~ Kitzbühel - Tyrol ~

...  Lovely colorful streetview of a small medieval town in Tyrol... one of the most famous and luxurious Austrian winter holiday resorts... Kitzbühel is well known for the Hahnenkamm race, the toughest downhill race of the world... the first ski race, organized by Franz Reisch, took place already in 1895... there are 56 cableway and lift facilities and 168 km of slopes available, as well as 40 km of groomed cross-country skiing tracks... in summer there are 120 km of mountain bike paths and 500 km of hiking trails... Thanks a lot dear Dustin for thinking of me while on vacation!!【ツ】 http://postcardsblogatdustin.blogspot.com/

Kitzbühel is  situated  in the Kitzbühel Alpsbetween the mountains Hahnenkamm (elev. 1,712 m (5,617 ft)) adjacent to the southwest and Kitzbühler Horn (1,996 m (6,549 ft)) to the northeast.

The town gets its name from a Bavarian clan who lived in the Tyrol mountains called the ‘Chizzo’, and ‘Buhel’ which indicates the position of the locality on a hill. So the town became “Chizbuhel” which is now know as Kitzbuhel.

Stamps:

Death Anniversaries
(Issued 24-08-2018)

EUROPA Stamps - Bridges
(09-05-2018)

CANADA ~ L'Anse aux Meadows - Newfoundland - UNESCO ~

... An amazing new UNESCO site👍... set against a stunning backdrop of rugged cliffs, bog, and coastline... this unique archaeological site has grown into an entire open-air museum showcasing the breadth of Viking culture and history in North America.... L’Anse aux Meadows has an powerful place in the history of the human migrations... we all learned in history classes how in 1492 Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean and arrived in North America... but did you know that 5 centuries before him, vikings from Greenland were actually the first Europeans to set foot in North America??... Parks Canada built the Viking Encampment near the excavation site, using traditional Norse construction methods, to show visitors how the Norse settlers of long ago might have lived... today, you can visit reproductions of a Norse longhouse, small house/workshop, hut, furnace and discover original artifacts (even with a few costumed actors)...
💜Big Thanks Andrene!!💜

"Reconstructed sod huts provide a glimpse of what life was like for the Norse who dwelled at L'Anse Aux Meadows 1000 years ago."
L'Anse aux Meadows from the French L'Anse à la Médée or ("Medea Cove"), is an archaeological site on the northernmost tip of the Great Northern Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Discovered in 1960 by explorer Helge Ingstad and his wife, archaeologist Anne Stineit who excavated it and found artifacts proving it was a Norse settlement. It is the only certain site of a Norse or Viking settlement in North America.

It was named a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1978.




Stamps:

3X The 100th Anniversary of the Halifax Explosion
(Issued 06-11-2017)

AUSTRIA ~ Kaiservilla - Bad Ischl ~

... Beautiful view of a place steeped in history, romance and tragedy... now a museum but once the "real home" of Franz Josef and Sisi... the summer palace of Austrian Kaisers.... for 60 years, Franz Josef came every year to this summer retreat... the villa gives an insight about the way the "Kaiser" and "Sisi" and their family used to live... so a must see for Sisi-lovers... it is also a place of immense historical significance... especially interesting to see is the desk at which Franz-Josef signed the declaration against Serbia in 1914 that set World War I into action... Big Thanks once more Dustin!! ❁◕ ‿ ◕❁

Bad Ischl  is a spa town and lies in the southern part of Upper Austria, at the Traun River in the centre of the Salzkammergut region.

The Imperial town of Bad Ischl was fundamentally shaped by the love story of the young Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph and the graceful Bavarian Princess Elisabeth, called Sisi. In 1853 the 23-year-old monarch and the 15-year-old princess got engaged; one year later they got married in Vienna. The wedding present from the emperor’s mother Sophie was the Imperial Villa in Bad Ischl.

The Imperial Villa is surrounded by an extensive park where the “Marble Palace”, the former tea house of Empress Elisabeth, is located.

Stamp:

The 100th Anniversary of the First Austrian Republic
(Issued 23-08-2018)

 Death Anniversaries
(Issued 24-08-2018)

SPAIN ~ Cordoba - UNESCO ~

... Beautiful views of picturesque Cordoba situated at the heart of Spain's Andalucia region... the city offers a taste of Moorish culture, the Roman empire, Spanish culture and even has a Jewish Quarter....one of Spain's must-see towns... the center of the city is the mosque/cathedral...  it is unique in the world as it is both a former mosque and the current cathedral for Cordoba...  after the Reconquista, the Catholic Church took over the central mosque and built a Christian church right in the middle of the building...  Cordoba has also the highest summer temperatures in Spain and Europe... Big Thanks once more David!! (✿ ♥‿♥)

Photo: José Barea "The Christ of the Lanterns - Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos - typical streeet view with the mosque in the background - Patio Cordobes"
Córdoba is,the largest city and the capital of the Province of Cordoba in the center of the autonomous community of Andalusia in southern Spain. It lies at the southern foot of the Morena Mountains and on the bank of the Guadalquivir River.

The city was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1984 and extended in 1994 to add the Historic Centre to Mezquita.

Stamp:

King Felipe VI
(Issued 02-01-2016)

VIETNAM ~ Cai Rang Floating Market - Mekong Delta ~

... Beautiful floating market view crowded with sellers... Cai Rang floating market is one of 3 biggest floating market in South West Vietnam and the largest wholesale floating market in the Mekong Delta.... one of the most popular attractions in Can Tho which tourists shouldn’t miss... every early morning, hundred boats gather together where their owners start trading agricultural products, goods, fruits, food as well with an eating area... to be recognized easily, they hang out product samples on a long bamboo (called Cay Beo) in front of the boats, so that they do not need to cry their wares as in mainland market.... although their lives are not as flourishing as the lives on lands, they are still enthusiastic, friendly and keep a smiley face... with great selection of stamps used...Thanks a lot Manh!! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Cai Rang floating market is located in Can Tho province, Mekong Delta on the Cai Rang river near Can Tho City (the capital of the Mekong Delta). Cai Rang was initially formed to meet the trading needs of the locals while the road traffic system was still in its infancy and it existed for over a 100 years.

These floating markets are often organized at the junction of rivers. There, the water level of rivers is not too deep, and river surface is not too wide, which is convenient for boats to moor.

Stamps:

UNESCO World Heritage - Trang An
(Issued 23-01-2015)

3X  Vietnamese Community of Ethnic Groups
(Issued 30-09-2005)

Ancient Architecture - Joint Issue with India
(Issued 25-01-2018)

Chinese New Year - Year of the dog
(Issued 01-12-2017)

SRI LANKA ~ Dambulla Rock Temple - UNESCO ~

... Beautiful interior Cave Temple view... these caves form the best preserved and biggest cave temple complex in Asia and the most impressive of Sri Lanka... they displaying a range of Buddha statues and beautiful artwork... all related to Lord Buddha and his life... the centre of pilgrimage and a sacred place for Buddhists and Hindus for 22 centuries.... it's the island's most popular historic site... the five main caves contain almost 150 images of the Buddha... Thanks a lot Ravindra!!【ツ】→  http://worldontrains.blogspot.com/

Dambulla Cave temple is situated in the central part of the country. The rock towers 160 m over the surrounding plains above the central city of Dambulla. The history of the caves, rock and temple dates from the 1st century BC. During the 18th century, the caves were restored and painted by the Kingdom of Kandy. There are five caves (shrine rooms) in Dambulla temple. All of these caves arc full of statues of Buddha and various personages of the Buddhist Order or History.

The Temple of Dambulla were declared as one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites in 1991.

Stamps:

 The 23rd Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting
(Issued 12-11-2013)

Traditional Sinhalese Exorcism ritual
(Issued 1-05-2018)

AUSTRIA ~ Hall - Tyrol - UNESCO (Tentative) ~

... Great views of a town steeped in history...situated in a pristine alpine valley...  it is considered the largest and best-preserved old town in Tyrol... with narrow medieval alleys, centuries-old townhouses, the Mint Tower and an imposing castle (houses today the coin-museum)... the first silver coin, the Taler, was coined in Hall and became a valued currency throughout the world...  many currencies such as the US Dollar and the Yen share the origin from the first high denomination silver coin... the Dollar is even named after it... Thanks a lot Dustin!!【ツ】→ http://postcardsblogatdustin.blogspot.com/

Hall in the County of Tyrol is a town in the Innsbruck-Land district of Tyrol located about 5 km of the state's capital Innsbruck in the Inn valley.

In the middle ages salt production made Hall the most important economic centre of Northern Tirol. The town’s name is derived from the Celtic term for salt.

From 1938 to 1974 the town was called Solbad Hall - Solbad was dropped from the town name a few years after the salt mining was closed in 1967.

 Hall is submitted on the Tentative List to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site.



Ⓒ www.watzek- photografie.com

Stamps:

The 20th Anniversary of the Referendum on Austrian Membership of the EU
(Issued 12-06-2014)

Austrian Presidency of the Council of the European Union
(Issued 29-06-2018)

Canada ~ Newfoundland & Labrador ~

... Normally I prefer single view postcards... but I'm really fond of this kind of "multiview" designs💚...as being Canada’s easternmost point, this province was the area where Europeans first made contact with the New World... warm-hearted locals, untamed landscapes, rare wildlife, and rich history... all these things makes it one of the most beautiful province's in Canada.... popular things to do are scenic drives, whale watching, iceberg viewing, bird watching, kayaking, camping... Thanks a lot Andrene!! (✿ ♥‿♥) Enjoy discovering a breathtakingly beautiful part of your own country!

Newfoundland and Labrador is the most easterly province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it comprises the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador to the northwest.

Newfoundland and Labrador's capital and largest city is St. John's.

About 92% of the province's population lives on the island of Newfoundland (and its neighbouring smaller islands), of whom more than half live on the Avalon Peninsula.

Newfoundland and Labrador are the youngest Canadian province, joining Canada in 1949 (originally England’s oldest overseas colony). Its name was officially changed to Newfoundland and Labrador in 2001.


Ⓒ John Hinde Curteich

Stamp:

Baby Wildlife
(Issued 31-03-2014)

THAILAND ~ Aerial view - Bangkok ~

... As I posted many postcards showing Thailand's capital and wrote about this colorful, charismatic and chaotic city... here a few "interesting facts"... the full name of the city is “Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit.”... the name is listed in Guinness World Records as the world’s longest place name, at 168 letters😲... meaning “The city of angels, the great city, the residence of the Emerald Buddha, the impregnable city (unlike Ayutthaya) of God Indra, the grand capital of the world endowed with nine precious gems, the happy city, abounding in an enormous Royal Palace that resembles the heavenly abode where reigns the reincarnated god, a city given by Indra and built by Vishnukarn.”... the world famed energy drink Red Bull was created in Bangkok by Chaleo Yoovidhya in 1976... Bangkok’s Chinatown is one of the largest Chinatowns in the world... Thanks a lot Jobbo!!【ツ】

Photo: Vinid Rungpueng
The city is located in the chao Phraya river delta in central Thailand.The history of Bangkok dates at least back to the early 15th century, when it was a village on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River, under the rule of Ayutthaya.


Stamp:

Italy-Thailand Joint Issue
Issued 21-04-2004)

Rice Cultivation1999 Rice Cultivation
(Issued 25-02-1999)

GERMANY ~ Tree Top Trail - Bad Harzburg ~

Nice postcard promoting the Tree Top Trail... the trail is located just outside the Harz National Park and offers magnificent views into the park... discover the nature of the Harz, from a completely new perspective... it gives an insight into the exciting flora and fauna of the northernmost low mountain range in Germany... you will learn interesting things about the local timber industry, nature and the environment... the trail is open all year round... and as always with a lovely special postmark to celebrate the 950th anniversary of the town Bad Harzburg... Thanks a lot Dustin!!ヽ(ヅ)ノ

The "Baumwipfelpfad Harz" or Tree Top Trail is located in the town of Bad Harzburg at the northern edge of Harz National Park and was opened in 2015.

The Tree Top Trail runs for a kilometer through the forest and is set 22 meters above the ground with 18 platforms, bridges and 33 viewing stations.

Stamp:

Wild Germany - Harz Mountains Forest
 (Issued 09-08-2018)

ITALY ~ Sword in Stone - Chapel of Montesiepi ~

... Beautiful small round Gothic chapel view with Italy's own "Sword in stone"... a place of magic and myth that originated in the Middle Ages... all the legends about this sword are very impressive... as most of us I only knew about the King Arthur’s one... but the only existing original sword in the stone, in the whole world can be seen in Italy... when the noble knight Galgano Guidotti decided to dedicate his life to God, he sticked his sword into this rock to symbolize peace and redemption...  now it was no longer a weapon, but rather, the symbol of the Cross...  and nobody has pulled it out yet... once more a fantastic story discovered thanks to postcard collecting😊...
Thanks a lot Gian Luca and Raffaella!!(✿ ♥‿♥)→  https://73postcards73.blogspot.com/

Ⓒ Photo: Luciano Mugnaini
This Tuscany’s abbey of Saint Galgano was built in a Gothic Italian style between the towns of Monticiano and Chiusdino in the province of Siena and was built  between 1218 and 1268.

Near the abbey there’s the Montesiepi Chapel with the sword of the rock of San Galgano.The chapel to the left of the altar houses frescoes by Ambrogio Lorenzetti, a major painter of the Senese school of the 14thC.

To mark the change from his past life, Galgano thrust his sword into a rock (1180) promising to God he would never again raise his weapon against anyone. The news of the miracle of the ‘Sword in the Stone’ quickly spread around Siena, and pilgrims soon began to flock to Montesiepi to ask Galgano to perform other miracles (at least 18 have been documented).

Recent studies appeared to have confirmed that the sword dates indeed to the late 1100s–early 1200s. To protect it from theft, the sword is now protected by a case.

Stamp:

Italian Squares
(Issued 02-07-2016)

SPAIN ~ Church of the Sacred Heart - Melilla ~

... It wouldn't be a postcard by David if it wasn't sent from a *special* placeツ... a little piece of Spain in Africa... the only EU territory on the African Continent... together with Ceuta they form the European Union's only land borders with Africa....most of us know the city from the news... Melilla and Ceuta are often seen as a gateway to Europe by refugees... heavily fortified borders have come under pressure from African migrants seeking a better life in Europe... but the city is also the most important center for Modern Architecture in Africa... and known as the “City of Four Cultures” with its mix of Christians, Muslims, Jews and the modern Hindu population living together... Thanks a lot David!! ❀◕ ‿ ◕❀

This autonomous city is a Spanish exclave, located on the North African coast, the Mediterranean sea on one side and Morocco surrounding the rest with an area of 12.3 km2.

Melilla is one of two permanently inhabited Spanish cities in mainland Africa, the other being Ceuta. It was part of the Province of Málaga until 14 March 1995, when the city's Statute of Autonomy was passed. This territory is also claimed by Morocco.

The Sacred Heart Church is located downtown beside the Plaza Menendez Pelayo and was designed by the Malaga architect Fernando Guerrero Strachan in 1918. It has a modern Neo-Romanesque design and the facade has an impressive bell tower.



Stamp:

King Felipe VI
(Issued 02-01-2016)

COLOMBIA ~ Nevado del Ruiz - Los Nevados National Park ~

... My first Colombian National Park and the third most popular NP in Colombia... view of the "Nevado del Ruiz"  one of the northernmost active volcanoes in South America... because of the high elevation of the summit, the volcano is capped by a large volume of snow and ice. ... Los Nevados National Park is located in the heart of the coffee region...  known for its snow-capped volcanoes, glaciers, lakes and forests... about 4,000 different species of vegetation... among the animals found here and being part of the list of protected species, is the Andean condor, the spectacled bear, the páramo hummingbird and the great thrush...Thanks a lot Thibaut!!【ツ】

Parque Los Nevados is located in the  Cordillera Central Andes, which is the highest of the three branches of the Colombian Andes. The park was created in 1973 in order to help contribute to the conservation of important ecosystems such as three of the glaciers in Colombia, high Andean wetlands and high Andean forests.

This  national park covers an area of 58,300 hectares with a range of altitudes between 2,600m and 5,321m.

The Colombian volcano Nevado del Ruiz is a tall and conical volcano, which has been active for about two million years. With a summit elevation of 5,321 m, it is the highest of the Colombian volcanoes and dominates Los Nevados where rivers spring, that supply the coffee region of Colombia (Caldas, Risaralda, Quindío and Tolima). Its name, Nevado, means "snow-capped".

Stamps:

The 100th Anniversary of the Improvements and Ornament Society of Bogotá
(Issued 20-12-2017)

The 75th Anniversary of the Caro and Cuervo Institute
(Issued 24-08-2017)

The 150th Anniversary of the National University of Colombia
(Issued 31-08-2017)

GERMANY ~ Map - Harz National Park ~

... First of three (2 3)  fantastic postcards all connected with one another coming from my dear postcard friend Dustin!! (therefore all posted today) ... all new to my NP collection and last but not least with great matching stamps and amazing postmarks💚...  I start with this great map that shows one of the largest forest national parks in Germany ( had to look with my magnifying glass to see all the wonderful details 😉) ...  a place for nature lovers, hikers, climbers or people who are interested in mining history, Cold War relics, castles...  you can choose from over 9.000 km of hiking trails to explore unspoilt forests, deep valleys and lush meadows...  a refugee for plants and animals...Thanks a lot Dustin!!(✿ ♥‿♥)

Harz National Park is located within Germany's most northerly mountain range, the Harz Mounains, in the federal states of Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt. 95 % of the area is covered with forests, mainly with spruce and beech woods, including several bogs, granite rocks and creeks.

The Park stretches from a low mountain range near Herzberg in the southern part of the mountains, across the Harz massif to its northern slopes near Bad Harzburg and Ilsenburg. The Park offers an ecologically complex landscape and contains different vegetation zones.

Stamps:

Youth Philately - Mushrooms
(Issued 09-08-2018)

Wild Germany - Harz Mountains Forest
(Issued 09-08-2018)

Baby Animals
(Issued 02-01-2018)

GERMANY ~ The Lynx - Harz National Park ~

... On card 2 you can see a magnificent cat... this lynx once freely roamed the forests of central Europe, but by 1900 they faced extinction after centuries of being targeted by hunters, who reviled them for killing their local game and livestock, and who prized their fur... the last lynx living in the Harz forest was killed in 1818 (can be seen at the State Natural History Museum Braunschweig)...  but since 2000 there has been a repopulation programme, which has been successful... the animals wander through the whole Harz area and have settled in well and there have already been several cases of natural reproduction... Big Thanks Dustin for three wonderful postcards, stamps and as always great postmarks!!✿◕ ‿ ◕✿ →http://postcardsblogatdustin.blogspot.com/

The Eurasian lynx is one of the widest ranging cats in the world and can be found in the forests of western Europe, Russia and central Asia.  Greatly varied in size Eurasian lynx tend to be between 80 to 130 cm length and up to 70cm at the shoulder, generally weighing 18 to 40kg.

These cats are strict carnivores, feeding mostly on ungulates (hoofed mammals) such as deer. When food is scarce they also eat smaller prey like hares, foxes and rabbits.

Lynx have a short tail, characteristic tufts of black hair on the tips of their ears, large, padded paws for walking on snow and long whiskers on the face.

Stamps:

Wild Germany - Harz Mountains Forest
(Issued 09-08-2018)

Flora - Flowers
(Issued 08-06-2017)

GERMANY ~ The Brocken -Torfhaus - Harz National Park -

... Card 3 shows a great aerial view on Brocken from Torfhaus...  Brocken peak has been the main destination for Harz travellers since the 17thC... it  is not just a mountain, but possibly Germany’s first touristic nature destination...  the appeal of the mountain and the popularity of the Goethe Trail remained unbroken until today...  each year, thousands of hikers make the ascent from Torfhaus over the distance of 9 kilometres via the Goethe trail... before starting your hike to the Brocken you should visit  the Torfhaus National Park Visitor Centre.. . there you can find out everything there is to know about the Harz National Park and will give you an idea of the spectacular scenery of the Harz National Park... with also beautiful matching NP stamp and NP postmark (as said before probably the country with the most different and beautiful cancellations👍) ... Big Thanks Dustin!!【ツ】

Photo: Bernhard Fischer The Brocken, also sometimes referred to as the Blocksberg, is the highest peak of the Harz mountain range and also the highest peak of Northern Germany. The Brocken has always played a role in legends and has been connected with witches and devils; Johann Wolfgang von Goethe took up the legends in his play Faust.

Today the Brocken is part of the Harz National Park and hosts a historic botanical garden of about 1,600 alpine mountain plants. A narrow gauge steam railway, the Brocken Railway, takes visitors to the railway station at the top on 1,125 m.

Torfhaus is a village situated at the heart of the Harz National Park in the borough of the mining town of Altenau. It is the highest settlement in Lower Saxony.

Stamps:

Wild Germany - Harz Mountains Forest
 (Issued 09-08-2018)

Flora - Flowers
(Issued 08-06-2017)