SRI LANKA ~ Nuwara Eliya ~

... Lots of wonderful highlights of a quaint town also known as "Little England"... due to it being where British settlers built their holiday bungalows and spent their down time... there are tonnes of Colonial style buildings dotted all over the place... located in Sri Lanka's beautifully lush hill country... the coolest area in Sri Lanka... famous for its tea plantations and  the most important location for tea production in the country... the town is also a market centre for rubber, vegetables, rice, and fish... there are  many cascading waterfalls... 💚Nuwara Eliya is truly a magical stop in Sri Lanka💚... Thanks a lot Ravindra!!ツ

© Vijitha and Lalana Yapa
Nuwara Eliya is located in south-central Sri Lanka in the hill country of the Central Province, It lies at an elevation of 1,889 metres above sea level, immediately south of the island’s tallest mountain, Mount Pidurutalagala at 2,524 metres.

From 1830 Nuwara Eliya was a hill station used by the British residents of what was then Ceylon.

Its name means "city on the plain (table land)" or "city of light".

Stamps: 

State Vesak Festival
(Issued 17-05-2019)

Tissa Balasuriya, 1924-2013
(Issued 29-08-2013)

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

SRI LANKA ~ Kandy - UNESCO ~

... Many lovely views of the last royal capital of Sri Lanka and a major tourist destination... famous for the Temple of the Tooth and many other temples... the city could be called the cultural capital of the island... steeped in tradition and history...  also known for its scenic beauty... one of the centerpieces of the town is Kandy Lake an artificial lake in the heart of the hill city... built in 1807 by King Sri Wickrama Rajasing the last ruler of the Kingdom of Kandy next to the Temple of the Tooth... and it was a surprise that it didn't came from Ravindra but Jobbo! Thanks!!【ツ】

Lying 115 km from Colombo, Kandy is Sri Lanka’s second biggest city and the capital of the central province. The busy town is situated in a valley at an elevation of 600m, inside a wide loop of the Mahaweli River and is surrounded by hills covered with tropical vegetation.

Once the capital of the Sinhalese Kandyan kingdom, it is now a mountain resort and market center for an area producing tea, rubber, rice, and cacao.

Spread over an area of around 1940 square kilometers, it is counted amongst the world heritage sites of UNESCO.

Stamp:

Flowers of Sri Lanka
(Issued 07-10-2016)

HUNGARY ~ Fertő-Hanság National Park - UNESCO ~

... Lots of wonderful views... a great new National Park and UNESCO site👍... it includes Ferto Lake one of the largest saltwater lakes in Europe... and the westernmost of the great continental lakes of Eurasia... the area has an amazing variety of landscapes, marshes, sandy beaches and steppe-aspect plains with a lot of rare flora... the surface of the lake bed is thickly covered in reeds and bulrushes, serving as a habitat for roosting, feeding and hiding for a large number of unique birds species, especially during the migrating seasons... there are museums, art galleries, castles, villages... thousands of tourists visit this National Park every year... Thanks a lot Laco!!ヽ(ヅ)ノ

Photo: Pellinger Attila
Fertő-Hanság National Park is a national Park in North-West Hungary in Győr-Moson-Sopron county. It was created in 1991, and officially opened together with the connecting Austrian Nieusiedler See National Park  the same year. The park covers 235.88 km², and consists of two main areas.

Since 2001, Fertö / Neusiedlersee Cultural Landscape the lake and the surrounding region have been considered a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Stamps:

Definitives - Postal History
(Issued 02-05-2018)

Personalities - 100th Birth Anniversaries
(Issued 11-03-2019)

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)

GERMANY ~ Knesebeck shaft - UNESCO ~

... Great new German UNESCO site... the country which ranks 5th in the world for most world heritage sites... the landmark of the mine, which can be seen from a long distance, is the hydro compressor tower, built in 1912 and about 47 meters high...  and once more with a wonderful special postmark... for me Germany is the country with the most different and beautiful special stamp postmarks👍... this one is about the 50th death anniversary of Martin Luther King... Big Thanks Dustin!!【ツ】

The Knesebeck shaft is one of the four shafts of the former mine "Help of God" in Bad Grund, which was still in use until the 1990s. This mine was shut down in 1992 as the last of the classic Upper Harz ore mines and last metal ore mine in Germany. It belonged in its late phase to the most modern ore mines in Europe.

The museum with a "hands on mining philosophy" shows the technical development of the listed plant from the middle of last century until the end of operation. You can see the historic winding engine, electric compressors, two restored Radstuben and a 47 meter high tower. The outdoor area is dominated by the formerly used underground vehicles.

It is part of the UNESCO site  Historic Town of Goslar and Upper Harz Water Management System since 1992.

Stamp:

 Flora - Flowers
(Issued 11-05-2017)

Italy ~ Val Grande National Park - UNESCO ~

... Great Italian National Park nr6ツ... the largest wilderness area in the country... the perfect place to hike and enjoy the steep deep valleys, crystal-clear waters in gorges and most spectacular views... also an outdoor museum of the ancient civilization of the Alps.... with shepherd huts and shelters for Italian partisans fighting the Nazis during the WWII... a place for real nature lovers... not yet overrun by tourists... Thanks a lot Gian Luca & Raffaella!! (✿ ♥‿♥) → World Postcards

Val Grande National Park is a protected area located in Piedmont, in the north of Italy, at the border with Switzerland. It is most notable for landscapes of the High Alps and has an area of more than 15.000 ha near the Maggiore Lake. Most the park is mountainous with peaks of over 3000m and the  majority of the area is forested.

The Val Grande National Park was established in 1992 and in 1998 the area of the park was extended.
Since 2013, the National Park  along with that of the Val Sesia - has become part of the World Network of Geoparks protected by UNESCO.

Stamp:

 EUROPA Stamps - Palaces and Castles
(Issued 09-05-2017)

SAINT LUCIA ~ Fruit and Flowers ~

... Fantastic colorful tropical flowers and bananas coming from the West Indies...  once more a dream holiday destination... don't know where it has been all this time as it was sent at Glenn's stop nr2... but I'm so glad it still arrived... with great matching banana stamp👍...
Big Thanks dear Glenn!! (✿◠‿◠)  → Gem's World Postcards

St. Lucia in general is known for its tropical vegetation. Orchids and exotic plants grow wild in the rainforests, with roadsides covered with many tropical flowers.

Banana is St. Lucia’s main export crop and were introduced on the island in the 1950's.  Three main kinds of bananas are cultivated commercially: the valery, the robusta, and the giant Cavendish.


The islands local bananas are known as figs and, as the St. Lucians say, they are in every pot,on every plate and behind every bar. A great variety of culinary specialties can be made with ripe bananas, green bananas, and plantains (cooking bananas)--all mainstays of the island's diet.



Photo: Cecil N.A. Clarke

Stamp:

Flowering Fruits
(Issued 05-12-2005)

SCOTLAND ~ The Cairngorms National Park ~

... Spectacular nature scenery in the heart of the Scottish Highlands... Britain’s largest National Park... voted one of the top 20 places to visit in the World... an outdoor paradise for people who love nature, sports and adventure... the Park has provided a unique film location for many films and one of my favorite series Outlander... Thanks so much for once more a fabulous new National Park Andrene!! ( ˘ ³˘)❤

Ⓒ Colin Baxter "Glen Brown & the Cairgorms - Ben Macdui & Cairn Tour - Loch Avon - Loch an Eilein, Rothiemurchus"
The Cairngorms National Park became the UK’s second National Park in 2003 and it is located in northeast Scotland with an area of 4,528 km2.  In 2010 it expanded into Perth and Kinross.

The park covers the Cairngorms range of mountains, and surrounding hills. It contains 5 of the 6 highest mountains in the UK, Over a third of the park sits at close to 2,000 feet (600 m) above sea level, creating an Arctic-like climate.

The park is home to eagles, ospreys, wildcats, reindeer, red squirrels, and boasts an extensive array of activities that range from hiking, skiing, and traditional villages.

Stamp:

Windmills and Watermills
(Issued 20-06-2017)

SOUTH AFRICA ~ Mountain Zebra National Park ~

... A fantastic National Park postcard of one of the smaller parks in South Africa... the scenery is beautiful and the setting tranquil... the park has a great history... today the park is home to a large breeding herd of the Cape mountain zebra... not long ago this species was endangered... local farmers in the area donated mature individuals from their land to form the first population in the national park, which numbered only six individuals.... now the park has over 700 animals and is able to restock other areas from their large population... it feels so good to post about a conservation success story...ヅ Thanks a lot Retha!!【ツ】

This 28 000ha National Park is situated in the Eastern Cape and it was first proclaimed in 1937 to save the cape mountains zebra from extinction.

Mountain Zebra National Park is home to herds of zebras, Black rhinos, buffalo's, springbok, blesbok, Black wildebeest, eland, Red hartebeest and gemsbok. Cheetah's were introduced in 2007 and lions in 2013.

The park is named after the the Cape mountain zebra. These zebra differ from the plains or Burchell’s zebra, by having narrower stripes, absence of shadow stripes and orange facial coloration.

The park is also a habitat for approximately 270 birds species.

Stamp:

Crafts
(Issued 27-10-2010)

AUSTRALIA ~ Humpback Whales -

... .Spectacular sights of the "gentle giants of the ocean" and wonderful new whale card for my collection... the biggest animal on Earth... they are true “acrobats of the sea” with jumps out of the water (known as breaching) and tail and flipper slaps... to see one of the most majestic and extraordinary animals in the wild must be an unforgettable experienceヅ... whale and dolphin watching has become a popular Eco-tourism activity worldwide in recent years... Thanks a million Sioux!! (✿ ♥‿♥)

Photo: © Philip Rowley
"Humpback Whales playing on annual migration path past Gold Coast, North Stradbroke Island, Moreton Bay, Sunshine Coast, Fraser Island & Hervey Bay ."
The Gold Coast welcomes the first pods of whales into Queensland waters and is the best place to watch them with their new calves at the end of the season as they make the way back to Antarctica.

The most characteristic features of the humpback whale are its enormous flippers, which stretch to almost one third of the animal's body length. The humpback is one of the most acrobatic of the great whales and has been observed leaping from the water in nearly 40 consecutive bursts of "joy".Scientists have also recorded patterns of humpback vocalizations which they have likened to birdsong.

The humpback whale exposes its tail flukes in terminal dives. The tail of each humpback whale is visibly unique.

Stamp:

Australian Animals - Monotremes
(Issued 26-09-2016)

USA ~ Tucson - Arizona ~

... Great multiview postcard nr4 form the US... with 350 days of ☼☼ ☼ sunshine ☼ ☼☼ a year, Tucson is literally the sunniest city in the United States... with special Tucson Philatelic center postmark...Thanks so much Andrene must have been a wonderful trip... we had last weekend also temperatures above 30°C... way too hot for me!!  o͜͡o

"Tucson skyline-Catalina State Park-Sabino Canyon-San Xavier Del Bac Mission-Saguaro NP"
Photo's by © Mike Jones -Shutterstock/Caseo60/Anton Foltin "Tucson's unique attractions and natural landscape invite you to discover and explore".
Tucson is the second largest city in Arizona, the word Tucson means “black base” in Spanish and refers to the volcanic mountains on the west side of the city.

Tucson officially was founded on August 20, 1776.  The area we call Tucson is one of the oldest continually inhabited areas in North America.

Stamp:

Forever stamps - the echeveria.
(Issued 28-04-2017)

CANADA ~Nunavut - Igaluit -Toonik Tyme Festival ~

... Great winter scenes postcard stamped at Canada's Most Northern Post Office "Eureka"...  postal services have existed at the base since it was established in 1947... it consists of an airport, a weather station and research laboratory and is permanently staffed on a rotating basis by scientists and military personnel... Eureka is the second northern most research station in the world and the coldest settlement in Canada... Nunavut is one of the largest unspoiled natural paradises on earth.... Thanks a lot Trupti!!【ツ】

From backside postcard:
"Held in late April every year, Toonik Tyme is Iqaluit's festival which celebrates the end of the long Arctic winter. The numerous events reflect both the traditional and modern Arctic., including dog team races, igloo building contests and golf on the sea."
Nunavut is the largest and newest territory of Canada predominantly inhabited by Inuit. Nunavut compresses a major portion of Northern Canada and most of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, making it the fifth-largest country subdivision in the world with capital Iqualuit.

The people of the Canadian Arctic are known as the Inuit. They used to be called Eskimos, which came from a Native American word for 'eater of raw meat'. Now the Arctic people are officially known as the Inuit, which means 'the people', or singularly, Inuk, which means 'the person'.

Stamps:

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Canada
(Issued 11-01-2016)

UK ~ Jurassic Coast - UNESCO ~

... Fantastic views of the spectacular coastline... the Jurassic Coast is a Walk Through Time representing 185 million years of earth history ... with its rocks and fossils you can uncover detailed stories from Earth’s ancient past... visitors to the whole area can enjoy fossil hunting in many of the beach locations... Did you find some fossils??? Thanks sooooo much Andrene!! 乂❤‿❤乂

Photo: Bob Croxford
The Jurassic Coast is a stretch of coast in south-west England from Emouth in the West to Swanage in the East and is 95 miles long (153 km). Its entire length can be walked on the South West Coast Path.

The name Jurassic Coast comes from the best known of the geological periods found within it, but in fact the Site includes rocks from the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. The different rocks tell a fascinating story from ancient deserts to tropical seas throughout the Mesozoic era, between 250 million and 65 million years ago.

Stamp:

Landscape Gardens
(Issued 16-08-2016)

GERMANY ~ Hannover ~

Great surprise postcard nr3 showing some city highlights.... Hannover is the seat of technical, medical, and veterinary universities and several museums... the city has numerous parks and gardens and earned the title of “Green City"... including Eilenriede, the largest city forest in Europe, which has almost twice the size of the Central Park in New York... Thank so much Dustin for once more 3 new wonderful German places and I do love those new "variable" value stamps!! 乂❤‿❤乂➜  My postcard and stamp week

Hannover on the River Leine, is the capital and largest city of the German state of Lower Saxony. Hannover was chartered in 1241 and in 1369 passed to Brunswick. In 1386 it joined the Hanseatic League.

It is a major industrial, commercial, and transshipment center, also serving as a vital rail and road junction in northern Germany. Manufactures include iron and steel, tires, machinery, and motor vehicles.

Points of interest include the Gothic former city hall,  the Marktkirche, the Leineschloss, a castle that now houses the parliament of Lower Saxony; and the remains of Herrenhausen castle.

Stamps:
(Issued 03-01-2017)

TOGO ~ Tamberma Valley - UNESCO ~

... Another little African "gem" to add to my collection... my second card from Togo and a great UNESCO site... according to tourism-related descriptions the hardest and least populated part of the country to get to... this amazing valley is home to a unique collection of fortified villages with houses like mini fortresses....the constructions create a surreal place... Big Thanks Maick (once more♥) for helping me to get this "unique" postcard!! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ➜  A Journey of Postcards

Togo is a small West African country surrounded by Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana and Atlantic Ocean. The only port and capital city is  Lomé.

These villages were built in the 17th century by people fleeing the slave trade in Benin and remained isolated until very recently. The local Batammariba people are skilled builders and have put together these castle-like structures using only clay, wood and straw, and no tools. The look they created was to help ward off invasions by neighboring tribes and served as a scaring tactic.

A typical house is called a Tata and consists of a series of towers connected by a thick wall with a single entry point meant to trap an enemy should the house be invaded. A hole in the ceiling of the first chamber would allow the house occupants on the roof to shower the enemy with arrows from above.

Stamps:

Bella Bellow Commemoration, 1945-1973
(Issued 1999)

The 36th Summit of the Organization of African Unity or OAU, Lome
(Issued 03-07-2000)

Poland ~ Częstochowa ~

...Lovely views of the holiest place of Poland and one of the world’s most important destinations for pilgrims...every year several million Catholics pilgrims come here to pray before the miraculous picture of Our Lady of Czestochowa... Thanks a lot Andrene!! ✿◕ ‿ ◕✿

Częstochowa is a situated in southern Poland on the Warta River. The city is known for the famous Jasna Góra monastery. The monastery is home to many treasures, but none so precious as the iconic 'Black Madonna' painting, a shrine to Virgin Mary, which has been the object of pilgrimages since the 14th century. The faithful has believed for ages that St. Luke the Evangelist himself painted the divine icon on a tabletop from the Holy Family’s house.
.
Pope John Paul II, a native of Poland, was a fervent devotee of the Virgin Mary and of her icon at Częstochowa.

Stamp: Flowers and Fruits (Issued 15-07-2016)