Traveling by train

Postcard ID: TW-938316
Country: Taiwan

Traveling by train is my favorite way to visit another cities/countries. I've never flight and so now have a fear of flight. I don't like move by bus on big distances. I can move by car, but on the train we have ability to sleep with comfort. This week I've noticed that schedule for the train from Minsk to Chisinau was changed. Last time it took abot 30 hours, now it's 24 :) great change! :)

I don't know what to write about Taiwanese trains,as I've never been there and used this transport :) 

Here is a stamp from postcard:

Gingerbread

Postcard ID: RU-2722918
Country: Russia

Here is a positive card sent by Karina from Russia. What do you think when you're looking at this postcard? Every man on this card is unique, but only gingerbread we can know from thousands

Gingerbread is a sweet food-product flavored with ginger and typically using honey or molasses (treacle) rather than just sugar. Gingerbread foods vary, ranging from a soft, moist loaf cake to something close to a ginger biscuit. The different types likely share a common origin.

Galata Bridge and Yeni Valide Djami

As Joao knows that I really like painted cards he and Eva found this card for me in Turkey. When I received my first card from Turkey through official postcrossing the sender said that it was difficult to find postcard there, so he sent to me a photo made by him. Joao, I understand all your efforts and appreciate it! The postcard is really cool and beautiful :)

The Galata Bridge is a bridge that spans the Golden Horn in Istanbul, Turkey. From the end of the 19th century in particular, the bridge has featured in Turkish literature, theater, poetry and novels. 

The bridge is a two-storey structure, the first floor contains a promenade and restaurants, and the second floor is used by cars and tram.

Yeni Valide Sultan Camii is an Ottoman imperial mosque located in the Eminönü quarter of Istanbul, Turkey. It is situated on the Golden Horn, at the southern end of the Galata Bridge, and is one of the famous architectural landmarks of Istanbul.

Here is also nice stamp from Turkey:

Cappadocia, Nevşehir, Turkey

Hurray! I received 2 amazing cards this week from Joao. This time postcards came to me from Turkey and they both are really wonderful!

Now I only dream to fly on a hot air balloon, but Joao and his wife already did it :) guys, you're cool!

Cappadocia, which was inscribed to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985 on natural and cultural criteria, is situated at a distance of 14 km from Nevsehir, and it covers a 40 square km area between the county seats of Avanos and Urgup.
Goreme National Park and Cappadocia is a unique design of nature with slopes full of fairy-chimneys, rich water resources at the base of the valley, abundant flora, and numerous rock cut, frescoed churches.

Cappadocia, which was sculpted out of the tuff of the Erclyes and Hasan Mountains through millions of years by sand and water erosion, became the seat of several civilisations, and a silent witness to the cultural history of Anatolia. Cappadocia also covers underground cities. These enchanting and only partially revealed subterranean cities of Cappadocia are believed to have deeper levels awaiting exploration.

It looks like really interesting place! ;)

Mountain Fuji, Japan

Postcard ID: JP-537638
Country: Japan

It's so wonderful, wonderful life postcard! Every time when I receive postcard from my favourits I feel so happy!

Yoriko wrote that this is the Green Tea plantation in front of Mt. Fiji. By the way, green tea is my favourite ;)

I agree with the sender that the combination of blue sky, Mt. Fiji with white snow and vivid green tea plantation is great view!

Mount Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan at 3,776.24 m. Mount Fuji's exceptionally symmetrical cone, which is snow-capped several months a year, is a well-known symbol of Japan and it is frequently depicted in art and photographs, as well as visited by sightseers and climbers. It is one of Japan's "Three Holy Mountains" along with Mount Tate and Mount Haku; it is a Special Place of Scenic Beauty, a Historic Site, and was added to the World Heritage List as a Cultural Site on June 22nd, 2013.

The mountain has been selected as a “cultural” rather than a “natural” heritage site. As per UNESCO, Mount Fuji has “inspired artists and poets and been the object of pilgrimage for centuries”. 

Look on all these stamps! And sticker :)

Hemul

Postcard ID: FI-2101984
Country: Finland

My collections of Moomin character becomes more and more. Amazing! This one is Hemul. It's really postcrossing character as it has collection of postal stamp from the whole world

Hemulens (Swedish: Hemul - hemul, a legal term, "authority or warrant for something") – Hemulens feature frequently in the books. One of them is an avid stamp collector, and another is an avid skier. A female Hemulen raised Moominpappa in an orphanage, and later Moominpappa met her aunt, who looked confusingly like her. Other characters frequently find the Hemulens annoying or overwhelming, as they can be somewhat loud, bossy, abrasive and insensitive, but they are well-intentioned and usually have other redeeming qualities. In the beginning of Finn Family Moomintroll, a hemulen who is a keen stamp collector is depressed, as he has every stamp on the face of earth and has lost the purpose in life. Later on he finds a new purpose: to collect plants. In Finn Family Moomintroll, "un-Hemulenish" (ohemul) contains a sense of "unwarranted, unjustified."

Here is also wonderful circle stamp:

Fortune Smiled On Me by Yuliana Tsyvayuk

Postcard ID: RU-1843081
Country: Russia

Postcrossing! Postcrossing! We all love postcrossing! Yeaaaah!

I so like cards like this one, related to post or postcrossing. Usually these cards have interesting design and it's so interesting to read cards like this one and to view details. It inspire me to be a part of this activity and write more, and more, and more postcards :)

Congratulations!

Postcard ID: UA-676098
Country: Ukraine

While I've not received new cards from postcrossers, I continue to describe cards received last year. I've already described almost a half of all my postcards.

This one I received in last July. My Birthday in July, so it's ok to receive cards like this one. It looks like old soviet postcards :)

Some Ukrainian stamps are:

Innocence by William-Adolphe Bouguereau

Postcard ID: US-2297775
Country: USA

I'm not good at classical paintings. Postcard said that this is Innocence work, google think that this is Youth.

William-Adolphe Bouguereau was a French academic painter and traditionalist. In his realistic genre paintings he used mythological themes, making modern interpretations of classical subjects, with an emphasis on the female human body. During his life he enjoyed significant popularity in France and the United States, was given numerous official honors, and received top prices for his work. As the quintessential salon painter of his generation, he was reviled by the Impressionist avant-garde. By the early twentieth century, Bouguereau and his art fell out of favor with the public, due in part to changing tastes. In the 1980s, a revival of interest in figure painting led to a rediscovery of Bouguereau and his work. Throughout the course of his life, Bouguereau executed 822 known finished paintings, although the whereabouts of many are still unknown.

The stamps are not about paintings, but still interesting:

Centennial Hall

Postcard ID: PL-734605
Country: Poland

This card was sent to me by Patrycja from Poland. She strongly resommend me to visit this Centennial Hall in Wroclaw. She said that thisis a very modern museum about Hall's history and about of Polish modernism architecture (Hall is build in this style).

The Centennial Hall is a historic building in Wrocław, Poland. It was constructed according to the plans of architect Max Berg in 1911–1913, when the city was part of the German Empire.
The building and surroundings is frequently visited by tourists and the local populace. It lies close to other popular tourist attractions, such as the Wrocław Zoo, the Japanese Garden, and the Pergola with its Multimedia Fountain.
As an early landmark of reinforced concrete architecture, the building became one of Poland's official national Historic Monuments, as designated April 20, 2005, together with the Four Domes Pavilion, the Pergola, and the Iglica. Its listing is maintained by the National Heritage Board of Poland. It was also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006.

Traditional Ukrainian card

Postcard ID: UA-671378
Country: Ukraine

One from my preferences is National clothes? but I receive such cards quite rarely. This one is sent to me from Ukraine. Ukrainian and Belarusian style are Slavic and similar to each other. I especially like female flower wreath with ribbons.

Portimao, Portugal

Postcard ID: PT-308128
Country: Portugal

Portimão is a Portuguese town located in the District of Faro in the Algarve region on the southern coast of Portugal. It was formerly known as Vila Nova de Portimão. In 1924, it was incorporated as a cidade and became known merely as Portimão. The town has 55,614 inhabitants and the Portimão Municipality has 50,454 (as of 2009; INE). The two most populous towns in the Algarve are Portimão and Faro.

From touristic point of view Portimao is famous for its fresh fish restaurants, grilled sardines being the most famous dish.

Here is a funny Portuguese stamp:

A puppy

Postcard ID: DE-2330495
Country: Germany

Here is a card with a baby dog. This puppy has so cute and sad eyes. I want to pat him, play with him and make happy :)

Germany has interesting series of stamps with flowers. Here is one more that I did not have:

Brazilian UNESCO sites

Postcard ID: BR-266247
Country: Brazil

This card show even 3 UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Ouro Preto is a city in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, a former colonial mining town located in the Serra do Espinhaço mountains and designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO because of its outstanding Baroque architecture.

Congonhas is a historical Brazilian city located in the state of Minas Gerais. It is situated 90 kilometres south from Belo Horizonte, the capital of state of Minas Gerais.
The city is notable for its basilica - the Santuário do Bom Jesus do Matosinhos - and associated soapstone sculptures which were commissioned by Portuguese adventurer, Feliciano Mendes in the 18th century. It was created by Aleijadinho, one of the best artists in the baroque style in the world. The twelve sculptures of old testament prophets around the terrace are considered amongst his finest work.
In 1985 UNESCO granted the Sanctuary the title of a World Heritage Site.

Diamantina is a Brazilian city in the state of Minas Gerais.
Arraial do Tijuco (as Diamantina was first called) was built during the colonial era in the early 18th century. As its name suggests, Diamantina was a center of diamond mining in the 18th and 19th centuries. A well-preserved example of Brazilian Baroque architecture, Diamantina is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Look at this nice stamp:

Greetings from Pennsylvania, USA

Postcard ID: US-2339497
Country: USA

This is the 5th USA map card in this blog. I so like all these card. Every time when I receive it, I try to read all inscriptions on the card, to peruse all images. It's so wonderful to discover new associations.

Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, and the Great Lakes region. The state borders Delaware to the southeast, Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, Lake Erie and Ontario, Canada to the northwest, New York to the north and New Jersey to the east. The Appalachian Mountains run through the middle of the state.

Pennsylvania is the 33rd most extensive, the 6th most populous, and the 9th most densely populated of the 50 United States. The state's four most populous cities are Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, and Erie. The state capital is Harrisburg. Pennsylvania has 82 km of coastline along Lake Erie and 92 km of shoreline along the Delaware Estuary. The state is one of the 13 original founding states of the United States.

Here are 2 stamps, one with lovely butterfly :)

Somewhere in China

Postcard ID: CN-1010782
Country: China

Here is a wonderful card from China. It looks so colourful and shows so interesting object. What's that? I don't know and Google don't want to help me :(

Do you see the door on this stone? I'd like to know what is there inside. A temple? an unusual hostel? a museum? So enigmatic China.. :)

Here is a Chinese stamp with rose:

The Palace Bridge with a view of the Peter and Paul Fortress

Postcard ID: RU-2021991
Country: Russia

I think that drawbridges of Saint-Petersburg is known in many world countries. As Russia is our neighbor we know about it and want to see these performance, preferably during white nights in June :)

Palace Bridge  is a road traffic and foot bascule bridge spanning the Neva River in Saint Petersburg between Palace Square and Vasilievsky Island. Like every other Neva bridge (except for Big Obukhovsky Bridge), it is drawn by night, making foot travel between various parts of the city virtually impossible. It was built by the French firm Société de Construction des Batignolles.

The total length of Palace Bridge is 260.1 metres, width is 27.8 metres. It is actually composed of five spans, the southernmost joining Palace Embankment between Winter Palace and Admiralty and leading to Palace Square.

Ganyang Gully of Baoxing County at the foot of the Jiajin Mountain in autumn

Postcard ID: CN-1039526
Country: China

Here is a colourful postcard with beautiful landscape. Awesome!

Baoxing County is the place where Frenchman A. David found the giant panda. Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries, home to more than 30% of the world's pandas which are classed as highly endangered, covers 924,500 ha with seven nature reserves and nine scenic parks in the Qionglai and Jiajin Mountains. The sanctuaries constitute the largest remaining contiguous habitat of the giant panda, a relict from the paleo-tropic forests of the Tertiary Era. It is also the species' most important site for captive breeding. The sanctuaries are home to other globally endangered animals such as the red panda, the snow leopard and clouded leopard. They are among the botanically richest sites of any region in the world outside the tropical rainforests, with between 5,000 and 6,000 species of flora in over 1,000 genera.

A stamp from China:

Elizabeth Taylor

Postcard ID: US-2419534
Country: USA

This card shows us an amazing woman, a legend of cinematography! I really like this card. Every postcrosser will be happy to receive card like this one.

Dame Elizabeth Rosemond "Liz" Taylor was a British-American actress. From her early years as a child star with MGM, she became one of the great screen actresses of Hollywood's Golden Age. As one of the world's most famous film stars, Taylor was recognized for her acting ability and for her glamorous lifestyle, beauty, and distinctive violet eyes.

National Velvet (1944) was Taylor's first success, and she starred in Father of the Bride (1950), A Place in the Sun (1951), Giant (1956), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958), and Suddenly, Last Summer (1959). She won the Academy Award for Best Actress for BUtterfield 8 (1960), played the title role in Cleopatra (1963), and married her costar Richard Burton. They appeared together in 11 films, including Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966), for which Taylor won a second Academy Award. From the mid-1970s, she appeared less frequently in film, and made occasional appearances in television and theatre.

Her much-publicized personal life included eight marriages and several life-threatening illnesses. From the mid-1980s, Taylor championed HIV and AIDS programs; she co-founded the American Foundation for AIDS Research in 1985, and the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation in 1993. She received the Presidential Citizens Medal, the Legion of Honour, the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award and a Life Achievement Award from the American Film Institute, who named her seventh on their list of the "Greatest American Screen Legends". Taylor died of congestive heart failure in March 2011 at the age of 79, having suffered many years of ill health.

Coimbra University

This interesting and beautiful card is sent to me by my friend Joao. Hey, friend, you send me more Portuguese cards than I receive via official postcrossing site, huh :)

The University of Coimbra is a Portuguese public university in Coimbra, Portugal. Established in 1290, it is one of the oldest universities in continuous operation in the world, the oldest university of Portugal, and one of its largest higher education and research institutions. It is organized into eight different faculties according to a wide range of fields, granting academic bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees in arts, engineerings, humanities, mathematics, natural sciences, social sciences, sports and technologies. It is a founding member of the Coimbra Group, a group of leading European research universities, whose inaugural meeting it hosted. The University of Coimbra has approximately 20,000 students, and hosts one of the largest communities of international students in Portugal, being the most cosmopolitan Portuguese university.

On June 22, 2013, UNESCO added the university to its World Heritage List

As usual Joao sticked nice stamps for me. Thanks again! I really appreciated all your efforts!

A girl with a cat by Victoria Kirdiy

Postcard ID: RU-2684604
Country: Russia

I so like cards painted by Russian artist Victoria Kirdiy. And so rarely I receive it. All Victoria's postcards bring to all postcrossers only happy emotions and make this world a little better :)

As usual card from this series contains a poem:

Women and cats always do

as they want.

Men and dogs can just

relax and accept 

this state of affairs.

Also this card has so amazing stamps!

South Africa flag

Postcard ID: ZA-41881
Country: South Africa

Wow! Great! Amazing!

I so like to receive national symbols. To receive a national flag of South Africa is real happiness for me :)

South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of Africa. It has 2,798 kilometres of coastline that stretches along the South Atlantic and Indian oceans.To the north lie the neighbouring countries of Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe; to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland; and within it lies Lesotho, an enclave surrounded by South African territory. South Africa is the 25th-largest country in the world by land area, and with close to 53 million people, is the world's 24th-most populous nation.

South Africa is a multiethnic society encompassing a wide variety of cultures, languages, and religions. Its pluralistic makeup is reflected in the constitution's recognition of 11 official languages, which is among the highest number of any country in the world.

About 80 percent of South Africans are of black African ancestry, divided among a variety of ethnic groups speaking different Bantu languages, nine of which have official status. The remaining population consists of Africa's largest communities of European, Asian, and multiracial ancestry. All ethnic and linguistic groups have political representation in the country's constitutional democracy, which comprises a parliamentary republic and nine provinces. Since the end of apartheid, South Africa's unique multicultural character has become integral to its national identity, as signified by the Rainbow Nation concept.

Mzansi, derived from the Xhosa noun umzantsi meaning "south", is a colloquial name for South Africa.

Here is a nice bird on the stamp:

Langkawi Island, Malaysia

Postcard ID: MY-196827
Country: Malaysia

Here is so interesting card from Malaysia. I continue to discover the world with postcrossing :)

Langkawi is an archipelago of 99 islands (an extra 5 temporary islands are revealed at low tide) in the Andaman Sea, some 30 km off the mainland coast of northwestern Malaysia. Langkawi means island of the reddish-brown eagle in colloquial Malay. The Malay word for eagle is helang - which is shortened to "lang". It was given the title of "Langkawi, the Jewel of Kedah" in 2008 by Kedah's Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah as part of his golden jubilee to impress on tourists that it was part of Kedah.

The top image shows Tanjung Rhu - is northernmost tip of the island. Centuries-old limestone caves, mangroves, waterways, limestone crags and sandy beaches make it a nature lover's paradise. This beach is made up of 2 long stretches that include Tanjong Rhu Resort and Four Seasons..

Left bottom image is USSR Restaurant, (Telaga Harbour Park). Russian fare. Waterside restaurant with tables overlooking the harbor. Managed by Russian expats who serve up the real deal.

The right bottom image is Burau Bay - Beach lined with rocky outcrops located at the West Coast of Langkawi. Nearby Burau island is also a roosting place for migratory birds.

Chocolate with nuts

Postcard ID: UA-1033479
Country: Ukraine

This card came to me from Ukraine and I'd like to say that I like Ukrainian chocolate. The most of all I like just milk chocolate (yes, I know that black chocolate is better). However, I also like white chocolate. Or with nuts. Or almonds, or marzipan, or rum... Yes, I'm a fan of chocolate of any kind :)

Also I noticed here a stamp with letter denomination. I thought that only Belarus has it :)

Chinese tea

Postcard ID: CN-1259601, CN-1302364
Country: China

Do you like tea? Have you tasted real Chinese tea?

Some years ago my friend was in China and then presented this tea to me. I understood nothing on the packing, but tasted real Chinese tea without any additives. But in every day life I like tea with lemon or ginger or something else.

In any case this card is wonderful. If this this a series of postcard I'd like to receive others too :)

So lovely Chinese stamps:

As I received this card twice, here is an additional set of stamp. I had Pekingese like on the stamp, but black!