ES-84493 ESPANA / SPAIN - Anna (Al-Ḥamrā' الْحَمْرَاء‎)

~ Granada, Spain ~ (ES-84493)

Al-Ḥamrā' الْحَمْرَاء‎,

Thanks for Anna
Sent: 17th AUGUST 2010

Received: AUGUST 2010

The Alhambra , the complete form of which was Calat Alhambra (الْقَلْعَةُ ٱلْحَمْرَاءُ, Al-Qal‘at al-Ḥamrā’ , "the red fortress"), is a palace and fortress complex constructed during the mid 14th century by the Moorish rulers of the Emirate of Granada in Al-Andalus, occupying the top of the hill of the Assabica on the southeastern border of the city of Granada in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia.

The Alhambra's Moorish palaces were built for the last Muslim Emirs in Spain and its court, of the Nasrid dynasty. After the Reconquista (reconquest) by the Reyes Católicos ("Catholic Monarchs") in 1492, some portions were used by the Christian rulers. The Palace of Charles V, built by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor in 1527, was inserted in the Alhambra within the Nasrid fortifications. After being allowed to fall into disrepair for centuries, the Alhambra was "discovered" in the 19th century by European scholars and travelers, with restorations commencing. It is now one of Spain's major tourist attractions, exhibiting the country's most significant and well known Islamic architecture, together with 16th-century and later Christian building and garden interventions. The Alhambra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the inspiration for many songs and stories.

FI-860928 FINDLAND from Pirjo (Helsinki South Harbour)

~ Helsinki, Finland ~

Thanks for Pirjo
Sent: 27th JULY 2010

Received: AUGUST 2010

Helsinki  is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is 588,941 (31 January 2011), making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is located some 400 kilometres (250 mi) east of Stockholm, Sweden, 300 kilometres (190 mi) west of St. Petersburg, Russia and 80 kilometres (50 mi) north of Tallinn, Estonia. Helsinki has close historical connections with these three cities.

Greater Helsinki includes the city of Helsinki and three other cities: Espoo and Vantaa, which immediately border Helsinki to the west and north, respectively; and Kauniainen, which is an enclave within the city of Espoo. The Helsinki metropolitan area is the world's northernmost urban area among those with a population of over one million people, and the city is the northernmost capital of a EU member state. Altogether 1.3 million people, approximately one in four Finns, live in the Greater Helsinki area.

Helsinki is Finland's major political, educational, financial, cultural and research centre. as well as one of northern Europe's major cities. Approximately 70% of foreign companies operating in Finland have settled in the Helsinki region.

The nearby city of Vantaa in the Helsinki metropolitan area is the location of Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, with frequent service to various destinations in Europe and Asia. Since early 2009, Helsinki has been exploring a merger with Vantaa. On 30 March 2009, the city council of Vantaa agreed to review Helsinki's proposal of a possible merger, while emphasizing that the review is not about the possibility of terminating the existence of the city of Vantaa. On 31 January 2011, the city council of Vantaa turned down Helsinki's proposal of a possible merger, with 45 votes against the proposal compared to 22 in favour of it.

In 2009, Helsinki was chosen to be the World Design Capital for 2012 by the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design. Helsinki narrowly beat out Eindhoven for the title.

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DE-639321 GERMANY from Marion

~ Bielefeid , Germany ~ (DE-639321)

                                                                               Received July 2010

Thanks for Marion (Leuchtturm60)!!!


In the plans for building lighthouses in the Portuguese coast back in 1883 there was already a project for a lighthouse in the Cape Carvoeiro in Algarve.
In 1913 the first technical considerations and the choice of the final place were concluded.
In the 1st December of 1920 the lighthouse started his work.
The lighthouse is on the place known as Alfanzina in that cape. It´s a square tower of 15 m high.
Inicially it was working with petrol and was electrified in 1950.

since 1981 it´s fully automatic with the model BBT.

Some technical data:
Location: Alfanzina (Cape Carvoeiro - Algarve)
Height: 23m
Altitude: 63m
Light: FI (2) W 15 s
Range: 29M
Optics: 3rd Order - 500 mm
Year: 1920

LT-113425 LITHUANIA from Egle

~ Vilnius, Lithuania ~ (LT-113425)

This card was made a day for me... 

Thanks for Egle (Postcrossing ID: Spygyls)
http://www.postcrossing.com/user/Spyglys

Sent: 11th Feb. 2010

Received: Feb. 2010

HISTORY of TRAKAI Island Castle
When the Peninsular castle was being built, fortified and expanded - at the second half of the 14th century - the Island Castle was begun to be build on one larger island of Galve Lake. At the first stage of building works the Island Castle was of an in-between type – either fenced or conventional – it was of U form and had duke palace and ante palace. It is thoughts that Island Castle was begun by Kestutis and finished in the early 15th century by his son Vytautas. It was meant to be a fortress and it was never conquered by any raiders.

At the second stage of building works the layout of the castle was a little changed: between the two castle blocks a 9,2 x 9,6 m large and 6 floors height donjon was constructed (33 meters), and at the edge of the island a defensive wall with counterforts was built. The architecture style of the Castle is Gothic but separate elements were of Romanesque style. All the rooms were arced, window slots were decorated with trimmed bricked. On the second floor of the right block there was a representative chamber; windows were decorated with stained-glass. About the architecture of the Island and Peninsular Castles there was for the first time mentioned by a Fleming traveller Giliber de Launa, indicating that “the second Castle is in the middle of the lake in a distance of a cannon shoot form the first Castle. It is completely new and is built from brick according the French example.” At the last stage of the building works a fossa was pitched, separating duke castle from the ante-castle, it is hedged with a defensive wall with towers, there were casemates built. In the southern and triangular casemates there were kitchens, on the lower floors of the western casemates there were stockrooms, and on the second floor of casemates servants lived. In the southwest tower if the Castle there was a prison. The ante-castle gained a form of irregular trapezium, in the Eve of the Battle of Grunwald the Castle was expanded and renewed; the angle towers were readjusted for the flank defence and had 15 cannons. After the Battle of Grunwald (in 1410), having defeated the Teutonic Order the Island Castle became the residence of the Grand Duke. In the beginning of the 15th century Trakai was a flowering town, frequently visited by merchants, honoured guests, foreign messengers, who were welcomed in the representative chamber of the Island Castle. In 1413 in the Island Castle there was welcomed the Emperor Zigmantas’s messenger Benedict Macra, who was assigned an arbiter in the argument with the Order on the border with Samogitia. The Polish King Jogaila (Vytautas’s cousin) came with a visit for 13 times.

In the 16th century after having lost the military and residential functions the role of the Castle went down and the Grand Dukes visited it more and more seldom. The Metrics that was kept in the Castle was moved to Vilnius in 1511. The Island Castle becomes a prison for noble criminals.

After desolating invasion of the Tsarist Russia in 1655 – 1661 Trakai town was plundered and burned, the Island Castle was destroyed and was not rebuilt; the town never revived and became a province.

In the 19th century Romanticism ideas lead to show interest in Lithuanian past, especially Trakai Castles. Artists painted the ruins of the Island Castle, the remained fragments of the frescoes, the engineers – architects prepared the restoration projects for the castle. Engineer B.Malevskis prepared a project for fragmentary and conservational works in the ante-castle west-east tower. Although the works accomplished were not large, in the history of castle preservation they were very important. In 1929 – 1941 the restoration works were supervised by a Polish architect J.Borovskis. In that period the sole of the stonework was consolidated, the corner counterforts were restored/renewed, the remains of the ruin were removed form the fa?ade, the donjon was fortified, the representative chamber was began to be reconstructed.

After the World War II the conservational, restoration and reconstructional works were continued by Lithuanian restaurateurs. In 1953 the reconstructional works of the Castle started. In 1962, following the project of architect B.Kruminis the central palace were rebuilt, and in 1987, following the architect St.Mikulionis the anti-castle was rebuilt. The corner towers of the anti-castle were also rebuilt and the western casemates transformed the whole volume/size of the dimensional composition of the Castle. The symbol of Lithuanian and of town Trakai – the Island Castle – regained its previous outlook as it was in the 15th century. After the re-establishment of Lithuanian Independence Trakai Island Castle again welcomes honoured Lithuanian guests; it also is a place where important contracts are signed.

In 1962 the Island Castle was conveyed to Trakai History Museum. Many expositions were installed since then, many exhibitions are now open to the visitors, and numerous exciting concerts, festivals and holiday events take place in the Island Castle in the present days.

1st Phase

2nd Phase

3rd Phase 

Trakai Island Castle in Ruins (1877)

PL-170080 POLAND from Beata

~ Krakow, Poland ~ (PL-170080)

Castle Building...

Thanks for Beata

Sent: Feb. 2011

Received: Feb. 2011

JP-153081 JAPAN from 彩加

~ 熊本市 ジャパン ~ 

Kumamoto Japan

Thanks for彩加

Sent: 21st Feb. 2011

Received: March 2011

Maiko (まいこ, マイコ?) is a Japanese word for dancing girl and is an apprentice geisha. Maiko is also a feminine Japanese given name.

TW-260329 TAIWAN from Ke Wei

~ TaiPei, Taiwan ~ (TW-260329)

Ads card...

Thanks for Ke-Wei

Sent: 19th Feb. 2011

Received: Feb. 2011

SG-26649 SINGAPORE from Alicia

~ Singapore (SG-26649) ~

Stone Lion, the symbol of Singapore^

Thanks for Alicia
Sent: 7th June 2010

Received: June 2010

BY-69174 BELARUS from Dasha

~ Polatsk, Belarus (BY-69174) ~

A long & big Size card from Belarus, I've learned this place is a "Capital of Cucumbers" 

Thanks for Dasha
Sent: 29th June 2010

Received: July 2010

US-740067 USA from Sherry

~ Florida, USA (US-740067) ~

Silver springs remind me become One of my dream to visit there. If you search the information, there is really a special place for travel and for you to see how's the is glass bottom boat can make feel like underwater...

Thanks to Sherry (Postcrosser ID: pittfan)
Sent: 29th June 2010

Received: July 2010

 Travel Info

Silver Springs: Hidden Treasure in Central Florida

Silver Springs is a hidden treasure in north central Florida that is usually missed by most tourists. It is located near Ocala, Florida just 75 miles (120 km) north of Orlando. Located at the headwaters of the Silver River, the springs gush nearly 550 million gallons (over 2,000 million liters) of crystal clear water every day creating the largest natural artesian spring formation in the world. The waters of Silver Springs and the nearby Silver River are so transparent that this has become a favorite location for the filming of underwater scenes in many movies and television shows.

You can visit Silver Springs and view the underwater creatures in a glass-bottomed boat, take a jungle cruise, visit the wildlife park, petting zoo and alligator farm. You can stroll through the botanical gardens, watch an animal show and listen to a concert. The price of admission is about $34.99 for the whole day including all features. The park is open 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM every day of the year. This is great entertainment for the whole family.

Silver Springs is a U.S. populated place and spring in Marion County, Florida, just to the east of the city of Ocala. It is part of the Ocala Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Silver Springs is the site of one of the largest artesian spring formations in the world, producing nearly 550 million gallons of crystal-clear water daily. Silver Springs forms the headwaters of the Silver River, the largest tributary on the Ocklawaha River, a part of the St. Johns River system.

 

History

Since at least the mid 19th century, the natural beauty of Silver Springs has attracted visitors from around the country. Glass bottom boat tours of the springs began in the late 1870s. In the 1920s, Carl Ray and W.M. Davidson made the land around the headwaters of the Spring into something resembling the attraction that is there today, now known as the Silver Springs Nature Theme Park. The attraction features native animal exhibits and glass bottom boat tours of the springs. Downstream from the attraction is the Silver River State Park.

Also located in Silver Springs is a water park, Wild Waters (opened in 1978). The T. W. Randall House, on the National Register of Historic Places, is located to the northeast. Several defunct tourist attractions were once located in Silver Springs, including the Western-themed Six Gun Territory (closed 1984), and the Prince of Peace Memorial (closed in the mid-1970s).
Fishing is not allowed on the Silver River

 

http://www.silversprings.com/

RU-154104 RUSSIA from Irina

~ Russia (RU-154104) ~

I'm so appreciate this sender that make the card flowering with many stamps, she sent as my wishes, woow, the lady of the stamp picture is gorgeous & pretty... WWF tiger stamp, I like it...

Thanks for Irina (Postcrosser ID: Orange)
Sent: 7th May 2010

Received: May 2010

The Aya lake

The Aya lake is placed in 25 km from Gorno-Altaysk on the left bank of the river Katun. It is situated on the ancient terrace, on the height of 280 meters above sea level. This lake is small, and it is hided around mountains slopes. A clint drops off from on side right into the water, on the other side there is a low bank edged trees and bushes. The lake bottom falls from its banks, and the lake deep is over 20 m; water is so purest and transparent on deep down.

The small island adds an individual charm to the landscapes, where are grown trees. The most attracted peculiarity of the lake is a warm water in summer. Upper layers are heated to +22-24 C to the end of July, so there is difficult to find a vacant place. There are many theories about the appearance of this lake, some of the: caving in Earth crust, hollow kept from ancient glaciation. From the lake bottom well out some cold springs, so one should be very careful.

Among local population there is a meaning that the bottom of the lake is so deep with different underwater caves. ya is one of the most famous tourist’s places among travellers. A lot of coffees, resorts, campings, and hotels surround the Lake. The suspension foot–and-motor bridge leads to the right bank of Katun from Chuysky highway.

In Altai “Ai” means “a moon”. According to the legend, Ai-the-moon saved the humans, when he went down the earth and caught the formidable 7-headed cannibal, named Delbegen. The formidable monster did not want to leave the earth and got hold of a willow, lonely growing there. Ai-the-moon lifted Delbegen with the tree high from the ground.

PL-91035 POLAND from Kasia

~ Poland (PL-91035) ~

Nice castling downtown in this place, but I have no idea to search this tourist information, hope the sender could providec me some introduction of Pozdrowienia z Olsztyna...

Thanks for Kasia
Sent: 17th May 2010

Received: May 2010

(Finally I got it the info here)

The history of the Castle in Olsztyn:

The castle was built between 1346–1353 and by then it had one wing on the north-east side of the rectangular courtyard. Access to the castle, lead from the drawbridge of the river Lyna, surrounded by a belt of defensive walls and a moat. The south-west wing of the castle was built in the 15th century, tower situated in the west corner of the courtyard , from the middle of 14th century, was rebuilt in the early 16th century and had a round shape on a square base and was 40 meters high. At the same time the castle walls were raised to a height of 12 meters and a second belt of the lower walls was built. The castle walls were partly combined with city walls, which made a castle looks like it had been a powerful bastion defending the access to the city. The castle was owned by Warmia Chapter, which until 1454 together with the bishop of Warmia, was under military protection of the Teutonic Knights. The castle played a huge role in the Polish-Teutonic wars by then. After the Battle of Grunwald in 1410 , the Poles took it after a few days siege. In the Thirteen Years War (1454–1466) it was jumping from hands to hands. The Knights threatened the castle and the town even in 1521, but the defense was very effective. They confined of the one, failed assault. Not many people know that with the history of the castle and the city of Olsztyn is connected with Nicholas Copernicus. He prepared defense of Olsztyn against the invasion of Teutonic. In the sixteenth century, there were two bishops of Warmia that has stayed there: Jan Dantyszek - "the first sarmatian poet, endowed with imperial laurel wreath for" Latin Songs "(1538, 1541) and Marcin Kromer, who formed with equal ease in Latin and Polish scientific and literary works (1580). Kromer consecrated the chapel of St. Anna, which was built in the south-west wing of the castle. In the course of time both wings of the castle lost military importance, which for residential purposes has become very convenient. In 1779 Ignacy Krasicki stopped here as well. After the annexation of Warmia in 1772, the castle became the property of the state board of estates. In 1845 the bridge over the moat was replaced by a dam connecting the castle with the city even better than before, therefore was dried. In 1901-1911 the general renovation of the castle was performed, however, several sections of the building were violated at the same time which they changed the original look of the castle e.g. putting on window frames in a cloister. The tower that was crowned in 1921 and again in 1926 in the halls of the castle, became a museum. The whole castle is a museum until today. In 1945 it became a residence of the Masurian Museum, which today is called the Museum of Warmia and Mazury. In addition to all that and the exhibition activities in Olsztyn, there are also popular events held within the frameworks of the Olsztyn Artistic Summer and so called “evenings of the castle” and “Sundays in the Museum”.

DE-819892 GERMANY from Ute Finnern

~ Tangstredt, Germany (DE-819892)

A very very surprise from this sender. I got the VOLKSWAGEN which I looking for so long already and my lovely stamp "SHIP", and guess what else I got from this postcrosser?! what a big big surprise that sent me 2pcs of old banknotes... 1 of it is from year 1910 (101years) woow... Thanks thanks thanks a lot a lot... When I received it I was speechless immediately and just eyes on it for a longer minute, thank you so much that u are not only enrich my card and even banknotes...  

Thanks for Ute Finnern

Received: February 2011

GB-132705 UNITED KINGDOM from Danbhayat

~ Bermingham, Germany (GB-132705) ~

An advertisement card.. Something new to me..

Thanks for Danbhayat (Postcrossing ID)
Sent: 12th April 2010

Received: April 2010

NO-551015 NEDEDRLAND from Andy & Aroesjka

~ The Nederland ~ (NO-551015)
                                                                               Received February 2011
Thanks for Andy & Aroesjka!!!

NO-42927 NORWAY from Malinmat

~ Norway ~ (NO-42927)
                                                                               Received February 2011
Thanks for Malinmat!!!

US-976777 USA from Craig A.Windt

~ Michigan, USA ~ (US-976777)
                                                                               Received February 2011

Thanks for Craig A.Windt!!!

Day view of the Brooklyn Bridge & background with the past World Trade Centre... a bit feeling sad to view this scene... by the way, I like this card especially the Zodiac Rabbit stamp... What a great day to received this...

The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. Completed in 1883, it connects the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn by spanning the East River. With a main span of 1,595.5 feet (486.3 m), it was the longest suspension bridge in the world from its opening until 1903, and the first steel-wire suspension bridge.

Originally referred to as the New York and Brooklyn Bridge, it was dubbed the Brooklyn Bridge in a January 25, 1867 letter to the editor of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, and formally so named by the city government in 1915. Since its opening, it has become an iconic part of the New York skyline. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1964 and a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 1972.

Carries	Motor vehicles (cars only) Elevated trains (until 1944) Streetcars (until 1950) Pedestrians, and bicycles
Crosses	East River
Locale	New York City (Manhattan–Brooklyn)
Maintained by	New York City Department of Transportation
Designer	John Augustus Roebling
Design	Suspension/Cable-stay Hybrid
Total length	5,989 feet (1825 m)
Width	85 feet (26 m)
Longest span	1,595 feet 6 inches (486.3 m)
Clearance below	135 feet (41 m) at mid-span
Opened	May 24, 1883
Toll	Free both ways

ES-103313 ESPANA / SPAIN from Rosa Isabel Torres Enriquez

~ Espana ~ (ES-103313)
                                                                               Received February 2011
Thanks for Rosa Isabel Torres Enriquez!!!

Wonderful castle!!! another UNESCO here again...

History

Santiago de Compostela Cathedral (Galician: Catedral de Santiago de Compostela) is a Roman Catholic cathedral of the archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain. The cathedral is the reputed burial-place of Saint James the Greater, one of the apostles of Jesus Christ. It is the destination of the Way of St. James, a major historical pilgrimage route since the Middle Ages.

According to legend, the apostle Saint James the Greater brought Christianity to the Celts in the Iberian Peninsula. In 44 AD he was beheaded in Jerusalem. His remains were later brought back to Galicia, Spain. Following Roman persecutions of Spanish Christians, his tomb was abandoned in the 3rd century. Still according to legend, this tomb was rediscovered in 814 AD by the hermit Pelayo, after witnessing strange lights in the night sky. Bishop Theodomirus of Iria recognized this as a miracle and informed king Alfonso II of Asturias and Galicia (791-842). The king ordered the construction of a chapel on the site. Legend has it that the king became the first pilgrim to this shrine. This was followed by a first church in 829 AD and again in 899 AD by a pre-Romanesque church, at the order of king Alfonso III of León, causing the gradual development of a major place of pilgrimage. In 997 this early church was reduced to ashes by Al-Mansur Ibn Abi Aamir (938-1002), army commander of the caliph of Córdoba, Spain. The gates and the bells, carried by Christian captives to Córdoba, were added to the Aljama Mosque. When Córdoba was taken by king Ferdinand III of Castile in 1236, these same gates and bells were then transported by Muslim captives to Toledo, to be inserted in the Cathedral of Saint Mary of Toledo.

Construction of the present cathedral began in 1075 under the reign of Alfonso VI of Castile (1040–1109) and the patronage of bishop Diego Peláez. It was built according to the same plan as the monastic brick church of Saint Sernin in Toulouse, probably the greatest Romanesque edifice in France. It was built mostly in granite. Construction was halted several times and, according to the Liber Sancti Iacobi, the last stone was laid in 1122. But by then, the construction of the cathedral was certainly not finished. The cathedral was consecrated in 1128 in the presence of king Alfonso IX of Leon.

According to the Codex Calixtinus the architects were "Bernard the elder, a wonderful master", his assistant Robertus Galperinus and, later possibly, "Esteban, master of the cathedral works". In the last stage "Bernard, the younger" was finishing the building, while Galperinus was in charge of the coordination. He also constructed a monumental fountain in front of the north portal in 1122.

The church became an episcopal see in 1075 and, due to its growing importance as a place of pilgrimage, it was soon raised to an archiepiscopal see by pope Urban II in 1100. A university was added in 1495.

The cathedral has been embellished and expanded between the 16th and the 18th century.

FI-998425 FINDLAND from Eija

~ Espoo, Finland ~ (FI-998425)
                                                                               Received January 2011

Thanks for Eija!!!

Many thanks to Eija that sent me cover enveloped with my favourite cards & many beautiful stamps... I'm really surprised and unexpected to receive such a wonderful stuffs... EIJA, u make my collection Impressedly... 

MS Nordlandia is a cruiseferry owned by the Finnish shipping company Eckerö Line on their route connecting Helsinki, Finland to Tallinn, Estonia. She was built in 1981 by AG Weser Seebeckswerft, Bremerhaven, West Germany for Olau Line as MS Olau Hollandia. Between 1989 and 1997 she sailed as MS Nord Gotlandia for Gotlandslinjen.

Eckerö Line
On 1 January 1998 the Nord Gotlandia left Visby for Turku Repair Yard, Naantali, Finland, where she was taken over by Eckerö Line the following day. After being rebuilt for her new service, the ship emerged as MS Nordlandia and was placed on Eckerö Line's Helsinki—Tallinn service on 10 February 1998.

The ship damaged one of her propellers when leaving Helsinki on 30 April 2003 and had to be docked in Naantali for five days for repairs. During a hard storm on 28 October 2006 she rammed the quay in Tallinn, resulting in a hole above the waterline. The damage was quickly repaired, and the ship was back in traffic on 1 November.

In January 2011, the ship was docked in Naantali for eleven days (03.01.2011 - 14.01.2011).