Bulgaria - Pleven

Pleven City Centre.

Sent by Georgiev from Pleven, Bulgaria.

Pleven (Bulgarian: Плèвен pronounced [ˈplɛvɛn]) is the seventh most populous city in Bulgaria. Located in the northern part of the country, it is the administrative centre of Pleven Province, as well as of the subordinate Pleven municipality. It is the biggest economic center in Northwestern Bulgaria. At the 2021 census its population was 89,823.

Internationally known for the siege of Plevna of 1877, today it is a major economic centre of the Bulgarian Northwest and Central North and the third largest city of Northern Bulgaria after Varna and Ruse.

The name comes from the Slavic word plevnya ("barn") or from plevel, meaning "weed", sharing the same root, and the Slavic suffix -en (read more).

Germany - Lower Saxony - Historic Town of Goslar

Historic Town of Goslar, highlighting the market square and surrounding buildings, including the Imperial Palace of Goslar.

Sent by Günther from Goslar, Germany.

Goslar (German pronunciation: [ˈɡɔslaʁ]; Eastphalian: Goslär) is a historic town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the administrative centre of the district of Goslar and is located on the northwestern slopes of the Harz mountain range. The Old Town of Goslar with over 1.500 timber houses and the Mines of Rammelsberg are UNESCO World Heritage Sites for their millennium-long testimony to the history of ore mining and their political importance for the Holy Roman Empire and Hanseatic League. Each year Goslar awards the Kaiserring to an international artist, called the "Nobel Prize" of the art world.

Goslar is situated in the middle of the upper half of Germany, about 40 kilometres (25 miles) south of Brunswick and about 70 km (43 mi) southeast of the state capital, Hanover. The Schalke mountain is the highest elevation within the municipal boundaries at 762 metres (2,500 feet). The lowest point of 175 m (574 ft) is near the Oker river. Geographically, Goslar forms the boundary between the Hildesheim Börde which is part of the Northern German Plain, and the Harz range, which is the highest, northernmost extension of Germany's Central Uplands. The Hildesheim Börde is characterised by plains with rich clay soils – used agriculturally for sugar beet farming – interlaced with several hill ranges commonly known as the Hildesheim Forest and Salzgitter Hills. In the northeast the Harly Forest stretches down to the River Oker, in the east, Goslar borders on the German state of Saxony-Anhalt (read more).

Germany - Bavaria - Augsburg Cathedral

Augsburg Cathedral, a prominent Catholic  cathedral in Augsburg, Bavaria, Germany.

View from the south.

Sent by Helga from Gelsenkirchen, Germany.

The Cathedral of Augsburg (German: Dom Mariä Heimsuchung) is a Catholic cathedral in Augsburg, Bavaria, Germany, founded in the 11th century in Romanesque style, but with 14th-century Gothic additions. Together with the Basilica of St. Ulrich and Afra, it is one of the city's main attractions. It measures 113 x 40 m, and its towers are 62 m high. It is dedicated to the Visitation of Virgin Mary.

The cathedral is perhaps located on the site of a pre-existing 4th-century building, not necessarily a church, whose foundations have been excavated beneath the current level; the site is included within the ancient Roman walls of Augusta Vindelicorum. The first known church in the place is documented from 822, but dating to the late 8th century reigns of bishops Wikterp and Simpert.

The edifice was damaged by the Magyars and was restored in 923 under bishop Ulrich. Another repairing intervention occurred in 994 when the western apse crumbled down; the restoration was funded by empress Adelaide. The current Romanesque structure was commissioned in 1043 by Bishop Henry III and was completed in 1065. The two towers, which are visible from the whole city, were completed in 1075. From 1331 to 1431 numerous Gothic elements were added, including the eastern choir (read more).

Germany - Baden-Württemberg - Stuttgart

Greetings from Stuttgart.

Sent by Anja from Stuttgart, Germany.

My other postcards of Stuttgart are here and here.

Germany - Saarland - Saarbrücken (2)

Greetings From Saarbrücken.

Sent by Martin from Saarbrücken, Germany.

My first postcard of Saarbrücken is here.

Germany - Mecklenburg-Verpommern - Water Tower in Neverin

NEVERIN

Water Tower (Wasserturm)

Prominent landmark and the official emblem of the municipality of Neverin.

Sent by Lutz from Neubrandenburg in Meckenburg-Verpommern, Germany.

Germany - Berlin - Sweden House

Berlin-Tiergarten, Hansaviertel.

Sweden House with victory column.

Sent by Loenni from Berlin, Germany.

The Sweden House stands as a multi-story residential structure with a facade reflecting Nordic architectural influences near central Berlin.

Built during the post-war reconstruction period of Berlin, the Sweden House represents the architectural collaboration between German and Swedish designers in 1973.

Located near the Tiergarten S-Bahn station, the Sweden House provides direct access to public transportation and central Berlin neighborhoods.

The building incorporates Swedish design elements within Berlin's urban landscape, demonstrating international architectural exchange between Germany and Sweden (read more).

Germany - Berlin - Berlin U-Bahn Station

Kreuzberg History on Postcards.

Schlesisches Tor 

Master Carpenter Carl Ahrens had this pretty apartment building with a factory building behind it built in 1890. His daughter sold it to the flourishing F.W. Müller children's sewing machine factory. Until the First World War, this company employed 600 workers on 6,000 square metres (!) of commercial space and exported to all continents. During the First World War, the company switched to machine guns. After the war, children's sewing machines were produced again, but the best times were over.

Sent by Marc-André from Berlin, Germany.

Remarkable Women #6 - From Germany

Inspiring Women from Germany. 

Clara Schumann (Pianist and Composer)

Margarete Steiff (Toy Factory Founder)

Melitta Bentz (Inventor and Entrepreuner)

Bertha Benz (Automotive Pioneer)

Sophie Scholl (White Rose Resistance)

Marlene Dietrich (Actress and Singer)

Maria Sibylla Merian (Naturalist and Artist)

Cilly Aussem (Tennis Player)

Loki Schmidt (Coservationist)

Sent by Christoph from Munich in Bavaria, Germany.

Germany - Bavaria - Bad Tölz

Bad Tölz

UPPER BAVARIA

Old town with historic market street.

Sent by Stefan from Bavaria, Germany.

Bad Tölz (German: [baːt ˈtœlts]; Bavarian: Däiz) is a town in Bavaria, Germany and the administrative center of the Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen district.

Archaeology has shown continuous occupation of the site of Bad Tölz since the retreat of the glaciers at the end of the Ice Age. For example, there are finds from the Hallstatt culture as well as from Roman Raetia, or at least occupation by romanized Celts.

The name "Tölz" (as "Tolnze") appears relatively late in documentation at the end of the 12th century. The name "Reginried" appears as that of a settlement belonging to the monastery at Tegernsee in earlier texts, which is probably the same as Reid in the western part of Mühlfeld (read more).

Canada - British Columbia - Vancouver

Lions Gate Bridge, Totem Pole, Harbour Centre, Steam Clock, False Creek in Vancouver.

Sent by Christina from North Vancouver, Canada.

Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the city, up from 631,486 in 2016. The Metro Vancouver area had a population of 2.6 million in 2021, making it the third-largest metropolitan area in Canada. Greater Vancouver, along with the Fraser Valley, comprises the Lower Mainland with a regional population of over 3 million. Vancouver has the highest population density in Canada, with over 5,700 inhabitants per square kilometre (15,000/sq mi), and the fourth highest in North America (after New York City, San Francisco, and Mexico City).

Vancouver is one of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities in Canada: 49.3 percent of its residents are not native English speakers, 47.8 percent are native speakers of neither English nor French, and 54.5 percent of residents belong to visible minority groups. It has been consistently ranked one of the most liveable cities in Canada and in the world. In terms of housing affordability, Vancouver is also one of the most expensive cities in Canada and in the world. Vancouverism is the city's urban planning design philosophy (read more).

Canada - British Columbia - Sturdies Bay

STURDIES BAY, Galiano Island

Located on the south eastern tip of Galiano Island on Active Pass. Search and rescue ship Racer is in the background.

Sent by Svetlana from Toronto, Canada.

Sturdies Bay is on the south east part of Galiano Island in British Columbia, Canada's Gulf Islands. It is known primarily for its ferry terminal, that connects it to the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal and the other southern Gulf Islands. At the ferry terminal there is also a public dock, serviced in the summer by an inter-island water taxi, and in the school year the same vessel picks up students here to bring them to schools on Pender and Saltspring Islands.

There is a small settlement at Sturdies Bay consisting of several businesses, including four restaurants, a food truck, two stores, a post office/tea store, a gas station/grocery store, and an inn. There are also a few private residences and moorings located around the bay.

On some nautical maps it is listed as "Port of Sturdee."

In 1954, Sturdies Bay became last port of call for the St. Roch, the first ship to transit the Northwest Passage west to east, when it stopped there on its way to the Vancouver Maritime Museum (read more).

Canada - Quebec - Quebec City

QUEBEC CITY - AMONG THE MOST BEAUTIFUL IN AMERICA.

Sent by Jean-Marie from her holiday in Canada.

Quebec City is the capital city of the Canadian province of Quebec. As of July 2021, the city had a population of 549,459, and the Census Metropolitan Area (including surrounding communities) had a population of 839,311. It is the twelfth-largest city and the seventh-largest metropolitan area in Canada. It is also the second-largest city in the province, after Montreal. It has a humid continental climate with warm summers coupled with cold and snowy winters.

Explorer Samuel de Champlain founded a French settlement here in 1608, and adopted the Algonquin name. Quebec City is one of the oldest European settlements in North America. The ramparts surrounding Old Quebec (Vieux-Québec) are the only fortified city walls remaining in the Americas north of Mexico. This area was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985 as the "Historic District of Old Québec" (read more). 

Netherlands - South Holland - Rotterdam - Cube Houses

Rotterdam - Kubuswoningen (cube house).

Sent by Marianne from South Holland

Cube houses (Dutch: kubuswoningen) are a set of innovative houses built in Helmond and Rotterdam in the Netherlands, designed by architect Piet Blom. They are based on the concept of "living as an urban roof": high density housing with sufficient space on the ground level; its main purpose being to optimize the space inside. Blom combatted the ideas of conventional residential architecture by tilting the cube shape on its corner and rested it upon a hexagon-shaped pylon. Blom's main goal was to create an urban area that felt like a village. The cube houses around the world are meant to optimize the space as a house and to efficiently distribute the rooms inside.

In 1972, Piet Blom was assigned to fill an empty site in the city center of Helmond with a meeting center. Blom proposed a plan that mixed cultural facilities with houses and concluded that the cube houses should surround Theater 't Speelhuis (English: the playhouse), creating an interesting architectural whole. After the underground parking garage was taken out of the plans, the plan was reduced to 60 houses. The city council was not satisfied so Minister Hans Gruijters subsidized the building of 3 test houses in the Wilhelminalaan in 1974. The project also received the national status of 'Experimental Housing', which helped to realize Theater 't Speelhuis: a forecourt surrounded by 18 cube houses at the Piet Blomplein in 1977. The theatre burned down on December 29, 2011 which also damaged two adjacent cube houses.. The damaged houses were later restored in 2013 and 2014 (read more).

Singapore - Singapore Icons

Featuring Singapore icons : 

* The Merlion, symbol of Singapore; 

* Esplanade - Theaters on the Bay is a world-class performance centre, and arts hub; and 

* Westin Stamford, world's tallest 5-star hotel and other luxurious hotels at the waterfront.

Sent by Jonathan Chua from Singapore.

Japan - Hokkaido - Hakodate Christmas Fantasy

Hakodate Christmas Fantasy.

Sent by Erika from Hokkaido, Japan.

A traditional harbinger of happiness, the fir tree plays a central role in Christmas in Hakodate. Every winter, a splendid fir tree—a gift from Halifax, Hakodate’s Canadian sister city—is shipped across the North American continent and the Pacific Ocean to the Hokkaidō city.

The great fir, soaring more than 20 meters high, is set up on a barge in the harbor and lavishly decorated with lights, after which it is pulled by a tug boat to the bay area, where it stays through Christmas day.

Switzerland - Old City of Bern

Switzerland - Old City of Bern.

Sent by asega from Ashmitten, Switzerland.

The Old City of Berne, federal city of Switzerland and capital of the canton of Berne, is located on the Swiss plateau between the Jura and the Alps. Founded in the 12th century according to an innovative foundation plan, and located on a hill surrounded by the River Aar, Berne has experienced an expansion in several stages since its foundation. This development remains visible in its urban structure, mainly tributary to the medieval establishment and its clearly defined elements: well-defined wide streets, used for the market, a regular division of built sections, subdivided into narrow and deep parcels, an advanced infrastructure for water transportation, impressive buildings for the most part dating from the 18th century mainly built from sandy limestone, with their system of arcades and the facades of the houses supported by arches. Public buildings for secular and religious authorities were always located at the periphery, a principle also respected in the 19th century during the construction of the large public monuments confirming the function of Berne as the federal city from 1848 (read more).

USA - Arizona - U.S. Route 66

Arizona's ribbon of Route 66 is one of the most picturesque along the entire Mother Road. From volcanoes, to painted deserts, to lush green forest, the journey provides numerous scenic photo opportunities as well as a wealth of history, great side trips, and a volume of route 66 era icons.

Sent by Peter from Phoenix in Arizona, USA.

U.S. Route 66 (US 66, Route 66) also known as the Will Rogers Highway, was a major United States Numbered Highway in the state of Arizona from November 11, 1926, to June 26, 1985. US 66 covered a total of 385.20 miles (619.92 km) through Arizona. The highway ran from west to east, starting in Needles, California, through Kingman and Seligman to the New Mexico state line. Nationally, US 66 ran from Santa Monica, California, to Chicago, Illinois. In its height of popularity, US 66 was one of the most popular highways in the state of Arizona, sometimes carrying over one million cars a year.

In the early years, US 66 had to compete with other major U.S. Highways for construction and improvement funding. The highway also played an important role during the Dust Bowl as a means for refugees (also known as "Okies") to escape the ruined farmlands of the Great Plains and migrate to California. The experiences of these refugees traveling through Arizona were largely detailed in John Steinbeck's novel, The Grapes of Wrath, and the 1940 movie adaption that followed. During the mid-20th century, the highway became a tourist destination, spawning the existence of several new motels, restaurants and other road-side businesses and attractions (read more).

 

USA - Pennsylvania - Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA

Founded in 1682 - The city of "Brotherly Love". The skyline features both historic buildings as ultra modern skyscrapers.

Sent by Erica from Philadelphia, USA.

Philadelphia (/ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə/ FIL-ə-DEL-fee-ə), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is the sixth-most populous city in the United States with a population of 1.6 million at the 2020 census, while the Philadelphia metropolitan area (sometimes called the Delaware Valley) with 6.33 million residents is the nation's ninth-largest metropolitan area. Philadelphia is known for its culture, cuisine, and history, maintaining contemporary influence in business and industry, culture, sports, and music.

Philadelphia was founded in 1682 by William Penn, an English Quaker and advocate of religious freedom, and served as the capital of the colonial era Province of Pennsylvania. It then played a vital role during the American Revolution and Revolutionary War. It served as the central meeting place for the nation's Founding Fathers in hosting the First Continental Congress (1774) and the Second Continental Congress, during which the Founders formed the Continental Army, elected George Washington as its commander, and adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. During the Revolutionary War's Philadelphia campaign, the city briefly fell to the British Army, which occupied Philadelphia for nine months from September 1777 to June 1778. Following the end of the Revolutionary War, the U.S. Constitution was ratified at the Philadelphia Convention. Philadelphia remained the nation's largest city until 1790, and it served as the nation's first capital from May 10, 1775, until December 12, 1776, and on four subsequent occasions until 1800, when construction of the new national capital in Washington, D.C. was completed (read more).

USA - Pennsylvania - Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH

Pittsburgh's downtown skyline reflected in the waters of the allegheny River. The historic Ninth Street Bridge was constructed in 1927.

Sent by Paula from Pennsylvania, USA.

Pittsburgh (/ˈpɪtsbɜːrɡ/ PITS-burg) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. The city is located in southwestern Pennsylvania at the confluence of the Allegheny River and Monongahela River, which combine to form the Ohio River. It is the second-most populous city in Pennsylvania with a population of 302,971 at the 2020 census, while the Pittsburgh metropolitan area at over 2.43 million residents is the largest metropolitan area in both the Ohio Valley and Appalachia, the second-largest in Pennsylvania, and 28th-largest in the U.S. The greater Pittsburgh–Weirton–Steubenville combined statistical area includes parts of Ohio and West Virginia.

Pittsburgh is known as "the Steel City" for its dominant role in the history of the U.S. steel industry. It developed as a vital link of the Atlantic coast and Midwest, as the mineral-rich Allegheny Mountains led to the region being contested by the French and British empires, Virginians, Whiskey Rebels, and Civil War raiders. For part of the 20th century, Pittsburgh was behind only New York City and Chicago in corporate headquarters employment; it had the most U.S. stockholders per capita. Deindustrialization in the late 20th century resulted in massive layoffs among blue-collar workers as steel and other heavy industries declined, coinciding with several Pittsburgh-based corporations moving out of the city. However, the city divested from steel and, since the 1990s, Pittsburgh has focused its energies on the healthcare, education, and technology industries (read more).

USA - Florida - The SInging Tower

THE SINGING TOWER near Lake Wales, Florida.

A symbol of Florida, The SInging Tower rises 250 feet on the slope of Iron Mountaion (324 feet altitude), now a Mountain Lake Sanctuary, established as a retreat for man, a refuge for birds and a sylvan setting for the Singing Tower by Edward Wm. Bok (1889-1930), a Pulitzer Prize Winner. He is buried in a crypt at the base of the Tower.

Sent by Renee from Florida, USA.

Bok Tower Gardens is a 250-acre (100 ha) contemplative garden and bird sanctuary located atop Iron Mountain, north of Lake Wales, Florida, United States, created by Edward Bok in the 1920s. Formerly known as the Bok Mountain Lake Sanctuary and Singing Tower, the gardens' attractions include the Singing Tower and its 60-bell carillon, the Bok Exedra, the Pinewood Estate now known as El Retiro, the Pine Ridge Trail, and the Visitor Center.

Bok Tower Gardens is a National Historic Landmark. The 205-foot (62 m) Singing Tower was built upon one of the highest points of peninsular Florida, estimated to be 295 feet (90 m) above sea level, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The national significance of the gardens and its tower come from their associations with Edward W. Bok and his team of designers. The adjacent Pinewood Estate is separately listed on the National Register as El Retiro.

Bok Tower Gardens is open daily and an admission fee is charged (read more).

USA - California - Southern California

Scenes from Southern California

The famous Hollywood sign, MacArthur Park (just west of downtown Los Angeles) and Venice Beach.

Sent by Jordan from Ontario in California, USA.

Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and cultural region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Its densely populated coastal region includes Greater Los Angeles (the second-most populous urban agglomeration in the United States) and San Diego County (the second-most populous county in California). The region generally contains ten of California's 58 counties: Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Kern, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Imperial counties.

Although geographically smaller than Northern California in land area, Southern California has a higher population, with 23.76 million residents as of the 2020 census. The sparsely populated desert region of California occupies a significant portion of the area: the Colorado Desert, along with the Colorado River, is located on Southern California's eastern border with Arizona, and the Mojave Desert shares a border with Nevada to the northeast. Southern California's southern border with Baja California is part of the Mexico–United States border (read more).

'Mallard', London & North Eastern Railway Locomotive no 4468

'Mallard', London & North Eastern Railway Locomotive no 4468, 1938

The A4 Pacific class 'Mallard' was designed by Sir Nigel Gresley (1876-1941). On Sunday 3 July 1938, the 4-6-2 locomotive reached a speed of 126 mph, achieving a new world speed record for steam locomotives which remains unbroken to this day.

Sent by Hannah from Yorkshire, England.

LNER Class A4 4468 Mallard is a 4-6-2 ("Pacific") steam locomotive built in 1938 for operation on the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) at Doncaster Works to a design of Nigel Gresley. Its streamlined, wind tunnel tested design allowed it to haul long-distance express passenger services at high speeds. On 3 July 1938, Mallard broke the world speed record for steam locomotives at 126 mph (203 km/h), which still stands today.

While in British Railways days regular steam-hauled rail services in the UK were officially limited to a 90 mph (140 km/h) 'line speed', before the war, the A4s had to run significantly above 90 mph (140 km/h) just to keep schedule on trains such as the Silver Jubilee and The Coronation, with the engines reaching 100 mph on many occasions. Mallard covered almost one and a half million miles (2.4 million km) before it was retired in 1963.

The locomotive is 70 ft (21 m) long and weighs 165 long tons (168 tonnes, 369,600 lbs), including the tender. It is painted in LNER garter blue with red wheels and steel rims.

Mallard is now part of the National Collection and preserved at the National Railway Museum in York (read more).

Canada - Ontario - Toronto Street Car

Based on the original painted artwork "Evolution of the Toronto Streetcar".

Sent by Shelley from Toronto, Canada.

The Toronto streetcar system is a network of eleven streetcar routes in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, operated by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC). It is the third busiest light-rail system in North America. The network is concentrated primarily in Downtown Toronto and in proximity to the city's waterfront. Much of the streetcar route network dates from the second half of the 19th century. Three streetcar routes operate in their own right-of-way, one in a partial right-of-way, and six operate on street trackage shared with vehicular traffic with streetcars stopping on demand at frequent stops like buses. Since 2019, the network has used low-floor streetcars, making it fully accessible.

Toronto's streetcars provide most of the downtown core's surface transit service. Four of the TTC's five most heavily used surface routes are streetcar routes. In 2024, the system had a ridership of 79,295,000, or about 248,300 per weekday as of the first quarter of 2025 (read more).