Netherlands - Lage Vuursche

Multiviews of animals in Lage Vuursche.

Sent by Yvonne, a postcrosser from the Netherlands.

This is from Wikipedia : Lage Vuursche (Dutch pronunciation: [laːɣə vuːɹ̠sə]) is a village in the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is a part of the municipality of Baarn, and lies about 5 km west of Soest, in the middle of the forest. Drakestein, the former residence of Queen Beatrix, is situated just east of the village.

In 2001, the village of Lage-Vuursche had 139 inhabitants. The built-up area of the town was 0.04 km², and contained 61 residences. The slightly larger statistical district of Lage Vuursche has about 210 inhabitants.

Until 1857, the village was a separate municipality, under the name De Vuursche, together with the small hamlet "Hoge Vuursche". It then merged with the municipality of Baarn.

Apart from the royal family, the most famous person from Lage Vuursche is athlete Fanny Blankers-Koen, four times gold medalist in the 1948 Summer Olympics.

Poland - Poznań-Stary Rynek

Sent by Daria, a postcrosser from Poland.

USA - Washington - Mount Rainier National Park (2)

MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK
Dawn lights up Mount rainier's glaciers, casting a bright reflection on icy Upper Tipsoo Lake.

Sent by Tanya from Seattle, Washington, USA.

This is from Wikipedia : Mount Rainier National Park is a United States National Park located in southeast Pierce County and northeast Lewis County in Washington state. It was one of the US's earliest National Parks, having been established on March 2, 1899 as the fifth national park in the United States. The park contains 368 square miles (950 km2) including all of Mount Rainier, a 14,411-foot (4,392 m) stratovolcano. The mountain rises abruptly from the surrounding land with elevations in the park ranging from 1,600 feet (490 m) to over 14,000 feet (4,300 m). The highest point in the Cascade Range, around it are valleys, waterfalls, subalpine wildflower meadows, old growth forest and more than 26 glaciers. The volcano is often shrouded in clouds that dump enormous amounts of rain and snow on the peak every year and hide it from the crowds that head to the park on weekends.

Mount Rainier is circled by the Wonderland Trail and is covered by several glaciers and snowfields totaling some 35 square miles (91 km2). Carbon Glacier is the largest glacier by volume in the continental United States, while Emmons Glacier is the largest glacier by area. About 1.3 million people visit Mount Rainier National Park each year. Mount Rainier is a popular peak for mountain climbing with some 10,000 attempts per year with approximately 25% making it to the summit.

The park contains outstanding subalpine meadows and 91,000 acres (370 km2) of old growth forests.

Ninety-seven percent of the park is preserved as wilderness under the National Wilderness Preservation System, including Clearwater Wilderness and Mount Rainier Wilderness, a designation it received in 1988. It is abutted by the Tatoosh Wilderness. The park was designated a National Historic Landmark on 18 February 1997 as a showcase for the National Park Service Rustic style architecture (or parkitecture) of the 1920s and 1930s, exemplified by the Paradise Inn and a masterpiece of early NPS master planning. As an Historic Landmark district, the park was administratively listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Ireland - Grafton Street, Dublin

Dublin city is spread over the broad valley of the river Liffey, with the Wicklow Hills sheltering it on the south. In addition to its splendid public buildings, Dublin is particularly rich in domestic architecture of the 18th century. It is one of Europe most beautifully situated capitals with pleasant beaches and mountains only a short journey away.

Sent by Claudia, a WiP partner from Ireland.

This is from Wikipedia : Grafton Street (Irish: Sráid Grafton) is one of the two principal shopping streets in Dublin city centre, the other being Henry Street. It runs from St. Stephen's Green in the south (at the lowest point of the street) to College Green in the north (to the highest point). In 2008, Grafton Street was the fifth most expensive main shopping street in the world, at €5,621/m².

The street was named after Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton, the illegitimate son of Charles II of England who owned land in the area. The street was developed from a then existing country lane by the Dawson family in 1708, after whom the parallel Dawson Street is named.

After O'Connell Bridge (then called 'Carlisle Bridge') was built to span the River Liffey, Grafton Street turned from a fashionable residential street into a busy cross-city route.

Since the 1980s, the street has been mostly pedestrianised, with the exception of the short stretch running between Nassau Street and College Green. This short stretch contains two notable Dublin landmarks, the eighteenth century Trinity College Provost's House, home to the head of the college, and the late twentieth century statue of Molly Malone, which has become a popular Dublin meeting place. A life-size bronze statue of Phil Lynott was unveiled on Harry Street, off Grafton Street near the Stephen's Green end, on 19 August 2005.

Bewley's Oriental Café, a Grafton Street institution since its opening in 1927, announced at the end of October 2004 that it would be closing before Christmas, along with its Westmoreland Street café. Following a campaign by many, including the then Mayor of Dublin, Catherine Byrne, the café on Grafton Street, which had closed, was reopened, including its small performance area.

Buskers, including musicians, poets and mime artists commonly perform to the shopping crowds. This scene was portrayed in the 2006 film Once, starring Glen Hansard of The Frames, a former Grafton Street busker.

Germany - Town Hall and Roland on the Marketplace of Bremen

Town Hall and Roland on the Marketplace of Bremen, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Sent by Michael, a postcrosser from Germany.

The Bremen Town Hall and Roland are an outstanding ensemble representing civic autonomy and market freedom, as developed in the Holy Roman Empire. The town hall represents the medieval Saalgeschossbau-type of hall construction, as well as being an outstanding example of the so-called Weser Renaissance in northern Germany. The Bremen Roland is the most representative and one of the oldest of the Roland statues erected as a symbol of commercial rights and freedom.

The city of Bremen is situated in north-western Germany, on the river Weser. The site of the medieval town has an oblong form, limited by the river on the south side and by the Stadtgraben, the water moat of the ancient defence system, on the north side. The town hall is situated in the centre of the eastern part of the old city area, separating the market in the south from the Domshof, the cathedral square in the north. The statue of Roland is located in the centre of the market place. The town hall is placed between two churches: the Dom (cathedral church of St Peter) is located on the east side, and the Liebfrauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) on the west. Across the market is the Schütting, the seat of the ancient merchant guilds. On the east side of the market is the Modernist building for the municipal institutions, the Haus der Bürgerschaft, built in the 1960s.

The World Heritage site consists of the town hall and the Roland statue; the buffer zone encloses the market and the cathedral square. The town hall has two parts: the Old Town Hall, on the north side of the market place, which was built in 1405-9, and renovated in 1595-1612, and the New Town Hall that was built in the early 20th century as an addition facing the cathedral square.

The Old Town Hall is a two-storey hall building with a rectangular floor plan. It has brick walls and wooden floor structures. The exterior is in exposed brick with alternating dark and light layers; the roof is covered by green copper. The ground floor served for merchants and for theatrical performances. The upper floor is the main festivity hall, of the same dimensions. Between the windows, there are stone statues representing the emperor and prince-electors, which date from the original Gothic phase, integrated with late Renaissance sculptural decoration symbolizing civic autonomy. In the 17th century the town hall was renovated, and the middle three of the eleven axes of the colonnade were accentuated by a bay construction with large rectangular windows and a high gable, an example of the so-called Weser Renaissance.

The New Town Hall was the result of an architectural competition, and it was built in 1909-13, designed by Gabriel von Seidl from Munich. The building has three main floors, and it was intended for representation and chancellery. The elevations are covered in tiles (clinker); windows and details are built from south German limestone.

The stone statue of Roland is about 5.5 m tall, and it was initially erected in 1404 to symbolize the rights and privileges of the free and imperial city of Bremen. Such statues were common in German towns and townships, representing a martyr who died in the struggle against heathens. The statue of Bremen is associated with the Margrave of Brittany, a paladin of Charlemagne.

The origins of Bremen go back to the 8th and 9th centuries, when it became the seat of a bishop. In 965, Bremen was given the rights to raise customs and to mint. There is a reference in 1225 to a city council whose members are known as consules; this council prepared a civic code as a law of the people. The town joined the Hanseatic League in 1358. Although having already obtained privileges of civic autonomy, it was formally recognized as a Freie Reichstadt (free imperial town) in 1646. Since 1947 it has been one of the Länder of the Federal Republic of Germany. The Roland statue in stone was erected in 1404, replacing an earlier wooden statue, and is considered the oldest Roland statue still in place in Germany. (Source)

Germany - Zittauer Gebirge

The region lies in the most southeast corner of Saxony with the border triangle Poland, Czech Republic, Germany where Europe grows together.

Sent by Norbert, a postcrosser from Germany.

Turkey - The Blue Mosque (6)

ISTANBUL, TURKEY.
Sultanahmet Camii or The Blue Mosque.

Sent by Eugenia, a postcrosser from Oregon, USA.

Russia - Bukhara Mosque

The White Cathedral (Bukhara) Mosque in Moskovsky Trakt was built in 1912 - 1916 by architect A.I. Langer. To the east of the mosque there is the University Lake famous for the fact that in the early 18th, 19th and 20th centuries Moskovskaya Zastava (Moscow Turnpike) was located on the lakeside.

Sent by Zhenya, a postcrosser from Tomsk in Siberia, Russia.

Australia - Kookaburra

The Kookaburras belong to the family of the Kingfishers and are native to Australia and New Guinea, but only the Australian one is famous for its unmistakable laughing call. They feed on insects, snakes, frogs and other small animals.

Sent by Claire, a postcrosser from Australia.

This is from Wikipedia : Kookaburras (genus Dacelo) are large to very large (total length 28–42 cm/11–17 in) terrestrial kingfishers native to Australia and New Guinea, the name a loanword from Wiradjuri guuguubarra, which is onomatopoeic of its call. The single member of the genus Clytoceyx, though commonly referred to as the Shovel-billed Kookaburra, is not treated in this article.

Kookaburras are best known for their unmistakable call, which sounds uncannily like loud, echoing human laughter — good-natured, but rather hysterical, merriment in the case of the renowned Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae); and maniacal cackling in the case of the slightly smaller Blue-winged Kookaburra (D. leachii). They are generally not closely associated with water, and can be found in habitats ranging from humid forest to arid savanna, but also in suburban and residential areas near running water and where food can be searched for easily.

There are four known species of kookaburras found in Australia, New Guinea, and the Aru Islands.

Unusual for close relatives, the Laughing and Blue-winged species are direct competitors in the area where their ranges overlap. This suggests that the two species, though having common stock, evolved in isolation (possibly during a period when Australia and New Guinea were more distant — see Australia-New Guinea) and were only brought back into contact in relatively recent geological times.

China - Rocky Cave Temple at Gongyi

Rocky Cave Temple at Gongyi.

Sent by Timmy, a postcrosser from China.

China - Mallow-shaped Dish

Mallow-shaped Dish.
Ge ware, Song Dynasty.
Height 4.1 cm, Diameter (mouth) 20.2 cm, (foot) 7.5 cm
The Palace Museum.

Sent by Christina, a postcrosser from China.

Flag of Canada

Sent by Richard, a postcrosser from Canada. Richard bought the postcard at UN Office in New York, flew it home to Canada and mailed it to UN via Washington. Terima kasih Richard.

Portugal - "Sete Saias"/""Seven Skirts"

Nazaré
"Sete Saias"/"Seven Skirts"
Costa de Prata
PORTUGAL

Sent by Isabel, a postcrosser from Nazaré in Portugal.

Estonia - Estonian Summer Pancakes

Estonian summer pancakes.

Sent by Mart, a postcrosser from Talinn, Estonia.

USA - Massachusetts - Boston

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS
This aerial shows the Back Bay area with the Christian Science Church and the Prudential Center.

Sent by Skip from Wareham, Massachusetts.

Boston (pronounced ⁱ/ˈbɒstən/) is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Massachusetts, officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; Boston also serves as county seat of the state's Suffolk County. The largest city in New England, the city proper, covering 48 square miles (125 square km), had an estimated population of 626,000 in 2011, making it the 21st largest city in the United States. The city is the anchor of a substantially larger metropolitan area called Greater Boston, home to 4.5 million people and the tenth-largest metropolitan area in the country. Greater Boston as a commuting region is home to 7.6 million people, making it the fifth-largest Combined Statistical Area in the United States.

One of the oldest cities in the United States, Boston was founded on the Shawmut Peninsula in 1630 by Puritan colonists from England. It was the scene of several key events of the American Revolution, such as the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, the Battle of Bunker Hill and the Siege of Boston. Through land reclamation and municipal annexation, Boston has expanded beyond the original peninsula. After the coming of American independence the city became an important port and manufacturing center, and a center of education and culture as well. Its rich history helps attract many tourists, with Faneuil Hall alone attracting over 20 million visitors. Boston's many "firsts" include the United States' first public school (1635), and first subway system (1897).

The area's many colleges and universities make Boston an international center of higher education and medicine, leading many to dub the city "The Athens of America", and the city is considered to be a world leader in innovation for a variety of reasons. Boston's economic base also includes finance, professional and business services, and government activities. The city has one of the highest costs of living in the United States, though it remains high on world livability rankings. (Source)

Brazil - Gramado

Gramado - Entrance of the city covered in snow, located in RS 235.

Sent by Guilherme, a postcrosser from Gramado, Rio Grande do Sul.

This is from Wikipedia : Gramado is a municipality and small touristic town, southeast of Caxias do Sul and east of Nova Petrópolis in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, in the Serra Gaúcha region. Most of the population of Gramado is of German or Italian descent. Gramado is one of the towns along the scenic route known as Rota Romântica.

Gramado hosts the Festival de Gramado, a major South American film festival and Gramado's most important event. Gramado is also known by hydrangeas blossoming in late spring. Another key event in Gramado is Natal Luz, when Gramado is decked out in lights and wreaths made of recycled material by local residents.

Gramado was originally settled in 1875 by Portuguese immigrants. Five years later, the first German immigrants arrived and these were followed shortly after by Italian immigrants from the Italian settlements in Caxias do Sul.

In 1913, the town seat was moved to Linha Nova, the location of the present-day town center. At this time, Gramado was an unincorporated township within the municipality of Taquara. A railway arrived in Gramado in 1921, boosting the local economy. Gramado officially became a village in 1937, when Gramado was already known as a summer holiday resort. Gramado became a municipality on December 15, 1954 by force of State Act 2,522.

Poland - Szczecin

Szczecin before WWII.

Sent by Radoslav, a postcrosser from Poland.

This is from Wikipedia : Szczecin ([ˈʂt​͡ʂɛt​͡ɕin]; German: Stettin [ʃtɛˈtɪːn]; Kashubian: Sztetëno [ʂtɛˈtənɔ]), is the capital city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland. It is the country's seventh-largest city and the largest seaport in Poland on the Baltic Sea. As of June 2009 the population was 406,427.

Szczecin is located on the Oder River, south of the Szczecin Lagoon and the Bay of Pomerania. The city is situated along the southwestern shore of Dąbie Lake, on both sides of the Oder and on several large islands between the western and eastern branches of the river. Szczecin borders with the town of Police, the seat of Police County, situated on an estuary of the Oder River.

The city's beginnings were as an 8th century Slavic Pomeranian stronghold. Over the course of its history it has been a part of Poland, existed as an independent Duchy, was ruled by Sweden, Denmark, Brandenburg-Prussia, was part of the Holy Roman Empire, German Empire, Weimar Republic and the Third Reich. It was the residence of the Griffin Dynasty from the 12th until the 17th century.

While the city was ruled by Nazi Germany the Jews, Poles and Rroma were subjected to repression and finally during World War II classified as untermenschen with their fate being slavery and extermination. After Germany was defeated by the Allies in 1945, Szczecin was awarded to the People's Republic of Poland. The city was emptied of its German inhabitants, who either fled before the advancing Soviet Army or were expelled by the Polish government. Poles resettled and rebuilt the war damaged city, which became capital of the new Szczecin Voivodeship. It played an important role in the anti-communist uprisings of 1970 and the rise of Solidarity trade union in the 1980s.

Taiwan - Taipei 101

Taipei 101.

Sent by Alistair, a postcrosser from Taiwan.

This is from Wikipedia : Taipei 101 (Chinese: 台北101 / 臺北101), formerly known as the Taipei World Financial Center, is a landmark skyscraper located in Xinyi District, Taipei, Taiwan. The building ranked officially as the world's tallest from 2004 until the opening of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai in 2010. Taipei 101 was designed by C.Y. Lee & partners and constructed primarily by Samsung C&T who participated lately as the original main contractor KTRT Joint Venture couldn't finish the construction on time. The tower has served as an icon of modern Taiwan ever since its opening, and received the 2004 Emporis Skyscraper Award. Fireworks launched from Taipei 101 feature prominently in international New Year's Eve broadcasts and the structure appears frequently in travel literature and international media.

Taipei 101 comprises 101 floors above ground and 5 floors underground. The building was architecturally created as a symbol of the evolution of technology and Asian tradition (see Symbolism). Its postmodernist approach to style incorporates traditional design elements and gives them modern treatments. The tower is designed to withstand typhoons and earthquakes. A multi-level shopping mall adjoining the tower houses hundreds of fashionable stores, restaurants and clubs.

Taipei 101 is owned by the Taipei Financial Center Corporation (TFCC) and managed by the International division of Urban Retail Properties Corporation based in Chicago. The name originally planned for the building, Taipei World Financial Center, until 2003, was derived from the name of the owner. The original name in Chinese was literally, Taipei International Financial Center (traditional Chinese: 臺北國際金融中心).

Finland - The Lapps

The Lapps.

Sent by Tanja, a postcrosser from Finland.

China - Gang Of One

Wang Gang Feng/GANG OF ONE
Super Location, Shanghai
The People's Republic of China.

Sent by Chen Yi from China.

Russia - Cathedral of the Redeemer

Moscow - The main iconostasis of the Cathedral of the Redeemer.

Sent by Juliya, a postcrosser from Kolomna in Russia.

Czech Republic - Historic Centre of Prague (7)

MULTIVIEWS OF PRAGUE.

Sent by Lida, a postcrosser from Vysočina, Czech Republic.

Germany - Mudau

View of Mudau.

Sent by Eva-Maria, a postcrosser from Germany.

This is from Wikipedia : Mudau is a municipality in the Neckar-Odenwald district, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. As of 2004 it has 5,099 inhabitants.

Mudau lies in the southeastern Odenwald mountains between the Neckar and Main rivers, 75 km southeast of Frankfurt am Main and 40 km northeast of Heidelberg. The area is heavily forested, resting on colored sandstone plateaus at 285 to 576 meters elevation, sloping downward to the Bauland region. Many streams originate in the area around Mudau, owing to its location on the Neckar-Main watershed; some have cut canyons as much as 200 meters deep into the sandstone. Streams considered significant are the Gabelbach, Mudbach, and Steinbächlein which flow into the Main, and the Reisenbach, Trienzbach, and Elz which flow into the Neckar.

Mudau is an officially recognized resort in the Naturpark-Neckartal-Odenwald.

Finland - Shaman of Lapland

Shaman of Lapland.

Sent by Suvi, a postcrosser from Finland.

Canary Islands - Mapcard of Gran Canaria

Isla de Gran Canaria.

Sent by Desiree, a postcrosser from Holland.

This is from Wikipedia : Gran Canaria (Spanish pronunciation: [ɡɾaŋ kaˈna.ɾja]; originally meaning 'Great [Island] of Dogs') is the most populous island of the Canary Islands, with population of 829 597 (2008) which constitutes approximately 40% of the population of the archipelago. Also, it is second most populous island in Spain after Majorca. Located on the Atlantic Ocean about 150 kilometers (~93 miles) off the northwestern coast of Africa and about 1350 km (~838 miles) from Europe.

The capital of the island, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, is also the largest city and capital autonomous community of the Canary Islands.

Gran Canaria was populated by the Canarii (Guanches), who may have arrived as early as 500 BC. The Canarii called the island Tamarán or Land of the Brave. After over a century of European (French, Portuguese...) incursions and attempts at conquest, the island was conquered on April 29, 1483, after a campaign that lasted 5 years, by the Kingdom of Castile, with the support of Queen Isabella I, a conquest which turned out to be an important step towards the expansion of the unified Spain.

The capital city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria was founded on June 24, 1478, under the name "Real de Las Palmas", by Juan Rejón, head of the invading Castilian army. In 1492, Christopher Columbus anchored in the Port of Las Palmas (and spent some time on the island) on his first trip to the Americas.