U.S.A. - North Carolina - Wright Brothers National Memorial

Sent by Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park.

Wright Brothers National Memorial, located in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, commemorates the first successful, sustained, powered flights in a heavier-than-air machine. From 1900 to 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright came here from Dayton, Ohio, based on information from the U.S. Weather Bureau about the area's steady winds. They also valued the privacy provided by this location, which in the early twentieth century was remote from major population centers. (read further)

France - Upper Normandy - 76 Seine-Maritime - Le Havre, the City Rebuilt by Auguste Perret

NORMANDY
Le Havre (Seine-Maritime).

Sent by Brigitte, a postcrosser from Le Havre,France

The post-Second World War reconstruction plan of Le Havre is a landmark in the integration of urban planning traditions and a pioneer implementation of modern developments in architecture, technology and town planning. It is based on the unity of methodology and system of prefabrication, the systematic use of a modular grid, and the innovative exploitation of the potential of concrete.

Being at the mouth of the river Seine, the site of Le Havre was always strategic for access inland, to Rouen and Paris. Because of the estuary and its marshes, the decision to establish a seaport for Rouen was only taken in the 1517. As a result of the European discovery of America the port gained in importance and, in 1541, François I commissioned Sienese architect Bellarmato to plan an extension. The quarter of Saint-François was designed on the basis of a Renaissance grid-plan. In the 17th century, Le Havre (harbour) continued developing its commercial links with America and Africa. Minister Colbert authorized the construction of an arsenal, transferring the naval dockyards to the area of Perrey.

The plan to rebuild Le Havre was conceived during the Second World War. In summer 1944 Auguste Perret (1874-1954) took the lead in the project of reconstructing the town. Perret had studied in the École des Beaux-Arts; he was trained in the spirit of classicism and had the inheritance of the 19th-century technical developments. He obtained solid experience in the development of the techniques of reinforced concrete. Some of his early architectural designs, such as the flats in the Rue Franklin in Paris (1903) and Notre-Dame du Raincy (1923) have been recognized as masterpieces of early modernism.

Taking into account the soil conditions and high water table, it was proposed to construct the entire city on a reinforced concrete platform about 3.50 m above ground level, a revolutionary initiative that would have facilitated the building of infrastructures. Owing to the limits of cement and iron in the post-war period, it was not authorized, although the general master plan was carried out. The project was based on a basic grid module of 6.24 m2 . The lots were laid out on a 100 m grid, although some were combined to make larger lots. Construction lasted until 1964, when the Church of Saint-Joseph was consecrated.

The project corresponds to the architect's ideal to create a homogenous ensemble, where all the details are designed to the same pattern, thus creating a kind of Gesamtkunstwerk in the urban scale. Perret reserved some of the most important public buildings as his personal design projects. A few buildings that had not been destroyed in the bombardment were retained as part of the new town scheme. Even though the Saint-François quarter was also destroyed, several historic buildings remained standing, and were protected in 1946. As a result, the plan of this area was mainly based on the old street pattern.

Basing the design of the buildings and open spaces on 6.24m square module of a square was to facilitate the production, but also to introduce 'musical harmony' into the city. The average density was reduced from the pre-war 2,000 to 800 inhabitants to a hectare. The spirit of the town was conceived as 'neoclassical', where the building blocks are closed and the streets remain streets. The essence of Perret's project is in structural design, which was based on an avant-garde use of reinforced concrete elements, a system called poteau dalle. The idea of the structure is to make it modular and completely transparent so that no structural elements remain hidden. This gives the dominating character and a certain uniformity to all architecture. However, the elements are used in skilful way so as to avoid boredom.

The Porte Océane is a monumental entrance to Avenue Foch and an entrance to the city from the sea, taking the idea of the ancient gate destroyed in the war. This building also became an experimental 'laboratory' for the development of the structural system and methods of construction for the project. The square Saint-Roch is located in the place of an earlier public park and cemetery, which has given some its orientations to the new design. The Hôtel de Ville (town hall) is the most monumental structure in the whole scheme and its central part is marked by an 18-storey tower 70 m high. (Source)

Bolivia - La Paz City (2)

La Paz - Bolivia
An aymara woman with her baby.

Sent by Carlos from La Paz, Bolivia.

Germany - Lower Saxony - Hannover

Greetings from the City of Hannover.

Sent by Uta, a postcrosser from Hamburg and Hannover, Germany.

Hanover or Hannover (German:  Hannover (help·info), [haˈnoːfɐ]), on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen), Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg (later described as the Elector of Hanover). At the end of the Napoleonic Wars, the Electorate was enlarged to become the capital of the Kingdom of Hanover.

In addition to being the capital of Lower Saxony, Hanover was the capital of the administrative area Regierungsbezirk Hannover (Hanover region) until Lower Saxony's administrative regions were disbanded at the beginning of 2005. Since 2001 it is part of the Hanover district (Region Hannover), which is a municipal body made up from the former district (Landkreis Hannover) and city of Hanover (note: although both Region and Landkreis are translated as district they are not the same).

With a population of 522,686 (31 December 2010) the city is a major centre of northern Germany, known for hosting annual commercial trade fairs such as the Hanover Fair and the CeBIT. Every year Hanover hosts the Schützenfest Hannover, the world's largest marksmen's festival, and the Oktoberfest Hannover, the second largest Oktoberfest in the world (beside Oktoberfest of Blumenau). In 2000, Hanover hosted the world fair Expo 2000. The Hanover fairground, due to numerous extensions, especially for the Expo 2000, is the largest in the world. Hanover is also of national importance because of its universities and medical school, its international airport, and its large zoo. The city is also a major crossing point of railway lines and highways (Autobahnen), connecting European main lines in east-west-direction (Berlin - Ruhr area) and north-south-direction (Hamburg - Munich et al.). (read further)

Coca Cola Ad Card (3)

Sent by Veronika, a postcrosser from Germany.

U.S.A. - California - Redwood National & State Parks (2)

Redwood National & State Parks
Big Tree
Prairie Creek Redwood State Park, California
Height 304-ft., diameter 21.6-ft., circumference 68-ft., estimated age 1,500-years. It is one of the largest and most easily accessible trees of the Coast Redwoods.

Sent by Francis from Oregon, USA.

Thailand - Bangkok - The Emerald

The Emerald - Bangkok - Thailand

Sent by Jirat, a postcrosser from Pranakorn Sri Ayutthaya, Thailand.

The Emerald Buddha (Thai: พระแก้วมรกต – Phra Kaeo Morakot, or official name พระพุทธมหามณีรัตนปฏิมากร – Phra Phuttha Maha Mani Rattana Patimakon) is the palladium (Thai: ขวัญเมือง khwan mueang; colloquially มิ่งเมีอง ming mueang) of the Kingdom of Thailand, a figurine of the sitting Buddha, made of green Nephrite (rather than emerald), clothed in gold, and about 45 cm tall. It is kept in theTemple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew) on the grounds of the Grand Palace in Bangkok. (read further)

U.S.A. - Oregon - Mapcard

OREGON
STATE TREE - Douglas Fir
STATE FLOWER - Oregon Grape
STATE ANIMAL - American Beaver
STATE BIRD - Western Meadowlark
STATE BUTTERFLY - Oregon Swallowtail
STATE FISH - Chinook Salmon

Sent by Will from Portland, Oregon, USA.

Bicycle (42)

MOUNTAIN BIKING PARADISE, TOOELE VALLEY, UTAH
Tooele County's diverse landscape is interlaced with exciting single and double-track trails that are enjoyed by mountain bikers and other recreationalists.

Sent by Sherry, a postcrosser from Tennessee, USA.

Jamaica - Rose Hall Great House

Rose Hall Great House in St.James, was built between 1770 and 1780. The house was the home of Annie Palmer who is said to have dabbled in witchcraft, murdered husbands and countless lovers.

Send by Wendy from Manchester in Jamaica.

The White Witch is a legendary story of a haunting in Jamaica.

According to the legend, the spirit of "Annie Palmer" haunts the grounds of Rose Hall Plantation near Montego Bay. The story states that she was born in England to an English mother and Irish father and spent most of her life in Haiti. When her parents died of yellow fever, she was adopted by a nanny who taught her witchcraft and voodoo. She moved to Jamaica and married John Palmer, owner of Rose Hall Plantation. Annie supposedly murdered Palmer along with two subsequent husbands and numerous male plantation slaves, later being murdered herself by a slave named "Takoo". A song about the legend called "The Ballad of Annie Palmer" was recorded by Johnny Cash.

An investigation of the legend in 2007 by Benjamin Radford concluded that the story was fictionalized, modeled on the title character in a famous Jamaican novel, The White Witch of Rosehall by Herbert G. de Lisser, published in 1929. An Annie Palmer unrelated to Rose Hall did exist, and by all accounts had no tendencies toward sadism or lechery. Rough Guide To Jamaica author Polly Thomas writes that the name of Annie Palmer may have become confused with Rosa Palmer, the original mistress of Rose Hall who did have four husbands but was said to be unwaveringly virtuous. (read further)

Russia - Perm Krai - Perm City

Multiviews of Perm City in Perm Krai, Russia.

Sent by Natalya from Perm City, Russia.

Perm Krai (Russian: Пе́рмский край, tr. Permsky kray; IPA: [ˈpʲermskʲɪj kraj]) is a federal subject of Russia (a krai) that came into existence on December 1, 2005 as a result of the 2004 referendum on the merger of Perm Oblast and Komi-Permyak Autonomous Okrug. The city of Perm is the administrative center. Population: 2,635,276 (2010 Census).

Komi-Permyak Okrug retained its autonomous status within Perm Krai during the transitional period of 2006–2008. It also retained a budget separate from that of the krai, keeping all federal transfers. Starting in 2009, Komi-Permyak Okrug's budget became subject to the budgeting law of Perm Krai. The transitional period was implemented in part because Komi-Permyak Okrug relies heavily on federal subsidies, and an abrupt cut would have been detrimental to its economy. (read further)

U.S.A. - California - Palm Desert

PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA
A daytime view of beautiful Palm Desert. At the center of the Coachella Valley, Palm Desert is a retailmecca and home to the McCallum Theatre, The Living Desert and two college campuses.

Sent by Dan, a postcrosser from Redondo Beach, California, USA.

Palm Desert is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, in the Coachella Valley, approximately 14 miles (23 km) east of Palm Springs and 122 miles (196 km) east of Los Angeles. The population was 48,445 at the 2010 census, up from 41,155 at the 2000 census. The city was one of the state's fastest growing in the 1980s and 1990s, beginning with 11,801 residents in 1980, doubling to 23,650 in 1990, 35,000 in 1995, and nearly double its 1990 population by 2000.

A major center of growth in the Palm Springs area, Palm Desert is a popular retreat for "snowbirds" from colder climates (the Eastern and Northern United States, and Canada), who swell its population by an estimated 31,000 each winter. In the past couple of years Palm Desert has seen more residents become "full-timers", mainly from the coasts and urban centers of California, who have come for affordable but high-valued home prices. (read further)

Bicycles (41)

Sent by Julia, a postcrosser who lives near Moscow, Russia.

United Kingdom - Scotland - Rannoch Moor

SCOTLAND
Lochan na h-Achlaise and Black Mount, Rannoch Moor

Sent by Thomas, a postcrosser from Uphall, Scotland.

Rannoch Moor (Scottish Gaelic: Mòinteach Raineach/Raithneach) is a large expanse of around 50 square miles (130 km²) of boggy moorland to the west of Loch Rannoch in Scotland, where it extends into Perth and Kinross, Lochaber in Highland, and northern Argyll and Bute. Rannoch Moor is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Special Area of Conservation.

It is notable for its wildlife, particularly famous for the sole British location for the Rannoch-rush, named after the moor. It was frequently visited by Horace Donisthorpe, who collected many unusual species of ants on the moor and surrounding hilly ground. Today it is still one of the few remaining habitats for Formica exsecta, the "narrow-headed ant", although recent surveys have failed to produce any sign of Formica pratensis, which Donisthorpe recorded in the area in the early part of the 20th century.

Peat deposits pose major difficulties to builders of roads and railways. When the West Highland Line was built across Rannoch Moor, its builders had to float the tracks on a mattress of tree roots, brushwood and thousands of tons of earth and ashes.

The A82 road crosses through Rannoch Moor on its way to Glen Coe and Fort William. Additionally, the West Highland Railway line crosses the moor. The railway rises to over 1300 feet and travels over 23 miles of moorland. (Source)

Bicycle (40)

Sent by Claire, a postcrosser from Canada.

Bicycle (39)

Sent by Marlee, a postcrosser from Northern Finland.

U.S.A. - Texas - Big Bend National Park

Big Bend National Park
The Chisos Mountains were born of volcanoes, and erosion has left jagged peaks of lava and ash. The usually plaid Rio Grande patiently carries the Chisos, bit by bit, to the Gulf of Mexico, more than 800 miles away.

Sent by Big Bend National Park.

Big Bend National Park is a national park located in the U.S. state of Texas. Big Bend has national significance as the largest protected area of Chihuahuan Desert topography and ecology in the United States, which includes more than 1,200 species of plants, more than 450 species of birds, 56 species of reptiles, and 75 species of mammals.

The park covers 801,163 acres (1,252 sq mi; 3,242 km²). It is larger than the state of Rhode Island. Few other parks exceed this park's value for the protection and study of geologic and paleontologic resources. A variety of Cretaceous and Tertiary fossilorganisms exist in abundance. Archaeologists have discovered artifacts estimated to be 9,000 years old, and historic buildings and landscapes offer graphic illustration of life along the international border in the 19th century.

For more than 1,000 miles (1,600 km), the Rio Grande/Río Bravo forms the international boundary between Mexico and the United States, and Big Bend National Park administers approximately 244 miles (393 km) along that boundary. The park was named after the area, which is bounded by a large bend in the Texas-Mexico border (see map at right below).

Because the Rio Grande serves as an international boundary, the park faces unusual constraints while administering and enforcing park rules, regulations, and policies. In accordance with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, the park's territory extends only to the center of the deepest river channel as the river flowed in 1848. The rest of the land south of that channel, and the river, lies within Mexican territory. (read further)

Djibouti

République de Djibouti

Sent by Salah of UAE from Djibouti. Terima kasih banyak-banyak (thank you very much).

Djibouti (jee-boo-tee; Arabic: جيبوتي‎ Jībūtī, French: Djibouti, Somali: Jabuuti, Afar: Gabuuti), officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Eritrea in the north, Ethiopia in the west and south, and Somalia in the southeast. The remainder of the border is formed by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden at the east. Djibouti occupies a total area of just 23,200 km² (8,958 sq mi).

In antiquity, the territory was part of the Land of Punt. The Djibouti area, along with other localities in the Horn region, was later the seat of the medieval Adal and Ifat Sultanates. In the late 19th century, the colony of French Somaliland was established following treaties signed by the ruling Somali and Afar Sultans with the French. It was subsequently renamed to the French Territory of the Afars and the Issas in 1967. A decade later, the Djiboutian people voted for independence. This officially marked the establishment of the Republic of Djibouti, named after its capital city. Djibouti joined the United Nations the same year, on September 20, 1977. In the early 1990s, tensions over government representation led to armed conflict, which ended in a power sharing agreement in 2000 between the ruling party and the opposition.

Djibouti is a multi-ethnic nation, with a population of over 790,000 inhabitants. The Somali and Afar make up the two largest ethnic groups. Both speak Afro-Asiatic languages, which serve as recognized national languages. Arabic and French constitute the country's two official languages. About 94% of residents adhere to Islam, a religion with a long-standing presence in the region.

Djibouti is strategically located near the world's busiest shipping lanes, controlling access to the Red Sea and Indian Ocean. It serves as a key refueling and transshipment center, and is the principal maritime port for imports to and exports from neighboring Ethiopia. A burgeoning commercial hub, the nation is the site of various foreign military bases, including Camp Lemonnier. The Intergovernmental Authority on Development regional body also has its headquarters in Djibouti City. (read further)

USA - Delaware - Rehoboth Beach

REHOBOTH BEACH
A biblical term meaning 'room enough', Rehoboth was first developed in 1872 by Methodist church leaders looking for a quiet place to hold religious summer campmeetings. By the 1920's, Rehoboth had become a popular resort for those escaping the summer heat of Washington D.C. and Baltimore. Rehoboth's boardwalk is the center of excitement.

Sent by Rose, a WiP partner from New Jersey, USA.

Rehoboth Beach is a city in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population is 1,327, a decrease of 11.2% from 2000. It is part of the rapidly growing Delaware Beaches area and lies within the Seaford, Delaware Micropolitan Statistical Area.

A popular regional vacation destination, Rehoboth Beach's seasonal population expands to over 25,000 within the city limits and thousands more in the surrounding area in the summer.

In 2011, the NRDC awarded Rehoboth Beach with a 5-Star rating in water quality. This award was given only to 12 other locations, one being neighboring Dewey Beach. Out of the 30 states with coastline, the Delaware Beaches ranked number 1 in water quality in 2011. (read further)

U.S.A. - California - Pinnacles National Park

Pinnacles National Park, California
Letterpress Condors and Formations
Artwork by Lantern Press
Image # 44978

Sent by Pinnacles National Park.

Pinnacles National Park is a U.S. National Park protecting a mountainous area located east of the Salinas Valley in Central California, about 5 miles (8.0 km) east of Soledad and 80 miles (130 km) southeast of San Jose. The park's namesakes are the eroded leftovers of the western half of an extinct volcano that has moved 150 miles (240 km) from its original location on the San Andreas Fault, embedded in a portion of the California Pacific Coast Ranges. Pinnacles is managed by the National Park Service and the majority of the park is protected as wilderness.

The national park is divided by the rock formations into East and West Divisions, connected by foot trails; there is no through road that connects the east and west entrances to the park. The east side has shade and water, the west has high walls. The rock formations provide for spectacular pinnacles that attract rock climbers. The park features unusual talus caves that house at least thirteen species of bat. Pinnacles is most often visited in spring or fall because of the intense heat during the summer months. Park lands are prime habitat for prairie falcons, and are a release site for California Condors that have been hatched in captivity.

Pinnacles National Monument was established in 1908 by U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt. Pinnacles National Park was created from the former Pinnacles National Monument by legislation passed by Congress in late 2012 and signed into law by President Barack Obama on January 10, 2013. (read further)