Kenya - Nairobi (1)

NAIROBI
Kenya's capital is a thriving cosmopolitan city and the commercial and communications centre of East Africa. Often called 'The Green City in the Sun' has wide tree-fined avenues and tall modern buildings, the skyline being dominated by the towering Kenyatta International Conference Centre, the city lies 5,500 feet above sea level and 160 kilometres South of the Equator.

Sent by Simon from Nairobi, Kenya.

Nairobi /naɪˈroʊbi/ is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also form the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyrobi, which translates to "cold water". The phrase is also the Maasai name of the Nairobi river, which in turn lent its name to the city. However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is surrounded by several expanding villa suburbs. Inhabitants of Nairobi are referred to as Nairobians, and the city is governed by the County Government of Nairobi, whose current governor is Evans Kidero.

Founded by the British in 1899 as a simple rail depot on the railway linking Mombasa to Uganda, the town quickly grew to become the capital of British East Africa in 1907, and eventually the capital of the newly independent Kenyan republic in 1963. During Kenya's colonial period, the city became a centre for the colony's coffee, tea and sisal industry. Nairobi city is also a county in itself. The city lies on the Nairobi River, in the south of the nation and has an elevation of 1795 m above sea-level.

Nairobi is the most populous city in East Africa, with a current estimated population of about 3 million. According to the 2009 Census, in the administrative area of Nairobi, 3,138,295 inhabitants lived within 696 km² (269 sq mi). Nairobi is currently the 14th largest city in Africa, including the population of its suburbs. (read further)

Hong Kong - Chek Lap International Airport

HONG KONG

Chek Lap International Airport

Sent by Bryan from Hong Kong.

Hong Kong International Airport (IATA: HKG, ICAO: VHHH) is the main airport in Hong Kong. It is located on the island of Chek Lap Kok, which largely comprises land reclaimed for the construction of the airport itself. The airport is also colloquially known as Chek Lap Kok Airport (赤鱲角機場), to distinguish it from its predecessor, the closed Kai Tak Airport.

The airport has been commercially operational since 1998, replacing the former Kai Tak Airport, and is an important regional trans-shipment centre, passenger hub and gateway for destinations in Mainland China (with 44 destinations) and the rest of Asia. The airport is currently the world's busiest cargo gateway and one of the world's busiest passenger airports.

The Hong Kong International Airport is also home to one of the world's largest passenger terminal buildings (the largest when opened in 1998). Hong Kong International Airport is one of the busiest airports in Asia. It is operated by the Airport Authority Hong Kong, 24 hours a day, and is the primary hub for Cathay Pacific, Dragonair, Hong Kong Airlines, Hong Kong Express Airways and Air Hong Kong (cargo). The airport is one of the hubs of Oneworld alliance, and it is also one of the Asian-Pacific cargo hubs for UPS Airlines. It is a focus city for many airlines, including China Airlines and China Eastern Airlines. Singapore Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, Virgin Atlantic and Air India use Hong Kong as a stopover point for the flights respectively.

HKIA is an important contributor to Hong Kong's economy, with approximately 60,000 employees. More than 100 airlines operate flights from the airport to over 180 cities across the globe. In 2012 HKIA handled 56,557,751 passengers, making it the 12th busiest airport worldwide by passenger traffic. It also surpassed Memphis International Airport to become the world's busiest airport by cargo traffic.(read further)

Guess The Country And Win A Postcard From Hard-To-Get Country

We are offering a postcard from really a hard-to-get country for one who guesses correctly the country/territory in which the above postcard was sent from.  

The postcard is still on its way to our mailbox.  Whether it reaches us or not, the one who guesses correctly will win this contest.

The deadline is when there is a winner or until Saturday, 25th January 2014, 23.59 p.m. (Malaysian time), whichever comes first.

Type your answer in the comment section.

The winner will be notified here.

We will publish the winner in the comment section.

Rules :-
1. You can only give one answer in a comment section. If you answer twice or more, only the first answer is counted.
2. ANONYMOUS can enter this contest at your own risk.
3. There will be only ONE winner.
4. Our friends who we promised to send you a postcard from this hard-to-get country are not eligible for this contest.

THE CLUE : The country/territory that we have not received yet.

St. Lucia - Pitons Management Area

The village of Soufriere, the premiere heritage site in St. Lucia.

Sent by John Williams from Burnley, England.

Dominating the mountainous landscape of St Lucia are the Pitons, two steep-sided volcanic spires rising side by side from the sea. Gros Piton (770 m) is 3 km in diameter at its base, and Petit Piton (743 m) is 1 km in diameter and linked to the former by the Piton Mitan ridge.

The Pitons are part of a volcanic complex, known to geologists as the Soufriere Volcanic Centre which is the remnant of one (or more) huge collapsed stratovolcano. The volcanic complex overlies a tectonic plate subduction (underthrusting) zone which stretches 700 km along Lesser Antilles, forming a volcanic arc.

The Pitons are the eroded cores of two lava domes formed on the flanks of the stratovolcano. Today they tower above a caldera-like formation, produced by a gigantic gravity slide or structural collapse which formed the Qualibou Depression, 7 km in diameter. Near the centre of the depression are the Sulphur Springs, an active, high temperature geothermal field with sulphurous fumaroles and hot springs. The Pitons occur with a variety of other volcanic features including cumulo-domes, explosion craters, pyroclastic deposits (pumice and ash) and lava flows. Collectively, these fully illustrate the volcanic history of an andesitic composite volcano associated with crustal plate subduction.

The Marine Management Area is a coastal strip 11 km long and about 1 km wide. It comprises a steeply sloping continental shelf with fringing and patch reefs, boulders and sandy plains. The coral reefs, which cover almost 60% of the marine area, are healthy and diverse. A survey to a depth of 20 m revealed 168 species of finfish, 60 species of cnidaria, including corals, molluscs, sponges, echinoderms, arthropods and annelid worms. Hawksbill turtles are seen inshore, and whale sharks and pilot whales offshore.

The dominant terrestrial vegetation is tropical moist forest grading to subtropical wet forest with small areas of dry forest near the coast and on steep slopes, and areas of wet elfin woodland on the summits. On the Pitons especially, small undisturbed natural forests remain, preserved by the steepness of the land. At least 148 plant species have been recorded on Gros Piton and 97 on Petit Piton. Among these are several endemic or rare plants, including eight rare species of tree. Some bird species, including 5 endemics, are known from Gros Piton, along with indigenous rodents, opossum, bats, reptiles and amphibians.

The area is a multiple-use management where agriculture, artisan fishing, human settlement (1,500 residents) and tourism (four large hotel developments) are allowed. (Source)

Antigua and Barbuda - Galley Bay

Antigua, West Indies
Galley Bay

Sent by Ante from Antigua and Barbuda.

Italy - Veneto - Venice

VENEZIA
Punta della Dogana
Basilica Santa Maria della Salute

Sent by Raffaella from Italy.

Venice (English /ˈvɛnɪs/; Italian: Venezia [veˈnɛttsia] alternative obsolete form: Vinegia; Venetian: Venexia [veˈnɛsja];Latin: Venetia; Slovene: Benetke) is a city in northeastern Italy sited on a group of 118 small islands separated by canals and linked by bridges. It is located in the marshy Venetian Lagoon which stretches along the shoreline, between the mouths of the Po and the Piave Rivers. Venice is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. The city in its entirety is listed as a World Heritage Site, along with its lagoon. (read further)

Antarctica - The Antarctic Treaty

The Antarctic Treaty
The Treaty was negotiated by the 12 nations present in Antarctica during the International Geophysical Year (IGY) (1957-58).  It is a landmark agreement through which countries active in Antarctica consult on the uses of the whole continent.  The Treaty which applies to the area south of 60°S, is surprisingly short but remarkably effective.  Since entering into force on June 23, 1961, the Treaty has been recognized as one of the most successful international agreements ever negotiated.

The postcard is a SURPRISE, sent by someone from Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica. Thank you very much.

Mauritania - Ancient Ksour of Ouadane, Chinguetti, Tichitt and Oualata (2)

MAURITANIA
Mural decorations at Oualata.

Sent by Floyd of USA who went for a month-holiday in Mauritania. Thank you very much Floyd.

Oualata or Walata (Arabic: ولاته‎) (also Biru in 17th century chronicles) is a small oasis town in south east Mauritania that was important as a caravan city in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries as the southern terminus of a trans-Saharan trade route. It is a World Heritage Site. (read further)

Mauritania - Assaba

MAURITANIA

Assaba (L'Assaba)

Sent by Floyd of USA who went for a month-long holiday in Mauritania.  Thank you very much Floyd.

Assaba (Arabic: ولاية العصابة‎) is a region in southern Mauritania. Its capital is Kifa. Other major cities/towns include Guerou. The region borders the Mauritanian regions of Brakna and Tagant to the north, the Mauritanian region of Hodh El Gharbi to the east, Malito the south, and the Mauritanian regions of Gorgol and Guidimaka to the west. (Source)

Italy - Puglia - Lecce

PUGLIA
Lecce
Piazza Duomo

Sent by Sergio from Lecce, Italy.

Germany - Bavaria - Munich - Oktoberfest

Munich
View of Oktoberfest

Sent by Birgit from Munich, Germany.

Octoberfest is the world's largest fair held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. It is a 16-day festival running from late September to the first weekend in October with more than 6 million people from around the world attending the event every year. To the locals, it is often simply called "Wiesn", after the colloquial name of the fairgrounds (Theresienwiese) themselves. The Oktoberfest is an important part of Bavarian culture, having been held since 1810. Other cities across the world also hold Oktoberfest celebrations, modeled after the original Munich event. (read further)

Germany - Thuringia - Erfurt

Multiviews of Erfurt.

Sent by Eric from Erfurt, Germany.

Erfurt (German pronunciation: [ˈɛʁfʊʁt) is the capital city of Thuringia and the main city nearest to the geographical centre of Germany, located 100 kilometres (62 miles) south-west of Leipzig, 150 km (93 miles) north of Nuremberg and 180 km (112 miles) south east of Hanover. Together with neighboring cities Weimar and Jena it forms the central metropolitan area of Thuringia with approximately 500,000 inhabitants. Notable institutions in Erfurt are the Federal Labour Court of Germany, the University of Erfurtand the Fachhochschule Erfurt as well as the Roman Catholic Diocese of Erfurt with Erfurt Cathedral as one of the main sights. Further famous buildings are the Krämerbrücke, a bridge completely covered with dwellings, and Erfurt Synagogue which was established in the 11th century and is the oldest standing synagogue in Europe. Furthermore, the medieval city centre consists of old timber-framed houses and about 25 Gothic churches.

Erfurt was first mentioned in 742, as Saint Boniface founded the diocese. Although the town did not belong to one of the Thuringian states politically, it quickly became the economic centre of the region. Until the Napoleonic era it was part of the Electorate of Mainz and afterwards it belonged to Prussia until 1945. The university was founded in 1392, closed in 1816 and reestablished after German reunification in 1994. It is one of the oldest universities in Germany. Martin Luther was the most famous student of the institution. Other famous Erfurtians are the medieval theologian Meister Eckhart, the Baroque composer Johann Pachelbel, the sociologist Max Weber and Gunda Niemann-Stirnemann, the most successful speed skater of all time. (read further)

Greenland - South Greenland

GREENLAND
South Greenland.

Sent by the Official Tourism Site of Greenland from Nuuk, Greenland.

South Greenland was a Danish colony on Greenland consisting of the trading centers and missionary stations along the southwest coast of the island. Its capital was at Godthaab (modern Nuuk).

In 1911, as the administration of the colony was removed from the Royal Greenland Trading Department and folded into the Danish Ministry of the Interior, a provincial council (Danish: landsråd) was established. It was elected indirectly from the local councils and had little say in the management of the colony. (Source)

Italy - Puglia - Porto Cesareo

PUGLIA
Porto Cesareo

Sent by Sergio from Lecce, Italy.

Porto Cesareo is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy.

Mozambique

MOZAMBIQUE
African Life

Sent by Cheyanne from Maxixe, Mozambique.

Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique (Portuguese: Moçambique or República de Moçambique, is a country in Southeast Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west, and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest. The capital and largest city is Maputo (previously called Lourenço Marques before independence). (read further)

Madagascar - Antananarivo

MADAGASCAR
Multiviews of Antananarivo.

Sent by Miora from Antananarivo, Madagascar.  Misotra betsaka.

Antananarivo (/ˌæntəˌnænəˈriːvoʊ/; Malagasy [antaˈnanaˈrivʷ], from Tanànan'ny Arivolahy), formerly Tananarive (/təˌnænəˈriːv/ or /təˌnɑːnəˈriːv/), is the capital and largest city in Madagascar. It is also known by its French colonial shorthand form Tana. The larger urban area surrounding the city, known as Antananarivo-Renivohitra ("Antananarivo-Mother Hill" or "Antananarivo-Capital"), is the capital of Analamanga Region. The name roughly translates to "City of the Thousand". (read further)

French Polynesia - Tahiti (2)

Tahiti and its islands.
View of Bora Bora, taken from Tahaa.

Sent by Laura, who lives in Tahiti of French Polynesia.