Tanzania - Zanzibar

Dhow at sunset - Zanzibar

Sent by Camille of Los Angeles from Zanzibar, Tanzania. Thank you very much. I have never expected of this.

Zanzibar is a Tanzanian archipelago off the coast of East Africa. It is located in the Indian Ocean, and consists of many small islands and two large ones: Unguja (the main island, referred to informally as Zanzibar) and Pemba Island. The capital is Zanzibar City, located on the island of Unguja. Its historic centre, Stone Town, is a World Heritage Site.

Zanzibar is also a semi-autonomous region that united with Tanganyika in 1964, and formed the present-day United Republic of Tanzania. The archipelago's main industries are spices, raffia, and tourism. The main spices produced are clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, coconut, and black pepper. The Zanzibar Archipelago, together with Tanzania's Mafia Island, are sometimes referred to locally as the "Spice Islands". Tourism in Zanzibar is a more recent activity, driven by government promotion that caused an increase from 19,000 tourists in 1985, to 376,000 in 2016. The islands are accessible via five ports and the Abeid Amani Karume International Airport, which can serve up to 1.5 million passengers per year.

Zanzibar's marine ecosystem plays a vital role in its fishing and algacultural industries, these ecosystems act as nurseries for Indian Ocean fish populations. Moreover, the land ecosystem is the home of the endemic Zanzibar red colobus, the Zanzibar servaline genet, and the extinct or rare Zanzibar leopard. Environmental pressure from the tourism and fishing industries, as well as larger threats such as sea level rise caused by climate change, are creating increasing environmental concerns throughout the region (read more).

Benin

Concise overview of Benin, a counry in West Africa.

Sent by Taouvik of Togo from Cotonou, Benin.

Benin, officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It was formerly known as Dahomey. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the north-west, and Niger to the north-east. The majority of its population lives on the southern coastline of the Bight of Benin, part of the Gulf of Guinea in the northernmost tropical portion of the Atlantic Ocean. The capital is Porto-Novo, and the seat of government is in Cotonou, the most populous city and economic capital. Benin covers an area of 112,622 km² (43,484 sq mi), and its population in 2021 was estimated to be approximately 13 million. It is a tropical country with an economy heavily dependent on agriculture and is an exporter of palm oil and cotton.

From the 17th to the 19th century, political entities in the area included the Kingdom of Dahomey, the city-state of Porto Novo, and other states to the north. This region was referred to as the Slave Coast of West Africa from the early 17th century due to the high number of people who were sold and trafficked during the Atlantic slave trade to the New World. France took over the territory in 1894, incorporating it into French West Africa as French Dahomey. In 1960, Dahomey gained full independence from France. As a sovereign state, Benin has had democratic governments, military coups, and military governments. A self-described Marxist–Leninist state called the People's Republic of Benin existed between 1975 and 1990. In 1991, it was replaced by the multi-party Republic of Benin (read more).

Singapore - Esplanade

Esplanade, Singapore.

Sent by Audrey from Singapore.

Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay is a performing arts centre located in the Downtown Core of Singapore near the mouth of the Singapore River. Named after the nearby Esplanade Park, it consists of two rounded structures: one housing a concert hall with about 1,600 seats; and the other a theatre with a capacity of about 2,000 for the performing arts. It is nicknamed "The Durian".

In 1989, the Advisory Council on Culture and the Arts, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Ong Teng Cheong, produced a report assessing the status of arts in Singapore. The report would form the blueprint for cultural policy in Singapore, and led to the establishment of the National Arts Council and National Heritage Board. The report noted a lack of suitable performance arts venues; for example, Victoria Theatre was deemed only suitable for small to medium-sized performances, while Victoria Concert Hall was similarly lacking in its seating capacity and stage size. It recommended that a new performing arts centre be built, and in 1992 the Singapore Arts Centre (now known as "Esplanade Co Ltd") was established to build the Esplanade. The name for the centre was revealed in 1994. It was named after Esplanade due to its significant presence in the Esplanade Park (read more).

United Kingdom - England - Bull Ring, Birmingham

BIRMINGHAM

View of Bull Ring

Sent by Helen who is originally from Birmingham.

The Bull Ring is a major shopping area in central Birmingham, England, consisting of open-air and indoor market stalls as well as a large indoor shopping centre.

The Bull Ring has been an important feature of Birmingham since the Middle Ages, when its market was first held, developing into its main market when the town grew into an industrial city. The current shopping centre complex, styled as "Bullring", forms the United Kingdom's largest city centre based shopping centre when coupled with Grand Central, to which it is connected via a pedestrian overpass, collectively branded as Bullring & Grand Central. The current Bullring opened in 2003, replacing a previous 1960s complex, and houses one of only four Selfridges department stores in the country.

The site is located on the edge of the sandstone city ridge which results in the steep gradient towards Digbeth. The slope drops approximately 15 metres (49 ft) from New Street to St Martin's Church and is visible near the church (read more).

Italy - Umbria - Papal Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels

ASSISI

Patriachal Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels.

Sent by Marzia from Arezzo in Tuscany, Italy.

The Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels (Italian: Basilica di Santa Maria degli Angeli) is a papal minor basilica situated in the plain at the foot of the hill of Assisi, Italy, in the frazione of Santa Maria degli Angeli.

The basilica was constructed in the Mannerist style between 1569 and 1679, enclosing the 9th-century little church, the Porziuncola, the most sacred place for the Franciscans. It was here that the young Francis of Assisi understood his vocation and renounced the world in order to live in poverty among the poor, and thus started the Franciscan movement.

After the death of Saint Francis in 1226, the friars built several small huts around the Porziuncola. In 1230, a refectory and some adjacent buildings were added. In the course of time, little porticoes and accommodations for the friars were added around the Porziuncola. Some foundations of these were discovered during excavations under the floor of the present basilica between 1967 and 1969 (read more).

Germany - Lower Saxony - Juist

Beach view on the island of Juist, a car-free island in the East Frisian Islands of Germany, located in the Wadden Sea.

Sent by Martina from Juist Island in Germany.

Juist (German pronunciation: [ˈjyːst]; Low German: Juist) is an island and municipality in the district of Aurich in Lower Saxony in Germany. The island is one of seven East Frisian Islands at the edge of the Lower Saxon Wadden Sea in the southern North Sea. It is located between Borkum Island (west), Memmert Island (southwest) and Norderney (east). The island is 17 km (11 mi) long and from 500 metres (1,600 ft) to 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) wide, depending on the tide levels. There are two villages on the island: the main village Juist, and Loog. The island is separated from Norderney by the Norderneyer Seegatt.

The tallest buildings on Juist that can be seen from the North Sea are the water tower and an old hotel. There is a lighthouse on the island, but it is not in use. At the western end of the island is the Billreef, a large sandbank where birds such as dunlins, grey plovers and knots rest during their migration. In the western part of the island, the beach and the dunes are eroded by the sea. The edge of the dunes moves about five metres south each winter. On the western third of the island is Lake Hammersee, a freshwater lake (read more).

Germany - Bavaria - Garmisch-Partenkirchen

Garmisch-Partenkirchen (700 - 2964 m)

Multiple scenic views of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, a ski resort town in Bavaria, Germany. They feature various landmarks and natural beauty of the region, including mountains, lakes, and traditional Bavarian architecture.

Sent by Maritta and Gerhard from Salzatal, Germany.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen (German pronunciation: [ˈɡaʁmɪʃ paʁtn̩ˈkɪʁçn̩]; Bavarian: Garmasch-Partakurch) is an Alpine ski town in Bavaria, southern Germany. It is the seat of government of the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen (abbreviated GAP), in the Oberbayern region, which borders Austria. Nearby is Germany's highest mountain, Zugspitze, at 2,962 metres (9,718 ft) above sea level.

The town is known as the site of the 1936 Winter Olympic Games, the first to include alpine skiing, and hosts a variety of winter sports competitions.

Garmisch (in the west) and Partenkirchen (in the east) were separate towns for many centuries, and still maintain quite separate identities (read more).

Germany - Saxony - Völkerschlachtdenkmal (The Battle of the Nations Monument)

Greetings From Leipzig

An evening view of the Battle of the Nations Monument (Völkerschlachtdenkmal) commemorates the decisive battle of October 16-19, 1813, which NapoleonBonaparte lost shamefully.

Sent by Rashmi from Nord Herringen, Germany.

The Monument to the Battle of the Nations (German: Völkerschlachtdenkmal) is a monument in Leipzig, Germany, to the 1813 Battle of Leipzig, also known as the Battle of the Nations. Paid for mostly by donations and the city of Leipzig, it was completed in 1913 for the 100th anniversary of the battle at a cost of six million goldmarks.

The monument commemorates the defeat of Napoleon's French army at Leipzig, a crucial step towards the end of hostilities in the War of the Sixth Coalition. The coalition armies of Russia, Prussia, Austria and Sweden were led by Tsar Alexander I of Russia and Karl Philipp, Prince of Schwarzenberg. There were Germans fighting on both sides, as Napoleon's troops also included conscripted Germans from the left bank of the Rhine annexed by France, as well as troops from his German allies of the Confederation of the Rhine.

The structure is 91 metres (299 ft) tall. It contains over 500 steps to a viewing platform at the top, from which there are views across the city and environs. The structure makes extensive use of concrete, and the facings are of granite. It is widely regarded as one of the best examples of Wilhelmine architecture. The monument is said to stand on the spot of some of the bloodiest fighting, from where Napoleon ordered the retreat of his army. It was also the scene of fighting in World War II, when Nazi forces in Leipzig made their last stand against U.S. troops (read more).

Germany - Bavaria - Großer Arber

Großer Arber mountain in the Bavarian Forest during winter.

Sent by Maritta and Gerhard from Salzatal, Germany.

The Großer Arber (German pronunciation: [ˈɡʁoːsɐ ˈaʁbɐ]); Czech: Velký Javor, "Great Maple") or Great Arber, is the highest peak of the Bavarian/Bohemian Forest mountain range and in Lower Bavaria, with an elevation of 1,455.5 metres (4,775 ft). As a result, it is known in the Lower Bavarian county of Regen and the Upper Palatine county of Cham as the "King of the Bavarian Forest". Its summit region consists of paragneiss.

In a 1279 document, the mountain bore the name Adwich; Johannes Aventinus called it Hädweg in 1500; and, in 1540, Ätwa. Philipp Apian referred to it as Aetwha m., i.e. Aetwha mons (mons, montis = Lat. mountain/hill); in 1720, it was recorded on a map as Aidweich. According to more recent research, the name is of Celtic origin. In 1740, it is recorded for the first time as Arber (read more).

Germany - Schleswig-Holstein - Husum

Greetings From Husum

Various scenes from Husum, a town in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, often referred to as the "grey town by the sea."

Sent by Sönke from Husum, Germany.

Husum (German pronunciation: [ˈhuːzʊm]; North Frisian: Hüsem) is the capital of the Kreis (district) Nordfriesland in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. The town was the birthplace of the novelist Theodor Storm, who coined the epithet "the grey town by the sea". It is also the home of the annual international piano festival Raritäten der Klaviermusik (Rarities of Piano Music) founded in 1986.

Husum was first mentioned as Husembro in 1252, when king Abel was murdered.

Like most towns on the North Sea, Husum was strongly influenced by storm tides. In 1362 a disastrous storm tide, the "Grote Mandrenke" flooded the town and carved out the inland harbour. Before this date Husum was not situated directly on the coast. The people of the city took advantage of this opportunity and built a marketplace, which led to a great economic upturn.

Between 1372 and 1398 the population of Husum grew rapidly, and two villages, Oster-Husum (East-Husum) and Wester-Husum (West-Husum), were founded.

The name Husum is first mentioned in 1409. It is shown on the Carta Marina in the Frisian form of Husem.

Its first church was built in 1431. Wisby rights were granted it in 1582, and in 1603 it received municipal privileges from Alexander, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg. It suffered greatly from inundations in 1634 and 1717 (read more).

USA - Utah - Bryce Canyon National Park

BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK

Bryce Canyon National Park is named for one of a series of horseshoe-shaped amphitheaters carved from the eastern edge of the Paunsaugunt Plateau in southern Utah. Erosion has shaped colorful Claron limestones, sandstones and mudstones into thousands of spires, fins, pinnacles and mazes. Collectively called "hoodoos," these unique formations are whimsically arranged and tinted with colors too numerous and subtle to name. Ponderosa pines, high elevation meadows and fir-spruce forests border the rim of the plateau, while panoramic views of three states spread beyond the park's boundaries.

Sent by Mia from California, USA.

This is my second Bryce Canyon postcard. My first postcard is here.

Japan - Kōchi Prefecture - Kōchi Castle

Kōchi Castle, in Kōchi City, Kōchi Prefecture, on the island of Shikoku, Japan.

Sent by Sayaka who lives in Kōchi Prefecture, Japan.

Kōchi Castle (高知城, Kōchi-jō) is an Edo Period Japanese castle in the city of Kōchi, Kōchi Prefecture, Japan. It is located at Otakayama hill, at the center of Kōchi city, which in turn is located at the center of the Kōchi Plain, the most prosperous area of former Tosa Province on the island of Shikoku. From 1601 to 1871, it was the center of Tosa Domain, ruled by the tozama Yamauchi clan under the Tokugawa Shogunate. The castle site has been protected as a National Historic Site since 1959, with the area under protection expanded in 2014.

During the Sengoku period, Tosa Province was dominated by Chōsokabe Motochika, who conquered most of Shikoku from stronghold at Okō Castle. However, Okō Castle was a mountain stronghold with little room for the development of a castle town. After his defeat by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1585, Motochika decided to construct a new castle at Otakayama hill and the ruins of an ancient fortification which had been constructed by Otakasa Matsuomaru sometime during the late Heian or Kamakura period. Although the new castle had the advantages of space and a central location, the area around the hill at this time was extremely swampy, due to the influx of alluvial sediments from the Kagami River, and was prone to flooding. Motochika shortly afterwards moved once again to a new location at Urado Castle on the coast, which also had the advantage of being closer to his fleet (read more).

Swimwear #14

LUMINOUS

Sent by Devany from Phoenix in Arizona, USA.

Kazakhstan - Karaganda

Meeting of Karaganda Postcrossers

10th February 2024

Sent by Sergej from Karaganda, Kazakhstan.

Karaganda (also known as Karagandy) is a major city in central Kazakhstan and the capital of the Karaganda Region. It is the fifth-most populous city in the country, with a population of 497,777 as of the 2020 Census, marking an increase from 459,778 in 2009 and 436,864 in 1999. Karaganda is located approximately 230 kilometers (140 miles) southeast of Kazakhstan's capital city, Astana.

Historically, Karaganda has been a central hub for coal mining, which has shaped its economy and development. The city saw significant growth during the Soviet Union, driven by the expansion of its coal industry. Coal remains a key sector in the city's economy, with mining continuing to be a significant contributor to its industrial base.

In addition to its industrial roots, Karaganda is home to a growing population and a rich cultural heritage. The city hosts several educational institutions, such as Karaganda State University, which support its role as an academic and research center in central Kazakhstan. Karaganda’s infrastructure and economy have been evolving, with modernization efforts in various sectors, including transportation, healthcare, and housing.

Karaganda is also known for its historical significance, having played an important role in the industrial development of the Soviet Union. Today, it stands as a key city in Kazakhstan, contributing to the country’s economy while maintaining its historical and cultural heritage (read more).

Spain - Cantabria

Cantabria

The force of the north.

Sent by Angela from Galicia, Spain.

Cantabria (/kænˈteɪbriə/, also UK: /-ˈtæb-/; Spanish: [kanˈtaβɾja]) is an autonomous community and province in northern Spain with Santander as its capital city. It is called a comunidad histórica, a historic community, in its current Statute of Autonomy. It is bordered on the east by the Basque autonomous community (province of Biscay), on the south by Castile and León (provinces of León, Palencia and Burgos), on the west by the Principality of Asturias, and on the north by the Cantabrian Sea, which forms part of the Bay of Biscay.

Cantabria belongs to Green Spain, the name given to the strip of land between the Bay of Biscay and the Cantabrian Mountains, so called because of its particularly lush vegetation, due to the wet and temperate oceanic climate. The climate is strongly influenced by Atlantic Ocean winds trapped by the mountains; the average annual precipitation is about 1,200 mm (47 inches).

Cantabria has archaeological sites from the Upper Paleolithic period, although the first signs of human occupation date from the Lower Paleolithic. The most significant site for cave paintings is in the cave of Altamira, dating from about 37,000 BCE and declared, along with nine other Cantabrian caves, as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. Historically, the territory sits in the area of Cantabria in the ancient period, but from the late Middle Ages to the early 19th century, the name Cantabria also referred to the territory of the Basques, especially the lordship of Biscay.

The modern province of Cantabria was constituted on 28 July 1778 at Puente San Miguel, Reocín. The yearly Day of the Institutions holiday on 28 July celebrates this. The Organic Law of the Autonomy Statute of Cantabria, approved on 30 December 1981, gave the region its own institutions of self-government (read more).