Philippines - Feast Of The Black Nazarene

The Black Nazarene, a life-sized statue of Christ is carried through town by barefooted men yelling, "Viva Señor" while huge crowd tries to touch the statue. Every year, thousands of devotees from all walks of life come to the district of Quiapo to take part in the procession as a way of strengthening their faith and fulfilling their "panata" (vow) to the Lord.

Sent by Jerome from Manila, Philippines.

The Feast of the Black Nazarene (Filipino: Pista ng Itím na Nazareno), officially and liturgically the Feast of Jesús Nazareno (Filipino: Kapistahan ni Jesús Nazareno), is a religious festival held in the Philippines. It is also known as the Traslación (lit:transfer) after the mass procession done during the feast. It is centered around the Black Nazarene, an image of Jesus Christ dating to the 16th century. The feast is celebrated annually on January 9.

The Feast of the Black Nazarene marks the octave day of the pre-1969 Feast of Most Holy Name of Jesus (the original dedication of Quiapo Church). The octave day is celebrated by the annual procession of the image of the Nazareno along the streets of Quiapo, Manila. It is now considered as the image's national liturgical feast day.

Contrary to popular belief that the Traslación occurred on 9 January 1787, which became the basis of the annual Traslación, no extant historical record verifies the exact date of the image’s translation from Intramuros to Quiapo. There is no definite date of the arrival of the image either. The Augustinian Recollects assert how upon their arrival in the Philippines in 1606, the Nazareno was not among the sacred images they had brought with them. Their arrival was also the basis of the erroneous celebration of "400 years" of the Nazareno in 2006, which began the custom of starting the Traslación at Quirino Grandstand. Nevertheless, it can be assumed that the image was already in the Philippines before the mid-17th century, as Pope Innocent X authorized the Cofradía del Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno (Confraternity of the Lord Jesus the Nazarene) on 20 April 1650 (read more).

South Korea - Bomun Tourist Complex

50th Anniversary of Bomun Tourist Complex Designation's Maxicard.

Sent by Hyein from Jeonbuk, South Korea.

The Bomun Lake Resort or Bomun Tourist Complex (Korean: 보문관광단지) is a large tourist complex around Bomun Lake in the city of Gyeongju, South Korea. The resort covers the districts of Bomun-dong, Sinpyeong-dong, Amgok-dong and Cheongun-dong. It is situated under the ruins of the former mountain fortress Myeonghwalseong, 6.5 km east of the central Gyeongju and faces Toham mountain. It provides lodging, eatery, recreation and sports facilities in the city. Although the resort was originally established to attract foreign visitors, as the domestic income and desire for tourism were increased since the late 1980s, it gained a tremendous popularity from domestic visitors. As a result, from onward, various facilities have been built for domestic visitors.

The K Pop Museum is located on the grounds.

In August 1971, the government concluded the Gyeongju tourism development plan, started in 1974, opened the Bomun Gwangwang complex in 1975, and completed the entire 2.1 million pyeong tourism development project in January 1979 (read more).

Spain - Community of Madrid - Aranjuez Cultural Landscape

The Fountain of Hercules and Antaeus, Parterre Garden, within the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Aranjuez, near Madrid.

Sent by Juliet from Madrid, Spain. 

The Aranjuez Cultural Landscape is a singular entity of complex and historic relationships between nature and human activity, the sinuous watercourses of the rivers and the geometrical design of the landscape, urban and rural life, and between the forest wildlife and the refined architecture. The Tagus and Jarama rivers are the two main arteries of the Aranjuez Cultural Landscape, an extensive area (2,047.56 ha) in the south of the Autonomous Community of Madrid. The surrounding buffer zone is located within the municipal boundaries of Aranjuez (16,604.56 ha).

Aranjuez bears witness to various cultural exchanges over a span of time that had a significant influence in the development of its landmarks and the creation of its landscape, thereby becoming a model for its culture's use of its territory. The process of transformation dates back to the reign of Philip II when, with the influence of the Crown and the wealth of nature as the determining elements, Aranjuez was established as a Real Sitio (Royal Site) in the sixteenth century. The Royal Commands of Ferdinand VI, Charles II, and Isabella II marked its evolution in the 18th and 19th centuries. This landscape survived during the 20th century when it was opened for the enjoyment of the public.

The property comprises diverse elements that make up the different zones: historic vegetable gardens, tree-lined avenues and groves (Legamarejo, Picotajo, El Rebollo), the Palace and ornamental gardens (the Prince’s, the Island, the Parterre, the King’s and Isabella II’s gardens) and the 18th century historic town centre. The conceptual combination of these zones creates a series of landscapes that, together, comprise the Aranjuez Cultural Landscape. These include the water landscape (rivers, ponds, dams and ditches), the agricultural landscape (orchards and nurseries, stock-breeding farms, and meadows), the delectable landscape for leisure (ornamental gardens), the ordered landscape (the geometry of the streets and squares that shape the natural terrain), and the constructed landscape (the palace, the planned town, the roads, and agricultural buildings) (read more).

Japan - All Nippon Airways (ANA)

All Nippon Airways (ANA), highlighting their "Inspiration of JAPAN" brand statement and a Boeing 777-300 aircraft.

Sent by Ayano from Shiga, Japan.

All Nippon Airways (ANA) is a Japanese airline headquartered in Minato, Tokyo. ANA operates services to both domestic and international destinations and is Japan's largest airline, ahead of its main rival Japan Airlines. As of March 2024, the airline has approximately 12,800 employees. The airline joined as a Star Alliance member in October 1999.

In addition to its mainline operations, ANA controls several subsidiary passenger carriers, such as its regional airline ANA Wings, Air Nippon, Air Do (a low-cost carrier operating scheduled service between Tokyo and cities in Hokkaido), Air Japan and Allex Cargo (ANA Cargo – the freighter division operated by Air Japan). ANA is also the wholly owned shareholder in Peach, a low-cost carrier joint venture with Hong Kong company First Eastern Investment Group (read more).

Australia - New South Wales - Willandra Lakes Region

World Heritage Willandra Lakes, Mungo National Park, New South Wales, Australia.

Sent by Ros from Tasmania, Australia.

The Willandra Lakes Region, in the semi-arid zone in southwest New South Wales (NSW), contains a relict lake system whose sediments, geomorphology and soils contain an outstanding record of a low-altitude, non-glaciated Pleistocene landscape. It also contains an outstanding record of the glacial-interglacial climatic oscillations of the late Pleistocene, particularly over the last 100,000 years. Ceasing to function as a lake ecosystem some 18,500 years ago, Willandra Lakes provides excellent conditions to document life in the Pleistocene epoch, the period when humans evolved into their present form.

The undisturbed stratigraphic context provides outstanding evidence for the economic life of Homo sapiens sapiens to be reconstructed. Archaeological remains such as hearths, stone tools and shell middens show a remarkable adaptation to local resources and a fascinating interaction between human culture and the changing natural environment.  Several well-preserved fossils of giant marsupials have also been found here.

Willandra contains some of the earliest evidence of Homo sapiens sapiens outside Africa. The evidence of occupation deposits establishes that humans had dispersed as far as Australia by 42,000 years ago.  Sites also illustrate human burials that are of great antiquity, such as a cremation dating to around 40,000 years BP, the oldest ritual cremation site in the world, and traces of complex plant-food gathering systems that date back before 18,000 years BP associated with grindstones to produce flour from wild grass seeds, at much the same time as their use in the Middle East. Pigments were transported to these lakeshores before 42,000 years BP. Evidence from this region has allowed the typology of early Australian stone tools to be defined (read more).

Germany - Mecklenburg-Vorpommern - Binz auf Rügen

Beach villas on the promenade of Binz on the island of Rügen.

Sent by Silke who visited Rügen.

Binz (German pronunciation: [bɪnts]) is the largest seaside resort city on the German island of Rügen.

It is situated between the bay of Prorer Wiek and the Schmachter See (a lake) in the southeast of the island. To the north of Binz stretches the Schmale Heide (the "narrow heath"), a tongue of land which joins the Muttland region of Rügen to the Jasmund peninsula. The land to the south and east of Binz is hilly, reaching a height of over 100 metres above sea level.

Binz is known for its well-kept historical resort architecture and natural scenery, close to the Jasmund National Park and its chalk cliffs.

Its Polish name is Bińce, as recorded and documented in 1937 (read more).

China - Speed Train "Harmony"

A high-speed train from China's railway system, specifically a CRH (China Railway High-speed) train, also known as a "Harmony" (和谐号) train.

Sent by Fei Mo from Beijing, China.

Hexie (Chinese: 和谐号; pinyin: Héxié hào; lit. 'Harmony'), also known as the CRH series EMU, is an umbrella term for the multiple unit high-speed and higher-speed trains operated by China Railway under the China Railway High-speed brand. All series of Hexie are based on foreign-developed technology and later manufactured locally in China through technology transfer licenses, with the ultimate goal of China acquiring the know-how and capability to produce high-speed rail trains.

The Harmony series does not belong to any single platform, instead encompassing all high-speed trains in China with roots in foreign technology, specifically CRH1, CRH2, CRH3 and CRH5. Although later variants of Hexie such as CRH380A were designed by Chinese companies, they are still classified as CRH due to incorporation of foreign technology.

In 2007, China's Ministry of Railways drafted a plan for China's future high-speed network. Bombardier Transportation, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Alstom and later Siemens joined the high-speed train manufacturing project that later became known as Harmony. Forming joint-ventures with Chinese company CNR and CSR, these four foreign companies signed agreements with China to manufacture high-speed trains for China as well as provide assistance for Chinese companies to manufacture train cars locally in the future (read more).

Netherlands - Gelderland - Saint Stephen's Church (Stevenskerk)

The prominent Saint Stephen's Church (Stevenskerk) in the city of Nijmegen, Netherlands.

Sent by Juliet from Nijmegen, Netherlands.

The Great Church or St. Stephen's Church colloquially called Steven's Church, is the oldest and largest church in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. The church is built on a small hill, the Hundisburg.

The history of St. Stephen's dates back to the seventh century. The foundation of the church may be connected with the Christianization campaign of bishop Kunibert of Cologne in the seventh century. In 1247 Nijmegen came under the control of Count Otto II of Gelre. For strategic reasons, St. Stephen's was moved from the Kelfkensbos to its current location on the Hundisburg. The present church was consecrated in 1273 by Albertus Magnus. Administratively, St. Stephen's fell under the authority of the chapter of the Basilica of the Holy Apostles, Cologne. The church has long been the only parish in the city. The building was expanded several times in the thirteenth to sixteenth centuries, including an impressive ambulatory. Pope Sixtus IV authorized the establishment of its own chapter, in 1475, making St. Stephen's independent of Cologne. In 1591 Saint Stephen's was converted to a Protestant church after the city was captured from the Spanish (during which the steeple was severely damaged), which it has remained since except for a Catholic interlude around 1670.

Catherine of Bourbon was buried in the St. Stephen's Church, in 1469. Her son, Charles of Gelre, paid to have a monument to her placed in the church, which remains to this day (read more).

Nepal - Nepal Flag

Flag of Nepal.

Sent by Yun Kai of Singapore from Nepal.

The flag of Nepal (Nepali: नेपालको झन्डा, romanized: Nepālko Jhanḍā) is a non-rectangular flag of red, white, and blue colour. It is used as both the state and civil flag of Nepal. It is one of three national flags that are non-rectangular, the others being Switzerland and the Vatican City. The symbol is a simplified combination of two single pennants, known as a double-pennon. Its crimson red is the symbol of bravery and it also represents the colour of the rhododendron, Nepal's national flower, while the blue border is the colour of peace. Until 1962, the flag's emblems, both the sun and the crescent moon, had human faces, but they were removed to modernise the flag.

The current flag was adopted on 16 December 1962, along with the formation of a new constitutional government. Shankar Nath Rimal, a civil engineer, standardised the flag on the request of King Mahendra. It borrows from the original, traditional design, used throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, and is a combination of the two individual pennons used by rival branches of the ruling dynasty. It is the only current national flag that is not a quadrilateral (read more).

USA - California - Yosemite National Park (5)

Half Dome in Yosemite National Park, a prominent granite dome located in Yosemite Valley, California.

Sent by Liz from San Diego in California, USA.

This is my fifth postcard of Yosemite National Park. The other four are here, here, here, and here.

Half Dome is a quartz monzonite batholith at the eastern end of Yosemite Valley in Yosemite National Park, California. It is a well-known rock formation in the park, named for its distinct shape. One side is a sheer face while the other three sides are smooth and round, making it appear like a dome cut in half. It stands at over 8,800 feet above sea level and is composed of quartz monzonite, an igneous rock that solidified several thousand feet within the Earth. At its core are the remains of a magma chamber that cooled slowly and crystallized beneath the Earth's surface. The solidified magma chamber was then exposed and cut in half by erosion, therefore leading to the geographic name Half Dome.

The impression from the valley floor that this is a round dome that has lost its northwest half, is just an illusion. From Washburn Point, Half Dome can be seen as a thin ridge of rock, an arête, that is oriented northeast–southwest, with its southeast side almost as steep as its northwest side except for the very top. Although the trend of this ridge, as well as that of Tenaya Canyon, is probably controlled by master joints, 80 percent of the northwest "half" of the original dome may well still be there (read more).

USA - Texas - Big Bend National Park (3)

Big Bend National Park, Texas

Big Bend National Park in southwestern Texas includes the entire Chisos mountain range and a large swath of the Chihuahuan Desert. The park is a geological marvel evidenced in sea fossils, dinosaur bones, and volcanic dikes. Pictured here is the Santa Elena Canyon, carved by the Rio Grande. Floating down the Rio Grande is considered an international trip and a passport is required.

Sent by Yumiko from New Mexico, USA.

Big Bend National Park is a national park of the United States located in West Texas, bordering Mexico. The park has national significance as the largest protected area of Chihuahuan Desert topography and ecology in the United States, and was named after a large bend in the Rio Grande/Río Bravo. The park protects more than 1,200 species of plants, more than 450 species of birds, 56 species of reptiles, and 75 species of mammals. Additional park activities include scenic drives, programs led by Big Bend park rangers, and stargazing.

The area has a rich cultural history, from archeological sites dating back nearly 10,000 years to more recent pioneers, ranchers, and miners. The Chisos Mountains are located in the park, and are the only mountain range in the United States to be fully contained within the boundary of a national park. Geological features in the park include sea fossils and dinosaur bones, as well as volcanic dikes.

The park encompasses an area of 801,163 acres (1,251.8 sq mi; 3,242.2 km²), entirely within Brewster County. For more than 1,000 miles (1,600 km), the Rio Grande/Río Bravo forms the boundary between Mexico and the United States, and Big Bend National Park administers approximately 118 miles (190 km) along that boundary.

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 channel and the land south of it lies within Mexican territory. The park is bordered by the protected areas of Cañón de Santa Elena and Maderas del Carmen in Mexico (read more).

USA - California - Kings Canyon National Park

KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARK

The vast river gorge and immense sequoias in this Sierra Nevada mountain park are accompanied by several intense waterfalls and many lakes.

Sent by Jess from Ohio, USA.

Kings Canyon National Park is a national park of the United States in the southern Sierra Nevada, in Fresno and Tulare Counties, California. Originally established in 1890 as General Grant National Park, the park was greatly expanded and renamed on March 4, 1940. The park's namesake, Kings Canyon, is a rugged glacier-carved valley more than a mile (1,600 m) deep. Other natural features include multiple 14,000-foot (4,300 m) peaks, high mountain meadows, swift-flowing rivers, and some of the world's largest stands of giant sequoia trees. Kings Canyon is north of and contiguous with Sequoia National Park, and both parks are jointly administered by the National Park Service as the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.

The majority of the 461,901-acre (186,925 ha) park, drained by the Middle and South Forks of the Kings River and many smaller streams, is designated wilderness. Tourist facilities are concentrated in two areas: Grant Grove, home to General Grant (the second largest tree in the world, measured by trunk volume) and Cedar Grove, located in the heart of Kings Canyon. Overnight hiking is required to access most of the park's backcountry, or high country, which for much of the year is covered in deep snow. The combined Pacific Crest Trail/John Muir Trail, a backpacking route, traverses the entire length of the park from north to south (read more).

USA - Arkansas - Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium

Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, home to the University of Arkansas Razorbacks American-football team.

Sent by Anna from Fayetteville in Arkansas, USA.

Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium is an American football stadium in Fayetteville, Arkansas and serves as the home field of the University of Arkansas Razorbacks football team since its opening in 1938. The stadium was formerly known as Razorback Stadium since 1941 before the name of Donald W. Reynolds, an American businessman and philanthropist, was added in 2001. The playing field in the stadium is named Frank Broyles Field, honoring former Arkansas head football coach and athletic director Frank Broyles.

During the 2000-2001 renovations, Razorback Stadium increased the seating capacity from 50,019 to 72,000, with an option to expand capacity to 76,000 with the "temporary" bleacher seating atop the south end. The current seating capacity is 76,212.

Before 1938, the Razorbacks played in a 300-seat stadium built in 1901 on land on top of "The Hill", which is now occupied by Mullins Library and the Fine Arts Center (in the "center" of campus). The new stadium cost approximately $492,000 and was funded by the Works Progress Administration, with the University of Arkansas only paying 22% of the contract. The stadium opened for the 1938 football season as University Stadium, holding a capacity of 13,500 spectators. In the home opener for the Razorbacks, the Razorbacks defeated Oklahoma A&M by a score of 27–7 on September 24, 1938. The following week, Arkansas dedicated the stadium to then sitting Arkansas Governor Carl E. Bailey on October 3, 1938, changing the name of the stadium to Bailey Stadium. Following Governor Bailey's defeat in the 1940 gubernatorial election to Homer Martin Adkins, the stadium's name was changed in 1941 to Razorback Stadium (read more).