Taiwan - National Bird

The Formosan blue magpie is Taiwan endemic subspecies.

Sent by Wen Chi, a postcrosser from Taiwan.

The Taiwan Blue Magpie (Urocissa caerulea), also called the Taiwan Magpie or Formosan Blue Magpie (Chinese: 臺灣藍鵲;pinyin: Táiwān lán què) or the "long-tailed mountain lady" (Chinese: 長尾山娘; pinyin: Chángwěi shānniáng; Taiwanese: Tn̂g-boé soaⁿ-niû), is a member of the Crow family. It is an endemic species living in the mountains of Taiwan at elevations of 300 to 1200m.

In the 2007 National Bird Voting Campaign held by the Taiwan International Birding Association, there were over 1 million votes cast from 53 countries. The Taiwan Blue Magpie defeated the Mikado Pheasant and was chosen as Taiwan's national bird, though it has yet to be formally accepted.

The Taiwan Blue Magpie is about the size of European Magpie, but with a longer tail. It is 64-65 centimeters in length. Wing measures 18-21 centimeters and tail measures 40 centimeters in length.

The plumage of male and female look alike. Its head, neck and breast are black; eyes are yellow; bill and legs are red; the rest of the plumage on the bird is a rich dark blue to purple in color. It also has white markings on the wings and the tail. (read further)

Monaco - Monte Carlo (2)

MONACO - Monte-Carlo

Sent by Marta of Poland who visited Monaco in early May.

South Africa - Mossel Bay

Mossel Bay, South Africa

Sent by Mossel Bay Tourism.

Mossel Bay (Afrikaans: Mosselbaai) is a harbour town of about 130,000 people on the Southern Cape (or Garden Route) of South Africa. It is an important tourism and farming region of the Western Cape Province. Mossel Bay lies 400 kilometres east of the country's seat of parliament, Cape Town (which is also the capital city of the Western Cape Province), and 400 km west of Port Elizabeth, the largest city in the Eastern Cape Province. The older parts of the town occupy the north-facing side of the Cape St Blaize Peninsula, whilst the newer suburbs straddle the Peninsula and have spread eastwards along the sandy shore of the Bay.

The town's economy relied heavily on farming, fishing and its commercial harbour (the smallest in the Transnet Port Authority's stable of South African commercial harbours), until the 1969 discovery of natural offshore gas fields led to the development of thegas-to-liquids refinery operated by PetroSA. Tourism is another driver of Mossel Bay's economy. (read further)

Sweden - Naval Port of Karlskrona

Karlskrona

Sent by Annette, a postcrosser from Sweden.

The complex of the naval port of Karlskrona was the model for several similar projects in Europe. It is a unique relic of Sweden's time as a major power, and of the North European Baroque movement's attempt to create unity between the layout of the city, the manufacturing areas, and the surrounding countryside. The whole is characterized by the consistent long-term aim of cultivating efficiency and aesthetic, still clearly discernible in the infrastructure and open spaces (read further)

Russia - Astrakhan Oblast - Admiralteyskaya Street

Astrakhan City - Admiralteyskaya Street

Sent by Marat from Astrakhan City, Russia.

Astrakhan (Russian: Астрахань; IPA: [ˈastrəxənʲ]) is a major city in southern European Russia and the administrative centerof Astrakhan Oblast. The city lies on the left bank of the Volga River, close to where it discharges into the Caspian Sea at an altitude of 28 meters (92 ft) below sea level. Population: 520,339 (2010 Census); 504,501 (2002 Census);^[9] 509,210 (1989 Census). (read further)

France - Pays-de-la-Loire - 44 Loire-Atlantique - Mapcard

Loire-Atlantique (44)

Sent by Aline, a postcrosser from Châteaubriant, France.

Loire-Atlantique (French pronunciation: ​[lwa.ʁat.lɑ̃.tik]; formerly Loire-Inférieure) is a department on the west coast of Francenamed after the Loire River and the Atlantic Ocean.

Loire-Atlantique is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. Originally, it was named Loire-Inférieure, but its name was changed in 1957 to Loire-Atlantique.

The area is part of the historical Duchy of Brittany, and contains what many people still consider to be Brittany's capital, Nantes. However, when the system of French Regions was created, the department was excluded from the Region of Brittany and included in the newly-created Pays de la Loire Region. There is a campaign to have it reintegrated into Brittany. (read further)

Singapore - Singapore Cable Car

SINGAPORE CABLE CAR
Opened since 1974. The 1.75km cableway linking Mt Faber to the resort island of Sentosa has carried more than 11 million visitors. It offers a breathtaking view of the world's busiest port and the Singapore City skyline. SIMPLY BREATHTAKING.

Sent by Vivien, a postcrosser from Singapore.

The Singapore Cable Car provides an aerial link from Mount Faber on the main island of Singapore to the resort island of Sentosa across the Keppel Harbour. Opened on 15 February 1974, it was the first aerial ropeway system in the world to span a harbour. However, it is not the first aerial ropeway system to span the sea. For instance, Awashima Kaijō Ropeway in Japan, built in 1964, goes over a short strait to an island. Although referred to by its operators as a cable car, the listed system is in fact a bi-cable gondola lift and not an aerial tramway. A round-trip ticket currently costs SGD 29 for adult, SGD 18 for child. (read further)

Czech Republic - Kutná Hora: Historical Town Centre with the Church of St Barbara and the Cathedral of Our Lady at Sedlec

Kutná Hora - UNESCO

Vlašský dvůr * Chrám svaté Barbory * Chrám Nanebevzetí Panny Marie v Sedici * Morový sloup * Klášter voršilek * Kostel sv. Jakuba

Sent by Leticia, a Brazilian postcrosser who visited Kutná Hora in Czech Republic.

Kutná Hora was one of the most important political and economic centres of Bohemia in the 14th and 15th centuries. Its medieval centre and the churches are outstanding examples of architectural development and testify to the cultural vivacity of the area.

The town is built above the steep descent of the Vrchlice Creek, in the Kutna Hora plateau, 254 m above sea level and some 60 km east of Prague, developed as a result of the exploitation of the silver mines. The prosperity of Kutná Hora silver mines reached its climax in the 14th and 15th centuries when the city became one of the richest places in Europe. In July 1300, based on the rich silver strikes in the area, King Václav II implemented a currency reform with the participation of Italian financiers. All existing mints in the Czech nation went out of operation, and in the central mint at Vlašský dvur the first Prague groschen were struck. Kutná Hora thus became the country's most important economic centre, and at the same time it was being transformed into a royal town, with all the rights and privileges to be confirmed later by King Jan Lucemburský and King Charles IV.

The town became the cultural, political and economic centre of Bohemia, competing for importance, even with Prague. In the 14th century it became a royal city endowed with monuments that symbolized its prosperity. The end of the 15th century brought this burgeoning town an unusual construction development. Work was begun on a new town hall, a Stone House and some majestic patrician houses. At the beginning of the 16th century, the mines in the city centre were gradually exhausted and abandoned, with mining continuing primarily at Kanek.

The historical centre is an architectural jewel of European significance: Vlašský dvur, St Barbara's Cathedral, the Church of St James, the Stone House and the Gothic fountain are some of the most precious landmarks in Bohemia. Other man-made landmarks are located in nearby Sedlec and Malin.

The interior of the Church of St Barbara, a jewel of the late Gothic period, is decorated with medieval frescoes depicting the secular life of the medieval mining town of Kutná Hora. The Cathedral of the Holy Virgin Barbara was built in the late 14th century and during the 15th to the first half of the 16th centuries. It originated in spite of the until then most influential authority controlling the development of the town - the Sedlec Cistercian monastery. It was an expression of the importance and power of the upper town, formed from the Seventies of the 13th century by mining communities.

The cathedral symbolizes the self-esteem and exceptional ambitions and possibilities of the Kutna Hora patricians, who in view of their wealth enjoyed the favour of the Czech rulers. With royal aid they gained royal privileges and the possibility of contact with the most developed manifestations of European art at the time for their town. The first designer of the cathedral was John Parler, who designed the building with a gallery round the presbytery. Originally the cathedral was to have been triple-aisled and longer; however, it was soon changed into a five-aisled building. Other outstanding architects were Matyas Rejsek, who worked at Kutná Hora from 1489 until his death in 1506, and Benedikt Rejt, who died in 1534. In 1558 the cathedral was completed with the construction of the facade and three tent roofs. By that time the silver mines were virtually exhausted and means for the further furnishing and maintenance of the cathedral were lacking.

In 1626 the Jesuits arrived in the town and placed the cathedral under their administration. They began to carry out building modifications. They also changed the environs of the cathedral and, from the 1660s, began to build their college in its close vicinity. In 1905 the cathedral was newly consecrated. The Cathedral of Our Lady at Sedlec, which was restored in line with the Baroque taste of the early 18th century, was to influence the architecture of central Europe. (Source)

United Kingdom - England - St. Paul's Cathedral (2)

LONDON
St Paul's Cathedral.

Sent by Luís, a postcrosser from London, England.

USA - South Carolina - Congaree National Park

Congaree National Park protects an ancient forest of champion-size trees, primeval floodplain landscapes, and an incredible diversity of plant and animal life. The park includes the largest remnant of old-growth floodplain forest in the southeastern United States and one of the tallest temperate deciduous forests in the world. It is also designated as an International Biosphere Reserve, Wilderness area, National Natural Landmark, and Globally Important Bird Area.

Sent by Park Ranger of Congaree National Park.

Congaree National Park preserves the largest tract of old growth bottomland hardwood forest left in the United States. Located in South Carolina, the 26,546-acre (107.43 km²; 41.48 sq mi) national park received that designation in 2003 as the culmination of a grassroots campaign which had started in 1969. The lush trees growing in this floodplain forest are some of the tallest in the Eastern U.S., forming one of the highest temperate deciduous forest canopies remaining in the world. TheCongaree River flows through the park. About 57 percent (15,000 acres or 61 square kilometers) of the park is designatedwilderness area. (read further)

USA - Utah - Capitol Reef National Park

Capitol Reef National Park
Capitol Reef National Park was established to protect the Waterpocket Fold, a grand and colorful geologic feature, as well as the unique natural and cultural history found in the area.

Sent by Park Ranger of Capitol Reef National Park :)

Capitol Reef National Park is a United States National Park, in south-central Utah. It is 100 miles (160 km) long but fairly narrow. The park, established in 1971, preserves 241,904 acres (978.95 km²; 377.97 sq mi) and is open all year, although May through September are the most popular months.

Called "Wayne Wonderland" in the 1920s by local boosters Ephraim P. Pectol and Joseph S. Hickman, Capitol Reef National Park protects colorful canyons, ridges, buttes, and monoliths. About 75 mi (121 km) of the long up-thrust called theWaterpocket Fold, a rugged spine extending from Thousand Lake Mountain to Lake Powell, is preserved within the park. "Capitol Reef" is the name of an especially rugged and spectacular segment of the Waterpocket Fold near the Fremont River. The area was named for a line of white domes and cliffs of Navajo Sandstone, each of which looks somewhat like theUnited States Capitol building, that run from the Fremont River to Pleasant Creek on the Waterpocket Fold. The local wordreef referred to any rocky barrier to travel. Easy road access came with the construction in 1962 of State Route 24 through the Fremont River Canyon. (Source)

Russia - Primorsky Krai - Tokarevsky Lighthouse

Tokarevsky lighthouse, Vladivostok, Russia.

Sent by Lidiya, a postcrosser from Vladivostok, Russia.

Russia - Cuisine - Pelmeni

Russian cuisine : pelmeni.

Sent by Maria, a postcrosser from St. Petersburg, Russia.

Pelmeni (Russian pronunciation: [pʲɪlʲˈmʲɛnʲɪ]; Russian: пельме́ни — plural, пельмень pelʼmenʼ — singular) are dumplings consisting of a filling wrapped in thin, unleavened dough.

The dough is made from flour and water, sometimes adding a small portion of eggs.

The filling can be minced meat (pork, lamb, beef, or any other kind of meat), fish, or mushrooms. The mixing together of different kinds of meat is also popular. The traditional Udmurt recipe requires a mixture of 45% beef, 35% mutton, and 20% pork. Pelmeni in Perm (west of the Ural Mountains) are often filled with mushrooms, onions, turnips, or sauerkraut instead of meat. Various spices, such as black pepper and onions, are mixed into the filling.

The word pelmeni is derived from pel'nyan' (пельнянь) – literally "ear bread" in the native Finno-Ugric Komi, Udmurt, and Mansilanguages. It is unclear when pelmeni entered the cuisines of the indigenous Siberian people and when they first appeared in Russian cuisine. One theory suggests pelmeni, or stuffed boiled dumplings in general, originated in Moscow (thus explaining the use of spices such as black pepper, which are not native to Russia and had to be imported) and were carried by the Mongols toSiberia and the Urals, from where they gradually spread as far as Eastern Europe. Pelmeni are particularly good means of quickly preserving meat during long Siberian winter, especially eliminating the need to feed livestock during the long winter months.

Pilmän (the Tatar equivalent of pelmeni) are a traditional dish in Tatar cuisine, where they have always been served with clear soup. (read further)

Ukraine - L'viv – the Ensemble of the Historic Centre

Rynok Square

Sent by Katya, a postcrosser from Kiev, Ukraine.

The political and commercial role of L'viv attracted to it a number of ethnic groups with different cultural and religious traditions, who established separate yet interdependent communities within the city, still to be seen in the modern townscape. In its urban fabric and its architecture, L'viv is an outstanding example of the fusion of the architectural and artistic traditions of Eastern Europe with those of Italy and Germany.

The settlement on the banks of the Poltava River below Zamovka hill began in the mid-5th century AD, at the crossing point of important trade routes linking the Baltic, central Europe, the Mediterranean, and Asia. It gradually developed by the 13th century into an organized and well fortified town known as L'viv. It was the main town of the lands of the Eastern Slavs on the Bug, Sian, and Dnister, when it became a vassal state of the Kingdom of Kiev. King Roman Mstyoslavovych united Halychyna and Volyn' in a single state.

L'viv had become the capital of the joint kingdom in 1272 and remained so until that disappeared in 1340, when it was annexed to Poland by Casimir III the Great. It was made the seat of a Roman Catholic archbishopric in 1412. The Ukrainian, Armenian, and Jewish communities were self-governing, unlike the Catholic (German, Polish, Italian and Hungarian) groups. There was intense rivalry between them, which resulted in the creation of many architectural and artistic masterpieces.

It was badly hit by the Ottoman siege in 1672 and sacked by Charles XII of Sweden in 1704. With the First Partition of Poland in 1772, L'viv became the capital of the new Austrian province. Under Austrian rule, the fortifications were dismantled and many religious foundations were closed down, their buildings being used for secular purposes; there was also considerable reconstruction of medieval buildings. The revolutionary year of 1848 saw serious damage in the centre of the city as a result of military action. In 1918 L'viv became part of the new Republic of Poland, but it returned to Ukraine after the Second World War.

The heart of the city is the High Castle and the area around it, which developed in the later Middle Ages. Only the castle mound still survives, with five churches. The Seredmistia (Middle Town) preserves intact its original layout, an exceptional example of town planning in Eastern Europe at that time. Among the notable features are:

The Rynok Square with a tower at its centre and around it fine houses in Renaissance, Baroque, and Empire style, many of them retaining their original medieval layout. There is a fountain with figures from classical mythology at each corner of the square, dating from 1793;

The Uspenska (Assumption Church) complex, exceptional in that it combines Renaissance building in stone with the local tradition of tripartite wooden places of worship, consisting of narthex, nave, and chancel;

The Armenian Church complex - the church itself (1363), the bell tower (1571), the column of St Christopher (1726), Armenian Benedictine convent, and Armenian archbishops' palace (17th-18th centuries);

The Latin Metropolitan Cathedral in Gothic style, with some Baroque features;

The fortified complex of the Bernardine Monastery, which combines Italian and German Renaissance elements with Mannerist details;

The Jesuit Church (1610-30) and its college, and the Dominican Church, one of the most grandiose Baroque buildings in L'viv, with monastery complex and bell tower;

Parts of the 14th-century defensive walls, with the City and Royal Arsenals and Gunpowder Tower.

The Ensemble of the Church of St Yuri the Dragon Fighter lies outside the medieval city on a hillside terrace. The existing church was built from stone and brick, combining Italian Baroque with the traditional Ukrainian spatial layout. It is richly decorated with monumental sculpture and carvings. (Source)