One more card from Kuwait!

Today I received one more card from wonderful Huda! Card depicts some part of the commercial areas in Kuwait city. Around this area the old souk/market is situated, as well as the street which leads to many government ministries. Also there can be found most of banks and companies' offices. This area was in past full of houses.

Thanks a lot, Huda!

A city-view from Zimbabwe!

My friend Virva sent me a postcard from Zimbabwe! He moved there four and a half years ago from Finland. He likes living there, the nature is beautiful, the people are friendly and the climate is better for him. Now the weather is dry and hot.

Location: Southern Africa

Capital: Harare

Population: 11,651,858

Official languages: English, Chewa, Ndao and 13 other languages

National anthem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UCNXIaVTiU

The name "Zimbabwe" can be translated into English as 'Big houses of stones' or 'honorable houses'. Zimbabwe is situated between two of the well known African rivers the Limpopo and the mighty Zambezi. This land is blessed with one of the most idyllic climates in the world. Besides, Zimbabwe is the legendary land of Ophir, the ancient country that enriched the kingdoms of Hiram, Solomon, and Sheba with gold and ivory thousands of years ago.

On the postcard you can see a view from Harare, the capital and the most populous city of Zimbabwe (1,606,000).

Thanks a lot for the wonderful view postcard, Virva! 

A cute child from Nicaragua!

A sweet girl arrived to me from Nicaragua!

Location: Central America

Capital: Managua

Population: 5,995,928

Official language: Spanish

National anthem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ka9xwCYz0Y

Nicaragua is a beautiful country with many lakes and volcanoes. It also has rich deposits of copper and gold. Nicaragua is considered the safest Central American country to travel to. They have less crime than any of their fellow countries in the region. Nicaraguans are very family oriented. They often live close to their families in order to spend time with them and help each other.

This cute little girl is a typical Nicaraguan child.

The second stamp shows us Hugo Chávez, who was a Venezuelan politician and the President of Venezuela.

Thanks a lot for the postcard, Jose!

Pigs from Vietnam!

My good friend Mok Kar Yan usually sends me wonderful postcards from her journeys. And this postcard she sent me while she was travelling 7 days in Vietnam. Vietnam was fun and she tried so many things like parasailing and snorkeling. So great! So, let's discover a mysterious exotic country Vietnam!

Location: Southeast Asia

Capital: Hanoi

Population: 89,571,130

Official language: Vietnamese

National anthem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SceSkkRtC2s

In the western world, the word "Vietnam" is almost always associated with the word "War". However, Vietnam has more than 1,000 years of recorded history, it is astonishingly exotic and utterly incredible. Vietnam's people and economy were devastated because of decolonization and decades of war, but today the country is already recovering.

The signature on the card means: Utilize various sources of foods, develop the home pig breeding to contribute to the animal husbandry to become the major production.

The first stamp - the bridge Chùa cầu. It was constructed by the Japanese trading community in 1593 to connect them with the Chinese area on the other side of a small stream. The second stamp - The One Pillar Pagoda (a replica of 1950-1960) is a historic Buddhist temple in Hanoi. The temple was built by Emperor Lý Thái Tông, who ruled from 1028 to 1054. The Emperor built the temple in gratitude for the son.  

Thanks a lot for the card, Kar Kar!

Wonders from Iraq!

Merhaba! These postcards I received from Milad! Milad sends warm greetings from Iraq, the cradle of civilization and knowledge. Milad has kindly written to me some Arabic words with translation:

Merhaba - Hi

Salaam - Hi/Peace

Shukran - Thank you

Hob - Love

The second postcard - Spiral Tower of Samarra'. It is a UNESCO W.H.S. This magnificent structure was once the largest mosque in the Islamic world. It was built by Caliph Al-Mutawakkil in 852 AD using bricks and clay. It is unique among other minarets because of its ascending spiral conical design. 52 metres high and 33 metres wide at the base, the spiral contains stairs reaching to the top. The Malwiya was used for the "call to prayer". It is considered an architectural masterpiece. Unfortunately, it is in danger since 2007.

Thanks a lot, Milad!

City views from Turkmenistan!

And the next country is Turkmenistan! A wonderful lady Valeriya sent me 2 wonderful cards from her exotic sunny country! So, let's find out some facts about Turkmenistan!

Location: Central Asia

Capital: Ashgabat

Population: 4,940,916

Official language: Turkmen

National anthem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrFq_4wV31w

The name Turkmenistan was derived from the Persian language, it means “Land of the Turkmen.” First of all, Turkmenistan is famous for its autocratic government and large gas reserves. It also has a reputation as an island of stability in restless Central Asia.

Despite its gas wealth, much of Turkmenistan's population is still poor. After receiving independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 the country lived in isolation that has only recently begun to end. The Karakum Desert covers almost 80% of the country. The Karakum Canal is one of the world’s longest irrigation canals.

Postcards depict the modern Ashgabat and evening time in Ashgabat. Ashgabat is the capital of Turkmenistan with population of about 1,031,992.

Both stamps depict Törebeg Hanym. It is a mausoleum named after Turabek-Khanum, the wife of Kutlug-Timur (ruled between 1321 and 1336). It is located at the northern part of ancient Gurgench. It is a highly sophisticated work of architecture, both in its conceptualisation of spaces and in its engineering.

Thanks a lot for the postcards, Valeriya!

A great surprise from Kuwait!

Total 2 cards and an envelope I received from Kuwait! So what do we know about Kuwait?

Location: Western Asia

Capital: Kuwait City

Population: 2,789,132

Official languages: Arabic

National anthem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kC3GMi0iwm0

A small, oil-rich country on the Persian Gulf, Kuwait is flat and arid, but oil wealth makes this an attractive place for immigrants. Besides, Kuwait is the only country in the world with no natural water supply from lakes or reservoirs but it did open its first grass golf course in 2005.

The sender, Huda, lives on the beach side and likes to watch the sunrise everyday. It's a nice view from his flat. How lucky he is!

Huda was so anxious, that it took too much time for the postcard to reach me, that sent another one! That's so kind! So I have 2 identical postcards with very diverse  messages and one different card.

On the first postcard you can see sunset on Kuwait City beach (at the Dhow Harbor). This location was in past a small harbor, but now it is used only for fishing boats.

On the second postcard you can see many life items in Kuwait, some are old and some are new.

Thanks a lot for such a great surprise, Huda!

Big 5 from Tanzania!

Have you ever heard about Tanzania? Below you can see some general information.

Location: East Africa

Capital: Dodoma

Population: 41,892,895

Official languages: Swahili and English

National anthem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsZ5YtXn4C8 (Tanzania shares it national anthem with South Africa and Zimbabwe. It’s titled “Mungu Ibariki Afrika” (God Bless Africa))

Wildlife, beaches, islands, ruins, Mt Kilimanjaro (the highest point of Africa), friendly people, fascinating cultures – in Tanzania you will find all these. Tanzania has the largest concentration of wildlife animals per square kilometer, with more than 4 million wild animals and representatives of 430 species and subspecies.

I received this postcard from a friendly person Roland. Roland lives in Cologne but due to his job, he is working very often overseas, even for a longer period. At the moment of writing there was winter in Tanzania, but not a winter like in Europe. 28-32 degrees, sometimes a little bit of rain.

This wonderful postcard shows the so-called "Big Five". Leopard, lion, buffalo, elephant and rhino are among the most deadly mammals in Africa. The term was invented by big game hunters because each animal was so difficult to catch.

Thanks a lot for the postcard, Roland!

Historical Legacy of Oman!

Asalam daykum! This postcard arrived from a distant wonderful country Oman. Johann, a teacher, lives in Muscat, the capital of the Sultanate of Oman. He finds Oman a very nice country to live and work in. He himself has been working here since August.

Oman is a country in Asia. The capital is Muscat. The population is about 2,967,717. Official language is Arabic. Oman is the oldest Arab state. The Sultanate of Oman long served as a hub on the Indian Ocean trade routes, and it has ancient ties that reach from Pakistan to the island of Zanzibar.  Today, Oman is one of the wealthiest nations on Earth. Oman is known for its oil reserves, agriculture and fishing. Oman's low-rise towns retain their traditional charms and Bedouin values remain the same.

Enjoy the anthem:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIqy7Kz_cSI

Thanks a lot for the great postcard, Johann!

"Traveller's palm" from Martinique!

This postcard with the view of Martinique I received from France. A charming sender, Patricia, has been living in this place since 11 years and she loves it! She likes to share the beauty of her country throughout the world.

So, what do we know about Martinique? Martinique is a special territory in North America. The capital is Fort-de-France. The population is about 432,900 habitants. Official languages are French and Creole patois. This country in the Caribbean combines a distinctly French air with West Indian warmth. The island is dominated by Mount Pelee. In the South of the island, there are many beautiful beaches, in the North, the rain forests and the black sand beaches are spectacular. Sights include La Pagerie, birthplace of Napoleon's Empress Josephine, and Diamond Rock, a 600-foot pinnacle, once registered as a British warship.

The anthem is here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZ-ptcdxYOg

The tree, depicted in the postcard, is called Ravenala madagascariensis, or traveller's tree or traveller's palm. It is called "traveller's palm" (though it is not a real palm) because the sheaths of the stems hold rainwater, which supposedly could be used as an emergency drinking supply for travellers. Another possible reason for its name is that the fan tends to grow on an east-west line, providing a crude compass.

And the stamps depict gourgeous flowers by my favourite French impressionists - Gustave Caillebotte and Edouard Manet!

Thank you so much for the beauty, you shared with me, Particia!

Comeback!

Hello, world! I'm very sorry for my long absence, I was too busy and I had no time to share my postcards with you. During 2 months I received a lot of wonderful postcards from wonderful people all over the world. I decided to make my blog more, so to say, personal. I will write less bare facts, but more my emotions. I hope you will enjoy reading my stories again!

P.S. In the photo you can see my beloved wonderful pet. It is a girl-degus named Gesundheit (which means "health" in German). She is going to help me in writing my posts:) 

A postcard from exotic Bali!

This is my second swap with wonderful Anis from Indonesia. The postcard depicts traditional rice harvest on Bali, an island and province in Indonesia. Rice is Indonesian staple food.
The stamps are dedicated to the year of horse.
Thanks a lot, Anis!

A postcard from beautiful Myanmar!

Myanmar is a country in Asia. The capital is Nay Pyi Taw. The population is about 53,414,374. Official language is Burmese. Myanmar, also known as Burma, was long considered a pariah state, isolated from the rest of the world with an appalling human rights record. Myanmar is gradually emerging from its international isolation; China is its main ally. Burman dominance over Karen, Shan, Rakhine, Mon, Rohingya, Chin, Kachin and other minorities has been the source of considerable ethnic tension and has fuelled intermittent protests and separatist rebellions. Myanmar has highly fertile soil and important offshore oil and gas deposits. Nevertheless, the economy is one of the least developed in the world, and is suffering the effects of decades of stagnation, mismanagement, and isolation.

Temples and pagodas found throughout Myanmar were built during the 12th and 13th centuries under the Pagan Empire as Theravada Buddhism spread throughout the country. The country has yet to be completely overwhelmed by Western fashion – everywhere you'll meet men wearing skirt-like longyi, women smothered in thanakha (traditional make-up) and betel-chewing grannies with mouths full of blood-red juice.

The national anthem is here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3Ynt9HVMQM

The postcard depicts the Mandalay Palace, which is the last royal palace of the last Burmese monarchy. The palace was constructed between 1857 and 1859 as part of King Mindon's founding of the new royal capital city of Mandalay. Throughout the British colonial era, the palace was seen by the Burmese as the primary symbol sovereignty and identity. Much of the palace compound was destroyed during World War II by allied bombing; only the royal mint and the watch tower survived. A replica of the palace was rebuilt in the 1990s with some modern materials.

Thanks a lot, CharlesLing-ChihWong!

Wonderful scenery from Mongolia!

A wonderful young lady Viola from Hong Kong, who is having her internship as a teacher in Mongolia, sent me a postcard from there!

Mongolia is a country in Asia. The capital is Ulan Bator. The population is about 3,086,918. Official language is Mongolian.

Once the heartland of an empire stretching to Europe under Genghis Khan, Mongolia is a landlocked country dominated by sparsely populated steppe and semi-desert. Mongolia has an extreme climate. Drought and unusually cold and snowy winters have decimated livestock, destroying the livelihoods of thousands of families. A land full of vast emptiness, nearly twice the size of Eastern Europe, it is the least populous country in the world.

There are few countries in the world with such a stark difference between the rural and urban populations. Mongolia's nomadic culture is famous – you can sleep in a herder's ger (traditional felt yurt), help round up the sheep, ride horses and simply 'get back to nature'. Mongolia’s nomads are herdsmen, surviving by farming livestock such as camels, cattle and horses, and moving around to exploit the best conditions for doing so at different times of year. However, 45% of the Mongolian population live in the busy capital, Ulaanbaatar, where life is a lot more up-to-date and you will find ample museums, shops, restaurants, bars and clubs.

The anthem is here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fs66Jb378wc

Thank you so much for the colorful postcard, Viola!