Sofukuji Temple in Nagasaki | 長崎

Postcard

Nagasaki is the capital of Nagasaki prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan.

This temple dates back to 1629 and was established by several important Chinese Buddhist monks who were escaping persecution by the Ming rulers in China.

They fled to the Chinese community in Nagasaki Japan and established the Obaku school of Zen Buddhism in Nagasaki.

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A Postcard from Cyprus: Old Kakopetria

Postcard

Kakopetria is a village in Cyprus located 55 kilometers southwest of the capital, Nicosia, on the north facing foothills of the Troodos Mountains. Kakopetria means 'wicked rock pile' in Greek.

Stamps

From a set of four stamps (2009): a rooster.

Bosnia and Herzegovnia: 14 cities

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Bosnia and Herzegovina is a country in Southeastern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Sarajevo. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast.

The 14 cities shown on the postcard are: Sarajevo, Zenica, Neum, Medugorje, Capljina, Trebinje, Radimlja, Pocitelj, Bihac, Travnik, Zvornik, Banja Luka, Jajce and Mostar.

Stamps

La Casa dels Paraigües | The House of Umbrellas, Barcelona

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“La Rambla is an endless box of surprises. A box that opens and allows us to glimpse jewels, including this allegory to Orientalism, the Casa Bruno Cuadros, which used to be an umbrella shop of Barcelona in its time. Its style, similar to modernisme with its use of colour and the delicacy of its decorations, have made the Casa Bruno Cuadros a worthy addition to the photograph albums of many of Barcelona’s visitors.”

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Atento a la conducción!

The National Traffic Department runs regular campaigns to create awareness among drivers.

The Church of Saint Clement of Ohrid | Соборна црква - Свети Климент Охридски

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The Cathedral St. Kliment of Ohrid located in Skopje, Macedonia is the largest Orthodox temple of the Macedonian Orthodox Church today. The construction started in 1972 and was consecrated on 12 August 1990 on the 1150th anniversary of the birth of the church patron, St. Clement of Ohrid.

The statue is the Archbishop of Ohrid and Macedonia Dositheus II (1906-1981).

Stamps

From a set of two stamps about urban architecture, a house in Skopje and  a house in Resen.

Thx Ana!

Vanuatu, South Pacific Paradise

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Vanuatu is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. Vanuatu is an island archipelago consisting of approximately 82 relatively small, geologically newer islands of volcanic origin of which 65 are inhabited.

Efate is the main island of Vanuatu, where the capital Port Vila is situated. Port Vila is located around a magnificent natural harbour offering stunning views.

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From a set of 4 stamps about turtles of Vanuatu: the Green Turtle.

Thx Rod!

A piece of art from Togo

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Togo, officially the Togolese Republic, is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east, and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located.

Togo's population of over 6 million people (2011 est.) is composed of more than 20 ethnic groups. The two major groups are the Ewe in the South and the Kabye in the North.

According to the sender, this postcard was hand painted by a local artist from Atakpamé. Women carrying things on their head is very common there.

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50th anniversary of independence (2010)

Panteón de los Héroes, Asunción, Paraguay

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Paraguay is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest.

Asunción is the capital and largest city of Paraguay.

The Panteon Nacional De Los Heroes is dedicated to the country’s history. It serves as a monument for those who gave their live for the country.

In front of the Pantheon you see the  Guarani vendors. These vendors open their stalls in the early morning only to close theirs at the setting of the sun. Their stalls are full of the Paraguayan traditional items of art like bows and arrows, headdresses, pottery and many others.

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(left) UPAEP issue 2010 from a set of two about children games: bolitas

(right) 50th Anniversary of the Paraguayan German Chamber of Commerce

A postcard from Aruba: Eagle Beach

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In 1951 Aruba and the other Dutch Antilles became more independent from The Netherlands. In the 70's a movement was formed which wanted Aruba to separate from the other islands.

Aruba was part of the Netherlands Antilles until 1996 when they were the first of the six islands (Leeward: Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao Winward: Sint Maarten, Saba and Sint Eustatius) to have a “Status Aparte” which makes it independent within the kingdom of The Netherlands.

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(left) from a set of three stamps about Art (2006), picturing a painting of Jean Georges Pandellis.

(right) from a set of four stamps about historical museums: the Museum of Antiquities.

Edinburgh Castle

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Edinburgh Castle is a fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, from its position atop the volcanic Castle Rock. It has been a stronghold for over 3000 years.

The site of Edinburgh Castle was occupied as early as 900BC. By the time the Romans made their brief visits to Scotland in AD80 and AD139 it was an important fort

Edinburgh Castle started to develop into a royal fortress during the reign of David I from 1124 to 1153. From the 15th century the castle's residential role declined, and by the 17th century its principal role was as a military base with a large garrison.

Nowadays Edinburgh Castle is one of Scotland's top tourist attractions.

Stamp

From a set of stamps about Britain’s best loved comics: The Dandy. Selling more than 2million copies per week in the early 1950s.