Fireworks from Mongolia

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July 1921. In the center of Ulaan-Baatar, the ”hero of the revolution” Damdin Sukhbaatar declares the independence of Mongolia from China.

The Square now bears his name and features a statue of him astride his horse.

==> Wishing you a Happy 2018!!! <==

The Cathedral of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God | Russia

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Kronstadt is a city located on Kotlin Island in the Gulf of Finland, about 50 km west of Saint Petersburg. The city was founded by Peter the Great, whose Imperial Russian forces took the island of Kotlin from the Swedes during the Great Northern War in 1703.

The historic centre of the city and its fortifications are part of the UNESCO World Heritage site Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of Monuments.

Saryarka | Kazakhstan

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Saryarka is an important site for migratory water birds in northern Kazakhstan because of its wetlands. It also is the habitat of the Saiga antelope and the Siberian white crane. Both are critically endangered.

Saryarka – Steppe and Lakes of Northern Kazakhstan is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The archaeological site of Palenque | Mexico

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Palenque was a Maya city state in southern Mexico that flourished in the 6th and 7th century. The ruins date from ca. 226 BC to ca. AD 799.

Pre-Hispanic City and National Park of Palenque is a UNESCO World Heritage site. According to Unesco, the archaeological site of Palenque is one of the most outstanding Classic period sites of the Maya area, known for its exceptional and well conserved architectural and sculptural remains.

Studenica Monastery | Serbia

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The Studenica Monastery is a 12th-century Serbian Orthodox monastery, located in Serbia's so called Valley of Kings. This is the place where the first medieval Serbian state was founded and where the kings of the Nemanjić dynasty built their monasteries. Of which several are World Heritage sites.

Flags of the World | Åland Islands

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The Åland Islands is an archipelago at the entrance to the Gulf of Bothnia in the Baltic Sea belonging to Finland. The flag has been the official flag of this autonomous Finnish province since 1954.

Historic Centre of Warsaw | Poland

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During the Warsaw Uprising in August 1944, more than 85% of Warsaw's historic centre was destroyed by Nazi troops. After the war, a five-year reconstruction campaign by its citizens resulted in today's meticulous restoration of the Old Town, with its churches, palaces and market-place.

It is an outstanding example of a near-total reconstruction of a span of history covering the 13th to the 20th century. source: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/30

Wishing you and your loved ones 

                      a Merry Christmas!

Lima, the capital of Peru

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Lima is the capital and largest city of Peru. The historic centre of Lima is known as the “Ciudad de los Reyes” (City of Kings). It was founded by Spanish conqueror Francisco Pizarro in January 1535.

The Archbishop Palace is situated directly at Plaza de Armas, Lima's main square.

Constructions for the Cathedral of Lima and the original "Palacio Arzobispal" started shortly after the foundation of Lima in 1535.

The Historic Centre of Lima is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The city of Orange | France

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Orange is a french city with a rich history, located about 21 km north of Avignon. In the year 1163 the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I elevated the city of Orange and the land surrounding it to a sovereign principality within the Empire, an independent enclave within France.

In 1544, William I, count of Nassau, who already had large properties in the Netherlands, inherited the title Prince of Orange. William III of Orange, who ruled England as William III of England, was the last Prince of Orange to rule the principality. In 1713 it was ceded to France under the Treaty of Utrecht.

Jameh Mosque of Isfahan | Iran

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Masjed-e Jāme’ (Friday mosque) is the oldest Friday mosque in Iran, located in the historical centre of Isfahan. With more than 20,000 sq metres, it is the biggest mosque in Iran.

This mosque can be seen as a stunning illustration of the evolution of mosque architecture over twelve centuries, starting in the year 841. It is the oldest preserved edifice of its type in Iran and a prototype for later mosque designs throughout Central Asia.

Masjed-e Jāmé of Isfahan is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Lion's Gate in Hattusa | Turkey

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The capital of the Hittites - Hattusa - was surrounded by massive fortifications when the Hittite civilization had a status of the Near East superpower. At least six gates let people enter the interior of the city.

Hattusha: the Hittite Capital is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The property consists of the Hittite city area, the rock sanctuary of Yazılıkaya on the north, the ruins of Kayalı Boğaz on the east and the İbikçam Forest to the south.

Flags of the World | Grenada

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The national flag of Grenada was adopted upon independence from the United Kingdom in 1974. You see lots of symbols in this flag. 

The six stars in the red border represent the country's six parishes, with the middle star, encircled by a red disk, representing Carriacou and Petite Martinique (two other main islands of this small archipelago). The other symbol on the left represents a nutmeg, one of the principal crops of Grenada.

Kathmandu Durbar Square | Nepal

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Durbar Square is the generic name used to describe plazas and areas opposite the old royal palaces in Nepal.

In the old days Nepal consisted of small kingdoms, and Durbar Squares are most prominent remnants of those old kingdoms in Nepal. In particular, the Durbar Squares in Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur. All three are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The Arch Of Remembrance | Australia

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The Arch Of Remembrance commemorates Australian servicemen and women who have served in all wars and conflicts. The arch was originally constructed in 1926 to remember the 114 people (of whom 22 died) from the Brighton area who served in WWI, the ‘war to end all wars’.

As we all sadly know, WWI didn’t end all wars and two additional bronze laurel wreaths were added to the front of the Arch following WWII with later additions on either side to remember those who served in or died in Malaya, Korea, Borneo, Vietnam, Malaysia, Gulf War, East Timor, Afghanistan and Gulf War II (2003-2011).

The Carpathian Mountains | Ukraine

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The Carpathian Mountains are a mountain range system forming an arc of roughly 1,500 km across Central and Eastern Europe, including Ukraine.

Going through my pile of yet-unposted cards, in search for a postcard suitable for Christmas, I found this little gem. I already received it in 2013, sent from Donetsk in Ukraine. The stamps showing the beauty of the Crimea.

After the bloody revolution in 2014 everything changed. The Crimea is annexed by the Russian Federation and Donetsk is part of the so called 'Donetsk People's Republic' since 2015.

Neuschwanstein Castle | Germany

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Neuschwanstein Castle is a 19th-century Romanesque Revival palace, built on a rugged hill above the village of Hohenschwangau in southwest Bavaria, Germany.

The palace was commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria. Today the castle attracts 1.3 million visitors annually.

Rova of Antananarivo | Madagascar

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The Rova of Antananarivo is a royal palace complex (a rova) in Madagascar that served as the home of the sovereigns of the Kingdom of Imerina in the 17th and 18th centuries.

A fire on the night of 6 November 1995 destroyed or damaged all the structures within the Rova complex shortly before it was due to be inscribed on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Erdene Zuu Monastery | Mongolia

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Dating back to the the 16th century, Erdene Zuu is the oldest Buddhist Monastery In Mongolia. At its height, the monastery compound had more than 60 temples and 300 gers (yurts) inside its walls, with close to 1,000 monks in residence.

Today, Erdene Zuu is a walled compound surrounded by 108 stupas – 108 is a magical number in Buddhism. Inside, three temples survived from the 16th century.

The monastery is part of Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

M29 Weasel | Australia

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The M29 Weasel was a World War II tracked vehicle, built by Studebaker, designed for operation in snow.

The Weasel was the first mechanical oversnow vehicle to be used by the Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition (ANARE) on the continent. It was in use until the mid-1960s.


Thank you Steve!

The fishing village of Grip | Norway

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Grip is a small archipelago off the coast of Norway, near the city of Kristiansund. The fishing village is located on Gripholmen, which is the largest and only habitable island. For centuries it had a popuation of about 100 - 400. I

It was once a busy place, when 2,000 fishermen could stay there during the height of the fishing season. Today it has no permanent inhabitants, but it can be visited as a tourist.

The beauty of St Lucia

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Saint Lucia is an island country in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. It is a beautiful, mountainous volcanic island with high peaks, majestic rain-forests and sandy beaches.

Bohey Dulang Island | Malaysia

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Bohey Dulang is a mountainous island formed by the remnants of an ancient volcano. The crater forming Bohey Dulang is flooded with seawater creating a large, majestic lagoon 25 meters deep.

Bohey Dulang is part of Tun Sakaran Marine Park, also known as the Semporna Islands Park. It comprises eight islands: Bohey Dulang, Bodgaya, Sebangkat, Selakan, Mantabuan, Sibuan and Maiga.

Flags of the World | Egypt

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The flag of Egypt is in use since the end of the revolution in 1952. 

In the middle you see the Arab eagle, in Egypt also known as the Eagle of Saladin, a symbol of Arab nationalism.

breaking news: a postcard from Equatorial Guinea!

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Not often these days I receive a postcard from a country new to my collection. But today a postcard from Equatorial Guinea found its way to my mailbox. Already sent in March!

Equatorial Guinea is a small country in West Africa with 1,2 million inhabitants. The country is divided into two parts, the mainland and the islands. The country's capital, Malabo is located on Bioko Island. Equatorial Guinea  is a former Spanish colony, bordering Cameroon and Gabon.

Did you know that it is the richest country per capita in Africa? But because the wealth is distributed extremely unevenly only few people have benefited from the oil riches. As a result, less than half of the population has access to clean drinking water and 20% of children die before reaching the age of five.

Zuojiang Huashan Rock Art | China

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Zuojiang Huashan Rock Art Cultural Landscape in Chongzuo City is a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2016.

Located on the steep cliffs in the border regions of southwest China it illustrates the life and rituals of the Luoyue people. They date from the period around the 5th century BCE to the 2nd century CE.