Ukraine

This postcard arrived last Monday.  It is from a 9-year-old girl who lives near the city of Sumy in northern Ukraine.

The postcard is a picture of a painting.

The Ninth Wave was painted by Ivan Aivazovsky in 1850.

• The painting depicts a sea after a night storm and people facing death, attempting to save themselves by clinging to debris from a wrecked ship.
• The painting has warm tones in which the sea appears to be not so menacing, thereby giving a chance for the people to survive.
• This painting sometimes is called "the most beautiful painting in Russia."

source:  wikipedia.org

Russia

I "received" this postcard from Russia last Sunday, while we were out of town.  My husband discovered it in his truck!  At some point, he apparently had gathered the mail from our mailbox at home on his way into the driveway after work...and had left it in his truck.  The postcard was sent four months ago.  :/

The sender of this postcard wrote that it shows a steppe (something like a prairie) in spring.

When I researched, I discovered the following:

• A steppe is an Eco region, characterized by grassland plains without trees apart from those near rivers and lakes.
• A steppe can be semi-desert, or covered with grass or shrubs or both, depending on the season and latitude.
• A prairie is an example of a steppe, although it usually is not called such.

source:  wikipedia.org

Russia

This is the other postcard that arrived while we were out of town.  It is from an 11-year-old girl in Russia.

This postcard is of the Resurrection Church on the Debrya in Kostroma, Russia in winter.

The Resurrection Church on the Debrya is located at the entrance to the city of Kostroma, under the mountain and on the bank of the Volga River.  It is an Orthodox sacred place of the Kostroma Region and a monument of the 17th-century Russian artistic culture.

The church's name, Resurrection Church on the "Debrya," means that there was dense, thick forest in ancient times.  Two Debryas, Lower and Upper, were known in Kostroma.  The Resurrection Church was constructed at the foot of the hill, in Lower Debrya.

source:  World Walk Info

Poland

This is one of two postcards that arrived while we were out of town.  It is from a 16-year-old fellow in Poland.

I think this postcard must be what is considered an "ad card."  In listing their likes and dislikes of the postcards they hope to receive from others, members of the postcard website often indicate that they do not want to receive "ad cards."  I take it that an ad card is a free postcard which advertises a place or event.

I looked up the website printed on the postcard.  It described a municipality in Poland that offers many opportunities for rest and relaxation...and recreation.

source:  Brenna

Ukraine

Late last week (just before we left to go out of town), I received this postcard from Ukraine.

The woman who sent the postcard wrote that it is a "colouring of their national suits."

Germany

Early last week, I also received this postcard from Germany.

Würzburg is a city in southern Germany and is located on the Main River.

This postcard shows three sites in Würzburg:
   left ― Old Main Bridge
   center ― Residence
   right ― St. Mary's Chapel and Cathedral

Würzburg's Old Main Bridge (Alte Mainbrücke) was built from 1473-1543.  Beginning in 1730, the bridge was adorned with statues of saints and historically relevant figures.

The Würzburg Residence (Residenz) is a palace near the center of the city.  Balthasar Neumann was the principal architect of the Residence, which was built from 1720-1744. The interior includes the largest fresco in the world, created by artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, which adorns the vault over the grand staircase, designed by Balthasar Neumann.

Two of Würzburg's many notable churches are pictured on the right side of the postcard.

St. Mary's Chapel (Marienkapelle) is a Gothic style church on the Lower Market, built from 1377-1480.  The arches of the doorways are elaborately ornamental, with figures of Adam and Eve by Tilman Riemenschneider.

Würzburg Cathedral (Dom) is a Roman Catholic cathedral dedicated to St. Kilian and is the seat of the Bishop of Würzburg.  It is the fourth largest Romanesque style cathedral in Germany.  Construction was started in 1040, the East towers were built in 1237, and the interior was decorated from 1701-1704.

sources:
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W%C3%BCrzburg
   http://www.wuerzburg.de/en/visitors/must-sees/22694.Alte_Mainbruecke_old_bridge.html
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W%C3%BCrzburg_Residence
   http://www.wuerzburg.de/en/visitors/must-sees/22688.UNESCO_World_Cultural_Heritage_Site_Residence_Palace.html
   http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marienkapelle_(W%C3%BCrzburg)
   http://www.wuerzburg.de/en/visitors/must-sees/22691.Churches_Marienkapelle_and_Neumuenster.html
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W%C3%BCrzburg_Cathedral
   http://www.wuerzburg.de/en/visitors/must-sees/22690.Dom_St._Kilian_cathedral.html

Australia

Early last week, I received this postcard from Australia.

Isn't this baby kangaroo adorable?!  :)

A female kangaroo gives birth to a baby, or joey, once a year.  A newborn joey can be anywhere from 0.2 inches long (the size of a grain of rice) to 0.9 inches long (the size of a honeybee).

Immediately after birth, the hairless and blind joey crawls into its mother's pouch.  Inside the pouch, it nurses and continues to develop.  A joey spends 7-8 months living inside its mother's pouch.

sources:
   Live Science
   Koala Express

We're Home

T and I returned home late last night after spending almost a week at my parents' house.  While we were there (actually, our main purpose for the trip), my husband and I prepared a birthday celebration for T...for our extended family.  The party was held on Saturday, August 24th, at my parents' house.

I'll post all of the party details as soon as I get a chance.  In the meantime, here's one photograph from the party to tide you over.  :D

Can you guess the theme of the party?  :)

Australia

I also received this postcard today...from Australia.  The woman who sent this postcard requested a personal swap, which is completed voluntarily and directly between two people.

On the upper right is a view of Perth's city skyline as seen from Sir James Mitchell Park.

Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia.  It is the fourth most populous city in Australia, with an estimated population of more than 1.9 million.

Perth became known worldwide as the "City of Light" when city residents turned on their lights as astronaut John Glenn passed overhead while orbiting Earth in the Friendship 7 in 1962.

On the lower right is a view of the Swan Bells tower near Barrack Square.

The Swan Bells are a set of 18 bells hanging in a 271-foot copper and glass bell tower, which overlooks the Swan River.  They are one of the largest sets of change ringing bells in the world.

On the left is a view of Western Australia's bird emblem, the Black Swan.

The Black Swan's plumage is black with a line of white feathers on the edges of the wings. The beak is red with a white band near the tip.

The Black Swan stands about 42-55 inches with a wingspan of about six and one-half feet, and can weigh up to almost 20 pounds.

Both parents build the nest.  The female lays between four and eight eggs, which take about 40 days to hatch.  Both parents care for the young, which are called cygnets.

sources:
   Government of Western Australia, Department of the Premier and Cabinet
   Australian-Information-Stories

Netherlands

Today, I received this postcard from the Netherlands.

Keukenhof, also known as the Garden of Europe, is the world's largest flower park. It is located in south Holland in the small town of Lisse.

More than seven million flower bulbs are planted annually in the park, which covers an area of 79 acres.  In addition to the millions of colorful tulips at Keukenhof, there is a fantastic collection of other flowers, including:  hyacinths, daffodils, orchids, roses, carnations, irises, lilies, and bluebells.

The gardens and four pavilions at Keukenhof attract approximately 800,000 visitors annually.  The park is open for eight weeks each year, usually from late March to late May.  Every year, Keukenhof creates a complete new look according to a central theme.  The theme for 2014 is "Holland."

sources:
   wikipedia.org
   holland.com
   viator.com

Ukraine

I also received this postcard today...from Crimea.

Crimea is a peninsula of Ukraine, located on the northern coast of the Black Sea.  Crimea is an autonomous republic within Ukraine.

source:  wikipedia.org

This is a postcard of Yalta...the sea front.  It shows a view of the city of Yalta and Ai-Petri Mountain.  On the left side of the postcard is a view of the Naberezhna Lenia, a pedestrian promenade on the waterfront.

Yalta is a resort city in Crimea.  It lies to the south of the Crimean Mountains and within an amphitheater of hills.

Yalta has a humid subtropical climate.  In January, the average temperature is 39⁰ F.  In July, the average temperature is 75⁰ F.

The population of Yalta is 80,500 (2001 census).  The main ethnic groups of Yalta are: Russians (65.5%), Ukrainians (25.7%), Belarusians (1.6%), and Crimean Tatars (1.3%).

The Livadia Palace in Yalta was the site of the Yalta Conference, a meeting between the leaders of the Soviet Union, the United States, and the United Kingdom in February 1945.

source:  wikipedia.org

Yalta is considered the capital of southern Ukraine.

source:  mapofukraine.net

Russia

Today, I received this postcard from Russia...

of the city of Kazan.  Yes, it is a rather odd postcard...with the buildings pictured on the sides appearing quite distorted.  :P

I learned a number of things about Kazan.

• Kazan is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia.
• It has a population of 1,143,535 and is the eighth most populous city in Russia.
• In 2009, Kazan was granted the right to brand itself as the "Third Capital" of Russia.
• In 2009, Kazan was chosen as the "Sports Capital" of Russia.
• In 2013, Kazan will host the Summer Universiade.*
• Kazan is one of the largest industrial and financial centers of Russia.

source:  wikipedia.org

*Actually, the 2013 Summer Universiade took place on July 6-17.  The 15-year-old girl who sent this postcard wrote, "July 6 is the [day] our city starts Universiade.  :) Our city is preparing for this memorable day!"  You can read more about the Summer Universiade in Kazan here.

Also (just now!), I discovered that this postcard is of Bauman Street...the pedestrian street in the heart of Kazan.  Pictured in the center is the Bell Tower of the Epiphany Church.  You can read more about Bauman Street in Kazan here.

If you'd like more information about collecting international postcards, you can read my original post here.

Malaysia

Today, I received this postcard from Malaysia.

The photograph is of the city of Sandakan.  It is the second-largest city in the state of Sabah, which is located on the island of Borneo.

After receiving this postcard and looking up tons of information on the Internet, I realized just how little I knew about Malaysia.

Malaysia is a federal constitutional monarchy in southeast Asia.  It consists of thirteen states and three federal territories.  It has a total landmass of 127,350 square miles, separated by the South China Sea into two similarly-sized regions:  Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo.  In 2010, the population of Malaysia was more than 28.3 million, with 22.6 million living on the Peninsula.

Borneo is the third largest island in the world and the largest island of Asia.  The island is divided among three countries:  Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.  The Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak occupy about 26% of the island.  Borneo is home to one of the oldest rain forests in the world.

Sandakan is located on the northeastern coast of Borneo.

Sandakan is infamous as the site of a World War II Japanese airfield.

Sandakan is Sabah's second-most important port.  The port exports palm oil, tobacco, cocoa, coffee, manila hemp, and sago.

Sandakan has a tropical rain forest climate.  The city sees heavy precipitation throughout the year, with the heaviest precipitation seen from November through January.  Temperatures are relatively constant throughout the year, with average high temperatures around 88⁰ F. and average low temperatures around 75⁰ F.

source:  wikipedia.org

If you'd like more information about collecting international postcards, you can read my original post here.