Yungang Grottoes

The Yungang Grottoes  are ancient Chinese Buddhist temple grottoes near the city of Datong in the province of Shanxi. They are excellent examples of rock-cut architecture and one of the three most famous ancient Buddhist sculptural sites of China. The others are Longmen and Mogao.
The site is located about 16 km west of the city of Datong, in the valley of the Shi Li river at the base of the Wuzhou Shan mountains. They are an outstanding example of the Chinese stone carvings from the 5th and 6th centuries. All together, the site is composed of 252 grottoes with more than 51,000 Buddha statues and statuettes. In 2001, the Yungang Grottoes were made a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Yungang Grottoes are considered by UNESCO to be a "masterpiece of early Chinese Buddhist cave art... [and] ...represent the successful fusion of Buddhist religious symbolic art from south and central Asia with Chinese cultural traditions, starting in the 5th century CE under Imperial auspices." It is classified as a AAAAA scenic area by the China National Tourism Administration.
Source: Wikipedia

Thanks to Anny for arranging this postcard!

Sent: 17 May 2016    Received: 10 June 2016   Travelled: 24 days

Gomantong Cave

The Gomantong Caves are an intricate cave system inside Gomantong Hill. The hill is the largest limestone outcrop in the Lower Kinabatangan area, Sandakan division, in the Malaysian state of Sabah, on Borneo island. Situated in a Sabah Forestry Department forest reserve, the caves and the surrounding area are a protected area for wildlife, especially orangutans. The limestone hill is also the only known site for the endangered land snail Plectostoma mirabile. Investigation of the guano deposits were first made in 1889 by J.H. Allard of the China Borneo Company, and the caves were first mapped by P. Orolfo in 1930. Detailed re-mapping and laser-scanning of the caves was conducted in 2012  and July 2014

The main cave system is divided into two parts: the more accessible Simud Hitam (Black Cave), and the larger Simud Putih (White Cave) which lies above. The names refer to the main type of nests produced by swiftlets in each cave. The cave system is home to many other animals, including massive populations of cockroaches and bats. Outside one can see crested serpent eagles, kingfishers, and Asian fairy bluebirds. Access is in the form of a wooden walkway circuiting the interior.

For centuries, the caves have been renowned for their valuable edible swiftlet nests, which are harvested for bird's nest soup. The most valuable of the nests, the white ones, can sell for very high prices.

The birds' nest collection is an ancient tradition, and the trading of these nests has been done since at least 500 AD. Twice a year, from February to April and July to September, locals with licenses climb to the roof of the caves, using only rattan ladders, ropes, and bamboo poles, and collect the nests. The first collection takes place early in the breeding season before the swiftlets lay their eggs. The birds then make another nest in which they finally lay their eggs. After the young have fledged, the second collection is made. Care must be taken to assure that the nests are collected only after the young swiftlets have abandoned these nests. These individuals are very much in demand by the people and communities that hold the Government's harvesting licenses. Edible birds' nests are protected under the Birds' Nest Ordinance and the Forest Enactment of 1968. Heavy fines and penalties are imposed on unlicensed collectors.
Source:Wikipedia

Thanks to Erica for this cave card from Sandakan! Almost can't

detect the postmark in the petals of the rose stamp :D

Sent: 29 February 2016   Received: 2 March 2016   Travelled: 2 days

Kizil Caves, Bai cheng , China

The Kizil Caves complex is the largest of the ancient Buddhist cave sites that are associated with the ancient Tocharian kingdom of Kucha, as well as the largest in Xinjiang. Other cave sites in the Kucha region include the Kumtura Caves and Simsim Caves.

There are 236 cave temples in Kizil, carved into the cliff st

Source: Wikipediav

Thanks to Forest via PostcardUnited for the view card and beautiful stamps!

Sent: 24 November 2015   Received: 17 December 2015   Travelled:23 days

Lake Shasta Caverns

The Lake Shasta Caverns are a network of caves located near the McCloud arm of Shasta Lake in California. It was formerly named Chalk Cave and Baird Cave, named after Spencer Fullerton Baird.
The caverns are dated at least 200 million years, and were formed by flowing water. Over the years this water drained leaving the caverns seen today. The caves are made entirely of limestone, and feature every type of possible formation, including stalactites, stalagmites, soda straws, columns, and flowstone. The Discovery Room, one of eight known rooms in the cavern system, contains all types of limestone rock formation. the first recorded white explorer was James A. Richardson, a federal fisheries employee. His claim of discovery is still clearly legible on the wall where he wrote it that day – November 11, 1878 – with carbide from his miner's lamp.
Source: Wikipedia

Sent: 24 October 2015  Received: 18 December 2015  Travelled: 55 days

Mulu Park, Malaysia

Gunung Mulu National Park is famous for its limestone karst formations. Features include enormous caves, vast cave networks, rock pinnacles, cliffs and gorges. Mount Mulu is a sandstone mountain rising to 2,376 m. 

Gunung Mulu National Park has the largest known natural chamber or room – Sarawak Chamber, found in Gua Nasib Bagus. It is 700 m  long, 396 m .wide and at least 70 m high. It has been said that the chamber is so big that it could accommodate about 40 Boeing 747s, without overlapping their wings. The nearby Deer Cave is one of the largest single cave passages in the world.

Thanks to Isabelle and Violet for this Mulu Park card, another RAS

Sent: 18 February 2015   Received: 27 February 2015   Travelled: 9 days

Visit Malaysia 2007

A really beautiful cave card , no info on the back of the card.

Thank you Libby for this great card!

Sent: 15 December 2014   Receievd: 18 December 2014   Travelled: 3 days

Dazu Rock Carvings

The Dazu Rock Carvings are a series of Chinese religious sculptures and carvings, dating back as far as the 7th century AD, depicting and influenced by Buddhist, Confucian and Taoist beliefs. Listed as a World Heritage Site, the Dazu Rock Carvings are made up of 75 protected sites containing some 50,000 statues, with over 100,000 Chinese characters forming inscriptions and epigraphs. The sites are located in Chongqing Municipality within the steep hillsides throughout Dazu County, located about 60 kilometers west of the urban area of Chongqing. The highlights of the rock grotto are found on Mount Baoding and Mount Beishan.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Thank you HuYingChen for this awesome swap. I

hope one day I'll be able to see this place.

Sent: 6 March 2013,   Received: 19 March 2013,   Travelled: 13 days

My first postcard from Iceland

 Ice cave in Vatnajokull ice cap, south Iceland

Thank you Natasha for this cool card! ;)

Received: 25 January 2013