Santiago, Chile

Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile. It's also the center of its largest conurbation. Santiago is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of 520 m (1,706 ft) above mean sea level.

Founded in 1541, Santiago has been the capital city of Chile since colonial times. The city has a downtown core of 19th century neoclassical architecture and winding side-streets, dotted by art deco, neo-gothic, and other styles. Santiago's cityscape is shaped by several stand-alone hills and the fast-flowing Mapocho River, lined by parks such as Parque Forestal. The Andes Mountains can be seen from most points in the city. These mountains contribute to a considerable smog problem, particularly during winter. The city outskirts are surrounded by vineyards and Santiago is within a few hours of both the mountains and the Pacific Ocean.

Santiago's steady economic growth over the past few decades has transformed it into a modern metropolis. The city is now home to a growing theater and restaurant scene, extensive suburban development, dozens of shopping centers, and a rising skyline, including the tallest building in Latin America, the Gran Torre Santiago. It includes several major universities, and has developed a modern transportation infrastructure, including a free flow toll-based, partly underground urban freeway system and the Metro de Santiago, South America's most extensive subway system. Santiago is the cultural, political and financial center of Chile and is home to the regional headquarters of many multinational corporations. The Chilean executive and judicial powers are located in Santiago, but Congress meets mostly in nearby Valparaíso.

Santiago is named after the biblical figure St. James.

Source:Wikipedia

Thanks very much to Lando who sent this card from his travels.

Sent: 5 Nov 2014   Received: 25 Nov 2014   Travelled: 20 days

Monserrate, Colombia

Monserrate (after Catalan homonym mountain Montserrat) is a mountain that dominates the city center of Bogotá, the capital city of Colombia. It rises to 3,152 metres above the sea level, where there is a church (built in the 17th century) with a shrine, devoted to "El Señor Caído" (Fallen Lord).

The hill is a pilgrim destination, as well as a tourist attraction. In addition to the church, the summit contains restaurants, cafeteria, souvenir shops and many smaller tourist facilities. Monserrate can be accessed by aerial tramway, a funicular or by climbing, the preferred way of pilgrims.

All downtown Bogotá, south Bogotá and some sections of the north of the city are visible facing west, making it a popular destination for watching the sun set over the city.

The history of Monserrate can be considered to begin in the 1620 to 1630, where the Cofradia de la Vera Cruz (Brotherhood of Vera Cruz) began using the Monserrate's hill top, then known as the Snow hill top for religious celebration. As time passed, many devoted residents of Bogota began participating in the climb to the hill top, it wasn't until 1650 that four gentlemen met with the Archbishop as well as Juan de Borga the head of the Tribunal of Santafe in order to secure permission to build a small religious retreat on the mountain top. The founders of the retreat. The founders decided to establish the hermitage retreat in the name of Monserrat's Morena Virgin whose sanctuary was located in Catalonia, near Barcelona, giving the entire mountain the name Monserrate. Some people believe Montserrat was chosen to be the patron saint, due to one of the founders, Pedro Solis having an uncle whom had previously served as abbot in the Montserrat sanctuary.

Source: Wikipedia

Finally found some time to blog some of my cards that arrived this week.

So happy to have Colombia stamped and written arrive to my mailbox. 

My one other Colombian card was sent from Germany. I have visited the original

Monserrate and the Morena Virgin in Spain so it was interesting to receive a 

different Monserrate. Thank you very much Lando for this postcard from your

travels ^_^

Sent: 14 August   Received: 17 November 2015   Travelled: 95 days

Paulina Czerniawska - Scarf

Clever, very clever drawing Lando, the T rex is looking over it's back like

the cat on the front. A lovely cat art card from Postallove. I'm always

surprised by the lovely Postallove cards that I've received! The back of the 

card goes into my hall of famer, the HowToWriteOnAPostallove post I made a

few  months ago hehe

Sent: 2 Oct   Received: 2 November 2015   Travelled: 31 days

Owl look at you!

Thanks to Lando for this beautiful owl palindrome card!

Sent: 5-10-15   Received: 2-11-15

Travelled: 28 days

Greetings from Mexico

Previously I got a Chihuahua card from him (which never occured to me that it
is a native breed of Mexico) and on this card it mentions the Chihuahua haha
Stamps show Mercado 20 de noviembre (the Farmer's Market) and
the Joint Mexican-Indonesia issue (Clouded Leopard [Indonesia] and
Mexican Jaguar [Mexico]. I thought it was a tiger at first.
Thanks to Lando for this cool card!
Sent: 3 Sept 2015   Received: 30 Sept 2015   Travelled: 27 days

Popocatépetl Volcano

Popocatépetl  is an active volcano, located in the states of Puebla, Mexico, and Morelos, in Central Mexico, and lies in the eastern half of the Trans-Mexican volcanic belt. At 5,426 m it is the second highest peak in Mexico, after the Pico de Orizaba at 5,636 m.

Popocatépetl is 70 km southeast of Mexico City, from where it can be seen regularly, depending on atmospheric conditions. Until recently, the volcano was one of three tall peaks in Mexico to contain glaciers,[6] the others being Iztaccihuatl and Pico de Orizaba. In the 1990s, the glaciers such as Glaciar Norte (North Glacier) greatly decreased in size, partly due to warmer temperatures but largely due to increased volcanic activity. By early 2001, Popocatépetl's glaciers were gone; ice remained on the volcano, but no longer displayed the characteristic features of glaciers such as crevasses.

The name Popocatépetl comes from the Nahuatl words popōca  'it smokes' and tepētl  'mountain', meaning Smoking Mountain. The volcano is also referred to by Mexicans as El Popo. The alternate nickname Don Goyo comes from the mountain's association in the lore of the region with San Gregorio (St. Gregory), "Goyo" being a nickname-like short form of Gregorio.

Thank you Lando for this great volcano card and beautiful stamps!

Sent: 27 July 2015   Received: 25 August 2015   Travelled: 29 days

Chihuahua

The Chihuahua’s history is puzzling and there are many theories surrounding the origin of the breed. Both folklore and archaeological finds show that the breed originated in Mexico. The most common and most likely theory is that Chihuahuas are descended from the Techichi, a companion dog favored by the Toltec civilization in Mexico.No records of the Techichi are available prior to the 9th century, although dog pots from Colima, Mexico, buried as part of the western Mexico shaft tomb tradition which date back to 300 BC are thought to depict Techichis. It is probable that earlier ancestors were present prior to the Mayans as dogs approximating the Chihuahua are found in materials from the Great Pyramid of Cholula, predating 1530 and in the ruins of Chichen Itza on the Yucatán Peninsula.

Source: Wikipedia

I never realised that Chihuahuas came from Mexico.

I feel rather stupid now haha thanks so much to Lando

for this great symbol of Mexico, and a card for my

Native Animals collection. Muchas Gracias amiga!

Sent: 22 July 2015   Received: 11 August 2015   Travelled: 20 days

Great Horned Owl

Excerpt: The Great Horned Owl is the largest "eared" and best known common owl. It hunts

during the day,watching for prey from a low perch. Its diet consists of rabbits,rodents and small

birds. It can measure from 18 to 25 inches in length and has an approximate wingspan of 55 inches.

"Cuando el tecolote canta, el indio muere" 

When the owl sings the Indian dies.

According to my Mexican friend, Lando, who explains that some people are

afraid of owls. In my language the owl is called "Burung Hantu" which translates to

"Ghost Bird". I suppose with the owls binocular vision and the ability to turn their head

270 degrees, they can be rather intimidating birds. Thanks Lando !

Sent: 22 July 2015   Received: 11 August 2015   Travelled: 20 days

Pavones Beach.Costa Rica

Pavones Beach ,the surfing destination of Costa Rica .

I seem to be getting a fair amount of coconuty beaches from around the world.

New theme perhaps?! Thanks to Lando for this great surprise. I still aim to get

a Costa Rican stamped postcard!

Sent: 8 June 2015   Received: 24 June 2015   Travelled: 16 days

Beautiful Jacob Sheep

The Jacob is an ancient breed from the Middle East. It has been imported to North America in small numbers since the 1900s. In the UK,ewes are included in the commercial flock because of their hardiness, ease of lambing and strong mothering insticnts.

Thanks to Lando for this beautiful sheep from the Postcard book of Beautiful Sheep :D

and the great doodle and stamp!

Sent: 8 February 2015   Received: 6 May 2015   Travelled: 87 days

Ruins of Trinidad, Paraguay

La Santisima Trinidad de Paraná, or the Most Holy Trinity of Paraná is the name of a former Jesuit Reductions in Paraguay. It is an example of one of the many Jesuit Reductions, small colonies established by the missionaries in various locations in South America, such as Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay throughout the 17th and 18th century. These missions were built as self-contained societies that existed outside of regular Spanish colonial life that integrated indigenous populations with Christian faith.

La Santisima Trinidad de Paraná, often referred to by the locals as simply the "ruins of Trinidad" was one of the last of the Jesuit reducciones to be built in the Paraná River area encompassing southern Paraguay and northern Argentina. It is also the most highly accessible and the most visited of the historical sites today. Located near the modern day city of Encarnación, Trinidad was originally constructed in 1706, the intended self-sufficient city came complete with a central meeting plaza, where most of the celebrations, such as Mass and matrimony were celebrated, a large church meetinghouse, a school, several workshops, a museum and housing for the local Indian population.

The Jesuit expulsion from Spanish colonies in 1768 eventually led to the abandonment of Trinidad and the rest of the reducciones, which were left to decay, and later on, (in mainly the church structure where the Saints' statues were decapacitated) were massacred in search for gold in the structure by the other Indian population of this region. Owing in part to its relatively recent construction, Trinidad bore the weathering of time fairly well, and modern historical societies have maintained the current, well-preserved state of the ruins to this day. It has also been named one of two UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Paraguay.

Thanks to Lando for this beautiful Unesco card from Paraguay!

Sent: 18 December 2014 Received: 29 January 2015   Travelled: 41 days

Paraguay!

A great postcard of a person riding a donkey with an umbrella! haha

Thanks to Lando for the laughs

Sent: 18 December 2014   Received: 28 January 2015   Travelled: 41 days

Iguazu Fall, Argentina

Iguazu Falls, are waterfalls of the Iguazu River on the border of the Argentina province of Misiones and the Brazilian state of Paraná. The falls divide the river into the upper and lower Iguazu. The Iguazu River rises near the city of Curitiba. For most of its course, the river flows through Brazil, however, most of the falls are on the Argentine side. Below its confluence with the San Antonio River, the Iguazu River forms the boundary between Argentina and Brazil.

The name "Iguazu" comes from the Guarani or Tupi words "y" [ɨ], meaning "water", and "ûasú "[waˈsu], meaning "big".Legend has it that a deity planned to marry a beautiful woman named Naipí, who fled with her mortal lover Tarobá in a canoe. In a rage, the deity sliced the river, creating the waterfalls and condemning the lovers to an eternal fall.The first European to record the existence of the falls was the Spanish conquistador Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca in 1541.

Thanks to my travelling friend Lando for this spectacular sunset card of Iguazu Falls!

Wow, he sure makes it sound exciting to be in Argentina, one day I shall visit South 

America and experience it for myself.

Sent: 27 September 2014   Received: 31 October 2014   Travelled:34 days

Cat from Mexico

This cute cat comes from Lando in Mexico.

I think the reason why I'm getting so many cats is because

of my "Cats from around the world" album. It all started when

I was in Istanbul and I told my sister about the fluffy cats there. 

She asked for pictures and since then I've been stalking,

chasing and shooting cats with my camera phone everyt time I see 

one from my travels >.>

Sent: 23 July 2014   Received: 29 August 2014   Travelled: 37 days

Belize flag

The flag of Belize is a continued version of the earlier flag of British Honduras (the name of Belize during the British colonial period).

British Honduras obtained a coat of arms on January 28, 1907, which formed the basis of the badge used on British ensigns. The coat of arms recalls the logging industry that first led to British settlement there. The figures, tools, and mahogany tree represent this industry.

From 1950 onward an unofficial national flag was in use. It was blue, with a modified version of the arms on a white disc in the centre (sometimes a blank white circle was used as the coat of arms was difficult to draw). The national motto, Sub Umbra Floreo, meaning “I Flourish in the Shade”, is written in the lower part of the coat of arms.

Thank you Lando for this flag card!

Sent: 30 May 2014   Received: 25 June 2014   Travelled: 25 days

Belize Toucan

 

Belize's colourful ambassador to the world, the Toucan

The colorful and large bill, which in some large species measures more than half the length of the body, is the hallmark of toucans. Despite its size, the toucan's bill is very light, being composed of bone struts filled with spongy tissue of keratin between them. The bill has forward-facing serrations resembling teeth, which historically led naturalists to believe that toucans captured fish and were primarily carnivorous; today it is known that they eat mostly fruit.

Thank you again Lando for this colourful bird!

Sent: 30 May 2014   Received: 20 June 2014   Travelled: 21 days

Belize, land of adventure

The impressive array of reef types and marine life along the 185 mile long barrier reef is unparalleled in the northern hermisphere.

In my state and the region where I live, travelers come to scuba dive and

I'm really missing out on the marine wonders, sure looks like you had

massive fun Lando, mucho gracias for this card!

Sent: 30 May 2014   Received: 20 June 2014   Travelled: 21 days

Half Moon Caye, Belize

The Half Moon Caye is located at the southeast corner of Lighthouse Reef Atoll, the furthest of Belize’s three atolls from the mainland, and one of only four such atolls in the Western Hemisphere. The atoll is an asymmetric rimmed platform, entirely surrounded by a fringing reef rising virtually to the surface. Inside this fringing reef is a lagoon speckled with hundreds of coral patches.
One of Half Moon Caye's principal inhabitants is the Red-footed Booby with a population around 4,000 breeding birds. Half Moon Caye supports what is considered the only viable breeding Red-footed Booby colony in the western Caribbean. The colony can be viewed from an observation platform located in the littoral forest on the western end of the caye.

WOW!

Normally, islands don't get me excite, the sun, the sand, the sea..it's all the same

but this view is simply stunning!

Mucho gracias Lando for making my eyes go huge as saucers on

this Natural Monument from Belize!

Sent: 30 May 2014   Received: 20 June 2014   Travelled: 21 days

Chihen Itza

 

Chichen Itza, one f the 7 Wonders with the Kukulkan Pyramid and the Chac Mool.

Chichen Itza was a major focal point in the northern Maya lowlands from the Late Classic (c. AD 600–900) through the Terminal Classic (c.AD 800–900) and into the early portion of the Early Postclassic period (c. AD 900–1200). The site exhibits a multitude of architectural styles, reminiscent of styles seen in central Mexico and of the Puuc and Chenes styles of the northern Maya lowlands. The presence of central Mexican styles was once thought to have been representative of direct migration or even conquest from central Mexico, but most contemporary interpretations view the presence of these non-Maya styles more as the result of cultural diffusion.
Chichen Itza was one of the largest Maya cities and it was likely to have been one of the mythical great cities, or Tollans, referred to in later Mesoamerican literature.The city may have had the most diverse population in the Maya world, a factor that could have contributed to the variety of architectural styles at the site.

Thank you Lando for this great historical card! Love the card and stamps :D

Sent: 21 April 2014   Received: 20 May2014   Travelled: 29 days

Flying Monk

 

A postcard from my Mexican friend, who says this is a favourite card

of his. Enjoy it very much, especially with the great timing of the

bird's wings spreading out behind the little monk.

Thank you Lando for this beautiful card :)

Sent: 21 April 2014   Received: 20 May 2014   Travelled: 29 days