wtorek, 4 czerwca 2013

poniedziałek, 3 czerwca 2013

335. Argentina #1


Yup, my first postcard from Argentina. Thank you so much, Nico, for this great swap. I love card and stamps from you. :)

Gaucho is a term commonly used to describe residents of the South American pampas, Gran Chaco, or Patagonian grasslands, found principally in parts of Southern Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, eastern and southern Bolivia and Southern Chile. In Brazil, gaúcho is also the main gentilic of the people from the state of Rio Grande do Sul.

Gaucho is a loose equivalent of the North American "cowboy" (vaquero, in Spanish). Like the North American word cowboy, the Chilean huaso, the Cuban guajiro, the Venezuelan or Colombian llanero or the Mexican charro, the term often connotes the 19th century more than the present day; then gauchos made up the majority of the rural population, herding cattle on the vast estancias, and practicing hunting as their main economic activities.

There are several conflicting hypotheses concerning the origin of the term. It may derive from the Mapuche cauchu ("vagabond") or from the Quechua huachu ("orphan"), which gives also a different word in American Spanish, guacho and Brazilian Portuguese gaúcho. The first recorded uses of the term date from around the time of Argentine independence in 1816.

334. USA #49


 My first postcard from Louisiana. I got it from Arnold through Facebook direct swap. Thank you so much, Arnold. I love it. :)

Probably the single most famous style of music to originate in the city was New Orleans jazz, also known as Dixieland. It came into being around 1900. Many with memories of the time say that the most important figure in the formation of the music was Papa Jack Laine who enlisted hundreds of musicians from all of the cities diverse ethnic groups and social status. Most of these musicians became instrumental in forming jazz music including Buddy Bolden, Bunk Johnson and the members of Original Dixieland Jass Band.[3] One of early rural blues, ragtime, and marching band music were combined with collective improvisation to create this new style of music. At first the music was known by various names such as "hot music", "hot ragtime" and "ratty music"; the term "jazz" (early on often spelled "jass") did not become common until the 1910s. The early style was exemplified by the bands of such musicians as Freddie Keppard, Jelly Roll Morton, "King" Joe Oliver, Kid Ory. The next generation took the young art form into more daring and sophisticated directions, with such creative musical virtuosos as Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet, and Red Allen.

333. USA #48


Beautiful card to my Lighthouses collections. I got this from Heather and I love it! :) Look how beautiful stamps I got. Thank you, Heather. :)

Cape Cod is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States. Today it is co-extensive with Barnstable County, and is defined by the towns along the Cape Cod Canal, and those to the east along the peninsula all the way to Provincetown. Several small islands right off Cape Cod, including Monomoy Island, Monomoscoy Island, Popponesset Island, and Seconsett Island, are also in Barnstable County. The Cape's historic and maritime character and ample beaches attract heavy tourism during the summer months.

Cape Cod was formed as the recessional moraine of a glacier at the end of the last ice age, resulting in the peninsula that stretches into the Atlantic Ocean.

In 1914, the Cape Cod Canal was cut through the base or isthmus of the peninsula, turning nearly all of Cape Cod into what would technically be described as an island. One of the biggest barrier islands in the world, Cape Cod shields much of the Massachusetts coastline from North Atlantic storm waves. This protection erodes the Cape's shoreline at the expense of its cliffs, while protecting towns from Fairhaven to Marshfield.

By road, all vehicles entering Cape Cod must cross over the Cape Cod Canal via the Sagamore Bridge or the Bourne Bridge. The two bridges are parallel some four miles apart, with the Bourne Bridge to the west, and the Sagamore to the east. In addition, the Cape Cod Canal Railroad Bridge carries railway freight and limited passenger services onto the Cape.

332. China #11


One of my latest direct swaps. It's from Jarod from China.

Lujiazui, formerly known as Lokatse from its pronunciation in Shanghainese, is a locality in Shanghai, a peninsula formed by a bend in the Huangpu River. Since the early 1990s, Lujiazui has been developed specifically as a new financial district of Shanghai. The decision to earmark Lujiazui for this purpose reflects its location: it is located on the east side of the Huangpu River in Pudong, and sits directly across the river from the old financial and business district of the Bund.

Lujiazui is a national-level development zone designated by the government. In 2005 the State Council reaffirmed the positioning of the 31.78 km² Lujiazui area as the only finance and trade zone among the 185 state-level development zones in mainland China.

331. Netherlands #19


Really beautiful view of Netherlands. I love it! Thank you, Silvia :)

A windmill is a machine that converts the energy of wind into rotational energy by means of vanes called sails. Originally, windmills were developed for milling grain for food production. In the course of history, the windmill machinery was adapted to many other industrial uses. An important non-milling use is to pump water, either for land drainage or to extract groundwater.

Of the 10,000 windmills in use in the Netherlands around 1850, about 1000 are still standing. Most of these are being run by volunteers, though some grist mills are still operating commercially. Many of the drainage mills have been appointed as backup to the modern pumping stations. The Zaan district has been said to have been the first industrialized region of the world with around 600 operating wind-powered industries by the end of the 18th century. Economic fluctuations and the industrial revolution had a much greater impact on these industries than on grain and drainage mills so only very few are left.

330. Netherlands #18


Card from Silvia showing most typical things for The Netherlands. My favourites are the waffles. I got the once from my friends living in Groningen. They are delicious!! :)

A stroopwafel (English translation: syrup waffle, treacle waffle or caramel waffle) is a waffle made from two thin layers of baked batter with a caramel-like syrup filling in the middle. They were first made in Gouda in the Netherlands, in 1784. Large versions are sold in the streets as a snack.

The stiff batter for the waffles is made from flour, butter, brown sugar, yeast, milk, and eggs. Medium sized balls of batter are put on a waffle iron. After the waffle has been baked, and while it's still warm, it's cut into halves. The warm filling, made from syrup, brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon, is spread between the waffle halves, gluing them together.

The stroopwafel originates from Gouda in the Netherlands. It was first made during the late 18th century or early 19th century by a baker using leftovers from the bakery, such as breadcrumbs, which were sweetened with syrup. One story describes the invention of the stroopwafel to the baker Gerard Kamphuisen, which would date the first stroopwafels somewhere between 1810, the year when he opened his bakery, and 1840, the year of the oldest known recipe for syrup waffles. In the 19th century, there were around 100 syrup waffle bakers in Gouda, which was the only city in which they were made until 1870. After 1870 they were also made at parties and in markets outside the city of Gouda. In the 20th century, factories started to make stroopwafels. In 1960 there were 17 factories in Gouda alone, of which four are currently still open. The traditional way to eat the stroopwafel is to place it atop of a drinking vessel with a hot beverage inside that fits the diameter of the waffle. The heat from the rising steam warms the waffle and slightly softens the inside and makes the waffle soft on one side while still crispy on the other.

329. Netherlands #17


Thank you, Silvia! :))

Groningen (Gronings: Grunnen; West Frisian: Grins) is the main municipality as well as the capital city of the eponymous province in the Netherlands.

With a population of around 190,000, it is the largest city in the north of the Netherlands. Groningen is a university city: the University of Groningen and Hanze University of Applied Sciences each have about 25,000 students.

328. Netherlands #16


Card from Silvia showing diversity of  Dutch stamps. I love it, especially the one with the rabiit and dog. :)))
Thank you, Silvia! :)

327. Netherlands #15


Another Jetoy card from Silvia.It's inspired by painting of Sandro Boticelli.

The Birth of Venus (Italian: Nascita di Venere) is a 1486 painting by Sandro Botticelli. Botticelli was commissioned to paint the work by the Medici family of Florence, specifically Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco de' Medici under the influence of his cousin Lorenzo de' Medici, close friend to Botticelli . It depicts the goddess Venus, having emerged from the sea as a fully grown woman, arriving at the sea-shore (which is related to the Venus Anadyomene motif).The painting is on display at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy.


326. Netherlands #14


I arranged few wonderful swaps lately as I wanted to expand my Jetoy Cat collection. :) This card came to me from Sylvia.
I love these cards not only because of cute-looking kitty. Listen to the concept of the illustrations.


Lovely cat Choo choo who likes to dream and enjoy the adventure lives in Jetoy
which is the planet existing on the opposite space far from earth.
(The cats who live in Jetoy are called Choo choo.)
Choo choo has a distinctive scent attracting birds and butterflies.
They are always protecting Choo choo.
Choo choo lives like us in their world where we can't see.
Oneday Choo choo has gone a long journey
from their everyday life by shopping, baking cookies and reading books
and has stayed for a long time in the planet Earth.
Choo choo lives together with us as the appearance of our pet.*

How do you like this idea? ;)

*description from site www.jetoy.com

325. USA #47


I love this card. To be honest, I love everything whats involved with Los Angeles and California in general. I'm so in love with this state and I want to live there one day (I hope I can make it!).
But to the point ;) I got his card through direct swap on Facebook from Stephen who's living in Cali. Thank you, Stephen! I love it :)

Griffith Observatory is a facility in Los Angeles, California sitting on the south-facing slope of Mount Hollywood in Los Angeles' Griffith Park. It commands a view of the Los Angeles Basin, including Downtown Los Angeles to the southeast, Hollywood to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. The observatory is a popular tourist attraction with an extensive array of space and science-related displays.
View from a trail in Griffith Park from the south, looking north.

3,015 acres (12.20 km2) of land surrounding the observatory was donated to the City of Los Angeles by Colonel Griffith J. Griffith on December 16, 1896. In his will Griffith donated funds to build an observatory, exhibit hall, and planetarium on the donated land. Griffith's objective was to make astronomy accessible by the public, as opposed to the prevailing idea that observatories should be located on remote mountaintops and restricted to scientists.

Griffith drafted detailed specifications for the observatory. In drafting the plans, he consulted with Walter Adams, the future director of Mount Wilson Observatory, and George Ellery Hale, who founded (with Andrew Carnegie) the first astrophysical telescope in Los Angeles.

As a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project, construction began on June 20, 1933, using a design developed by architect John C. Austin based on preliminary sketches by Russell W. Porter. The observatory and accompanying exhibits were opened to the public on May 14, 1935. In its first five days of operation the observatory logged more than 13,000 visitors. Dinsmore Alter was the museum's director during its first years; today, Dr. Ed Krupp is the director of the Observatory.

324. United Kingdom #6


I got this beautiful card through direct swap from a friend who's living actually in UK. It shows Old Tollgate house Southgate in Aberystwyth in 1932. Thank you so much!!

Aberystwyth (Mouth of the Ystwyth) is a historic market town, administrative centre and holiday resort within Ceredigion, Wales. Often colloquially known as Aber, it is located near the confluence of the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol. Since the late 19th century, Aberystwyth has also been a major Welsh educational centre, with the establishment of a university college there in 1872.

323. Russia #20


Card from official Postcrossing site. I got it from Margarita from Ekaterinburg. I really like it. Graphic is called Princess and Dragon and its made by russian arist Irina Dumina.
Thank you, Margarita!

322. Taiwan #12


This is another card from Taiwan showing Alishan railway. I got this from Spoken through official Postcrossing site. I really love stamp with Pyrestes curticornis. Thank you!

The Alishan National Scenic Area is a mountain resort and natural preserve located in the mountains of Chiayi County in Taiwan, Republic of China. It is 415 km² in area. It includes, among other things, mountain wilderness, four villages, waterfalls, high altitude tea plantations, the Alishan Forest Railway and several hiking trails. The area is popular among tourists and mountain climbers, and Alishan or Mount Ali itself has become one of the major landmarks associated with Taiwan. The area is also famous for its production of high mountain tea and wasabi.

321. Belarus #22


I got this beautiful card from Lena through official Postcrossing site. I love it. :)

The brown bear (Ursus arctos) is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. Adult bears generally weigh between 100 and 635 kg (220 and 1,400 lb) and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.