Indonesia

Gatotkaca from epic of Mahabharata, India

From Kevin, Indonesia

sent on 21 Sep, 2017

travel time 32 days

distance travelled 10,345 km

The postcad is showing the flying super-man, Gatotkaca holding a giant postcard and parts of other landmarks, including the tip of one of the pyramids of Egypt, the top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and the outstretched arm of the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and many others.

The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India, the other being the Ramayana. The Mahabharata is an important source of information on development of Hinduism between 400 BCE  and 200 CE.  Gatotkaca is character in the epic Mahabharata. 

The stamp was issued July 14 as part of a set honoring Postcrossing.

Christmas Markets

Nuremberg Christmas Market

Nuremberg is one of Germany's oldest Christmas markets dating back to 1628.  Over 180 traditional stalls, blanketed in red and white cloth, ensure that this extremely popular market remains authentic. Modern and mass-produced goods are strictly prohibited and officials police the stalls to ensure that the vendors are offering the visitors hand-crafted wares in keeping with the tradition of the market. Favourite food delights at the market include the Nuremberg “plum people” (small figures made from prunes), spicy gingerbread, sweets and Nuremberg sausages. 

 Children's Market, provides plenty of family fun, featuring an old-fashioned carousel, Ferris wheel, steam train and Nativity scene trail.

Aachen Christmas Market, Germany 

Aachen’s main Christmas market is concentrated on the large public squares around the cathedral (Dom) and Rathaus in the old town area. The cathedral, is the perfect background to the market and particularly romantic when covered in snow.

 UNESCO declared Aachen Cathedral a cultural World Heritage Site in 1978. 

Postcards for the weekend 58: Market

Work

Logger, Romania
Winter Logging with the Oxen, Bucovina

From Anca

Goat shepherd, Greece

My collection

Gardener, Japan

Patently raking patterns in the rock garden of Ryoan- ji Temple, Kyoto

From Mayumi

Work

 Cobbler at the turn of the century, Philippines

From Pin, Philippines

Fisherman at the turn of the century, Philippines

From Jomanne, Philippines

Trader

Rarity postcard from series "Greetings from Moscow", "Russian types" , "Types of Russia", issued by Moscow publishing houses in 1900-1910, have been reprinted. From the collection of Moscow City Museum. 

From Natalia, Russia

Windmills

A unique piece of Dutch history on the River Zaan

The Zaanse Schans., a well-known outdoor attraction, was set up with the intention to preserve the historical heritage. Between 1961 and 1974 many old buildings and mills from the Zaanstreek were transported with low loaders to the Zaance Schans.

From Luise in Hoofddorp, The Netherlands

Menorca lighthouses

Menorca or Minorca is one of the Balearic Islands located in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain. Its name derives from its size, contrasting it with nearby Majorca.

One of the representative characteristics of Menorca island are the magnificent lighthouses on the top of amazing cliffs. There are many well known lighthouses spread along the coast of the island.

One of them is Favàritx lighthouse

The lighthouse was built in 1922 and is an imposing and impressive structure standing at 47 metres with a light range of 16 nautical miles. The surrounding area of the lighthouse is stunning, with a mix of rugged volcanic rock and slate and not much else. 

Postcards for the weekend 57: Lighthouses

Portugal

A Pérola do Bolhão, traditional grocery in Porto

From my friend

A Pérola do Bolhão is a traditional grocery store in downtown Porto.  This grocery has a large variety of quality products, from mountain cheese to dried fruits, from good wine to delicatessen and Portuguese traditional cookies. The façade has beautiful Art Noveau style entrance covered in Portuguese tiles. If you look closely you’ll realize that the images are of women holding tea plants and coffee plants, as the lettering on top refers to Tea (“Chá”) and Coffee (“Café”).

Serra da Estrela Nature Park

Typical rural houses in Beira Alta 

Flickr swap from Maria

National Palace of Sintra is the best-preserved medieval royal residence in Portugal, being inhabited more or less continuously from at least the early 15th century to the late 19th century. It is a significant tourist attraction and is part of the cultural landscape of Sintra.

Sintra is a city in Portugal, and one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. 

From my friend

Cities from Poland

 Wrocław - City Hall

The capital of Lower Silesia has a huge Old Town built on several islands connected by over 100 bridges. Apart from its unique location, Wroclaw amazes with its volume of Gothic, Baroque and Art Nouveau architecture. Wroclaw's extremely complicated history, combining the cultural influences of Germany, Bohemia, Austria and Poland, has left its mark on the atmosphere of the city.

From  Asia, Zielona Gora 

Warsaw, Castle Square. Marcin Kotarski art.

From Klaudia. Warsaw

Poznan

 strów Tumski  ("Cathedral Island") is an island between two branches of the river Warta in the city of Poznań.. Poznań Cathedral and other ecclesiastical buildings occupy the central part of the island. Ostrów Tumski is part of the city's former Nowe Miasto ("New Town") district, although it is actually the oldest part of the city, where the rulers of the early Polish state in the 10th century had one of their palace

From Kniga, Poznan

St Peter And Paul Church and Krakow guide :) Photo Piotr Galus

From my sister and family

Kłodzko

The Fortress and Old Town.

Kłodzko is a town in Lower Silesian Voivodeship, Poland. Located in the southern Kłodzko Valley, the town is renown for its large former military fortress, its number of ornate monuments, and its historical medieval stone bridge, which has given the town its nickname, "Little Prague." The population of Kłodzko is nearly 28,000.

From Dorota, Lublin

University of Virginia

 The Lawn

Direct swap from Birgitta, Virginia, U.S.A.

University of Virginia is a public institution that was founded in 1819. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 16,736, its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 1,682 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. University of Virginia's ranking in the 2017 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 24. 

Virginian yliopisto  on julkinen tutkimusyliopisto Yhdysvalloissa. Se sijaitsee Charlottesvillessä Virginiassa, ja sen perusti Thomas Jefferson vuonna 1819. Vuonna 2016 U.S. News & World Report -⁠lehden rankingissä Virginian yliopisto sijoitettiin 24. tilalle parhaiden yhdysvaltalaisyliopistojen joukossa. 

Yliopiston tunnetuihin alumneihin kuuluvat senaattori Edward Kennedy ja journalisti Katie Couric. Kirjailija Edgar Allan Poe sai aikoinaan eropassit yliopistosta hävittyään opiskelurahansa uhkapelissä, mutta hänen asuntolahuoneensa on museoitu. (Wikipedia)

Temples

Black Dragon Cave Temple, China

The Black Dragon Cave is in fact an ancient temple complex and it includes single and multi-storied pavilions, temples, shrines, palaces and so on. Surviving a couple of wars, the Black Dragon Cave was built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and its current shape is the result of several renovations.

From huchot :)

Kiyomizudera, "Pure Water Temple" is one of the most celebrated temples of Japan. It was founded in 780 on the site of the Otowa Waterfall in the wooded hills east of Kyoto, and derives its name from the fall's pure waters. The main hall was constructed in the 17th century, and is famous for its location overhanging a cliff. This site is known for its cherry blossoms in the spring, and its red leaves during the fall.

From Fumie, Japan

Trees

Acacia or Mimosa on the beach. 

From Cassie, Germany

Early Light with Morning Mist

Ruby Beach on the Washington coast of the Olympic National Park, UNESCO World Heritage

From Bob , U.S.A.

Taken from the book: Tree stories

From Alexandra Germany

Traditions

Schoolgirls cycling down the street wearing the traditional Ao Dai costume, a graceful image of Vietnam.

The áo dài is a Vietnamese national costume, now most commonly worn by women but can also be worn by men. In its current form, it is a tight-fitting silk tunic worn over trousers.. Áo translates as shirt. Dài means "long". 

Ao Dai in white color always contains different meanings, both traditional custom, Vietnamese women’s beauty and gentleness of Vietnamese schoolgirls.

Selfies from the past

Johann ( Jan )  Kupecký  (1667-1740) Slovakia  

Self portrait 1711

My portrait collection

Vasily Perov  (1834-1882) Russia

Self Portrait 1870

My Perov collection

 Helene Schjerfbeck (1862-1946) Finland 

Self Portrait 1912

My Helene collection

Joan Miro (1893-1983) Spain
Sef-Potrait 1919
My Miro collection

 Frida Kahlo (1907- 1954)
 Self Portrait with Monkeys 1943
Sent by Joachim, Germany

Autumn treats

 Honey from Russia

 Pancake from Åland

2 dl (4/5 cup) semolina (some islanders use the same amount of pudding rice instead of semolina)
1 dl (2/5 cup) wheat flour
1 litre (4 1/4 cups) whole milk
2 or 3 eggs
1 tsp salt
1 dl (2/5 cup) sugar
2 tsp cardamom
Serves 4 to 6 people

Heat the semolina in the milk for a few minutes to a porridge consistency, and let it cool down. Mix eggs, sugar, salt and cardamom separately, then stir this mixture and the flour into the semolina.
Pour the mixture into a baking dish greased with butter, and scatter a few small knobs of butter over the top of the pancake. Bake 50 to 60 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius (390 degrees Fahrenheit), until the surface of the pancake is golden brown.

Serve hot or cold topped with whipped cream and stewed prunes or jam (popular jams in Åland are made of local apples, strawberries, rhubarb or buckthorn berries).

Walnut cake from Netherlands

School

 Old Dutch School

From  Mariel, Netherlands

Her own photo

Schoolboys in Harju-Jaani Parish School, Estonia 

Photo Heinrich Tidermann,  1896

From Jevgeni, Estonia

Classroom 18th / 19th century, Netherlands
Photo Tom Haartsen
From Ineke, Netherlands