Minsk

Received on: 25 Feb, 2013

Distance: 961 km (597 miles)

Travel time: 12 days

 Thank you Lena from Minsk.

Right: Independence square, Catholoc church of Saints Simon and Helena ( The Red Church )

Left: Sculpture of Archangel Michael

The Church of Saints Simon and Helen is one of the most recognizable churches in Minsk because of its red brick construction. Located on the western end of Independence Square, the Roman Catholic church was built in 1905-1910 but was closed for much of its existence during Soviet times when it served as anything from a theatre to a film studio. Since 1990 the building has been active once again as a Catholic church, and is now connected with the Polish community in the city.



Wells, Vicars' Close

Recieved on: 21 Feb, 2013

Distance: 1,797 km ( 1,117 miles )

Travel time: 12 days

Thank you Bernadette from Liverpool!

I would love to visit this beautifull old city.

Wells is an ancient cathedral city in the picturesque district of Mendip, set in the heart of rural Somerset. It is known as the smallest city.

Vicars' Close ( 1348 - 1360 ) the oldestcomplete medieval street in Europe. The perspective  decieve a narrowing the street towards the north end and makes it apear longer. Vicars' Close, in Wells,  is claimed to be the oldest purely residential street with its original buildings all surviving intact in Europe.

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Tanssijoita

Recieved on:  21 Feb, 2013

Distance: 1,017 km (632 miles)

Travel time: 12 days

Thank you Valeria from Minsk  for this happy card.

Valeria sent this card of people dancing in national costumes and celebrating Belorussian holiday.

At the back is the ancient tower of Kamenets. It was buit in 13th century and it is the oldest standing building in Belarus. The walls of the 300-metre tower are two and a half metres thick. The outside diameter is 13.5 metres. The tower rests on a robust foundation made from crushed stone. The height of the foundation is nearly 2.3 metres, its outside diameter is about 16 metres. 

 

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Tasmania

Thank you Penny from Queensland, Australia.

31.1. 2013

Dove Lake and Cradle Mountain

Cradle Mountain, Tasmania, is part of the World Heritage area which includes

Lake St Clair in the heart of the island. It is Tasmania's best-known national park.

Wineglass Bay

The crystal clear waters and white sandy beach of Wineglass Bay  are a tremendous sight

Wineglass Bay, along with Cradle Mountain, is recognised across the world as one of Tasmania’s iconic destinations.

The Penitentiary, Port Arthur

Tasmania is Australia's island state, famous for wilderness and early Australian Convict history. South Port Arthur was established in the 1830s as a penal settlement and remains a physical chronicle of a dramatic part of Australia's history. Historic Port Arthur, a National Heritage site, has become Tasmania's most popular tourist destination.  Across the water, all that remain are the walls of the colonial penitentiary which housed the convicts of a past era. Much of the penitentiary structure that could be preserved remains on its original site.

Penny lives long way from here in a very small town in Queensland.

 She is lucky to see kangoroos every day!

Minnesota

Sandee from Pine Island, Minnesota sent me this card.

Pine Island is a small town,

in early 1900's it was known as the "Cheese Capital of the World".

Thank you Sandee!

 

Common Loon (  Amerikanjääkuikka - Gavia immer ) is  the bird symbol of Minnesota.

The Common Loon was adopted as the official state bird symbol of Minnesota in 1961. Loons are known for their cries, wails, and yodels - their eerie, echoing calls are a distinctive feature of Minnesota’s northern lakes

 

 

In Finland we have two Gavia- birds: Arctic Loon or Black-throated divers - Gavia arctica ( kuikka ) and Red-throated Loon - Gavia stellata ( kaakkuri ), they   look much the same as Gavia immer.

 



Hiihtoloma / ski holiday

This week has been the annual winter holiday at schools in the south of Finland. Also known as the “ski holiday”, the break is held during different weeks in schools in different parts of the country. This is a card my uncle sent on year 2006. His family spends winter and autumn holidays in Lapland almost every year.

28.2. 2006

Olostunturi

Fell Lapland is an area in West Lapland with a cluster of fells including Pallas, Olos, Ylläs and Levi. Of the municipalities in the area, Muonio is located in the ‘lower arm’ of Finland, Enontekiö in the ‘arm of Finland’, while the municipalities of Kittilä and Kolari are further south. What makes Fell Lapland different is the indigenous Sámi culture that still thrives in the district and having verifiably Europe’s cleanest nature.

This card is for Fari from Switzerland.

 We spent this week with our daughter and her two sons near this beautiful, old town.

Kristinestad is  authentic and picturesque wooden town with its wooden fences stems from the 18^th and 19^th centuries. It is one of Scandinavia’s best preserved wooden towns. 

Kristinestad was the first town in Finland to become a member of the international Cittaslow Network. Cittaslow's goals include improving the quality of life in towns by slowing down its overall pace, especially in a city's use of spaces and the flow of life and traffic through them. Cittaslow is part of a cultural trend known as the Slow movement.


This is my post for Postcard Friendship Friday hosted on Beth Niquette's blog, The Best Hearts are Crunchy. Just click on the button.



Hannu ja Kerttu

Illustration Bernhard  Oberdieck

“Nibble, nibble, those who roam,

who is nibbling on my home?”

“Only the air, only the air.

Blowing here and blowing there.”

Recieved on: 14 Feb, 2013

Distance: 1,607 km (999 miles)

Travel time: 5 days

Greetings from Tilburg, Netherlands!

This card represents the fairytail " Hansel and Gretel"

 and you can find this house made of candy

 in the most popular fairytail themepark

 in Netherlands: Efteling.  

Thank you Sylvie!

Sounds like a perfect place to visit with children.

This is my entry for Postcard Friendship Friday hosted on Beth Niquette's blog,

The Best Hearts are Crunchy. Just click the button under.