Jasna Gora, Poland

Jasna Góra in Częstochowa, Poland,

travel time 20 days
distance travelled 1,371 km
received on 1 July, 2015
sent by Misia, Poland

The Jasna Góra Monastery in Częstochowa, Poland, is a famous Polish shrine to the Virgin Mary and one of the country's places of pilgrimage – for many the monastery is a spiritual capital. The image of the Black Madonna of Częstochowa, also known as Our Lady of Częstochowa, to which miraculous powers are attributed, is one of Jasna Góra's most precious treasures.

Black Madonna

The holy icon of Our Lady of Częstochowa dressed in special robes.

 Jasna Gora Monastery

travel time 9 days
distance travelled 1,263 km
received on 26 Jan, 2015
sent by Norbert, Poland

Jasna Gora on katolinen luostari eteläisessä Puolassa Częstochowan kaupungin lähellä. Jasna Goran luostari on yksi katolisen maailman tunnetuimpia pyhiinvaelluskohteita. 1300-luvulla perustetun luostarin maalaus, Musta madonna eli Pyhä madonna, on katolisessa kulttuurissa monien tarinoiden ja pelastuskertomusten lähde.

Rebecca Dautremer and Alice

 Direct swap from Nadine, France

It was a warm summer day and Alice was getting bored sitting beside her sister, who had her nose buried in a book. 

"... suddenly, a beautiful pink-eyed white rabbit ran close by her...

There was nothing very remarkable in that, nor did Alice think it so very much out of the way to hear the rabbit say to itself - Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late!"

Rebecca Dautremer is my favourite french illustrator.  Stop by her website to see more her beautiful work!

Audio books are nice entertainment for the long drives. From our city it takes ten hours to go to Helsinki and back. In September we listened Alice ( Liisa ) on the way to Helsinki and Winnie the Pooh on the way back home.

Winnie the Pooh (Nalle Puh ) is our favorite.

Postcards for the weekend 59: Anything you wish

Germany

Travel time 13 days

distance traveled 1,579 km

9 Oct, 2017 received from Michael, Germany

Art Nouveau water tower, Mönchengladbach,  Getmany

This building has a special shape, it was built in 1908-09,  it is 51 m high and the architect was Otto Greiß.

Mönchengladbach is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located west of the Rhine, halfway between Düsseldorf and the Dutch border.

Schöne Grüsse aus Regensburg. View over the Danube 

Stone bridge and Regensburg cathedral, cathedral of St. Peter 

Unesco World Cultural Heritage

Sent by Daniel on 7 Jan 2017 from Regensburg

travel time 8 days

distance traveled 1,635 km

received on 16 Jan, 2017 

Nida, Lithuania

The House of Thomas Mann and The Fisherman's House,  Curonian Spit, Lithuania

travel time 35 days

distance travelled 929 km

9 Oct, 2017 received from Agne Lithuania

The world-famous German writer Thomas Mann had built a summer house in Nida on the Curonian spit with the money he got as Nobel prize. He spent just two summer seasons there from 1930 till 1932.  The Lithuanian culture and creative people rescued the house from destroying and made it to a multifunctional museum and culture center where now several activities like concerts, workshops, seminars etc. take place. It s located at the Curonian Bay with a marvellous sight high from the hill and inside of the house one can find an interesting exhibition about life and work of this genius Thomas Mann.

The Curonian Spit is a 98 km long, thin, curved sand-dune spit that separates the Curonian Lagoon from the Baltic Sea coast. Its southern portion lies within Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia and its northern within southwestern Lithuania. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site shared by the two countries.

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