RUSSIA - The Altai Mountains

"The Altai Mountains (Altay Mountains) are a mountain range in East-Central Asia, where Russia, China, Mongolia and Kazakhstan come together, and are where the rivers Irtysh and Ob have their headwaters. The northwest end of the range is at 52° N and between 84° and 90° E (where it merges with the Sayan Mountains to the east), and extends southeast from there to about 45° N and 99° E, where it gradually becomes lower and merges into the high plateau of the Gobi Desert. In Turkic and Mongolic languages, the name, Altai, means the "Golden Mountain"; al meaning red/gold and tai/tag, mountain . The proposed Altaic language family takes its name from this mountain range."

SPAIN -View of the Mayor Square, Madrid

"Madrid, is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be around 6.5 million. It is the third-largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan area is the third-largest in the European Union after London and Paris."

FRANCE - Limoges

"Limoges is a city and commune, the capital of the Haute-Vienne department and the administrative capital of the Limousin région in west-central France. Limoges is known for its medieval and Renaissance enamels (Limoges enamels) on copper, for its 19th-century porcelain (Limoges porcelain) and for its oak barrels which are used for Cognac production."

KOREA - Wintergirl holding cheongsachorong

This card shows a wintergirl holding a cheongsachorong (Korean lantern).  Hat and vest are for winter.  The girl is wearing traditional costume Hanbok, its most common style for women in Joseon dynasty era (1392 - 1910) braided hair girl is before she getting married but changed after getting married with hairpin - Binyeo.

KOREA - Hanok

Hanok refers to Korean traditional architecture.  Hanok can be categorized depending on the building materials; a tile-roofed house, a thatched cottage, a shingle-roofed house, a log cabin, etc.  Regardless its type of the materials, Hanok is nature-friendly architecture.

The  best feature of Hanok is Ondol.  Ondol is a uniquely Korean heating system that can be traced back to the ancient kingdom of Goguryeo (37 B.C. - A.D. 668).  Invented by ancient Koreans, the original system is worked by heating a large stone under a living space; Smoke from a fire just outside the dwelling is forced under the stone and exited on the other side.  This Ondol system has high thermal efficiency and is an economical way to heat the room or establish the facilities, so it has been adjusted to modern housing by spreading pipes under floors and circulating heated water through the pipes.

PORTUGAL - Lisbon

"Lisbon  is the capital and the largest city of Portugal. It is the westernmost large city located in continental Europe, as well as its westernmost capital city and the only one along the Atlantic coast. Lisbon lies in the western Iberian Peninsula on the Atlantic Ocean and the River Tagus."

TEXAS - The River Walk, San Antonio

"The San Antonio River Walk (also known as Paseo del Río) is a network of walkways along the banks of the San Antonio River, one story beneath the streets of Downtown San Antonio, Texas, USA. Lined by bars, shops and restaurants, the River Walk is an important part of the city's urban fabric and a tourist attraction in its own right."

BELARUS - Cartoon

Thanks to Anna for the card.

AUSTRALIA - Blue Mountains

This is an official postcrossing card from Australia.

"The Blue Mountains is a mountainous region in New South Wales, Australia. It borders on Sydney's metropolitan area, its foothills starting about 50 kilometres west of the state capital. The public's understanding of the extent of the Blue Mountains is varied, as it forms only part of an extensive mountainous area associated with the Great Dividing Range. Officially the Blue Mountains is bounded by the Nepean and Hawkesbury Rivers in the east, the Coxs River and Lake Burragorang to the west and south, and the Wolgan and Colo Rivers to the north. Geologically, it is situated in the central parts of the Sydney Basin."

The sender used a beautiful Christmas Island stamp - year of the snake 2013 and and matching Blue Mountain Crossing 1813 stamps.

NETHERLANDS - Find the Ladybug.. Cute!

 'Annabelle the ladybug is the most beautiful one.  But where did she hide?.'
Cute!  Thanks to Joyce for the lovely card.

RUSSIA - Russian Bread

Thanks to Anastasia for the yummy bread. Yummm..

CHINA - Scenery of Wuzhen, an old watery town, south of China

"Wuzhen is a historic scenic town, part of Tongxiang, located in northern Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China. Located in the centre of the six ancient towns south of Yangtze River, 17 kilometres (11 mi) north of the city of Tongxiang, Wuzhen displays its history through its ancient stone bridges, stone pathways and delicate wood carvings."

NETHERLANDS -

GERMANY - Birthday Wishes

Thanks to Conni for the birthday wishes card.

CHINA - Chinese Traditional Architecture

"Chinese architecture refers to a style of architecture that has taken shape in East Asia over many centuries. The structural principles of Chinese architecture have remained largely unchanged, the main changes being only the decorative details."

NETHERLANDS - Birthday Wishes

Thanks to Nanne for the card.  A birthday wishes. :)

RUSSIA - Grumpy Guy

Thanks to Nataliya for the card and enclosed used stamps!.  One grumpy guy we have here...lol

UNITED KINGDOM - Angry Bird cartoon

CANADA - Autumn

 Thanks to Shelley for the card.

NORWAY - The Seven Sisters

"The Seven Sisters (Norwegian: De Syv Søstrene or Dei Sju Systrene, also known as Knivsflåfossen) is the 39th tallest waterfall in Norway. The waterfall consists of seven separate streams, and the tallest of the seven has a free fall that measures 250 metres (820 ft). The waterfall is located along the Geirangerfjorden in Stranda Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The waterfall is located just south of the historic Knivsflå farm, across the fjord from the old Skageflå farm. The falls are about 6.5 kilometres (4.0 mi) west of the village of Geiranger. It is part of the Geiranger World Heritage Site.

The legend of the seven sisters is that they dance playfully down the mountain. Meanwhile, across the fjord, the suitor (or courter) flirts playfully with them from afar."

GERMANY - Gohren

"The municipality of Göhren adjoins the easternmost point of the island of Rügen: Cape Nordperd. It separates the North Beach (Nordstrand) from the South Beach (Südstrand).

The North Beach is the actual bathing beach with a seaside promenade. Between Göhren Pier and the Nordperd lies the Buskam, the largest glacial erratic boulder in North Germany, which rises one metre about the sea. "Göhren is a municipality in the Vorpommern-Rügen district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany."

BRAZIL - Cachoeira Paulista, SP

"Cachoeira Paulista is a municipality in the state of São Paulo in Brazil. The population in 2003 is 29,254."

BELARUS - Fauna of Belarus

RUSSIA - Christmas Mood

 Thanks to Tanya for the Christmas mood card.

TAIWAN - Retro

Thanks to Iris for the card.