PAKISTAN - Baltistan

Thank you to Serena Hotel for this lovely postcards of their hotel in Pakistan. I was surprise to received these postcards sent via DHL. Thank you again for the cards.

This card shows - Serena Shigar Fort - 17th Century Raja's Palace known as "Palace on the Rock", Shigar Valley, Baltistan, Pakistan.

Gilgit Serena Hotel - overlooking the magnificent Rakaposhi Mountain (7,788m), Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan.

Serena Khaplu Palace - the finest surviving example of the Royal Residence in Baltistan, Pakistan.

Hunza Serena Inn - magical views over the Hunza valley, Karimabad, Gilgit- Baltistan, Pakistan.

NETHERLANDS - Prince Willem Alexander of Netherlands

From official postcrossing, Titia sent me Prince Willem Alexander from Netherlands and his Argentinian wife Maxima.  Now they are king and queen and they have three daughters.

For the stamps Titia wrote, the stamps were issued when they have been married for 12 1/2; an important anniversary in the Netherlands.

CHINA - Chinese Dwellings - Wang's Yard

A nice card of traditional Chinese houses/dwellings postcard, my swap with Huying Chen. Thank you Huying for a nice card.

"Traditional Chinese dwellings are usually designed around the common values of shared communal and family space. Dating back to ancient times, courtyard houses, also known as Beijing siheyuan buildings, are enclosed and inward-facing structures with a courtyard in the center surrounded by four, one-story housing structures. This design helps maximize sunlight, but minimize contact with the busy outside world. They are also family-oriented and meant to house four generations. Traditionally aligned along a north/south axis (which will provide good fortune, according to the principles of feng shui), the main entrance is on the south end -- usually off center and opening to an outer courtyard or transition space. A visitor would enter through another passageway before entering the main courtyard. The south side contains rooms that traditionally serve as the kitchen and servants' quarters. The main house on the north end, while the east and west sides made up smaller structures, usually for married children and their families."

GERMANY - Bremen

"The City Municipality of Bremen (German: Stadtgemeinde Bremen, German pronunciation: [ˈbʁeːmən] ( listen)) is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the River Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen/Oldenburg Metropolitan Region (2.4 million people). Bremen is the third most populous city in Northern Germany and tenth in Germany."

CHINA - Dusk in Poyang Lake

"Poyang Lake (Chinese: 鄱阳湖/鄱陽湖; pinyin: Póyáng Hú, Gan: Po-yong U), located in Jiangxi Province, is the largest freshwater lake in China."

TAIWAN - Kenting Youth Centre, Kenting, Pingtung

"Facing the Bashi Strait, Kenting Youth Activity Center situates next to the Frog Stone Seashore Park in Kenting.It is a traditional Fujen(a province in southern China, also called Min) style building with red gate, white wall and red tile roof, and is often reputed as the Museum of Southern Min Style Architecture."

GERMANY - Popular Snack (Bayerische Brotzeit)

MALAYSIA - Selamat Hari Raya

Selamat Hari Raya postcard from  Abuz of Malaysia Postcrosser group.  Thank you!

UNITED KINGDOM - The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh (Prince Philip)

Another great postcard from Gordon, the Queen and Prince Philip of England.  Thank you for the great card, new addition for my royal collection.

MALTA - Mnajdra Temples

A direct swap with Chaanah of Malta showing the Mnajdra Temples. In her card she wrote that these temples are of the oldest temples build worldwide. also, part of the temples were used to mark the position of sunrise on the solstices and Equinoxes, much like in Stonehenge in UK.

Thank you Chaanah for the great card!

"Mnajdra is a megalithic temple complex found on the southern coast of the Mediterranean island of Malta. Mnajdra is approximately 500 metres from the Ħaġar Qim megalithic complex. Mnajdra was built around the fourth millennium BCE; the Megalithic Temples of Malta are among the most ancient religious sites on Earth,[1] described by the World Heritage Sites committee as "unique architectural masterpieces."[2] In 1992 UNESCO recognized the Mnajdra complex and four other Maltese megalithic structures as UNESCO World Heritage Sites."

NETHERLANDS - King of Netherlands and family

Another great card for my royalty theme. The King and Queen of Netherlands and their daughter.

JAPAN

KENYA - African Wildlife Flamingoes

Another great card from Roseline of Kenya. Thank you.

ENGLAND - Warwick Castle and River Avon

Gordon sent me this Warwick Castle postcard. Some information on the castle:

"Warwick Castle  is a medieval castle developed from an original built by William the Conqueror in 1068. Warwick is the county town of Warwickshire, England, situated on a bend of the River Avon. The original wooden motte-and-bailey castle was rebuilt in stone in the 12th century. During the Hundred Years War, the facade opposite the town was refortified, resulting in one of the most recognisable examples of 14th century military architecture. It was used as a stronghold until the early 17th century, when it was granted to Sir Fulke Greville by James I in 1604. Greville converted it to a country house and it was owned by the Greville family, who became earls of Warwick in 1759, until 1978 when it was bought by the Tussauds Group."

RUSSIA - Alexander I (1777 - 1825)

From official postcrossing, Yulia sent me a this card which read: Alexander II (1777 - 1825) reigned as Emperor o Russian from 1801 to 1825.  He was the first Russian king of Poland, as well as the first Russian Grand Duke of Finland.  The Tsar's greatest triumph come in 1812 as Napoleon's invasion proved a total disaster for the French.  Another addition to my royal collection.

FRENCH POLYNESIA - Bora-Bora

Another new country for me, #120 from French Polynesia.  Thank you Diana for sending me, my first card from the country. The card shows Bora-Bora Island.

"Bora Bora is an island in the Leeward group of the Society Islands of French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the Pacific Ocean. The island, located about 230 kilometres (143 miles) northwest of Papeete, is surrounded by a lagoon and a barrier reef. In the centre of the island are the remnants of an extinct volcano rising to two peaks, Mount Pahia and Mount Otemanu."

Society Islands of French Polynesia :

IRAN - Girl in traditional costume

One new country to add to my collection, card #119, from Iran. It shows a beautiful girl with traditional outfit and head cover. Received the card on 16 Dec 2014.

"Iran, also known as Persia, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered to the northwest by Armenia and Azerbaijan, with Kazakhstan and Russia across the Caspian Sea; to the northeast by Turkmenistan; to the east by Afghanistan and Pakistan; to the south by the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman; and to the west by Turkey and Iraq. ran is home to one of the world's oldest civilizations."

GERMANY - Christmas Chapel Near Mittenwald

MAURITIUS - Le Dodo De l'ile Maurice

A written in envelope postcard shows a 'Dodo' bird which is now extinct, long time ago was Mauritius only bird. Thank you Zaheda for the nice postcard.

"The dodo (Raphus cucullatus) is an extinct flightless bird that was endemic to the island of Mauritius, east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean.

The first recorded mention of the dodo was by Dutch sailors in 1598. In the following years, the bird was hunted by sailors, their domesticated animals, and invasive species introduced during that time. The last widely accepted sighting of a dodo was in 1662. Its extinction was not immediately noticed, and some considered it to be a mythical creature."

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA -Serbian Orthodox Church of Holy Trinity in Banja Luka,

A great card from Sandra of Bosnia and Herzegovina.  Thank you for the great swap Sandra.

"Church of the Holy Trinity was built between the two world wars in the center of Banja Luka . Construction of the temple lasted from 1925 to 1929 , and was solemnly consecrated on Ascension Day in 1939 . When isceniranog German bombing , April 12, 1941 , the temple was hit and badly damaged the altar ( APSE ) . In May of that year Ustase temple declared a " mockery of the city " and ordered the Serbs , Jews and Roma to it , brick by brick , completely broken down."

OREGON

These cards come as surprise to me, Debbie sent this 4 beautiful card from Oregon as a thank you card for my official card.  Thank you for these cards and wonderful Batman forever stamps, my kids just love the stamps.

Debbie also sent me a Chrismas handmade card, How beautiful it is, I miss scrapping too..

BELARUS - Lighthouse