Ukraine - Kyiv

This postcard comes from one of my favorite cities - Kyiv, which is the capital of Ukraine :) I guess this city is better known as Kiev, but I think Kyiv is more correct. Why? Because "Kyiv" represents the Ukrainian name of this city ("Київ"), while "Kiev" is closer to Russian "Киев". Kyiv is a very old city - it celebrated its 1500th anniversary in 1982.

I've been to Kyiv only twice, because it's quite far away (about 1000km) from me. There's a train from Wrocław (my city) to Kyiv, but it takes about 24 hours to get there. I went there for the first time in 2007 and I spent 2 days in Kyiv. That was really interesting experience, because I had been only to Western Ukraine before and I could easily see some differences. I love the architecture of Kyiv, old churches, Dnipro river, Khreshchatyk street and the Independence Square ;)

Just because Kyiv is a very special city for me, I went there for one day this year :) I was visiting my friend in Ternopil', about 500km away from Kyiv. We decided to go to Kyiv by a night train, to spend a whole day there and to come back to Ternopil' during the next night. That was quite a crazy idea, but I think we should do some crazy things sometimes to have great memories when we're already old ;)

This postcard shows a panoramic view upon the monument to Bogdan Khmel'nitsky and St. Michael's Golden-Domed monastery.

United Arab Emirates - Dubai

That's my first card from the United Arab Emirates, received in the World Languages RR :) It shows Dubai :) I was especially surprised to see the snow on this card, because, as far as I know the geography, it's quite hot there ;) I've already found some information about it, but I still find it hard to imagine... Skiing in such a hot country!

Dubai (in Arabic: دبيّ‎, transliteration: Dubaīy) is one of the seven emirates and most populous city of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is located along the southern coast of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula. The city of Dubai is sometimes called "Dubai city" to distinguish it from the emirate.
Written accounts document the existence of the city for at least 150 years prior to the formation of the UAE. Dubai shares legal, political, military and economic functions with the other emirates within a federal framework, although each emirate has jurisdiction over some functions such as civic law enforcement and provision and upkeep of local facilities. Dubai has the largest population and is the second largest emirate by area, after Abu Dhabi.

Ski Dubai is claimed to be one of the largest indoor ski resorts in the world, with 22,500-square metres of indoor ski area. It is a part of the Mall of the Emirates, which is one of the largest shopping malls in the world.
An extremely efficient insulation system is the key to maintain the temperature of -1 degrees Celsius during the day and -6 degrees during the night when the snow is produced.
Ski Dubai is part of the Majid Al Futtaim Group of Companies, a leader for shopping malls in the region. Ski Dubai has 5 runs of varying difficulties, the longest being 400m.

Germany - Berlin (DE-229602)

I often think "Berlin is so close to the Polish border that I can always go there". And because of this way of thinking, I haven't been to Berlin yet. But this postcard makes me think that Berlin is a really beautiful city and that I should finally go there :)

The Gendarmenmarkt is a square in Berlin, and the site of the Konzerthaus and the French and German Cathedrals. The centre of the Gendarmenmarkt is crowned by a statue of Germany's poet Friedrich Schiller. The square was created by Johann Arnold Nering at the end of the seventeenth century as the Linden-Markt and reconstructed by Georg Christian Ungerin 1773. The Gendarmenmarkt is named after the cuirassier regiment Gens d'Armes, which was deployed at this square until 1773.

During World War II most of the buildings were badly damaged or destroyed. Today all the buildings are restored to their former state.

DE-229602

Finland (FI-393156)

I think I've already written on this blog that I love the Finnish landscapes and that I'd like to visit Finland someday to see a sunset over the lakes :) There's quite a long text written in Finnish on the back side of this postcard, but most of words seem to be too hard for the google translator ;)
Could you help me, please? :))

Iltaruskon aikaan järvimaisema tyyntyy ja näkymää hallistevat vastarannan ja rantakivien tummat silhuetit.

FI-393156

The Netherlands - Den Helder (NL-110899)

This postcard shows the water tower in Den Helder, The Netherlands. It reminds me the water tower in my city, which isn't used anymore, but there's a restaurant with a wonderful view :) I wonder, if this one is still in use?

Den Helder is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Den Helder occupies the northernmost point of the North Holland peninsula. It is home to the country's main naval base.

Huisduinen was the original older part of the city, whereas Helder itself was a nearby smaller hamlet. Due to its strategic location at the tip of the North Holland peninsula, multiple fortifications were built in the area. The area began to be called Helledore ("Gate to hell", later on Den Helsdeur), because of the "hellish" fortifications that prevented enemy ships from sailing into the Zuyderzee. The name Helder may also have come from Helle/Helde, which means hill or hilly grounds, or from Helre, which means a sandy ridge.

Den Helder has played an important part in Dutch shipping. During the Dutch Golden Age, ships would be assembled near Den Helder and sail from there the world's oceans. In the 1820s, the North Holland Canal was dug from Amsterdam to Den Helder. The lighthouse Lange Jaap was built in 1877 and is the tallest cast-iron lighthouse in Europe, at 63.45 meters (208.2 ft).

NL-110899

Russia - Moscow (RU-25728)

This beautiful postcard shows the Arch or Triumph and Poklonny Hill in Moscow. I've been to Moscow once (and that was my only trip to Russia), but when I first saw this card, I wasn't sure, which city (and country) it is :) Of course, now I remind myself much more, although I'm not sure, if I was in that place. I remember it was very cold (about -20 Celcius degrees, which was extremely freezing for me), but I enjoyed my stay in Russia anyway, because it used to be one of my biggest dreams several years ago. I'd love to go to Russia at least once more, because I haven't been to Saint-Petersburg yet and my best friend lives there :) We've already met in Moscow, Poland, Ukraine, but not yet it her city, so I think I definitely should try to improve it :)

RU-25728

USA - Cape Cod (US-271911)

If you read my blog sometimes, you probably know that I absolutely love the map cards :) This one shows the Cape Cod in Massachusetts, which is a great tourist attraction according to the sender.

Cape Cod (or simply the Cape to most New Englanders) is a peninsula nearly coextensive with Barnstable County, Massachusetts and forming the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States. The Cape's small town character and beachfront brings heavy tourism during the summer months.

Although the Cape was originally connected to the mainland, the Cape Cod Canal, which opened in 1914, technically transformed Cape Cod into a large island (though it is not normally referred to as such). Three bridges span the canal from the Massachuetts mainland to the Cape. Vehicles can cross onto the Cape via the Sagamore Bridge and the Bourne Bridge; the other is the Cape Cod Canal Railroad Bridge.

US-271911

UK - Scotland (GB-50947)

I received this card as an official and it was a really wonderful surprise, because I love it, when people try to fit my wishlist, even though they don't know me at all.
This card shows the flag of Scotland and the Royal Standard of Scotland (to be honest, I knew only the flag before) :)

The Flag of Scotland is a white saltire, a crux decussate (X-shaped cross) representing the cross of the Christian martyr Saint Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland, on a blue field. It is named the Saltire or the Saint Andrew's Cross. In heraldic language, it may be blazoned Azure, a saltire argent.
According to legend, in 832 A.D. King Óengus (II) (or King Angus) led the Picts and Scots in battle against the Angles under a king named Athelstan near modern-day Athelstaneford in East Lothian. King Angus and his men were surrounded and he prayed for deliverance. During the night Saint Andrew, who was martyred on a saltire cross, appeared to Angus and assured him of victory. On the following morning a white saltire against the background of a blue sky appeared to both sides. The Picts and Scots were heartened by this, but the Angles lost confidence and were defeated. This saltire design has been the Scottish flag ever since.

The Royal Standard of Scotland, also known as the Royal Standard of the King of Scots or more commonly the Lion Rampant, is the Scottish Royal banner, and its correct use is restricted to only a few Great Officers who officially represent The Sovereign. The banner of the Royal coat of arms of the Kingdom of Scotland, it was used historically by the King of Scots until the Union of the Crowns in 1603.

GB-50947

China - a teapot

This postcard shows a traditional Chinese teapot, which makes me want to have some tea (although I don't have such a nice teapot). I also like the Chinese text on the front side of postcard, although I can't read it :) I just like "strange" (for me) signs and wondering, what could be their meaning :) I remember I had the same attitude to Cyrillic alphabet until I learnt it myself at age of 11 :)

Yixing clay teapots (simplified Chinese: 宜兴; traditional Chinese: 宜興; pinyin: Yíxīng; Wade-Giles: I-Hsing) (also called Purple Sand (simplified Chinese: 紫砂; pinyin: zǐshā; Wade-Giles: tsu sha ) are a traditional pots made from Yixing clay and commonly used to brew tea. They originated in China, dating back to the 15th century, and are made from clay produced in the region of the town of Yixing, in the eastern Chinese province of Jiangsu.

Germany - Augustusburg

Here's another example of a card, which is older than me (being older than me still doesn't mean being very old) ;) It was printed in the German Democratic Republic. I received it in the World Languages RR, written in Russian :)

Augustusburg is a town in the district of Mittelsachsen, in the Free State of Saxony, Germany. It is situated 12 km east of Chemnitz. Augustusburg is known for the Jagdschloss (hunting castle) Augustusburg.

Kazakhstan - Lake Balkhash

I was really excited to receive my 1st card from Kazakhstan :) Jo, who sent me this card, writes that Kazakhstan is a big country with low population, empty steppe and not many postcards :) But if all the Kazakh postcards are just as beautiful as this one - it's much better than having 1000 types of boring cards :)
I've met some Polish people, whose grandparents were forced to move to Kazakhstan by the Russians and now they come back to Poland. Polish government gives them flat and some money so that they can start a new life here. But I don't know much about Kazakhstan, Kazakh culture and the life there. But I can tell you one thing for sure: Borat isn't really from Kazakhstan (maybe you've heard of the movie "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan"). By the way, this movie had a controversy with the Kazakh government, which was afraid that it could have a negative influence on Kazakhstan's image :)

This postcard shows a sunset over the Balkhash lake.

Germany - a mailbox :)

This wonderful postcard, sent by Sabrina, inspired me to add mailboxes to my postcard wishlist :) I just didn't realize that such postards exist! This one is actually in the shape of mailbox and shows a typical German mailbox (I know it, because I've been to Germany for many, many times) ;)
I love taking photos of post offices and mailboxes everytime I travel somewhere abroad :) So having more postcards like this one would make me very happy... If you have any - maybe we could trade? :)

Turkey - Ankara

I received this postcard in the World Languages RR (I already have 4 postcards from Leslie and I'm waiting for the 5th one, because we both participate in every Russian group) :D
This postcard shows Ankara, the capital of Turkey. According to Leslie, "Kalbimdesin" means "You're in my heart" :) I can't speak Turkish, but I trust her :)

Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after İstanbul. The city has a mean elevation of 850 m (2800 ft), and as of 2007 the city had a population of 3,901,201, which includes eight districts under the city's administration. Ankara also serves as the capital of the Province of Ankara.

As with many ancient cities, Ankara has gone by several names over the ages: The Hittites gave it the name Ankuwash before 1200 BC. The Galatians and Romans called it Ancyra. In the classical, Hellenistic, and Byzantine periods it was known as Ἄγκυρα Ánkyra. It was also known as Angora after it fell to the Seljuks in 1073, and was so known up until 1930.

Centrally located in Anatolia, Ankara is an important commercial and industrial city. It is the center of the Turkish Government, and houses all foreign embassies. It is an important crossroads of trade, strategically located at the center of Turkey's highway and railway networks, and serves as the marketing center for the surrounding agricultural area. The city was famous for its long-haired Angora goat and its prized wool (mohair), a unique breed of cat (Angora cat), white rabbits and their prized wool (Angora wool), pears, honey, and the region's muscat grapes.

Finland - a drawing by Mauri Kunnas (FI-391948)

This sweet dog was drawn by Mauri Kunnas :) I haven't heard of him before, but Postcrossing is very helpful, when it comes to learning about other countries and their culture. Especially about Finland ;)

Mauri Tapio Kunnas (born February 11, 1950 in Vammala) is a Finnish cartoonist and children's author.
Kunnas matriculated in 1969 and graduated from the Finnish Academy of Arts as a graphic designer in 1975. He has worked as a political cartoonist in many Finnish newspapers. He is currently living in Espoo with his wife Tarja, children Jenna (1983) and Noora (1987) and their cat.
Kunnas is most famous for his numerous children's books, featuring anthropomorphic animals. His most famous children's book series is called Koiramäki (Dog Hill), set in historical Finland, featuring anthropomorphic dogs. His other works include Riku, Roope ja Ringo (Ricky, Rocky and Ringo), some "horror" books and books about Joulupukki.

FI-391948

Italy - Abruzzo (IT-25856)

This card is actually older than I am :) I know it, because there's date 1988 printed on the back side (and I was born in 1991) :) Maybe I prefer receiving new postcards, but having some older ones is interesting as well, because it gives me some idea about the changes in postcard art.
This one shows the folk costumes from Abruzzo region in Italy.

IT-25856