USA: Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon is 446 km long, up to 29 km wide and attains a depth of over a 1,800 meters. Nearly two billion years of Earth's geological history have been exposed as the Colorado River and its tributaries cut their channels through layer after layer of rock while the Colorado Plateau was uplifted. While the specific geologic processes and timing that formed the Grand Canyon are the subject of debate by geologists, recent evidence suggests that the Colorado River established its course through the canyon at least 17 million years ago. Since that time, the Colorado River continued to erode and form the canyon to its present-day configuration.

For thousands of years, the area has been continuously inhabited by Native Americans who built settlements within the canyon and its many caves. The Pueblo people considered the Grand Canyon a holy site, and made pilgrimages to it. The first European known to have viewed the Grand Canyon was García López de Cárdenas from Spain, who arrived in 1540.

Thank You Tao Ye

Belarus: Busel – Stork

Very nice postcard from Belarus!

Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long, stout bills.
Storks dwell in many regions and tend to live in drier habitats than the closely related herons, spoonbills and ibises; they also lack the powder down that those groups use to clean off fish slime. Storks have no syrinx and are mute, giving no call; bill-clattering is an important mode of communication at the nest. Many species are migratory. Most storks eat frogs, fish, insects, earthworms, small birds and small mammals. There are nineteen living species of storks in six genera.

Thank you very much Anne!

Netherlands: Heineken

Heineken Lager Beer, is a pale lager beer with 5% alcohol by volume produced by the Dutch brewing company Heineken International. Heineken is well known for its signature green bottle and red star.

In 2014, Heineken celebrates its 150th anniversary.

In 2015, Heineken wins the Creative Marketer of the Year Award becoming the second company to win the award twice.

The original brewery where Gerard Adriaan Heineken first started making Heineken is now a museum. The brewery is now called the Heineken Experience Museum. Guests can walk around having the same kind of atmosphere just like back when it was still a brewery. The smell of fresh brewed beer still lingers in the air because guests can go home with a personalized beer with their name on the label.

Thank You Marieke.

Ukraine: The Family

Very nice postcard from Ukraine: "The Family" by Наталя Курій-Максимів (Natalia Kurly-Maksymiv)

Thank you Lilliya!

Switzerland: Swiss Alps

The Alpine region of Switzerland represents a major natural feature of the country and is, alongside with the Swiss Plateau and the Swiss portion of the Jura Mountains, one of its three main physiographic regions. The Swiss Alps extend over both the Western Alps and the Eastern Alps, encompassing an area sometimes called Central Alps.

The Swiss Alps comprise all the mountains of Switzerland over 2,000 metres above sea level and almost all the highest mountains of the Alps, such as Monte Rosa (4,634 m), the Dom (4,545 m), the Lyskamm (4,527 m), the Weisshorn (4,506 m) and the Matterhorn (4,478 m).

Since the Middle Ages, transit across the Alps played an important role in history. The region north of the St. Gotthard Pass became the nucleus of the Swiss Confederacy in the early 14th century.

Thank You Fiden!

Japan: Sano

This nice postcard with traditional painting comes from Sano.

Sano is a city located in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan.

The city is known for its Outlet Mall and ramen. Sano also has become the headquarters of the Japanese Cricket Association and has hosted a number of cricket games between international teams.

As of February 1, 2012, the city has an estimated population of 124,000, with 48,737 households and a population density of 348.25 persons per km². The total area is 356.07 km2.

Thank You Tomoko

Canada: Palais des congrès de Montréal

The Palais des congrès de Montréal is a convention centre located in the Quartier international de Montréal at the north end of Old Montreal in Montreal's borough of Ville-Marie.

The Palais was constructed above the Ville-Marie Expressway, the main underground highway of downtown Montreal. It connects to the Montreal Metro at Place-d'Armes station, and to Montreal's underground city.

Located in Montréal’s downtown core and linked to 4,000 hotel rooms by indoor walkways, the Palais des congrès de Montréal features 19,000 m2 of exhibition surface area, 65 meeting rooms and 18 loading docks.

Thank You Christine

Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatian post office in Mostar - Europa old toys

Two new stamps and FDC from Bosnia and Herzegovina, from Croatian post office in Mostar, will be issued on 05.04.2015.

Republika Srpska Europa 2015 Old Toys

Release date 17. 04. 2015.

200 years of the Second Serbian Uprising

Release date 23.04.2015.

 
The Second Serbian Uprising (1815-1817) was the second phase of the Serbian Revolution against the Ottoman Empire, which erupted shortly after the re-annexation of the country to the Ottoman Empire, in 1813. The occupation was enforced following the defeat of the First Serbian Uprising (1804-1813), during which Serbia existed as a de facto independent state for over a decade. The second revolution ultimately resulted in Serbian semi-independence from the Ottoman Empire. The Principality of Serbia was established, governed by its own parliament, constitution and royal dynasty. De jure independence followed during the second half of the 19th century.