This beautiful card is one of a set; Pentik is a Finnish manufacturer of handcrafted dishware and other beautiful things!
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Lisbon, Portugal
This is an offical postcrossing card -- I love it! It's so busy and full of life -- my favorite kind of card!
Great Smoky Mountains
I picked this card up during one of my rides through Tennessee -- I have extras in my inventory if anyone wants one :) I love the Great Smokies!
Solomon's Porch
This is Solomon's Porch, a Christian retreat center and the hub of several mission outreaches to Lynch, Kentucky. Lynch is an old coal-mining town that's defunct now; Solomon's Porch is in the building that housed the old hospital.
Harbor View Sunzhuang Garden
This is an official postcrossing card from China -- I learned that the island here is also known as "the piano island."
Natural Tunnel State Park, Virginia
We stopped at this park on our way home from our mission trip to Kentucky. The Natural Tunnel has been called the eighth wonder of the world. The tunnel is over 850 feet long and is surrounded by rock walls over 400 feet high. Access to the mouth of the tunnel is by trail or chairlift. And trains still use it today!
Dragon Tiger Towers
This beautiful card comes from my penpal Andrea in Taiwan. She said these pagodas are located in the "Love River."
Guardian Angel
This is not a postcard either, but a beautiful greeting card from my penpal Marja. I love this so much that I'd like to have a poster of it for my walls! The artist is Minna Kortti, I think.
Stained Glass
This is from the Roman Catholic Cathedral in Turku, Finland. My friend Aila tells me that the glass shows St. Henry and the Swedish King and St. Erick and the Holy Virgin Mary. St. Henry was a Finnish apostle. During the middle ages, every Swedish King used to travel around their lands to visit their kingdom. Love this stained glass!
Cross of the Plains Church, Seinajoki, Finland
This is not a postcard. Instead, it is from a brochure sent to me by my penpal Marja in Seinajoki, home of the famous architect Alvar Aalto. His work is beautiful! I especially love this church building! Marja sent this to me after my request for more information about it! This church is marvelous, inside and out. And although I know that God does not dwell in buildings made with human hands, I still am in awe of the talent He has given to man to create such wonders!
Provincial Farmhouse Museum, Finland
The farmhouse of Liinamaa. I just love how simple and beautiful this is. My penpal Marja tells me that the straw mobile hanging from the ceiling is a typical traditional orament.
The Beatles
Let It Be. Thanks to my sister Maria for this -- it's a real treasure in my collection :) (I used to love the Beatles; bought my first Beatles album, The Red Album, the very night John Lennon was shot.)
Healing Yakei, Tokyo
Another card from the series: "The night scene of seaside city in Tokyo. Ordinary, well-composed. Its shiny lights excites you." :)
Icon of Christ and Mother
This is in the convent of Lintula, in northeastern Finland -- from what my penpal tells me, the only Finnish Orthodox Convent.
Healing Yakei Tokyo
My sister brought me a series of eight of these neat cards. The text on the bottom reads: "The beautiful white night sight. It sublimates your spirit. Be more ambitious; You'll make it!" I love their use of English :)
Naantalin Kirkosta
Sorry for the poor scan; our scanner doesn't quite know what to do when cards have black borders. Anyway, this is one of the oldest churches in Finland and a former convent. Naantali = vallis gratize = valley of Grace.
Bisbilhoteca!
I usually don't post ad cards here, but this is an ad card from my penpal Claudia in Brasil! She has just opening a new bookstore specializing in children's books! Awesome!
Melborne, Australia
Again, this beautiful card goes against what I consider stereotypical Australia -- you know, kangaroos, deserts, the great barrier reef and Crocodile Dundee :) This is a beautiful, colorful card!
Hong Kong
This is Johnston Road, Wanchai. The tram service began in 1904 and continues to be a vital part of Hong Kong's transportation system. Today's trams are probably the largest, most inventive collection of moving billboards in the world! Thanks to Ameko for this wonderful card!
Franksten, Australia
This just doesn't look like the stereotypical Australia. I guess that's why we should work hard NOT to stereotype!
Epcot Center
This photo doesn't do this gorgeous silver, shiny postcard justice. I've been to Epcot several times, seeing I lived in Florida for more than 20 years. My mom recently went and got me this postcard :) I'd like to go back with the kids someday.
Mission Space: Epcot
"Feel the full force of a space launch as you blast off on the most intense thrill ride in any Disney Park." Well...I've always wanted to feel what a launch is like, but this might be too intense for me now in my old age :)
Convent in Estonia
This, according to the sender, is the only Russian Orthodox convent in Estonia. Look how neat the buildings are!
Iceland
I was amazed to get this card as an official postcrossing card! If you like travel essays, read this one called A Morning in Iceland about a long layover in Iceland: www.idlewords.com/2003/11/a_morning_in_iceland.htm. It's fascinating!
Greetings from Manila
City view of Ortigas Avenue. As the sender points out, you can see the Robinson's Galleria Mall and Edsa Shrine. An amazing view of a country I will probably never see in person!
Callo Cave, Philippines
A series of caves, the most prominent of which looks like a natural cathedral and is used by the town folk for native rituals.
Chichen Itza, Mexico
My parents brought this for me from their latest cruise. The Temple of the Warriors, seen here, was once an important site in this ancient Mayan capital.