Ross Dependency: Snares Islands

Today I got four postcards: one from the Ross Dependency and three from Germany.

The card from the Ross Dependency shows a group of Snares Crested Penguins on the Snares Islands. The Snares Islands are located 100km south west of Stewart Island. The Snares Islands are the southern most islands with trees. The Snares Crested Penguin is the one of five endemic species on the Snares Islands. Since 1998 are the Snares Islands together four other sub-antarctic island groups on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

With great stamps:
Penguins of Antarctica (two from set of five) (issued 19-11-2014)
It is a joint issue with Greenland.
Penguins are the most commonly found birds in Antarctica. The stamps show an 
Emperor Penguin and an Adélie Penguin. 

The card arrived in a foil bag as it was missent to Brunei.

Thank You very much Sharon!

Germany: Zollern II/IV Colliery

Today I got four postcards: three from Germany and one from the Ross Dependency.

One of the cards from Germany shows the Zollern II/IV Colliery in Dortmund. The Zollern II/IV Colliery run from 1899 to 1955 and is one of the architectural most important collieries in the Ruhr District. It is the seat of the LWL-Industriemuseum and is also an anchor point of the European Route of Industrial Heritage.

Stamp:
Glücksburg Castle (from set of two) (issued 02-01-2013)

Thank You very much Sibylle!

Germany: Kaiserdom in Königslutter

Today I got four postcards: three from Germany and one from the Ross Dependency.

One of the cards from Germany shows the Kaiserdom in Königslutter in Lower Saxony. The Kaiserdom in Königslutter was built between 1135 and 1170 and is one of the most important Romanesque buildings in Germany. It includes the tomb of Emperor Lothair II. 

Stamp:
Salmon (02-01-2014)

Thank You very much Konstanze!

Germany: Timmendorfer Strand

Today I got four postcards: three from Germany and one from the Ross Dependency.

One of the cards from Germany shows an aerial view of Timmendorfer Strand.

I bought this card when I visited Timmendorfer Strand to see the big firework at the New Year's Eve party organised by the NDR.

Stamp:
Salmon (02-01-2014)

cover from Germany

Today I got not only four postcards but also two covers from Germany.

Stamp:

Peony (issued 04-12-2014)

Inside were three postcards.
Two of them show traditions of the Ore Mountains.

The third card shows the Frohnauer Hammer. The Frohnauer Hammer is a hammer mill in Saxony and an important witness to proto-industrial development in the Ore Mountains. The Frohnauer Hammer seeks as part of the Mining Cultural Landscape Erzgebirge/Krušnohoří for the inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

EDIT:
The Erzgebirge/Krušnohoří Mining Region is one of the new UNESCO World Heritage Sites of 2019.

Thank You very much Jeannette!

cover from Germany

Today I got not only four postcards but also two covers from Germany.

Stamps:

Sewin (issued 04-12-2014)

Squirrel (from set of two) (issued 02-01-2015)

Inside were two postcards.
One of them shows some views of Cottbus. Cottbus is the second largest city of Brandenburg and the centre of the Sorbs in the Lower Lusatia.

The other card shows Schwerin. Schwerin is the second largest city of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and its capital city.

Thank You very much Sieglinde!

Germany: Glücksburg Castle

Today I got a postcard from Germany.

It shows the Glücksburg Castle in Schleswig-Holstein. The Glücksburg Castle was built between 1582 and 1587 and is one of the most important renaissance castles in northern Europe. It was once used as residence of the Danish Kings. Today it houses a museum.

With matching stamp:
Glücksburg Castle (from set of two) (issued 02-01-2013)

Thank You very much Mimi!

Japan: Love & Dove

Today I got five postcards: one from Japan, one from Germany, one from France, one from Portugal and one from South Korea.

The card from Japan shows the illustration Love & Dove by Masako Kato.

Stamp:
Hospitality (from set of eight) (issued 06-09-2014)
with a special postmark showing the same illustration as the card

Thank You very much Keiko!

South Korea: Illustration

Today I got five postcards: one from South Korea, one from Japan, one from Germany, one from France and one from Portugal.

The card from South Korea shows a post related illustration.

With nice stamps:
Longhorn Beetle (issued 10-06-2000)
Age of Dinosaurs (from set of four) (issued 05-08-2010)
Fans (from set of four) (issued 18-07-1994)

Thank You very much Soeun!

Portugal: Tower of Belém

Today I got five postcards: one from Portugal, one from South Korea, one from Japan, one from Germany and one from France.

The card from Portugal shows the Tower of Belém in Lisbon. The Tower of Belém was built between 1515 and 1521 in the Portuguese Manueline style. It was built as reminder of the great maritime discoveries that laid the foundations of the modern world. Until the 19th century it was used as jail. Since 1983 is the Tower of Belém together with the Monastery of the Hieronymites on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Stamp:
Extreme Sports (from set of three) (issued 27-06-2014)

Thank You very much Keiko!

France: Côte d'Opale

Today I got five postcards: one from France, one from Portugal, one from South Korea, one from Japan and one from Germany.

The card from France shows four lighthouses at the Côte d'Opale.

Stamps:
New Marianne 0,01€ and 0,10€
Abbaye de Pontigny - Yonne (issued 10-06-2014)

Thank You very much William!

Germany: Christmas Market in Frankfurt

Today I got five postcards: one from Germany, one from France, one from Portugal, one from South Korea and one from Japan

The card from Germany shows the Christmas Market in Frankfurt. At the Christmas Market in Frankfurt there are over 200 stands selling food, sweets and Christmas items. Famous items are the pottery mug of the Christmas Market for glühwein, the Quetschemännsche and the Frankfurter Brenten.

Stamp:
Glücksburg Castle (from set of two) (issued 02-01-2013)

Thank You very much Keiko!

Germany: Winter in Kiel

Today I got not only five postcards, but also a cover from Germany.

Stamps:

crocus (issued 11-08-2005)

2000 years Battle of the Teutoburg Forest (issued 04-06-2009)

Inside was a postcard showing the wintry illumination of Schleswig-Holstein's capital Kiel. The illumination concept was created for Kiel to show the maritime atmosphere also in winter.

Thank You very much Anne!

Canada: Toronto

Today I got my first two cards of 2015: one from Canada and one from France.

The from Canada is a reprint of a postcard from 1935. It shows various sights of Toronto in large letters. 

With great stamps:
Haunted Canada (from set of five) (issued 13-06-2014)
The stamp is printed with a unique foil treatment adding a special spooky effect.
75th anniversary of Superman (from coil) (issued 10-09-2013)
Superman was created in 1938 by Canadian Joe Shuster and American Jerry Siegel. He first appeared in a comic on 1st June 1938.
Christmas (issued 23-10-2014)
The stamp shows a detail of Abraham Janssens van Nuyssen's oil painting Virgin and Child shown at the Basilica Cathedral Notre-Dame de Québec.

Thank You very much Tristan!

France: Christmas Market in Strasbourg

Today I got my first two cards of 2015: one from France and one from Canada.

The card from France shows the Christmas Market in Strasbourg. The Christmas Market in Strasbourg is held on the Grand Île since 1570. It is both the oldest and the biggest Christmas market in France. 

Strasbourg is the capital of the Alsace region and was once the capital of the German Imperial Territory of Alsace-Lorraine. Strasbourg is the home of various European institutions such as the European Parliament and the Council of Europe and is thus considered as Capital of Europe. Since 1988 is Strasbourg's historic centre, the Grand Île, on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Stamp:
Palais de Justice de Douai (issued 06-10-2014)

Thank You very much Julie!