USA: Seattle Space Needle

Today I got three postcards: one from the USA, one from New Zealand and one from Japan.

The card from the USA shows the Space Needle in Seattle. Seattle is a city in the State of Washington and the largest city in the north-west of the USA. The Space Needle was built for the world exhibition 1962 in Seattle. Then it was the first building in North America with rotating restaurant. Today it is an important sight of Seattle and is visited by more than 1million visitors every year.

Stamps:
Gingerbread Houses (whole set) (issued 06-11-2013)
Christmas (from set of two) (issued 10-11-1971)
Christmas (issued 01-11-1962)
Christmas (issued 01-11-1963)

Thank You very much Heidi!

Japan: Arrietty

Today I got three postcards: one from Japan, one from the USA and one from New Zealand.

The card from Japan shows Arrietty. Arrietty is the main character in an animated movie of the same name produced by Studio Ghibli. It tells the story of a family of tiny people who live secretly in the walls and floors, borrowing items from humans to survive. It was released in 2010.

Stamps:
Definitives (from set of twelve) (issued 2015)
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Thank You very much Wakana!

New Zealand: Abel Tasman National Park

Today I got three postcards: one from New Zealand, one from Japan and one from the USA.

The card from New Zealand shows an advertising poster for the Abel Tasman National Park on the South Island. The Abel Tasman National Park was established in 1942, 300 years after Abel Tasman, the first European on New Zealand, anchored nearby in Golden Bay.

Stamps:
Christmas (from set of five) (issued 04-11-2015)
New Zealand's Longest Reigning Monarch (from set of seven) (issued 07-08-2015)

Thank You very much Sharon!

cover from Spain

Today I got not only three postcards but also a cover from Spain.

Stamp:

Protected Fauna (from set of four) (issued 20-10-2014)

Inside were my first two cards from the Canary Islands.

The Canary Islands are an archipelago off the coast of Morocco. They are one of the Autonomous Regions of Spain and a Outermost Region of the European Union. The largest islands of the archipelago are Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro. The status of the capital city is shared between Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

The first card shows various views of San Cristóbal de La Laguna. San Cristóbal de La Laguna is a city on Tenerife. It is the third largest city of the Canary Islands and is considered to be its cultural centre. The city is also home to the first university of the Canary Islands. San Cristóbal de La Laguna is since 1999 on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The second card shows the Mount Teide in the Teide National Park on Tenerife. The Mount Teide is an active volcano. It is the tallest mountain in Spain. The Teide National Park was established in 1954 and is thus one of the oldest national parks of Spain. It is also the most visited national park in Spain and one of the most visited in the World. Since 2007 is the Teide National Park on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Thank You very much Fernando!

New Zealand: Milford Sound

Today I got a postcard from New Zealand.

It shows the Milford Sound. The Milford Sound is a fjord in the Fiordland National Park on the South Island. It is one of New Zealand's most famous tourist destinations and was awarded World's top travel destination by TripAdvisor in 2008. Rudyard Kipling once called it the Eighth Wonder of the World. Because of the deep water emergence animals can be viewed in the shallow waters near an observatory, which normally only live in deep water. Since 1990 is the Fiordland National Park as part of the Te Wahipounamu on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Stamps:
Native Seashells (from set of five) (issued 06-05-2015)
New Zealand's UNESCO World Heritage Sites (from set of six) (issued 05-08-2015)

Thank You very much Norma!

Singapore: Istana

Yesterday I got three postcards: two from Singapore and one from Indonesia.

One of the cards from Singapore shows the Istana. The Istana is a mansion in the Orchard Road area. It was built between 1867 and 1869 by the British colonial government as official home of the British governor. Since 1965 it is the official residence and office of the President of Singapore and the working office of the Prime Minister of Singapore. It is also used for state functions and ceremonial occasions. The Istana building and its grounds are open to the public on five selected statutory holidays. The Changing of the Guard Parade every month is a popular public event.

With matching stamps:
Official Residence of the President (from set of two) (issued 24-11-2015)
It is a joint issue with India.
with First Day Special Postmark

Thank You very much Janet!

Singapore: Old Scientific Illustration

Yesterday I got three postcards: two from Singapore and one from Indonesia.

One of the cards from Singapore shows an old scientific illustration.

Stamps:
International Year of Co-operatives (from set of three) (issued 31-05-2012)
50 years Citizen's Consultative Committees (from set of two) (issued 24-10-2015)
with the eleventh of twelve slogan postmarks celebrating Singapore's 50th anniversary of independence

Thank You very much Candice!

Indonesia: Sea Turtle

Yesterday I got three postcards: one from Indonesia and two from Singapore.

The card from Indonesia shows a sea turtle. Sea turtles are reptiles living in the ocean. There are seven species of sea turtle in the World, six of them also live in Indonesian waters. The most of the species are endangered. In Indonesia the sea turtles are protected by law.

With a great matching stamp:
Defence Industry (from set of three) (issued 05-10-2015)
Sea Turtle (issued 05-11-2014)

Thank You very much Shinta!

cover from France with Kazakhstan's Postcrossing stamp inside

Yesterday I got not only three postcards but also a cover from France.

With a nice stamp:

New Marianne 0,01€, 0,05€ and 0,10€

50 years National Forest Office (issued 23-11-2015)

Inside was the great new Postcrossing stamp from Kazakhstan (issued 07-11-2015).

Thank You very much William!

Germany: Goslar and the Harz

Yesterday I was in Goslar and there bought some cards for my collection.

Two of them show views of Goslar in winter.

The first shows Goslar's Christmas Market. The Christmas Market is held in the historic centre of Goslar, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and is considered to be one of the most beautiful Christmas Markets in Germany.

The second card shows the Imperial Palace with much snow.

I also bought a postcard showing the fauna of the Harz.

Austria: Heiligenkreuz Abbey

Yesterday I got two postcards: one from Austria and one from Finland.

The card from Austria shows the Heiligenkreuz Abbey in the Austrian State of Lower Austria. The Heiligenkreuz Abbey was founded in 1133 and is thus the second oldest continuously occupied Cistercian monastery in the World. Its medieval parts are of exceptional value in terms of architectural history, but it was later also enriched by Baroque additions to interiors and furniture. It currently seeks for the inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Stamp:
Christmas (issued 27-11-2015)
with First Day Special Postmark

Thank You very much Marco!

Finland: Moominpappa

Yesterday I got two postcards: one from Finland and one from Austria.

The card from Finland shows Moominpaapa from Tove Jansson's Moomin books. Moominpappa lives in Moominvalley and is the head of the Moomin family. He is boyish and adventurous. He always wears a black had. Moominpappa appeared for the first time in The Moomins and the Great Flood, the first Moomin book.

With related stamp:
EUROPA (from set of two) (issued 08-05-2015)

Thank You very much Raili!

Czech Republic: Merkur Modelling System

Yesterday I got three postcards: one from the Czech Republic, one from Hong Kong and one from Austria.

The card from the Czech Republic shows a crane built of colour parts of the Merkur modelling system. The Merkur modelling system is a toy created in the early 20th century. It is based on belts and profiles of different shapes and lengths, made of painted sheet steel and containing a network of drilled holes. These parts are put together with bolts and nuts. It is successfully sold since the 1920s and is today one of the most popular Czech toys.

With a great matching stamp:
EUROPA (issued 06-05-2015)

Thank You very much Blanka!

Austria: Vienna in Winter

Yesterday I got three postcards: one from Austria, one from the Czech Republic and one from Hong Kong.

The card from Austria shows various views of Vienna in winter.

The card was sent from the Postcrossing Meet-up in Vienna.
Stamp:
Christmas Tree (issued 13-11-2015)

Thank You very much Alex!

Hong Kong: Swans

Yesterday I got three postcards: one from Hong Kong, one from Austria and one from the Czech Republic.

The card from Hong Kong shows two swans.

Stamp:
Christmas (from set of four) (issued 04-11-2014)
with a special postmark about the Family Day

On the backside there is also a special postmark about the 31st Asian International Stamp Exhibition.

Thank You very much Joe!