Malaysia: Crystal Mosque in Kuala Terengganu

On 31st July I got three postcards from Malaysia. 

One of them shows the Crystal Mosque in Kuala Terengganu. The Crystal Mosque was built between 2006 and 2008 of steel, glass and crystal. It is one of the main attractions of the Islamic Heritage Park. 

Stamp:
Installation of His Majesty The Yang Di-Pertuan Agong XIV (from set of three) (issued 11-04-2012)

Thank You very much Matthew!

Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur

On 31st July I got three postcards from Malaysia. 

One of them shows an aerial view of Kuala Lumpur. Kuala Lumpur is the capital city, the largest city and a Federal Territory of Malaysia. It is also recognised as global city and became one of the New7Wonders Cities in 2014. In recent decades the city has undergone rapid development.

Stamp:
Islands of Malaysia (from set of four) (issued 28-06-2003)

Thank You very much Matthew!

China: Kulangsu

On 29th July I got two postcards from China.

One of them shows an aerial view of Kulangsu. Kulangsu is a small island off the coast of Xiamen. In 1903 Kulangsu was established as international settlement and became an important window for the cultural exchanges between China and the foreigners. It is especially known for its mixture of different architectural styles. Today it is one of China's most visited tourist attractions. Last month Kulangsu was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Stamp:
Shouxi Lake (from set of two) (issued 25-11-1998)
It is a joint issue with Switzerland.

Thank You very much Wei Tianyi!

China: Qinghai Hoh Xil

On 29th July I got two postcards from China.

One of them shows Qinghai Hoh Xil. Qinghai Hoh Xil is the largest and highest plateau in the World. It is known for its unique biodiversity and its many endemic species including the Tibetan Antilope. Last month Qinghai Hoh Xil was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Stamps:
Fruits (two from set of four) (issued 23-07-2016)

Thank You very much Chen Zhan!

Hong Kong: Summer Drinks

On 28th July I got a postcard from Hong Kong.

The card shows summer drinks.

With a nice stamp:
The Five Senses (from set of five) (issued 18-07-2017)
The five stamps in set are printed with special printing effects, which are used to echo the stamp theme. This "Taste" stamp is said to have vanilla flavoured gum.

Thank You very much Joe!

Germany: Schleswig-Holstein from Papersisters

On 27th July I got three postcards: one from Germany, one from South Africa and one from Thailand.

The card from Germany is Papersisters' German Landmark postcard of Schleswig-Holstein. Schleswig-Holstein is the northernmost of Germany's 16 Federal States. It borders on Denmark, the Baltic Sea, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Hamburg and the North Sea. The state is home to a Danish minority. Kiel is the state's capital and Lübeck its only other big city.

Among others the card shows the Holsten Gate in Lübeck and Glücksburg Castle.

With matching stamps:
University of Kiel (issued 02-03-2015)
Lighthouse Kiel-Holtenau (from set of two) (issued 08-06-2017)
with a special postmark from Amrum

Thailand: Bang Pa-In Palace

On 27th July I got three postcards: one from Thailand, one from Germany and one from South Africa.

The card from Thailand shows the Bang Pa-In Palace. The Bang Pa-In Palace is located in the Ayutthaya Province and was formerly used as summer residence of the Thai kings. It was originally constructed in 1632, but was not used from the late 18th century until the mid-19th century when it was restored by King Mongkut.

With nice stamps:
100 years Thai State Railway (from set of four) (issued 26-03-1997)
International Letter Writing Week (from set of four) (issued 09-10-1994)
Telecommunications (from set of four) (issued 09-06-1997)

Thank You very much Jobbo!

South Africa: West Coast

On 27th July I got three postcards: one from South Africa, one from Thailand and one from Germany.

The card from South Africa shows a fishing boat at the West Coast.

With a great stamp:
50 years Krugerrand (from set of three) (issued 03-01-2017)
The coin design is relief embossed onto gold foiling.

Thank You very much Kyle!

Germany: Mannheim

On 25th July I got a postcard from Germany.

It shows various views of Mannheim. Mannheim is a big city in the German State of Baden-Württemberg. It is the third largest city of its state and the twenty-second largest of Germany. The city is known as City of Squares, because its streets are laid out in a grid pattern. Mannheim is also considered to be one of the most inventive cities in the World, as the bicycle, the car and the rocket plane were invented there. Since 2014 is Mannheim a UNESCO City of Music.

I got this card a few weeks ago in a cover.

Stamp:
200 years Bicycle (issued 13-07-2017)
with a matching special postmark from Mannheim

Thank You very much Julia for sending me the card in an envelope!

Helmut Kohl covers

On 25th July I got not only a postcard but also two covers from Germany.

Helmut Kohl was born in Ludwigshafen in 1930. He was a German statesman and member of the Christian Democratic Union. Between 1969 and 1976 he was minister president of the German State of Rhineland-Palatinate. In 1982 he became Chancellor of Germany. He was strongly committed to European integration and French-German cooperation. Kohl is considered to have been the mastermind of the German reunification and the architect of the Maastricht Treaty. He remained chancellor until 1998 and thus had the longest tenure of all German Chancellors. Also in 1998 Kohl became the second person to be named Honorary Citizen of Europe. Helmut Kohl died on 16th June 2017 in Ludwigshafen. Following his death Kohl was honoured with the first ever European Act of State.

Stamps:

Winter Aconite (issued 08-06-2017)

25 years German Unity (issued 01-10-2015)

with a special postmark about the death of Helmut Kohl

Stamp:
Condolence (issued 11-05-2017)
with a special postmark about the European Act of State held for Helmut Kohl at the European Parliament

Germany: Town Musicians of Bremen

On 24th July I got a postcard from Germany.

It shows the Town Musicians of Bremen.

The card was signed during the Postcrossing Meet-up in Bremen.
Stamp:
100th birthday of Heinz Sielmann (issued 08-06-2017)

Thank You very much Christine!

United Kingdom: Pontcysyllte Aqueduct

On 22nd July I got a postcard from the United Kingdom.

It shows the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is a navigable aqueduct that carries the Llangollen Canal across the River Dee. It was finished in 1805 and is the longest and highest aqueduct in Great Britain. The aqueduct is considered to be a pioneering masterpiece of engineering and monumental metal architecture. Since 2009 is the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

With great stamps:
Queen's Head
Year of the Monkey (from set of twenty) (issued 2016)
Opening of the Channel Tunnel (from set of four) (issued 03-05-1994)
It is a joint issue with France.
European Assembly Elections (from set of four) (issued 09-05-1979)

Thank You very much Anu!

I just returned from my summer holidays and during my absence many cards arrived. I will add all of them and also the cards I bought during my holidays to my blog in the next days. ^___^

Belgium: Antwerp

On 21st July I got two postcards: one from Belgium and one from France.

The card from Belgium shows the Cathedral of Our Lady in Antwerp. Antwerp is the largest city of Belgium and the capital of the Antwerp Province. The Port of Antwerp is one of the biggest in the World. It is known as Diamond Capital and is one of the most multicultural cities in World. In 1920 Antwerp hosted the Summer Olympics. As one of the Belfries of Belgium and France is the belfry of the Cathedral of Our Lady since 1999 on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Stamp:
The German-speaking Community of Belgium (from set of five) (issued 17-01-2009)

Thank You very much Marcel!

France: Boulogne-sur-Mer

On 21st July I got two postcards: one from France and one from Belgium.

The card from France shows a before and after picture of a part of Boulogne-sur-Mer which has been renovated.

Stamps:
Abbatiale de Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire (issued 22-05-2017)
Paris 2024 Olympic Games Candidature (issued 16-05-2017)
with a special postmark

Thank You very much William!