Brunei: Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque

On Thursday I got three postcards: one from Brunei, one from France and one from Germany.

The card from Brunei shows the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque in Bandar Seri Begawan. The Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque is the largest mosque in Brunei and is considered to be one of the most beautiful in the Asia Pacific. It is influenced by Islamic and Italian styles and was finished in 1958. Nearly all the material used for the building were imported from abroad. Its main dome is covered in pure gold. The mosque dominates the skyline of Brunei's capital and has become a major tourist attraction.

Stamps:
Definitive (from set of twelve) (issued 09-10-1996)
Definitive (from set of twelve) (issued 23-02-2007)

Thank You very much Matthew!

Germany: History of Regensburg

On Thursday I got three postcards: one from Germany, one from Brunei and one from France.

The card from Germany is the Chronicle card of Regensburg. Regensburg was first mentioned in 179 and in 739 it became a bishop's see. The 12th and the 13th century saw a heyday of trade and culture. In 1245 Regensburg became a Free Imperial City and in 1542 it adopted the Lutheran Reformation. From 1663 to 1806 the city was the permanent seat of the Imperial Diet of the Holy Roman Empire, which became known as the Perpetual Diet of Regensburg. In 1810 the city became a part of Bavaria. Today is Regensburg the fourth largest city of Bavaria and is also the capital of Upper Palatinate. The Old Town of Regensburg contains many buildings of exceptional quality that testify to its history as a trading centre and thus it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2006.

The Old Town Hall of Regensburg (lower picture) was the site of the Perpetual Diet of Regensburg. Today it is the seat of Regensburg's mayor and also houses a museum about the Perpetual Diet and the Holy Roman Empire.

Stamp:
Saxon Switzerland (issued 02-06-2016)

Thank You very much Nicy!

France: Côte d'Opale

On Thursday I got three postcards: one from France, one from Germany and one from Brunei.

The card from France shows various views of the Côte d'Opale.

Stamp:
100th birthday of Léo Ferré (issued 12-09-2016)

Thank You very much William!

Norfolk Island: Kingston

On Tuesday I got three postcards: my first card from Norfolk Island, one from New Zealand and one from South Korea.

Norfolk Island is an island in the Pacific Ocean. It is one of Australia's external territories. In 1979 the island was granted limited self-government by Australia, but in 2015 the autonomy was reduced again. 

The card shows the Kingston. Kingston is the capital of Norfolk Island. It was founded in 1788 as second oldest town in Australia and was used as convict settlement until 1855. As one of the Australian Convict Sites is the Kingston and Arthurs Vale Historic Area since 2010 on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The card is prepaid and another stamp was added:
Fish of the Reef (from set of eight) (issued 21-06-2010)

Thank You very much Norma!

South Korea: Korean Cuisine

On Tuesday I got three postcards: one from South Korea, my first card from Norfolk Island and one from New Zealand.

The card from South Korea shows Bajirak Kalguksu, a popular Korean noodle dish. The Korean Cuisine is largely based on rice, vegetables and meats. It evolved over centuries through a complex interaction of the natural environment and different cultural trends.

With great stamps:
Year of the Tiger (issued 01-12-2009)
Year of the Dragon (issued 01-12-2011)
Both stamps glow in the dark.

Thank You very much Jiwon!

New Zealand: Carter Observatory in Wellington

On Tuesday I got three postcards: one from New Zealand, one from South Korea and my first card from Norfolk Island.

The card from New Zealand shows the Carter Observatory in Wellington. The Carter Observatory was built between 1937 and 1941. It was a base for the astronomical research in New Zealand and became the country's National Observatory in 1977. Today it is used by the Wellington Museum Trust to educate the public about the space.

With nice stamps:
Performing Arts (from set of six) (issued 14-01-1998)
Southern Lights (from set of six) (issued 08-02-2017)

Thank You very much Sharon!

Germany: Saint Andrew's Church and the Luther Memorial in Eisleben

On Monday I got four postcards from Germany.

One of them shows the Saint Andrew's Church and the Luther Memorial in Eisleben. Martin Luther was born in Eisleben in 1483 and also died there in 1546. The Saint Andrew's Church is a late Gothic hall church. In 1546 Martin Luther gave his last four sermons in the church. It seeks for inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Luther Memorial was erected in 1883. 

To commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation a group of Postcrossers organises a series of Meet-ups at important places in Martin Luther's life. The first of four was held last week in Eisleben.

The card was signed during the Meet-up.
Stamp:
Saxon Switzerland (issued 02-06-2016)

Thank You very much Thomas!

Germany: Ruins of Hersfeld Abbey

On Monday I got four postcards from Germany.

One of them shows the church ruins of Hersfeld Abbey. Hersfeld Abbey was an important Benedictine imperial abbey founded in the 8th century. In 1523 Martin Luther gave a sermon at the abbey. The abbey church was one of the largest Romasque churches north of the Alps, but was destroyed during the Seven Years' War. Today it is the largest Romanesque church ruin in the World.

Stamp:
Dresden (from set of two) (issued 03-04-2014)

Thank You very much Jennifer!

Germany: Theodor Fontane Memorial in Neuruppin

On Monday I got four postcards from Germany.

One of them shows the Theodor Fontane Memorial in Neuruppin. Neuruppin is a town in the German State of Brandenburg. After a devastating fire in 1787 the town was rebuilt in the Neoclassical style. It is known as the most Prussian of all Prussian towns. In 1819 the famous German novelist Theodor Fontane was born in Neuruppin and in 1907 the Theodor Fontane Memorial was unveiled.

Unfortunately the stamp got lost.

Thank You very much Jule!

Germany: Lanxess Arena in Cologne

On Monday I got four postcards from Germany.

One of them shows the Lanxess Arena in Cologne. The Lanxess Arena is an indoor arena. It was opened in 1998 and is used for ice hockey, handball, basketball and concerts. It is the largest ice hockey arena outside of North America.

Stamp:
25 years 112 as emergency telephone number in Europe (issued 11-02-2016)

Thank You very much Marcel!

Belgium: Gaston

On Saturday I got two postcards: one from Belgium and one from Germany.

The card from Belgium shows Gaston. Gaston is a Belgian comic character created by André Franquin. He first appeared in the comic magazine Spirou in 1957 and is since then very popular in large parts of Europe. His adventures were translated in over a dozen languages.

With a matching stamp:
60 years Gaston (from set of five) (issued 28-01-2017)
with First Day Special Postmark

Thank You very much Gerda!

Germany: Güstrow Palace

On Saturday I got two postcards: one from Germany and one from Belgium.

The card from Germany shows Güstrow Palace. Güstrow Palace was built from 1558 onwards and is one of the most important Renaissance style buildings in northern Germany. It was the residence of the Dukes of Mecklenburg-Güstrow and now is one of the locations of the State Museum Schwerin.

Stamp:
Saxon Switzerland (issued 02-06-2016)

Thank You very much Ann-Kathrin!

Germany: Town Musicians of Bremen

On Friday I got two postcards from Germany.

One of them shows the Town Musicians of Bremen. The Towns Musicians of Bremen is a European fairy tale about four animals on their way to Bremen, where they want to become town musicians. It was published for the first time in 1819 by the Brothers Grimm.

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

You can read the whole story of the four animals on my stamp blog. ^___^

With a matching stamp:
Town Musicians of Bremen (from set of three) (issued 09-02-2017)
with First Day Special Postmark

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

On Friday I also got three covers with other First Day Special Postmarks.

Germany: Kaspar Hauser Memorial

On Friday I got two postcards from Germany.

One of them shows the Kaspar Hauser Memorial in Ansbach. The Kaspar Hauser Memorial was erected in 1981 to commemorate the famous foundling Kaspar Hauser from the Biedermeier period. 

Stamp:
Centenary of the Möhne Reservoir (issued 04-04-2013)

Thank You very much Julia!

Germany: Bremen from Papersisters

On Wednesday I got three postcards: one from Germany, one from Indonesia and one from Japan.

The card from Germany is Papersisters' German Landmark postcard of Bremen. The Free Hanseatic City of Bremen is a two-city-state bordering on Lower Saxony. It consists of the two cities of Bremen and Bremerhaven. By area it is the smallest state of Germany.

Among others the card shows the statue of the Town Musicians of Bremen, the Town Hall of Bremen and the Bremen Roland.

With matching stamps:
Sail Bremerhaven (issued 06-08-2015)
Die Weser (issued 08-12-2016)
Town Musicians of Bremen (from set of three) (issued 09-02-2017)
with a special postmark showing also the Town Musicians

Japan: Tea-stall at Sagano

On Wednesday I got three postcards: one from Japan, one from Germany and one from Indonesia.

The card from Japan shows an old tea-stall at Sagano.

With a great stamp:
Winnie the Pooh (from set of ten) (issued 09-02-2017)
with First Day Special Postmark

Thank You very much Keiko!

Indonesia: Year of the Rooster

On Wednesday I got three postcards: one from Indonesia, one from Japan and one from Germany.

The card from Indonesia is a maxicard about the Year of the Rooster. The stamp is from a set of three and was issued on 21st January 2017.

The card was sent with the other two stamps from the set.

Thank You very much Shinta!

Germany: Berlin

On Tuesday I got three postcards: two from Germany and one from Italy.

One of the cards from Germany shows important political buildings in Berlin. Berlin became capital of the Margraviate of Brandenburg in 1417 and was later also the capital of the Kingdom of Prussia, the German Empire, the Weimar Republic and the Third Reich. After World War II the city was divided between France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and the USA. The eastern part became the capital of East Germany, while the western part formed an exclave of West Germany surrounded by the Berlin Wall. After the German Reunification also Berlin was reunited and in 1991 the Bundestag decided to move the German capital from Bonn to Berlin. Today the Bundestag, the Cabinet of Germany, the President and most of the ministries and foreign embassies are located in Berlin. Berlin is the largest city in Germany, the second largest in the European Union and an international centre of culture, politics and science. 

I bought this card when I recently visited Berlin.

With a matching stamp:
Bellevue Palace (issued 03-05-2007)
with a special postmark about the election of the new President of Germany

Germany: Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

On Tuesday I got three postcards: two from Germany and one from Italy.

One of the cards from Germany shows the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe is a memorial in Berlin to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust. It was built between 2003 and 2004 and consists of 2711 concrete stelae. It was inaugurated on 10th May 2005, sixty years after the end of World War II. In the underground under the memorial there is a place of information.

I bought this card when I recently visited Berlin.

Stamp:
Topography of Terror (issued 02-01-2017)
with a special postmark about the death of Roman Herzog
Roman Herzog was born in Landshut in 1934. He was law professor in Berlin and Speyer and in 1983 Herzog was elected a judge at the Federal Constitutional Court of Germany, whose president he became in 1987. Between 1994 and 1999 he was President of Germany. In 1996 Herzog declared the 27th January as Germany's official day of remembrance for the victims of the Nazi regime. Roman Herzog died on 10th January 2017.

Italy: Victory Arch in Genoa

On Tuesday I got three postcards: one from Italy and two from Germany.

The card from Italy shows the Victory Arch in Genoa. The Victory Arch was inaugurated in 1931. It was built to remember the townsmen of Genoa who died during World War I.

During World War I was Genoa an important logistic port of Italy and between 30000 and 80000 townsmen of Genoa fought on the battlefront.

Stamps:
Tourism (from set of four) (issued 28-06-1982)
Centenary of World War I (from set of four) (issued 24-05-2015)

Thank You very much Irene!

Dominican Republic: Columbus Lighthouse

On Monday I got three postcards: one from the Dominican Republic, one from Singapore and one from Thailand.

The card from the Dominican Republic shows the Columbus Lighthouse. The Columbus Lighthouse is a mausoleum, memorial and museum. It was built between 1986 and 1992 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' arrival in America and houses what is said to be the remains of Columbus.

Stamps:
Scouting Centenary (from set of two) (issued 2007)
Tourism (from set of twelve) (issued 23-05-2013)

Thank You very much Valery!

Thailand: Ramayana

On Monday I got three postcards: one from Thailand, one from the Dominican Republic and one from Singapore.

The card from Thailand shows a performance of the Ramayana. The Ramayana is one of the largest ancient epics in World literature. It tells the story of Prince Rama and his fight with the Demon King Ravana. It is an important part of the culture in India, Indonesia, Thailand and other Asian countries.

With matching stamps:
66 years diplomatic relations with Indonesia (whole set) (issued 05-05-2016)
It is a joint issue with Indonesia.
with First Day Special Postmark

Thank You very much Kwanjira!

Singapore: Year of the Rooster

On Monday I got three postcards: one from Singpore, one from Thailand and one from the Dominican Republic.

The card from Singapore is a maxicard about the Year of the Rooster. The stamp is from a set of three and was issued on 6th January 2017.

Stamps:
Greetings (from set of five) (issued 10-02-1993)
Vanishing Trades (from set of ten) (issued 16-10-2013)
Tourism (from set of nine) (issued 04-07-1990)
with a special postmark from River Hongbao

Thank You very much Kelvin!

cover from Germany

On Monday I got not only three postcards but also a cover from Germany.

Stamp:

Opening of the Elbphilharmonie (issued 02-01-2017)

Inside were two German postcards.

The first one shows the Melanchthonhaus in Bretten. The Melanchthonhaus is a museum about the Protestant Reformation and Philipp Melanchthon. It was built between 1897 and 1903 on the site of Melanchthon's birthplace.

The second one shows Peter and Paul Festival in Bretten. The Peter and Paul Festival is a festival about important events in Bretten's history. It is celebrated with many historical costumes and is held every year on the weekend following the Church Day of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. Since 2014 it is a part of the German Nationwide Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Thank You very much Charlotte!