cover from Austria with many cards from Africa, Asia and Europa

Last Wednesday I got two covers including one from Austria.

With great stamps:

Historic Mail Vehicles (issued 27-08-2015)

Historic Mail Vehicles (issued 25-08-2016)

Hubert Schmalix (issued 07-05-2015)

80th birthday of Friedensreich Hundertwasser (from set of four) (issued 18-09-2008)

Centenary of the Salzburg Festival (issued 21-01-2020)

Cypripedium calceolus (issued 15-01-2008)

Impressions of Austria (from set of sixteen) (issued 01-03-2015)

Inside were thirteen postcards from Africa, Asia and Europa including my first two cards from Syria. Also in the cover were two Austrian stamps which you can see here.

Syria is a country in Western Asia bordering on Turkey, Iraq, Jordan, Israel and Lebanon. The modern state encompasses the sites of several ancient kingdoms and empires. For centuries it was part of the Ottoman Empire before it became a French mandate and finally became an independent state in 1945. Since March 2011 Syria has been embroiled in an armed conflict with a number of countries in the region and beyond involved militarily or otherwise. Damascus is the country's capital.

Palmyra is an oasis in the Syrian desert and once grew wealthy from trade caravans. It was one of the most important centres of the Ancient World with many monumental buildings. Its art and architecture married Graeco-Roman techniques with local traditions and Persian influences. One of the many famous buildings is the Temple of Bel, consecrated to the Mesopotamian god Bel and the center of religious life in Palmyra. Since 1980 is the Site of Palmyra on the UNESCO World Heritage List, but during the Syrian Civil War in 2015 the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant destroyed large parts of the ruins.

The Titanic Belfast is a museum in Belfast, the capital city of Northern Ireland. It was built on the site of the former Harland & Wolff shipyard where the RMS Titanic was built and opened in 2012.

Bran Castle is a castle in Transylvania. It is one of the most famous castles in Romania and is commonly known as Dracula's Castle, although it neither has resemblance to the castle in Bram Stoker's book nor was probably ever visited by Vlad the Impaler. The castle is now a museum dedicated to displaying art and furniture collected by Queen Marie.

The Danube Delta in Romania is the second largest river delta in Europa and the best preserved on the continent. It is home to over 300 species of birds and 45 freshwater fish species. Since 1991 is the Danube Delta on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Isfahan is the third largest city in Iran and the capital of Isfahan Province. Especially under the Safavid dynasty in the 16th and 17th century the city flourished and became the capital of Persia. The fame of Isfahan led to the Persian proverb "Isfahan is half of the World".

The Imam Square or Naqsh-e Jahan Square is one of the biggest city squares in the World. It was built by Shah Abbas I the Great in the early 17th century and gives an impressive testimony to the level of social and cultural life in Persia during the Safavid era. Since 1979 is the Meidan Emam on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The Shah Mosque is located on the south side of the Imam Square. It is considered to be one of the masterpieces of Persian architecture in the Islamic era. Its splendour is mainly due to the beauty of its seven-colour mosaic tiles and calligraphic inscriptions.

The Masjed-e Jāmé of Isfahan, Jameh Mosque, is a stunning illustration of the evolution of mosque architecture over twelve centuries starting in the 9th century. It is the oldest preserved edifice of its type in Iran and a prototype for later mosque designs throughout Central Asia. Since 2012 is the Masjed-e Jāmé of Isfahan on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Tabriz is the sixth largest city in Iran, the most populous city in northwestern Iran, one of the historical capitals the country and the present capital of East Azerbaijan Province. As the country's closest hub to Europa many aspects of early modernisation in Iran began in Tabriz. It contains many historical monuments and is a major heavy industries hub.

Wuhan University is a Chinese national research university. It is one of the oldest universities in China and also one of the most prestigious and selective ones in the country, ranked third in 2017 due to its academic excellence.

Volubilis on Morocco was the ancient capital of the Kingdom of Mauretania before it became a part of the Roman Empire, which turned it into an important outpost with many fine buildings. Since 1997 is the Archaeological Site of Volubilis on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Thank You very much Anita!