Friday, November 27, 2009

Las Vegas, USA



Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada, the seat of Clark County, and an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, fine dining, and entertainment. Las Vegas, which bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World. Established in 1905, Las Vegas officially became a city in 1911. The city's tolerance for various forms of adult entertainment earned it the title of Sin City, and this image has made Las Vegas a popular setting for films and television programs. On the other hand, Las Vegas also has the highest number of churches per capita of any major U.S. city. Outdoor lighting displays are everywhere on the Las Vegas Strip and are seen elsewhere in the city as well. As seen from space, the Las Vegas metropolitan area is the brightest city on Earth.

Germany - Hamburg




Hamburg,is the second-largest city in Germany (after Berlin) and the sixth-largest city in the European Union. The city is home to approximately 1.8 million people, while the Hamburg Metropolitan Region has more than 4.3 million inhabitants. The port of Hamburg is the second-largest port in Europe (after that of Rotterdam), and the ninth-largest in the world.Thank you Juta for this lovely postcard! :)

Thursday, November 26, 2009

India - Tirumala Hills, Andhra Pradesh



The Tirumala Hills is 3,200 feet above sea level, and is about 10.33 sq miles in area. It comprises seven peaks, representing the seven hoods of Adisesha, thus earning the name, Seshachalam.

Sweden



Sweden, officially the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden has land borders with Norway to the west and Finland to the northeast, and it is connected to Denmark by the Ă–resund Bridge in the south.At 450,295 km², Sweden is the third largest country in the European Union in terms of area, and it has a total population of about 9.2 million.
Thank you, Nils!:)

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Lithuania - Vilnius



Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the southernmost of the three Baltic states. Situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, it shares borders with Latvia to the north, Belarus to the southeast, Poland, and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad to the southwest. Its population is 3.6 million. Its capital and the largest city is Vilnius. In 2009, Vilnius is the European Capital of Culture and Lithuania celebrates the millennium of its name.

Netherlands - Almere



Almere is a city and municipality in the province of Flevoland, the Netherlands, bordering Lelystad and Zeewolde. Almere is one of the youngest cities in the Netherlands: the first house was finished in 1976, and Almere became a municipality in 1984. It is the largest municipality in Flevoland with 184,405 citizens, and the 8th largest in the Netherlands.

Egypt


Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Macau - Kuan Tai temple



Sam Kai Vui Kun is also known as Kuan Tai Temple and has been located on the site of the old bazaar near Senado Square and Rua dos Mercadores for over two centuries. Originally, it was a meeting place for merchants, and the surrounding area, served as the centre of Chinese trading in the city. In later years, a statue commemorating Kuan Tai was placed at Sam Kai Vui Kun, attracting many devotees. Commercial activities no longer converge in the area, and the serenity of the temple has gradually returned.

Hong Kong



Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China with a "high degree of autonomy" in all areas except foreign affairs and defence. Situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour. With land mass of 1,104 km2 (426 sq mi) and a population of seven million people, Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. It is the 179th largest habited territory in the world. The city's population is 95% Chinese and 5% from other ethnic groups.
Hong Kong has a capitalist economy, developed under the ethos of "positive non-intervention" and has become one of the world's top financial centres. The Hong Kong dollar is the 9th most traded currency in the world.
Hong Kong is also famous for its food, culture and shopping offering designer clothing and electrical goods at much lower prices than the West. Attractions include The Star Ferry, The Peak Tram, Hong Kong Disneyland, Ocean Park and its famous skyline which adorns many postcards.

Singapore


Malaysia - Sensational sun, sand and sea


Malaysia


Italy - Rosolina Mare



Rosolina is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Rovigo in the Italian region Veneto, located about 40 km south of Venice. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 6,303 and an area of 73.1 km². The municipality of Rosolina contains the frazioni (subdivisions, mainly villages and hamlets) Isola di Albarella and Rosolina Mare.

Mysore Palace, Halebeedu temple, India

The Palace of Mysoreis a palace situated in the city of Mysore, southern India. The palace was commissioned in 1897, and its construction was completed in 1912. It is now one of the most famous tourist attractions in Mysore.
It is the official residence of Wodeyar's -the erstwhile royal family of Mysore, and also houses Two durbar halls (ceremonial meeting hall of the royal court).
Mysore Palace is one of the most magnificent buildings. The interior of the Palace is equally worth a visit, for its spacious halls, called Mantaps, paintings and architectural beauty. The palace is an excellent combination of Indo-Saracenic architecture. The domes and the outside construction are of Muslim architecture. But the interior of the Palace is a fine example of Hindu architecture. Together, it is an aesthetic blend of Hindu and Muslim architecture. Though the present Palace is little over a century old, there is clear evidence to show that there existed a royal structure even when the two Yadu dynasty princes, Yaduraya and Krishnaraya, came to Mysore in 1399 A.D.



Halebiduis located in Hassan District, Karnataka, India. Halebidu (which was previously called Dorasamudra or Dwarasamudra) was the regal capital of the Hoysala Empire in the 12th century. It is home to one of the best examples of Hoysala architecture in the ornate Hoysaleswara and Kedareswara temples.
It was built by Ketamalla a minister of Vishnuvardhana the Hoysala ruler who also built the Belur temple and the Mahabaleshwar temple at Chamundi Hills near Mysore. Halebidu was sacked by the armies of Malik Kafur in early fourteenth century, after which it fell into a state of disrepair and neglect.
The Hoysaleswara temple enshrines Hoysaleswara and Santaleswara. Hoysaleswara is named after the builder Vishnuvardhana Hoysala and Santaleswara after his wife, Queen Santala. The sancta are built on a stellar plan, with a sukhanasi, navaranga and Nandi Mandapa. Each of these (temples) resembles the Belur Chennakesava temple in plan.
The Hoysaleswara temple is a masterpiece, studded with a profusion of carvings. Thousands of figures appear on its walls. The basement of the temple has the most richly sculptured friezes. Horsemen charge, war elephants charge, all in stone. Scenes from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata add to the grandeur.

Turkey - from Istanbul






Lovely postcrads from Cem :-)