Taipei, Taiwan

Today i got two cards from Taipei:))) whatta coincidence! :))
Here is Taipei 101 in fireworks on New Years Eve.
Thank you Jenny from Taipei:)

Taipei, Taiwan

thank you Yetta for sending me this lovely postcard !:)

Taipei 101, also known as the Taipei Financial Center, is a landmark skyscraper located in Xinyi District, Taipei, Taiwan. The building became the world's tallest skyscraper upon its completion in 2004. as certified by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat[2].
The building received the 2004 Emporis Skyscraper Award and was hailed as one of the Seven New Wonders of the World and Seven Wonders of Engineering The tower is an icon of modern Taiwan. Fireworks launched from Taipei 101 feature prominently in international New Year's Eve broadcasts and the structure appears frequently in travel literature and international media.
Taipei 101 comprises 101 floors above ground and 5 floors underground. The name of the tower (pronounced "one oh one" in English) reflects its floor count and carries symbolic meanings alluding to technology and Asian tradition . Its postmodernist approach to style incorporates traditional design elements and gives them modern treatments. The tower is designed to withstand typhoons and earthquakes. A multi-level shopping mall adjoining the tower houses hundreds of fashionable stores, restaurants and clubs.Taipei 101 was overtaken in height on 2007 July 21 by the Burj Dubai in Dubai, UAE, upon completion of the Burj's 141st floor.
Taipei 101 has 101 stories above ground and five underground. Upon its completion Taipei 101 claimed the official records for:
• Ground to highest architectural structure (spire): 509.2 metres (1,671 ft). Previously held by the Petronas Towers 452 m (1,483 ft).
• Ground to roof: 449.2 m (1,474 ft). Formerly held by the Willis Tower 442 m (1,450 ft).
• Ground to highest occupied floor: 439.2 m (1,441 ft). Formerly held by the Willis Tower 412.4 m (1,353 ft).
• Fastest ascending elevator speed: 16.83 m/s (55.22 ft/s) (60.6 km/h, 37.7 mi/h).
• Largest countdown clock: On display every New Year's Eve.
• Tallest sundial.

Baltic Sea, Poland

A beatiful postcard from Anna, Poznan, Poland. Thank you for a lovely sunset!

The Baltic Sea is a brackish inland sea located in Northern Europe, It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands.
The Baltic sea is about 1600 km (1000 mi) long, an average of 193 km (120 mi) wide, and an average of 55 m (180 ft, 30 fathoms) deep. The maximum depth is 459 m (1506 ft), on the Swedish side of the center. The surface area is about 377,000 km² (145,522 sq mi). The periphery amounts to about 8000 km (4968 mi) of coastline.
European Route of Brick Gothic is a touristic route connecting cities with Brick Gothic architecture in seven countries along the Baltic Sea: Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.
Countries that border on the sea:
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• Germany
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Poland
• Russia
• Sweden

Lisbon, Portugal

Lisboa is the capital of Portugal and the biggest city of Portugal.. It is considered an alpha global city and is the seat of the district of Lisbon and the main city of the Lisbon region. Its municipality, which matches the city proper excluding the larger continuous conurbation, has a municipal population of 564,477. It is located in the west of the country, on the Atlantic Ocean coast at the point where the river Tagus flows into the Atlantic Ocean. The western side of the city is mainly occupied by the Monsanto Forest Park, one of the largest urban parks in Europe with an area close to 10 square kilometres (almost 4 sq mi).

many thanks to Carlos!
and look at that lovely stamp:)) a little dwarf brought a present, so cute!:)

Estaiada bridge, Sao Paulo, Brazil

São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil and the world's 7th largest metropolitan area. The city is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous Brazilian state. It is also the richest city in Brazil. The name of the city honors Saint Paul. São Paulo exerts strong regional influence in commerce and finance as well as arts and entertainment. São Paulo is considered an Alpha World City.With an estimated population of 11,037,593 residents, São Paulo is the most populous city in the Southern hemisphere. A famous nickname for the city is "Sampa." São Paulo is also known for its unreliable weather, the size of its helicopter fleet, architecture, gastronomy, and multitude of skyscrapers.
The Octavio Frias de Oliveira bridge is a cable-stayed bridge in São Paulo, Brazil over the Pinheiros River, opened in May 2008. The bridge is 138 metres (450 ft) tall, and connects Marginal Pinheiros to Jornalista Roberto Marinho Avenue.
The bridge deck is unusual due to its form, which is similar to an "X", crossing at the tower.
It is the only bridge in the world that has two curved tracks supported by a single concrete mast.
At the end of December lights are put up on the cables and illuminated to create color effects like those on a Christmas tree. The bridge is also lit up on special occasions during the year and is often used for automobile advertisements on television.

Chania lighthouse, Greece

The Chania Lighthouse is ideally located at the extreme end of the pier to the northwestern coast of Crete.
This magnificent lighthouse has undergone thorough renovation. It was first built by the Venetians and is conspicuous by its cylindrical shape. The present one owes its origins to the Egyptians who built upon the original base that the Venetians left behind. The lighthouse is made of stone blocks.
The exact date of its establishment is believed to be 1570. Although the lighthouse is no longer operational, it is still much preferred by the tourists who come to see this magnificent structure because of its historical importance. Only the grounds are open to the public. Entry inside the lighthouse is prohibited.
It took a number of years to renovate the lighthouse.
In fact the entire process of renovation was completed as recently as 2006. As of today, it looks as good as new. The lighthouse makes for an awesome sight especially when it is lit up at night. The spotlights start emitting light once darkness envelops the city of Chania and from a distance, it makes for a truly kaleidoscopic vignette.
Since the lighthouse was remodeled by the Egyptians during their occupation of the island from 1821 to 1841, it has a distinct Egyptian touch notably the minaret like shape and the elegant steps that lead to the balcony and the glass tower.

Lovely postcard from Ria, island of Crete. Thank you!

Halle, Gemany

Halle is the largest city in the German State of Saxony-Anhalt.
Halle's early history is connected with harvesting of salt. In fact the name Halle may be derived from a Pre-Germanic word for salt. The name of the river Saale also contains the Germanic root for salt and salt-harvesting has taken place in Halle at least since the time of the Bronze Age.
Baroque composer Georg Friedrich Händel was born in Halle on February 23, 1685, and stayed 17 years.

uff how i love cities in night views! Thank you Heike from Halle.

The monumental fountain, Faenza, Italy

Faenza is an Italian city and comune, in the province of Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna, situated 50 km southeast of Bologna.
Faenza, at the foot of the first Subapennine hills, enjoys a fine location and evocative agrarian surroundings: vineyards in the hills, cultivated land with traces of the ancient Roman land-division system, and fertile market gardens in the plains. In the nearby green valleys of the rivers Samoggia and Lamone there are great number of 18th and 19th century stately homes, set in extensive grounds or preceded by long cypress-lined driveways.
Opposite the Cathedral are the open gallery known as the Goldsmiths' Portico, built in the first decade of the 17th century, and the monumental fountain whose bronzes date to the same period.

Sent by Alfredo, tnx!
i like the stamp on the postcard so much...men in uniform, whohoo!:)))

Leonid Utyosov, Odessa, Ukraine

Leonid Osipovich Utyosov (21 March 1895, Odessa – 9 March 1982, Moscow), was a famous Soviet jazz singer and comic actor of jewish origin, who became the first pop singer to be awarded the prestigious title of People's Artist of the USSR (1965).
His rendition of the popular song "Shalandy" (also known as "Boats full of mallet") by composer Nikita Bogoslovsky, was expremely popular in Russia, albeit the song was banned by the Soviet authorities. During the 1950s and 1960s, Utyosov was censored by the Soviet authorities, and his performances were limited. He lived in Moscow for the rest of his life, albeit in many of his songs Utyosov alluded to his native town of Odessa, where a monument to him was opened in 2000.

Sent by Aleks, he wrote some words in ukrainian on it and for me seemed it very similar to russian:)

India

Gomel, Svetlogorsk, Belarus

Gomel also Homiel, is the administrative center of Homiel Voblast and the second-largest city in Belarus. It has a population of 479,935 (2006 estimate). Gomel is situated in the southeastern part of the country, on the right bank of Sozh river, close to the border with Ukraine. Although it has been heavily contaminated with radioactive debris following the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, residents were never evacuated from Gomel and general population continued to grow.

many thanks to Larissa.

West Lake, Shangai, China

West Lake is located in the western area of Hangzhou's historic center. There are dozens of lakes called West Lake worldwide, but "West Lake" usually refers to the Hangzhou West Lake. It is surrounded by mountains on three sides. The average depth of West Lake is 2.27 meters.West Lake is not only famous for its picturesque landscape, it is also associated with many scholars, national heroes and revolutionary martyrs, thus embracing many aspects of Chinese culture. In addition, many ancient buildings, stone caves and engraved tablets in surrounding areas are among the most cherished national treasures of China, with significant artistic value.

whatta great postcard, the lake looks so peaceful. thank you Jun Wan!

A postcard from Kajaani city, Finland

Kajaani is a town and municipality of Finland. It is located in the province of Oulu and is part of the Kainuu region. The municipality has a population of 35,964 and covers an area of 1369.13 km² of which 212.04 km² is water.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Amsterdam is the capital and largest city of the Netherlands, located in the province of North Holland in the west of the country. The city, which had a population (including suburbs) of 1.36 million, comprises the northern part of the Randstad, the sixth-largest metropolitan area in Europe, with a population of around 6.7 million.
Its name is derived from Amstellerdam, indicative of the city's origin: a dam in the river Amstel. Settled as a small fishing village in the late 12th century, Amsterdam became one of the most important ports in the world during the Dutch Golden Age, a result of its innovative developments in trade. During that time, the city was the leading center for finance and diamonds. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the city expanded and many new neighbourhoods and suburbs were formed.
The city is the financial and cultural capital of the Netherlands. Many large Dutch institutions have their headquarters there, and 7 of the world's top 500 companies, including Philips and ING, are based in the city. The Amsterdam Stock Exchange, the oldest stock exchange in the world is located in the city centre.

thanks to Tjitske!:)

Jungfruskär, Finland

Jungfruskär is situated in the Archipelago National Park, covering an area of 500 km2. The island is part of the municipality of Houtskär in the Turku region archipelago, bordering to Åland. The National Park is part of the biosphere area founded by UNESCO, and is not a traditional conservation are, rather its environment is unique due to the influence of human activity. The Archipelago National Park was founded in 1983. Since then, the nature of Jungfruskär has been protected and the overgrown meadows and pastures have been restored with the help of voluntary projects.

From Brita, Turku.i like the poststamp cos its relief, amazing!

Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester, UK

A major civic space, it lies between the city's main hotel district and retail area. Before recent transformations, the space was last re-planned in the early 1960s.
By the late 1990s, the whole area was suffering from a lack of investment. The sunken Victorian gardens which lay at its heart had become cut off from their surroundings by busy roads and tramways, had taken on a neglected atmosphere and had become a focus for a variety of anti-social behaviour. Then, in 1996 an IRA bomb blast destroyed a large section of Manchester's retail and office area to the north west of Piccadilly Gardens and following this, an international urban design competition was launched for the reconstruction of the whole city centre.
After almost two years in construction, the gardens were reopened in May 2002 in time for Manchester's hosting of the Commonwealth Games in July. EDAW's spectacular remodelling includes over a hundred semi-mature trees, a large lawned area, a fountain plaza traversed by a catwalk bridge.