Made In Canarias Postcrossing Blog

The Terracotta Army or the "Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses", is a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the First Emperor of China. The figures, dating from 210 BC, were discovered in 1974 by some local farmers in Lintong District, Xi'an, Shaanxi province, near the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor. The figures vary in height 1.83–1.95 m (6 ft 0 in–6 ft 5 in), according to their roles, with the tallest being the generals. The figures include warriors, chariots, horses, officials, acrobats, strongmen and musicians. Current estimates are that in the three pits containing the Terracotta Army there were over 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses and 150 cavalry horses, the majority of which are still buried in the pits. ( source ) Thank you Nancy!

The leaning tower of Teluk Intan is the Malaysia equivalent of the world famous Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy. It is located in the centre of the town of Teluk Intan, Perak. The tower is slanted leftward similar to Tower of Pisa. It’s 25.5 m tall and from outside, it looks like a 8 storey building. In actual fact, you will find out as you go inside that the building is divided into 3. The tower was built in the year 1885 by Leong Choon Chong, a Chinese contractor and was originally used as a water tank to store portable water during dry season for the people living nearby. It is also used as a time keeper of the town as there is a huge clock on top of the tower. The clock was made by J.W. Benson of Ludgatehill London and the cost of building it was contributed by the local people. The building itself is made of bricks and wood. ( source ) Thank you Kkkhor!

The Cathedral of the Protection of Most Holy Theotokos on the Moat popularly known as Saint Basil's Cathedral , is a Russian Orthodox cathedral erected on the Red Square in Moscow in 1555–1561. Built on the order of Ivan IV of Russia to commemorate the capture of Kazan and Astrakhan, it marks the geometric center of the city and the hub of its growth since the 14th century. It was the tallest building in Moscow until the completion of the Ivan the Great Bell Tower in 1600. ( source ) Thank you Anna & Jury!

Brno is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, located in the southeast of the country. It was founded in 1243, although the area had been settled since the 5th century. As of December 2010, the population is 404,747. Brno is the capital of the South Moravian Region, the seat of the Constitutional Court of the Czech Republic, the Supreme Court, the Supreme Administrative Court, the Supreme Prosecutor's Office, and the Ombudsman. Traditionally, Brno has served as the capital of the historic land Moravia. ( source ) Thank you Jan!

The Pawnee are a Caddoan-language Native American tribe that historically lived along outlying tributaries of the Missouri River: the Platte, Loup and Republican Rivers in present-day Nebraska and in Northern Kansas. They were one of the dominant tribes on the Great Plains and followed a way of life whose major patterns had been continuous since about 1250 CE. There are approximately 3,210 enrolled Pawnee, with 1,725 living in Oklahoma. Their tribal headquarters is in Pawnee, Oklahoma and George E. Howell is their President. They issue their own vehicle license tags, operate their housing authority, and maintain two casinos, four smoke shops, two fuel stations, and one truck stop. Their estimated economic impact is $10.5 million. ( source ) Thank you Robb!

Thank you Carmen!

Amsterdam is the capital and largest city of the Netherlands, with an urban population of 1,364,422. The city is located in the province of North Holland in the west of the country. It comprises the northern part of the Randstad, the sixth-largest metropolitan area in Europe. Its name is derived from Amstellerdam , indicative of the city's origin: a dam in the river Amstel. 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 are based in the city. Amsterdam's main attractions, including its historic canals, the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, Anne Frank House, its red-light district, and its many cannabis coffee shops draw more than 3.66 million international visitors annually. ( source ) Thank you Bertie!

The National Flag of Canada , also known as the Maple Leaf , and l'Unifolié , is a red flag with a white square in its centre, featuring a stylized 11-pointed red maple leaf. Its adoption in 1965 marked the first time a national flag had been officially adopted in Canada to replace the Union Flag. The flag made its first appearance on February 15, 1965; the date is now celebrated annually as National Flag of Canada Day. ( source ) Thank you Xiaolu!

Austria is a landlocked country of roughly 8.3 million people in Central Europe.  The territory of Austria covers 83,872 sq km and has a temperate and alpine climate.  The capital and largest city, with a population exceeding 1.6 million, is Vienna. Austria is one of the richest countries in the world. Austria's terrain is highly mountainous due to the presence of the Alps; only 32% of the country is below 500 m, and its highest point is 3,797 m. The majority of the population speaks German, which is also the country's official language. Other local official languages are Croatian, Hungarian and Slovene. ( source ) Thank you Anita!

Rewal is a village in Gryfice County, West Pomeranian Voivodeship, in north-western Poland. It is the seat of the gmina (administrative district) called Gmina Rewal. It lies approximately 23 km (14 mi) north-west of Gryfice and 80 km (50 mi) north of the regional capital Szczecin. Before 1945 the area was part of Germany. For the history of the region, see History of Pomerania. The village has a population of 893. ( source ) Thank you Wiesiek!

Skocjan Caves is a cave system in Slovenia. Due to its exceptional significance, Škocjan Caves was entered on UNESCO’s list of natural and cultural world heritage sites in 1986. International scientific circles have thus acknowledged the importance of the caves as one of the natural treasures of planet Earth. Ranking among the most important caves in the world, Škocjan Caves represents the most significant underground phenomena in both the Karst region and Slovenia. Following its independence, the Republic of Slovenia committed itself to actively protecting the Škocjan Caves area; for this reason, it established the Škocjan Caves Regional Park, Slovenia and its Managing Authority, the Škocjan Caves Park Public Service Agency ( source ). Thank you Rok!

The Maldives is an island nation in the Indian Ocean formed by a double chain of twenty-six atolls. It stands in the Laccadive Sea, about seven hundred kilometers (435 mi) south-west of Sri Lanka and (250 mi) south-west of India. The Maldives are the smallest Asian country in both population and land area. With an average ground level of 1.5 metres (4 ft 11 in) above sea level, it is the lowest country on the planet. It is also the country with the lowest highest point in the world, at 2.3 metres (7 ft 7 in). The atolls of the Maldives encompass a territory spread over roughly 90,000 square kilometers, making it one of the most dispersed countries in the world in geographic terms. It features 1,192 islets, of which two hundred are inhabited. The Republic of Maldives's capital and largest city is Malé, with a population of 103,693 (2006). ( source ) Thank you Janeth!

The Republic of Madagascar is an island nation in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa. The main island, also called Madagascar, is the fourth-largest island in the world. Madagascar is home to as many as 12,000 of the world's plant species. Approximately 80% of all plant and animal species found in Madagascar are endemic, including the lemur infraorder of primates, the carnivorous fossa, three bird families and three of the island's six baobab species. ( source ) Thank you VM!

Loja is the capital of Ecuador's Loja Province. It is located in the Cuxibamba valley in the south of the country. Loja holds a rich tradition in the arts, and for this reason is known as the Music Capital of Ecuador. The city is home to two major universities. The city has a population of about 180,000, and is situated 2100 m (6890 ft) above sea level. It has a mild Andean climate, ranging between 16 and 30°C. ( source ) Thank you Lori! http://www.livinginloja.com/

Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert. Iraq has a narrow section of coastline measuring 58 km (35 miles) on the northern Persian Gulf. The capital city, Baghdad is in the center-east of the country. Two major rivers, the Tigris and Euphrates, run through the center of Iraq, flowing from northwest to southeast. These provide Iraq with agriculturally capable land and contrast with the steppe and desert landscape that covers most of Western Asia. Beginning with an invasion in 2003, Iraq came under military occupation by a multinational coalition of forces, primarily American and British. Sovereignty was transferred to the Iraqi Interim Government in June 2004. A new constitution was then approved by referendum and a new Government of Iraq was elected. As of December 2010, 50,000 US troops remain in the country. The full withdrawal of U.S....

Réunion is a French island with a population of about 800,000 located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar, about 200 km (120 mi) south west of Mauritius, the nearest island. Since August 2010, the Pitons, Cirques and Remparts of the island, covering more than 40% of its territory, feature on UNESCO's World Heritage List. Administratively, Réunion is one of the overseas départements of France. Like the other overseas departments, Réunion is also one of the 26 regions of France (being an overseas region) and an integral part of the Republic with the same status as those situated on the European mainland. Réunion is an outermost region of the European Union and, as an overseas department of France, is part of the Eurozone. ( source ) Thank you Julie!

The Blue Penny Museum is a stamp museum in Port Louis, the capital of Mauritius. It opened in November 2001. The museum collection includes the 1847 Blue Penny and Red Penny stamps. The stamps were bought in 1993 for $2,000,000 by a consortium of Mauritian enterprises headed by The Mauritius Commercial Bank and brought back to Mauritius after almost 150 years. For conservation, the originals are illuminated only temporarily. Most of the time only copies are to be seen. ( source ) Thank you Julie! http://expatfamilyinamman.blogspot.com/

Lebanon is a country in Western Asia, on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. Most of Lebanon's area is mountainous terrain, except for the narrow coastline and the Beqaa Valley, which plays an integral role in Lebanon's agriculture. However, climate change and political differences threaten conflict over water resources in the Valley. The name Lebanon comes from the Semitic root lbn , meaning "white", likely a reference to the snow-capped Mount Lebanon. The earliest evidence of civilization in Lebanon dates back more than 7,000 years—predating recorded history. Lebanon was the home of the Phoenicians, a maritime culture that flourished for nearly 2,500 years (3000–539 BC).  In 2009, despite a global recession, Lebanon enjoyed 9% economic growth and hosted the largest number of tourists in its history. ( source ) Thank you A.J!

Thank you Gillian!

Folklore in Schagen. Schagen is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland and the region of West Frisia. Schagen received city rights in 1415. ( source ) Thank you Wito!

Thank you Evita!

Thank you Katja!