Made In Canarias Postcrossing Blog

Early Spring in Chang An. Thank you Xin Pan!

The Kraków-Częstochowa Upland , also known as the Polish Jurassic Highland or Polish Jura is part of the Jurassic System of south–central Poland. The Polish Jura consists of a hilly landscape with Jurassic limestone rocks, cliffs, valleys and vast limestone formations, featuring some 220 caves. The relief of the upland developed since the Paleogene, under climatic conditions changing considerably. The Polish Jura is visited by roughly 400,000 visitors a year. Part of it belongs to the Ojców National Park, the smallest of Poland's twenty national parks, ranking among the most attractive recreational areas of the country. ( source ) Thank you Eleonora!

Dubrovnik is a Croatian city on the Adriatic Sea coast positioned at the terminal end of the Isthmus of Dubrovnik. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations on the Adriatic. In 1979, the city of Dubrovnik joined the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. ( source ) Thank you Gordana!

Thank you Svetlana!

Thank you Angie!

Jeseník is a district in the Olomouc Region of the Czech Republic. In the year 1969 the Protected Landscape Area (CHKO) Jeseník was founded, comprising the mountain ridge of Hrubý Jeseník and a part of the Zlatohorská vrchovina (Highlands). Specifically valuable areas are protected in national reserves: Šerák-Keprník with conserved virgin forest and distinguished flora and Rejvíz with the highmoor bog and rich fauna and flora. Similar importance has the National Reserve Rašenliniště Skřitek ("the peat bog") and the largest and most valuable nature reservation Praděd (Mt.) with famous Velký and Malý Kotel (big and Little Kettle) called the "Botanic Garden of the Middle Europe". The National Nature Monument Špičák is known with its karst formation and ingenuous growths of yew. ( source ) Thank you Jitka!

La Gomera is one of Spain's Canary Islands, located in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa. In area, it is the second-smallest of the seven main islands of this group. The island is of volcanic origin and roughly circular; it is about 22 km in diameter and rises to 1487 m at the island's highest peak, Garajonay. The inhabitants of La Gomera have a unique way of communicating across deep ravines by means of an amazing whistled speech called Silbo Gomero . This whistled language is indigenous to the island, and its existence has been documented since Roman times.  When this unique means of communication was threatened with extinction at the dawn of the 21st century, the local government required all children to learn it in school. ( source ) Thank you Fernando!

The Sint Nicolaaskerk is a Roman Catholic church in the centre of Amsterdam. The architect, Adrianus Bleijs (1842-1912) designed the church basing himself on a combination of several revival styles of which Neo-Baroque and neo-Renaissance are the most prominent models. The basis of the ground plan is the scheme of the classic three-aisled cross-basilica, i.e. a nave, two aisles and a single transept. The choir is located as is usual, at the end of the nave. In the corners formed by the transept and the nave, two chapels are located, traditionally devoted to Mary and Joseph. Inside the newly renovated church, a 19th century Sauer Organ can be found, on which concerts are given and mass is accompanied. ( source ) Thank you Elly!

Margrethe II (1940) is the queen regnant of the Kingdom of Denmark. In 1972 she became the first female monarch of Denmark since Margaret I, ruler of the Scandinavian countries in 1388-1412 during the Kalmar Union. On 10 June 1967, Princess Margrethe of Denmark married a French diplomat, Count Henri de Laborde de Monpezat, at the Naval Church of Copenhagen. Laborde de Monpezat received the style and title of "His Royal Highness Prince Henrik of Denmark" because of his new position as the spouse of the Heiress Presumptive to the Danish throne. ( source ) Thank you Joona-Oskar and Granny!

Moscow. The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour . Thank you Olya!

King Ludwig II Thank you Tjark!

The flag of San Marino was officially adopted on April 6, 1862. It is one of the world's oldest flag. San Marino claims to be the oldest republic in the world which is still existent. The flag of San Marino consists of two horizontal stripes of white and blue respectively. The coat of arms of San Marino is placed in the center of the San Marino flag. The blue stripe symbolizes the sky and the white color stands for the mountains and snow which caps Mt. Titano, San Marino's highest point. The coat of arms has a shield, flanked by a wreath, a crown underneath and on top a scroll bearing the word “Libertas” (liberty). ( source ) Thank you Renato!

The flag of the Netherlands is a horizontal tricolor of red, white, and blue. Introduced in 1572, it is one of the first tricolors and the oldest tricolor still in use today. Since 1937, the flag has officially been the national flag of the Netherlands and of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. ( source ) According to Ancient and Heraldic traditions much symbolism is associated with colors. The colors on the Dutch flag represent the following: white - peace and honesty; red - hardiness, bravery, strength & valor; blue - vigilance, truth and loyalty, perseverance & justice. ( source ) Thank you Agnieszka!

I have finally completed my 50 states map collection. Now I have at least one map card from every state! http://www.flickr.com/photos/55054813@N04/sets/72157625095020965/ But of course new map cards are always welcome!

Wyoming is a state in the Mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High Plains. Wyoming is the tenth largest U.S. state by area. Cheyenne is the capital and the most populous city of Wyoming with a population of nearly 60,000 people within its city proper. ( source ) Thank you Jen!

The West Indies is a large group of islands that separate the Caribbean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean. They comprise three main island groups: Bahamas (north), Greater Antilles (central), Lesser Antilles (southeast). The Bahamas consist of over 3,000 individual islands and reefs. The Greater Antilles include the island countries of Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti and the Dominican Republic ( Hispaniola ), and Puerto Rico. The Lesser Antilles are the much smaller islands to the southeast. Indians were the first inhabitants, and then, In 1492, the explorer Christopher Columbus became the first European to arrive at the islands. It's believed by historians that he first stepped foot in the Bahamas. Columbus called these islands the Indies because he thought he had finally reached Asia (and the East Indies). Spain, when Columbus' mistake was discovered, renamed them the West Indies, to distinguish them from the Spice Islands in the Pacific Ocean, (the East Indies) which we now call Indonesi...

Thank you Margaret!

Augsburg is a city in the south-west of Bavaria in Germany. Augsburg is an urban district and home to the institutions of the Landkreis Augsburg. It is, as of 2008, the third-largest city in Bavaria with a population exceeding 264,000 citizens. After Neuss and Trier, Augsburg is Germany's third oldest city. Augsburg is the only German city with its own legal holiday, the Peace of Augsburg, celebrated on August 8 of every year. This gives Augsburg more legal holidays than any other region or city in Germany. ( source ) Thank you Doris!

Uganda is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". The southern part of the country includes a substantial portion of Lake Victoria, which is also bordered by Kenya and Tanzania. Uganda takes its name from the Buganda kingdom, which encompassed a portion of the south of the country including the capital Kampala. The people of Uganda were hunter-gatherers until 1,700 to 2,300 years ago, when Bantu-speaking populations migrated to the southern parts of the country. Uganda gained independence from Britain on 9 October 1962. The official languages are English and Swahili, although multiple other languages are spoken in the country. ( source ) Thank you Lukas! http://iganda.blogspot.com/

The current flag of the Republic of South Africa was adopted on 27 April 1994, at the beginning of the 1994 general election, to replace the flag that had been used since 1928. The new national flag, designed by State Herald Frederick Brownell, was chosen to represent the new democracy. According to official South African government information, the South African flag is "a synopsis of principal elements of the country's flag history." The only symbolism in the flag is the V or Y shape, which can be interpreted as "the convergence of diverse elements within South African society, taking the road ahead in unity. From time to time explanations of the meanings or symbolism of the flag's colours are published in various media, including official government publications and speeches by government officials. Three of the colours — black, green and yellow — are found in the flag of the African National Congress. The other three — red, white and blue — are used ...

Thank you Hanako!

Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city and one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants. Cologne is located on both sides of the Rhine River. The city's famous Cologne Cathedral ( Kölner Dom ) is the seat of the Catholic Archbishop of Cologne. ( source ) Thank you all!

Prince William and Catherine Middleton became engaged in October 2010 in Kenya, East Africa, during a 10-day trip to the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy to celebrate William passing his RAF helicopter search and rescue course. Clarence House announced the engagement on 16 November 2010. ( source ) Thank you Eileen!

Thank you Thomas!

Cuxhaven is an independent town and seat of the Cuxhaven district, in Lower Saxony, Germany. Cuxhaven has a footprint of 14 km (east-west) by 7 km (north-south). Especially its town quarters Duhnen, Döse and Sahlenburg are popular vacation spots on the North Sea and home to about 52,000 residents. Cuxhaven is home to an important fisherman's wharf and ship registration point for Hamburg as well as the Kiel Canal until 2008. The city's symbol, known as the Kugelbake is a beacon once used as a lighthouse; the wooden landmark on the mouth of the Elbe marks the boundary between the river and the North Sea and also adorns the city's coat of arms. ( source ) Thank you Gabriela!