Trakai Island Castle

Penelope sent me this beautiful castle in Lithuania.

Trakai Island Castle  is an island castle located in Trakai, Lithuania on an island in Lake Galvė. The castle is sometimes referred to as "Little Marienburg". The construction of the stone castle was begun in the 14th century by Kęstutis, and around 1409 major works were completed by his son Vytautas the Great, who died in this castle in 1430. Trakai was one of the main centres of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the castle held great strategic importance.

Ulun Danu Temple, Bali

I collect four types of postcards: landmarks, map cards, famous people, and cards of castles, churches, and temples. A new addition to my collection was sent by Linda from her home country Indonesia.

 Ulun Danu is a Hindu Temple set in the lakeside of Beratan and as an icon of the tourist destination in Bali.

Built in 1663, this temple is used for offerings ceremony to the Balinese water, lake and river goddess Dewi Danu, due to the importance of Lake Bratan as a main source of irrigation in central Bali. The 11 stories of pelinggih meru dedicated for Shiva and his consort Parvathi. Buddha statue also present inside this temple.

Lake Bratan is known as the Lake of Holy Mountain due to the fertility of this area. Located 1200 m above sea level, it has a cold tropical climate.

UAE Post Box

This red-hot post box at Dubai Marina Mall is where I drop my postcards. On the other side of the wall is Al Jaber Gallery where I buy stamps and postcards for swap.

An entry for

Red-Hot Thursday

Heart Reef Australia Postcard

A few days ago, I received my second envelope of postcards from Australia sent by Kristy. It includes a map card of the country, an aerial view of Sydney, and my favorite, the Heart Reef.

Heart Reef is perhaps the most fascinating piece of the Great Barrier Reef. It is a stunning natural coral formation that was discovered by a local pilot in 1975. It is located in the Whitsunday Islands and must be viewed from the air as the area is protected and snorkelers and scuba divers are not allowed to enter.

London Eye Postcard

I received this beautiful London Eye postcard last week from Anna.

The London Eye is a giant Ferris wheel situated on the banks of the River Thames, in London, England. The entire structure is 135 metres tall and the wheel has a diameter of 120 metres.

It is the tallest Ferris wheel in Europe, and the most popular paid tourist attraction in the United Kingdom, visited by over 3.5 million people annually. When erected in 1999, it was the tallest Ferris wheel in the world, until surpassed first by the 160 m Star of Nanchang in 2006, and then the 165 m Singapore Flyer in 2008. It is still described by its operators as "the world's tallest cantilevered observation wheel" (as the wheel is supported by an A-frame on one side only, unlike the Nanchang and Singapore wheels).

The London Eye, or Millennium Wheel, was officially called the British Airways London Eye and then the Merlin Entertainments London Eye. Since 20 January 2011, its official name is the EDF Energy London Eye[5] following a three-year sponsorship deal.

Stocking Filler: Decorative Quilt

I found this beautiful decorative quilt at Souk Madinat yesterday. It's a wonderful gift for the ladies of the house. But I think even more perfect as family giveaways. You can add to embroider your family initials and it's a treasured gift that will pass on for many years to come.

 I also wish to take this opportunity to thank Tracy for the thoughtful Christmas card she sent us from New York complete with Christmas stamps. =)

An entry for

Green Monday

Postcard from Tatry

Fellow postcard collector, Mirek sent me this beautiful card showing the Tatra Mountains in Poland. They are the highest part of the Carpathian mountain range, and for centuries they were Poland’s natural border with Slovakia.

 Tatry, my third postcard from Poland.

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It is very popular with tourists as one will find stunning views and pristine nature as well as the best skiing in winter and hiking, rock climbing, cave exploration, cycling, paragliding, etc. through the rest of the year.

Beautiful Polish stamps