Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Bahrain

Early example of Bahraini architecture – Al Khamis Mosque. The Al Khamis Mosque is believed to be the first mosque in Bahrain. The foundation of this mosque is believed to have been laid as early as 692 AD. An inscription found on the site, however, suggests a foundation date sometimes during the 11th Century.

Definitive stamp showing the King of Bahrain and 2010 stamp to commemorate the World Cup in South Africa.

Brunei


Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Uganda

I have no information about the photo for this postcard, but a big thanks to Katja, a German NGO worker in Kampala who agreed to swap cards with me!

"Economic Activities at Lake George". Lake George is part of East Africa's Great Lakes system. It was named after Prince George of England, who would later become King George V, ruling from 1910 to 1936.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Puerto Rico





















Secluded beach loacted on Puerto Rico's northeast coast, near Fajardo and El Conquistador Resort. Puerto Rico is a 35 by 100-mile island located in the eastern Caribbean, a thirty minute plane flight from the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Honduras






Las ruinas de Copán, Honduras, C.A. Inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1980.

Friday, June 18, 2010

United States of America – Arizona

Organ Pipe National Monument Arizona. Established in 1937, this large area in southern Arizona protects some of the most spectacular Sonoran Desert scenery in North America. Designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1977.

















Thursday, June 17, 2010

Algeria
















Alger – Capitale d'Algérie et perle du Maghreb. Située au nord centre. Chef lieu de wilaya (préfecture), Superficie : 272,97 km, Altitude : 275 m de Bouzaréah, Population : 2.562.00 h (1998). Le mémorial du martyr superficie 3700m2. Érigé en 1982 pour le 20e Anniversaire de l'indépendence, il est formé de trois gigantesques pales de 97 m d'hauteur stylisée au pied desquelles se dressent trois satutues de moudjahidines. Il domine toute la baie d'Alger et le complexe culturel et commerical de Riadh El-Feth le "Parc de la victoire" à l'Est duquel commence à s'édifier Alger du XXI siècle.













Centenary of the University of Algiers.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Romania















New York Hotel, also called Hotel Continental, is on the the treasures of Cluj-Napoca's city centre architecture. Built in 1894 in an eclectic style by architect Pakey Lajos, this magnificent building is now nothing but a deserted gemstone of the past. Behind the fancy exterior, there is nothing to remind the traveler of its former glory.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Australia


Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House. The Opera House was inscribed on the World Heritage list in 2007.










Russell Falls, Tasmania













Sunday, June 13, 2010

Côte d'Ivoire

The Plateau district is the commercial centre of Abidjan, the capital of Côte d'Ivoire. Owing to its many skyscrapers it is sometimes refered to as "Manhattan of the Tropics" and started out life as the location of the railhead of the colonial Niger Railway. The St Paul Cathedral was consacrated by Pope John Paul II during his visit to Côte d'Ivoire in 1985.

Stamps depict highly endangered white rhinos in Abokouamékro Animal Reserve, located in the centre of the country near the Ivoirian capital of Yamoussoukro.

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Guatemala
















Lago de Atitlán
Lake Atitlán is a large lake in the Guatamalan Highlands surrounded by three volcanos. Mayan culture and traditional dress are still largely prevalant in the villages and towns which surround the lake. The region is on the Tentative World Heritage List.
















Stamp shows a top from a 2009 series on traditional games.

Andorra – French Administration
















Valls d'Andorra, Alt 2,407 m
Vall d'Envalira

Pyrenean Chamois in the Envalira Valley








Stamp issued by French postal administration from a 2009 series on cars showing the first model Renault car ever built, the A-15.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Canada – British Colombia

Coal Harbour viewed from Stanely Park with Canada Place and the new Convention Centre.

Self-adhesive stamp showing Quatchi, mascot for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.

El Salvador
















La Catedral de Santa Ana
Santa Ana is the second-largest city in El Salvador, located not far from the capital, San Salvador. Construction on the cathedral began in 1906 and was designed to look like a Gothic cathedral in contrast to the Spanish Colonial Style of most of the cathedrals of El Salvador and the rest of Latin America.
















Radio El Salvador, 82 years of radio history.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Greenland


















This card shows the national costume from East Greenland and is actually a reproduction of the photo used on a stamp design which won Greenland first prize for most beautiful Europa stamp in 2004.
















Hybrid stamp slash postal rate sticker.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

World Network of Biosphere Reserves

The UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves covers internationally designated protected areas, known as biosphere reserves, that are meant to demonstrate a balanced relationship between people and nature and encourage sustainable development.

As of 2012, total membership has reached 610 biosphere reserves, including 12 transboundary sites, in 117 countries occurring in all regions of the world. This already takes into account some biosphere reserves that have been withdrawn or revised through the years, as the program’s focus has shifted from simple protection of nature to areas displaying close interaction between man and environment.

I certainly have some cards from Biosphere Reserves in my archives that will be added to the site over time.

Canada
Waterton

United States of America
California Coastal Ranges
Organ Pipe Cactus

Tentative List

Having worked as a translator at UNESCO for a number of years, the World Heritage Programme has a extra-special place in my heart. The nomination process is long and very involved, so special props to all the sites on the Tentative List. Hopefully, with some gumption and a bit of perseverance, they will all find their place on the World Heritage List one day!

The following Tentative List sites are in my collection. Only about 1500 or so more cards needed to complete the set! :-P

Benin
Lake Village of Ganvié

Burundi
Lake Tanganyika

Bhutan
Sacred Sites associated with Phajo Drugom Zhigpo and his descendants

Canada
The Klondike

Czech Republic
The West Bohemian Spa Triangle

Guatemala
Protected area of Lake Atitlán: multiple use

Guyana
Saint George's Anglican Cathedral

Iraq
Erbil Citadel [inscribed as WHS in 2014]

Italy
Lake Maggiore and Lake D'Orta Lakelands

Mauritius
Black River Gorges National Park

Nicaragua
Volcán Masaya National Park
City of Granada and its natural environment

Romania
The Historic Centre of Sibiu and its Ensemble of Squares

Russian Federation
Mamayev Kurgan Memorial Complex "To the Heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad"

United Kingdom
Turks and Caicos Islands

World Heritage

Having worked as a translator at UNESCO for a number of years, the World Heritage programme has an extra-special place in my heart.

Below, a list of all the World Heritage sites in my postcard collection. Only 900 or so left to go! :-P

Albania
Historic Centres of Berat and Gjirokastra

Andorra
Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley

Australia
Sydney Opera House

Bosnia and Herzegovina
Old Bridge and Old City of Mostar

Cambodia
Angkor

Canada
Dinosaur Provincial Park
Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks
Historic District of Old Québec
Gros Morne National Park
Old Town Lunenburg
Waterton Glacier International Peace Park *
Rideau Canal

China
Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Beijing and Shenyang
Historic Centre of Macau

Czech Republic
Historic Centre of Prague

Dominican Republic
Colonial City of Santo Domingo

Egypt
Nubian Monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae

Estonia
Historic Centre (Old Town) of Tallinn

Ethiopia
Harar Jugol, the Fortified Historic Town

Fiji
Levuka Historical Port Town

France
Chartres Cathedral
Paris, Banks of the Seine
The Loire Valley between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes
Pitons, cirques and remparts of Reunion Island

Ghana
Forts and Castles, Volta, Greater Accra, Central and Western Regions

Greece
Acropolis, Athens

Holy See
Vatican City

Honduras
Maya Site of Copan

Hungary
Budapest, including the Banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter and Andrássy Avenue

Italy
Venice and its Lagoon

Iran
Persepolis

Iraq
Erbil Citadel

Jordan
Petra

Laos
Town of Luang Prabang

Latvia
Historic Centre of Riga

Libya
Archaeological Site of Cyrene

Luxembourg
City of Luxembourg: its Old Quarters and Fortifications

Malaysia
Melaka and George Town, Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca

Mali
Cliff of Bandiagara (Land of the Dogons)

Morocco
Medina of Marrakesh

Nepal
Sagarmatha National Park

Norway
West Norway Fjords

Peru
Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu

San Marino
San Marino Historic Centre and Mount Titano

Spain
Alhambra, Generalife and Albayzín, Granada

Suriname
Historic Inner City of Paramaribo

Russian Federation
Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of Monuments
Kremlin and Red Square, Moscow

United States of America
Redwood National and State Parks
Statue of Liberty
Waterton Glacier International Peace Park *

Uzbekistan
Historic Centre of Bukhara
Samarkand – Crossroad of Cultures

Yemen
Old City of Sana'a

Zambia
Mosi-oa-Tunya / Victoria Falls

* Transboundary site