Map Of Slovenia II

Something I picked on my visit to Ljubljana this winter, and left to my friend to surprise me with some ludicrous writing :) And once again I've concluded I so wouldn't mind living there..!

 

Lighthouse Sketches, Netherlands

Beautiful illustrations of lighthouses of the northern coast in Holland, courtesy of my (still sailing ) friend :)

 

Saint Ursula

My friend sent me this painting, telling me that it reminded her of me - I can only wish to have such elegant poise! But I wouldn't wish the destiny of Saint Ursula...of beheading in a massacre during a pilgrimage of holy virgins to besieged Cologne (by Huns).

The painter is Spanish Caravaggio, a master of chiaroscuro Francisco de Zurbarán. Dank u Els ;)

 

UNESCO - Historic Centre Of Oporto, Portugal

The city of Oporto, built along the hillsides overlooking the mouth of the Douro river, is an outstanding urban landscape with a 2,000-year history. The rich and varied civil architecture of the historic centre expresses the cultural values of succeeding periods - Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, neoclassical and modern.

One of the town's trademarks is the waterfront or Ribeira, where you can see and ride in the traditional rabelo boat - just as I did with my postcrossing friend Martinha, and accidentally she is the one who sent me the 1st postcard some years ago :) I fell in love with the town and its prospects and really REALLY hope to visit again.

 

UNESCO - Monastery Of The Hieronymites And Tower Of Belém In Lisbon

Standing at the entrance to Lisbon harbour, the Monastery of the Hieronymites – construction of which began in 1502 – exemplifies Portuguese art at its best. The nearby Tower of Belém, built to commemorate Vasco da Gama's expedition, is a reminder of the great maritime discoveries that laid the foundations of the modern world.

Surprisingly that is all that is written on the official Unesco-web-site...Mosteiro dos Jerónimos has been a true and fascinating discovery for me - as i hadn't looked it up prior to visit, I didn't really know what to expect (seems to be the best way!) and I got a whole lot of oohs and aahs to last me a week :) I have seen the Tower of Belem on postcards but still very cool to actually visit it. And I have never seen THIS view on a postcard!

The impressive stamp that I've found in a friendly PO in Coimbra presents the Queluz National Palace in Sintra Municipality, in the Lisbon District - one of the last great Rococo buildings to be designed in Europe.

Its been two months and I am still suffering from withdrawal symptoms...didn't get enough of Portugal

Dhow In A Harbour, Qatar

This little but powerful country has been hiding from me for a long while...I have Selim to thank for this Qatar view with a traditional boat. Continuing with the sunset theme :)

 

Bagan, Myanmar

Bagan  is an ancient city located in the Mandalay Region of Myanmar; from the 9th to 13th centuries, the city was the capital of the Kingdom of Pagan, the first kingdom to unify the regions that would later constitute modern Myanmar. During the kingdom's height between the 11th and 13th centuries, over 10,000 Buddhist temples, pagodas and monasteries were constructed in the Bagan plains alone, of which the remains of over 2200 temples and pagodas still survive to the present day.

 

I was surprised to learn that this awesome site is only on UNESCO tentative list - the explanation lies in  restorations conducted in the 1990s by the military government, which drew widespread condemnation from art historians and preservationists worldwide. Critics are aghast that the restorations paid little attention to original architectural styles, and used modern materials.

 

Sadly, Croatia has some experience in breaching the UNESCO restoration guidelines...I will probably have an opportunity to say more about that some other time. I was really lucky to get my first w&s postcard from Myanmar via an RR, and thanks to azzi who has chosen a wonderful view :))

 

Fortaleza Del Cerro, Uruguay

Also known as Fortaleza General Artigas, it is a fortress situated in Montevideo overlooking its bay.  It was completed in 1839 and was the last Spanish fort built in Uruguay - its been housing a military museum since 1916 and has become a National Monument in 1931.

My second card from Uruguay, this time with Year of the Horse stamps, gracias Veronica :)