Woodford Reserve

And now for something totally delicious..:) and something that has been on my mind for the last few months...I have always been a fan of whiskey, but it has only been this year that I've decided to buy a book about it, and oh my so little did I know about this 'water of life'! I could write a whole essay on things thought and learnt right now, so better just keep it short and say: thank you Bryon for this addition to my whiskey collection :)) as a matter of fact I have bought a woodford reserve bourbon on my way back from ny, but I'd surely love to try this rye too some day..!

German Xmas Markets

A tiny bit late with this one...though some of the markets last well into the new year. I have missed these two examples of the well-known 'Adventmarkt' by days last year in November...this year I was near Munich when the season started and have visited a nice example in a lovely Bavarian town of Landshut. A curious info: this years top-destination for a xmas market in Europe is Zagreb, so I went, and had a great few days :)

Kachaghakaberd Fortress, Nagorno-Karabakh

Though it looks like a mere mountain top, it is indeed the Kachaghakaberd fortress in the Martakert Province of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic within Azerbaijan, where it lies in the Tartar Rayon.

Many thanks to Mirka for sending me a new territory postcard from her trip :))

 

Map Of Gibraltar

'So much to see in such a small space' my friend says, and it sure looks that way on this map. Awesome stamp too, unsurprisingly not cancelled.

Faces Of Bayon Temple, Angkor, Cambodia

I love this card, esp after seeing the temple with my own eyes :) It was sent to me by a friend who traveled there a few months before me, like a nice preview.

So when I was there I decided to wait to get to Phnom Penh to send postcards, thinking there would be no problems finding postcards and stamps and mail boxes, after all it is a capital. We were there for one day, and it was a long walk from the hostel to the main P.O., where I got just before closing time. They had a philately section (yay) but they only had one kind of stamp (?!) so I bought those. I asked the annoyed lady working there, more like a rhetorical question ' There will be mailboxes in the centre of town?' to which she replied 'Uhm no, you have to come back here tomorrow with your mail.' Darn. We just had no time. Our bus to Laos was leaving early :/ So we spent the evening writing postcards, as our hostel receptionist said 'sure just leave them here we'll take them to the PO', and they never have arrived...Sad story, not so much for me as for a few dear postcrossing friends I wanted to send postcards to...So next time the first chance for sending cards is the right one! 

Stoły Mountain Cottages, Poland

One would think the winter has just begun and I am already dreaming of spring...but its been so warm these days, 15 degrees and sunshine, that you can still find flowers in the fields and the orange tree is showing new buds again! We are far from white Christmas...Very nice view of the mountain meadows, thanks Magda :)

On The Way To Green Canyon, Indonesia

This looks fantastic, a boat ride on the Indonesian island of Java (of course we are ignoring the probable millions of mosquitos and other insects ;)) ' Boats buzz up the jungle-fringed, emerald river from a small marina to a waterfall and a beautiful canyon...' 

The stamp thief was active a year ago...

Thank you Cheni :)

 

UNESCO - Historic Centre Of San Gimignano, Italy

'San Gimignano delle belle Torri' is in Tuscany, 56 km south of Florence. It served as an important relay point for pilgrims travelling to or from Rome on the Via Francigena. The patrician families who controlled the town built around 72 tower-houses (some as high as 50 m) as symbols of their wealth and power. Within the walls, the well-preserved buildings include notable examples of both Romanesque and Gothic architecture, with outstanding examples of secular buildings as well as churches.

Grazie mille Chiara :)

 

UNESCO - Pre-Hispanic City Of Palenque, Mexico

A prime example of a Mayan sanctuary of the classical period, Palenque was at its height between AD 500 and 700, when its influence extended throughout the basin of the Usumacinta River. The elegance and craftsmanship of the buildings, as well as the lightness of the sculpted reliefs with their Mayan mythological themes, attest to the creative genius of this civilization.

Danke Brigitte...who went on holiday to Mexico (oh so jealous!), and sent me cards that took a year (!) to arrive. You know, better late than never..!

UNESCO - Cultural Landscape Of The Serra De Tramuntana, Mallorca, Spain

The Cultural Landscape of the Serra de Tramuntana located on a sheer-sided mountain range parallel to the north-western coast of the island of Mallorca. Millennia of agriculture in an environment with scarce resources has transformed the terrain and displays an articulated network of devices for the management of water revolving around farming units of feudal origins. The landscape is marked by agricultural terraces and inter-connected water works - including water mills - as well as dry stone constructions and farms.

This is a good representation of the fantastic landscape on Mallorca west coast, the terraces and steep cliffs...I am happy to have seen it. Next time perhaps in nicer weather for the nice beaches :)

UNESCO - Town Of Luang Prabang, Laos

Even though I was going to Laos myself (and thought mine will be the 1st card I receive from there) I did arrange a swap 'just in case' and received this card showing one of many wats in the beautiful Luang Prabang, danke Patrik! Its funny cos we just missed each other by days :)

Luang Prabang is an outstanding example of the fusion of traditional architecture and Lao urban structures with those built by the European colonial authorities in the 19th and 20th centuries. Its unique, remarkably well-preserved townscape illustrates a key stage in the blending of these two distinct cultural traditions.

The many pagodas or "Vat" in Luang Prabang, which are among the most sophisticated Buddhist temples in Southeast Asia, are richly decorated (sculptures, engravings, paintings, gilding and furniture pieces). Wat Xieng Thong, which dates from the 16th century, comprises an ensemble of the most complex structures of all the pagodas of the town. It is remarkable both from the archaeological point of view, and from the Lao iconographic and aesthetic viewpoint.

Aroa Beach, Cook Islands

Lovely Aroa Beach on the most populous of the Cook Islands, Rarotonga. Thank you Susan for arranging this card for me :) It was missent to Gibraltar for some reason :)

The Cook Islands (Māori: Kūki 'Āirani) is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean in free association with New Zealand. It comprises 15 islands whose total land area is 240 square kilometres. The Cook Islands' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), however, covers 1,800,000 square kilometres of ocean.  Tourism is the country's main industry, and the leading element of the economy, ahead of offshore banking, pearls, and marine and fruit exports.

Sure would love to go there someday for a relaxing holiday..!

 

The Nyakazu Fault, Burundi

In the last scanned lot there are a few new countries in my collection, actually quite a few posties that I misplaced during the summer - I seriously need to tackle this problem of forgetfulness..! This reminds me of that terrible period when I was receiving mail with missing stamps for months on end...here at least one of the two was left in place.

I have Mike to thank for this view from Burundi - so-called German Gorge, but is in fact the Unesco tentative list's the Nyakazu fault. Beware, this is google translating the french bit! 'The fault Nyakazu opens with depression Kumoso. It is a notch in the massive Nkoma overlooking the plain and extends to the border with Tanzania. This flaw is of recent tectonic origin and covers 600 ha. It presents an exceptional structure and there are historical remains of Fort German.' Voilà ;)

Coffee Love

...with cinnamon, what a decadence :) The cookies reminded me that I should bake some for the advent, my mind is set on orange crush cookies, but also i really want to try it with the macarons. Let's go! Thank you Diane for this yummy card :)