Pristina, Kosovo

Oh my has it been almost three weeks that I've posted here...and now I have a new pile to be scanned next month, before I have 'cleared out' the old batch. Well the story repeats and continues!

This card I have received a year ago, almost to the date. My second card from Kosovo, thanks to Ruedi who went there on a business trip, and was so diligent and sent like a million of postcards! Showing The Cathedral of Blessed Mother Teresa and The Sultan Mehmet Fatih Mosque, also known as the Imperial Mosque.

Water Village, Brunei

Also called Kampong Ayer in Malay, is an area of Brunei's capital city Bandar Seri Begawan that is situated after the Brunei Bay. 39000 people live there, which is roughly ten percent of the nation's total population. All of the Water Village buildings are constructed on stilts above the Brunei River.

Many thanks to Saedah Ismail, for my only 2nd postcard from Negara Brunei Darussalam :)

 

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi, UAE

As the country's grand mosque, it is the key place of worship for Friday gathering and Eid prayers. During Eid it can be visited by more than 40,000 people. Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is the largest mosque in the United Arab Emirates and the eighth largest mosque in the world;  it was initiated by the late president of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), HH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who wanted to establish a structure which unites the cultural diversity of Islamic world, the historical and modern values of architecture and art.

Great choice of card, as of the commemorative stamp issued for Dubai Crown Prince this year. Many many thanks Weny!

Putrajaya, Malaysia

Beautiful vibrant colours on this postcard showing Putra Mosque and in the background Perdana Putra,  the Prime Minister's Office. Its hard to guess that these buildings were built less than two decades ago - as Putrajaya, located 25 km south of Kuala Lumpur, is a planned city built when the seat of government was shifted in 1999 from Kuala Lumpur, due to overcrowding and congestion in the Kuala Lumpur area.

Many thanks to ZiXun :)

 

UNESCO - Kairouan, Tunisia

The Great Mosque of Kairouan is also known as the Mosque of Uqba and is one of the most important mosques in Tunisia - it was established by the Arab general Uqba ibn Nafi in 670 AD at the founding of the city of Kairouan, and is one of the oldest places of worship in the Islamic world, as well as a model for all later mosques in the Maghreb.

Kairouan flourished under the Aghlabid dynasty in the 9th century, and despite the transfer of the political capital to Tunis in the 12th century it remained the Maghreb's principal holy city.  It is an important centre for Islamic and Quranic learning, and thus attracting a large number of Muslims from various parts of the world, next only to Mecca and Medina.

Thank you Mehdi for this nice addition :))

 

Bhong Mosque, Pakistan

Another new country in my collection - actually it is not the first time that, after a long wait, i receive two postcards from a missing country about the same time, as it happened with Pakistan last winter. Cannot complain eh :)

The postcard shows  the Bhong Masjid in Southern Punjab, designed and constructed over a period of nearly 50 years (1932–1982) and winning the Aga Khan Award For Architecture in 1986. The mosque's design is a mix of Islamic styles, using rare and traditional materials such as ivory, teak, and onyx.

Many thanks to Hasnain and his use of diverse stamps :))

 

UNESCO - Samarra Archaeological City, Iraq

Samarra is a city in Iraq situated 130km north of Baghdad, and is famous for its vast archaeological site of the former Islamic capital - the minaret of the Great Mosque on this postcard is its best-known feature. Looks fantastic!

As does the back of the postcard with no less than three different cancellations of two consecutive dates. Also a great stamp with landmarks map. Love everything, thanks so much Ahmed!

 

UNESCO - Selimiye Mosque And Its Social Complex, Turkey

 

The most famous Ottoman architect of the 16th century Sinan considered this complex his best work. It consists of the square mosque with single dome and four slender minarets, as well as madrasas, a covered market, clockhouse, outer courtyard and library.

Many thanks to Nihan :)

The Grand Mosque In Makkah, Saudi Arabia

As the birthplace of Muhammad and a site of the Muhammad's first revelation of the Quran, Makkah or Mecca is regarded as the holiest city in the religion of Islam and a pilgrimage to it known as the Hajj is obligatory for all able Muslims.

This is a broad view of Masjid Al-Haram, the "Grand Mosque'', the largest mosque in the world surrounding one of Islam's holiest places, the Kaaba. The current structure covers an area of 356,800 square metres, including the outdoor and indoor praying spaces and can accommodate up to 4 million worshipers during the Hajj period, one of the largest annual gatherings of people in the world. Unlike many other mosques which are segregated, men and women worship at Masjid Al-Haram together.

Thank you J.S. ;))

Jame Mosque Of Qazvin, Iran

 

This time I brought from home a full box of older postcards to scan, and luckily I didnt do it by memory as I realised many cards that I thought I blogged I actually didnt..! Which resulted in finding three new countries here but which I've received literally years ago.

Such is this view of the Jame Mosque of Qazvin, a grand congregational mosque one of the oldest in Iran. Many thanks to Yasi :)

UNESCO - Historic Areas of Istanbul, Turkey

Hagia Sophia (Turkish: Ayasofya) is perhaps the best-known site in Istanbul. From the date of its dedication in 360 until 1453, it served as an Eastern Orthodox cathedral and seat of the Patriarchate of Constantinople; except between 1204 and 1261, when it was converted to a Roman Catholic cathedral under the Latin Empire. The building was a mosque from 1453 until 1931, when it was secularized. It was opened as a museum on 1 February 1935.

It is considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture - it remained the world's largest cathedral for nearly a thousand years thereafter, until Seville Cathedral was completed in 1520. Its famous in particular for its massive dome, which can be seen on the 2nd postcard.

A personal favourite - Basilica Cistern, the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that lie beneath the city. Built in the 6th century during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Justinian, it is located some 150 meters southwest of the Hagia Sophia, and be careful cos you might miss it! It may have the capacity of 80000 cubic metres but its not conspicuous from the outside.

This postcard I received just before my trip to Istanbul, as a sort of an invitation :) I like the Galata Tower, especially in the night under those lights. Its a nine-story medieval stone tower (66.90 meters tall) in the Galata/Karaköy quarter, just to the north of the Golden Horn.

In the end what I found most fascinating about Istanbul is the skyline dotted with numerous imposing mosques...and just how tasty a street kebab can be :))

Ras Salmiya Mosque, Kuwait

I was away from home for three weeks, which meant slowing down with swaps i.e. keeping them to a minimum...but there was still space for a new country in my collection, the elusive Kuwait! I have heard reports that many postcards from there don't arrive at all...but as you all true postcrossers out there know, its always worth a shot ;) so when I got home I was thrilled to find this pyramid-mosque view in my mail, complete with a great stamp (alas not cancelled) commemorating 50th anniversary of Kuwait fund for Arab Economic Development, from a set of 19.

Many many thanks to Ahmed!! :))

Kocatepe Mosque in Ankara, Turkey

The Kocatepe Mosque is the largest mosque in Ankara, the capital of Turkey. It was built between 1967 and 1987  and its size and prominent situation have made it a landmark that can be seen from almost anywhere in central Ankara.

This beautiful postcard with equally beautiful stamps was sent to me by Leslie some years ago, thank you! :))

Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, Brunei Darussalam

Brunei or Negara Brunei Darussalam is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, surrounded by the Malaysian state Sarawak and the South China Sea. Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque is a royal Islamic mosque located in Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of the Sultanate of Brunei. The building was completed in 1958 and is an example of modern Islamic architecture. The mosque's most recognizable feature, the main dome, is covered in pure gold. Impressive!

Thank you Yana for sending this beautiful view from your travels :))

UNESCO - Historic And Architectural Complex Of The Kazan Kremlin, Russia

This magnificant building is the Kul Sharif or Qolşärif Mosque in Kazan, originally built in the Kazan Kremlin in the 16th century but soon destroyed by Ivan The Terrible in 1552. Since 1996 the mosque has been rebuilt and can accommodate 6000 worshipers. The main minarets are 57 meters high.

Kazan is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Tatarstan in west Russia - its metropolitan area has a population of 1.6 million. This multi-ethnic city is famous for Muslims and Christians living side-by-side in peace. The Kazan Kremlin is its chief historic citadel built on behest of Ivan the Terrible on the ruins of the former castle of Kazan khans.

From an offer tag, thank you Julia :))

Emperor's Mosque, Sarajevo, BiH

The Emperor's Mosque (Careva Džamija) was built in 1457, and as such is the first mosque to be built after the Ottoman conquest of Bosnia. Considered one of the most beautiful mosques of the Ottoman period in the Balkans, the mosque features a roomy interior and high quality decorative details. Most of its splendour is owed to Suleyman the Lawgiver, one of the most renowned Sultans of the Ottoman Empire, who rebuilt it in 1565 after a great devastation.

Sarajevo - unique symbol of universal multiculture - continual open city is on the Unesco tentative list for 15 years now, and to be frank I am greatly surprised its not already on the main Unesco list! Its such a magnificant city with rich and turbulent history.

Whats also magnificant about this postcard are the stamps used - issued by Hrvatska Pošta Mostar, one of three companies responsible for postal service in Bosnia and Herzegovina. These two are from the set of four issued in 2006 representing native birds, in this case the Great Crested Grebe and the Hoopoe. Gorgeous creatures! And special thanks to Goge :)))

Prizren, Kosovo

After a long while a new country in my collection :) The partially recognised Republic of Kosovo - 91 out of 193 UN member states, 22 out of 27 EU member states and 24 out of 28 NATO member states have recognised its sovereignty. I was sent a postcard from there a year ago but it never arrived...so I was really curious if this one would disappear too, but it came rather quickly actually..!

It shows Prizren, a historic city located on the slopes of the Šar Mountains in the southern part of Kosovo. As far as my research is concerned  this is Bajrakli Mosque - the 14th century Mosque of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror and can be reached on the first left street infront of The Hamam. It dates from 1566 and is possibly the most beautiful mosque in Prizren with ornate wood work and detailed blue-and-white paintings.

The stamp is celebrating the Earth's Day. HUGE thanks goes to Radim! :)))

Edit: I was warned that the recognition issue is delicate, so I'd like to mention I got my info from wikipedia, because I trust their information being up to date - that said, there will be news on the matter on daily basis and my post will soon be just a reminder of the past..!

Alexandria, Egypt

We returned to Egypt via Eilat and settled in a nice bungalow in Dahab - which is a great place to chill out, quite touristy but not in a hectic way. Diving in the Red Sea sounded tempting..! But I have my own fears to tackle first :s

We bussed back to Cairo, where we spent another couple of days as I was caught by a cold and had high temperature (boo). But there was not much time to waste so we headed to Alexandria, where we had a day of exploration before catching a bus to Siwa oasis.  Of course we 1st checked the library! The Bibliotheca Alexandrina was inaugurated in 2003 near the site of the ancient Royal Library of Alexandria, once the largest library in the world. This one is quite awesome too!

The 1st postcard shows the El-Mursi Abul-Abbas Mosque, which looked stunning in the moonlight...Alexandria must have looked amazing back in the Ptolemaic days - everything was grand, very much like this lighthouse on the 2nd postcard - the Pharos of Alexandria. With its height between 120 and 140 meters it was for centuries the highest man-made building in the world. Sadly it was devastated in the series of earthquakes. In 1480 the last of its remnant stones were used to build the Citadel of Qaitbay on the site.

In the alexandrian post-office I found new stamps, goodie :)

These were posted on the 13th of December on the way back from the oasis.