UNESCO - Meteora, Greece

In a region of almost inaccessible sandstone peaks, monks settled on these 'columns in the sky' from the 11th century onwards. Twenty four of these monasteries were built, despite incredible difficulties, at the time of the great revival of the eremetic ideal in the 15th century. Their 16th-century frescoes mark  a key stage in the development of post-Byzantine painting.

Magical view isn't it? Its also what Antonio says, despite visiting the place in gloomy weather - or sometimes its exactly what adds to the mystical appeal. I've noticed I mostly posted donkeys and cats of Greece lately ('lately' being a loose term in this case haha), here is finally a view card :D Thank you Antonio:)

UNESCO - Kluane National Park And Reserve, Canada

Kluane National Park and Reserve is part of one of those 'complicated' whs sites, namely Kluane/Wrangell-St. Elias/Glacier Bay/Tatshenshini-Alsek which beside Kluane comprises three other national parks, which again as a whole boast an impressive complex of glaciers and high peaks on both sides of the border between Canada (Yukon Territory and British Columbia) and the United States (Alaska). The spectacular natural landscapes are home to many grizzly bears, caribou and Dall's sheep. The site contains the largest non-polar icefield in the world.

The first postcard shows Mount Logan, standing at 5595 metres, which makes it the highest mountain in Canada and 2nd highest in North America. On the second are the aforementioned Dall Sheep, also known as thinhorn sheep, native to northwestern North America. As always a great swap with Jason, thank you :)

UNESCO - City Of Cuzco, Peru

The City of Cuzco is a unique testimony of the ancient Inca civilization. Situated in the Peruvian Andes, Cuzco developed, under the Inca ruler Pachacutec, into a complex urban centre with distinct religious and administrative functions. It was surrounded by clearly delineated areas for agricultural, artisan and industrial production. When the Spaniards conquered it in the 16th century, they preserved the basic structure but built Baroque churches and palaces over the ruins of the Inca city. 

This postcard shows the Cuzco's main square Plaza de Armas. It has been nine long years since I've visited this place...I believe I should have explored it more. At the time I wasn't sending many postcards from my travels (and in the meantime I went manic haha) but have Andres to thank for this card, plus an awesome set of stamps showing ancient jewellery :)

UNESCO - Fanjingshan, China

Located within the Wuling mountain range in Guizhou Province in southwest China, Fanjingshan ranges in altitude between 500 - 2570 metres above sea level, favouring highly diverse types of vegetation and relief. It is an island of metamorphic rock in a sea of karst, home to many plant and animal species that originated in the Tertiary period.

Also Fanjingshan is considered a sacred mountain of Chinese Buddhism, ranking just behind The Four Sacred Mountains. During the Ming Dynasty 48 Buddhist temples were built on the mountain, many of which have since been destroyed; the ones that remain are now significant pilgrimage sites. This postcard shows the New Golden Summit, or the Red Clouds Golden Summit.

Again thanks to Tianyi :)

UNESCO - Mount Sanqingshan National Park, China

Mount Sanqingshan National Park, located in the west of the Huyaiyu mountain range in the northeast of Jiangxi Province, has been inscribed for its exceptional scenic quality, marked by the concentration of fantastically shaped pillars and peaks, many of which resemble human or animal silhouettes.

Which could this one be, perhaps an eagle sitting on a branch..? 

Thank you Tyanyi :)

UNESCO - Royal Exhibition Building In Melbourne, Australia

The Royal Exhibition Building and its surrounding Carlton Gardens were designed by Joseph Reed for the great international exhibitions of 1880 and 1888 in Melbourne. The building combines elements from the Byzantine, Romanesque, Lombardic and Italian Renaissance styles. This site is a surviving manifestation of the international exhibition movement which blossomed in the late 19th and the early 20th centuries.

I cannot believe that I lived in Melbourne for three months and didn't visit this place, how frustrating. Moreover I was there in 2004, the year it was designated a whs site. All this prompted me to think of all the places I've visited in Australia and make a list - and then onwards to all the other places visited. Its a great task! I figured it would be a good list to use in future swaps, to get postcards of all the places I travelled to so far.

UNESCO - Purnululu National Park, Australia

Purnululu National Park is located in the state of Western Australia, containing the deeply dissected Bungle Bungle Range, composed of Devonian-age quartz sandstone eroded over a period of 20 million years into a series of beehive-shaped towers or cones, whose steeply sloping surfaces are disctinctly marked by regular horizontal bands of dark-grey cyanobacterial crust. The spectacularly incised landscape of these sculpted rocks rises 250 meters above the surrounding semi-arid savannah grasslands.

Amazing view, thanks to Helen :)

UNESCO - Churches of Peace in Jawor and Świdnica, Poland

These are the largest timber-framed churches in Europe, built in the mid 17th century following the Peace of Westfalia treaties. They bear testimony to the quest for religious freedom and are a rare expression of Lutheran ideology in an idiom generally associated with the Catholic Church.

The imperial consent to build the churches was hard to come by, and eventually imposed strict conditions: they were to be built outside any town boundaries in strictly defined areas, only with wood and clay, could not feature a tower, and should be finished within a year. Still, they endured the test of time to this day - considered the masterpieces of skilled handicraft, they remain without peer in their technological complexity and size.

No wonder these churches are a WHS! Thank you Sebastian and Sabina for your additions to my UNESCO collection :)

UNESCO - Place Stanislas, Nancy, France

This UNESCO site actually comprises three different squares, but I'll have to get there myself it seems, to be able to get all the postcards :D Here is the Hotel de Ville or the City Hall on Place Stanislas, a part of a carefully conceived project in the 18th century that succeeded in creating a capital that was both prestigious and functional. Thank you dear Sylvia for sending this card, but also for attaching these great stamps - which now I can present on Sunday Stamps :)

Today, for letter H - a Heart-shaped stamp, issued in 2000 for Valentine's Day. The French Post is not a stranger to issuing heart-shaped stamps, as are not many other national Posts (including Croatian), but this is one of the few ones I have received on a piece of mail. It is from a set of two dedicated to the great fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent. I was wondering if he popularised the red lipstick? In my attempt to find out, I've learnt that it were possibly ancient Sumerian men and women who invented and wore lipstick first. Now that was about 5000 years ago!

I have actually struggled to find a stamp to present G last sunday, so I've skipped it. It seems I could have shown this cute stamp on the right as it is an image taken by the famous (baby) photographer Anne Geddes. It is from a set of two issued in 2004, this one is celebrating a birth of a baby girl, and there is one for a baby boy too. The same theme was issued in 2005 also. I have to say, exploring stamps for this blog has opened my eyes, the French Post prints some amazing issues, and they are plentiful! Its just that you never imagine it, mostly receiving the definitives on postcards.

Find more interesting H-stamps following this link.

Pink Anemone, Great Barrier Reef

It is actually because I came across Sunday Stamps that I thought to myself - it would be nice to post something again..! This sunday it is letter C's turn in the A-Z challenge, and I have managed to find quite a few fitting stamps on (some older) postcards; here from 2011 a beautiful underwater theme from dear Heather, who attached three Cocos (Keeling) Islands stamps; from the set of no less than 20, issued also in 2011 and titled (very aptly I might add) Colours of Cocos (Keeling) Islands. These show 1) a Giant Clam and a Soft Coral 2) Spotfin Lionfish 3) Pink Anemonefish - the latter also known as Pink Skunk Clownfish, and is matching the postcard perfectly :)

A few words also on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands...it is an Australian external territory in the Indian ocean, comprising a small archipelago halfway between Australia and Sri Lanka, closer to the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The islanders do have a degree of self-government through the local shire council, while many public services (health, education, policing, etc) are provided by the state of Western Australia. The overall population is just over 600, mainly ethnic Malays. As the territory consists of two atolls made up of 27 coral islands, no wonder they need 20 stamps to show off what they've got..!

UNESCO - Lushan National Park, China

Mount Lushan, in Jiangxi, is one of the spiritual centres of Chinese civilization. Buddhist and Taoist temples, along with landmarks of Confucianism, where the most eminent masters taught, blend effortlessly into a strikingly beautiful landscape which has inspired countless artists who developed the aesthetic approach to nature found in Chinese culture. Thanks to LeiYing :)

UNESCO - Independence Hall, USA

The Declaration of Independence (1776) and the Constitution of the United States (1787) were both signed in this building in Philadelphia. The universal principles of freedom and democracy set forth in these documents are of fundamental importance to American history and have also had a profound impact on law-makers around the world.

It was an interesting place to visit during my trip to the NE US some years ago. I remember taking some really nice photos but...then I also remember losing my camera on the very last day of the trip...how frustrating is that, right?  I found it pretty awesome that the visit was free, plus a very interesting presentation by the guide who leads you through the chambers.

Kiyomizu-dera In Autumn, Japan

Kiyomizu-dera is an independent buddhist temple in eastern Kyoto, a part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto UNESCO whs. The temple was founded in 788, and its present buildings were constructed in 1633 - there is not a single nail used in the entire structure. It was one of 21 finalists for the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007.

I notice with perplexity that it has been over three years now that I have posted about Japan. Today I've chosen this card because of the Sunday Stamps theme: letter 'i'. Many Japanese stamps could be posted in relation as many are fabulous illustrations - but more specifically the top stamp was issued for the 61st Inter-Parliamentary Conference which was held in Tokyo in 1974 (I have to admit I'd never guess this stamp is that old). I don't really follow but the most prominent of the world's political issues, maybe I have heard of IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union) before but I certainly didn't make a note of it. IPU was founded in 1889 and was the first permanent forum for political multilateral negotiations.

I love the fact that the stamp matches the view's autumn colours (thank you Yuko), as does one of the cancellations (I do wonder why there are two). The artwork is Passion (1934) by Kawabata Ryushi. More interesting (!) ideas for the letter 'i' hide behind the link for Sunday Stamps :)

UNESCO - Joggins Fossil Cliffs, Canada

From the series of Canadian pre-paid UNESCO cards: The Joggins Fossil Cliffs is a 689-ha palaeontological site along the coast of Nova Scotia (eastern Canada), described as the “coal age Galápagos” due to its wealth of fossils from the Carboniferous period (354 to 290 million years ago). There are remains and tracks of very early animals and the rainforest in which they lived, left in situ, intact and undisturbed; there are 96 genera and 148 species of fossils and 20 footprint groups to be found here. The site is listed as containing outstanding examples representing major stages in the history of Earth.

What is also interesting to note here is that the site is situated in the Bay of Fundy, which has the highest tidal range in the world - in specific, Burntcoat Head in Nova Scotia, where tides average 17 meters (it can go over 20 meters). This area is where I'd love to spend time slow-travelling, eastern Canada in general - though taking the iconic train all across to Vancouver would make it perfect. Sadly such extensive travels might be a thing of the past for me...Still, fingers crossed.

Scenic Thingvellir, Iceland

Here is another view of the picturesque (but also historical) Thingvellir National Park in Iceland; I have already covered it in an earlier post. However I haven't had the chance to visit. Perhaps some other time...

UNESCO - Le Havre, The City Rebuilt By Auguste Perret

The city of Le Havre, on the English Channel in Normandy, was severely bombed during the Second World War. The destroyed area was rebuilt according to the plan of a team headed by Auguste Perret, from 1945 to 1964. It is exceptional among many reconstructed cities for its unity and integrity; it combines a reflection of the earlier pattern of the town and its extant historic structures with the new ideas of town planning and construction technology.

I had the morning off in Le Havre - the tours were a few, gangway totally non-picturesque, and the ship close enough to the town centre so you don't have to worry too much about time restrictions. Plus a new place and a whs, perfect! As a fan of interesting architecture I had a sort of a 'field day', and going to France was always a bit more special as French ports were not that often on the list, AND were most prone to being cancelled due to weather. So altogether a big yay here :) (also perhaps an interesting momentum with cancellations, as there is an extra one next to the standard mechanised one, though I cannot make out the letters...)

UNESCO - Archaeological Ensemble Of Tárraco, Spain

First I thought Tarragona is WHS, then I couldn't find it on the list, and now I realise parts of it are under a different (ancient) name. Tárraco (modern-day Tarragona) was a major administrative and mercantile city in Roman Spain and the centre of the Imperial cult for all the Iberian provinces. It was endowed with many fine buildings, and parts of these have been revealed in a series of exceptional excavations. Although most of the remains are fragmentary, many preserved beneath more recent buildings, they present a vivid picture of the grandeur of this Roman provincial capital.

This postcard shows some of the mentioned  remains, but also the 12th-century Metropolitan Cathedral-Basilica of Saint Mary and the magnificent adjacent cloister. As Tarragona is a Catalonian port on Costa Daurada it is near Barcelona, and that's where the ship actually anchored. I was happy to go the first time; when I got exactly the same tour the 2nd time I was confused (to say the least) and wished to have more relaxing time for Barcelona. Too fussy eh? :P

UNESCO - Agave Landscape, Mexico

A wonderful surprise during my last year's absence, one of quite a few from dear Bryon who went to Mexico in the spring - Santiago de Tequila is a Mexican town and municipality located in the state of Jalisco about 60 km from the city of Guadalajara, best known as being the birthplace of the drink that bears its name.

As for the WHS, it is a 34,658 ha site, between the foothills of the Tequila Volcano and the deep valley of the Rio Grande River; part of an expansive landscape of blue agave, shaped by the culture of the plant used since the 16th century to produce tequila spirit. The area encloses a living, working landscape of blue agave fields and the urban settlements of Tequila, Arenal, and Amatitan with large distilleries where the agave ‘pineapple' is fermented and distilled.

And oh such great stamps, thanks so much B.! Needless to say I feel so guilty now for hardly sending anything in the last year, I hope to compensate for that some time soon...

UNESCO - Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park, Saint Kitts And Nevis

Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park is a remarkable example of European military engineering dating from the 17th and 18th centuries in a Caribbean context. Located on the Island of St. Christopher (St. Kitts) the country’s largest island, the fortress was built to African slave labour to the exacting standards of the British military to protect the coastline from a sea attack and to provide a safe refuge for the island’s citizens.

I was really lucky on this cruise with the tours, to see three WHS sites. My theory is, all those youngsters working on board weren't really in the race for cultural stuff,  having all those beaches around. Visit to this site was nice and easy, among other things I'll remember asking some Canadians from another ship if they'd like a photo lol, didn't dare asking anyone else after that. This tour also encompassed a visit to the 17th-century Romney Manor, home of Caribelle Batik, which has acquired an international reputation for fine batik products made of quality fabrics. There was a display of the manufacturing process, and of course a lovely colourful shop with somewhat out-of-reach prices. I also remember there being a fascinating 400-y-o Saman tree. Here is one photo of the drying batik fabrics:

Alta, Norway

The Northern Lights Cathedral - Alta Church. The building was constructed of concrete and wood with external cladding of titanium sheets. The central feature is the spiral with belfry. The interior contains art work by artist Peter Brandes.

The World Heritage Rock Art Centre - Alta Museum. Situated in Hjemmeluft, a small bay on Altafjord near the Arctic Circle, the museum is situated at the site of early settlement of Finnmark dating from around 11 000 years ago.