Friday, March 15, 2024

Toronto - Canada

Views of Toronto's downtown featuring the Roger's Center, CN Tower and the Financial District. 3 of these cards were sent by Marie.

Photo by Buddy Moffet
Toronto is the largest city in Canada and the provincial capital of Ontario. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario.
The city has 2.6 million residents, according to the 2011 Census. Based on these official census figures, it is currently the fifth most populous city in North America.
 
Toronto is at the heart of the Greater Toronto Area, and of the densely populated region in Southern Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe. Its cosmopolitan and international population reflects its role as an important destination for immigrants to Canada.
 
Toronto is one of the world's most diverse cities by percentage of non-native-born residents, with about 49% of the population born outside Canada.

 Toronto's Downtown is made up of Canada's largest concentration of skyscrapers and businesses that form Toronto's skyline. Since 2022, Downtown Toronto has the second most skyscrapers in North America exceeding 200 metres (656 ft) in height, behind only Midtown Manhattan, New York City. in: wikipedia

Rideau Canal - Canada

A visit to the historic Rideau Canal is a must if you're traveling to Ottawa. “The canal” as it’s known locally, is the heart beat of Canada’s Capital in any season. In the warmer months, the canal is a haven for walkers, runners, in-line skaters and cyclists, who stroll along its scenic, rolling green banks. But in winter, the Rideau Canal turns into the Rideau Canal Skateway, aka, the world’s largest skating rink!  The skating period runs from December to the beginning of March. After March the ice begins to gradually melt, reducing the thickness of the ice, starting the navigation period.

 
Photo: R. Edgar

CA-1433165, sent by Georgie.
Built between 1826 and 1832 by Colonel John By of the British Royal Engineers, the stone-walled canal received a UNESCO World Heritage Site designation in 2007 and is the only such site in the entire province of Ontario!
Having to dig and clear through the savage Canadian wilderness over six long years, about 1,000 workers perished during the waterway’s construction from malaria or accidents, and were buried along its picturesque banks. Of the 202 kilometres (126 miles) stretching from Kingston to Ottawa, 19 kilometres (12 miles) of the canal is man-made and was dug out by hand. The canal — with its 45 locks located in various Ontario communities, was originally built for a military purpose to establish a secure supply and communications route between Montreal, Québec and Kingston.

According to UNESCO, as a World Heritage Site, the Rideau Canal represents a “masterpiece of creative genius” and meets the 10 different criteria needed to secure such a prestigious designation. The canal is “the best-preserved example of a slackwater canal in North America, demonstrating the use of this European technology on a large scale,” UNESCO says. It is also the only canal dating back to the nineteenth century “North American canal-building era” to remain operational with most of its original structures intact. - in: https://ottawatourism.ca

Tahquamenon Falls - USA

Waterfalls can be found and seen all throughout the state of Michigan. Tahquamenon waterfall is not only the largest one in Michigan but is one of the largest in the eastern half of North America.
 
 "The Tahquamenon Falls are two different waterfalls on the Tahquamenon river. Both sets are located near lake Superior in the eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The water is notably brown in color from the tannins leached from the cedar swamps which the river drains. This phenomenon is responsible for the alternative local name 'Root Beer Falls'.
 
 Photo credit: Raymond J. Malace
The upper falls are more than 200 feet (60 m) across and with a drop of approximately 48 feet (14 m) During the late spring runoff, the river drains as much as 50,000 gallons (200,000 liters) of water per second, making the upper falls the third most voluminous vertical waterfall east of the Mississippi River, after Niagara Falls and Cahoes Falls, both in New York State." - in: wikipedia

Monday, March 11, 2024

Straits of Mackinac Lighthouses - USA

 The Straits of Mackinac are the short waterways between the U.S. state of Michigan's Upper and Lower Peninsulas, traversed by the Mackinac Bridge.
The Straits has over a dozen lights strategically located on and around the islands, reefs and shores of northern Lakes Michigan and Huron. Many of these lights are in operation today while others stand as memorials to the courage of generations past.
 
 
US-8604700, sent by Andy (?).
These are just 4 of them:
* Round Island Lighthouse: built in 1895 on the Coastline of Lake Huron/Mackinac Islan. It is no longer active and not open to public;
* St. Helena Island Lighthouse: built: 1873, still active but not open to public;
* Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse: built in 1892. Not active but open to public;
* Mackinac Channel Light: built in the northern passage between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron in 1947. Active but not open to public.
 
Photo by Chuck Crandell
US-10114946, sent by Jim.
Old Mackinac Point Light is a deactivated lighthouse located at the northern tip of the Lower Peninsula in the U.S. state of Michigan. The lighthouse is part of Fort Michilimackinac State Park in the village of Mackinaw City just east of the Mackinac Bridge.
The lighthouse was constructed in 1892 along the Straits of Mackinac at the junction of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. It was deactivated in 1957 and currently serves as a museum. - in:
wikipedia

US-10114952 & US-10120758

 Getting officials cards from USA is much more common but from these states, not so much. Well, Texas is a state, Puerto Rico is a territory.
 

 US-10114952, sent by Alyssa.
Rincón is known as Pueblo del Surfing (the surfing town) and El Pueblo de los Bellos Atardeceres (the town of beautiful sunsets). Rincón was founded in 1771 by Luis de Añasco.
The town of Rincón is located in the Western Coastal Valley, west of Añasco and Aguada. To the north, nestles between La Cadena Mountains and a series of beaches facing the Atlantic to the north and the Caribbean to the south. The half-dozen reef-lined Atlantic beaches have become a winter mecca for skilled surfers since the World Surfing Championship was held here nearly twenty years ago. Endangered humpback whales visit in the winter. - in
: https://www.topuertorico.org

US-10120758, sent by Kaixin.
Texas is so big and diverse that it’s practically its own country. It was, in fact, a nation of its own from 1836 to 1845. The Texas landscape ranges from desert badlands and swimmable coastlines to lush mountains and sprawling prairies.
There is surely no shortage of Country culture here: rodeos, line-dancing and ample opportunities for an adventure by horse or mule. And then there’s the barbecue.
History buffs can travel far and wide across the Lone Star State to learn about its rich cultural legacy. San Antonio is home to the Alamo, a centuries-old Spanish mission and the site of a long, bloody battle in the early 1800s. Frontier Texas!, a bold museum in Abilene, introduces visitors to the “Wild, Wild West” using life-sized holograms. Of course, Texas is also host to its share of arts and cultural sophistication, from the glossy urban landscapes in Dallas and Houston to the freewheeling funk of Austin. The latter city is something of an island in the Texas Hill Country – a wild, liberal city where you can expect the unexpected. - in:
 https://www.visittheusa.come

Sunday, March 10, 2024

SG-422641

Don't you love it when you get something new in your mailbox? A few weeks ago I've received this official card from Singapore depicting a pagoda in Yangon, Myanmar. This isn't just a pagoda, it is a symbol of Myanmar, known to enshrine the hair of the Lord Buddha along with other precious holy relics. I've just found out that Shwedagon Pagoda is on the UNESCO tentatives list. 
I almost forgot to mention that this is my 2nd card from this asian country.

SG-422641, sent by Kylie.
Located in the north of Yangon, Shwedagon Pagoda is located at the highest point of Yangon and it can be seen from most places of the city day and night as the golden roof illuminates the city. It is one of the most worthwhile tourist attractions in Yangon.
According to some, the pagoda is 2,600 years old, making Shwedagon the oldest pagoda in the world.
The main gold-plated dome is topped by a stupa containing over 7,000 diamonds, rubies, topaz and sapphires, the whole giddy concoction offset by a massive emerald positioned to reflect the last rays of the setting sun. 
There is little wonder that the Shwedagon is referred to in Myanmar as "The crown of Burma."As Myanmar's most revered shrine it has always been customary for families, mendicants and followers of the Buddha to make the pilgrimage to the Shwedagon in much the same way that Muslims feel compelled to visit the Kaaba at Mecca at least once in their lifetime.
Such is the potency of the Shwedagon that Myanmars generally hold it to be indestructible. Despite a major earthquake in 1769, several smaller quakes in the 20th century and a major fire in 1931, it still stands imposingly on the top of a hill. - in: http://www.theshwedagonpagoda.com

Wat Phra Kaew Temple - Thailand

Postcards from Thailand, all showing the Wat Phra Kaew temple in Bangkok. The 1st card was sent by Heidi a few days ago and the last by Damien back in 2018. All the others are officials. Over the years I've only received 7 officials from Thailand and 4 of them show this temple.

Wat Phra Kaew or the Temple of the Emerald Buddha (officially known as Wat Phra Sri Rattana Satsadaram) is regarded as the most important Buddhist temple in Thailand.

Photo by: Apinan Buahapakdee
TH-357273, sent by Thip.
Located in the historic centre of Bangkok, within the grounds of the Grand Palace, it enshrines Phra Kaew Morakot (the Emerald Buddha), the highly revered Buddha image meticulously carved from a single block of jade.
 
TH-26288, sent by Nhok.
The Emerald Buddha (Phra Putta Maha Mani Ratana Patimakorn) is a Buddha image in the meditating position in the style of the Lanna school of the north, dating from the 15th century AD.

Jatuporn Rutnin - Photography
TH-223732, sent by Tavich.
Raised high on a series of platforms, no one is allowed near the Emerald Buddha except HM the King. A seasonal cloak, changed three times a year to correspond to the summer, winter, and rainy season covers the statue. A very important ritual, the changing of the robes is performed only by the King to bring good fortune to the country during each season. The temple of  Emerald Buddha is beautifully decorated and has a great sense of peace about it.
 
 Photo by Pinit Srimuangkao
 
The construction of the Temple of Emerald Buddha started when King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke (Rama I) moved the capital from Thonburi to Bangkok in 1785. Unlike other temples, it does not contain living quarters for monks; rather, it has only elaborately decorated holy buildings, statues, and pagodas. The main building is the central 'ubosot' (ordination hall), which houses the Emerald Buddha. Even though it is small in size, it is the most important icon for Thai people. - in: http://www.bangkok.com/attraction-temple/wat-prakaeo.htm