22. Indonesia, Pulau Rhun history

This cheerful card was sent by Wahyu from Indonesia, as a prize for winning her lottery. Thank you again Wahyu! Lately I found very interesting trivia about Indonesia and it's perfect time to share it with you! It was found by Wirawan Winarto, at Quora.

An Indonesian island was once exchanged for New York

Among 18,000 islands of Indonesia, there is a small island named Pulau Rhun (or Roon/Run). Little known about the history of this insignificant island in Maluku. It looks like just another tranquil and underdeveloped island with a few fishermen boats docked on its bay. But what does Rhun have to do with Manhattan (New York)?

In 17th century, Rhun was a producer of nutmeg (Myristica fragrans), an essential and expensive spice of that era. Rhun was of great economic importance because of the value of the spices nutmeg, which was found exclusively in Maluku. While the rest of Maluku was occupied by the Dutch, this island was occupied by the British since 1603. The British and The Dutch fought for this islands on several occasions. Because the Dutch felt the existence of the British will threaten its monopoly for that particular spices which were only found in Maluku. The Dutch was successfully drove the The British away on 1620.

But the conflict just did not stop. The British were trying to win the island back. According to the Treaty of Westminster (1654) ending the First Anglo-Dutch War, Rhun should have been returned to England. The first attempt in 1660 failed because of formal constraints by the Dutch. 

After the second attempt in 1665, the English traders were expelled in the same year, the Dutch destroyed the nutmeg trees. The conflict was ended by Treaty of Breda (1667), which was stating that the British would hand Rhun islands to the Dutch, in exchange for Manhattan. Manhattan, at that time was a Dutch settlement called New Amsterdam, finally was handed to The British who changed the name of New Amsterdam into New York.... and the rest is history.

21. China, Shaolin

Postcard was sent by Kathy (Meena7) from USA. Postcard is part of magnificent Aquarupella cards collection called "Comme un Voyage". On this card we can see adepts and the Master of kung fu. Shaolin Monastery is a Buddhist temple located in China. The temple is situated in the forests of Shaoshi Mountain one of the seven mountains of Song mountains. Shaolin is one of the four holy Buddhist temples of China. In addition to being the birthplace of Chan (Zen) Buddhism, Shaolin is said to be the first temple that institutionalized kung fu. Because of its long association with Shaolin Kung Fu and development of many other Chinese martial arts, it is considered the cradle of kung fu. So that the Chinese saying goes: "All martial arts under heaven arose out of Shaolin." Shaolin Monastery and its Pagoda Forest were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010 as part of the "Historic Monuments of Dengfeng."

20. Ukraine, Marysya Rudska

Postcard arrived to me from Irene, a Postcrosser. Marysya Rudska is an Ukrainian illustrator who basicaly works using paper, watercolours, pencils and ink. She illustrated many books and covers like "Buddha tree" by Oksana Borovec or the cover of "Turning to the sea" by Igar Kulikow. On THIS site you will see who she works, during well made timelapse.

19. Lithuania, Sutverimai

Postcard was sent by Ewa, from Lithuania, as a part of Monthly Favorite Surprise RR at the official Postcrossing forum. This elvish monstrosity was created by artists from shop called Sutverimai. In lithuanian language this word has two in one way different and on the other hand so close meanings, which means creations and creatures. Lina and her husband Adomas opened an artistic shop with this name, offering great ceramic and valuable works. If you want to check out their page click HERE.

18. China, Lushan Mountain

Postcard was sent by Winkey Yeung, chinese postcards collector that I met on Postcrossing facebook side. This marvelous card shows territories of Lushan Mountain during the cooler seasons. As sometimes called Mount Lu or just Lushan, is situated in the northern part of Jiangxi province in southeastern China, and is one of the most renowned mountains in the country. Moreover it's also a part of Lushan National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996, and a prominent tourist attraction.

17. Sri Lanka, Bullock Cart

Postcard was sent by Jay Dew through Postcrossing Group on Facebook. According to the Jay, bullock cart for a long time was the main source of transportation, obviously before the car. Today people still use the bullock cart to transport all kind of things. Although incredibly slow, it is a very simple and easy method for farmers, traders and... touristic methods.

16. Trinidad and Tobago, Trinidad

Received this card from Oalini through facebook Postcrossing Group. Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. The island lies just 11 km off the northeastern coast of Venezuela and sits on the continental shelf of South America. Though part of the South American continent, from a socio-economic standpoint it is often referred to as the southernmost island in the Caribbean. With an area of 4,768 km2 it's also the fifth largest in the West Indies. Many believe the original name for the island in the Arawaks' language was "Iëre" which meant "Land of the Humming Bird". Some believe that "Iere" was actually a mispronunciation or corruption by early colonists of the Arawak word "Kairi" which simply means "Island". Christopher Columbus renamed it "La Isla de la Trinidad" ("The Island of the Trinity"), fulfilling a vow he had made before setting out on his third voyage of exploration.

15. Turkey, Istanbul

 

Postcard was sent as Thank You Card by cucuk74 from Turkey. Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. Istanbul is a transcontinental city in Eurasia, with its commercial and historical centre lying on the European side and about a third of its population living on the Asian side of Eurasia. With a population of 14.4 million, the city forms the largest urban agglomeration in Europe as well as the largest in the Middle East, and the sixth-largest city proper in the world. Istanbul's vast area of 5,343 square kilometers (2,063 sq mi) is coterminous with Istanbul Province, of which the city is the administrative capital. Istanbul straddles the Bosphorus strait in northwestern Turkey, between the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea.

14. Uzbekistan, Tashkent

Postcard was sent by my friend who traveled to Uzbekistan. Officially it's called the Republic of Uzbekistan, which is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia. It's a unitary, constitutional, presidential republic, comprising 12 provinces, 1 autonomous republic, and 1 independent city. Uzbekistan is bordered by five countries: Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. The capital of Uzbekistan is Tashkent. As tittle-tattle it is noticeable that mulberries are atypically seen in numbers in this city.

13. Taiwan, the blessings of soil

Postcard was sent by jill0726 who lives in Taiwan. Postcard shows some harvest from Taiwanese fields. Taiwan has a dynamic, capitalist, export-driven economy with gradually decreasing state involvement in investment and foreign trade. In keeping with this trend, some large government-owned banks and industrial firms are being privatized. Real growth in GDP has averaged about 8% during the past three decades. Exports have provided the primary impetus for industrialization. The trade surplus is substantial, and foreign reserves are the world's fifth largest. The Republic of China has its own currency, the New Taiwan dollar.

12. Serbia, Beograd

This view arrived from BraveJ who lives there. Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. Its name translates to White city. The city has a population of 1.23 million, while over 1.65 million people live in its metro area (which encompass administrative limits of City of Belgrade). The postcard shows Stari Dvor meaning Old Palace. It was the royal residence of the Obrenović dynasty. Today it houses the City Assembly of Belgrade.

11. Vietnam, Uncle Ho

Postcard came from JoinHanoi who lives in Vietnam. Hồ Chí Minh (called Uncle Ho) was born in 19 May 1890 and died in 2 September 1969. He figured as Vietnamese Communist revolutionary leader who was prime minister and president of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam). He was a key figure in the foundation of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in 1945, as well as the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and the Việt Cộng (NLF or VC) during the Vietnam War. He led the Việt Minh independence movement from 1941 onward, establishing the Communist-ruled Democratic Republic of Vietnam in 1945 and defeating the French Union in 1954 at the battle of Điện Biên Phủ. He officially stepped down from power in 1965 due to health problems, but remained a highly visible figurehead and inspiration for those Vietnamese fighting for his cause—a united, communist Vietnam—until his death. After the war, Saigon, the former capital of the Republic of Vietnam, was renamed Hồ Chí Minh City; however, the name Saigon is still very widely used.

10. United Kingdon, Bath

I got this card through one of the tags on Postcrossing Forum from lesera. Bath is a city in Somerset, South West England. The city became a spa with the Latin name Aquae Sulis ("the waters of Sulis") c. AD 60 when the Romans built baths and a temple in the valley of the River Avon, although oral tradition suggests that the hot springs were known before then. It became popular as a spa town during the Georgian era, leaving a heritage of Georgian architecture crafted from Bath Stone. Bath became a World Heritage Site in 1987. The city's theatres, museums and other cultural and sporting venues have helped to make it a major centre for tourism with more than one million staying visitors and 3.8 million day visitors to the city each year. The city has two universities and there are large service sector, information and communication technology and creative industries.

9. Thailand, Bangkok

Postcard arrived from beambots through Postcrossing Forum. Bangkok, The City of Angels or "Krungthep" [กรุงเทพมหานคร] in Thai, is the capital city of Thailand. Bangkok is the hub for most of the commercial and economical activities of the Kingdom. At the same time, the City is very famous and appreciated by visitors for its versatility and multiple points of interests. From temples, the Grand Palace, all the way over the some of Asia's largest shopping centers and the largest outdoor market of Asia (Chatuchak), Bangkok definitely has what it takes to entertain visitors from all origins, either first time or return travelers.

8. Andorra, Capital dels Pirineus

Andorra came to my mailbox from fire.maggie who was visiting this country. Andorra, officially the Principality of the Valleys of Andorra is a sovereign landlocked microstate in Southwestern Europe, located in the eastern Pyrenees mountains and bordered by Spain and France.Andorra is a prosperous country, mainly because of its tourism industry, which services an estimated 10.2 million visitors annually, and because of its status as a tax haven, although it is in the process of reforming its tax regime. It is not a member of the European Union, but the Euro is the de facto currency. It has been a member of the United Nations since 1993. The people of Andorra have one of the highest life expectancies in the world and as of December 2014, according to The Lancet, has the highest in the world - 81 years in 2013.

7. Germany, Smoking nuns?

This funny and untypical postcard was sent by Minimuffin as part of the private swap, through Postcrossing Forum.

6. Croatia, Dalmatia

This beautiful stairways were sent by ddonkey through private swap on Postcrossing Forum. Dalmatia is an historical region of the eastern Adriatic. Later it was one of the four historical regions of Croatia, alongside Croatia proper, Slavonia, and Istria. Nowadays, the region's hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges in width from fifty kilometres in the north, to just a few kilometres in the south.

This card not only shows wonders of Croatian architecture, but also reminds me of my two vacation trips to the coast of Adriatic Sea.

5. Luxembourg, Mord im Savoy

Postcard was sent by Luxi from Luxembourg as an Official Postcrossing card. LU-11623. Above we can see the poster created by Klaus Hilwig for German movie called "Mord in Savoy" from 1936.

4. Argentina, Buenos Aires

Official Postcrossing postcard from Nicolas. AR-11898. Postcard shows the very first place of goverment's office, situated in 1810 - Church "Nuestra Senora del Pilar". This complex, energetic, and seductive port city, which stretches south-to-north along the Rio de la Plata, has been the gateway to Argentina for centuries. Portenos, as the multinational people of Buenos Aires are known, possess an elaborate and rich cultural identity. They value their European heritage highly--Italian and German names outnumber Spanish, and the lifestyle and architecture areBuenos Aires City Center markedly more European than any other in South America. One of the world's finest opera houses, the Teatro Colon, flourishes here on the plains alongside the river. Portenos are intensely involved in the life and culture of their city, and they will gladly share the secrets of Buenos Aires if you lend an ear and relate your own stories in return.

3. Macau, St. Francis Xavier Church

Postcard arrived from my friends who traveled to Macau. Built in 1951, this small attractive church is attached to an old people' s home, near the hill of Mong-Ha. The interior is simple and tranquil with a black marble altar. High louvred shutters along the walls open onto pleasant courtyards and gardens.

2. Czech Republic, Behounska Street

Postcard was sent by Simon through site called Postcard United. It shows Behounska Street located in the heart of Brno - the second largest city in the Czech Republic. Brno is the administrative center of the South Moravian Region in which it forms a separate district (Brno-City District). The city lies at the confluence of the Svitava and Svratka rivers and has about 400,000 inhabitants. Its greater metropolitan area[6] is home to more than 800,000 people. Brno is the seat of judicial authority of the Czech Republic – it is the seat of the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court, the Supreme Administrative Court, and the Supreme Public Prosecutor's Office. The city is also a significant administrative center. It is the seat of a number of state authorities, including the Ombudsman, and the Office for the Protection of Competition. Brno is also an important center of higher education, with 33 faculties belonging to 13 institutes of higher learning and about 89,000 students.

1. Algeria, Annaba

Annaba is a city in the northeastern corner of Algeria near the Seybouse River, located in Annaba Province. With a population of over 260 000, it's the fourth largest city in Algeria. It's a leading industrial center in eastern Algeria. Most of the people call this city Balad Al Unnâb (the Jujubes city), because of the abundance of this fruit in the area. Postcard shows the Town Hall of Annaba.