The Gift Of Our Grateful Hearts

A postcard that I received somedays ago.

Let's choose today to quench our thirst for the 'good life' we think others lead by acknowledging the good that already exists in our lives. We can then offer the universe the gift of our grateful hearts.
-- Sarah Ban Breathnach

The Cathedral of St Vitus, Praha

Chram sv Vita /
The cathedral of St Vitus /
St.Veitskathedrale /
La cathedrale St Guy /
Kathedraal van St Vitus /
La Cattedrale di San Vito

For more than 600 years, the roofs of Prague Castle have been overlooked by the towers of St Vitus Cathedral. The cathedral, whose original name is St Vitus, St Wenceslas and St Adalbert Cathedral, is the biggest and the most important church in the Czech Republic.
It’s the seat of the Archbishop of Prague and the place where saints, kings, princes and pmperors of Bohemia are buried. The coronations of the kings of Bohemia were held there until 1836. It’s one of the best examples of Gothic architecture.

Tags: The cathedral of St Vitus | Prague | Praha | Praga

Kurrawa Surfing Beach , Broadbeach

a) Kurrawa surfing beach - In the heart of Broadbeach, on the sunny Gold Coast, Australia, lies a beach well known to Gold Coast surfing enthusiasts, but often unheard of by those not into surfing - Kurrawa Beach.

b) Phoenician Apartment and cafes


Thank you to Natima to send me this postcard during her holiday to Gold Coast, Queensland.

Tags: Kurrawa beach | Broadbeach

Edinburgh Castle

Down light on Edinburgh Castle and the Old Town.
Viewed from Salibury Crags.

When you come to Scotland and visit Edinburgh Castle you will see why the early inhabitants of the area we now call Edinburgh, made their first settlements here, in what is now the city of Edinburgh. People have always sought a safe refuge, and the volcanic rock that forms the base of Edinburgh Castle, has always afforded the ultimate safe and defensive position in Edinburgh.

Thank you to Jinty to send me this awesome postcard.

Tags: Edinburgh Castle

Skywatch Friday ~ Portugese Settlement

We went to state of Malacca (UNESCO) on Monday & Tuesday.
We visited the Portuguese Settlement at evening.

The dark blue sky seen from the square where we had our dinner.

To see more sky here.

* Information : Portuguese Square has a mild affinity to Portugal and known to be 'Mini Lisbon' in Malacca. Located within the Portuguese Settlement, the square is the culmination of Portuguese culture in its full splendour and colours. One will also find authentic Portuguese restaurants at the square.

Tags: Skywatch | Portugese Settlement | Portugese Square | Malacca

Multiview of Helsinki

Love this elegance, bright & colorful multi-view postcard of important highlight of Helsinki, Finland.

And not to forget the beautiful tear-drop-shape stamp and little moomin !

Tags: Helsinki Finland

Migration of Monarch Butterflies

The "Butterfly Trees" of Pismo Beach are one of our most beloved attractions From late October through February. To the delight of all, Monarch Butterflies migrate yearly to the cluster in the limbs of Eucalyptus and Monterey Pines in the area, giving the appearance of yellow and orange leaves in Prismo Beach.

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Every fall, a magical event takes place in the animal world.

Monarch butterflies are not able to survive the cold winters of most of the United States so they migrate south and west each autumn to escape the cold weather. The monarch migration usually starts in about October of each year, but can start earlier if the weather turns cold sooner than that.

Perhaps traveling over your own head right now--or clustered by the hundreds in a nearby tree--the annual monarch butterfly migration to Mexico is underway. By instinct alone, the butterflies go to the same mountains that their ancestors left the previous spring. Somehow, they find a place in Mexico that they've never seen before.

Tags: Monarch butterfly migration | Prismo beach | butterfly migration | butterfly tree

Rainforest , New Zealand

The lush New Zealand rainforest owes much of its greenness to the heavy rain precipitated when westerly winds strike the mountains after their journey from Australia.

It does not rain everyday, but when it does falls are heavy with annual rainfall between 2000mm and 6000mm.

Tags: New Zealand rainforest

Something light & funny postcards

Practical Caravan Postcard

Illustration by Bill Stott

From original artwork by Tony Hall

The funny side of Life


Thank you to Jaqi for send the 3 cartoon postcard !

Hope all of you enjoy your lovely weekend :)

Tags: Tony Hall | Bill Stott | Caravan | Cartoon Postcard

Baba Heritage House

This Baba Heritage House is a fine example of early lifestyle of the rich and famous Chinese Baba of Malacca.

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Peranakans are descended from Chinese migrants who first came to Malacca many centuries ago. Adopting Malay customs and cultures, theirs is a unique heritage unlike any other. Peranakans are also referred to a 'Straits Chinese'.

'Babas' refer to male Peranakans while 'Nyonya' refer to females. Often Nyonya is used to substitute the term 'Peranakan' as well. Peranakans also settled in Penang, the only other state than Malacca.

Happy PFF !

Tags: Baba Heritage House Peranakans Baba Nyonya

Ristorante Monteripoli

A vintage postcard of Ristorante Monteripoli given by Jaqi.

The restaurant sits high upon a hill in Tivoli overlooking Rome and the surrounding hills. Italian minstrels serenaded us and we sang and toasted to our last night in Italy. The restaurant "Monte Ripoli" is located to two Km. from the center of Tivoli (Garibaldi Plaza) on the mountain that dominates the city of Tivoli and Adriana Villa.

Specialized in Roman and laziale kitchen the restaurant is composed from a room to the piano raised again for general 110 places and 3 rooms to the superior piano, uniforms from flowing doors for general 500 places.

University of Washington

Founded in 1861, the University of Washington is one of the oldest state-supported institutions of higher education on the West Coast and is one of the preeminent research universities in the world.


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Love the blossom flowers !
Not too sure whether is kinda of roses ?

Tags: University of Washington

Sonoma Coast, California

The end to another picture-perfect sunset on the Sonoma Coast.

The Beach, actually a series of beaches separated by rock bluffs and headlands, extends 17 miles from Bodega Head to Vista Trail located 4 miles north of Jenner.

Tags: Sonoma Coast | California

Monks at prayer

Monks at prayer in the Samye Ling Shrine Room

Europe's oldest Tibetan Buddhist Monastery

Samye Ling is situated in Eskdalemuir in South West Scotland, Kagyu Samye Ling was the first Tibetan Buddhist Centre to have been established in the West. It is a centre for wisdom and learning within the Karma Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism and is open to people of all faiths and none.

Founded in 1967 and currently under the guidance of Abbot Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche, Samye Ling is part of Rokpa Trust, a registered charity which has three main areas of activity: spiritual, humanitarian aid, and Tibetan medicine and therapy.

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Jaqi Wright so kind to send me dozen of postcards. This Monks at prayer is one of my favorite.
During my May trip to Silk Road, China.
One of the itinerary was to visit the Tibetan Monastery.
However, we were not allowed to take any photos in the Shrine Room.

Tags: Kagyu Samye Ling | Monk | Samye Ling Tibetan Centre | Eskdalemuir

Skywatch Friday Season 4 Episode 9 : In the early morning..

Photo taken by my Sony Ericson W890i.

Happy Skywatch Friday !

Ocean Park of Hong Kong

A pair of Giant Pandas, named An An (安安)and Jia Jia (佳佳), was given by the central government in 1999. To mark the 10th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to Chinese sovereignty, a second couple of bears were given to Hong Kong. The pair of two year-old bears, named Le Le (樂樂) and Ying Ying (盈盈), arrived in the territory from the China Conservation and Research Center in Wolong, Sichuan in late April 2007.A new compound had been prepared at the park to house them on their arrival.

Frankly speaking, I'm not too sure which is Ying Ying or Le Le.

Happy PFF !!!

Tags: Le Le | Ying Ying | Panda | Ocean Park Hong Kong

Oklahoma City Zoo

Flamingos feed in seas and lakes for shellfish and small plants.
Starting out as little white or gray chicks, flamingo colors slowly change to pink because of the foods they eat.

(From Wikipedia) The flamingo's characteristic pink colouring is caused by the Beta carotene in their diet. The source of this varies by species, but shrimp and blue-green algae are common sources; zoo-fed flamingos may be given food with the additive canthaxanthin, which is often also given to farmed salmon.

Tags: Oklahoma City Zoo | Flamingo |

Peruvian / Andean Food

Cooking Andean products : papa lisa, aji, quinua, yuca oca y choclos (corn)

Novo-andean cooking is appears in the 80’s, this kind of cuisine rescue all the typical ingredients of the Andean cuisine, but adapting processing and presentation techniques of the international cuisine. The recipes are strict but the food is delicious and well-presented, with few condiments, light cooking and almost no fat.

Tags: Peruvian /Andean | Novo andean

Suomenlinna Fortress, Finland

Meku wrote to me, " Suomenlinna Fortress is included in the UNESCO's world heritage List. It is one of the largest sea fortresses in the world. It was found in 1748 and it is located on six islands approx. one kilometer from Helsinki city center. "

Tags: Suomenlinna Fortress | Suomenlinna

A place I like to work in

Skokloster library is located on the top floor in the eastern part of the castle overlooking the lake. When the castle was built contemporary architects recommended that libraries - as a tradition from antiquity - would be located to the east, where they could best exploit the morning light for reading. This store currently seven aristocratic family library.Carl Gustaf Wrangel had set up his collection of books in the castle in the middle of the 1660s.Upon his death in 1676 included collection of around 2400 books. They were organized by topic and size.

The library consists of books that he inherited from his father, Herman Wrangel, books he received as a gift or take in spoils of war, but most of all the books he bought.


* I wish to work in LIBRARY !

A little notes about the castle.

Skokloster has been nominated for Sweden's most beautiful castles in the magazine Queen. 10 Swedish castle has been nominated by a jury consisting of Frederick Bedoire - a professor of architectural history, Peder Lamm - antiques expert and Eva Littorin - Castle reporter.

Shimmering magnificent objects and trivial things, luxury and everyday life in the commander housing. Better than most places we know who has manufactured, used and admired the well-preserved interiors and objects. Skokloster is the largest private palace ever built in Sweden.

Recently, I had received some postcards from Australia, Philippine, UK, Malta , Taiwan & etc.

So much thank you to all of you.

I shall upload the postcards later.

I'm so busy in my hectic working life now.

Happy PFF !!

Tags: skoklosters slott | Skokloster

UNESCO ~ Essen

Zollverein is the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in Essen is the symbol of the whole region, an ”Industrial Heritage Cathedral“ and an impressive example of what the city of Essen has planned for its celebrations as the European Cultural Capital in 2010: ”Change through Culture – Culture through Change“.

It's a coal mine in the Western part of Germany.

Thank you to Hexentrio to send this in UNESCO RR #27.

Tags: Essen | UNESCO | Zollverein