DE-1073429 - Sandmann

DE-1073429 sent by "Kathilein1988"

"The Sandman (German: Der Sandmann, 1816) is a short story written in German by E.T.A. Hoffmann. It was the first in an 1817 book of stories titled Die Nachtstücke (The Night Pieces)." In: Wikipedia

FI-1218276 - Reindeer

FI-1218276 sent by "huwefo", a reindeer.

"The reindeer (Rangifer tarandus), also known as the caribou in North America, is a deer from the Arctic and Subarctic, including both resident and migratory populations. While overall widespread and numerous, some of its subspecies are rare and one (or two, depending on taxonomy) has already gone extinct.

Reindeer vary considerably in color and size. Both sexes grow antlers, though they are typically larger in males. There are a few populations where females lack antlers completely.

Wild reindeer hunting and herding of semi-domesticated reindeer (for meat, hides, antlers, milk and transportation) is important to several Arctic and Subarctic people. Even far outside its range, the reindeer is well known due to the myth, probably originating in early 19th century America, in which Santa Claus's sleigh is pulled by flying reindeer, a popular secular element of Christmas. In Lapland, reindeer pull pulks." In: Wikipedia

Meeting in Vaduz - Liechtenstein

Once again, the 4th Swiss meeting was in Vaduz, Liechtenstein on 10/09/2011. From there I've got 3 postcards:

From "azzurri": Vaduz Castle, residence of the ruling Prince

From "chihuahua": the Vaduz Castle and the celebration of the National Day 

From "carolisha": a multiview of Vaduz with the Castle, Red House, the city, Old Town

Midnight sun - Norway

From a trade with Rita, from Italy, I got this amazing postcard with the midnight sun seen from North Cape. It's already one of my favorite postcards!

"The midnight sun is a natural phenomenon occurring in summer months at latitudes north and nearby to the south of the Arctic Circle, and south and nearby to the north of the Antarctic Circle where the sun remains visible at the local midnight. Given fair weather, the sun is visible for a continuous 24 hours, mostly north of the Arctic Circle and south of the Antarctic Circle. The number of days per year with potential midnight sun increases the farther poleward one goes from the equator." In: Wikipedia

NL-812103 - Seal

NL-812103 sent by "Gerrie31011985", a great photo of a seal!

"Acrobats of the Sea: A member of the pinniped family, seals are aptly suited to their watery environment. With streamlined bodies, eyes that see well underwater, ear passages and nostrils that clamp shut while underwater, and insulating blubber, they are the acrobats of the sea.

All Shapes and Sizes: Seals come in many different shapes, sizes and colors, and can be found in a variety of ocean habitats. The largest pinniped, the male southern elephant seal, can weigh as much as 5 1/2 tons. Its distinctive nose, which resembles an elephant's trunk, inflates when roaring to ward off male rivals during breeding season. The weddell seal uses its long upper incisor teeth to bite holes in sheets of ice to create breathing holes after its one-hour dive to find fish and squid." In: Discovery

The Castle and the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Candles in Mourão - Portugal

"PilotOne" sent this one as a prize of a lottery: a partial view of Mourão Castle and the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Candles.

US-1338204 - Planet Earth

US-1338204 sent by "BlueBat"

My first postcard with a view of our planet!

Brussels - Belgium

"Martinha" and "SusanaPortugal" made a trip to Belgium and they stopped in Brussels. From there "martinha" sent this multiview postcard with some interesting spots to visit.

"Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region, is the capital of Belgium and hosts the headquarters of the European Union (EU). It is also the largest urban area in Belgium, comprising 19 municipalities, including the municipality of the City of Brussels, which is the de jure capital of Belgium, in addition to the seat of the French Community of Belgium and of the Flemish Community.

Brussels has grown from a 10th-century fortress town founded by a descendant of Charlemagne into a metropolis of more than one million inhabitants. The metropolitan area has a population of over 1.8 million, making it the largest in Belgium.

Since the end of the Second World War, Brussels has been a main center for international politics. Hosting principal EU institutions as well as the headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the city has become the polyglot home of numerous international organisations, politicians, diplomats and civil servants.

Although historically Dutch-speaking, Brussels became increasingly French-speaking over the 19th and 20th centuries. Today a majority of inhabitants are native French-speakers, and both languages have official status. Linguistic tensions remain, and the language laws of the municipalities surrounding Brussels are an issue of considerable controversy in Belgium." In: Wikipedia

Sungai Tea Plantation - Malaysia

This postcard is from a project of swapping postcards with Malaysian special needs children. "Nor Fac Zah" sent this tea plantation in Sungai, Cameron Highlands.

"Cameron Highlands is the smallest district in the state of Pahang which is located in the north-western corner of the state. One of the wonders of Malaysia, it is the largest and most famous hill resort in the country. This highland paradise still retains much of the charm of an English village.

Being a primarily agricultural domain, you will find an abundance of vegetables and fruits farms here. Cameron Highlands is also the leading producer of flowers and tea in Malaysia. Be prepared for a lovely sight of extraordinary flowers you won’t see flourishing elsewhere in Malaysia! Located on the Titiwangsa Range at about 1500 metres above sea-level, the temperature here can drop to 16 ˚C or lower at certain times.

Cameron Highlands is made up of 4 main townships followed by smaller settlements at different elevations. The first town from the south is Ringlet, followed by Tanah Rata, Brinchang, Kea Farm, Tringkap, Kuala Terla and Kampung Raja." In: Cameron Highlands

Map card of Java Island - Indonesia

From a private swap with "Shinta".