Mino Otaki waterfall, Minou City - Japan

I had no clue where this waterfall has... I asked for help on Facebook and "Suggy Chika" answered quite fast to my reply.

© ?

Sent by Toshio

"Meiji no Mori Minō Kokutei Koen is a Quasi-National Park in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. It was founded on 11 December 1967 and has an area of 9.6 km².

The park is located on Mt Minō in Ōsaka Prefecture. Its grounds encompasse 963 ha of lower mountain slope and forest and reside at relatively low altitudes of 100 m to 600m.

Geologically, sedimentary rocks from the Mesozoic Era dominate the geology of the location with ccasional outcroppings of granite and diorite. The tomb of Kaijyo, the founding monk of Katsuō-ji Temple built in 765, is located inside of the park.

Despite its proximity to the Metropolitan Osaka Area, the park is inhabited by 1,300 plant species and 3,500 insect species. The location is also known as a paradise for a large population of birds, animals, fish, and little creatures, as well as monkeys, which are protected by law. The Tōkai Nature Trail, which starts at Meiji no Mori Takao Quasi-National Park, ends here." In: Wikipedia

Barrier Reef Reserve - Belize (UNESCO WHS)

© Astral Graphics

Sent by "9teen87"

"The coastal area of Belize is an outstanding natural system consisting of the largest barrier reef in the northern hemisphere, offshore atolls, several hundred sand cays, mangrove forests, coastal lagoons and estuaries. The system’s seven sites illustrate the evolutionary history of reef development and are a significant habitat for threatened species, including marine turtles, manatees and the American marine crocodile." In: UNESCO

Fort Thüngen - Luxembourg

© Editions Gropalux

Unused, brought by Claúdia Ferreira

"Fort Thüngen is a historic fortification in Luxembourg City, in southern Luxembourg. It is sited in Dräi Eechelen Park, in the Kirchberg quarter, in the north-east of the city. It is also colloquially known as Three Acorns (Luxembourgish: Dräi Eechelen, French: Trois glands  German: Drei Eicheln) in reference to the acorns that sit atop each of the three towers.

Most of the original fortress was demolished after the 1867 Treaty of London, which demanded the demolition of Luxembourg City's numerous fortifications. The three towers and the foundations of the rest of the fort were all that remained. During the 1990s, the site was reconstructed in its entirety, in parallel with the development of the site for the construction of the Mudam, Luxembourg's museum of modern art." In: Wikipedia

Historic Centre of Český Krumlov - Czech Republic (UNESCO WHS)

© Voroplavba Český Krumlov s.r.o.

Unused, sent by "Sapic12"

"Situated on the banks of the Vltava river, the town was built around a 13th-century castle with Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque elements. It is an outstanding example of a small central European medieval town whose architectural heritage has remained intact thanks to its peaceful evolution over more than five centuries." In: UNESCO

RU-1608590 - Seals

© ?

RU-1608590 sent by "Coralin"

"Pinnipeds, also known as fin-footed mammals (from Latin pinna, wing or fin, and ped-, foot), often generalized as seals, are a widely distributed and diverse group of fin-footed marine mammals which are semiaquatic comprising the families Odobenidae (the walrus), Otariidae (eared seals, sea lions, and fur seals), and Phocidae (earless seals). The family does not include cetaceans, otters, or sirenians." In: Wikipedia

I think those seals belong to Phocidae family, but I'm not sure.

PL-672783 - Gmina Łazy

© Vega Studio Adv. Kwidzyn

PL-272783 sent by "karolinad23"

"Gmina Łazy is an urban-rural gmina (administrative district) in Zawiercie County, Silesian Voivodeship, in southern Poland. Its seat is the town of Łazy, which lies approximately 8 kilometres (5 mi) south of Zawiercie and 35 km (22 mi) north-east of the regional capital Katowice.

The gmina covers an area of 132.56 square kilometres (51.2 sq mi), and as of 2006 its total population is 15,990 (out of which the population of Łazy amounts to 7,139, and the population of the rural part of the gmina is 8,851).

The gmina contains part of the protected area called Eagle Nests Landscape Park." In: Wikipedia

GB-400066 - Polar bears

© Norbert Rosing

Postcard from Manitoba, Canada but sent from UK GB-400066 sent by "WildPlace"

"The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is a bear native largely within the Arctic Circle encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is the world's largest land carnivore and also the largest bear, together with the omnivorous Kodiak bear, which is approximately the same size. A boar (adult male) weighs around 350–700 kg (770–1,500 lb), while a sow (adult female) is about half that size. Although it is closely related to the brown bear, it has evolved to occupy a narrower ecological niche, with many body characteristics adapted for cold temperatures, for moving across snow, ice, and open water, and for hunting the seals which make up most of its diet. Although most polar bears are born on land, they spend most of their time at sea. Their scientific name means "maritime bear", and derives from this fact. Polar bears can hunt their preferred food of seals from the edge of sea ice, often living off fat reserves when no sea ice is present." In: Wikipedia

US-2083527 - Colorado

I have two postcards with the same ID US-2083527... The first one arrived during my vacations without any ID. The user "US-Ilovepostcards" sent me a message with the missing ID but also sent a second postcard...

The first one shows the Crystal Mill and the second the natural landscape of Colorado.

© Glenn Randall (photo) / Smith-Southwestern

Information on the back side: "Crystal Mill, also known as the Lost Horse or Dead Horse Mill, was a hydroelectric power generator for mining equipment and machinery near town of Crystal, Colorado. Crystal was founded by prospectors in 1880, and at the height of mining in 1886, it had seven working silver mines and about 400 residents."

© Photos: Neil Purret, Ken Ringer / Smith-Southwestern

Information on the back side: "Formed millions of years ago by volcanoes, glaciers and other natural forces, the Colorado landscape is an awe-inspiring blend of mountains, lakes, forests and plains."

Puente Nuevo and the fall of Ronda - Spain

© Publicaciones Ronda

Sent by "Joaninha"

"Ronda is a city in the Spanish province of Málaga. It is located about 100 kilometres (62 mi) west of the city of Málaga, within the autonomous community of Andalusia. 

[...]Three bridges, Puente Romano ("Roman Bridge", also known as the Puente San Miguel), Puente Viejo ("Old Bridge", also known as the Puente Árabe or "Arab Bridge") and Puente Nuevo ("New Bridge"), span the canyon. The term "nuevo" is a bit of a misnomer, as the building of this bridge commenced in 1751 and took until 1793 to complete. The Puente Nuevo is the tallest of the bridges, towering 120 metres (390 ft) above the canyon floor, and all three serve as some of the city's most impressive features." In: Wikipedia

Algar do Carvão, Terceira Island, Azores - Portugal

© Luís Godinho (photo) / Marina Souvenirs

Sent by Lurdes

"The Algar do Carvão is an ancient lava tube or volcanic vent located in the center of the island of Terceira in the Azores. It lies within the municipality of Angra do Heroísmo in the parish of Porto Judeu.

The word, algar, is a Portuguese word that denotes a natural cavity in the earth that, unlike most caves or caverns, is vertical in its orientation, like a well. The Portuguese word derives from the Arabic word, al-Gar, which means "the crease". Carvão means "coal" in Portuguese, but the Algar do Carvão is not a source of coal; so, to call this geological feature "coal cavern" is more an acknowledgment of its darkness than the composition of the rock in which it was formed." In: Wikipedia