Hombres de Todos Santos

Men of Todos Santos

25 May 2015 | From Richie of Guatemala

POSTCROSSING FRIEND

Todos Santos Cuchumatán is a municipality in the Guatemalan department of Huehuetenango. The village of San Martin Cuchumatán is the second largest urbanized centre in the municipality of Todos Santos. San Martin is also the agricultural heart of the Cuchumateca valley which produces crops like potatoes, broccoli and large scale cultivation of coffee on the lower mountain slopes of the municipality.

The population of Todos Santos is predominantly indigenous, of Mayan descent, most of whom still speak the Mayan language of Mam. The town is one of few places in Guatemala where indigenous men still wear their traditional clothing, along with the women.

An annual festival is celebrated on October 31-November 2, and is centered on All Saints' Day on November 1 ("Todos Santos" translates to "all saints" in English). Festivities include traditional dances, marimba music and the famous horse races. The horse races are often the scene of mayhem and bloodshed due to the riders' penchant to drink alcohol for days leading up to the races even though the mayor banned the selling of hard alcohol in May 2008.

Preparing the Tortilla

Corn Tortilla

25 May 2015 | From Richie of Guatemala

POSTCROSSING FRIEND

In Mexico and Central America, a tortilla is a type of thin, unleavened flat bread, made from finely ground maize (corn). In Guatemala and Mexico, there are three colors of maize dough for making tortillas: white maize, yellow maize and blue maize (or black maize).

A tortilla seller is a Nahuatl: tlaxcalnamacac. The traditional tortilla has been made of maize corn since pre-Columbian times. It is made by curing maize in limewater in the nixtamalization process, which causes the skin of the corn kernels to peel off (the waste material is typically fed to poultry), then grinding and cooking it, kneading it into a dough called masa nixtamalera, pressing it flat into thin patties, and cooking it on a very hot comal (originally a flat terra cotta griddle, now usually made of light sheet-metal instead). In Guatemala, they are still often made by hand and are thicker. Corn tortillas are customarily served and eaten warm; when cool, they often acquire a rubbery or grainy texture as the cooked starches stale.

Święty Jan Paweł II

Saint Pope John Paul II

14 May 2015 | From Grzegorz of Poland

POSTCROSSING FRIEND

Pope John Paul II made history in 1978 by becoming the first non-Italian pope in more than 400 years. He was the second longest-serving pope in modern history after Pope Pius IX.

Pope John Paul II was born Karol Józef Wojtyla on May 18, 1920, in Wadowice, Poland. He was ordained in 1946, became the bishop of Ombi in 1958, and became the archbishop of Krakow in 1964. He was made a cardinal by Pope Paul VI in 1967, and in 1978 became the first non-Italian pope in more than 400 years. He was a vocal advocate for human rights and used his influence to effect political change. He died in Italy in 2005. It was announced in July of 2013 that he would be declared a saint in April of the following year.

He was one of the most travelled world leaders in history, visiting 129 countries during his pontificate. As part of his special emphasis on the universal call to holiness, he beatified 1,340 people and canonised 483 saints, more than the combined tally of his predecessors during the preceding five centuries. By the time of his death, he had named most of the College of Cardinals, consecrated or co-consecrated a large number of the world's bishops, and ordained many priests. A key goal of his papacy was to transform and reposition the Catholic Church. His wish was "to place his Church at the heart of a new religious alliance that would bring together Jews, Muslims and Christians in a great religious armada."

A procession rich in history

The Carnival of São Nicolau

6 May 2015 | From Lucia of Cape Verde

POSTCROSSING SWAP

Lucia shared that the Carnival is the most important event in her island - São Vicente (the city of Mindelo). It officially takes place in the month of February, but small parades take place from the first days of January. The carnival is a special mixture of Brazilian and African traditions, as the Carnival in Mindelo attracts for its attempt of reproducing the Brazilian carnival, although at the country´s dimension

It is at the island of São Nicolau where one can live the real Kriolu´s carnival. In the Island of Chiquinho (named after the famous character from Baltasar Lopes Novel, Chiquinho) the carnival is played by its own criteria. São Nicolau´s carnival attracts for its unique characteristics which prevails after 80 years of tradition.

It all started with a modest celebration promoted by local youngsters transforming later into one of the main attraction of the whole island of São Nicolau. And in February, the number of visitors to the city of Ribeira Brava, where carnival is played on the city streets, rises significantly as a result.

Source: caboverdeonline

Island of Boa Vista

Rabil, Boa Vista Island

6 May 2015 | From Lucia of Cape Verde

POSTCROSSING SWAP

Boa Vista, literally 'beautiful view', is the easternmost and third-largest island of Cape Verde. While mass tourism has already reached the smaller neighbouring island of Sal, life on Boa Vista is a bit more authentic. The capital of the island of Boa Vista, Sal Rei, looks quite cosy and almost sleepy, even though more than half of the island’s 12,000 inhabitants live here.

Rabil, located southwest of the island, is a town on the island of Boa Vista, Cape Verde. It was the island's former capital. Rabil is the island's second largest town. You can visit a little pottery workshop and the São Roque church. Otherwise, the village makes a rather deserted impression. The Fundo Figueiras district in the hamlet of Norte has a pretty little church, Igreja São João Baptista, with white and pastel facades. The little houses are very colourful.

Source: Cape Verde

Gombey Festival Bermuda

Gombey Dancers

6 May 2015 | From Carol of Bermuda

POSTCROSSING SWAP

The Gombey is an iconic symbol of Bermuda, this folklife tradition reflecting the island’s blend of African, indigenous peoples, Caribbean and British cultures, incorporating them over time into a unique performance art full of colourful and intricate masquerade, dance and drumming.

The annual Gombey Festival is held in Bermuda in the month of September to showcase the rich traditional folk art and expose the islanders and visitors with the skills that have been acquired by the local performers over the years. It provides a platform for local gombey troupes to perform and display their craft and is an exciting opportunity for locals and visitors alike to enjoy the dance, music and costume of the gombeys. The Gombey Dance in Bermuda roots back to Afro-Caribbean style of dancing on drum beats that were introduced into the island during the 1600s. 

Dancers are usually male, and perform in groups of 10-30 though in modern times female groups have emerged. The traditions have been passed down orally from one generation to the next within families and the Captains of each troupe determine the direction of the troupe and style that is taught. 

Sources: Wikipedia, Bermuda Attractions

High water in Venice

Exceptional High Tide on St. Mark's Square

6 May 2015 | From Massimo of Italy

POSTCROSSING FRIEND

"Acqua alta" (high water) is a phenomenon which generally takes place in Venice in winter time, when a combination of astronomical tide, strong south wind (scirocco) and seiche (see glossary below) can cause a larger inflow of water into the Venetian Lagoon.

Exceptional tides (when the water-line is equal to or more than 140 centimetres on the mareographic zero of "Punta della Salute", located near the Salute Church, in front of St. Mark's Square) statistically occur once every 3 years. They are caused by a combination of various factors, such as the astronomical tide, low pressure on the Tyrrhenian Sea, strong south wind (scirocco) and the Adriatic seiche. Further two larger phenomena also contribute to increase the water level: eustasy (see glossary below) and the subsidence of the Venetian Lagoon, which, together, have caused an altimetric loss of about 26 centimetres in the last century.

High waters may occur in autumn or winter seasons and are most likely to happen in November and December. But even in these months, high waters usually affect only the lowest parts of the town, such as St. Mark's Square. High water depends on the tide cycle (the alternation of high and low tides happens every 6 hours): when there is "acqua alta" on the streets this lasts only a few hours during the peak of the high tide (usually 3 to 4 hours). Once water goes down again, things go back to normality. 

Source: Comune Venezia

Say Cheese!

Hoorn Cheese Market

6 May 2015 | From Anja of Netherlands

OFFICIAL POSTCROSSING

There are currently four cheese markets in the Netherlands, in Alkmaar, Edam, Gouda and Hoorn. The cheese market of Gouda still is a trade market for the cheese makers and the wholesalers from the region. The other cheese markets are touristic demonstrations and reconstructions from former times. During the market it is possible to sell some cheese by one of the street stalls.

The Cheese market in Hoorn opened in 2007 on the Roode Steen square, this reproduction cheese market takes place between 28 June and 20 September on Thursdays between 12:30 and 13:45 and 21:00 and 22:15. There are live commentaries on the whole process of carrying in the cheese, weighing, and negotiating in both Dutch and English.

Swiss folk costumes

Costume Women - Appenzell

24 Apr 2015 | From Sara of Switzerland

THANK-YOU POSTCARD

Trachtenfrauen may literally be translated to 'costume women'. Tracht is a traditional garment in German-speaking countries. Although the word is most often associated with Bavarian and Austrian garments many other peoples of Germany have them. The postcard shows some women in traditional dresses of Appenzell in Switzerland. Appenzell is Switzerland's most traditional region.

Appenzell, or Appenzellerland, is a region and historical canton in the northeast of Switzerland, entirely surrounded by the Canton of St. Gallen. Appenzell is an alpine region, particularly in the south, where the Alpstein limestone range is found, though towards the north the surface is composed rather of green hills, separating green hollows in which nestle neat villages and small towns.

Traditional dress of Slovakia

Decorated and cultural - the Slovak Kroje

24 Apr 2015 | From Zuzana of Slovakia

THANK-YOU POSTCARD

This is one of the two than-you postcards that Zuzana sent me for the postcard I sent her through the official Postcrossing track.

No other European country has as strong and diverse folk traditions as Slovakia. Not surprising, considering that Slovakia has been at the crossroads of both traders and invaders for millennia – bringing goods and ideas from many other cultures and stimulating creativity in the making of everyday objects, entertainment and celebrations. Slovakia is proud of its rich folklore and folk traditions. Each region, city, and municipality has a unique character and folklore – costumes, music, songs, architecture, customs, traditions, dances and dialects.

Slovakia is a country with rich heritage of folklore. In the past, songs, costumes, and customs were a way to preserve national identity. Every region, even villages, had its own distict folk costume as a way of identification. 

The traditional dress of Slovakia has the influences from the medieval style of clothing that was gradually altered with different patterns, designs and modifications. The changing occurred due to the foreigners that used to come in the region and the historic fashion trends in the clothing were evolved. New kinds of raw materials were introduced in the region and variations were brought according to the geographic and climatic need as well. In the lowland areas of Slovakia, people usually preferred linen and the costumes were of loose nature while in the mountainous areas, woolen textiles and furs were also used and the clothing was fashioned more tightly. Today, it is only a matter of festive occasion to dress up traditionally in every state of Slovakia.

Kroje or “kro-yeh” is the typical name of the decorated,traditional and cultural dress worn by the Czechs and the Slovaks. Women’s traditional dress in Slovakia was characterized by a long, large skirt and a white blouse with large sleeves tapered to the wrists. Men’s traditional wear in Slovakia was fashioned to the town style of the period and the accessories included narrow trousers, tight waistcoat, jacket tapered to the waist etc. The dresses were usually made from cotton (skirts and summer trousers) and wool. Woolen material in white, blue and black was used for festive trousers, waistcoats and jackets. These were adorned with braiding.

Source: The Lovely Planet

The Vietnamese Conical Hat

High school Girls wearing non la

17 Apr 2015 | From Isabel of the Philippines

POSTCARD SOUVENIR

By no doubt, the Ao dai embody the femininity and charm of the Vietnamese women, while the appeal and functionality of the Nón Lá creates a beautiful harmony of the entire ensemble, leaving a strong impression of gracefulness and romance to any tourist who visits the country. In recognition of the hat’s distinct shape, Nón Lá earned its common name, “Vietnamese conical hat”. Non La is a symbol of Vietnamese’ charm and romance. It is a traditional symbol of Vietnamese people without age, sex or racial distinctions.

Nón Lá is essential for the people to protect themselves from heat which could last for months. Non la is made out of such simple and available materials as palm leaves, bark of Moc tree and bamboo. Non la is abundantly sold and there are many traditional villages where tourists can get high quality conical hats. 

The image of a young lady wearing Non la and Ao dai is a beautiful symbol of Vietnam.

The charming beauty of Vietnamese schoolgirls

School Girls from Mekong Delta

17 Apr 2015 | From Isabel of the Philippines

POSTCARD SOUVENIR

Áo dài is the typical Vietnamese formal girl's dress. It is worn in white by high school girls in Vietnam. Schoolgirls look more tender, gentle and womanly when wearing Ao Dai. Ao Dai’s design is considered as reserving with foreigners but showing the charming of Vietnamese women. The design is sewn reservedly above. The collar is designed highly, which makes the Vietnamese women’s neck look balance with their body. The waist is sewn closely in order to make the charming of the women. Especially, the lap of dress was split into 2 sides of the waist in order to be easy for moving and taking the viewer’s attention.

The postcard is a souvenir from Isabel, a friend and former colleague, during her 2015 Vietnam tour.

Source: All Vietnam

Lawrence of Arabia

T. E. Lawrence, 1935

10 Apr 2015 | From Erica of USA

OFFICIAL POSTCROSSING

Thomas Edward Lawrence (16 August 1888 ~ 19 May 1935) was a British archaeological scholar, adventurer, military strategist, diplomat, and the writer of The Seven Pillars of Wisdom (1927). He was renowned for his liaison role during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign, and the Arab Revolt against Ottoman Turkish rule of 1916–18. T.E. Lawrence was better known in his lifetime as 'Lawrence of Arabia' because of the dashing role he played in helping the Arabs against the Turks during World War I.

Lawrence was born in Tremadoc, Caernarvonshire, Wales, the illegitimate son of Thomas Chapman. His father left his wife, who had refused to allow a divorce.  He set up a new home with Sarah Junner, a woman who had been governess in his household.  Lawrence was the third son of this union. At 31 Lawrence was an international celebrity but, embittered by his country's Middle East policies, he chose a life of obscurity and died at the age of 46 after a motorcycle accident.

Lawrence's public image resulted in part from the sensationalised reportage of the Arab revolt by an American journalist, Lowell Thomas, as well as from Lawrence's autobiographical account Seven Pillars of Wisdom.

A Burundi postcard from Italy

Kingdom of Burundi

10 Mar 2015 | From Gian Luca of Italy

POSTCROSSING SWAP

Burundi, officially the Republic of Burundi and once known as Urundi,  is a landlocked country in the African Great Lakes region of East Africa. It is also sometimes considered part of Central Africa. Burundi's capital is Bujumbura. Although the country is landlocked, much of the southwestern border is adjacent to Lake Tanganyika.

For more than 200 years, Burundi had an indigenous kingdom. At the beginning of the twentieth century, Germany colonized the region. After the First World War and Germany's defeat, it ceded the territory to Belgium. The Belgians ruled Burundi and Rwanda as a European colony known as Ruanda-Urundi. Their intervention exacerbated social differences between the Tutsi and Hutu, which contributed to political unrest in the region. There was civil war in Burundi as it fought for independence in the middle of the twentieth century. Presently, Burundi is governed as a presidential representative democratic republic.

One of the smallest countries in Africa, Burundi is also one of the five poorest countries in the world. It has one of the lowest per capita GDPs of any nation in the world. It is a resource-poor country with an underdeveloped manufacturing sector. Some of Burundi's natural resources include uranium, nickel, cobalt, copper, and platinum. Besides agriculture, other industries include: assembly of imported components; public works construction; food processing, and light consumer goods such as blankets, shoes, and soap.

A living picture of history

Günter Zint, Panfoto & Sankt Pauli Museum

10 Mar 2015 | From Julia of Germany

OFFICIAL POSTCROSSING

A visit to the Hanseatic City of Hamburg should also lead travellers to the St. Pauli Museum. It is located in the eponymous district at Davidstrasse 17 and is easily accessible by public transport. Up to three million exhibits reveal a living picture of the district's history up to the present day. The St. Pauli Museum is surely one of the ones most worth seeing if you wish to gain insights into the life and development of this district.

The St. Pauli Museum considers itself a contemporary centre for recording history, yet its objectives are also in the area of district work and education. The permanent exhibition "Stories Become History" vividly demonstrates that the life of the district is the result of its residents and their backgrounds.

The museum provides a total of 160 sqm of exhibition space, and is based on an extensive collection by Günter Zint, a press photographer. Visitors can admire the world's largest collection of photos, documents and other exhibits relating to St. Pauli. The historic development of this well-known Hamburg district is thus vividly explained from the Middle Ages to the present.

Song and Dance Celebration

The Latvian Song and Dance Festival

10 Mar 2015 | From Evita of Latvia

OFFICIAL POSTCROSSING

This card is dedicated to the Latvian National Song and Dance Festival, one of the most beautiful and grand cultural events in Latvia. It is the pride of Latvian national identity and is held every five years in Riga, the Latvian capital. The girl is dressed in folk costume of Rucava district (Kurzeme region).

The Latvian Song and Dance Festival is one of the largest amateur choral events in the world and an important event in Latvian culture and social life. The All-Latvian Song and Dance Festival has been held since 1873. During the festivals exhibitions of photography, art and folk craft, orchestra concerts, and a festive parade also take place. Events and competitions leading up to the event occur throughout the period between festivals. This is a festival also for Riga, as for the entire week the city lives in time with Latvian folk song and in a swirl of Latvian folk dance.

Feast day in the Monastery

The Trinity-St Sergius Monastery

10 Mar 2015 | From Kris of Russia

POSTCROSSING FRIEND

Considered to be the most important monastery in Russia and the spiritual centre of the Russian Orthodox Church, the St. Sergius Lavra is often nicknamed the ‘Russian Vatican’. The monastery is situated in the town of Sergiyev Posad. It was founded in 1345 by one of the most venerated Russian saints, Sergius of Radonezh, who built a wooden church in honour of the Holy Trinity on Makovets Hill. Early development of the monastic community is well documented in contemporary lives of Sergius and his disciples.

The ensemble of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra in Sergiev Posad is an outstanding example of 14th- to 18th-century Russian architecture. Many of these buildings were models for later buildings in Russia. The main church of the Lavra, the Cathedral of the Assumption (echoing the Kremlin Cathedral of the same name), contains the tomb of Boris Godunov. Among the treasures of the Lavra is the famous icon, The Trinity , by Andrei Rublev.

Vietnamese national costume (2)

Women in áo dài

10 Mar 2015 | From Phúc of Vietnam

POSTCROSSING SWAP

Phúc initiated this direct swap with me for her friend in Germany who wanted a Tarsier postcard. I am to send the tarsier postcard (unwritten and in an envelope) to Phúc in Vietnam and in turn will mail the postcard to her friend in Vietnam.

The postcard Phúc sent me shows Vietnamese women wearing the traditional áo dài while performing with musical instruments. The áo dài is a Vietnamese national costume. It has become the symbol of the Vietnamese feminine beauty, and the pride of the Vietnamese people. It is often called áo dài Việt Nam to link it to patriotic feelings. The ao dai is now standard for weddings, for celebrating Tết and for other formal occasions. A plain white ao dai is a common high school school uniform in the South. Companies often require their female staff to wear uniforms that include the ao dai, so flight attendants, receptionists, bank female staff, restaurant staff, and hotel workers in Vietnam may be seen wearing it.

Tradition and Life expressed in Dance

Balinese Dancers

10 Mar 2015 | From Niken of Indonesia

POSTCROSSING SWAP (INSTAGRAM)

The lifestyles of Balinese people is expressed in their dance. Not only do we learn about the Balinese religion from their dance creations but also we can come to understand the flow of cultural events and activities that belong to everyday life. The very essence of the Balinese culture is dance and drama, which is performed during temple festivals and in ceremonies. The dances performed in hotels is a small fraction of what Balinese dance has to offer.

Balinese dances are a very ancient dance tradition that is a part of the religious and artistic expression among the Balinese people, native to Bali island, Indonesia. Balinese dance is dynamic, angular and intensely expressive. The Balinese dancers express the story of dance-drama through the whole bodily gestures; fingers, hands and body gestures to head and eyes movements.

Traditional Wayang Dance

Wayang wong

10 Mar 2015 | From Niken of Indonesia

POSTCROSSING SWAP (INSTAGRAM)

Wayang wong, also known as Wayang orang (literally 'human wayang)', is a type of classical Javanese dance theatrical performance with themes taken from episodes of the Ramayana or Mahabharata. Performances are stylised, reflecting Javanese court culture.

Wayang wong dance drama in the central Javanese Kraton (royal court) of Yogyakarta represents the epitome of Javanese aesthetic unity. It is total theatre involving dance, drama, music, visual arts, language, and literature. A highly cultured sense of formality permeates every aspect of its presentation.

In the old days, wayang wong was only performed in the four palaces of Yogyakarta and Surakarta as clasical court dance. In the development, it spread beyond the palaces and become popular among the people. In the course of time, it spread to become a popular and folk form as well.