World's Biggest Buddhist Monument

The Borobudur

10 Mar 2015 | From Handi of Indonesia

POSTCROSSING SWAP (INSTAGRAM)

Borobudur temple is the world's biggest Buddhist monument. It is located in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia. The monument was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Borobudur is the place for Buddhists to say their prayers and one of the most atrractive places in Indonesia.

A 9th-century Mahayana Buddhist Temple, the monument consists of six square platforms topped by three circular platforms and is decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. A main dome, located at the center of the top platform, is surrounded by 72 Buddha statues each of which is seated inside a perforated stupa.

Built in the 9th century during the reign of the Sailendra Dynasty, the temple was designed in Javanese Buddhist architecture, which blends the Indonesian indigenous cult of ancestor worship and the Buddhist concept of attaining Nirvana. The temple also demonstrates the influences of Gupta art that reflects India's influence on the region, yet there are enough indigenous scenes and elements incorporated to make Borobudur uniquely Indonesian.

Illustrated map of China

Geography of China

10 Mar 2015 | From Karen of China

POSTCROSSING SWAP

China is the most populous and fourth largest country in the world by total area. China is officially known as the People's Republic of China (PRC) and is located in East Asia. It stretches some 5,026 km (3,123 mi) kilometers across the East Asian landmass. China is bordered in the east by the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, Taiwan Strait, and South China Sea, and shares land borders with a total of 14 countries in the north, south and west. It is bound by Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and Russia in the north; Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Taiwan and Philippines in the east; Vietnam, Laos, Burma, Bhutan, and Nepal in the south; and India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Kyrgyzstan in the west. 

Administratively, China is divided into 22 Provinces (shengs), five Autonomous Regions (zizhiqus), four Government-controlled Municipalities (shihs) and two Special Autonomous Regions (Hong Kong and Macau). The country claims sovereignty over Taiwan as its 23rd province.

By virtue of vast geographical extent, China is endowed with diverse landforms which include hills, mountains, high plateaus, deserts, plains, and deltas. Freshwater lakes in the country are mostly found in the middle-lower Yangtze Plain and include Poyang, Dongting, Taihu, and Hongze. The lakes in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau include Qinghai, Nam Co, and Siling Co. These are saltwater lakes.

Stamp-shaped postcard

The Bank of China Tower

26 Sept 2014 | From Wei-yi of Malaysia

POSTCROSSING FRIEND | POSTCARD SENT FROM MALAYSIA

I suppose this postcard takes the shape of a stamp :p Wei-yi really wanted to send me a shaped-postcard, and was happy to have found this one through her friend.

The Bank of China Tower, or BOC Tower, is one of the most recognizable skyscrapers in Admiralty, Hong Kong. It houses the headquarters for the Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited. The building is located at 1 Garden Road, in Central and Western District on Hong Kong Island. I've already seen this building when I was in HK. But I realized I never took any picture of it because I was too busy enjoying the walks and the urban views.

Designed by I. M. Pei and L.C Pei of I.M Pei and Partners, at 315.0 m (1,033.5 ft) high it was the tallest building in Hong Kong and Asia from 1989 to 1992, and it was the first building outside North America to break the 305 m (1,000 ft) mark.  It is now the fourth tallest skyscraper in Hong Kong, after International Commerce Centre, Two International Finance Centre and Central Plaza.

Philippine Traditional Costume

The Barong Tagalog

12 May 2014 | From Film of Thailand

FACEBOOK SWAP | POSTCARD SENT FROM THAILAND

Film sent me this cute shaped-card of a Filipino boy wearing a barong.

The Barong Tagalog is an embroidered formal shirt that is very lightweight and worn untucked over an undershirt. The word "Tagalog" refers to the ethnic group's traditional homeland in central and southern Luzon. Barongs are made from a variety of indigenous fabrics such as Piña (pineapple), banana, and abacá fabric.

Many believe that the Barong Tagalog and Baro't Saya are the National Costumes of our country. When in fact it is not yet declared by law as a National Symbol. Due to our diverse culture, there are different costumes in every region. Naming just one as a National Costume might mean disregarding the others.

I've just noticed that the pole of the Philippine flag in the postcard is wrong. It should be on the other side of the flag like this: 

:)

Mountain activities in Taiwan

Alishan

14 Mar, 2014 | From Pei-yu Lin of Taiwan

FACEBOOK SWAP

Pei-yu shared that 90 percent of Taiwan is mountainous, and that this mountain tourist spot, Alishan, is one of the most famous in Taiwan. You can see a beautiful view of the sunrise here, tall trees, and fast trains. You can enjoy the beauty of nature and enjoy Taiwanese aboriginal food :)

Flying Lanterns

Taiwan Lantern Festival

14 Mar, 2014 | From Pei-yu Lin of Taiwan

FACEBOOK SWAP

The sky lantern is not only a traditional Taiwanese custom but also an important part of their culture. Sky Lantern Festival, which is held annually, is one of the must see events in Taiwan and rated as one of the best festivals in the world. Sky Lanterns were released originally to let others know that the town was safe. These lanterns are decorated with wishes and images relating to the owner.

From Akubi's French Tour :)

Les Gorges de Kakouetta

8 Feb 2014 | From Akubi of Hong Kong

POSTCROSSING FRIEND | POSTCARD SENT FROM FRANCE

Akubi sent me this postcard from his visit to France for his friend's wedding. The Gorges de Kakouetta is a narrow (down to 5 metres in places) gorge, over 300 metres deep and about 2 kilometres long. It is one of three gorges in the area and is the most popular with tourists. The Gorges de Kakouetta is looked after by a Basque family who live at the entrance of the Gorges.

Source: Jeremy Taylor

Lottery Postcard from Phoebe (Taiwan)

Okayama Gotochi Card

8 Feb 2014 | From Phoebe of Taiwan

LOTTERY POSTCARD FROM FACEBOOK | POSTCARD SENT FROM TAIWAN

I won this postcard from Phoebe's lottery. She will be traveling to Japan so she initiated this lottery. She asked a series of questions about Japan in Facebook, and I was able to answer three correctly. Initially, the postcard I won was that of a picture of a samurai. However she was not able to find a copy in Japan so she sent me this instead :)

Phoebe shared to me this interesting tale about Momotarou (Peach Boy), the boy in the postcard. Okayama is the native town of Momotarou. It was said that Momotarou was found living in a peach. When he grew up, we went to fight against the evils on the ghost island. During his trip, he met a dog, a monkey, and a bird. All of them became friends.

Okayama has many sunny days throughout the year. In combination with its mild climate, this makes it the ideal place for growing fruit. Many different kinds of fruits, including white peaches and grapes, are grown here. The fruit of Okayama is a popular brand among the people of Japan. - Discover Okayama

The Croatian Capital

The City of Zagreb

29 Nov 2013 | From Petra of Croatia

FACEBOOK SWAP

Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is located in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. 

Zagreb is a city with a rich history dating from the Roman times to the present day. The oldest settlement in the urban area of the city is Andautonia, a Roman settlement in the place of today's Ščitarjevo. The name "Zagreb" is mentioned for the first time in 1094 at the founding of the Zagreb diocese of Kaptol, and Zagreb became a free royal town in 1242, whereas the origin of the name still remains a mystery in spite of several theories. In 1851 Zagreb had its first mayor, Janko Kamauf, and in 1945 it was made the capital of Croatia when the demographic boom and the urban sprawl made the city it's known nowadays.

Zagreb is a fascinating destination on its own, combining the best of Eastern and Western Europe. As the polit­ical, economic and cultural capital of Croatia, the city throbs with energy but has retained a good deal of old-world graciousness. The sober Austro-Hungarian buildings in the town centre house elegant restaurants and fashionable boutiques along with scruffy pubs and rowdy beer halls.

My 100th Postcard!

Tokyo Gotochi Postcard

21 May 2013 | From Andrey of Japan

POSTCROSSING SWAP

This is the postcard Andrey promised me when I sent him his 100th postcard. Turned out, this Gotochi postcard from him is also my 100th postcard! 

"Gotochi cards are designed and released by the Japanese Postal System, and each one of them represents a place in Japan - hence the name 'gotochi', which means 'local'. They showcase Japanese symbols (which might be local dishes, costumes, monuments, landscapes, etc.) on a national and regional level, in a brightly coloured and fun cartoon."

You can read more about it here.