Euromast, Rotterdam (Postcrossing)

Did you know there is such a thing as the World Federation of Great Towers ? There is, and The Euromast is one of them.

Scottish Kilts (Postcrossing)

A properly made kilt should not be so loose that the wearer can easily twist  the kilt around the body, nor should it be so tight that causes wrinkles of the fabric where it is buckled. When buckled at the waist, the length of the kilt should reach no lower than halfway across the kneecap nor higher than about an inch above it.

Otaru, Hokkaido, Japan

Otaru is a city in the northern Japanese island Hokkaido. A former Ainu community, its name possibly means 'River running through the sandy beach'.

Every year, Otaru hosts Yuki-akari-no-michi, a snow festival during which the city lights up.

View from Finland (Postcrossing)

 My search for Finnish foods brought up this Piparkakut recipe from Kutri's Kitchen.

Statue of Liberty, Manhattan, NYC

Isn't this a beautiful view? I like the greens and the blues and the close by clouds. Even the lady turned green for a better fit :). There isn't too much she can do about it.  It's just her oxidized copper skin. 

St Vitus' Cathedral, Prague (Postcrossing)

Part of Prague Castle, St Vitus' cathedral is the largest cathedral in the Czech Republic. Apart from divine services the coronation of Czech kings and queens also took place here. An important part of the cathedral is the Wenceslas Chapel, which lies above the grave of St Wenceslas. The interior of the chapel is decorated with gemstones and precious painting and  a door leads to the crown chamber, where the Czech crown jewels are kept.

The Capitol Building, Washington DC

There are no skyscrapers in DC. Many believe that this is because of a law saying that the Capitol was to be the tallest in the city. In fact, the fire department put limits on building heights in 1894 because their firefighting equipment wouldn't reach high enough to keep tall buildings safe. In 1989, the Height of Buildings Act was passed, ensuring that the city skyline wouldn't be dominated by skyscrapers.

Mid-Pacific Carnival Posters

Between 1910 and 1917, a large carnival event was held every February in Honolulu, HI, the Mid-Pacific Carnival.  These two postcards depict the  advertisements for the 1915 and 1916 events.

Our Lady's Cathedral, Antwerp, Belgium

Where the cathedral now stands, there was a small chapel of Our Lady from the 9th to the 12th century. During the course of the 12th century it was replaced by a larger church and in 1352 construction was began on a new Our Lady.  170 years later it became the largest gothic church in the Netherlands.

Marseille, France

"The Marseillais is suspected of stretching the truth from time to time, of embroidering and exaggerating. I wonder if this is because Marseille is a fish town, and the environment somehow encourages the natural instinct of the fisherman to improve on nature.Only in the sea around Marseille, so the story goes,  do sardines regularly grow to the size of  young sharks." Peter Mayle, Encore Provence

The Grand Baazar, Istabul, Turkey

The Grand Bazaar  in Istanbul is one of the largest covered markets in the world, with over 1200 shops. The Bazaar dates since 1461, when it was build by the order of  Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror.

Alisal Road, Solvang, California

Solvang is a city in Santa Barbara County, CA, founded in 1911 by a group of Danish educators who traveled west to escape midwestern winters. The architecture of many of the buildings follows the traditional Danish style. Much of the film Sideways (2004) was filmed in Solvang.