Off to United Arab Emirates...

My final card for today is from dear Lila (hagaki), the coordinator of one of the best RRs of postcrossing forums, Themed Messages RR. She sent me this card of children with falcons for June Alternative RR and it is so special because it is my very first card from United arab Emirates (UAE). I chose this card as the last card of the day because I'll be off to UAE tomorrow for work. I'll try to meet Lila during my one week stay and I am already excited about it :)

Newgrange , CO. Meath (UNESCO WHS)

Many thank to Claudia (Chrissybaby) of Ireland for helping me with my UNESCO WHS collection. Newgrange is part of "Archaeological Ensemble of the Bend of the Boyne". It has been a UNESCO site since 1993. On the back of the card, it says, "Along the north bank of the River Boyneis the remarkable pre-Christian cemetery Bru na Boinne, legendary burial place ofthe kings. It's a series of neolithic tumuli which the three principal mounds are at Knowth, Newgrange and Dowth about 2 kms from one another. The Newgrange Tumulus has a passageway leading to a central chamber with side recesses for burials. During the winter solstice, the rays of the sun reach the central chamber."

Having typed this above, Iwant to mention about a new discussion going on the forums. It was started by johnson21c for cities with 2 or more UNESCO sites (London, Brussels, Berlin to name a few). Then, another dedicated UNESCO collector, SLLiew raised an important point saying that some UNESCO sites show a particular place, like "Great Mosque and Hospital of Divrigi" while some cover many places, like "Temple and shrines of Kyoto". Of course, it depends on the user's choice to decide how many cards would be OK to cover a place.

As for me, my primary aim is to get at least one postcard of each UNESCO site. I have only 165 UNESCO postcards as of today so I have a long way to go. On the other hand, it is quite difficult to find postcards of many UNESCO sites due to lack of postcrossers or unavailability of postcards. I am not sure about how to sort out my collection and I need time to make things proper. In my google spreadsheet I mark a site off when I receive a card from this place BUT today I realized it just doesn't make sense. Take the card above as an example: "The Archaeological Ensemble of the Bend of the Boyne" would only be complete if I receive cards of Knowth and Dowth. I have to work harder in soting my cards. God, give me more free time :)

Kandy Temple - Sri Lanka (UNESCO WHS)

This slightly damaged but really precious card of Kandy Temple of Sri Lanka came from Ravindra, a great collector of lighthouse stamps. Luckily Turkish Postal Services issues a stamp of Sile Lighthouse and we swapped cards for stamps. Sacred City of Kandy has been a UNESCO WHS since 1988.

Historic Centre of Guimarães (UNESCO WHS)

Many thanks to Manu of Portugal (Sapic12 in the forums) for sending me this beautiful Portuguese UNESCO WHS of Guimaraes for Turkey X World RR, Group 41. This area has been a UNESCO site since 2001 as the area is a pretty example of the architectural transformation of Portugal from 15th to 19th century.

Kong Zi Miao

This interesting postcard showing the traditional ancient Chinese family's room was from Killua for France X World RR, Group 107 :)

Schokland - The Netherlands (UNESCO WHS)

Many thanks to Wesley (Wesley Guijt in the forums) for sending me this card of Schokland for June Jubilee RR. It is a new addition to my UNESCO collection. Schokland was once a peninsula and in the 15th century it became an island. It hadto be evacuated in 1859. However, following the draining of the Zuider Zee in the 1940s, it has formed part of the land reclaimed from the sea. It has been a UNESCO WHS since 1995.

Kaboud Mosque of Tabriz, Iran

I received my one and only Iran card from moonlessnight of Canada for Another Country RR, Group 125. Now I searched for this mosque and just learned that it is one UNESCO's tentative list for a WHS. UNESCO website says, "This mosque is one of the precious works of Islamic period (the Temurids) and is known as turquoise of Islam as it has been built of turquoise-colored bricks. It is one of the most beautiful buildings of Timurid period. Geographically, it has been located in a cold climatic condition, and for the same reason, it has no quadrangle. The remainder consists of a tomb and a mosque that its dome is double layered".