2009-06-21 ~ Abhishek's PostCrossing Journey

Monday, June 22, 2009

Yugyd Va National Park, Russia

Russia-17, originally uploaded by Abhishek's Received Postcards.

Yugyd Va National Park is a national park in the Komi Republic, a constituent republic of the Russian Federation, in Northeastern Europe. It is Russia's and Europe's largest national park.
The park was created by the Russian Government on April 23, 1994, with the goals of protection and recreational use of the taiga forests of the Northern Urals. In 1995, the forest area including the Yugud Va National Park and the nearby Pechora-Ilych Nature Reserve were recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, Virgin Komi Forests.

Kronotsky Reserve, Volcanos of Kamchatka, Russia

Russia-18, originally uploaded by Abhishek's Received Postcards.

Kronotsky is a major stratovolcano of the Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia. It has a particularly symmetrical conical shape, comparable to Mount Fuji in Japan and to Mayon Volcano in the Philippines. The summit crater is plugged by a volcanic neck, and the summit itself is ice capped. It exhibits the classic radial drainage pattern, extending downward from its crater. Kronotsky is considered to be the one of the most scenic volcanos in Kamchatka.

The Kamchatka Peninsula is a 1,250-kilometer long peninsula in the Russian Far East, with an area of 472,300 km². It lies between the Pacific Ocean to the east and the Sea of Okhotsk to the west. Immediately offshore along the Pacific coast of the peninsula runs the 10,500 meter deep Kuril-Kamchatka Trench.

Lake Baikal, Russia

Russia-19, originally uploaded by Abhishek's Received Postcards.

Lake Baikal is in southern Siberia in Russia, located between Irkutsk Oblast to the northwest and the Buryat Republic to the southeast, near the city of Irkutsk. It is also known as the "Blue Eye of Siberia". It contains more water than all of the North American Great Lakes combined.
At 1,642 meters (5,390 ft), Lake Baikal is the deepest lake in the world, and the largest freshwater lake in the world by volume.Like Lake Tanganyika, Lake Baikal was formed as an ancient rift valley, having the typical long crescent shape with a surface area of (31,722 km2/12,248 sq mi), less than that of Lake Superior or Lake Victoria. Baikal is home to more than 1,700 species of plants and animals, two thirds of which can be found nowhere else in the world and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. At more than 25 million years old, it is the oldest lake in the world.

Town Hall of Bremen, Germany

Germany-33, originally uploaded by Abhishek's Received Postcards.

The Town Hall of Bremen is the seat of the President of the Senate and of the Mayor of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen. It is one of the most important examples of Brick Gothic architecture in Europe. In July 2004, along with the Bremen Roland, the building was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
The old town hall was built between 1405 and 1409. From 1595 to 1612, the architect Lüder von Bentheim renovated the structure and created the new façade which overlooks the market. Built in the style of the Weser Renaissance (a local variation of ), the façade features architectural elements based on masters of the Dutch Renaissance, such as Hans Vredeman de Vries, Hendrik Goltzius and Jacob Floris. Between 1909 and 1913, the Munich architect Gabriel von Seidl constructed an extension at the back of the building in the style of the Neo-Renaissance. By boarding up the outer walls, the citizens of Bremen succeeded in protecting the building largely from the bombs of the Second World War which destroyed more than 60% of the city. The city hall has been restored several times, most recently in 2003.

Bremen Roland, Germany

Germany-32, originally uploaded by Abhishek's Received Postcards.

The Bremen Roland is a statue (Rathausplatz) of the city's protector, Roland, erected in 1404, which stands in the market square of Bremen, facing the cathedral. Charlemagne's knight Roland bears Durendart, the "sword of justice" and a shield decorated with the two-headed imperial eagle. Statues of Roland appear in numerous cities of the former Holy Roman Empire, as emblems of city liberties, Stadtrechte.

According to legend, Bremen will remain free and independent for as long as the Roland stands watching over the city. For this reason, it is alleged that a second Roland statue is kept hidden in the town hall's underground vaults, which can be quickly installed as a substitute, should the original fall.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Taos Pubelo, Mexico

Mexico-7, originally uploaded by Abhishek's Received Postcards.

Read more at another post : http://abhishekpostcrossing.blogspot.com/2009/05/taos-pueblo-mexico.html

Native American Tribes, Mexico

Mexico-8, originally uploaded by Abhishek's Received Postcards.

Native Americans have contributed much to the New Mexico's cultural heritage. Artworks, including pottery, sculpture and weaving, along with tribal music and dance keep the colourful history of the Indians alive.

Read more at : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_American_Tribes