World on my postcards

 Escadaria Selarón, also known as the 'Selaron Steps', is a set of world-famous steps in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. They are the work of Chilean-born artist Jorge Selarón who claimed it as "my tribute to the Brazilian people".

I am very glad to receive next 6 postcards from the Czech Republic from one of my good friends who went there on holidays. It was very kind of her and very unexpected! These cards came to me as a surprise and every each of them is beautiful. Thank you very much!

  Ostrava is a city in the north-east of the Czech Republic and is the capital of the Moravian-Silesian Region. It is a few kilometres from the border with Poland, at the meeting point of four rivers: the Odra, Opava, Ostravice and Lučina. This is one of the postcards sent to me by my friend from the Czech Republic! I am very happy to receive such a nice postcard.

  Hlinsko is a town in the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic. Hlinsko's history can be traced back to the 11th century for the first written document.   One of beautiful postcards sent to me by my good friend from Czech Republic. Thank you!

  Golden Lane is a street situated at the Prague Castle, Czech Republic. Its name is connected with 16th century alchemists, who had to look there, according to legends, for a reaction to produce gold.

One of the postcards sent to me from my good friend!The information about this clock is on the postcard.

  Kost Castle is located in the Jičín District of the Czech Republic. Kost Castle lies in Northern Bohemia, specifically the region Bohemian Paradise and is privately owned by Kinský dal Borgo noble.  This is one of the postcards sent to me from my very good friend! I am very thankful as not only the postcard is amazing but the back of it as well. There are some stamps  showing the Hrad Kost. 

Držkov is a village and municipality in Jablonec nad Nisou District in the Liberec Region of the Czech Republic.

  Holland facts about land and people: The Netherlands has the highest population density (493 inhabitants per square km - water excluded) of any European country with over 1 million inhabitants. Worldwide, only Bangladesh and Taiwan, among major countries, have a higher density of population. The 'Netherlands' mean "Low Country" in Dutch. About half of its surface area is less than 1 metre above sea level. Its highest point is 321 metres (1,053 ft) above sea level. Dutch people are the tallest in the world, with an average height of 184 cm for men and 170 cm for women. A 2007 UNICEF report on child well-being in rich countries ranked the Netherlands as the best country for children to live. The village of Giethoorn, in the province of Overijssel, does not have any roads. All transport is done by water over one of the many canals. It is known as the "Venice of the Netherlands".

The Andean condor is a South American bird in the New World vulture family Cathartidae and is the only member of the genus Vultur. Found in the Andes mountains and adjacent Pacific coasts of western South America, the Andean condor is the largest flying bird in the world by combined measurement of weight and wingspan.

 The great Middelburg Town Hall is worthy of careful attention as a good specimen of Dutch architecture at one of the best periods. In the facade there are no less than twenty-two doors and windows, ten on the ground-floor, ten on the first-floor, and two in the great gable on the left-hand side.

  Kamnik is a town in northern Slovenia. It is the central settlement of the Municipality of Kamnik. It encompasses a large part of the Kamnik Alps and the surrounding area.  In the Middle Ages, Kamnik was a flourishing trading town with its own mint and it was home to several European aristocratic families, such as Counts of  Andechs from Bavaria (Germany). The town's wonderful architecture and sacral heritage, as well as the numerous myths and legend are a testament to its prosperous days. 

Bled, a Slovenian resort town in the foothills of the Julian Alps, is set along the glacial Lake Bled. On a cliff overlooking the lake is the 11th-century Bled Castle, which houses a museum, chapel and printing press. Atop an inslet in the lake's center is the Pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of Maria and its steep staircase and bell tower.

The Hain, the main ceremony of the Selk'nam, was celebrated for last time in XX century. It was a rite of initiation for boys and an educative experience based on the belief that in the old days there was a predominance of women. The ceremony of the Klóketen or Hain is the widespread aspect of the cultural life, corresponding to the ritual of initiation of the young men in the tribes from a common territory. The boys of between fourteen and sixteen years were separated of their home to become Klóketen in the maturity through the ceremony. The most important and interesting aspect of the Hain ceremony was the harassment. It became on the boy by terrific representations of spirits and the boy would have to remain full of value. Spirits were performed by actors dressed in disguise to hide their identity and create a permanent atmosphere. Somehow they felt possessed by the spirits they believed to be supernatural. The candidates to be recognised like adults and hunters h

  Tikal is an ancient Mayan citadel in the rainforests of northern Guatemala. Possibly dating to the 1st century A.D., Tikal flourished between 200 and 850 A.D. and was later abandoned. Its iconic ruins include the giant, ceremonial Lost World Pyramid and the Temple of the Grand Jaguar. At 70 meters, Temple IV is the tallest pre-Columbian structure in the Americas and offers sweeping views.

Lumbinī is a Buddhist pilgrimage site in the Rupandehi District of Nepal. It is the place where, according to Buddhist tradition, Queen Mayadevi gave birth to Siddhartha Gautama in 563 BCE.

The Neuschwanstein Castle looks like a fairytale castle. Neuschwanstein is a castle of the paradox, it was built in the 19th century in Bavaria, in a time when castles no longer had strategical and defensive purposes. This fairytale look of the Neuschwanstein castle inspired Walt Disney to create the Magic Kingdom. Today, Neuschwanstein is the most visited castle in Germany, and one of the most popular tourist destination in the world. Every year over 1.300.000 people cross its gate.

German forces occupying Poland set up Auschwitz in 1940 as a labour camp for Polish prisoners, gradually expanding it into a vast labour and death camp. Between 1.2-1.5 million people died at the camps, of whom about 1 million were Jewish.  Other groups of people who died included Polish political prisoners, Soviet prisoners of war, Gypsies, homosexuals, people with disabilities and prisoners of conscience or religious faith.

Tatra Mountains are a mountain range that form a natural border between Slovakia and Poland. They are the highest mountain range in the Carpathian Mountains.

  With less than 1500 left on the whole island, these  traditional thatched cottage  gems are more precious than ever.

The Bollenhut is a ladies' hat topped with pom-poms and has been part of the traditional costume worn by women in the three neighbouring Black Forest villages of Gutach, Kirnbach (near Wolfach) and Reichenbach (near Hornberg) since around 1750. Young unmarried girls wear hats with red "pompoms" and married women hats with black ones.