Birthday card frem Asia

I promise I'm not going to put all of my birthday cards here but I couln't help myself with this one. I was sent by Anne from the Phillipines and I really love it. Card is printed on recycled paper and contains very warm and sweet wishes.

Statue of Liberty

I've got this card some time ago from a penpal who was in NY for holidays. Statue of Liberty is probably the most famous statue in the world. Designed by Federic Auguste Bartholdi, it was firstly named Liberty Enlightening th World. As many of you probably know it was a gift from France to the United States. It's 93 meters high and it weights 204 tonnes.

Gateway Arch

Postcard from Kristi 

The purpose of building the Gateway Arch were numerous. First, it was built with a vision of being an avant-garde construction, that would symbolize architectural expression of simplicity and modernity. Second, in 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt established the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial National Historic Site, to memorialize the role of Thomas Jefferson and others responsible for the America's territorial expansion to the west. Third, was the decision related to building it in St.Louis. It was done to acknowledge the importance of St. Louis's citizens in the settling of the west, and finally, to revitalize the deteriorating riverfront. All these reasons contributed to the Gateway Arch construction.

The Gateway Arch is a perfect blend of beauty and modern architectural styling. Millions of tourists visit it annually, not only to view this marvel, but take its tram ride, that is of only a four minutes way up to the top. 
On the postcard we can see the panorama of St. Luis and Gateway Arch dominating the view.

Mickey salutes America!

Funny postcard from Kristi who got to be my new penpal !

The birth of Mickey Mouse occurred on a cross-country train ride (a four day journey) in early 1928. Walt was returning from a business meetingalong with his wife. At the age of 26, and with an active cartoon studio in Hollywood, Walt had set out to arrange for a new contract for his creation, Oswald the Rabbit, but the backers turned him down. As they owned the copyright, they took control, leaving Walt with nothing. To prepare to announce the unpleasant news to workers back home, Walt gave birth to a sympathetic mouse that he first named, "Mortimer". By the end of the ride, which concluded in Los Angeles, Lillian Disney suggested to her husband that the first name was too stuffy. He was renamed, "Mickey." Walt and his head animator, Ub Iwerks, soon completed their first Mickey Mouse cartoon, "Plane Crazy." But no distributor would buy the film. Not one to quit, Walt produced a second silent Mickey Mouse cartoon, called "Gallopin' Gaucho." It was less than a year since Warner Brothers had introduced the talkies with Al Jolson as the "Jazz Singer" (late 1927). In 1928, Walt Disney began work on his third Mickey Mouse cartoon, this time a talkie, entitled, "Steamboat Willie." To add sound to the film, Walt had to take the animated portion to New York since West Coast studies did not have the equipment. The young man invested everything he had into the film, and when it was completed, Walt screened it for New York exhibitors. (Written here)

Orkney Islands

Very beautiful postcard sent by a friend living in one of the Orkney Islands. I never found map cards interesting untill I got this one. Now I can't wait for more!

Description from the back of the postcards:

The seventy plus Orkney Islands lie at a latitude of 59º N and cover an area of 9,7000 ha, with coastline of 920 km, and a population of about 21,000. The mild climate is due to the Atlantic Slope Current and Atlantic weather systems, while mixing of Atlantic and North Sea waters produces an enviroment rich in food for flora and fauna for the abundant fish, shellfish, crustacea and birds which live and breed here. The shallow sounds between the islands are good places to see many species of birds as well as seals and occasional cetaceans