Kilauea, USA

Long time ago (actually at the beginning of my posctcrossing career) I posted some Hawaiian volcanoes, here and here. Compared to those, these are in an active mode and are so bright and colourful :)

the card above is called "Birth Day" and the back of the card says: Almost every day the newest land on Earth is born here on Hawai'i Island. Since 1983, when most recent eruption began on the southeast flank of Kilauuea, nearly a cubic mile of lava has gushed forth, adding some 500 acres of new land - so far: Often, our excitable volcano goddess Pele likes to celebrate with fireworks when she gives birth.

Interesting story and an amazing eruption!
Thanks a lot to Mary for sending me this awesome card as a part of her Vacations RR group. She also used a number of lovely stamps as you can see below:

the two on the right side are part of the four stamps issued in 2011 representing the US Merchant Marine (i really like those); the top left stamp was issued in 1974 as a part of 4, mineral heritage stamps, while the Magna carta stamp below dates back from 1965. I dont know if Mary had these stamps purchased in advance or found them on spot (though my guess bets on the first), but she certainly had put effort in them!

US-1478078

the second volcano came as an official card, and it again represents the Kilauea volcano at twilight and you can see (or not) how lava is flowing into the ocean. 

the stamps you can see hee are the American clock from 2003, the Cars from the Send a Hello series, issued in 2011, and one more ship from the US Merchant Marine series....the owl is a sticker ;-)

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, USA

Alohaaa!!!! A Card from Hawaii!!! First from a set of two.


This is from the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

It displays the results of hundreds of thousands of years of volcanism migration, and evolution, processes that thrust a bare land from the sea and clothed it with complex and unique ecosystems and a distinct human culture. The park encompasses diverse environments that range from sea level to the summit of the earth's most massive volcano Mauna Loa. Kilauea, one of the world's most active volcanoes, offers scientists insights on the birth of the Hawaiian Islands and visitors' views of dramatic volcanic landscapes. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park has been designated as an International Biosphere Reserve in 1980 and a World Heritage Site in 1987.

The picture here shows a steaming bluff at sunset on Crater Rim Trail. Here, rain water comes in contact with hot rocks deep below and the steam produced condenses into water vapour as it reaches the surface.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, USA

The second Hawaii card.....this time representing the "Waha'ula Visitor's Centre"


This used to be the coastal visitor centre in Hawaii Volcanoes park and was destroyed by a lava flow from Kilauea Volcano on 22nd June, 1989. Only twisted structural steel protruding from the black lava remains to mark its place.


A short legend, regarding this place.

It is said in legend that if any volcanic rock or black sand is taken from Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (or anywhere in Hawaii) that the person that took it will be cursed by the Hawaiian volcano goddess Pele until it is returned. While purportedly an ancient Hawaiian belief, historians can trace this legend only to the mid-twentieth century, and it is widely believed to have been invented by park rangers to keep visitors from taking rocks. Nevertheless, the lobby of Kīlauea Military Camp (now a vacation area for military personnel) has a cabinet displaying rocks returned by people attempting to atone for the bad luck that has befallen them, and letters describing their predicaments.

I personally would like to take a small sample to be honest....a friend of mine went to Egypt several years ago and she brought me some sand from the Sahara desert...its nice to take such particular things that are so significant and unique for a place......but if im gonna have some additional bad luck coz of it, id think twice....i already have enough to cope with :)

thanks to Jessica for these two Hawaiian cards