Helsinki, Finland

And one more meeting card for today, which is from one of the bigger PC meetings regularly organized out there, and Helsinki is one of those places where some of the International meetings have taken place. I still haven't attended a bigger meeting and on one hand it makes me sad, on the other hand I wonder if people actually have time to chat or is it all just writing and signing postcards... I mean even with the mini-meetings I have been a part of, it is insane how much time the writing/signing cards consumes, let alone an International meeting with dozens of people attending :)

This is from a meeting in Helsinki, that took place on August 3rd, 2013, and I would have to thank Jetske for making sure I received one of these calm winter scenes of Helsinki  :)

And here also the Postcrossing Parents have attended and signed my card, so it is even more special to have received this one. The adorable stamp is from a set of 3 Garden Berries' stamps issued in 2013.

Thank you dear Jetske for the card  ❤! And to the rest of you for reading! Enjoy the week ahead - hopefully the weather will be on your side :)

Helsinki, Finland

a dreamy kind of an image..at least for me...

I received this card back in 2012 from Minna as RAS. This is how the main railway station in Helsinki looks like during the snowy winter days...I don't know if it is always so deserted and empty, but sure feels tranquil and if it wasn't (probably) freezing cold, it would be really nice to sit here for hours and find your peace of mind.....

a very, very cute Christmas stamp issued in 1996 in a set of 3 stamps. Love those auroras!!

Helsinki, Finland

I dont know about you, but compared to lets say one or two years ago, I feel that the number of my received Finnish cards in general has greatly decreased....

FI-815054

This is an official card sent back in May (FYI, the FI id has already surpassed the number of 900,000! Wow! For comparison, Macedonia has just gone over 700 only....what a difference!).

Anyways, the card shows Korkeasaari, which is an island in Helsinki, Finland where the country's biggest zoo is situated.
The zoo is located on a 22 hectare rocky island. It's connected to mainland via a bridge, where there is access to the zoo all year round. A ferry and water buses take visitors to the island summertime from Kauppatori and Hakaniemi.
Korkeasaari is one of the most popular places among visitors in Helsinki. The animals on display are divided geographically to Amazonia, Africasia and Borealia. Animal species number about two hundred, and plant species about a thousand.
The main collection comprises mammals and birds, but even reptiles, fish and invertebrates are on display. (The Amazonia building has an aquarium department.) No big mammals (elephants, giraffes, hippopotamus) are on display, as all warm climate animals must be indoors for wintertime. The collection of big cats is quite good, and the snow leopards born in Korkeasaari are famous.
Two or three times a year the zoo organizes night walks, when visitors can see the big cats and other nocturnal animals in their natural waking hours

So, if you happen to be in Helsinki at the right time, I would surely recommend one of those night visits...I really believe they are worth it!

The nice Aurora Borealis stamp from 2009.

Helsinki, Finland

This picture is taken in front of the Presidential Palace in Helsinki on the Independence Day....which is actually today, so thats why i decided to post this card today, thinking it would be the most convenient moment to do so.

The 6th of December is celebrated in Finland as the day of declaring independence from the Russian Empire.The movement for Finland's Independence started after the Revolutions in Russia  caused by the disturbances from the defeats of the WWI. This gave an opportunity for Finland to withdraw from Russia. After several disagreements between the non-socialists and the social-democrats about the matter of who should have the power in Finland, the parliament  finally declared Finland as an independent state, on 6 December 1917.
well, i would like to use this opportunity to wish a Happy Independence day to all my dear Finnish people, Essi, Markus, Micaela, Essi (another one), Anja, Marja, Katja, Johanna, Kati, Henrikka etc etc etc.....and of coursem Tiina, the sender of this card, without whom i probably wouldnt have made this post today...or at least not with such a perfectly appropriate postcard.

a self-adhesive stamp issued in March 2009, called the Rose Blossom...

ok, i really think i should get down to work....though i so much feel like doing other stuff....

Helsinki, Finland

A really lovely card from Helsinki....my first card from the Finnish capital!



The card shows the Uspenski Orthodox Cathedral.
Its name comes from the Russian word uspenie, which denotes the Ascension. (in Macedonian we also use that word, 'uspenie').
Uspenski Cathedral is the main cathedral of the Finnish Orthodox church and claimed to be the largest Orthodox church in Western Europe....even though Finland is actually considered to be in Northern Europe, no?
In the foreground you can see the terminal building of one of the boat lines that traffic between Helsinki and Tallinn, while on the left side of the Cathedral is what is considered to be the ugliest building in Helsinki.....well, honestly, it does look rather...unattractive :)