Haghartsin, Armenia

Next is a super cool card from Armenia - a country I would really like to visit one day.

 

This is the Monastery Complex Haghartsin -  a 13th-century monastery located near the town of Dilijan in the Tavush Province of Armenia. It was built between the 10th and 13th century; much of it under the patronage of the Bagratuni Dynasty.  

The largest building and the dominant artistic feature is St. Astvatsatsin Church  

 

the stamp is from a set of 7 Forget-Me-Not Flowers issued in 2015, commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide

Rila Monastery, Bulgaria

One of the few official cards I received last year...the PC stats said that my mailbox last year was happy for only 27 days and that's not a result to be bragging about....but we all know by now that postcard-wise, 2015 cannot be considered one of the most successful years and it is pointless to be sticking to it...so lets hope for a brighter and more prosperous 2016 :)

BG-53544

The card shows the Rila Monastery founded in the 10th century and is the largest and most famous Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria. (and even though it is not that far away I haven't visited it...yet).

It is traditionally thought that the monastery was founded by the hermit St. Ivan of Rila, whose name it bears, during the rule of Tsar Peter I (927-968). The hermit actually lived in a cave without any material possessions not far from the monastery's location, while the complex was built by his students, who came to the mountains to receive their education. Ever since its creation, the Rila Monastery has been supported and respected by the Bulgarian rulers. Large donations were made by almost every tsar of the Second Bulgarian Empire up until the Ottoman Conquest, making the monastery a cultural and spiritual centre of Bulgarian national consciousness that reached its apogee from the 12th to the 14th century. The Rila Monastery was reerected at its present place by Hrelyu, a feudal lord under Serbian suzerainty, during the first half of the 14th century. The oldest buildings in the complex date from this period -— the Tower of Hrelja (1334–1335) and a small church just next to it (1343). The bishop's throne and the rich-engraved gates of the monastery also belong to the time. However, the arrival of the Ottomans in the end of the 14th century was followed by numerous raids and a destruction of the monastery in the middle of the 15th century.

Unfortunately, many places that are considered a cultural heritage have been the subject of destruction...that is really sad and such a pity....

The colours of the card are really beautiful btw...esp. against that lovely blue sky and the green woods lurking in the background

the stamp was issued in 2012, showing the Bulgaria's Tourist Logo.....

Gelati Monastery, Georgia

so here comes another cold Monday. Are you one of those wondering what the hell has happened to the spring? I certainly am! This has looked like anything but spring so far (and a total contrast of this period last year when it felt like summer, now it feels like winter). But the weather forecast says that things are gonna get better this week, so we'll see. I do not mind so much that it's cold, but Im really tired of the constant rain EVERY SINGLE DAY! One cant even get to the post office...yeah, excuses excuses..

anyways, I picked some nice (I hope) cards and places for today...and first of course comes a card from a country that has been neglected for a long while despite me having received cards from there.
And that's Georgia - the country, not the US state - neglected since 2009 - even though sometimes I feel as if I had started this blog just recently, it indeed has turned 6 years old while I was on a 'justified' leave...yep, thank you thank you! I also turned 6 on the official postcrossing site! hmm, that's a number of anniversaries indeed that went unnoticed here...should really try better next year and commemorate it somehow for the readers...but ok I was talking about Georgia actually...

Last year I received a Georgian card for Andy's Vacation RR...and that's when of course it dawned on me that, hey, but I have some Georgian cards from years ago! And indeed I have. And indeed one was also of the Gelati monastery, but a different view...but oh well..

this monastery complex is situated in western Georgia and contains the Church of the Virgin founded by the King of Georgia David the Builder in 1106, and the 13th-century churches of St George and St Nicholas.
Well, David is also buried here and Near his grave are the gates of Ganja, which were taken as trophies by king Demetrius I in 1138.
In 1994, Gelati Monastery was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The site was included in the 2008 World Monuments Watch List of 100 Most Endangered Sites by the World Monuments Fund to draw attention to deterioration caused by prolonged neglect.

And I thought it was just here that they neglected the cultural heritage

and here is a nice stamp showing golden earrings from the IV-V century BC. The stamp is from a set of 4 Cultural Heritage stamps issued in 2012.

and this is the other Gelati card I have...and those yellow spring flowers and lovely blue skies makes you think that we are talking about two totally different places here...what a change the surroundings can do!

now, what Im not sure is how I got this card...I do think it is as a result from a swap with Khatuna but I can not actually be 100% sure about it - and this is why I do not like blank cards anymore...written and stamped ones just rule! However for some reason I had it in my 2010 folder, I guess i had already scanned it back then so I could at least tell when I had received it...

Lesnovski Manastir, Macedonia

To my horror, i realized that it's been a shamefully long time since I had posted a Macedonian card here....shame shame shame shame on me!!!

So to fix that mistake, i picked this card that Dani sent me a few months ago, showing the Monastery of St. Gavrilo Lesnovski, located in the vicinity of the city of Probištip (in the eastern part of Macedonia)

And this is one of the place that I had the chance to visit something like two years ago, and absolutely loved it!!
Not only the monastery, but its surroundings are amazing! As you go up the road, there is this space with rocks, it even reminds you of an observatory coz of the way the rocks and stones are set. Anyways, we stopped there and I think I could have stayed there like forever....just sitting on the rock, enjoying the wind and the sun, and the endless view in front of me (the altitude is rather high, so you feel like you hold the world at your hands...really really beautiful and just so tranquil!)
The origin of the monastery is related to the life of Gavril Lesnovski, for whom a number of hagiographies exist according to which the monastery had existed when he lived, where he became a monk. The monastery is first mentioned in some writings from 1330, and reconstructed later by by the ruler Oliver 1st. Some of these things this monastery is famous for are for housing one out of three iconostases made by the famous Macedonian woodcarvers Frckovski and the Filipovski brothers. (The other two are found in the church of St Spas in Skopje and in the monastery St Jovan Bigorski in the Mavrovo National Park - I think ive sent to some of you postcards of the latter - if not and youd like one, let me know). The other thing it is famous for its manuscript-writing school and also for being considered as the centre of the Christianity in this part of the country. Apart from the monastery, if you ever come here, i strongly recommend visiting its surroundings, including the Cave church, the millstone caves and the eco-paths. Im SURE you're gonna love it!!!  Not to mention what the fresh air is gonna do to you :)

Dani used a definitive stamp from a set of 12 issued in 2010 showing cities in Macedonia, and this one shows the city of Probištip indeed...how convenient!! I have another card Dani sent me, showing the city itself, but ill show it to you some other time!

xie xie Dani!!

Cartagena, Colombia

In case you are wondering whether you had already seen Colombia at my blog or no, answer is: Nope! This is my first Colombian card ever, with the greatest thanks of course to Glenn and his recent cruise trip he went to

The card shows the Popa Monastery. It is a 400-year-old monastery, built in the early 17th century, (under the direction of Fray Alonso de la Cruz), It remains inhabited by monks, and was used at various times in its history as a fort because of its excellent location. The monastery is seen from any unobstructed location in the city of Cartagena.
Inside the interior of Convento de la Popa, there is a colonial museum and a chapel dedicated to the Virgin of Mullein, who is the patron saint of Cartagenan people. Additionally, a statue of the Virgin of Candelaria, credited with delivering the city from the ravages of disease and pirates, is seen at the main alter. Pilgrimages are held on February 2nd with candle bearing processions winding their way to the monastery in honor of the Virgin's feast day. The history of de la Popa and the monastery's meaning to Colombians has spread throughout the world to many religious sectors.

there are three lovely birds stamps on the card, issued this year in a set of 6 stamps if im not mistaken

thank you Glenn, as always :)

Stift Götweig, Austria

This lovely card came from dear Earney who often thinks of me and my mailbox and throws me such surprises! Thanks a lot Earney, for everything!

Göttweig Abbey situated on the Göttweig Mountain, is - because of its location - sometimes called the Austrian Montecassino. The Monastery sits on a hill 449 m above sea level in the Dunkelsteiner Forest south oft the city of Krems, on the eastern edge of the world-famous Danube Valley called the Wachau. Togehter with the Wachau, Göttweig was in 2001 placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Due to its premises and the enjoyable surroundings Göttweig Abbey has proved to be the perfect place for the European-Forum Wachau.
I was convinced this was a castle when I first looked at it....looks can literally trick you sometimes :)

I dont know if Earney put the stamp on the right on purpose or no, but she definitely made my day! An F1 related stamp!! Even if its Bernie....I totally love this stamp....especially since I dont have many F1 related ones. It was issued in 2009 in a set of 4 stamps representing Formula 1 legends. The other 3 stamps are dedicated to James Hunt, Gilles Villeneuve and Wolfgang Graf Berghe von Trips.
As for the stamp on the right, it comes from 2007 from a set of 5 stamps representing flowers.
Thanks again Earney..for the card and for the F1 stamp! I love it!!

Serbia

Serbia's status with the independence is somewhat more complicated than the one of Macedonia, since first, Serbia and Montenegro were as one afterwards, Montenegro went solo, and eventually there was (and still is) a great big fuss regarding Kosovo's independence. I know its risky to talk of these issues, so i simply wont...in case you are truly interested in my own opinion than mail me or message me....

On this beautiful card here you can see some of the Serbian monasteries...on the upper part, you can see Ravanica and Stara Pavlica, while on the bottom, the monasteries Studenica, Bukovo and Pećka Patrijaršija.
Unfortunately, i dont have some data in my memory about visiting any of these, even though i had been to Serbia many times. All these are medival monasteries and Studenica and Peć are as well UNESCO whs.
Have I ever told you that during the war in 2001 in Macedonia, my dad had plans of us moving to Belgrade, coz the situation here was far from safe or stable. Well, I dont know why we never went, but there is my undestined living in Belgrade...