Sri Lanka - Golden Temple of Dambulla

"A sacred pilgrimage site for 22 centuries, this cave monastery, with its five sanctuaries, is the largest, best-preserved cave-temple complex in Sri Lanka. The Buddhist mural paintings (covering an area of 2,100 m2) are of particular importance, as are the 157 statues.” 

Source: UNESCO World Heritage

Dambullah Cave Temple is the largest and best-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka. The rock towers 160 m over the surrounding plains.There are more than 80 documented caves in the surrounding area. Major attractions are spread over five caves, which contain statues and paintings. These paintings and statues are related to Gautama Buddha and his life. There are a total of 153 Buddha statues, three statues of Sri Lankan kings and four statues of gods and goddesses. The latter include Vishnu and the Ganesha. The murals cover an area of 2,100 square metres (23,000 sq ft). Depictions on the walls of the caves include the temptation by the demon Mara, and Buddha's first sermon.

Prehistoric Sri Lankans would have lived in these cave complexes before the arrival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka as there are burial sites with human skeletons about 2700 years old in this area, at Ibbankatuwa near the Dambulla cave complexes.

Three beautiful stamps used for postage are as below:-

• Right most stamp - issued in 2016 at the eve of "World and Sri Lanka Cub Scouts Centenary 1916-2016". 
• Center Stamp - a part of a set of 10 stamps issued on Solar System in 2014 and shows the Sun. 
• Left most stamp - The Greater Flamingos stamp on the left side is a part of 4-stamp set issued by Sri Lanka on World Wetland Day and the birds are shown in Chundikulam National Park.

Tanzania - Ngorongoro Conservation Area

"A large permanent concentration of wild animals can be found in the huge and perfect crater of Ngorongoro. Nearby, the crater of Empakaai, filled by a deep lake, and the active volcano of Oldonyo Lenga can be seen. Excavations carried out in the Olduvai Gorge, not far from there, have resulted in the discovery of one of our more distant ancestors, Homo habilis. Laitoli Site, which also lies within the area, is one of the main localities of early hominid footprints, dating back 3.6 million years." 

Source: UNESCO World Heritage

Postcard # 1
Ngorongoro Conservation Area is based on the largest crater (Inactive one). It is unique for the perfect combination of the crater, exclusive landscapes, diverse species of animals and plants, and the presence of Masai tribes in the area.
It is also called "8th Wonder of the World" or "Cradle of Mankind" as printed on the postcard as well.

Both the stamps used on the card are from the "Wild Life of Tanzania" Series issued on 31 Aug 2009. The complete series had 18 stamps in it.
The two stamps pasted on the cover show a Pensive Water Buck (1000 Tanzanian Shillings TZS) and Grant's Red Colobus Monkeys (600 Tanzanian Shillings TZS).

Posted from Dar es Salaam, it is an amazing postcard to have in my collection. Thanks a lot Yue.

Tanzania - Kilimanjaro National Park

"At 5,895 m, Kilimanjaro is the highest point in Africa. This volcanic massif stands in splendid isolation above the surrounding plains, with its snowy peak looming over the savannah. The mountain is encircled by mountain forest. Numerous mammals, many of them endangered species, live in the park." 

Source: UNESCO World Heritage

Postcard # 1
Mount Kilimajaro National Park is one of the seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites in United Republic of Tanzania. It is also the highest mountain in the African continent with a height of 5,895 ms above sea level.  

Mount Kilimanjaro is one of the largest volcanoes in the world. Kibo, Mawenzi and Shira are its three volcanic peaks. With its snow-capped peak and glaciers, it is the highest mountain in Africa. The mountain has five main vegetation zones from the lowest to the highest point: Lower slopes, montane forest, heath and moorland, alpine desert and summit. The whole mountain including the montane forest belt is very rich in species, in particular mammals, many of them endangered species. For this combination of features but mostly its height, its physical form and snow cap and its isolation above the surrounding plains, Mount Kilimanjaro is considered an outstanding example of a superlative natural phenomenon.

The stamps used on the postcard were as follows:-

• The right-most stamp shows a beautiful Pensive Water Buck from the series: Wild Animals of Tanzania. It is one stamp from a set of 18 Wild Animals stamps issued on 31 August 2009.
• The stamp in the centre shows a cute bird named Gurney's Pitta.
• The left-most stamp shows a flower and insect. The names of both as mentioned on the stamp are Golden Ray Lily (Lilium Auratum) and South African Longhorn Beetle (Tragocephala Variegata).

Thanks a lot Yue for such a lovely addition in my UNESCO collection.

Azerbaijan - Walled City of Baku with the Shirvanshah's Palace and Maiden Tower

"Built on a site inhabited since the Palaeolithic period, the Walled City of Baku reveals evidence of Zoroastrian, Sasanian, Arabic, Persian, Shirvani, Ottoman, and Russian presence in cultural continuity. The Inner City (Icheri Sheher) has preserved much of its 12th-century defensive walls. The 12th-century Maiden Tower (Giz Galasy) is built over earlier structures dating from the 7th to 6th centuries BC, and the 15th-century Shirvanshahs' Palace is one of the pearls of Azerbaijan's architecture." 
Source: UNESCO World Heritage

Postcard # 1

A lovely postcard from Azerbaijan's capital city Baku showing an ensemble of Shirvanshah's Palace.

Beautiful stamps were pasted at the back of the postcard.

• The two stamps on the left side featuring cats were issued in 2014 as a part of a set of 5 definitive stamps showing cats.
• The stamp on the right side features a photo of an Azarbaijani poet Mammad Araz (1933-2004). Some of Araz's famous works include:-
• If There Were No War
• The World is Yours, The World is Mine
• The Sound Written on the Rocks
• Father of Three Sons
• One of his famous poem goes like this:-

If There Were No War (1956)

If there were no war,

We could construct a bridge between Earth and Mars

Melting weapons in an open-hearth furnace.

If there were no war,

The harvest of a thousand years could grow in one day.

Scientists could bring the moon and stars to Earth.