tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60311614535910926832024-02-19T04:04:00.322-08:00U.S.A PostmanNeil Patelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167387567594228520noreply@blogger.comBlogger77125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031161453591092683.post-30477877200110186352016-01-14T21:14:00.001-08:002016-01-14T21:14:47.938-08:00Europe Trip: Day 2: The Louvre, Notre Dame, and Sacre Couer<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Like every trip with my father, we started early in the morning and had a large breakfast </span>in the hotel’s executive lounge. We walked the 5 minutes to the Opera house, following a busy thoroughfare to the tourist office.<br />
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After a quick
photo session in front of the opera house, we reached the tourist office to
purchase our most important item in Paris: The Paris Pass. With free admission
to 99% of the biggest attractions in and around Paris (Including heavy hitters
like Versailles, the Louvre, Notre Dame, etc.) and priority admission at the Louvre
(skipping a 1.5 hr. line), this pass becomes worth it if you plan on visiting
more then a few attractions.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Anyway,
we walked to the Louvre, and after flashing our passes for direct admission,
began our perusal of some of the world’s great artistic treasures. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">However,
they happened to be unbelievably underwhelming; I saw no reason for the hype
around the Mona Lisa (puny) or the Venus di Milo statue (same as every other). However, my sister and I enjoyed seeing many of the paintings that seem to be engraved on textbooks for as long as we remember; my favorite was Pieter Brugel the Elder's <i style="text-decoration: underline;">The Tower of Babel. </i> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This museum was the first time I had ever seen my dad actually appreciate a work of art; he was quite astounded by the level of detail in <u style="font-style: italic;">The Tower of Babel</u> and impressed with the various Da Vinci's in the museum. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">After
leaving the Louvre, we began the walk towards Notre Dame, stopping for crepes
and pizza along the way. </span>At Notre Dame, although our passes got up free
admission, we still had to wait in an extremely long line in the searing heat
to get in.<br />
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The interior was awe-inspiring; an iridescent sheen reminiscent of mother of pearl greeted us, along with amazing architectural work and ornate detailing. </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">After finishing with the Cathedral, we rested our weary selves in a row on the Seine riverbank. After our quick rest, we began our search for the Center Pompidou, Paris's eminent modern art museum, and our first of many. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">At
this point, my mom and sister headed home, while my dad and I headed out to
Montmartre and La Sacre Coeur Basilica.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Neil Patelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167387567594228520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031161453591092683.post-58323391842341888482016-01-13T21:06:00.002-08:002016-01-13T21:42:25.137-08:00Europe Trip: Day 1: Welcome to Paris<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">After a long flight courtesy of American Airlines, Paris's CDG International Airport greeted us through the fog. It was early in the morning, and we had 4 bags between the 4 of us; this led to us taking 2 cabs
to our hotel. The Paris Marriott Opera House, is an old, historical place in one of the best parts of town; after checking in and dropping off our bags, we rode the metro to the Eiffel Tower. The best part? The metro stop is literally 1 block from the hotel door! <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We arrived at the Eiffel Tower stop, got out, and immediately scratched out heads. We appeared to be in a pretty nondescript, business-ey looking area. After turning the block, however, we got our first real glimpse of the Eiffel Tower. The approach to the tower was nice and scenic; fountains, staircases, and grassy patches greeted us, as well as a bridge. Under the tower were the entrances, and by extension, the lines.</span>Although
guidebooks scare you with horror stories of extremely long lines, we found the
lines to not be too bad, even at 10-11 in the morning. Perhaps half an hour to an hour?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> My father and I decided
to climb the stairs up to the second floor, while my mother and sister opted
for the standard lift line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> This was not a good idea, and I don't suggest that anyone else do the same thing. The 2 groups got separated for a long time on the middle layers of the tower, and eventually met at the top after hours of waiting.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
views at the top were very nice, but, more then anything else, it was nice to be
finished with one of Paris’s most important sites so early into our trip.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">On our way down, we spent some time relaxing on the 1st level of the tower, where there is a cafe, and for the adventurous, see through floors. </span>After coming down, we ate
some crepes at the foot of the tower while taking in the hectic, touristic
atmosphere. One observation I made was that the sheer number of street vendors here is incredible; they mainly hawk selfie sticks and little Eiffel Towers models.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
evening saw us taking a boat cruise on the river Seine; the first of many river
cruises on our trip. We bought tickets literally at the foot of the tower, and boarded our boat nearby. A long, lazy loop ensued, going as far down the river as Notre Dame before turning back around.</span><br />
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</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCvMEf6-h1Gx0CeAV4MmlwWeMf3gieEcxz-z_HMrRFJjok4swOiWHA3Dl2VidrjAZqppnDqqT-O033iqBwfRxpz8_PVqAI_YC6zn3Zpu8nrnagY2aFVquCaSeUT_APsXfh7mppHzdjyGAh/s1600/large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCvMEf6-h1Gx0CeAV4MmlwWeMf3gieEcxz-z_HMrRFJjok4swOiWHA3Dl2VidrjAZqppnDqqT-O033iqBwfRxpz8_PVqAI_YC6zn3Zpu8nrnagY2aFVquCaSeUT_APsXfh7mppHzdjyGAh/s640/large.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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Neil Patelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167387567594228520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031161453591092683.post-88537024095316226742014-07-24T17:52:00.000-07:002016-01-13T21:29:39.935-08:00Big Island- Day 5<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Today
was the 5<sup>th</sup> day, and we were staying in Hilo. It was time for us to
go snorkeling somewhere real, not just on a regular beach. To this end, we
called Body Glove Cruises early in the morning and booked 4 seats. The ship
docks directly next to our hotel, saving us from a walk. Once we arrived at the
ship, the crews enthusiasm was infectious. They really loved what they were
doing! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We boated out for about an hour to a little area on the side of the
coast. After a brief explanation of how to snorkel, it was time for use to get
out. It was awesome, since I saw lots of fish and other wildlife. Within 30
minutes, however, it was lunchtime. Burgers and veggie burgers. The veggie
burgers were amazingly good, especially after snorkeling. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://www.robertshawaii.com/rh/images/product_banner/tour_detail_bodyglove_02.jpg" height="289" width="640" /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">After
eating, I decided to jump off the top deck of the ship, where a little platform
and a waterslide existed. It was my first time in memory ever doing anything
like this, and it was awesome. I jumped off lots of times. After jumping, I
went back to snorkeling. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Soon,
however, it was time to turn back. We got back on the ship for the boat ride
back. After returning to shore, we returned to our hotel. My dad and sister
both decided to go on a submarine ride, so off they went. My mother and I
packed up our bags and moved everything to the car for our imminent move to the
Hilton Waikoloa Resort, about 30 minutes up the highway and out of town. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<img src="http://www.incrediblejourney.net/images/hiltonwaikoloaaerial.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">After
the 2 explorers returned from the submarine, we shifted over to Waikoloa
Resort. This was one of the most luxurious places I had ever stayed at. To get to our hotel room, we had the option
of taking a boat, riding a tram, or walking the .8 miles through a museum
gallery walk. The hotel was made of 4 buildings but had 7 or 8 pools, including
2 for kids with water slides. In addition, it had a lot of beachfront property
and quite a few restaurants and boutiques. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<img src="http://www.incrediblejourney.net/images/hiltonwaikoloapool.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> However, at this point, it was
closing in on late evening. We needed to eat, and so went to a pizza/Italian
place. One of the coolest items in the restaurant was their Macadamia nut
sauce, a Hawaiian only specialty. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Neil Patelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167387567594228520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031161453591092683.post-59094709137137092062014-07-14T08:32:00.000-07:002016-01-13T21:30:41.509-08:00Big island, Day 4<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Day
4 started the same as Day 3; we were back in Hilo again; this time for a zip
lining adventure! But first, we had some time to kill, so we went to the
“famous” Hilo Farmer’s Market. There were some interesting sights to see in the
market; this included cool stone weaponry and the usual tourist items: tees,
braclets, etc. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<img src="http://culinarychronicles.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/dsc_0604.jpg" height="427" width="640" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Our
zipline experience; known as Zipline Through Paradise, started from a nearby “adventure" store similar to REI. It
(and we) departed the store in a van, and drove 30 minutes along very bumpy
roads to the company’s private property on the outskirts of town. Peacocks
roamed the starting area, where we were given our safety and equipment
briefings. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">One of the best things about this zipline was its stopping system:
completely hands free and handled by the employees; it uses the basic principle
of magnets: like repels like. This magnetic breaking system gave us the freedom
to spend the entire time enjoying the ride. WE began on some bunny “slopes” but
quickly ventured off to some very cool lines, one of which was a half-mile long
and went over a waterfall! The views from the zipline were great and we got to
see some really cool views; in retrospect, it was one of the best things we did
on our vacation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<img src="http://secure.carnival.com/~/media/Images/PreSales/Excursions/Ports_G-L/ITO/190022/Gallery/zipline-through-paradise-hilt-hawaii-01%20jpg.ashx" height="480" width="640" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">After
the zipline tour, we decided to take a longer, more scenic route home. The
problem with this was that most things in Hawaii close really early; the things
we wanted to visit were no exception. One of the Big Islands best waterfalls,
Umaumau Falls, is located in an “Adventure park” of sorts and has an admission
fee. It too, closed, while we were
driving slowly and leisurely. However, we did get to visit Akaka falls, the
same one that we saw by helicopter.
After that, it was a long drive back to our hotel. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Neil Patelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167387567594228520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031161453591092683.post-90152522667324467722014-07-11T09:54:00.002-07:002016-01-13T21:34:08.872-08:00Big Island - Day 3 <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Day
3 was an earlier day; we were planning on driving to the other side of the
island to get to Hilo for a Helicopter ride. We had breakfast (bread and butter
and milk) and then drove off upward, towards a road that didn’t exist on Apple
Maps: Saddle Road. This road essentially goes right across the middle of the
island horizontally, making travel time much shorter from the previous
circuitous path. We arrived in Hilo at 12 for a 2 o clock helicopter ride, and
needed to find things to do. One problem
was that there was a cruise ship at port; all the major activities were full!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Our
first attraction, and a very very cool thing(s) to see, was Banyan Drive. This
is a road with lots of Banyan Trees on both sides, planted by famous people of
the 50’s and 60’s. (think Amelia Earhart and Babe Ruth) These trees were enormous
and there were a lot of them, making it quite an interesting thing to see. They
were like organic skyscrapers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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that, we hung out at a nearby garden named Queen </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">Liliuokalani</span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> gardens. They were
made in the Japanese style, and were a nice place to take pictures! After the
gardens, we went out to Saddle road but took a different exit to go look at
some cool waterfalls.</span></span></div>
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were 3 sets of falls along this road; we visited all 3. They were quite
interesting to look at; but we had to rush just a bit to get back to the
airport in time. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We
arrived at the airport and got ready. We listened to the orientation before
heading out. I put on my Go Pro and took videos as we flew over the volcano and
to the sea and a burning forest and also visited flew over a lot of falls.
After getting out of the helicopter, I thought it was alright, but my dad
thought it was the best thing. Looking back, though, it was quite overrated for
its price of close to a thousand dollars. I think it would be a really good
thing to see if there was actually a lot of lava flowing or erupting, but this
wimpy orange glow was extremely overrated. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We
drove back to our hotel, had dinner, and went swimming and exploring around the
town. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Neil Patelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167387567594228520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031161453591092683.post-32535434304184513262014-07-07T20:43:00.000-07:002014-07-08T08:07:31.140-07:00Big Island - Day 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Today
we woke up and ate our previously purchased milk and Krave while sitting on our
balcony. My dad and I got ready first and drove out to a nearby Starbucks while
the other 2 showered. Soon after returning to the hotel, we were on the road to
Hawaii Volcanos National Park. We went down along the southern coast of the
island, stopping and checking out various scenic points and things along the
way. We made a 12-mile detour off to a place my Dad had previously researched,
South Point.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This is the southernmost point in the United States and is a very
scenic area. A 3 mile hike leads you to an area known as the Green Sand Beach,
which is an apt moniker. Although we did not visit due to time constraints, it
seemed like a very cool place to go.
After South Point, we finished the drive to the Park. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Once inside the
park, the first thing we did, just like always, was visit the Visitor Center
and grab maps and information (and a junior ranger package for my sister) At
this point, we were all starving, so we eat at the only restaurant in the park,
the Volcano House. Although the food took forever, costed a ton, and the
portions were small, there was no complaint. We were sitting in full view of
the Kilauea Volcano and its steaming vent!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">After
eating, we ventured around the park and down the famous Chain of Craters road.
The Chain of Craters road essentially takes you down a lot of volcanic
landscape and lava flows and around a few older craters of past eruptions It
ends slightly before the area where some lava flows ended up covering the near
the coast, with a walk (that we skipped) down to the covered parts of the road
itself. There is a very nice sea arch visible here. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We
came back up , and ventured around the other side of the park, walking through
the steam vents, before ending up at a museum, where we listened to the end of
a rangers speech. We got a good look at the steam vent from a different angle. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">At
this point I was starving, and the rest of my family was not that far behind
me. However, there was nowhere left to eat, since the park is in a secluded
area and Volcano House was closed. We ended up rushing to a nearby general
store with prices akin to a highway robbery. We finally ate chips and Cadbury
for dinner, or at least until we drove back to Kona. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">On
the drive back, we stopped at a black sand beach for my first
extraterrestrial experience: The black sand was radically different and cool. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Neil Patelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167387567594228520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031161453591092683.post-65382690763872077502014-06-29T16:06:00.000-07:002014-06-29T16:13:34.126-07:00Big Island Trip- Kona!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It
was quite the surprise! After being told (and planning for) a trip to San Diego
and the Grand Canyon, we reached the airport. My sister incessantly bugged us
after looking at the departures board: There was no flight for San Diego! I
tuned her out, but was soon shocked to learn the truth: We were going to Kona!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> After that, we went through all the
mundane activities needed at an airport: check-in, security, and baggage,
before walking to the gate and onto the plane. The plane flight was long,
thankfully I was sitting next to college sophomore and quickly struck up a
conversation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/42/KonaInternationalAirportKOA.jpg/220px-KonaInternationalAirportKOA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/42/KonaInternationalAirportKOA.jpg/220px-KonaInternationalAirportKOA.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> And then we landed in Kona. I had
never seen an airport anything like this. There was no indoors; even in India
the airports I landed in had indoor corridors and check-in. It was warm, but
not ridiculously hot, and there were trees everywhere. We took a complimentary shuttle
service to the National rental car agency, where my dad rented a Ford SUV.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> We drove to downtown Kona, which was maybe 15
minutes away and right on the shore. Kona is a very laid back, old-styled kind
of a town, with random patches of beach everywhere. One of the first things we
did when we got there was venture to the nearby Wal-mart and buy a few packs of
water bottles,some milk, and some cereal, something we almost always do on trips. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">After
that, we drove down Alii drive, essentially main street Kona. There are lots of
old fashioned buildings and quaint restaurants, but also a few multinational
fast-food havens. We visited severallittle shop/stall areas that sold
little touristy items like bracelets, necklaces, and t-shirts. Since everyone
was starving after the meager snacks served on airplanes, we stopped at Subway
to eat. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://funhawaiitravel.com/pics/Kailua-Kona/Kona%20Alii%20drive%20crowds.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://funhawaiitravel.com/pics/Kailua-Kona/Kona%20Alii%20drive%20crowds.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">After
eating, my sister and I were roaring to get into the famous Hawaii water. We
drove to a nearby enclosed beach/cove called</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-indent: 0px;"> Kahalu'u</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> , and broke out our
new snorkeling sets. It was quite an experience; I got to see fish, coral, an
eel, and even a sea turtle!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">At
this point, it was time to check into our hotel, the King Kamehameha’s
Courtyard Marriot, located right at the start of Alii drive. It was a nice hotel, although relatively
simple. It’s main perk was its location, right in the heart of town, and the great
views. Everything you could want to do
was literally right outside or within 2 blocks: submarining, parasailing,
scubaing, and boat riding. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">After
checking in, my father and I left my sister and mother to their own devices and
explored Alii drive, walking down a mile or so before sitting in a quite area
and eating some ice cream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Neil Patelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167387567594228520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031161453591092683.post-40404522602558255702012-10-30T12:28:00.001-07:002016-01-13T21:30:04.252-08:00Poisson clown fish and Transparent stamp from France<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Adeline André drew a heart in love, heart, hot, molten, a patch to apply love to fall in love " which is created as two fully transparent stamps to illustrate the hearts designer 2012. "the idea of a transparent stamp immediately imposed to me as it will for the background color of the envelope, parcel on which it is pasted. 's heart, symbol of love, the heart stamp used to send letters of love, wedding invitations. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHsEsaj8D9n7vlUjt8dOwC1y5BInNW2Vgw1b262SfoFgpfyar62rFeIdoo6WB-lHLgfKCjK-T3YrlyY0FyBbv5RcuZ1r6kpmPV4ryyJJbzNMEUbnGvGEapFAG9DRonbheSCd1XecRLSUeb/s1600/IMG_0199.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHsEsaj8D9n7vlUjt8dOwC1y5BInNW2Vgw1b262SfoFgpfyar62rFeIdoo6WB-lHLgfKCjK-T3YrlyY0FyBbv5RcuZ1r6kpmPV4ryyJJbzNMEUbnGvGEapFAG9DRonbheSCd1XecRLSUeb/s640/IMG_0199.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Clown fish stamp : The clownfish form a subfamily of fish belonging to the family of Pomacentridae . It contains thirty species , classified in one genre Premnas , the other part of the genre Amphiprion . These fish a few inches in shades of orange and black. Some species have stripes or white bars. They frequent the lagoons and coral reefs area Indo-Pacific and Red Sea where they usually feed copepods and larvae of tunicates. (From: Wikipedia)</div>
Neil Patelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167387567594228520noreply@blogger.com0France46.227638 2.21374940.5751515 -7.893673 51.8801245 12.321171tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031161453591092683.post-8398090479107486042012-10-15T09:44:00.004-07:002012-10-15T09:45:18.297-07:00Children Day - Olympic and Central Bank of India Stamp : Cover from India<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Cover from India with Children Day stamp, Olympic stamp and Central Bank of India.</div>
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India issued London 2012 Olympic stamp which has Rowing, Sailing, Volleyball and Badminton. This cover has rowing stamp.<br />
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Also this cover has 3 Children Day Stamp with Kite Flying, Spinning Top and Indian dolls stamp issued in 2010.<br />
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Central Bank of India stamp has it's founder and building picture on stamp. It was established on 21 December 1911 by Sir Sorabji Pochkhanawala with Sir Pherozesha Mehta as Chairman, and claims to have been the first commercial Indian bank completely owned and managed by Indians.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYkrqrLXI8-V03AwgBM8ePBZ_xgiust-XZTFR8Q8qcpSr6YfDJ8PNMSMJZnMxK80etMubjN9fG1oVSRingiaQ0V51UYq0ilvJSNZUNnf1-WS9BTudxx4WEiA6ewNwWZov9TvTN7qzdbv39/s1600/IMG_0191.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYkrqrLXI8-V03AwgBM8ePBZ_xgiust-XZTFR8Q8qcpSr6YfDJ8PNMSMJZnMxK80etMubjN9fG1oVSRingiaQ0V51UYq0ilvJSNZUNnf1-WS9BTudxx4WEiA6ewNwWZov9TvTN7qzdbv39/s400/IMG_0191.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Thanks Avijit for sending me this cover with beautiful stamps </div>
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I had send you following cover on October 2nd to celebrate International Day of Non-Violence. (My dad collect this.!!) To read more click following link.</div>
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<a href="http://gandhistampsclub.blogspot.com/2012/10/international-day-of-non-violence.html?spref=tw">http://gandhistampsclub.blogspot.com/2012/10/international-day-of-non-violence.html?spref=tw</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1kcKa_8KlIUjVfJ47XmudYRyheX7JTWs40TdDFz5INzG8QnFyshclQxULzhle5GGjOtQvXh3I7ekTi53Lh-ntjlKpu4G11t92EnERYMHXY6V0vTP_oWeK5LHONZKit_OQEJYJ9APXXRoh/s1600/IMG_0172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1kcKa_8KlIUjVfJ47XmudYRyheX7JTWs40TdDFz5INzG8QnFyshclQxULzhle5GGjOtQvXh3I7ekTi53Lh-ntjlKpu4G11t92EnERYMHXY6V0vTP_oWeK5LHONZKit_OQEJYJ9APXXRoh/s320/IMG_0172.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Neil Patelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167387567594228520noreply@blogger.com0New Delhi, Delhi, India28.635308 77.2249628.189362499999998 76.590499499999993 29.0812535 77.8594205tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031161453591092683.post-73739874023028713302012-10-12T17:06:00.000-07:002016-01-13T21:34:36.113-08:00XXX Olympic Games London 2012 stamps cover from Poland.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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First cover with Olympic stamp.</div>
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Thanks Andrzej. This cover is from PolPostman (no introduction needed).</div>
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This cover has 2012 miniature sheet from Poland to celebrate XXX Olympic Games in London. Nice sheet with background of City of London with most notable London bridge.</div>
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This sheet has 4 stamps of Rowing, Volleyball, Weightlifting and Discus Throw.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUZ6FuGRYDOWbCRbAMjQ6DRVNPEvkvHGRA2P1_cBsMC2sg9-WlImjSlWVToI_cPf2EaVn-mdOWGA7rM6FqVVGEfTZ5N-sRQmpPYbqxPLgYuSbndNcuue_3Bz453nG0W7hBTjbwT-6aNbLn/s1600/IMG_0200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUZ6FuGRYDOWbCRbAMjQ6DRVNPEvkvHGRA2P1_cBsMC2sg9-WlImjSlWVToI_cPf2EaVn-mdOWGA7rM6FqVVGEfTZ5N-sRQmpPYbqxPLgYuSbndNcuue_3Bz453nG0W7hBTjbwT-6aNbLn/s640/IMG_0200.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Also thanks for sending me postcard of "I Love Nowy Sącz"</div>
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Nowy Sącz is a town in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship in southern Poland. It is the district capital of Nowy Sącz County.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxYyr4elqBw6KBJVssHBV9-FQhQtMuk3OXaGFf9GrUsd6hRj6F9B9KikjwqrVua_vWOwxPrIf8rrcAabnf_bSlfvNXpfR-tMIIkMlXO9v8rwTLyH8stBNbHMjI5CfwLYRrXTQbHLGwT3Hm/s1600/IMG_0202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxYyr4elqBw6KBJVssHBV9-FQhQtMuk3OXaGFf9GrUsd6hRj6F9B9KikjwqrVua_vWOwxPrIf8rrcAabnf_bSlfvNXpfR-tMIIkMlXO9v8rwTLyH8stBNbHMjI5CfwLYRrXTQbHLGwT3Hm/s320/IMG_0202.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">The town Nowy Sacz has many historic features, including: (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nowy_S%C4%85cz" target="_blank">From Wikipedia</a>)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">One of the largest marketplaces in Europe, after Kraków, the largest rynek in Poland. The late 19th century Ratusz (city hall) is centered in the square.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Saint Margaret's basilica, Bazylika kolegiacka Św. Małgorzaty (15th century). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">A 15th-century house Dom Gotycki containing a regional museum.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">A gothic Franciscan church.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">The Great Synagogue, dating from 1746, now the Galeria Dawna Synagoga, a gallery with some historical displays.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Saint Roch, a church of wooden construction from the 15th century, in the Dąbrówka district. The old cemetery chapel St. Helen's Church is another example.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">The partially restored ruins of a mediæval Royal Castle from the 14th century during the reign of Kazimierz the Great.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">The mountainous country around Nowy Sącz is also popular with tourists, hikers and skiers, especially the Beskid Sądecki mountains (part of the Carpathians), of which the highest peak is Radziejowa (1,262 m (4,140.42 ft) above sea level).</span><br />
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Looks like very nice town in Poland. I would like to visit one day.</div>
Neil Patelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167387567594228520noreply@blogger.com0Nowy Sącz, Poland49.6174535 20.715332649.535154000000006 20.5567176 49.699753 20.8739476tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031161453591092683.post-42499924451991749402012-10-11T08:44:00.000-07:002012-10-11T08:44:28.801-07:00M.M.Packoba : Russia Cover<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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First cover from Russia with M.M. Raskova stamp and Wrangel Island Nature Preservation stamp.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKoED2SGtAl1noLv6V9tdZQHWVJ2vvxulyhyaZjSbsyiZu0Ic_jJ_cUj3y1ZEhPF31KDItWxFyCI2ooSrZbVmMFmn7kiZ_RTmHr_EVFj8QK0MHc1qtFOw_j3JvOshmkzY7OYfRIcDqw1H7/s1600/IMG_0192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKoED2SGtAl1noLv6V9tdZQHWVJ2vvxulyhyaZjSbsyiZu0Ic_jJ_cUj3y1ZEhPF31KDItWxFyCI2ooSrZbVmMFmn7kiZ_RTmHr_EVFj8QK0MHc1qtFOw_j3JvOshmkzY7OYfRIcDqw1H7/s200/IMG_0192.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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Stamp 1 : Marina Mikhailovna Raskova (March 28, 1912 – January 4, 1943) was a famous Soviet navigator. Raskova became a famous aviator as both a pilot and a navigator for Russia in the 1930s. She was the first woman to become a navigator in the Soviet Air Force in 1933. A year later, she started teaching at the Zhukovskii Air Academy, also a first for a woman. </div>
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Stamp 2 : Wrangel (Vrangel) Island Nature Preservation : Wrangel Island in the Arctic Ocean, between the Chukchi Sea and East Siberian Sea. Wrangel Island lies astride the 180° meridian. The International Date Line is displaced eastwards at this latitude to avoid the island as well as the Chukchi Peninsula on the Russian mainland. The closest land to Wrangel Island is tiny and rocky Herald Island located 60 km to the east. The distance to the closest point on the mainland is 140 km.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY_0zXJP9Q4myG-ew1cnp9pY46ydsCUfZGfQS5J2uIJko503RxaR7IDGEzh6Y7cFQeg8iy-AAwmhLPGlzsnecCIL4JhRtnz9ldV_NJXL2zVG-QmVw-fJm0slCF7tLmyOhmxEjdZ2kHWAfP/s1600/IMG_0192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY_0zXJP9Q4myG-ew1cnp9pY46ydsCUfZGfQS5J2uIJko503RxaR7IDGEzh6Y7cFQeg8iy-AAwmhLPGlzsnecCIL4JhRtnz9ldV_NJXL2zVG-QmVw-fJm0slCF7tLmyOhmxEjdZ2kHWAfP/s400/IMG_0192.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Thanks Yuri for sending this to me. I already posted your cover with conversation stamps.</div>
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Also I had send you following cover on October 2nd to celebrate International Day of Non-Violence. (My dad collect this.!!) To read more click following link.</div>
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<a href="http://gandhistampsclub.blogspot.com/2012/10/international-day-of-non-violence.html?spref=tw">http://gandhistampsclub.blogspot.com/2012/10/international-day-of-non-violence.html?spref=tw</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1kcKa_8KlIUjVfJ47XmudYRyheX7JTWs40TdDFz5INzG8QnFyshclQxULzhle5GGjOtQvXh3I7ekTi53Lh-ntjlKpu4G11t92EnERYMHXY6V0vTP_oWeK5LHONZKit_OQEJYJ9APXXRoh/s1600/IMG_0172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1kcKa_8KlIUjVfJ47XmudYRyheX7JTWs40TdDFz5INzG8QnFyshclQxULzhle5GGjOtQvXh3I7ekTi53Lh-ntjlKpu4G11t92EnERYMHXY6V0vTP_oWeK5LHONZKit_OQEJYJ9APXXRoh/s200/IMG_0172.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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Neil Patelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167387567594228520noreply@blogger.com0PULKOVO, aeroport, pogranichnyy kontrol', г. Санкт-Петербург, Russia60.0762383 30.121382951.8640033 9.906538900000001 68.288473299999993 50.3362269tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031161453591092683.post-33918077850812209792012-10-10T05:58:00.001-07:002012-10-10T07:43:41.994-07:00Friedrich Tsander 125th Anniversary of birth : Cover from Lativa.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Friedrich Tsander was a pioneer of rocketry and spaceflight in the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union. He designed the first liquid-fueled rocket to be launched in the Soviet Union, GIRD-X, and made many important theoretical contributions to the road to space. </div>
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Russia issued stamp on his 125th birth Anniversary. He was born on 11 August, 1987 in Riga, Russian Empire (now in Latvia).</div>
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I got a cover with his stamps from his birth place.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHiy-lQpme8DJuXHH_dl7rCPLwx_loCFdJAlchqYMPHPwF4_63PbE6T6dME6H1dPUoWkTNpSLHJqRRR3W8GlLDG7Ww1chohz7wWIBA7E9_0K2GVZ2_VsHE2xhWYQ50FnDT8sS2vRbWf8AI/s1600/IMG_0198.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHiy-lQpme8DJuXHH_dl7rCPLwx_loCFdJAlchqYMPHPwF4_63PbE6T6dME6H1dPUoWkTNpSLHJqRRR3W8GlLDG7Ww1chohz7wWIBA7E9_0K2GVZ2_VsHE2xhWYQ50FnDT8sS2vRbWf8AI/s400/IMG_0198.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Thanks Oleg Skleinov.</div>
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I had send you following cover on October 2nd to celebrate International Day of Non-Violence. (My dad collect this.!!) To read more click following link.<br />
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<a href="http://gandhistampsclub.blogspot.com/2012/10/international-day-of-non-violence.html?spref=tw">http://gandhistampsclub.blogspot.com/2012/10/international-day-of-non-violence.html?spref=tw</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1kcKa_8KlIUjVfJ47XmudYRyheX7JTWs40TdDFz5INzG8QnFyshclQxULzhle5GGjOtQvXh3I7ekTi53Lh-ntjlKpu4G11t92EnERYMHXY6V0vTP_oWeK5LHONZKit_OQEJYJ9APXXRoh/s1600/IMG_0172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1kcKa_8KlIUjVfJ47XmudYRyheX7JTWs40TdDFz5INzG8QnFyshclQxULzhle5GGjOtQvXh3I7ekTi53Lh-ntjlKpu4G11t92EnERYMHXY6V0vTP_oWeK5LHONZKit_OQEJYJ9APXXRoh/s200/IMG_0172.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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Neil Patelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167387567594228520noreply@blogger.com0Riga, Latvia56.9462031 24.104287256.8068846 23.7884302 57.0855216 24.420144200000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031161453591092683.post-80973742348574526352012-10-09T09:34:00.004-07:002012-10-09T09:37:13.139-07:00Korea flag stamp: Cover from Korea.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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My first cover from Korea.</div>
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Thanks Kiyo (from Japan)for sending me from Korea while vacationing there. I really appreciate this.<br />
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His blog his <a href="http://jg2oaj.blogspot.jp/2012/08/cover-from-usa.html">http://jg2oaj.blogspot.jp/2012/08/cover-from-usa.html</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4kdLaFYK_yzhWAhTPNy3jZESlZ0bx1CVpu6SsDeNhsZ8QtErvUqKWZfbuQWCDZK8gMD1E6BoMX4BTZbfD9wdOrT0mbXS_6a3kwLm34rZ9x7tz8yDmtVKOM50B6fOzxANO_Jt_S8NfuGzj/s1600/IMG_0190.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4kdLaFYK_yzhWAhTPNy3jZESlZ0bx1CVpu6SsDeNhsZ8QtErvUqKWZfbuQWCDZK8gMD1E6BoMX4BTZbfD9wdOrT0mbXS_6a3kwLm34rZ9x7tz8yDmtVKOM50B6fOzxANO_Jt_S8NfuGzj/s400/IMG_0190.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I had send you following cover on October 2nd to celebrate International Day of Non-Violence. (My dad collect this.!!) To read more click following link.<br />
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<a href="http://gandhistampsclub.blogspot.com/2012/10/international-day-of-non-violence.html?spref=tw">http://gandhistampsclub.blogspot.com/2012/10/international-day-of-non-violence.html?spref=tw</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1kcKa_8KlIUjVfJ47XmudYRyheX7JTWs40TdDFz5INzG8QnFyshclQxULzhle5GGjOtQvXh3I7ekTi53Lh-ntjlKpu4G11t92EnERYMHXY6V0vTP_oWeK5LHONZKit_OQEJYJ9APXXRoh/s1600/IMG_0172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1kcKa_8KlIUjVfJ47XmudYRyheX7JTWs40TdDFz5INzG8QnFyshclQxULzhle5GGjOtQvXh3I7ekTi53Lh-ntjlKpu4G11t92EnERYMHXY6V0vTP_oWeK5LHONZKit_OQEJYJ9APXXRoh/s320/IMG_0172.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1South Korea35.907757 127.76692232.599092999999996 122.713211 39.216421 132.820633tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031161453591092683.post-79448535889190315182012-10-08T06:24:00.000-07:002012-10-08T11:20:23.138-07:00700 vyrocie bitky pri rozhanovciach : Slovensko cover<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The biggest medieval battle in Slovakia took place at Rozhanovce. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Lxa0izVEl6Mhg7wQ5lW1PT-IWmerAl6mcH_tCKFWsvAlrAy4olBCVEuHunzaOLoGRAwkk4-W6OAGbGvFNKto47CPrjtWgSIpwx7435HqbQs6MTNKHuKnTVB6Q8RmEjxPuW_8N4u3AF0D/s1600/IMG_0197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Lxa0izVEl6Mhg7wQ5lW1PT-IWmerAl6mcH_tCKFWsvAlrAy4olBCVEuHunzaOLoGRAwkk4-W6OAGbGvFNKto47CPrjtWgSIpwx7435HqbQs6MTNKHuKnTVB6Q8RmEjxPuW_8N4u3AF0D/s200/IMG_0197.JPG" width="162" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #3a3a3a;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">The 700th anniversary of the largest medieval battle in Slovakia from the time of the Tartar invasion is the basis for this huge celebration. The Battle ofcRozhanovce was fought on 15th June 1312</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuXluY7O4hKJYsO16rCM-lMukupbHQzj0xdswoe30IZ6SQBInYpLXjfbJf1-79Y9a6iqxWbAuLfnIi12O4ch4taNhiZ4O_G5ayfK2uBJZ3xad_PTA-kEvAlIGKGrA4OVM1K303XrNWWTYd/s1600/IMG_0197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuXluY7O4hKJYsO16rCM-lMukupbHQzj0xdswoe30IZ6SQBInYpLXjfbJf1-79Y9a6iqxWbAuLfnIi12O4ch4taNhiZ4O_G5ayfK2uBJZ3xad_PTA-kEvAlIGKGrA4OVM1K303XrNWWTYd/s400/IMG_0197.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Thanks Robert for sending me cover with this stamp (miniature sheet) of this important event. I learned a lot from this.<br />
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I had send you following cover on October 2nd to celebrate International Day of Non-Violence. To read more click following link.<br />
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<a href="http://gandhistampsclub.blogspot.com/2012/10/international-day-of-non-violence.html?spref=tw">http://gandhistampsclub.blogspot.com/2012/10/international-day-of-non-violence.html?spref=tw</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1kcKa_8KlIUjVfJ47XmudYRyheX7JTWs40TdDFz5INzG8QnFyshclQxULzhle5GGjOtQvXh3I7ekTi53Lh-ntjlKpu4G11t92EnERYMHXY6V0vTP_oWeK5LHONZKit_OQEJYJ9APXXRoh/s1600/IMG_0172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1kcKa_8KlIUjVfJ47XmudYRyheX7JTWs40TdDFz5INzG8QnFyshclQxULzhle5GGjOtQvXh3I7ekTi53Lh-ntjlKpu4G11t92EnERYMHXY6V0vTP_oWeK5LHONZKit_OQEJYJ9APXXRoh/s320/IMG_0172.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Neil Patelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167387567594228520noreply@blogger.com0Slovenského národného povstania, 04442 Rozhanovce, Slovakia48.7514988 21.344178647.4040883 18.8173231 50.0989093 23.8710341tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031161453591092683.post-16846501849369802962012-10-07T08:05:00.002-07:002012-10-07T20:53:40.140-07:00Algeria 50th Anniversary of Independence<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Algeria is an Arab country in the Maghreb region of Africa. Algiers as its capital and most populous city. Algeria is the tenth-largest country in the world and the largest in Africa. The country is bordered in the northeast by Tunisia, in the east by Libya, in the west by Morocco, in the southwest by Western Sahara, Mauritania, and Mali, in the southeast by Niger, and in the north by the Mediterranean Sea. </div>
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As of 2012, Algeria has an estimated population of 37.1 million</div>
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On the pretext of a slight to their consul, the French invaded and captured Algiers in 1830. After 132 years of French rule Algeria got independence from France on July 5th 1962.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi18aTf_oQ5OBPGOlw253xx73YJxYWutVkVJpKXSCWhUjKjrbVR4zv8KtU9pWyqolBT-b1SxYpRjIsGTgzWFpzMbZzTqLR-njwrsKEuIeQLLK5XJqiKvI6jSSNyKBq0QR6DemAyzBt6QUgE/s1600/IMG_0193.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi18aTf_oQ5OBPGOlw253xx73YJxYWutVkVJpKXSCWhUjKjrbVR4zv8KtU9pWyqolBT-b1SxYpRjIsGTgzWFpzMbZzTqLR-njwrsKEuIeQLLK5XJqiKvI6jSSNyKBq0QR6DemAyzBt6QUgE/s320/IMG_0193.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Algeria celebrates its 50th anniversary of independence, inviting everyone but France to the party. To celebrate this event they also issued stamp with special cancellation. </div>
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Above is a First Day Cover with a "50 ème anniversaire de la fête le I'indépendance et da la Jeuness" stamp, cachet, special cancellation and mailed it to my address.</div>
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Thank You Ben Mohamed for sending me this special cover which is very important for all Algerians. Click following link to see his blog.</div>
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<a href="http://algeriastamps.blogspot.com/2012/06/50eme-anniversaire-du-premier.html">http://algeriastamps.blogspot.com/2012/06/50eme-anniversaire-du-premier.html</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRCCSrOPerSx2SNXrPMvE70iuZltQijLXRsTezOuSjsYQgeVl3rYLNtctK6Cqz5B3V8IWvski1EBgXKQ3LWIL_G7GJq47KPOY0zZjLFS7_IN8sAOJQCC558TWNeZZkw-7vY_ExqVoSP78i/s1600/IMG_0201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRCCSrOPerSx2SNXrPMvE70iuZltQijLXRsTezOuSjsYQgeVl3rYLNtctK6Cqz5B3V8IWvski1EBgXKQ3LWIL_G7GJq47KPOY0zZjLFS7_IN8sAOJQCC558TWNeZZkw-7vY_ExqVoSP78i/s320/IMG_0201.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Also thanks for sending above postcard to me.<br />
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I had send you following cover(find yours) on October 2nd to celebrate International Day of Non-Violence. To read more click following link.<br />
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<a href="http://gandhistampsclub.blogspot.com/2012/10/international-day-of-non-violence.html?spref=tw">http://gandhistampsclub.blogspot.com/2012/10/international-day-of-non-violence.html?spref=tw</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1kcKa_8KlIUjVfJ47XmudYRyheX7JTWs40TdDFz5INzG8QnFyshclQxULzhle5GGjOtQvXh3I7ekTi53Lh-ntjlKpu4G11t92EnERYMHXY6V0vTP_oWeK5LHONZKit_OQEJYJ9APXXRoh/s1600/IMG_0172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1kcKa_8KlIUjVfJ47XmudYRyheX7JTWs40TdDFz5INzG8QnFyshclQxULzhle5GGjOtQvXh3I7ekTi53Lh-ntjlKpu4G11t92EnERYMHXY6V0vTP_oWeK5LHONZKit_OQEJYJ9APXXRoh/s320/IMG_0172.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Avenue Merabet Athmane, Algiers, Algeria36.752887 3.04204835.9343045 1.7786205 37.5714695 4.3054755tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031161453591092683.post-8466746253234218542012-10-06T10:09:00.001-07:002012-10-06T10:09:44.173-07:00Canyonlands National Park<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Canyonlands National Park is a U.S. National Park located in southeastern Utah near the town of Moab and preserves a colorful landscape eroded into countless canyons, mesas and buttes by the Colorado River, the Green River, and their respective tributaries. The park is divided into four districts: the Island in the Sky, the Needles, the Maze, and the rivers themselves. (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canyonlands_National_Park" target="_blank">Read more at Wikipedia</a>) </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJK61UM4lSXa4iZkcmwQkJveK1AhcHKN_7-H0skSBKL7n1eFd3SSHrv70jhgpPVvXRY35ISFhr4F44qQKzK6AgsaS71WJVmuFp33k5K_t5MWFKoBY0zm5q2b-0rWLJVwXmWNrEgxBqPZbC/s1600/IMG_0087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJK61UM4lSXa4iZkcmwQkJveK1AhcHKN_7-H0skSBKL7n1eFd3SSHrv70jhgpPVvXRY35ISFhr4F44qQKzK6AgsaS71WJVmuFp33k5K_t5MWFKoBY0zm5q2b-0rWLJVwXmWNrEgxBqPZbC/s320/IMG_0087.JPG" width="220" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMc9NmPrm-eKWEvs8BorsOZEgsaiz9QpWKB29F4KmncaBalntZ_R5Z-Q8UCIaq-i6vuzSgMIp_X2zy_kjg3AYFXMqaHs655Oul2S7bkJtqg9vqFVeQuAmVh2R2d-KVqbhdw99bkZclEwOs/s1600/IMG_0088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMc9NmPrm-eKWEvs8BorsOZEgsaiz9QpWKB29F4KmncaBalntZ_R5Z-Q8UCIaq-i6vuzSgMIp_X2zy_kjg3AYFXMqaHs655Oul2S7bkJtqg9vqFVeQuAmVh2R2d-KVqbhdw99bkZclEwOs/s320/IMG_0088.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Neil Patelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167387567594228520noreply@blogger.com0Canyonlands National Park, Moab, UT 84532, USA38.331058 -109.877578137.9303275 -110.5092921 38.7317885 -109.24586409999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031161453591092683.post-90569027940665368892012-10-05T15:35:00.000-07:002012-10-06T11:15:46.992-07:00Things to see in Arches National Park<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Arches National Park is a U.S. National Park in eastern Utah. It is known for preserving over 2000 natural sandstone arches, including the world-famous Delicate Arch, in addition to a variety of unique geological resources and formations. The park is located just outside of Moab, Utah, and is 76,679 acres in area.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvHptV9Vx14Uj9-6HEanxp5UWF1BxvDtVR8Ug3DKAu43cgiMdky6AiZSYu0p96SpbdK0luYx5obmAnabLkpAMdE7ZGu8DonKPkuN7OpNr5k5HT3AbSI3EteHsFKM7eWidp_0Vw1ahpPzj0/s1600/IMG_0085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvHptV9Vx14Uj9-6HEanxp5UWF1BxvDtVR8Ug3DKAu43cgiMdky6AiZSYu0p96SpbdK0luYx5obmAnabLkpAMdE7ZGu8DonKPkuN7OpNr5k5HT3AbSI3EteHsFKM7eWidp_0Vw1ahpPzj0/s400/IMG_0085.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2H8VCX0_kIqX9cm6Zfzgwlogd4ZiIaqJyh6IdhyLXRyq7eML_9MMfQhFA3VSzNmbKSeghclmGxrlILz7vEEXgz8_PyZjdNZdKtcdk59lmO8S3QdsEOD66LzSqmbcXWblDhHxfE12W-bM-/s1600/IMG_0086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2H8VCX0_kIqX9cm6Zfzgwlogd4ZiIaqJyh6IdhyLXRyq7eML_9MMfQhFA3VSzNmbKSeghclmGxrlILz7vEEXgz8_PyZjdNZdKtcdk59lmO8S3QdsEOD66LzSqmbcXWblDhHxfE12W-bM-/s400/IMG_0086.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Among the notable arches are :</div>
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Delicate Arch – a lone-standing arch which has become a symbol of Utah</div>
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Double Arch – two arches that share a common end</div>
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Landscape Arch – a very thin and long arch with a span of 290 feet (88 m)</div>
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Wall Arch – located along the popular Devil's Garden Trail.</div>
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Skyline Arch - located along </div>
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Things to See : </div>
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Balanced Rock – a large balancing rock, the size of three school buses</div>
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Courthouse Towers – a collection of tall stone columns</div>
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Dark Angel – a free-standing 150-foot tall sandstone pillar at the end of the Devil's Garden Trail</div>
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Fiery Furnace – an area of maze-like narrow passages and tall rock columns</div>
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Petrified dunes – petrified remnants of sand dunes blown from the ancient lakes</div>
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Devil's Garden – with many arches and columns scattered along a ridge</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeUAvR_cneu9z5kKgQ1889wQrdRvYdivw21ZQ4NxqmqUTpktD1O4z5MWg7KWmyGljGgsuIJCkryS_MXx_1NJbZMKzQY3CPhC7oViO_YKzkT7ca6udnYijoFBwz0DhX7cige4Guo5GTE7ev/s1600/IMG_0083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeUAvR_cneu9z5kKgQ1889wQrdRvYdivw21ZQ4NxqmqUTpktD1O4z5MWg7KWmyGljGgsuIJCkryS_MXx_1NJbZMKzQY3CPhC7oViO_YKzkT7ca6udnYijoFBwz0DhX7cige4Guo5GTE7ev/s400/IMG_0083.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I also send this cover to my friends.</div>
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1) <a href="http://polpostman.blogspot.com/2012/08/2-covers-from-usa.html">http://polpostman.blogspot.com/2012/08/2-covers-from-usa.html</a></div>
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2) ?</div>
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This cover has 34 cents stamps issued in 2002 "Greeting from America" (UTAH, where park is located). This stamp has Arches, flower and mountain lion.!!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Go91onB-5dnBFm9GxI_V9feThLIgTdmoTmFwFJc7DYZ12LEDi56-amMJSqO3OAhOYBPaLEfWLAQzFDb2HC2usnFc5PDN9J_1eaVpFBTWO63YPp__PHvzOPLCu7UkfG2lAGWMtB4v-crX/s1600/IMG_0083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Go91onB-5dnBFm9GxI_V9feThLIgTdmoTmFwFJc7DYZ12LEDi56-amMJSqO3OAhOYBPaLEfWLAQzFDb2HC2usnFc5PDN9J_1eaVpFBTWO63YPp__PHvzOPLCu7UkfG2lAGWMtB4v-crX/s320/IMG_0083.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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THINGS TO DO : ( I did it all of the following)<br />
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Balanced Rock Hiking : A loop trail around the base of a fragile, picturesque rock formation.<br />
Length: 0.3 mi/0.5 km round trip<br />
Time: 15 to 30 minutes<br />
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The Windows :A gentle climb up a gravel loop trail leads to three massive arches (North and South Windows and Turret Arch). An alternate return, slightly longer, is by way of the primitive loop around the back of the two Windows. The primitive loop trail starts at the South Window viewpoint.<br />
Length: 1 mile (1.6 km) round trip<br />
Time: 30 to 60 minutes<br />
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Double Arch : A relatively flat, sandy trail leads to the base of two giant arch spans which are joined at one end.<br />
Length: 0.5 mile (0.8 km) round trip<br />
Time: 15 to 30 minutes<br />
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Skyline Arch : We did partial hike as it was so hot. A short hike on a flat, well-defined trail.<br />
Length: 0.4 mile (0.6 km) round trip<br />
Time: 10 to 20 minutes<br />
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Sand Dune Arch : Trail leads through deep sand to a secluded arch among sandstone fins. (Hike for little kids.)<br />
Length: 0.4 mile (0.6 km) round trip<br />
Time: 15 to 30 minutes<br />
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Broken Arch : We saw this while hiking Sand Dune Arch.<br />
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Landscape Arch : A relatively flat, gravel-surfaced trail (usually heavily populated with hikers) leads to a spectacular ribbon of rock, whose span is more than a football field in length. Short side trips to Tunnel and Pine Tree Arches. Trail guide available at trailhead.<br />
Length: 1.6 miles (2.4 km) round trip<br />
Time: 30 to 60 minutes<br />
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Delicate Arch Hike : Most Popular trail and must hike for photographers. (Starts from Wolfe Ranch parking area).<br />
Length: 3 miles round trip (don't get lost and if you get lost don't try to hike the arch. it's very risky.!!)<br />
Time: 2 hours<br />
Note : In addition to this there are other two viewpoint 100 yards round trip and another (moderately strenuous) hiking trail climbs one-half mile (0.8 km) toward Delicate Arch and ends at the rim of a steep canyon that separates the viewpoint from the arch.<br />
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Neil Patelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167387567594228520noreply@blogger.com0Arches National Park, Moab, UT 84532, USA38.733081 -109.592513938.533825 -109.9083709 38.932337 -109.2766569tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031161453591092683.post-10091603803303365922012-10-03T19:07:00.000-07:002012-10-03T19:07:18.188-07:00 Crazy Horse Memorial : World's Largest Sculpture in Progress.!! <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The Crazy Horse Memorial is a mountain monument complex that is under construction on privately held land in the Black Hills, in Custer County, South Dakota. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgcDSPyGFks-dZiDC0r4twmFvGUszMbYn7xDFxSWPZoccboIm0Vu8ryWZ1ztPHp0fvp1HVdHf4WyahHCMXKcejou4kEu9RegauWMDNbLJUNuAWji3u9roJ748aWRrRtshmPko8BNvomq14/s1600/IMG_0093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgcDSPyGFks-dZiDC0r4twmFvGUszMbYn7xDFxSWPZoccboIm0Vu8ryWZ1ztPHp0fvp1HVdHf4WyahHCMXKcejou4kEu9RegauWMDNbLJUNuAWji3u9roJ748aWRrRtshmPko8BNvomq14/s400/IMG_0093.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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It depicts Crazy Horse, an Oglala Lakota warrior, riding a horse and pointing into the distance. The memorial was commissioned by Henry Standing Bear, a Lakota elder, to be sculpted by Korczak Ziolkowski. It is operated by the Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation, a private non-profit organization.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw4QPIyEA9VhSlv3n-m5zSJ9rjrW9EYoTCib66H4g8XuZ_vrpoFzY_acECU3RadNY_n8jXLn7jNQ-P6qe9N_fXVsuiJfsxF7AQ9OOJjlgxw_FOXXP7aR3VEBX312Y1SsPFoxeWvhqDBqPG/s1600/IMG_0089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw4QPIyEA9VhSlv3n-m5zSJ9rjrW9EYoTCib66H4g8XuZ_vrpoFzY_acECU3RadNY_n8jXLn7jNQ-P6qe9N_fXVsuiJfsxF7AQ9OOJjlgxw_FOXXP7aR3VEBX312Y1SsPFoxeWvhqDBqPG/s200/IMG_0089.JPG" width="200" /></a>The memorial consists of the mountain carving (monument), the Indian Museum of North America, and the Native American Cultural Center. The monument is being carved out of Thunderhead Mountain on land considered sacred by some Oglala Lakota, between Custer and Hill City, roughly 17 miles from Mount Rushmore. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpVP7W7BoAXz0PvAhSwgroLIifahRwlkCVcg4K7yxI6SXqKEvqbZY9nRneo_bHplcuA6lrvZpd6h5zmFR7-ZTwV7-fAj_zm7HILbMDFum3dtNYC6JnysRzUPvVCAGlIr56tJFeC4aQQpBm/s1600/IMG_0092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpVP7W7BoAXz0PvAhSwgroLIifahRwlkCVcg4K7yxI6SXqKEvqbZY9nRneo_bHplcuA6lrvZpd6h5zmFR7-ZTwV7-fAj_zm7HILbMDFum3dtNYC6JnysRzUPvVCAGlIr56tJFeC4aQQpBm/s200/IMG_0092.JPG" width="200" /></a>The sculpture's final dimensions are planned to be 641 feet wide and 563 feet high. The head of Crazy Horse will be 87 feet high; by comparison, the heads of the four U.S. Presidents at Mount Rushmore are each 60 feet high.</div>
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The monument has been in progress since 1948 and is far from completion. If completed, it may become the world's largest sculpture, as well as the first non-religious statue to hold this record since 1967. The most recent is Russia's Mamayev Monument</div>
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This postcard has circular hand cancellation of Crazy Horse, SD.!!</div>
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<b>Who was Crazy Horse :</b> Crazy Horse was a Native American war leader of the Oglala Lakota. He took up arms against the U.S. Federal government to fight against encroachments on the territories and way of life of the Lakota people, including leading a war party to victory at the Battle of the Little Bighorn in June 1876. </div>
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After surrendering to U.S. troops under General Crook in 1877, Crazy Horse was fatally wounded by a military guard while allegedly resisting imprisonment at Camp Robinson in present-day Nebraska. </div>
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<b>The Future of Crazy Horse </b>:</div>
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Neil Patelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167387567594228520noreply@blogger.com0Crazy Horse, West Custer, SD 57730, USA43.8367551 -103.622448543.825239599999996 -103.6421895 43.8482706 -103.60270750000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031161453591092683.post-36668530270370166672012-10-02T10:47:00.000-07:002012-10-08T06:32:55.908-07:00Mount Rushmore : Things to do and look<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a sculpture carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore near Keystone, South Dakota, in the United States. Sculpted by Danish-American Gutzon Borglum and his son, Lincoln Borglum, Mount Rushmore features 60-foot sculptures of the heads of former United States presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh92HMceiMFl6SSgjT6y1FWvs6L-lWRpDb2S4nhlt0Zelwiw-Txl6zBeZNF-0EtXPfiQ61kVD7Wv6Bx2-cifyGUlvLaksOkgq7Bsr5Tkbr8Iw7a3iM1NeX6C5M_-OfytVXFqhKL0QrXd0Fw/s1600/IMG_0097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh92HMceiMFl6SSgjT6y1FWvs6L-lWRpDb2S4nhlt0Zelwiw-Txl6zBeZNF-0EtXPfiQ61kVD7Wv6Bx2-cifyGUlvLaksOkgq7Bsr5Tkbr8Iw7a3iM1NeX6C5M_-OfytVXFqhKL0QrXd0Fw/s400/IMG_0097.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Grant Entrance of Mount Rushmore National Memorial. </span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTBDadUHBIGTvAGgerk-ZRsw4Vx0xxnfwP6Jg6mM0PtY5eiy1bImNT0lZPKsrohhefY6eHYjcRKRy_BWWvoF75n7R7bSQOTtLSlMcTbcHdD2aLwaMw-OjCcbcnFbf4D7vM83tHcq7zkM7g/s1600/IMG_0080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTBDadUHBIGTvAGgerk-ZRsw4Vx0xxnfwP6Jg6mM0PtY5eiy1bImNT0lZPKsrohhefY6eHYjcRKRy_BWWvoF75n7R7bSQOTtLSlMcTbcHdD2aLwaMw-OjCcbcnFbf4D7vM83tHcq7zkM7g/s400/IMG_0080.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQsFXj-BgazsVeag0igp6rA2F5xD1IO3lWGTcoSrMFMNX9EwRHfYRWw_Xvxg8OyEYZaf1mXNTqVUnmpXlTScEk_w6OeSqtr3qrHPFqWRuKbhaId4kRQ3STtqqX30jmI_R0otPQ0meDBuZv/s1600/IMG_0080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQsFXj-BgazsVeag0igp6rA2F5xD1IO3lWGTcoSrMFMNX9EwRHfYRWw_Xvxg8OyEYZaf1mXNTqVUnmpXlTScEk_w6OeSqtr3qrHPFqWRuKbhaId4kRQ3STtqqX30jmI_R0otPQ0meDBuZv/s400/IMG_0080.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I also send this cover tomy philatelic friends.<br />
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1) Japan : - <a href="http://jg2oaj.blogspot.jp/2012/08/cover-from-usa.html">http://jg2oaj.blogspot.jp/2012/08/cover-from-usa.html</a><br />
2) ?<br />
3) ?</div>
Neil Patelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167387567594228520noreply@blogger.com0Mt Rushmore National Memorial, Black Hills National Forest, 13000 State Highway 244, Keystone, SD 57751, USA43.8825866 -103.454066943.859573600000004 -103.49354890000001 43.9055996 -103.4145849tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031161453591092683.post-50415070723270313392012-10-01T09:09:00.001-07:002012-10-07T20:56:03.453-07:00Yellowstone National Park <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>World's Largest Collection of Geysers</b></div>
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It's wonderland. Old Faithful and the majority of the world's geysers are preserved here. They are the main reason the park was established in 1872 as America's first national park—an idea that spread worldwide. A mountain wildland, home to grizzly bears, wolves, and herds of bison and elk, the park is the core of one of the last, nearly intact, natural ecosystems in the Earth’s temperate zone</div>
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Following postcard was inside my hotel room ("Old Faithful Inn") and I mailed it to myself.!!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUS_L8vb-qW5P658R1Qh3WGtDZCWxzB3tSRRTRa6TXYHt_l6BKn9UQRKskn8ugtjeuqHgTONvmO5fvAmxvsW4Lzrqlpt8D9usKXxoZiz32Kzbwy_J9XhcBWtQe9mT84XNhhWVJILdM37XB/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUS_L8vb-qW5P658R1Qh3WGtDZCWxzB3tSRRTRa6TXYHt_l6BKn9UQRKskn8ugtjeuqHgTONvmO5fvAmxvsW4Lzrqlpt8D9usKXxoZiz32Kzbwy_J9XhcBWtQe9mT84XNhhWVJILdM37XB/s200/photo.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU8hG3Fu3wNDqQUBY804EHCObVCifDrma5_vJeNA5ShmUlZh97OBJDfhdgY9TaT6iuDBbNntowTHYhEO4QOaVzz8QXpYmKlARleSpkqC1-ffw0Vrpirt1TNOmkE3m7UjZMukFXLyh2WAH2/s1600/IMG_0076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU8hG3Fu3wNDqQUBY804EHCObVCifDrma5_vJeNA5ShmUlZh97OBJDfhdgY9TaT6iuDBbNntowTHYhEO4QOaVzz8QXpYmKlARleSpkqC1-ffw0Vrpirt1TNOmkE3m7UjZMukFXLyh2WAH2/s200/IMG_0076.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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It has a special cancellation of OLD FAITHFUL STATION.!!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0iu47d_BFRoA3MpWcBNmt5i_D2wRUbsSdHzggd6pDxwf5Ug0nD5UI1nI_nGhsKlyeWrJMrAzW3ZYFHnBwO0oFlhwwDGqvzM_OMtSEidUSvmgXs9RGBJhMrZiU-IEgS-sc_VRYVVQy9nwq/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="87" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0iu47d_BFRoA3MpWcBNmt5i_D2wRUbsSdHzggd6pDxwf5Ug0nD5UI1nI_nGhsKlyeWrJMrAzW3ZYFHnBwO0oFlhwwDGqvzM_OMtSEidUSvmgXs9RGBJhMrZiU-IEgS-sc_VRYVVQy9nwq/s400/photo.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
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The Old Faithful Inn is a hotel located in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, United States, with a clear view of the renowned Old Faithful Geyser. The Inn features a multi-story log lobby, flanked by long frame wings containing guest rooms.</div>
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With its spectacular log and limb lobby and massive (500-ton, 85-foot) stone fireplace, the inn is a prime example of the "Golden Age" of rustic resort architecture, a style which is also known as National Park Service Rustic. It is also unique in that it is one of the few log hotels still standing in the United States. It was the first of the great park lodges of the American west.</div>
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Initial construction was carried out over the winter of 1903-1904, largely using locally-obtained materials including lodgepole pine and rhyolite stone. When the Old Faithful Inn first opened in the spring of 1904, it boasted electric lights and steam heat. (From Wikipedia)</div>
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The structure is the largest log hotel in the world; possibly even the largest log building in the world. In 2007 the American Institute of Architects conducted a survey to determine the 150 favorite buildings in America; the Old Faithful Inn ranked 36. The Inn, which was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987, is itself part of the Old Faithful Historic District.</div>
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<b>Uncle Tom's Trail </b>was first constructed in 1898 by "Uncle" Tom Richardson. The five years following its construction, Uncle Tom led visitors on tours which included crossing the river upstream from the present day Chittenden Bridge, and then following his rough trail to the base of the Lower Falls. The tour was concluded with a picnic and a return trip across the river.</div>
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Today Uncle Tom's Trail is very different from the simple trail used by Mr. Richardson and his visitors. It is still, however, a very strenuous walk into the canyon. The trail drops 500 feet (150 m) in a series of more than 300 stairs and paved inclines.</div>
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<b>Artist Point : </b>The name Artist Point is believed to have been given to this location around 1883 by Park Photographer F. Jay Haynes. The name appeared in print for the first time in Mr. Haynes guidebook, published in 1890.</div>
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I also send covers to my philatelic friend.<br />
1) To Croatia : <a href="http://stamps-croatia.blogspot.com/2012/09/usa.html">http://stamps-croatia.blogspot.com/2012/09/usa.html</a><br />
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3)?<br />
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Neil Patelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167387567594228520noreply@blogger.com0Yellowstone National Park, 200 Old Yellowstone Trail, Gardiner, Mt 59030, USA44.4225743 -110.586702643.6929018 -111.8501301 45.1522468 -109.32327509999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031161453591092683.post-62738838613297730742012-09-03T17:55:00.004-07:002012-09-05T18:13:49.169-07:00Things To do in Yellowstone: Trip Day 2, West Thumb and Mud Voclanos<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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After Upper Geyser Basin, we began to drive down the road toward Yellowstone Canyon through West Thumb. So called West Thumb because of its shape, it is an extension of Lake Yellowstone.<br />
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Where the road from Upper Geyser Basin meets the Road at West Thumb, a geyser basin exists. Called West Thumb Geyser Basin, it has roughly 20 geothermal features.<br />
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However, it did not look all that interesting. So, after visiting the visitor's center and getting information, we moved on.<br />
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The next stop was the Mud Volcano Area. The mud volcano area was one of the most bizarre areas in the park. Its extremely hard to do just to it through words. There were places where there was boiling, super fluid mud.<br />
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One of the better known attractions of this area is Dragon Mouth Spring.Dragon's Mouth is a turbulent hot spring with a cavernous mouth. Water sloshes rhythmically in and out of the cavern giving the impression of a large overflow; however, the actual discharge is quite small. Much of the activity and energy is located within the cavern. As hot water rises to the surface, hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, and water vapor gases expand creating a pressure explosion in the cavern. The resulting activity is sloshing, belching, and steaming.</div>
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The 1871 Hayden Expedition named this thermal feature. At that time Mud Volcano was a very active mud spring with bellowing and exploding mud. In later years since its discovery it has not shown the same forcefulness. It has since been a quiet caldron with occasional churning caused by rising gases.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Sulphur Caldron in Yellowstone National Park is one of the park’s most acid hot springs, with yellow and turbulent waters reminding one of an evil witch’s brew. It is almost as acidic as battery acid, but is a pool of life all the same. Bacteria live within the ultra-hot waters, creating the colors you see. </span></div>
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Neil Patelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167387567594228520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031161453591092683.post-9418124844353640002012-08-26T18:59:00.001-07:002012-10-02T16:59:50.920-07:00Things To Do in Yellowstone National Park's Upper Geyser Basin: Trip, Day 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Yellowstone National Park, the first national park in the world, is located mostly in Wyoming, though parts extend into Idaho and Montana. It is famous for both its geothermal activity and its natural beauty and animals. It is home to 2/3's of the worlds geysers and the worlds most famous geyser, Old Faithful. It is a staggering 2,219,791 acres and home to 2,430 bison.</div>
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One of the most famous parts of Yellowstone is the Upper Geyser Basin.Upper Geyser Basin is the world's largest and most concentrated geyser basin.</div>
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Among the notable geysers In the Upper Basin:</div>
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Old Faithful:<span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;"> </span>Old Faithful is, undoubtedly, the most famous geyser in the entire world. Its moniker was coined in 1870 because of its regularly occurring eruptions, one every 91 minutes.<br />
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Castle Geyser: Castle geyser is thousands of years old and rest upon the remains of even older geysers. It is named for its distinctly castle shaped cone.</div>
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Grotto Geyser: Grotto geyser is famous more for its cone then its eruptions. Grotto geyser has an extremely spooky shape due to the cone having swallowed up various tress during its younger years.<br />
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Riverside Geyser: Riverside Geyser is one of the most picturesque geysers. During its 20 minute eruptions, a 75 foot column of water arches gracefully over the river.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">My <span style="text-align: left;">Experience</span></span></b></div>
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After hitting the sack at old Faithful Inn, a very rustic, charming place, we fell asleep immediately. The next day, though, we were up bright and early to walk about 20 steps and see Old Faithful erupt.</div>
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Since, however, the next eruption was not for another hour, we had some delicious breakfast at the restaurant inside the Inn. Since we still had some time before the eruption, we decided to explore the nearby Upper Geyser basin. After peering at various geothermal features, we hurried back to the boardwalk near Beehive Geyser to watch a magnificent eruption of Old Faithful. </div>
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We got a lucky break after watching Old Faithful. We had front row seats for a much rarer eruption of Beehive Geyser, which launched water 200 feet into the air, almost twice that of Old Faithful. Try not to get wet! And unlike Old Faithful, Beehive's boardwalk lets you get much closer to the action. <br />
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After getting drenched to the bone, we forayed much deeper into the Upper Geyser Basin, looking at interesting geothermal features like Morning Glory Pool, which was colored much like a sunrise. We stared openly at the incredibly weird Grotto Geyser, which, as a young geyser swallowed a couple trees. I looked wishfully at Castle Geyser, which looked much like 15th century castle.<br />
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Inside Upper Geyser Basin, we watched an eruption of Riverside, a geyser on the far side of a river. This eruption lasts for 20 minutes, but we did not watch the whole thing. Word of advice, if you have under 10's traveling in your entourage, this would be a good place to turn back. They get tired just around here. <br />
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I sent matching covers to myself and another 2 of my philatelic friends. Let me know if you are one of them.!!<br />
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Neil Patelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167387567594228520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031161453591092683.post-37155429734881805302012-08-17T13:49:00.001-07:002012-08-26T20:06:45.529-07:00Grant Teton Best Scenic Drives and Roadside Views : Things To Do in Grand Teton National Park: Trip, Day 1 Continued<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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After spending almost 2 hours in Jackson hole we started driving towards Grand Teton National Park. We stop near the entrance to take some pictures at park entrance and also we saw Moose grazing near the river. After that we stopped at Craig Thomas Discovery & Visitor Center (Moose Visitor Center). I think this center is a must -stop information hot-spot about the park. Everyone needs a free map of park and some souvenirs such as a postcard!!</div>
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<b>Mountains of the Imagination</b></div>
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Rising above a scene rich with extraordinary wildlife, pristine lakes, and alpine terrain, the Teton Range stands monument to the people who fought to protect it. These are mountains of the imagination. Mountains that led to the creation of Grand Teton National Park where you can explore over two hundred miles of trails, float the Snake River or enjoy the serenity of this remarkable place.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Grand Teton is the highest peak at 13,770 feet.</td></tr>
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<b>Best Scenic Drives :</b></div>
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<li>Teton Park Road : The winding Teton Park Road highlights splendid mountain and valley scenery , allowing close-ups of the mountains.</li>
<li>Jenny Lake Loop : This narrow one-way roads winds at the base of mountains and along the shore of Jenny Lake. This scenic spur of the Teton Park Road offers access to hiking, bicyclying and provides outsanding views.</li>
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<b>Best Roadside Views :</b><br />
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<li>Cathedral Group Turnout : Just north of Jenny Lake, this turnout offers one of the most impressive panoramas of the Cathedral Group : Grand Teton, Teewinot Mountain and Mt. Owen.</li>
<li>Snake River Overlook : Enjoy an unforgettable view of the Snake River and Jackson Hole valley floor.</li>
<li>Oxbow Bend Turnout : Early morning and late afternoons are best for viewing osprey, American white pelicans, river otters, grizzly bears and beavers.</li>
<li>Teton Glacier Turnout : This turnout offers a view of one of the last glaciers remaining in the Teton Range.</li>
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No driving tour through Grand Teton National Park is complete without a drive to the summit of Signal Mountain for sweeping vistas of the Teton Range and surrounding valley. (it's like seeing like safari in Africa without animals.!!)</div>
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The scenic Signal Mountain Road is a five mile, 1,000 foot climb of switchbacks to an observation area at the top of Signal Mountain. Set far apart from the next highest mountain peak, Signal Mountain provides breathtaking views of the Tetons’ towering peaks, the flat glacial plains below, Jackson Lake and the Snake River beyond.</div>
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I send cover to myself and my collection mentor ( polpostman and <a href="http://rainbowstampclub.blogspot.com/2012/08/my-recent-covers_20.html" target="_blank">rainbowstampclub</a>) with rubber stamp of Grand Teton NP.<br />
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This cover has 55 cents semi-postal stamp (charity stamp) - 11 cents more than First-Class Mail stamp for helping to save vanishing species — specifically tigers, African and Asian elephants, rhinos, great apes and marine turtles.<br />
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Also there is a stamp of Grand Teton.!!<br />
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Neil Patelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167387567594228520noreply@blogger.com1Moose, WY, USA43.669498 -110.71520243.6579505 -110.734943 43.681045499999996 -110.69546100000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031161453591092683.post-37383593037020239082012-08-14T16:08:00.001-07:002012-08-14T21:52:31.424-07:00Things To Do In Jackson Hole, Wyoming : My Trip, Day 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arch of Elkhorns</td></tr>
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I Recently Made a "road" trip to various national parks and monuments. My first stop was old-town Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Jackson is a town located in the valley of Jackson Hole. It was named after David Edward Jackson, a fur trader. Due To its proximity to Grand Tetons National Park, Jackson Hole is a tourist haven. It is filled with quaint, olden styled stores selling everything from curios to t-shirts to boots. Our original plan was to drive through Jackson Hole and head to Grand Tetons.<br />
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However, the lure of old town was too great and we decided to spend a little time to explore the meandering roads. A major attraction is the Series of Elkhorn Arches located in what could be considered The main square, seen on the postcard above. <br />
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I mailed myself a couple other postcards from Jackson Hole which clearly show how much of Jackson Hole is affected by the nearby national parks and the wildlife they contain, although in a good way. Jackson Hole Just Likes to have a lot of fun!<br />
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This postcard was mailed from Jackson Hole but it has automatic cancellation from Rock Springs, Wyoming which is 180 miles from Jackson Hole.!!</div>
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This postcard has 55 cents semi-postal stamp (charity stamp) - 11 cents more than First-Class Mail stamp for helping to save vanishing species — specifically tigers, African and Asian elephants, rhinos, great apes and marine turtles.
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The net proceeds from the sales of the new Save Vanishing Species semipostal stamp will be transferred to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to support the Multinational Species Conservation Funds.</div>
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Neil Patelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167387567594228520noreply@blogger.com0Jackson, WY, USA43.4799291 -110.762428243.4568856 -110.80191020000001 43.5029726 -110.7229462tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031161453591092683.post-13890533489679428672012-07-24T17:42:00.002-07:002012-07-26T00:09:56.357-07:00Save Glaciers-Polar Regions/ Railway Stations of India: Cover From India<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Thank You Mrs. Jeevan Jyoti for sending me some India FDC's and Postcards in this cover. I really like it and it's really interesting to look at.</div>
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Its my first cover from India!</div>
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The Following cover is from owner of most popular stamps club and famous blog of India. (<a href="http://rainbowstampsclub.blogspot.com/">http://rainbowstampclub.blogspot.com</a>). </div>
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The Cover has stamps of Indian railway stations and of penguins.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgEyjXiM5gQ_nAt6A4yUD3ZTzjKkMTNxagwQmGk09uMvIcLArHvbGYgGjte1gDKwzFOzgZfcc8NeS4u5-qdQ-gsjLRNOIVhDs3FdabycsMR9WPF3e1lqzxCEc0Pi-GbAjuC_06kz_K1qMu/s1600/jeevan.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgEyjXiM5gQ_nAt6A4yUD3ZTzjKkMTNxagwQmGk09uMvIcLArHvbGYgGjte1gDKwzFOzgZfcc8NeS4u5-qdQ-gsjLRNOIVhDs3FdabycsMR9WPF3e1lqzxCEc0Pi-GbAjuC_06kz_K1qMu/s400/jeevan.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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In 2009 Indian Post released 4 stamps of 4 different Heritage Railway Stations of India.These 4 Heritage Railway Stations are<br />
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1) Howrah (Kolkata) Railway Station :<br />
Howrah station is situated on the West bank of the Hooghly River, and is linked to Kolkata by the magnificent Howrah Bridge, an icon of Kolkata. It is the largest railway complex in India opened in 1854.<br />
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2) Chennai Central Railway Station (on this cover)<br />
Chennai Central, also known as Madras Central, is the main railway terminal in the city of Chennai (Madras) ans was opened in 1853<br />
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3) Mumbai CST Railway Station<br />
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) , is the busiest railway station in India, formerly called Victoria Terminus(VT), and was built in 1887.<br />
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4) Old Delhi Railway Station. (on this cover)<br />
Delhi Junction, also known as Old Delhi Railway Station was established near Chandni Chowk in 1864 when trains from Howrah, Calcutta started operating up to Delhi. Its present building was constructed by the British in the style of nearby red-coloured fort and opened in 1903.<br />
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Also in 2009, Indian Post released stamps for "Save Glaciers and Polar Regions" which has penguins and<br />
polar bears.</div>Neil Patelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14167387567594228520noreply@blogger.com0