Maneki Neko, the Beckoning Cat

In the 17th century, there was a rundown and poverty-stricken temple in Tokyo. The temple’s priest was very poor, but he shared some food he had with his pet cat, Tama.

One day, a wealthy and important man was caught in a storm while hunting and he took refuge under a big tree near the temple. While he waited for the storm to pass, the man noticed a cat beckoning him to come inside the temple gate. This was so startling that he left the shelter of the tree to have a closer look at this unusual cat. At that moment, the tree was struck by lighting.

As a result, the wealthy man became friends with the poor priest, and the temple became prosperous. The priest and his cat never went hungry again.

When Tama died he was buried in the Goutokuji Temple’s cat cemetery with respect and love, and the Maneki Neko was made in honor of him. A Maneki Neko in your business, your home or on your website is said to bring in good luck and visitors.

Maneki Neko is Japanese for “beckoning cat.” The message he is holding says “Please come in. You are welcome!” and he is beckoning you with his paw . (In Japan, the gesture of beckoning is pretty much the reverse of the gesture used in the West.)

Here’s a Maneki Neko card I received from a Japanese girl, she sent it to me as a surprise:

A closer look at UNESCO WHS: Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou

Name: Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou
Country: Morocco
Type: Cultural
Year of inscription: 1978
The site in Google Maps

Aït Benhaddou is a ‘fortified city’, or ksar, along the former caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakech in present-day Morocco. It is situated in Souss-Massa-Draâ on a hill along the Ouarzazate River and has some beautiful examples of kasbahs, which unfortunately, sustain damages during each rainstorm. Most of the town’s inhabitants now live in a more modern village at the other side of the river. Ten families still live within the ksar.

Please, shut up…

No, not you, dear reader. That is what the guy on the right must have thought when the guy on the left started to practise his trumpet skills….

I took this photo at the Dutch Open Solar Boat Challenge in Goes on June 19, 2009.

A postcard of Ampelmännchen

The Ampelmännchen is the symbolic person shown on traffic lights at pedestrian crossings in the former DDR (East Germany).

Before the German reunification, the two German states had different forms for the Ampelmännchen, with a generic human figure in West Germany, and a generally male figure wearing a hat in the east.

After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Ampelmännchen became a popular souvenir item in the tourism business.

This is the postcard I have:

A closer look at UNESCO WHS: White City of Tel-Aviv

Name: White City of Tel Aviv – the Modern Movement
Country: Israel
Type: Cultural
Year of inscription: 2003
The site in Google Maps

The White City is the name given to Tel Aviv because of the large number of white, or light-coloured buildings built there between the 1920s and the 1950s in the Bauhaus or International style.

Over 4000 buildings in these styles can still be seen in central Tel Aviv; the largest concentration in any one city in the world.

This is my card of Tel Aviv:

I have also visited Tel Aviv myself.

Wiki loves art /NL: Kunsthal Rotterdam

The Kunsthal is a museum in Rotterdam and is situated in the Museumpark. The building was designed by the Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas.

For an art project, Wiki loves art/NL, I’ve visited the Kunsthal and took photos. I’ll show some.

More Kunsthal Rotterdam.
More Wiki loves art /NL.
More Kunsthal Rotterdam by me.

Holland? USA!

I find it interesting to receive cards from other countries that show some kind of Dutch ‘heritage’. This card shows the city of Pella, Iowa, USA. It was founded in 1847 when eight hundred Dutch immigrants led by Dominee Hendrik (Henry) P. Scholte settled the area.

In Downtown Pella, the Molengracht (Mill Canal) emerges from under the street by the 1850’s Vermeer Mill and flows the length of the plaza surrounded by 18th centrury Dutch architecture. Unique shops, offices, restaurants, lodging and entertainment facilites line the brick pedestrian walkways.

A closer look at UNESCO WHS: Historic Centre (Old Town) of Tallinn

Name: Historic Centre (Old Town) of Tallinn
Country: Estonia
Type: Cultural
Year of inscription: 1997, extended in 2008
The site in Google Maps

Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, is named after taani linnus, which means Danish castle. The Castle in question was built by King Waldemar of Denmark in the 13th century. The settlement quickly developed itself into a busy port. In 1248 Tallinn became a member of the Hanseatic League, a chain of European trading cities.

Tallinn was one of the best fortified cities in Europe, with 66 towers adorning the city wall. Only about 20 of them remain today. Nowadays some are used as restaurants and museums.

Here are the postcards of Tallinn I have received. First an aerial overview, the towers and parts of the city wall can be seen in the front:

The second card is a multieview, this card brings you into Tallinn’s Old Town:

And this is the third card, I’ve recently received. It shows Midsummer nights in Tallinn, including the time.
Estonians celebrate ‘Jaaniõhtu’ (‘John’s Night’ in English) on the eve of the Summer Solstice (June 23) with bonfires.  On Jaaniõhtu, Estonians all around the country will gather with their families, or at larger events to celebrate this important day with singing and dancing, as Estonians have done for centuries. The celebrations that accompany Jaaniõhtu are the largest and most important of the year, and the traditions are similar those of Finland and the southern neighbour Latvia.

A closer look at UNESCO WHS: Old City of Dubrovnik

Name: Old City of Dubrovnik
Country: Croatia
Type: Cultural
Year of inscription: 1979, extended in 1994, endangered from 1991 till 1998
The site in Google Maps

The Old City of Dubrovnik is known for its monumental centre. Dubrovnik became an important Mediterranean sea power from the 13th century onwards. It managed to preserve its beautiful Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque churches, monasteries, palaces and fountains.
The site was extended in 1994 to include the suburbs and the island of Lokrum.

I received two postcards of Old City of Dubrovnik, both are multi views.
Here’s the first card:

And here’s the second card:

Sweet!!!

This photo was taken by me for a sweet-themed photo project.

Some facts about honey and honeybees:

• Honeybees have 4 wings and 5 eyes.
• The queen bee is the busiest in the summer months, when the hive needs to be at its maximum strength. She will lay about 1,000 to 1,500 eggs per day.
• A honeybee visits between 50 and 100 flowers during one collection flight from the hive.
• An average worker bee makes only about 1/12 teaspoon of honey during its life.
• Honey is the only food that includes all the substances necessary to sustain life, including water.
• Honey speeds the healing of open wounds and also combats infection.
• Honey and beeswax form the basics of many skin creams, lip-balms, and hand lotions.