#102 - Under the Shade I Flourish....

..is the the official motto of Belize. Naturally one imagines sitting under a palm tree, reading a book, having a drink...or two, or three. But in reality, the motto has very little do with relaxation. It refers to the shade of the mahogany tree which formed the basis of the Belizean economy in the 18th and 19th century. The nation was literally covered in these giant red trees until the British abused this natural resource which led to the depletion of mahogany in the 1930's. Today, the mahogany tree is on the conservation list in Belize. It's yet another reminder that we must protect our planet and avoid repeating mistakes made by our ancestors.

#102 - Krygah-what?

Kyrgyzstan. It looks like such an awkward assembly of letters to us English speakers, doesn't it? I wonder how many points you could gain by placing Kyrgyzstan on a scrabble board.....but anyway....


K-stan is a small mountainous country west of China. Beautiful landscapes and rolling hills. The nomadic Kyrgyz people also value horses; horseback riding and horse riding games are very popular here. Wonder if Christina saw any during her trip....

#101 - The Ashanti. My New Heroes.

Ghana! WOW! What a surprise.

Charissa is an American student student currently studying in Ghana. Somehow she found my blog and decided to send a card for the project.

This my friends, is the current Ashantehere or chief of the Ashanti tribe, the largest ethnic group within Ghana. They are known for being fierce warriors and accumulating gold. : (Check out Mr. Tutu's collection!)

And you know what else I love about the Ashanti people? They live in a matrilineal society (say what?) which means the line of descent is traced through the FEMALE. Land rights, property and titles are also passed down through the females.

Clearly, one of the few intelligent societies on Earth ;)

#100 - Cha, check dis postcard!

What gorgeous views from Barbados!

Aside from the spectacular beaches, the sun, and the beautiful weather, Barbados lays claim to one of the oldest rum companies in the world; Mount Gay Rum was first produced in 1703.

Not gonna go there. Oh I was tempted but...let's keep this family friendly ;) Thanks Marion!

#99 - Laguna Verde

Or the Green Lagoon in English, can be found in Chile. This salt lake sits 4300+ metres high and is well known for it's emerald green water and hot springs.

If you want to see a stunning photograph of the region, click here to jump to Flickr. Isn't that gorgeous?

Many thanks to Noelle who sent this card right after the earthquake in Chile; wasn't sure if this one was going to arrive but here it is! Gracias senorita!