#103 - Ruinas de La Vieja

To be honest, I was feeling kinda blah today. I don't know why, maybe it's because I ran out of Nestle Quik last night. I haven't had a single glass of chocolate milk in the last...16 hours. Trupti without chocolate milk is like a sunflower without sunshine.

But you know what cheered me right up? Another person out there in the world, strolling around in cyberspace, found my blog and decided to send me a postcard for this project. *big smiles*

Yanireth from Panama sent me this view of the La Vieja ruins near Panama City. It was built in 1519 which marked the arrival of the very first Spaniards on the Pacific Coast. From here, they planned and developed strategic attacks on the Incas. Amazing piece of history ain't it? Thanks Yanireth!

And now I'm off to get my chocolate milk!

#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!

#98 - Rohtas Fort

This UNESCO site in Pakistan has got to be one of the most impressive forts in the world, not only for it's impressive architecture but sheer size as well.

The fort walls are about 4 km in circumference. You read that right. Four. Kilometres!

Even more more impressive, Salman tells me there's a village within the walls of the fort. I guess they're very well protected!

2010 Off To A Slow Start....

I've been trying to get and fine more people to help with this project but I won't lie, it's been hard. I've received cards from the most common countries of the world and the rest are going to be hard work.

But you know, I can't and won't give up. There are new malaria cases everyday and people dying from something that can be prevented so easily.

Time to get your butt in gear Trupti...must meet your goal!

#97 - The First Card of 2010!

One of my goals this year is to complete this project; 97 countries down and only 166 more to go!
The first card of 2010 comes from Elie in Lebanon, with a view of The Grand Serail.
It's the headquarters of the Prime Minister of Lebanon. Built in 1853, it has 430 rooms.
One for every day of the year, and then some!

#96 - A Hondurian Hummingbird....

There are 42 different species of hummingbirds native to Honduras...This one is a Fork-Tailed Emerald Hummingbird.

I had the pleasure of seeing two in my backyard this summer. They move so fast that it took me a few seconds to realize what I saw! Hopefully I'll see more this summer, otherwise I'll just have to fly down to the Honduras to see some up close. Thanks to Ali's aunt for sending me this card :)

And I believe this is the last card for 2009. Here's hoping that I can get this project finished by the end of 2010. Thanks to everyone that's helped so far; we're saving one family, one postcard and one net at a time. Muchos gracias todos! Besos!

And I'll make the last donation of 2009 before the year is over :P