Thermae Palace Oostende Postcard

The postcard shows the Thermae Palace Hotel Oostende. Thermae Palace was the former royal residence and casino, and was built in 1933. It is traditonal in style with an art deco feeling to it. The hotel offers a total of 153 rooms and 6 suites.

Thermae Palace Oostende Postcard

NOTE: OPERATIONAL
Koningin Astridlaan 7, B-840 Oostende
Tel.: 0032 (59) 80 66 44

SOURCE:
Thermae Palace Homepage

UPDATE: Parian Gate Postcard

I was browsing a forum about Intramuros when I came across an old postcard of the Puerta del Parian (which I blogged last June 30th). The forum gave the names of the churches that can be seen behind the gate. It states:

Puerta del Parian: the old San Juan de Dios chapel had a nice dome to complement the nearby square cupola atop San Francisco Church.

Parian Gate Postcard

So the dome is that of San Juan de Dios chapel and cupola of the San Francisco Church, first built in 1602 and damaged in the 1645 earthquake; rebuilt from 1739 until 1750 and destroyed during World War II. This is the only church then with no Bell Tower. Enshrine here is the Nuestra Senyora de los Angeles (Our Lady of the Angels).

RELATED ENTRY:
Parian Gate Postcard

Park Hotel Hong Kong Postcard

The postcard shows the Park Hotel in Hong Kong. The Park Hotel was established in 1961 and renovated several times since (although hardly noticeable). It is a 16-storey high rise hotel with 430 rooms. The back of the postcard reads:

The largest and most modern hotel in Hong Kong with 450 air-conditioned rooms.

Park Hotel Hong Kong Postcard

Park Hotel's prime location in Tsimshatsui provides unlimited opportunities for bargain-hunting and gives rapid and convenient access to all points of importance in business and pleasure. The MTR (Subway) is just at 5 minutes walking distance, and the Star Ferry Pier to Hong Kong Island and the China Ferry Terminal to major coastal ports is just a short walk away. Furthermore, it only takes you 10 minutes from the Kowloon Station (Airport Express Trains).

NOTE: OPERATIONAL
61-65 Chatham Road South, Tsimshatsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Tel.:(852) 2731 2100

SOURCE:
Park Hotel Homepage

New Washington Hotel, Seattle Postcard

The postcard shows the New Washington Hotel. Built in 1890 as the 100-room Denny Hotel atop Denny Hill in Seattle, the hotel never opened it's doors. James Moore bought the hotel in 1903 and renamed it The Washington. In May of 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt visited Seattle and was given keys as the first guest of The Washington. The hotel was razed in 1906-07 when the hill was graded flat. In 1908 Thomas Moore built a 300 room hotel on Second Avenue & Stewart St. and called it the New Washington Hotel. From 1959 to 1964 it was known as the Doric New Washington Hotel.

New Washington Hotel Postcard

In 1963 New Washington Hotel was purchased by the Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle as a retirement residence for Catholics. Later, it was acquired by Josephinum Associates, a limited partnership in which an affiliate of Catholic Charities of Western Washington is a general partner. Josephinum was opened up to all low-income citizens in January 1990, and is valued at about $7 million. It has been designated as a national historic building.

NOTE: RENAMED JOSEPHINUM (SERVES AS A LOW-INCOME HOUSING)
Located at 2nd Avenue and Stewart Street, Seattle, WA

SOURCES:
New Washington Hotel
The Josephinium Acquiring Modern Look (An Article)
82-Year-Old Hotel To Be Renovated City Helps Church Rescue Josephinum (An Article)

Update on Saint Joseph Parish Church Postcard

Last May 31, 2008, I showed my Saint Joseph Parish Church postcard, with not that much information regarding the church. I was checking my books when I came across an architectural description of the church.

Saint Joseph Parish Church Postcard

Architectural Description:

It is a melting pot of Ilocos Church features - S-curves on the facade, bricks as main building material, absence of a transept, the presence of exterior stairway, and the facade at the western end.
Horizontal grooves, portraying Neo-Mudejar touches, are knitted at the upper part of the facade. Faint vestiges of stucco design, however are still discernible. It is evident from traces left on the rear side of the west front, that at various times there were at least two roofs of varying pitches, perhaps representing a couple of different facades.

Rectangular piers were employed as fulcrum for the framework of the main facade-a noticeable common feature of churches south of Laoag River. A retable type main altar and two side altars staffed with twin columns fill the chapel sides. And paired columns with composite capitals adorn the walls of the nave with intervals.

SOURCE: Ilocos Review, Volume 3, Number 1 & 2, January-December 1971. Churches in Ilokandia, p. 262

RELATED ENTRY:
Saint Joseph Parish Church Postcard

Los Angeles Biltmore Postcard

The postcard shows the Los Angeles Biltmore. The Biltmore was built by a group of local businessmen in 1923 (opened in October 1st) for $10 million. Earl T. Heitschmidt assisted Schulze and Weaver, Architects, New York, NY, on the design (Barnett, Robert Louis; Heitschmidt, Earl Theodore; Lambert, Phyllis; Schorr, Barnett; Schultze, Leonard; Weaver, S. Fullerton). The Biltmore Bowl room hosted the Oscars in 1935-1939 and 1941-1942. The Sala d'Oro hosted the event in 1931.

Los Angeles Biltmore Postcard

The 11 story Spanish Italian structure lovingly encloses 707 luxurious appointed guest rooms and suites, five extraordinary ballrooms, several elegant conference spaces, grandiose restaurants and a Roman spa like swimming pool. The breathtaking cathedral like ceilings was hand painted by Italian artist Giovanni Smeraidi of Vatican and White House fame. In 2007, the Biltmore was known as the Millenium Biltmore Hotel.

NOTE: RENAMED MILLENIUM BILTMORE HOTEL
506 South Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90071-2607 USA
Tel: +1 (213) 624 1011

SOURCES:
Heitschmidt, Earl (PCAD Entry)
The Los Angeles Biltmore

Lincoln Hotel New York Postcard

The postcard shows the Lincoln Hotel in New York, which opened in 1929. Herbert J. Krapp, a theatre architect and designer, designed the Lincoln Hotel (now the Milford Plaza). I was able to find another postcard of the then Lincoln Hotel. It reads:

1400 large outside rooms-each with bath (tub and shower), radio and servidor. Four fine air cooled restaurants, awarded 1940 Frand Prix for culinary arts: The Blue Room, Tavern Grill, Lincoln Bar, Cafeteria. Subway direct to all points of interest. In the heart of Times Square, 69 theatres within 6 blocks.

Lincoln Hotel New York Postcard

The Milford Plaza Hotel is otherwise known as "The Lullabuy of Broadway." The Milford Plaza New York City Hotel is located in the heart of Broadway's Theater District. The Milford Plaza New York Hotel features well-appointed guest rooms and suites.

NOTE: RENAMED MILFORD PLAZA HOTEL

700 8th Avenue, New York, NY 10036 USA
Tel.: +1 212 869 3600

SOURCES:
Lincoln Hotel – New York City
Herbert J. Krapp Wikipedia Entry
Milford Plaza Hotel Homepage

Steigenberger Inselhotel Postcard

The postcard shows the Steigenberger Inselhotel Konstanz which is located in the old-town on the small private island of Lake Constance, in an ancient, former Dominican Monastery, once owned by the airship constructor Ferdinand Graf von Zeppelin. Situated directly adjacent to the city garden and the harbour, the hotel is linked to the city centre by a short bridge.

Steigenberger Inselhotel Postcard

One can reside in complete comfort in the 100 rooms and 2 suites of this modern first class hotel. The elegant furnishings and fittings, including a writing table and corner seating area provide for a cozy atmosphere and the beautiful view over Lake Constance.

NOTE: OPERATIONALAuf der Insel 1 78462 Konstanz (Constance) Germany
Tel.: +49 7531 125-0

SOURCE:
Steigenberger Inselhotel Konstanz Homepage

Hyatt Regency San Francisco Postcard

The postcard shows the Hyatt Regency San Francisco. The back of the postcard reads:

HYATT REGENCY SAN FRANCISCO, Embarcadero Center. It's a heptagon, towering triangularly 18 stories above the Embarcadero Fountain. It's a lounge that turns 360 degrees to show all of San Francisco. It's crystal bubble elevators. It's a lobby that is a towering atrium. It's the epitome of modern architecture and building design.

Hyatt Regency San Francisco Postcard

Hyatt Regency San Francisco was famous for its rooftop revolving restaurant called Equinox, offering 360-degree views of the city and the bay (it closed in 2007). The hotel was sold for close to $200 million to Dune Capital Management and DiNapoli Capital Partners in January 2007 – roughly $250,000 for each of the hotels 802 rooms.

NOTE: OPERATIONAL
5 Embarcadero Center, San Francisco, CA 94111 USA
Tel: +1 415 788 1234

SOURCES:
Hyatt Notable properties Wikipedia Entry
Hyatt Regency San Francisco Homepage
List of revolving restaurants Wikipedia Entry

Hotel Russell London Postcard

The postcard shows the exterior of Hotel Russell, a four star hotel, located on Russell Square, Bloomsbury, London. The Hotel Russell was built in 1898 by the architect C. Fitzroy Doll. The Russell Hotel, which dates from 1898, has one of the grandest exteriors of any London hotel.

Hotel Russell Postcard

The imposing Victorian façade of Hotel Russell greets visitors. The magnificent mosaic floor in the lobby was laid when the hotel was originally built and has been fully restored to its original state after being covered up due to war damage. The 373 bedrooms at the Hotel Russel have been redesigned. The C. Fitzroy Doll restaurant, which is named after the architect, is said to be almost identical to the RMS Titanic's dining room which he also designed.

NOTE: OPERATIONAL1-8 Russell Square, Bloomsbury, London, WC1B 5BE, UK

SOURCES:
Hotel Russell Wikipedia Entry
Hotel Russell London Homepage

Hotel Nagoya Castle Postcard

The postcard shows the Hotel Nagoya Castle. It was built in 1969 and last renovated In 2003. Now called Westin Nagoya Castle and a franchise of Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, the hotel is located on the moat of the old Tokugawa Castle of a 17th Century Shogun.

Hotel Nagoya Castle Postcard

Number of rooms: 225
Meeting rooms: 10
Sq. ft. of meeting space: 44,000
Banquet capacity: 2,500

NOTE: RENAMED WESTIN NAGOYA CASTLE

3-19 Hinokuchi-cho, Nishi-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 451-8551 JapanPhone: (81)(52) 521 2121

SOURCE:
Westin Nagoya Castle Homepage

Hotel Lexington, New York Postcard

The postcard shows the Revere Room of the Hotel Lexington, New York. The back of the postcard reads:
New York's Smartest Bar and Restaurant. Here you may see the famous murals depicting the life of Paul Revere. Open for breakfast, luncheon, dinner and supper-delicious meals at popular prices. Hotel Lexington. Lexington Avenue at 48th Street New York. Charles E. Rochester (Vice Pres. and Man. Dir.)

Revere Room Postcard

Unfortunately I couldn't find any information about the hotel, and am not sure if this hotel is the same as the Radisson Lexington Hotel. The hotel lies right in the heart of Manhattan's prestigious East Side, and has offered the finest in hospitality since 1929 (The Lexington Hotel was completed six months before the market crash of 1929 and costing $5,000,000.) The 2-storey lobby is fairly large and combines a modern style with traditional touches, such as the 3 tier chandelier, the polished brown & beige marbled floor and sprawling oriental rugs.

NOTE: RENAMED RADISSON LEXINGTON HOTEL (?)

511 Lexington Ave at 48th Street, New York, NY 10017 USAToll-Free: (888) 201-1718

Hotel Florida - Madrid Postcard

The postcard shows the Hotel Florida, Madrid. The information I was able to find was in Spanish so I have to use an online translation. Hotel Florida was designed and built in 1924 in the Plaza de Callao by the architect Antonio Palacios.

Hotel Florida Postcard

The hotel achieved fame during the Civil War, when it became a residence of correspondents, writers and intellectuals foreigners stationed in Madrid. Later, the hotel became the accommodation in Madrid of Ernest Hemingway. The building was demolished in 1964 and built on its site was a department store.

NOTE: DEMOLISHED IN 1964

SOURCE:Hotel Florida Wikipedia Entry

Hotel Commodore New York Postcard

The postcard shows the Hotel Commodore, New York. The ornate, limestone Hotel Commodore rose up next to Grand Central Terminal. The back of the postcard does not provide information about the postcard, but I was able to find another postcard of the hotel online and a little bit information about the old hotel. It reads:

The unexcelled location of the COMMODORE affords the New York visitor ready access to anything and EVERYTHING of interest and importance in this fabulous city. Midtown on 42nd Street at Lexington Avenue. Grand Central Terminal is right next door, with a special entrance from the concourse into the Lower Lobby. Pennsylvania Station is only a few minutes away. Airlines Terminals (both East Side and West Side) are with prompt and easy reach. Airlines Annex, handling ticket sales and information, is diagonally opposite the Commodore. Just a step from all midtown centers.

Hotel Commodore New York Postcard

In 1974 Donald Trump bought the Commodore Hotel for $10 million and then worked out a deal with Jay Pritzker to transform it into one of the first Grand Hyatt hotels. The complementary masonry from the Commodore was covered with a blue mirror-glass "slipcover" façade - the masonry still exists underneath. Today, Hotel Commodore is known as the Grand Hyatt.

The Grand Hyatt New York offers a total of 1,311 guest rooms, including 65 suites. Newly remodeled guest rooms and suites feature European-style bedding and pillow-top mattresses. Baths feature granite vanities, imported stone flooring, and marble shower stalls.

NOTE: RENAMED GRAND HYATT NEW YORK109 East 42nd Street at Grand Central Terminal, New York, NY 10017 USA
Tel: +1 212 883 1234

SOURCES:
#133571 Hotel Commodore
Grand Central Terminal Wikipedia Entry
Grand Hyatt New York Homepage

Hotel Cleveland Postcard

The postcard shows the old Hotel Cleveland in Cleveland, Ohio. The 1,000-room Hotel Cleveland was built at a cost of $4.5 million. In 1958 the hotel was acquired by the Sheraton chain, which renamed it the Sheraton-Cleveland. Renaissance International purchased the hotel in 1993 after a brief period of ownership by Nestle International, and renamed it the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel. The Renaissance's luxury hotel features vaulted ceilings, high arched windows and a beautiful marble fountain. The historic Renaissance Cleveland Hotel was built in 1918 and its architecture reflects Cleveland's unique style and rich history.

Hotel Cleveland Postcard

The back of the postcard reads:

Hotel Cleveland is located on Public Square occupying the same site on which was built Cleveland's first tavern (Mowry's). Adjoining Hotel Cleveland is the New Terminal Tower building. - The tower rises 52 stories 700 feet from the street. - Hotel Cleveland contains 1000 rooms with bath.

NOTE: RENAMED RENAISSANCE CLEVELAND HOTEL

24 Public Square, Cleveland, OH 44113 USA
Tel: 1-800-468-3571

SOURCES:
Stouffer Renaissance Cleveland Hotel
Renaissance Cleveland Hotel Homepage

Furama City Centre Postcard

The postcard shows the Furama City Centre, Singapore. Me and my family actually stayed in this hotel, in an executive floor (21st floor), when we visited Singapore last year. Furama City Centre is centrally located in vibrant Chinatown and at the fringe of the Central Business District (CBD).

Furama City Centre Postcard

It has 384 guestrooms which are spread across 23 floors, with executive rooms boasting a picturesque view of the Marina Bay area and the Esplanade from the higher floors, including the Esplanade, from the higher floors.

View of Marina Bay from our floor

NOTE: OPERATIONALAddress: 60 Eu Tong Sen Street, Singapore 059804
Tel: (65) 6533 3888

SOURCE:Furama City Centre, Singapore Homepage

Ford Hotel Montreal Postcard

The prelinen postcard shows the Ford Hotel in Montreal, published by Lumitone. Unfortunately the only Ford Hotel that I was able to gather information was the hotel in Toronto, not in Montreal. Good thing that there was a little bit of information at the back of the card. However, I was able to find information about the Ford Hotels Company and it shows the same hotel, but it stated that it is the Hotel Ford in Buffalo, New York and not the Montreal chain.

Ford Hotel Montreal Postcard

THE FORD: MONTREAL'S NEWEST HOTEL

750 rooms with bath. Radio in every room. Situated in Dorchester Street at Bishop; one minute's walk to C.P.R. Station; five minutes' ride to C.N.R. Station and Steamboat Landings. French sidewalk Cafe. One block to shopping and theatre district. Four hundred car fireproof garage opposite.

NOTE: UNKNOWN IF DEMOLISHED OR OPERATIONAL

SOURCE:
Ford Hotels Company - New York

Old Inns of Dorset Postcard

The postcard shows four old inns in Dorset. They are (clockwise):(1) Smiths Arms, Godmanstone(2) Fox Inn, Corfe Castle(3) Three Horseshoes, Burton Bradstock(4) Castle Inn, Lulworth

Once the village smithy, the Smiths Arms inn at Godmanstone is said to be the smallest public house in England. The beautifully-thatched building measures only 20ft by 10ft; it is about 500 years old. Smiths Arms is said that the original licence was granted by King Charles II, when he requested that the village smith serve him a glass of porter. The smith refused as he had no licence, so Charles granted him one on the spot and was served his drink.

The Fox Inn is reputed to be the oldest pub in Corfe castle (1568). There is a large beer garden overlooking the castle & Punbeck Hills. The pub has a 14th century fireplace with real fires.

Old Inns of Dorset Postcard

The Three Horseshoes Inn is a 300 year old thatched public house and restaurant in the village of Burton Bradstock.

The Castle Inn is one of the oldest pubs in Dorset dating from the 16th Century and has original woodwork and a delicate thatched roof, near the beautiful Lulworth Cove & Durdle Door of the Jurassic Coastline.

NOTE: ALL OPERATIONAL

Smiths Arms. Godmanstone, Dorchester, Dorset, DT2 7AQ Tel: 01300 341236Fox Inn. Corfe Castle, Wareham, Dorset BH20 5HD Tel. 01929 480449Three Horseshoes. Burton Bradstock, Bridport, Dorset DT6 4QZ Tel: 01308 897259Castle Inn. West Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5RN Tel: 01929 400311

SOURCES:
Godmanstone Wikipedia Entry
The Fox Inn
The Castle Inn Wikipedia Entry

Hotel Vancouver (1916) Postcard

The postcard shows the Hotel Vancouver, the second hotel of that name, which was an Italian Renaissance style hotel built in 1916 by the Canadian Northern Railway. It stood at 15 floors/ 77m tall, and was between Howe and Granville Streets on the south side of West Georgia Street.

Hotel Vancouver Postcard

In the time of Hotel Vancouver the names of the Spanish Grill, the Panorama Roof, and the Red Barrel became famous as part of the city's social whirl. It had several ballrooms and lounges, as well as an adjacent opera house cum cinema (originally the Orpheum, later restyled the Lyric), and all the bathrooms were fitted with marble sinks and gold-plate faucetry.

During the Second World War, the second Hotel Vancouver was used as a barracks. CNR demolished the building in 1949 to make way for the third Hotel Vancouver which still operates. Pacific Centre mall and the Eaton's Store (constructed between 1969 and 1972) stand on the site today.

NOTE: DEMOLISHED IN 1949

SOURCES:
Hotel Vancouver (1916) Wikipedia Entry
Hotel Vancouver Wikipedia Entry

Central Hotel Berlin Postcard

In 1880, the Central Hotel opened in Friedrichstraße (lit. Frederick Street), a major culture and shopping street in central Berlin. But the hotel is more famous with its “jardin de plaisanterie” or winter garden.

Central Hotel Berlin Postcard

Situated in a magnificent glass hall reminiscent of a crystal palace, it covers some 2,000 sq. m. The guests at the plush hotel delight in promenading through the garden with its palm trees, evergreen shrubs and creepers, fountains and grottoes. On 21 June 1944 the hotel and the Wintergarten is destroyed in a bombing raid.

NOTE: DESTROYED DURING WORLD WAR II

Amara Singapore Postcard

Starting today, I will be posting the hotel postcards in my collection, existing/operational, destroyed or refurnished or even the renamed hotels. The postcard shows the Amara Singapore's swimming pool, which I got when I first visited Singapore in 2006. Amara Singapore is located within the heart of the bustling business, shopping and entertainment districts, and just steps away from the famous Singapore Chinatown.

Amara Singapore Postcard

Recently reborn after a complete refurbishment, Amara Singapore's 380-room showcases special touches like a lobby with minimalist theme, a Balinese-style resort pool ( landscaped half Olympic-sized pool) and a list of chic new restaurants. Unfortunately their website didn't mention anything about its construction.
ROOMS: Deluxe Room, Tropical 6, The Club Floor, Residential Suites

NOTE: OPERATIONAL
Address: 165 Tanjong Pagar Road Singapore 088539Tel: +65 6879 2555

SOURCE:
Amara Singapore Homepage

University of Padua Postcard

The postcard shows, I believe, the Palazzo del Bo entrance of the University of Padua. The university, located in Padua, Italy, was founded in 1222 when a large group of students and professors left the University of Bologna in search of more academic freedom. From the fifteenth to the eighteenth century, the university was renowned for its research, particularly in the areas of medicine, astronomy, philosophy and law.

University of Padua Postcard

Originally, the site of the historical seat of the University was occupied by an inn, at the “sign of the Ox” (Bo), which had been given to a butcher by Francesco da Carrara, Lord of Padua, in repayment for the meat supplied during the 1405 siege of the city. In 1539 the building became the property of the University, and ever since then it has housed the main seat of the Institute, though the name by which it is familiarly known has maintained that reference to the "sign of the Ox".

SOURCES:
University of Padua Wikipedia Entry
Palazzo Bo

University of Heidelberg Postcard

The postcard shows the New University building (middle building) of the University of Heidelberg, a public research university located in Germany. Founded in 1386, it is the oldest university in Germany. The university comprises two campuses: one in Heidelberg's Old Town and another in the Neuenheimer Feld quarter on the outskirts of the city.

University of Heidelberg Postcard

The New University building was constructed by Carl Grube in 1931-34. The New University replaced a neo-classical building created by the architect Friedrich Weinbrenner in 1828 for Heidelberg's museum's association. Its construction was made possible by the then American ambassador, Jacob Gould Schurman, who organized a campaign in the United States to collect donations for this purpose. The building contains lecture halls and a large assembly hall.

SOURCES:University of Heidelberg Wikipedia Entry
Stadt Heidelberg: New University

As Syakirin Mosque Postcard

The As Syakirin Mosque is a mosque situated near the Suria KLCC shopping centre and the Petronas Twin Towers. Syakirin is the real name of Prophet Nuh A.S.; Nuh meaning sadness. This is because he preaches his ummah for 950 years but only a few people follow him. Unfortunately wasn't able to find information about its construction.

As Syakirin Mosque Postcard

SOURCE:
As Syakirin Mosque Wikipedia Entry

Bulguksa Temple Postcard

Bulguksa Temple is a Buddhist temple in the North Gyeongsang province in South Korea. In 1995, Bulguksa was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List together with the Seokguram Grotto. The temple is considered as a masterpiece of the golden age of Buddhist art in the Silla kingdom. It is currently the head temple of the 11th district of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism.

Bulguksa Temple Postcard

The entrance to the temple, Sokgyemun, has a double-sectioned staircase and bridge that leads to the inside of the temple compound. The stairway is 33 steps high, corresponding to the 33 steps to enlightenment. The lower portion, Cheongungyo is 6.3 meters long and has 17 steps. The upper portion, Baegungyo is 5.4 meters and has 16 steps. The stairway leads to Jahamun.

SOURCE:
Bulguksa Wikipedia Entry

Cologne Cathedral Postcard

The postcard actually shows, I believe, the portals (or doors?). The Cologne Cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of Cologne and is dedicated to Saint Peter and the Blessed Virgin Mary. In 1996, the cathedral was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List, being one of the best-known architectural monuments in Germany, and described by UNESCO as an "exceptional work of human creative genius".

Cologne Cathedral Postcard

Construction of the Gothic church began in 1248 and took, with interruptions, until 1880 to complete – a period of over six hundred years. It is 144.5 metres long, 86.5 m wide and its two towers are 157 m tall.

SOURCE:
Cologne Cathedral Wikipedia Entry

Kuala Lumpur International Airport Postcard

Starting today I will be showing the postcards that I just purchased last weekend, mostly buildings. First one is the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, commonly known as KLIA, which is situated in Sepang district, in the south of the state of Selangor, about 50 km from Kuala Lumpur. Built at a cost of some US$3.5 billion, KLIA was opened on 27 June 1998 in time for the 1998 Commonwealth Games. Kuala Lumpur International Airport is currently ranked as the 13th busiest airport in the world by international passenger traffic in 2007.

Kuala Lumpur International Airport Postcard

The concept of KLIA's terminal building area was prepared by the late Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa. The terminal building area was designed using the concept of iirport in the forest, in which it is surrounded by green space. An entire section of rain forest was transplanted from the jungle and put in the satellite building.

SOURCES:
Kuala Lumpur International Airport Wikipedia Entry
Operations and Infrastructure of KLIA Wikipedia Entry

Santo Niño Shrine and Heritage Museum Postcard

The Santo Niño Shrine & Heritage Museum is just one of the 29 rest houses built by former Philippine President Ferdinand E. Marcos for his wife Imelda Romualdez Marcos. The two-storey Sto. Niño Shrine and Heritage Museum showcases the seven bedrooms of the Marcos family (one for each member, with Imelda's room with the jacuzzi as the highlight). Also on the second floor are a ballroom and a 30-seater dining conference room and downstairs are 13 guest rooms, each with its own native motif and dioramas of Imelda's growth to womanhood.

Santo Niño Shrine and Heritage Museum Postcard

The Sto. Niño Shrine and Heritage Museum houses the Italian-imported ivory Sto. Niño which attractively surrounded by lighted diamond-pattern cut glass. A St. Remedios icon stands to its right, and a St. Vincent icon to its left (which are incidentally the names of Imelda's mother and father). A brass monstrance, studded with diamonds, stands next to the St. Vincent icon. There are also rows of narra pews and rows of chandeliers light the whole place.
Inside the heritage museum are priceless art pieces, antique Chinese jars and collections of icons, original paintings of noted Filipino artists (Malang, Manalad, and Amorsolo), Italian sculptures, and French and English-period furniture. At the back of the building is a stainless steel kitchen that will impress even a 5-star chef, and overlooking that is an Olympic-size swimming pool.

From: Southwall Magazine, Premier Issue, February 2005

SOURCE:The Sto. Niño Shrine and Heritage Museum

Rizal Memorial Library and Museum Postcard

Rizal Memorial Library and Museum at Fuente Osmeña houses some 100 paintings, 50 sculptures, antique chinaware, furniture, and woodcarvings. There are also a few archaeological finds. A modern sculpture by Eliseo Pepito meets you at the door beside a mega-size 15th century Chinese vat donated by Fred Labra.

Rizal Memorial Library and Museum Postcard

As you move around the museum, you run into landscapes, portraits of well-known Cebuano figures and personalities, floral renditions, and murals. Antique chinaware from Carcar from the personal collections of Eva Mesa and Luther Galicano are stacked in a 40-year-old cabinet owned by Matilde Palicte. Its upper floor is utilized as a performing arts hall for concert and theatre productions by Cebu talents. On the ground floor is the Rizal Memorial Library which keeps some important books on Cebuano history and culture.

SOURCE:
Museum Hopping in Cebu (An Article)

National Museum of the Filipino People Postcard

The National Museum of the Philippines is the official repository established in 1901 as a natural history and ethnography museum of the Philippines. It is located next to Rizal Park and near Intramuros in Manila. Its main building was designed in 1918 by an American Architect, Daniel Burnham. Today, that building, the former Old Congress Building, holds the arts, natural sciences and other support divisions and the adjacent former Finance building, in the Agrifina Circle of Rizal Park, houses the Anthropology and Archaeology Divisions and is known as the The National Museum of the Filipino People.

National Museum of the Filipino People Postcard

SOURCE:
National Museum of the Philippines Wikipedia Entry

UPDATE: Chinese Laborers Postcard

Last July 7th, I had an entry entitled "Chinese Laborers Postcard." I was browsing the Filipiniana book "100 Events that Shaped the Philippines" when I noticed on page 165 that the picture and my postcard are the same!
The caption on the book reads "Sangleys delivering tobacco to factories." Sangley is an archaic term used to describe and classify a person of pure Chinese ancestry. Now I know what they were carrying, but still have no clue what's the name of the church in the background .