#528 Santa Barbara, California, USA

Sleeping Beauty Castle is the fairy tale structure castle at the center of Disneyland Park and Hong Kong Disneyland. It is based on the late-19th century Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, Germany, with some French inspirations (especially Notre Dame de Paris and the Hospices de Beaune).

Opened July 17, 1955, the castle is the oldest of all Disney castles. Though it reaches a height of only 77 feet (23 m), it was designed to appear taller through a process known as forced perspective; design elements are larger at the foundation and smaller at the turrets. The castle initially featured an empty upper level that was never intended to house an attraction, but Walt Disney was not satisfied with what he viewed as wasted space, and challenged his Imagineers to find some use for the space.

Beginning April 29, 1957, visitors were able to walk through the castle and view several dioramas depicting the story of Sleeping Beauty. The original dioramas were designed in the style of Eyvind Earle, production designer for Disney's 1959 film Sleeping Beauty, and were then redone in 1977 to resemble the window displays on Main Street, U.S.A.. The walkthrough was closed for unspecified reasons in October 2001; popular belief claims the September 11th attacks and the potential danger that ensued played a major factor in the closing.

On July 17, 2008, Disney announced that the Sleeping Beauty Castle walkthrough would reopen in the style of the original Earle dioramas, enhanced with new technology not available in 1957. The walkthrough reopened on November 27, 2008 at 5:00 PM, drawing long lines going as far back as the Hub. Unlike previous incarnations, visitors who are unable to climb stairs or navigate the passageways of the Castle can still experience the walkthrough "virtually" in a special room on the Castle's ground floor. This room is lavishly themed, and presents the closed-captioned CGI walkthrough recreation on a high-definition TV. This same virtual recreation is included on the Sleeping Beauty 50th Anniversary Platinum Edition DVD.

Wikipedia.org

Date of Issue: January 16, 2013 | Year of the Snake

Date of Issue: November 19, 2013 | Harry Potter

Thank you, Michelle !

Sent on: March 4, 2014

Received on: March 11, 2014

#94 Dallas, Texas, USA | US-1743776

Texas is the second most populous and the second most extensive of the 50 states in the United States of America, and the most extensive state of the 48 contiguous United States. The name, based on the Caddo word tejas meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in East Texas. Located in the South Central United States, Texas shares an international border with the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas to the south, and borders the US states of New Mexico to the west, Oklahoma to the north, Arkansas to the northeast, and Louisiana to the east. Texas has an area of 268,820 square miles (696,200 km2), and a growing population of 25.7 million residents.

State Capital: Austin
Largest City: Houston

Admission to Union: December 29, 1847 (28th)

Highest Elevation: Guadalupe Peak 8,751 ft (2667.4 m)
Lowest point: Gulf of Mexico - sea level

Wikipedia.org

Date of Issue: March 16, 2007 - American Design: Silver Coffeepot

Thank you, Corinne (EmeraldMist) !

Received on: June 29, 2012

Travel time: 4 days

Distance: 1978 km (1229 miles)

#50 Virginia, USA | US-1043275

Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state located in the South Atlantic region of the United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are shaped by the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Chesapeake Bay, which provide habitat for much of its flora and fauna. The capital of the Commonwealth is Richmond; and Virginia Beach is the most populous city. Fairfax County is the most populous political subdivision. The wealthiest is Loudoun County.

State Capital: Richmond
Largest City: Virginia Beach
Admission to Union: June 25, 1788 (10th)
Highest Point: Mount Rogers 5,729 ft (1746 m)
Lowest Point: Atlantic Ocean - sea level

Wikipedia.org

Date of Issue: January 24, 2003 - American Design: American Clock

Thank you, Jennifer (Winpax) !

Received on: March 21, 2011

Travel time: 6 days

Distance: 7056 km (4384 miles)

#12 Des Moines, Iowa, USA | US-917619

Barrel cacti are classified into the two genera Echinocactus and Ferocactus, both of which are found in the Southwest Desert of North America.

The Barrel Cactus buds start to bloom in April with a bright yellow flower. The flowers only appear on the very top of the plant. As the flowers begin to wilt in early May, they turn orange in color. The flower yields a yellow small pineapple-shaped fruit, which doesn't usually reach maturity until Summer.

Barrel cacti can store up to and sometimes more than 500 kilograms of water; and can live up to 100 years or more.

Wikipedia.org

Date of Issue: August 20, 2004 - American Design: Navajo Jewelry

Date of Issue: May 31, 2002 - American Design: American Toleware

I really love cacti, so thank you very much, Renee (motherbrando) !

Received on: December 7, 2010

Travel time: 13 days 

Distance:  7546 km (4689 miles)