USA ~ Dry Tortugas National Park - Florida ~

... Beautiful views of the most unique and remote national park in the country... one of the smallest by land area... only accessible by boat or seaplane... a hidden gem full of history and beauty.... the area is known for its richness in migrating land birds and vast seabird colonies... spectacular coral reefs filled with aquatic life... due to its unique location along migratory routes and the pristine habitat, it is a bird watchers dream... today the Park is the most active turtle nesting site in Florida... here you can find Loggerhead, Hawksbill, Leatherback, Kemp’s Ridley and Green Sea Turtles... but years of hunting have taken their toll, and these once abundant turtles are now all on the Endangered Species List... also the 19thC Fort Jefferson, one of the largest coastal forts every built, is a central feature... nicknamed "the Gibraltar of the Gulf" the fort is held together by more than 16 million bricks... this makes it the America's largest masonry structure in existence... it was never fully completed and never fired upon... during the Civil War, Fort Jefferson served as a Union military prison... also this time with unique "Dry Tortugas" special National Parks stamp cancellation👍💙... Big Thanks Andrene! (✿ ♥‿♥)

The Dry Tortugas is a group of seven small islands located 70 miles west of Key West in the Gulf of Mexico.The park was established as a National Park in 1992 and lies at the farthest end of the Florida Keys, closer to Cuba than to the American mainland. It cover a total area of 64,700 acres.

It was originally named “Las Tortugas” (the Spanish word for turtle or tortoise) by Ponce De Leon in 1513 for the amount of sea turtles in the area.

The term 'Dry' in Dry Tortugas is used to refer to the Island's lack of surface fresh water. Dry Tortugas National Park is comprised of 99% water. The remaining 1% is made up of seven major islands and 104 acres of land in total.


Ⓒ Lantern Press

Stamp:

 Holiday Stamp - Poinsettia
 (Issued 26-08-2018)

USA ~ Fort Lauderdale - Florida ~

... Great postcard form a year round sun-filled beach town... famous for its pristine beaches, miles of swaying palm trees and soft ocean breezes... also known as the Venice of America, because of its 270 miles of canals and waterways... this must be the first postcard you sent before cruising to the Caribbean and it came as last... Loved them all😍... Big Thanks Glenn!!【ツ】

Photo John Gordash
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is a city located on the coast in southeast Florida close to Miami. It is part of the South Florida metropolitan area. The city was first founded by Major William Lauderdale during the Seminole War of 1837-1838.

It is home to Port Everglades, one of the largest ship terminals in the world with nine major cruise lines, and over 40 massive ships.

There are 23 miles of Atlantic beaches in Fort Lauderdale.

Stamps:

WPA Posters 7
(Issued 07-03-2017)

USA ~ Lighthouse on Baca Chita Key - Biscayne National Park - Florida ~

... Day 2 with a wonderful new National Parkツ... view of the most recognizable landmark in the park... the iconic and historic lighthouse on Boca Chita Key... when staff are on the island it is open to visitors and provides breathtaking vistas of nearby islands, bay, ocean and Miami’s skyline from its observation deck.... it is the largest marine park in the US and protects an incredible array of wildlife...  pelicans, manatees, sea turtles... including hundreds of species of colorful fish...  plants found nowhere else in the US... great place for diving, snorkeling, fishing, boating, hiking, camping, wildlife watching and cultural exploration... Thanks soooo much Andrene!! (✿◠‿◠)

Photo: Russ Finley
The lighthouse (65 feet tall) made of coral rock was originally built by millionaire Mark Honeywell in the 1930's and is located on one of the 50 islands in Biscayne National Park. The lighthouse was never officially allowed as a navigation.

Biscayne National Park is a 69.999ha park located south of Miami, Florida. 95% of this national park is water, with coral reefs, mangroves, islands, and Biscayne Bay. Humans have inhabited the region encompassing Biscayne National Park for at least 10,000 years.

There are four ecosystems in Biscayne National Park. These include the Coral Limestone Keys, the offshore Florida Reef, the Shallow Waters of Biscayne Bay, and the Shoreline Mangrove Swamp.

Biscayne was made a national park on June 28, 1980.

Stamp:

Forever stamps - the echeveria
(Issued 28-04-2017)

USA ~ Walt Disney World - Cinderella's Castle - Florida ~

... A wonderful 3-D postcard coming from probably the happiest place on earthヽ(ヅ)ノ ... for young and old... Cinderella's Castle with Tinkerbell and Firework... the icon for the Magic Kingdom park... and the most photographed building at Walt Disney World... Thanks a lot Lauri!! ❁◕ ‿ ◕❁

Walt Disney Company

The Walt Disney World Resort is the world's most-visited entertainment resort located in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

It has 4 theme Parks:
Magic Kingdom
Epcot Disney's
Hollywood Studios
Disney's Animal Kingdom.

 At 189-feet high, this grand Cinderella's castle is the central focal point of the Magic Kingdom.The Castle was completed in July 1971, after about 18 months of construction.

The castle's look was inspired by a variety of real and fictional castles, such as Fontainebleau, Versailles and the chateaus of Chenonceau, Chambord and Chaumont, as well as the castle from the film "Cinderella" and Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland.

© Disney

Stamp:

Forever stamps - the echeveria
(Issued 28-04-2017)

USA ~Miami- Florida ~

...From family...a wonderful BIG size Miami view....and guess what they where doing there??? Yes, a cruise on the Norwegian Pearl... A BIG THANKS ❤ Dorien and Ben!!

© Scenic Florida Distributors From backside card:
The cruise capital of the world is located downtown Miami with Jungle Island on the foreground.

PortMiami, continues to expand as the world's leading cruise port. In 2014, PortMiami processed close to 4.8 million multi-day passengers—more than any other port in the world.

With 18 cruise brands berthing 36 ships PortMiami is clearly the departure destination of choice for cruises to the Bahamas, the Caribbean, Mexico and beyond, offering cruise vacations for every taste and budget -- from family fun to luxury cruising.

Stamps:

Star Spangled Banner (Forever)
(Issued 28-01-2014)

USA ~ Hemingway Home and Museum - Key West

...It was not only sun, sand and beaches :D...Ben and Dorien also visited this great historical site... one of the most famous tourist attractions... Thaaaanks!!

Photo © Werner J. Bertsch
Backside card:
The Nobel Prize winning author resided here between the years of 1931 to 19by to 1940 with his second wife Pauline Pfeifer and their two sons Patrick and Gregory.The home was built in Spanish Colonial style of native rock hewn from the grounds, with furnishings, rugs, tile and  chandeliers brought by the Hemingways from Spain, Africa and Cuba. Guided tours will bring you closer to Ernest's life in the 1930's. A living memorial to the important American author, bullfight aficionado, big game hunter, deep-sea fisherman, world adventurer and cat lover.

Ernest Hemingway's most productive years were spent in Key West. And this is the place he did most of his writing.

Stamps:
Forever stamps - A Flag For All Seasons
(Issued 03-05-2013)

USA ~ Miami - South Beach - Ocean Drive ~

One more great Miami holiday view...Thanks a lot Dorien en Ben!!

South Beach, also nicknamed SoBe, is a neighborhood in the city of Miami Beach, Florida, located due east of Miami city proper between Biscayne Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. The area encompasses all of the barrier islands of Miami Beach south of Indian Creek.

Ocean Drive is a major thoroughfare in the South Beach neighborhood of Miami Beach. It is known for its Art Deco hotels.







Photo: Warren Flagler

Stamps:
Forever stamps - A Flag For All Seasons
(Issued 03-05-2013)

USA ~Purple Gallinule - Florida Everglades-UNESCO~

My nephews 5 postcard and the second of the amazing Everglades...posted at the same time as the last one... but travelled a week longer... a vibrant colored bird...he seems to walk on water with his special yellow colored feet!! Thanks a lot Ben for all the wonderful "holiday" postcards!! :D

With Forever Flag stamps.

The Purple Gallinule  also called "swamp hen" is a beautiful colored bird of southern and tropical wetlands, he can be see walking on top of floating vegetation or clambering through dense shrubs. Its extremely long toes help it walk on lily pads without sinking.

Purple Gallinules are know to eat a variety of both plants and animals so they are categorized as omnivores. They eat seeds, leaves and fruits both in the water and on land and have also been know to eat insects, frogs, snails, spiders, earthworms and fish. Sometimes Purple Gallinules will even eat eggs and chicks of other species of birds.

USA ~Everglades National Park - UNESCO~

...Card nr 4 from Ben's holiday in the USA... and one of the highlights of his trip...a guided tour in the Everglades... because the animals are  used to many visitors you can get so close to the alligators and water birds!! Hééél erg bedankt Ben voor de vele fantastische kaartjes!!

Put his last stamps on this card...the whole quartet of great Forever Flag stamps.(Issued 22-02-2012 - tomorrow a year ago :D )

The largest (nearly 1.5 million acres in size) subtropical wilderness in the USA protects an amazing landscape filled with curious flora and fauna.The park provides important habitat for numerous rare and endangered species like the manatee,American crocodile, and the Florida panther.

The Everglades National Park composes part of the largest stand of protected mangrove forest in the Western Hemisphere.

USA ~Miami Beach~

From freezing cold and snow in Louisville...to hot, sun, sea and beaches... Thanks again Ben!!

.

With lovely Forever flag stamps

Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Florida.It is located on a series of natural and man-made barrier islands between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter which seperates the Beach from Miami city.

USA ~Key West~

A beautiful aerial view ...it all looks so blue... must been a great trip...visiting Key West with a rented "Ford Mustang" car...an experience of a lifetime ... Thanks a lot Ben!

Again the nice Forever Flag stamps!!

Key West is 129 miles (208 km) southwest (229.9 degrees) of Miami and the southernmost point in the U.S. It is famous for watersports, lively nightlife, beaches and historic sites such as the Ernest Hemingway House.

USA ~Tampa-Gasparilla Pirate Festival ~

A pirate festival...it looks so much fun... every January the world’s only fully-rigged pirate ship, the Jose Gasparilla, appears in the waters of Florida with booming cannons and costumed pirates ...visited by more than 400.000 people every year!
Thank you so much Jesus (I'm wondering will you be going too? ^___^)

With nice stamp from the Forever serie: Great Film Directors (Issued 23-05-2012)
and the the George Washington definitive stamp.(Issued 11-04-2011)

The Gasparilla Pirate Invasion and Parade has been a Tampa tradition for over 100 years. Named for the legendary pirate, Jose Gaspar (Gasparilla)— the last of the Buccaneers, a Spanish pirate captain who terrorized the coastal waters of West Florida during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

The theme is an "invasion" by Gasparilla and his men, which begins when the "Krewe" (made up of residents of the city) arrives on a 165' long priate ship, the Jose Gaspar.

USA ~Florida-Tampa~

...Great view of beautiful colored skyscrapers... Thanks a lot Jesus!!
I hope everything is alright over there because we hear a lot of disturbing news about hurricane "Sandy".:(

With lovely stamps: Madonna of the Candelabra by Raphael (Issued 13-12011)
Tiffany Lamp stamp (Issued 28-04-2009)
Navajo Jewelry (Issued 12-02-2011)

Tampa is the commercial center of Florida's West Coast. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County and is located on the west coast of Florida, on Tampa Bay near the Gulf of Mexico.
While it's the country's eleventh busiest seaport and a center of banking, it is also bustling with attractions that bring visitors from all over the world.

USA ~Florida-Tampa~

Great and really "big" size card from Florida on a cloudy day...Mostly we only think of Florida as the "sunshine" state with sandy beaches and palm trees ...Thanks a lot Jesus!!

With two great stamps from the Forever serie:“Lights, Camera, Action”
On May 23 in Silver Spring, Maryland, the U.S. Postal Service will honor four great filmmakers who captured the many varieties of the American experience. Frank Capra, John Ford, John Huston, and Billy Wilder created some of the most iconic scenes in American cinema and gave audiences an unforgettable vision of life.

Tampa is a part of the metropolitan area most commonly referred to as the Tampa Bay Area. Tampa is part of the Tampa-St Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida. The four-county area is composed of roughly 2,7 million residents, making it the second largest metropolitan statistical area in the state, and the fourthlargest in the Southeastern United States. (From the back of the card)

USA ~Walt Disney World~

...I think this must be the happiest place on earth ^__^... For young and old...Thanks a lot Evans Family!!
Walt disney's quote: "Your dead if you aim only for kids. Adults are only kids grown up, anyway."

The Walt Disney World Resort (also known as Walt Disney World and informally as Disney World) is the world's most-visited entertainment resort located in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
With 4 theme Parks:
Magic Kingdom
Epcot
Disney's Hollywood Studios
Disney's Animal Kingdom.

USA ~Florida-map~

Wonderful and my first mapcard from "The sunny State" Florida! (US1358158)...I love the bright colors and all the interesting details on this card! Thanks Rose!

Great stamp (I think created on stamp.com)...unique and with pumpkins... really ideal for this time of the year!!

Florida is located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean with state capital Tallahassee.

USA ~Florida's historic Lighthouses~

Views of Florida's Historic Lighthouses.

USA ~Florida~

This lovely card arrived today from Florida.... It looks such a gentle and harmless animal...I think the reason why they also called "Sea Cow" must be related to their feed because I don't see any simularity with a cow! :) Still wish I could see them in the wild.... And again lovely stamps too!

The Manatee "Sea Cow" makes its winterhome in Crystal River and the other rivers of the suncoast. When the Gulf waters cool, the Manatee moves into the spring-fed rivers with their constant year round temperature of 72 degrees. They are huge beasts and though they may grow to be 15 feet long and a weigh as much as 1500 pounds. Manatees are vegetarians and feed on submerged plants growing near the suface of our streams and canals.