LESOTHO / SOUTH AFRICA - Maloti-Drakensberg Park

"The Maloti-Drakensberg Park is a transboundary site composed of the uKhahlamba Drakensberg National Park in South Africa and the Sehlathebe National Park in Lesotho. The site has exceptional natural beauty in its soaring basaltic buttresses, incisive dramatic cutbacks, and golden sandstone ramparts as well as visually spectacular sculptured arches, caves, cliffs, pillars and rock pools. The site's diversity of habitats protects a high level of endemic and globally important plants. The site harbors endangered species such as the Cape vulture (Gyps coprotheres) and the bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus). Lesotho’s Sehlabathebe National Park also harbors the Maloti minnow (Pseudobarbus quathlambae), a critically endangered fish species only found in this park. This spectacular natural site contains many caves and rock-shelters with the largest and most concentrated group of paintings in Africa south of the Sahara. They represent the spiritual life of the San people, who lived in this area over a period of 4,000 years." -http://whc.unesco.org

Postcard 1: Central Drakensberg

 

"The Drakensberg is a famous area for hiking. I love to be there...", shares Gisela. 

Thank you so much for this card with colorful stamps, Gisela! =)

Postcard 2: Drakensberg in Kwazulu Natal Province

Thank you so much JP for this awesome postcard!

Hope you had a great time in South Africa last December!

Postcard 3: The Amphitheater & Tugela River

"Driving from Johannesburg to Durham with the scenic route,

we had the Drakensberg Mountains on our right all the way! Fantastic!",

shares Jean Pierre.

Thank you so much JP for sharing with me a glimpse of your trip in South Africa before 

Christmas 2016!  I love stamps too! ^-^

SOUTH AFRICA - Vredefort Dome

"Vredefort Dome, approximately 120 km south-west of Johannesburg, is a representative part of a larger meteorite impact structure, or astrobleme. Dating back 2,023 million years, it is the oldest astrobleme yet found on Earth. With a radius of 190 km, it is also the largest and the most deeply eroded. Vredefort Dome bears witness to the world’s greatest known single energy release event, which had devastating global effects including, according to some scientists, major evolutionary changes. It provides critical evidence of the Earth’s geological history and is crucial to understanding of the evolution of the planet. Despite the importance of impact sites to the planet’s history, geological activity on the Earth’s surface has led to the disappearance of evidence from most of them, and Vredefort is the only example to provide a full geological profile of an astrobleme below the crater floor." -http://whc.unesco.org

Hi Retha! Thank you so much for this really wonderful card!

I so much appreciate the love and effort on the art work you added on it!

I really need this today to brighten up my gloomy day.

I wish you a great great day too! ^-^

SOUTH AFRICA - Cape Floral Region Protected Areas

"A serial site – in Cape Province, South Africa – made up of eight protected areas, covering 553,000 ha, the Cape Floral Region is one of the richest areas for plants in the world. It represents less than 0.5% of the area of Africa but is home to nearly 20% of the continent’s flora. The site displays outstanding ecological and biological processes associated with the Fynbos vegetation, which is unique to the Cape Floral Region. The outstanding diversity, density and endemism of the flora are among the highest worldwide. Unique plant reproductive strategies, adaptive to fire, patterns of seed dispersal by insects, as well as patterns of endemism and adaptive radiation found in the flora, are of outstanding value to science." -http://whc.unesco.org

The 8 Protected Areas:

1. Table Mountain

2. De Hoop Nature Reserve
3. The Boland Mountain Complex
4. The Groot Winterhoek Wilderness Area
5. The Swartberg Mountains
6. The Boosmansbos Wilderness Area
7. The Cederberg Wilderness Area
8. Baviaanskloof

Thank you so much Anouk for this wonderful card of Table Mountain

viewed from Bloubergstrand at sunset.

Hope you had a great time there!

SOUTH AFRICA - Robben Island

"Robben Island was used at various times between the 17th and 20th centuries as a prison, a hospital for socially unacceptable groups and a military base. Its buildings, particularly those of the late 20th century such as the maximum security prison for political prisoners, witness the triumph of democracy and freedom over oppression and racism." -http://whc.unesco.org

 

"Robben Island is a Museum now. It is Nelson Mandela's old prison", shares Gisela. 

Many many thanks for this wonderful postcard! =)