Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Definitely non philatelic.
I will post one puzzle a day, and a clue. when someone has the answer, I will acknowledge. I encourage you to do the same, and participate in virtual travels.
Places you have been to, that may inspire or bring back souvenirs. Does not have to be too difficult. Just enough to get one thinking, and dreaming
rrr....
Ralph's Dec 26 virtual travel location and clue:
250 plus sq miles of blinding desert.
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Well done Mel (an easy one to get the travel bus rolling).
A bit of info: Not a sand desert.
It is actually cool to the touch even in hot sun.
https://www.nps.gov/whsa/index.htm
""Rising from the heart of the Tularosa Basin is one of the world's great natural wonders - the glistening white sands of New Mexico. Great wave-like dunes of gypsum sand have engulfed 275 square miles of desert, creating the world's largest gypsum dunefield"".
rrr.....
Now here is a bit more of a challenge: (staying with deserts, as they do fascinate me!).
I forgot the clue..well about 40,000 sq miles
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no
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Salar de Uyuni
Atacama Desert in Chile
(I cheated by using an image search. To avoid this the images need to not already be online.)
Don
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Don:- OOOOOOOO.......you naughty naughty boy!
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Oooh Don...how very very naughty indeed, (I am agreeing with Ian again).
If you are going to use image assisted computer software, please email me for confirmation...don't spoil it for the others.
I guess I may skip the easy ones from here on, And do I need to photoshop my entries?!!
Well the last destination for today for me. Is anyone else interested in sharing travel photos? And stories?
Still in the desert mood, but smaller.
clue: it is in not in the Americas.
The ever moving dunes by the ocean swallow the vegetation, then exposes it again, ever shifting. The only access to the circuit around the park here is on the beach (see the tracks) at low tide in a 4x4 sand-specialty vehicles (needed when you have no other path than the sand dunes. (On our trip, we had a tire puncture (tires as high as a human) and it took 2 hours to lift the vehicle in the sand, slide support for the winch and tire, and replace the flat).
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I did get both the first two correct, but I came to the party late. Story of my life.I
Is the third one Kangaroo Island, off the coast of South Australia?
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no
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There is a fellow over on SCF who runs a weekly ‘can you ID this stamp’ contest by showing a small part of a stamp. Most folks were/are using image searches, some of them quite creatively, to solve the contest each week. This opened a discussion if the contest was testing philatelic knowledge or online search knowledge. The consensus end up being ‘it didn’t matter’ mostly because there was no way to know how a person was solving the riddles.
I replied this to thread so that everyone understood that this is an issue, I did not mean to spoil anyone’s fun.
Before posting image for this riddle thread, you could do a image search yourself and make sure it does not show up. If you are lifting images you use in this thread from the internet, you can crop the image down (sometime you may need to crop it quite a bit) and greatly lower the odds the image will be IDed by any image search. Changing the color levels, (i.e. turning it to gray scale), resolution, etc will also help. The more attributes you change from the original image the less likely an image search will match it.
Don
Edit: I'll refrain form posting some of the creative image searching tips as not to spoil future puzzles.
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no
Wrong continent
Don, yes it will be a problem, but if using image recognition software, please message me your discovery, instead of posting it here. If you have no idea, you can also wait until someone recognizes it. I will make it more difficult as I access my own photos down the road. This is just a quick start to see it there is interest in covid-19 escape traveling. And participation?
For the others who use their own memory or other clues, it may be a good idea when you discover the destination and post the answer here, to edit out the name from their post after I acknowledge, so as to still offer a challenge to the others who come later...people come at all time.
I will post some additional info and a story about it at a later time.
rrr...
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rrraphy, you could of course let it run for several hours before you acknowledge any answers.
My answer is Namibia. The edge of the Kalahari.
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Yes Brechinite, I agree. The skeleton coast.
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Good idea Ian. I will refrain from acknowledging the correct answer, except by private message, until the next day. I will however answer when it is wrong, to keep you thinking. (keep experimenting...)
I do want to check a new location daily...more if I am so inspired.
Ian, No wrong continent. I have never been to Namibia, and wish I had. I am only posting about my past travels.
I may add as a clue that the Brits love vacationing near by.
rrr....
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Us Brits have vacations all over the world. But the majority spend it in Spain.
Tabernas Desert in Spain
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Don,
About the Atacama Desert in Chile, the road over the Andes from Salta(Argentina) to Saint Pedro de Atacama (which takes all day in the comfort of cross border double decker busses), is well worth the experience. The border station is east of the border in the small settlement of Jama at 4,100 meters (13,500 ft), and crossing (bureaucrats!) the border is really a trip (no pun intended) at the very highest pass around 60 kilometers (35 mi) west of the border, making it one of the most spectacular and highest highways I have ever traveled. There is a pass even higher if you head North to Bolivia. Maybe in another life! This was 2018.
This was our second attempt (successful this one) to reach the Atacama desert by road from Argentina. (the goal always was to see the radio telescope station way up near St Pedro in Chile). On our first attempt, several years earlier when I was still foolish enough to drive small (not even 4 wheel drive) rental cars in these wild expanses, my wife and I got flooded (yes flooded! in an place that gets 1/2 inch of rain a year, on average)
It rained 12 inches overnight. Bridges washed away, roads flooded and it was time to get out at all cost. We turned south to escape, in a harrowing 8 hours (barely 40 miles drive on the notorious Hwy 40 of Argentina). Who said 1 ton + rocks to pebble size ones do not move in the desert, and mud cannot fill all the washes and road surfaces (washes, because no bridges in the road). Have you ever tried to follow an eighteen wheeler on a wet and slick mud covered road (in a compact stick shift rental?). It is an art. One wheel deep in the tire trench, and one on the bulge in the middle of the road. Truckdrivers are dependable to help push you out when you get stuck, (Come to think of it, otherwise they are stuck behind you).
rrr...
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Ian: Tabernas Desert in Spain No Ian, although you are definitely getting closer.
rrr...
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A few more clues.
Home of some of the rarest birds of Europe (The Iberian Eagle)
Designated World heritage site.
Here is the vehicle you tour this area in:
rrr... on 12/27/2020
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Parque Nacional Monfragüe
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no and no
yes it is a national park
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Donana National Park in South West Spain?
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Well done Gudgie. Not an easy one as it is largely unknown and I will be damned if I know why!
Here is a quote:
"""A secret side to Spain: A brilliant blur of birdlife in Coto Donana National Park - the giant nature reserve you've never heard of Coto Donana National Park is the largest nature reserve in all of Europe.
It lies on Spain's south-west coast, an easy one-hour drive from Seville
It plays host to a wealth of bird life - but few British tourists are aware of it, even when they flock to the beaches and pubs of nearby Mazagon."""
By the way some terrific beaches, and lots and lots of pubs in Mazagon. https://www.andalucia.com/province/huelva/mazagon/home.htm
Since the road on the West coast of Spain does not cross the Guadalquivir River near the ocean on the West (Nearest bridge is in Seville 100+ km to the East, and there are no ferries...I looked), few tourists accidentally go to this part of Spain on their route to the more famous southern Andalusia towns.
Hop on the travel bus tomorrow for another puzzle.
rrr....
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Travel quizz of 9/28/2020
Where is this, probably the oldest mailbox in continuous service in the world.
(no it is not in Scotland, in spite of the whisky baril)
Please refrain from using image recognition, even if I tried to alter the look of the picture, it is quite iconic. I will acknowledge the right answer in a private message today, and ask you to remove your post after correct confirmation to give late comers a chance to solve the puzzle.
rrr...
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Well done Melvin (mbo1142). Your correct answer is now invisible. Thanks for your cooperation.
rrr...
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Melvin was the only one to find the quizz destination yesterday, (congratulations), and yet it was of philatelic interest. And an Iconic landmark, although for a long time it was defaced by tourist graffiti.
POST OFFICE BAY, FLOREANA ISLAND GALAPAGOS ECUADOR.
An empty whiskey cask had been placed on Floreana Island in 1793, when whalers and sailors frequented the remote archipelago to restock on fresh water and capture giant tortoises for their meat. Since the seamen could be on the ocean for years at a time, they had to devise a clever way to communicate with family back at home. It’s a tradition that continues to this day. What you are supposed to do is place your mail in the box after, you have sieved through the accumulated mail in the box, and select a few envelopes with destination near your home, for hand delivery when you return. (or alternatively to forward over).
It probably is the postal box with the longest continuous usage, predating the postage stamp. (probably going back to 1793)
More information: https://www.galapagosislands.com/blog/post-office-bay/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floreana_Island
http://www.galapagos.to/TEXTS/POBARREL.HTM
rrr...
Next destination later today 12/29/2020, unless someone beats me to it!
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Hey, I love Mel but not everyone has an unlimited travel budget. Here's the snapshot he sent me from his latest trip.
Guess where it is.
Cheers, Dave.
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Traveling with imagination.
Nice card! I Wonder how long it took the mailman to deliver it?
In my later years I still travel as a avid outdoor, naturalist, birdwatcher, and yes.... scuba diver. But with no children to raise I am lucky that my budget has evolved a bit from the early days. I started as a backpacker and hitchhiker on a student budget, on my own from age 18 on I have always prioritized traveling. I must say that my dad's hobby (he was a world renown Cave explorer or spelunker), took the family to some pretty unusual locations, mostly during the summer months (he was a school teacher otherwise). It was every's week-end and holiday family occupation (kids and mom camped outside with the support teams). I could maybe feature some iconic caves in the future.
Now for today's travel puzzle:
12/29/2020
Many of us in the US know about the smallest post office in the US, shown below. It is in the Everglades and here is a picture.
Any idea where the smallest post office is outside the US.
It is also an accidental birdwatching location, but it is not good for Scuba.
Here is a photo, not as well known as the Galapagos Barrel Postal box, but still quite iconic and its look may mislead some of you. No cheating please, and if you google it, better to message me for confirmation than post here.
Country first then location please.
rrr...
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The yellow house next to the mill seems to be in one of the Nordic countries, I'm guessing Norway or Iceland.
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Darn it Dave,
You gave away my contribution to the puzzle contest. Now I will have to come up with some where else I have visited. Look for someplace in the near future.
PS: It took 6 and 1/2 months for the card to arrive.
Mel
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Good guess peppie61..well it is not Holland! Apparently it is also the only windmill in that country!
Country yes but can anyone be more specific?
rrr...
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Well done Mel: Vigur Island, Iceland, a far-flung island with seabirds & sheep farming, plus Iceland's smallest post office & only windmill.
""The picturesque island of Vigur, half an hour's boat trip from Isafjordur, greets you with thousands of birds. The island has a well-deserved reputation for bird watching in Iceland. Vigur is home to puffins, black guillemot, Arctic terns, eider ducks and other birdlife species.
The beautiful landscape conveys a sense of timelessness. Vigur is the second largest island in Isafjordur Bay, but it only has five inhabitants – a farmer and his family. They will welcome you in their relaxed easy manner and make you feel at home. You can take a leisurely walk around the island and see Iceland's only windmill. Prior to heading back, you can visit the smallest post office in Europe and send home a postcard.""
rrr....
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Ralph,
Sorry I did not email you first as you requested. I promise to do better next time.
My turn:
It is a 62 meter deep fountain known as the Lions Pit. And yes it is in a castle. Name country and castle.
Mel
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OK, no guesses so next clue. The picture is on a post card and I believe not found on any web site.
Think of oranges and one of the largest medieval castles in Europe. If this does not get some guesses, then I will just have to almost give it away.
Mel
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Guessing in Holland?
Was that part of the wine cellar?
rrr....
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Would the castle be the Alhambra in Spain?
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Looking for palaces and castles related to William III (of Orange). But cannot find any that fit the bill. I am lost!
rrr
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Ralph, you are on the right track with the Orange. Maybe my puzzle was just a little to hard. Will make the next one a little easier. The following is from Wikipedia which explains it much better than I can. I have visited the site and it is quite interesting.
"Castle Dillenburg, in the provincial town of Dillenburg in Hesse-Nassau, is situated on a hill (elevation 958 feet) above the Dill river, 25 miles northwest from Gießen on the Giessen-Troisdorf railway line.
The main building of the old castle was deconstructed in 1760 after suffering fire from cannon damage in the Seven Years' War. Today the hill above the town still has the ruins of the 17th-century fortifications of the old schloss Dillenburg, but nothing at all remains of the original fortifications, which were mostly wood. It was founded by Count Henry the Rich of Nassau, about the year 1240, and later became the birthplace of Prince William of Orange in 1533. Due to the effects of the Protestant reformation, in the town below is the (since 1530) Evangelical church but formerly Johanniskirche from 1491, with the vault of the princes of Nassau-Dillenburg.
The "casemates" under the former stately home are among the biggest defensive works in Europe. They have been partly excavated and may be toured. The picture I posted is one of the "casemates" There is a YouTube video that gives a tour of castles in Germany and one of them take you on tour of the Casemates.
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Thank you Mel, at least I can sleep easy now without looking for Seville, Navel or Jaffa oranges hidden in the cellars of a castle.
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Thank you Mel. My eyes were going crazy reviewing British Royalty castles and palaces trying to find the right one! Not enough clues I guess to narrow it down.
Now for the Dec 31 Puzzle, and again with a philatelic bend to it, although it will take you far away...
This is a photo from an actual spelunking expedition, in the 1950s...Note the very distinctive stalactite on the left. This photo serves as the model of a set of stamps issued later, when the cave was opened to tourists. Note also the lack of helmet or mountaineering gear. Pretty casual, if you ask me! Photo lighting was with a ribbon of Magnesium.
Tourist navigation was not in the WW2 rubber dinghies shown here, and yes the river here is calm as a lake, but in other areas it is definitely rapid class. Distance from the entrance: about 1/2 mile in.
For your answer state: Country, name of the cave, and if you have them, a scan of the stamps issued.
If you are sure you know the answer, do not post here, but message me, to allow others to find the answer.
If you are just making an educated guess, post your answer here. Not a difficult puzzle.
rrr....
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Another clue. It is not in Europe.
rrr...
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Mel got 1/2 correct, via private message...I will take it as a correct answer as I am assuming it was just a typo, in the rush to share.
"""Or maybe Jeita cave in Libya"""
JEITA Cave is the correct answer. It is in LEBANON
Two sets of stamps of Lebanon commemorate Jeita. One set was issued in 1955 (sc #291-295) before the cave was opened to tourists.
The second stamp issued in 1967, part of an International Tourism Year Set is Sc #C513. It shows the tour boats on the underground lake (same spot, different angle).
Jeita is also featured on the Lebanese currency (the only cave represented on a banknote)
The Jeita Grotto was a candidate for the New 7 Wonders of Nature competition.
https://nature.new7wonders.com/wonders/jeita-grotto-lebanon/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeita_Grotto
It was selected as one of finalists and is the only cave to be selected among the nominees. The New 7 Wonders Foundation announced the new wonders of nature list in 2011, but Jeita was not picked. Still, as the only cave among the candidates, it is an indication of the spectacular scenery underground.
rrr...
A Good book for reference: " The Beckoning Darkness of Jeita Cave. Discovery, Exploration, and Management, by I Bou Jaoude and R Karanouh
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Staying with caves, (or should I say pot holes?), today's destination is a more travelled area of the world. Not far from this cave shown on the picture below, is the first 100% man made copy of a famous cave, visited by millions of tourists. It truly is a perfect replica. As a tourist you may have visited the replica, and indulged in the rich food of the region, but may have missed this famous cave, one of the very first opened to tourists.
This cave has one of the fist elevators installed in a cave (1930s), (you can still take the stairs), and yes at the bottom after a small walk you will board the famous flat bottom boats (same as the ones that were later on used in Jeita, in our previous puzzle destination), for leisurely exploring the underground lake.
Answer: Name of Cave, Country and Location.
rrr...
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Well done Mel. I will publish the answer here tomorrow. rrr..
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The answer is:
PADIRAC. in FRANCE.
Nearest well known town near by is Rocamadour.
Yes an iconic area of France for Caves (Lascaux, Padirac, Peche Merle etc..) and also for Foie Gras, black truffles, Monbazillac wine (perfect with foie gras) and other culinary specialties. Some great tourist towns as well.
https://www.visit-dordogne-valley.co.uk/discover/natural-heritage/prehistoric-caves
Of historical interest, this area still speaks the "Langue d'Oc". Also French but their accent is so thick that even French natives have a tough time! The tour guides at Padirac are notorious for their accent!
http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20180911-occitan-the-language-the-french-forbade
Anyone else wishes to participate in our virtual travels?
rrr..
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Retired Ap. Book Mod, Pres Golden Gate Stamp Club, Hi Tech Consultant
26 Dec 2020
12:54:48pm
Here is an idea to get us all moving (virtually and mentally)
Definitely non philatelic.
I will post one puzzle a day, and a clue. when someone has the answer, I will acknowledge. I encourage you to do the same, and participate in virtual travels.
Places you have been to, that may inspire or bring back souvenirs. Does not have to be too difficult. Just enough to get one thinking, and dreaming
rrr....
Ralph's Dec 26 virtual travel location and clue:
250 plus sq miles of blinding desert.
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Retired Ap. Book Mod, Pres Golden Gate Stamp Club, Hi Tech Consultant
26 Dec 2020
01:44:22pm
re: The Virtual Travel Puzzle platform . 1/2/2021 puzzle answer
Well done Mel (an easy one to get the travel bus rolling).
A bit of info: Not a sand desert.
It is actually cool to the touch even in hot sun.
https://www.nps.gov/whsa/index.htm
""Rising from the heart of the Tularosa Basin is one of the world's great natural wonders - the glistening white sands of New Mexico. Great wave-like dunes of gypsum sand have engulfed 275 square miles of desert, creating the world's largest gypsum dunefield"".
rrr.....
Now here is a bit more of a challenge: (staying with deserts, as they do fascinate me!).
I forgot the clue..well about 40,000 sq miles
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Retired Ap. Book Mod, Pres Golden Gate Stamp Club, Hi Tech Consultant
26 Dec 2020
02:21:03pm
re: The Virtual Travel Puzzle platform . 1/2/2021 puzzle answer
no
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re: The Virtual Travel Puzzle platform . 1/2/2021 puzzle answer
Salar de Uyuni
Atacama Desert in Chile
(I cheated by using an image search. To avoid this the images need to not already be online.)
Don
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Retired Ap. Book Mod, Pres Golden Gate Stamp Club, Hi Tech Consultant
26 Dec 2020
05:58:18pm
re: The Virtual Travel Puzzle platform . 1/2/2021 puzzle answer
Oooh Don...how very very naughty indeed, (I am agreeing with Ian again).
If you are going to use image assisted computer software, please email me for confirmation...don't spoil it for the others.
I guess I may skip the easy ones from here on, And do I need to photoshop my entries?!!
Well the last destination for today for me. Is anyone else interested in sharing travel photos? And stories?
Still in the desert mood, but smaller.
clue: it is in not in the Americas.
The ever moving dunes by the ocean swallow the vegetation, then exposes it again, ever shifting. The only access to the circuit around the park here is on the beach (see the tracks) at low tide in a 4x4 sand-specialty vehicles (needed when you have no other path than the sand dunes. (On our trip, we had a tire puncture (tires as high as a human) and it took 2 hours to lift the vehicle in the sand, slide support for the winch and tire, and replace the flat).
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06:35:05pm
re: The Virtual Travel Puzzle platform . 1/2/2021 puzzle answer
I did get both the first two correct, but I came to the party late. Story of my life.I
Is the third one Kangaroo Island, off the coast of South Australia?
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Retired Ap. Book Mod, Pres Golden Gate Stamp Club, Hi Tech Consultant
26 Dec 2020
06:42:01pm
re: The Virtual Travel Puzzle platform . 1/2/2021 puzzle answer
no
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re: The Virtual Travel Puzzle platform . 1/2/2021 puzzle answer
There is a fellow over on SCF who runs a weekly ‘can you ID this stamp’ contest by showing a small part of a stamp. Most folks were/are using image searches, some of them quite creatively, to solve the contest each week. This opened a discussion if the contest was testing philatelic knowledge or online search knowledge. The consensus end up being ‘it didn’t matter’ mostly because there was no way to know how a person was solving the riddles.
I replied this to thread so that everyone understood that this is an issue, I did not mean to spoil anyone’s fun.
Before posting image for this riddle thread, you could do a image search yourself and make sure it does not show up. If you are lifting images you use in this thread from the internet, you can crop the image down (sometime you may need to crop it quite a bit) and greatly lower the odds the image will be IDed by any image search. Changing the color levels, (i.e. turning it to gray scale), resolution, etc will also help. The more attributes you change from the original image the less likely an image search will match it.
Don
Edit: I'll refrain form posting some of the creative image searching tips as not to spoil future puzzles.
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Retired Ap. Book Mod, Pres Golden Gate Stamp Club, Hi Tech Consultant
26 Dec 2020
07:08:49pm
re: The Virtual Travel Puzzle platform . 1/2/2021 puzzle answer
no
Wrong continent
Don, yes it will be a problem, but if using image recognition software, please message me your discovery, instead of posting it here. If you have no idea, you can also wait until someone recognizes it. I will make it more difficult as I access my own photos down the road. This is just a quick start to see it there is interest in covid-19 escape traveling. And participation?
For the others who use their own memory or other clues, it may be a good idea when you discover the destination and post the answer here, to edit out the name from their post after I acknowledge, so as to still offer a challenge to the others who come later...people come at all time.
I will post some additional info and a story about it at a later time.
rrr...
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Auctions - Approvals
re: The Virtual Travel Puzzle platform . 1/2/2021 puzzle answer
rrraphy, you could of course let it run for several hours before you acknowledge any answers.
My answer is Namibia. The edge of the Kalahari.
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08:15:49pm
re: The Virtual Travel Puzzle platform . 1/2/2021 puzzle answer
Yes Brechinite, I agree. The skeleton coast.
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Retired Ap. Book Mod, Pres Golden Gate Stamp Club, Hi Tech Consultant
26 Dec 2020
08:21:26pm
re: The Virtual Travel Puzzle platform . 1/2/2021 puzzle answer
Good idea Ian. I will refrain from acknowledging the correct answer, except by private message, until the next day. I will however answer when it is wrong, to keep you thinking. (keep experimenting...)
I do want to check a new location daily...more if I am so inspired.
Ian, No wrong continent. I have never been to Namibia, and wish I had. I am only posting about my past travels.
I may add as a clue that the Brits love vacationing near by.
rrr....
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Retired Ap. Book Mod, Pres Golden Gate Stamp Club, Hi Tech Consultant
26 Dec 2020
09:21:27pm
re: The Virtual Travel Puzzle platform . 1/2/2021 puzzle answer
Don,
About the Atacama Desert in Chile, the road over the Andes from Salta(Argentina) to Saint Pedro de Atacama (which takes all day in the comfort of cross border double decker busses), is well worth the experience. The border station is east of the border in the small settlement of Jama at 4,100 meters (13,500 ft), and crossing (bureaucrats!) the border is really a trip (no pun intended) at the very highest pass around 60 kilometers (35 mi) west of the border, making it one of the most spectacular and highest highways I have ever traveled. There is a pass even higher if you head North to Bolivia. Maybe in another life! This was 2018.
This was our second attempt (successful this one) to reach the Atacama desert by road from Argentina. (the goal always was to see the radio telescope station way up near St Pedro in Chile). On our first attempt, several years earlier when I was still foolish enough to drive small (not even 4 wheel drive) rental cars in these wild expanses, my wife and I got flooded (yes flooded! in an place that gets 1/2 inch of rain a year, on average)
It rained 12 inches overnight. Bridges washed away, roads flooded and it was time to get out at all cost. We turned south to escape, in a harrowing 8 hours (barely 40 miles drive on the notorious Hwy 40 of Argentina). Who said 1 ton + rocks to pebble size ones do not move in the desert, and mud cannot fill all the washes and road surfaces (washes, because no bridges in the road). Have you ever tried to follow an eighteen wheeler on a wet and slick mud covered road (in a compact stick shift rental?). It is an art. One wheel deep in the tire trench, and one on the bulge in the middle of the road. Truckdrivers are dependable to help push you out when you get stuck, (Come to think of it, otherwise they are stuck behind you).
rrr...
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Retired Ap. Book Mod, Pres Golden Gate Stamp Club, Hi Tech Consultant
26 Dec 2020
09:27:51pm
re: The Virtual Travel Puzzle platform . 1/2/2021 puzzle answer
Ian: Tabernas Desert in Spain No Ian, although you are definitely getting closer.
rrr...
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Retired Ap. Book Mod, Pres Golden Gate Stamp Club, Hi Tech Consultant
27 Dec 2020
02:15:05pm
re: The Virtual Travel Puzzle platform . 1/2/2021 puzzle answer
A few more clues.
Home of some of the rarest birds of Europe (The Iberian Eagle)
Designated World heritage site.
Here is the vehicle you tour this area in:
rrr... on 12/27/2020
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re: The Virtual Travel Puzzle platform . 1/2/2021 puzzle answer
Parque Nacional Monfragüe
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Retired Ap. Book Mod, Pres Golden Gate Stamp Club, Hi Tech Consultant
27 Dec 2020
03:17:45pm
re: The Virtual Travel Puzzle platform . 1/2/2021 puzzle answer
no and no
yes it is a national park
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06:11:14pm
re: The Virtual Travel Puzzle platform . 1/2/2021 puzzle answer
Donana National Park in South West Spain?
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Retired Ap. Book Mod, Pres Golden Gate Stamp Club, Hi Tech Consultant
27 Dec 2020
06:24:00pm
re: The Virtual Travel Puzzle platform . 1/2/2021 puzzle answer
Well done Gudgie. Not an easy one as it is largely unknown and I will be damned if I know why!
Here is a quote:
"""A secret side to Spain: A brilliant blur of birdlife in Coto Donana National Park - the giant nature reserve you've never heard of Coto Donana National Park is the largest nature reserve in all of Europe.
It lies on Spain's south-west coast, an easy one-hour drive from Seville
It plays host to a wealth of bird life - but few British tourists are aware of it, even when they flock to the beaches and pubs of nearby Mazagon."""
By the way some terrific beaches, and lots and lots of pubs in Mazagon. https://www.andalucia.com/province/huelva/mazagon/home.htm
Since the road on the West coast of Spain does not cross the Guadalquivir River near the ocean on the West (Nearest bridge is in Seville 100+ km to the East, and there are no ferries...I looked), few tourists accidentally go to this part of Spain on their route to the more famous southern Andalusia towns.
Hop on the travel bus tomorrow for another puzzle.
rrr....
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Retired Ap. Book Mod, Pres Golden Gate Stamp Club, Hi Tech Consultant
28 Dec 2020
11:43:41am
re: The Virtual Travel Puzzle platform . 1/2/2021 puzzle answer
Travel quizz of 9/28/2020
Where is this, probably the oldest mailbox in continuous service in the world.
(no it is not in Scotland, in spite of the whisky baril)
Please refrain from using image recognition, even if I tried to alter the look of the picture, it is quite iconic. I will acknowledge the right answer in a private message today, and ask you to remove your post after correct confirmation to give late comers a chance to solve the puzzle.
rrr...
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Retired Ap. Book Mod, Pres Golden Gate Stamp Club, Hi Tech Consultant
28 Dec 2020
03:20:48pm
re: The Virtual Travel Puzzle platform . 1/2/2021 puzzle answer
Well done Melvin (mbo1142). Your correct answer is now invisible. Thanks for your cooperation.
rrr...
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29 Dec 2020
11:58:03am
re: The Virtual Travel Puzzle platform . 1/2/2021 puzzle answer
Melvin was the only one to find the quizz destination yesterday, (congratulations), and yet it was of philatelic interest. And an Iconic landmark, although for a long time it was defaced by tourist graffiti.
POST OFFICE BAY, FLOREANA ISLAND GALAPAGOS ECUADOR.
An empty whiskey cask had been placed on Floreana Island in 1793, when whalers and sailors frequented the remote archipelago to restock on fresh water and capture giant tortoises for their meat. Since the seamen could be on the ocean for years at a time, they had to devise a clever way to communicate with family back at home. It’s a tradition that continues to this day. What you are supposed to do is place your mail in the box after, you have sieved through the accumulated mail in the box, and select a few envelopes with destination near your home, for hand delivery when you return. (or alternatively to forward over).
It probably is the postal box with the longest continuous usage, predating the postage stamp. (probably going back to 1793)
More information: https://www.galapagosislands.com/blog/post-office-bay/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floreana_Island
http://www.galapagos.to/TEXTS/POBARREL.HTM
rrr...
Next destination later today 12/29/2020, unless someone beats me to it!
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re: The Virtual Travel Puzzle platform . 1/2/2021 puzzle answer
Hey, I love Mel but not everyone has an unlimited travel budget. Here's the snapshot he sent me from his latest trip.
Guess where it is.
Cheers, Dave.
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Retired Ap. Book Mod, Pres Golden Gate Stamp Club, Hi Tech Consultant
29 Dec 2020
09:25:02pm
re: The Virtual Travel Puzzle platform . 1/2/2021 puzzle answer
Traveling with imagination.
Nice card! I Wonder how long it took the mailman to deliver it?
In my later years I still travel as a avid outdoor, naturalist, birdwatcher, and yes.... scuba diver. But with no children to raise I am lucky that my budget has evolved a bit from the early days. I started as a backpacker and hitchhiker on a student budget, on my own from age 18 on I have always prioritized traveling. I must say that my dad's hobby (he was a world renown Cave explorer or spelunker), took the family to some pretty unusual locations, mostly during the summer months (he was a school teacher otherwise). It was every's week-end and holiday family occupation (kids and mom camped outside with the support teams). I could maybe feature some iconic caves in the future.
Now for today's travel puzzle:
12/29/2020
Many of us in the US know about the smallest post office in the US, shown below. It is in the Everglades and here is a picture.
Any idea where the smallest post office is outside the US.
It is also an accidental birdwatching location, but it is not good for Scuba.
Here is a photo, not as well known as the Galapagos Barrel Postal box, but still quite iconic and its look may mislead some of you. No cheating please, and if you google it, better to message me for confirmation than post here.
Country first then location please.
rrr...
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re: The Virtual Travel Puzzle platform . 1/2/2021 puzzle answer
The yellow house next to the mill seems to be in one of the Nordic countries, I'm guessing Norway or Iceland.
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re: The Virtual Travel Puzzle platform . 1/2/2021 puzzle answer
Darn it Dave,
You gave away my contribution to the puzzle contest. Now I will have to come up with some where else I have visited. Look for someplace in the near future.
PS: It took 6 and 1/2 months for the card to arrive.
Mel
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Retired Ap. Book Mod, Pres Golden Gate Stamp Club, Hi Tech Consultant
30 Dec 2020
02:30:48pm
re: The Virtual Travel Puzzle platform . 1/2/2021 puzzle answer
Good guess peppie61..well it is not Holland! Apparently it is also the only windmill in that country!
Country yes but can anyone be more specific?
rrr...
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Retired Ap. Book Mod, Pres Golden Gate Stamp Club, Hi Tech Consultant
30 Dec 2020
04:03:41pm
re: The Virtual Travel Puzzle platform . 1/2/2021 puzzle answer
Well done Mel: Vigur Island, Iceland, a far-flung island with seabirds & sheep farming, plus Iceland's smallest post office & only windmill.
""The picturesque island of Vigur, half an hour's boat trip from Isafjordur, greets you with thousands of birds. The island has a well-deserved reputation for bird watching in Iceland. Vigur is home to puffins, black guillemot, Arctic terns, eider ducks and other birdlife species.
The beautiful landscape conveys a sense of timelessness. Vigur is the second largest island in Isafjordur Bay, but it only has five inhabitants – a farmer and his family. They will welcome you in their relaxed easy manner and make you feel at home. You can take a leisurely walk around the island and see Iceland's only windmill. Prior to heading back, you can visit the smallest post office in Europe and send home a postcard.""
rrr....
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re: The Virtual Travel Puzzle platform . 1/2/2021 puzzle answer
Ralph,
Sorry I did not email you first as you requested. I promise to do better next time.
My turn:
It is a 62 meter deep fountain known as the Lions Pit. And yes it is in a castle. Name country and castle.
Mel
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re: The Virtual Travel Puzzle platform . 1/2/2021 puzzle answer
OK, no guesses so next clue. The picture is on a post card and I believe not found on any web site.
Think of oranges and one of the largest medieval castles in Europe. If this does not get some guesses, then I will just have to almost give it away.
Mel
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31 Dec 2020
02:06:40pm
re: The Virtual Travel Puzzle platform . 1/2/2021 puzzle answer
Guessing in Holland?
Was that part of the wine cellar?
rrr....
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re: The Virtual Travel Puzzle platform . 1/2/2021 puzzle answer
Would the castle be the Alhambra in Spain?
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Retired Ap. Book Mod, Pres Golden Gate Stamp Club, Hi Tech Consultant
31 Dec 2020
05:43:10pm
re: The Virtual Travel Puzzle platform . 1/2/2021 puzzle answer
Looking for palaces and castles related to William III (of Orange). But cannot find any that fit the bill. I am lost!
rrr
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re: The Virtual Travel Puzzle platform . 1/2/2021 puzzle answer
Ralph, you are on the right track with the Orange. Maybe my puzzle was just a little to hard. Will make the next one a little easier. The following is from Wikipedia which explains it much better than I can. I have visited the site and it is quite interesting.
"Castle Dillenburg, in the provincial town of Dillenburg in Hesse-Nassau, is situated on a hill (elevation 958 feet) above the Dill river, 25 miles northwest from Gießen on the Giessen-Troisdorf railway line.
The main building of the old castle was deconstructed in 1760 after suffering fire from cannon damage in the Seven Years' War. Today the hill above the town still has the ruins of the 17th-century fortifications of the old schloss Dillenburg, but nothing at all remains of the original fortifications, which were mostly wood. It was founded by Count Henry the Rich of Nassau, about the year 1240, and later became the birthplace of Prince William of Orange in 1533. Due to the effects of the Protestant reformation, in the town below is the (since 1530) Evangelical church but formerly Johanniskirche from 1491, with the vault of the princes of Nassau-Dillenburg.
The "casemates" under the former stately home are among the biggest defensive works in Europe. They have been partly excavated and may be toured. The picture I posted is one of the "casemates" There is a YouTube video that gives a tour of castles in Germany and one of them take you on tour of the Casemates.
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re: The Virtual Travel Puzzle platform . 1/2/2021 puzzle answer
Thank you Mel, at least I can sleep easy now without looking for Seville, Navel or Jaffa oranges hidden in the cellars of a castle.
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Retired Ap. Book Mod, Pres Golden Gate Stamp Club, Hi Tech Consultant
31 Dec 2020
08:06:38pm
re: The Virtual Travel Puzzle platform . 1/2/2021 puzzle answer
Thank you Mel. My eyes were going crazy reviewing British Royalty castles and palaces trying to find the right one! Not enough clues I guess to narrow it down.
Now for the Dec 31 Puzzle, and again with a philatelic bend to it, although it will take you far away...
This is a photo from an actual spelunking expedition, in the 1950s...Note the very distinctive stalactite on the left. This photo serves as the model of a set of stamps issued later, when the cave was opened to tourists. Note also the lack of helmet or mountaineering gear. Pretty casual, if you ask me! Photo lighting was with a ribbon of Magnesium.
Tourist navigation was not in the WW2 rubber dinghies shown here, and yes the river here is calm as a lake, but in other areas it is definitely rapid class. Distance from the entrance: about 1/2 mile in.
For your answer state: Country, name of the cave, and if you have them, a scan of the stamps issued.
If you are sure you know the answer, do not post here, but message me, to allow others to find the answer.
If you are just making an educated guess, post your answer here. Not a difficult puzzle.
rrr....
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Retired Ap. Book Mod, Pres Golden Gate Stamp Club, Hi Tech Consultant
01 Jan 2021
05:34:11pm
re: The Virtual Travel Puzzle platform . 1/2/2021 puzzle answer
Another clue. It is not in Europe.
rrr...
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01 Jan 2021
09:08:24pm
re: The Virtual Travel Puzzle platform . 1/2/2021 puzzle answer
Mel got 1/2 correct, via private message...I will take it as a correct answer as I am assuming it was just a typo, in the rush to share.
"""Or maybe Jeita cave in Libya"""
JEITA Cave is the correct answer. It is in LEBANON
Two sets of stamps of Lebanon commemorate Jeita. One set was issued in 1955 (sc #291-295) before the cave was opened to tourists.
The second stamp issued in 1967, part of an International Tourism Year Set is Sc #C513. It shows the tour boats on the underground lake (same spot, different angle).
Jeita is also featured on the Lebanese currency (the only cave represented on a banknote)
The Jeita Grotto was a candidate for the New 7 Wonders of Nature competition.
https://nature.new7wonders.com/wonders/jeita-grotto-lebanon/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeita_Grotto
It was selected as one of finalists and is the only cave to be selected among the nominees. The New 7 Wonders Foundation announced the new wonders of nature list in 2011, but Jeita was not picked. Still, as the only cave among the candidates, it is an indication of the spectacular scenery underground.
rrr...
A Good book for reference: " The Beckoning Darkness of Jeita Cave. Discovery, Exploration, and Management, by I Bou Jaoude and R Karanouh
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02 Jan 2021
01:17:01pm
re: The Virtual Travel Puzzle platform . 1/2/2021 puzzle answer
Staying with caves, (or should I say pot holes?), today's destination is a more travelled area of the world. Not far from this cave shown on the picture below, is the first 100% man made copy of a famous cave, visited by millions of tourists. It truly is a perfect replica. As a tourist you may have visited the replica, and indulged in the rich food of the region, but may have missed this famous cave, one of the very first opened to tourists.
This cave has one of the fist elevators installed in a cave (1930s), (you can still take the stairs), and yes at the bottom after a small walk you will board the famous flat bottom boats (same as the ones that were later on used in Jeita, in our previous puzzle destination), for leisurely exploring the underground lake.
Answer: Name of Cave, Country and Location.
rrr...
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02 Jan 2021
04:10:24pm
re: The Virtual Travel Puzzle platform . 1/2/2021 puzzle answer
Well done Mel. I will publish the answer here tomorrow. rrr..
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Retired Ap. Book Mod, Pres Golden Gate Stamp Club, Hi Tech Consultant
03 Jan 2021
03:33:40pm
re: The Virtual Travel Puzzle platform . 1/2/2021 puzzle answer
The answer is:
PADIRAC. in FRANCE.
Nearest well known town near by is Rocamadour.
Yes an iconic area of France for Caves (Lascaux, Padirac, Peche Merle etc..) and also for Foie Gras, black truffles, Monbazillac wine (perfect with foie gras) and other culinary specialties. Some great tourist towns as well.
https://www.visit-dordogne-valley.co.uk/discover/natural-heritage/prehistoric-caves
Of historical interest, this area still speaks the "Langue d'Oc". Also French but their accent is so thick that even French natives have a tough time! The tour guides at Padirac are notorious for their accent!
http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20180911-occitan-the-language-the-french-forbade
Anyone else wishes to participate in our virtual travels?
rrr..
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