The writing prompts invite postcrossers to write about a different topic on their postcards’ messages every month. These are just suggestions though — if you already know what you want to write about, or the recipient gives you some pointers, that’s great too!
As I write this ready for the new month, I’m headed down to Wales for a visit to my family. There won’t be much time for sightseeing, as it’s very much a flying visit, but hopefully I can pick up some postcards (and maybe send out one or two) showing my favourite places in Wales. Which brings me to this month’s writing prompt: let’s talk about some beautiful places, and share our love for them.
For me, the answer was immediately obvious: Castell Coch. I’ve talked about it before on the blog, because something about it has always grabbed my imagination, ever since I was little. “Castell Coch” is Welsh for “Red Castle”, after the warm-coloured sandstone that the walls are built from. The current building is from the 19th Century, and is in the Gothic Revival style, but it’s built on the site of earlier fortifications, and it has extremely beautiful interiors designed by an architect called William Burgess.
But my favourite part of Castell Coch isn’t the view up close and personal (though it’s very worth a personal investigation), or the view from the towers. The thing I think is really magical about Castell Coch is the way it looks rising above the trees, from a bit of a distance. Those spires on the towers make it just like a fairytale, maybe even a little Disney-like, and the trees rising all around it make it a little mysterious. You can catch a glimpse of it just driving past on the motorway: as a child on various trips with my grandparents, I always got very excited by the chance to see my favourite castle as we drove by.
If I’m really lucky this weekend, I’ll be able to grab some postcards showing Castell Coch—maybe even an aerial view, or at least a photograph of it nestled among the trees. What are the views and landmarks that you just can’t wait to share? Bonus points if you can send a postcard showing that view, I’d say! But you can also share your thoughts here—we’d all love to hear about the beautiful places you love.
29 comments so far
I love to send cards of Niagara Falls. I find it breathtaking and standing by the edge and describing the feeling of the water rushing by is something I love to share.
The Grand Canyon in USA has some breathtaking views
The Cliffs of Moher is one of my favourite Irish sights and in my opinion are best viewed from the sea.
Although it is not a view, but a natural attraction located near my town. It is the deepest flooded abyss in the world. - Hranice abyss.
Since I'm Brazilian, that prompt would be totally unfair in my case, because we have the most breathtaking view in the whole world: Guanabara Bay in Rio de Janeiro!
One of the most memorable views I've experienced is from the summit of Mt. Fuji. If you get the chance, you should climb it and see for yourself!
My most beautiful view is my surroundings in these Mt Prosper woods from my balcony because I can see it everyday.
:) Me too I have a beautiful view from my balcony: the woods of Postăvarul Massif (https://tinyurl.com/msbew9bz)
and one of his peak Tâmpa (https://tinyurl.com/7v8mxkpx)
Enjoy!
For me the most breathtaking view would be a whole bowl of the sky at anytime of day or night where there are no buildings or human structures to mar it. It could be anywhere in the world.
There are so many! But a favorite would be the view out to sea, from the beach in Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica.
We live in a lovely landscape-rich area, but if I had to pick just two, I would drive you to hike in the Big Sur area in California. The views are achingly beautiful as you look south or north along Highway 1. Another gem of a hike is Point Lobos State Reserve in Carmel, where you can walk among pines as you enjoy the blues of the ocean.
I love the Statue of Liberty and I like to send postcards of it after I have visited it.
We are not big on breathtaking views where I live, but I have cards from other places I have been that do have breathtaking views!
Favorite landscape: Bryce Canyon, Utah USA
Favorite building scape: walking through the Cordoba Mosque in Spain when I was 13
The most remarkable and memorable temporary landmark was the 1986 worlds fair in Canada.
A permanent landmark that was remarkable are the squires in Utah!
The Blue Ridge Parkway/Mountains in North Carolina in the Fall. The colors are so beautiful with reds, oranges and yellows. I have several postcards I will send out using that as the backdrop. It's my favorite view on my hikes and my favorite season!
For me the most breathtaking landmark this is the first space museum in the world and an exact copy of the rocket on which the first cosmonaut of the earth, Yuri Gagarin, flew into space.
All this is located in my hometown of Kaluga in Russia.
This is a great place to walk and think...
Hi, I live on the west coast of Canada on Vancouver Island. We have a lot of indigenous communities here. They make and still do, totem-poles. They is a "landmark" for me to watch......
I enjoy Alishan National Scenic Area,Taiwan a lot!!! It's a beautiful forest, always feel relax when I visit there!
I agree, Castel Coch is amazing! I grew up in Caerphilly, quite close to it and I know exactly the view from a distance that you're talking about. When I was a child I used to call it my fairy castle.
For me, nature is breathtaking, a forest, or free animals in nature, I always find it inspiring.
As a Brazilian, I like to send cards showing our natural diversity: Amazon rain forest, Northeastern beaches, Rio de Janeiro, Iguazu Falls, Snowy southern mountains in Winter...
I live very close to castell coch and agree, the view from further away is spectacular!
I love the Wisconsin state capitol building, modeled after the national one in DC. It's just a really photogenic, beautiful budling inside and out!
I would say Mount Kinabalu and the Karst landscape of the Mulu National Park in Malaysia. Check it out!
I like this prompt… living in an area full of “sites to behold” you often take them for granted… I see the Hollywood sign everyday and don’t think too much about it yet anyone who visits is in awe of it. Think I will take a drive and look at all the sites of awe today to inspire postcard writing ✍️
I adore castles in Transcarpathia, Ukraine. Although they are not exactly where I live. You will be able to hear the story of an outstanding woman Ilona Zrini, her defense of the Mukachevo castle, and feel the atmosphere of her great love in the castle of love and secret negotiations Saint-Miklos!
The Mojave desert!
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