2329 - Taipei, Taiwan

Aka explains on his card about the naming of Taiwan "Formosa" by the Portuguese. This dates back to 1542 when Portuguese sailors sighted an uncharted island and noted it in their maps as Ilha Formost "Beautiful Island." Formosa remained in common usage by English speakers well into the 20th century.

In the 1600s the Dutch East India Company established a commercial port called Fort Zeelandia, where the modern day city of Anping is today. They called the area Tayouan, which Taiwan is derived from.

The official name of Taiwan is the Republic of China. However, the People's Republic of China sees Taiwan as a province of theirs, and not a separate country. Because of this and to keep the People's Republic of China happy, Taiwan uses Chinese Taipei at all international forums, organizations, and at sporting events. The PRC will not have diplomatic relations with countries who establish diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Only 14 countries and the Vatican have diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

Here's a video that might help explain the complicated relationship between China and Taiwan and the rest of the world:

I really like Aka's card. I'm in the middle of watching Peaky Blinders on Netflix right now and it reminds me of that show.

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3566 - Bakhmach, Chernihiv, Ukraine

Bakhmach is locarted in northern Ukraine. I'm taking this next paragraph straight out of Wikipedia: During the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 26, 2022, at least 65 units of Russian military equipment moved through Bakhmach, with about a hundred more on the outskirts. Local residents tried to stop the convoy on their own by blocking tank tracks with makeshift objects and convincing Russian soldiers not to move towards Kyiv . One man attempted to climb onto a tank and block the road with his body (he was not hurt). However, the military equipment continued to move, and Russian forces fired several shots into the air. Слава Україні!

3564 - Kassel, Hesse, Germany

A wonderful message on this card that translates to to those wh o can wait, everything comes with time.

2352 - Cologne (Köln), North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

Cologne is home to the twelve Romanesque churches. All are Catholic churches and all are found in Altstadt (old town). All were severely damaged during the 262 Allied air raids on Cologne. All twelves have been restored. St. Andreas was consecrated in 974. The crypt of the church as a sarcophagus that dates back to the third century and it holds the remains of St. Albertus Magnus, who died in 1280. St. Apostein was consecrated in the 800s. St. Cecilia was built in the 800s and it the current home of the Schnutgen Museum for Medieval Art. It still holds Catholic Mass on rare occasions. St. Georg's was built near the end of 1000s. It was extensively restored after the Second World War. St. Gerion's was established in 612. St. Kunibert was consecrated in 1247. Cunibert, the 9th Bishop of Cologne, is buried here. St. Maria im Kapital was built between 1040-1065. It was also heavily damaged during the war and restoration was finally completed in 1984. St. Maria Lyskirchem is the ...

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