Peru!

This is going to be a long, but interesting post! I received this letter in my mailbox some time ago from Flor who lives in Peru; nice envelope :D. Here's the front view:

And the back:

I like the postmarks on cards and envelopes from Peru, because they are special! In this envelope, there were 3 cards. The first card shows the Basilica Catedral de la Ciudad. Construction of the Roman Catholic cathedral began in 1535. It is dedicated to St John, Apostle and Evangelist.

The second card is from the famous UNESCO World Heritage Site, Machu Picchu. The "City of the Inca", as it is commonly known, is an important tourist attraction in Peru. It was built around 1450 at the height of the Inca Empire. Discovered in 1911 by the American explorer Hiram Bingham, this city is considered to be one of the most extraordinary examples of scenic architecture in the world. Recently, the highest resolution photo of Machu Picchu was taken. Click here to see it!

The last card in the envelope is a view of Plaza San Martin in the city of Lima, Peru. It was declared as a World Heritage Site in 1988 by UNESCO. Today, it is one of the most representative public spaces in Lima, Peru.

Flor sent this card at the bottom separately from the three above. It is a multi-view postcard of the city of Lima. The picture at the center of the card shows the Government Palace. Every morning at 11.45am, the Patio of Honour is the stage for the changing of guard, soldiers of the prestigious Husares de Junin Battalion.

 Here are the stamps that were used:

This one shows the South Interoceanic Highway. It was issued on 16th May 2011 as a single stamp.

This one shows Diego Fernandez de Cordoba as part of a set of 4 stamps showing the Viceroys of Peru. It was released on 20th August 2007.

Thank you very much for the swap Flor!