Lisboa, Portugal

Here's one of the most special cards I've ever received! It came in a pretty normal looking envelope with a warning to handle carefully due to its fragility. I didn't think much about it at first, but it caught me by surprise to discover a card made entirely of cork! Though this is not the first card I have received from Portugal, it is the first card made from cork that I've received, and it really makes my day :).

Santa Justa Lift, Lisboa, Portugal

Here's a very beautiful night view of the Santa Justa Lift in Lisboa, Portugal. The lift was designed by Raul Mesnier and was completed in 1902. Raul Mesnier was a very famous Portuguese engineer who built many lifts in the country. Someone told be he was a student of Gustave Eiffel (the guy who built the Eiffel tower). Is that true?

Anyway, the lift was built to overcome the transportation woes that people faced in the hilly region of Lisbon. It links the lower streets of Baixa to the higher Carmo Square.Today, it is a very popular tourist attraction.