Apúlia, Portugal

Postcard PT-368959 from Portugal shows Apúlia, a town with 4,323 residents and a former civil parish in the municipality of Esposende, Portugal. In 2013, the parish merged into the new parish Apúlia e Fão. It was a municipality by itself until 1834, when it was incorporated into Esposende. Apúlia is known for its dune beaches, as seen on the card, and Roman-style folk costumes, which may indicate its connection to the region of Apulia in Italy where a possible migration was originated during the Roman Empire.

May 17 is the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia. On May 17, 2010, President Aníbal Cavaco Silva ratified a law for legalization of same-sex marriage and became effective on June 5, 2010. Portugal became the sixth country in Europe and the eighth country in the world to allow same-sex marriage nationwide.

Vulcan Statue in Birmingham, Alabama

Postcard US-3038799 from Alabama shows the Vulcan statue, the largest cast iron statue in the world, and the city symbol of Birmingham, Alabama that reflects the city's heritage in the iron and steel industry. The 56-foot or 17-meter tall statue depicts the Roman God Vulcan, god of the fire including the fire of volcanoes, also god of metalworking and the forge. It was created as Birmingham's entry for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition (1904 World's Fair) in St. Louis, Missouri. Vulcan is often depicted with a blacksmith's hammer, as in this case while his left hand held a hammer at his side. According to Wikipedia, "the statue's naked buttocks have been source of humor for many years. A novelty song, Moon Over Homewood, refers to the fact that the statue moons the neighboring suburb of Homewood, Alabama." It was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on July 6, 1976.