Tokarev Lighthouse, Vladivostok, Russia

Postcard RU-3526905 from Russia shows the Tokarevskaya Koshka Lighthouse (Tokarev Lighthouse) in the Vladivostok Harbor at Russia's Far East. With 603,244 residents as of 2010, Vladivostok is a city and the administrative center of Primorsky Krai, Russia, located at the head of the Golden Horn Bay, not far from Russia's borders with China and North Korea. The city is the home port of the Russian Pacific Fleet and the largest Russian port on the Pacific Ocean.

According to the listing of lighthouses of Russia: Vladivostok area from the Lighthouse Directory at UNC, the Tokarev Lighthouse was built in 1910 with the station established in 1876. With its focal plant at 12 meters or 39 feet, it is a cylindrical stone tower that has lantern, gallery and an octagonal base. In spite of its modest size, it is one of Russia's best known lighthouses. The lighthouse was named after Capt. M.J. Tokarev, whose ship surveyed the area between 1862 and 1863.

Located at the entrance to the Vladivostok Harbor on the extreme south-westernmost point of the Egersheld Peninsula, the lighthouse site is accessible through a breakwater, 3 kilometers or 2 miles from the end of the nearest bus line. However, the breakwater is submerged at high tide. In addition, the tower itself is closed to the public.

"Remembering Letters and Postcards" blog shows a postcard of the Tokarev Lighthouse with a different view. Two of the three postcards of the Tokarev Lighthouse showcased on "My World of Postcards" blog were of beautiful winter scenes. The other card came with a 15p stamp issued in 2010 to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the City of Vladivostok, featuring the Tokarev Lighthouse.

Pangandaran, West Java, Indonesia

Postcard ID-120808 from Indonesia shows Pangandaran, West Java, Indonesia, a popular tourist destination known for its beach and surfing activities located on the southern coast of the island of Java.

It is a gateway to to Green Canyon (Cujang Taneuh) where visitors can hire a boat from the river harbor on the highway 1 kilometer before the turn-off to Batu Karas for a cruise along the emerald-green river in the jungle to a waterfall and a beautiful canyon.

In the news today, AirAsia Flight 8501 from Surabaya, Indonesia to Singapore vanished Sunday morning local time over the Java Sea. The expanded search so far has yet to turn up any trace of the Airbus A320. Located about 600 kilometers to the east of Pangandaran, Surabaya, capital of the province of East Java, is the second-largest city in Indonesia.

Tamsui, Taiwan

Postcard TW-908889 from Taiwan offers an aerial view from the north of Tamsui District (淡水區) in New Taipei City, Taiwan. It is a sea-side district where the Tamsui River, whose name means "fresh water", flows west into the Taiwan Strait. As a natural harbor, Tamsui was a major fishing and trade port in history because of its proximity to mainland China.

Twenty six years ago, the Tamsui Line,  a railroad branch line operated by the Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) and connected Taipei and Tamsui, closed on July 15, 1988. The Taipei Metro Tamsui Line was later built along the route. Upon the completion of the Metro Line in 1997, Tamsui experienced a dramatic increase of tourist traffic. Tamsui is popular for viewing the sunset into the Taiwan Strait, for various activities on several riverside parks, and for shopping at open-air markets specializing in traditional handicrafts and street-vendor snacks. Visitors can also visit a fisherman's wharf, and take ferries traversing across and along the river.

Tamsui is home to three universities: Aletheia University, Tamkang University, and St. John's University. On the upper left of the postcard, Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) can be seen in the background.