Northern royal albatross + SFO

Normally I'm not fond on receiving cards which are depicting a view from a country it is not being sent from, but these are so great I just didn't mind at all! 

With a wingspan of up to 3.2 meters, the northern royal albatross is one of the world’s largest flying birds. The plumage is white with completely black upperwings, and juveniles have some black flecking on the upperparts. The bill is pale pink with a diagnostic black edge to the upper beak.

The majority of northern royal albatrosses breed on Forty-Fours, Big and Little Sister Islands (Chatham Islands), but breeding also occurs on Taiaroa Head (Otago Peninsula, South Island) and Enderby Island (Auckland Islands), New Zealand. Non-breeding birds occupy the Southern Oceans.

The northern royal albatross typically nests on the flat summits of small islands, but in the non-breeding season inhabits the open oceans. [source: arkive.org]

Described as the ‘gateway to the Pacific’, San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is one of the major entry and departure points for passengers coming from or going to Asia. It repeatedly ranks among the top 30 busiest airports worldwide and was the first major airport in the USA to fully automate an integrated baggage system.

Just over 37 million passengers passed through the airport in 2009 with 77% of those domestic travellers. Asia accounted for almost half of all international flight destinations, although airports in Canada were the top international location, followed closely by those in China and Japan. The top three destinations within the USA were those in Los Angeles, then Chicago’s airports and those from New York the third most popular destination.

San Francisco International Airport was originally known as Mills Field Municipal Airport when it opened back in 1927. It was renamed San Francisco Municipal Airport in 1931 and was used by Pan American Airways for cross-Pacific flight in that decade. Domestic flights were only introduced on a larger scale post-war when Oakland International Airport was taken over by the military. [source: san-francisco-sfo.worldairportguides.com]

Thank you very much Heather!