Indonesia

Next comes this Indonesian map card...that caught me totally off guard...

Seems that today was a day meant for surprises.
See, few months ago, the Indonesian post issued this amazing set of stamps for the Total Solar Eclipse that could be seen on March 08th/09th from parts of Indonesia including Sumatra, Borneo, and Sulawesi, and from locations in the Pacific Ocean. (now, how good is that, eh?!).

There were some offers for these stamps both on the forum and Facebook and I had really really wanted to receive them....and what's the problem now? The problem is that for the love of God, I cannot possibly recall if I had actually arranged something for these stamps or if dear Shinta sent me this card as a total surprise, knowing I have a soft spot for anything space related. In either case, it is absolutely embarrassing I must say being so out of space (no pun intended....)

So, while waiting for Shinta to solve my dilemma, I would like to think of this as a surprise...otherwise that would be one terrible episode of Ana being forgetful.

and ta-da! Here are the stamps!! Soo soo splendid!! *sigh* i honestly cannot believe I have received this...and another thing is...if you take a look at the cancellations, it gets extremely confusing!
So first is the pictorial postmark that dates back to February 23rd. Then, at the very right side, you can see a cancellation with the date of 28th of March, if I can read it correctly...and then between these two, there is another cancellation which says 1st of May....so what has actually happened here, I really have no idea...and well, no matter which one of these is true, this card has certainly travelled for a long long while...as if travelling from space :P

Well, Shinta, you have no idea how happy and thankful I am for this one! Thank you!!

Bali, Indonesia

I received this lovely card from Irien as a surprise for the FB surprise group! an absolutely great card!

the image is somewhere in Bali, showing two ladies that according to the caption are relaxing before going for a prayer...well, the place seems to be ideal for relaxing indeed...love that misty, chilly atmosphere they are surrounded with..

the stamps are from a set of 5 issued in 2012, representing Historic Buildings of Worship...the top stamp shows the Masjid Agung in Palembang, while the bottom one shows the Pura Beakih in Besakih.

Bali, Indonesia

And JP strikes again...this time with a beautiful peaceful image of the terraced ricefields in Bali.

just yesterday a friend was telling me about her visit to Bali...but she had visited the 'commercial' side of it..in a different image from the one we usually imagine about it...this has been the noisy dimension, full of tourists and narrow streets, parties and coffee shops, crowds and expensiveness....hmmm, yeah, when you talk to me about Bali, I do imagine something like on the postcard....I certainly can not relate Bali to crowds and parties...so if I ever get the chance to visit it, I could take a peek at that commercial side, but Id definitely love to explore the 'natural' part of it

JP used four stamps on the card, coming from a set of 8, showing traditional textile.

thanks a lot JP for all the great cards!! And thank you all for reading :)

Indonesia

my last card for today comes from Indonesia as a swap with dear Shinta, who sent me this extra cool card which was in my favourites for sooo soo long! I think this is a favourite card of many out there! It is just soo lovely!

These are paper umbrellas and this lady, as the caption says, gives them the finishing touch! And what an artist! She is Japanese and us dressed in Indonesian daily traditional clothes 'sarong and kebaya'.

I used to have a paper umbrella...I think it was with Japanese designs...it was a really nice one, but still, the coulours on these here are so lively and give some fresh look to the umbrellas.

the two stamps on the left come from a set of 6 stamps issued in 2010, representing Cultural heritage, with this one showing a batik. The other two are from the Year of the Dragon stamps, issued this year. Really lovely! Too bad Macedonia does not issue these 'year of the....' stamps....actually, this year Macedonia has issued just one single stamp so far..which is disastrous...but i wont go into details about it here. Hopefully, the whole issue is going to be solved soon.

well again, Happy Easter to everyone celebrating, and a nice happy Sunday to all the rest :)

Indonesia

Well after a some very tense working days, and no time to do things aside...or at least do them without dead-lines weighing over your head, here I am, in a rather relaxed mood, to post some cards...Id usually go to sleep, coz I feel chronically sleep-deprived....but right now i feel more like enjoying my cards :)

and ill start with this nice map card from Indonesia...what I really like about it is coz it gives you a chance to see where, compared to Indonesia and Malaysia for example, some places are...and the vicinity is rather surprising....i wonder how easy (and cheap/expensive) it is for example go get by boat from Indonesia to Christmas Island....coz if i lived in Indonesia I think I would go there just to buy and send a bunch of cards and stamps! You wouldnt complain to receive one, would you? :P
And then there is East Timor!!! Another postcard/stamps paradise! And even though you cant see it properly on the card you also have here Papua New Guinea..it is sharing an island with Indonesia actually....so there are just such nice rare countries around here....so maybe it is better i dont live in Indonesia....otherwise id go bankrupt rather quickly :)
Speaking of islands...Indonesia consists of  17,508 islands, out of which around 6,000 are inhabited...and Java is the most popular of course......

 

The two nice stamps are from a set of 5 issued in 2009 regarding the World Ocean Conference

Bali, Indonesia

One fantastic card sent by Nina in Indonesia...

The colours of this card are just soo beautiful and captivating! I love it!
It shows a Temple Procession on the Bali islands. I doubt I would be able to explain this well without making a mistake and saying some nonsense, so here is something I found on youtube instead...and came the most close to what I saw on the card

The stamp is from a set of 8 flower (greeting) stamps issued in 2001

Jakarta, Indonesia

Here is the country which is like a magnet for my cards, since for some reason they feel sooo appealed to it, that they first need to take a stop in Indonesia and then come to me....

Im going thru an Windows fiasco at the moment...or actually for 3 days now...first my Windows crashed...due to a virus probably...had it re-installed, and than God my files were saved....i always tell myself that as i get new files (music, movies, programs, documents...) i will also make a back up copy, just in case....and i never do it until its way too late..and i was freaked out that all my files will be lost but they lived....well, i had to deal with a basic XP installation since i planned to just save all my data and then do a complete format....and that was a good plan, but you know how it goes..it never goes as you had planned something...so at first it seemed to have only some minor problems...i transferred some of the data...and then...and then...and its then when i couldnt access my files anymore...not just my files but the entire partition....it kept asking me if i want to Format it since it hasnt been formatted...i was devastated...mainly for not being quicker in transferring my files coz they WERE there and all i had to do was just copy them to a cd or usb....but no, i had to procrastinate as usual and of course, had to pay the price....this time seemed like there is no solution....corrupt HD...eventually, i learned that the whole drive had gone into RAW format, and this is the first time i had heard about such a problem and what the hell could i do about it.... but i couldnt give up....had to save my docs (the way im talking about this, someone would think that im hiding documents of CIA importance).... well, found some programs which seemed to work really fine...coz they actually could scan the drive and show me my files...which meant that they ARE there indeed, except that i couldnt get to them...coz i had to pay for that...do you know ow painful it feels, to have the chance to see your OWN files and yet they are not giving them to you....arrghhhhh....and then i found one which also requires money, but at least it does give you the chance to recover your stuff...little by little....which is much better than nothing....so im slowly recovering my stuff...and it feels such a relief to have the chance to see them...its just that i havent really slept for two nights...but i had to get the job done...and had to figure out the problem...and had to find the solution...and this is one of those times when i really love myself for being stubborn and persistent, even though i could barely hold my eyes open...but while waiting for my files, see, i can even make an update....even though it said NOTHING about the card actually....yeah, i know you dont mind it :P

two really nice stamps, both dating back from 2001

Padang Pajang, Indonesia

the last card for today comes from Indonesia and showing, if i can say so, my favourite means of transport.

Ever since i had put the trains and railways on my wishlist, i noticed how people have started actually sending me such cards about which im extremely glad! Otherwise, i would have never had all those train-related cards i had received lately :)
this card here shows a railroad in Padang Panjang in Indonesia. Did you know that although Indonesia has over 18000 islands, only TWO have railroads??? thats a shame...
now that i think about it, i havent travelled by train for almost a year....im either on the bus or in the car...and im not sure i will have an opportunity in the near future to travel by train....but i do miss that tk tk..tk tk...tk tk sound the trains make...and there is nothing better than travelling at night, in a sleeping cabin and being there just by yourself...mmmmmmmmmmmmm

as for the stamps, from what i could gather..there are four in the set (here you see two of them) and they were issued in May this year, regarding the World Ocean Conference, where Indonesia was the host between 11 - 15 May, and in commemorating this event, the stamp series were issued.
The stamp design beautifully captures the under water life consists of Coral Reef, Blueringed Anglefish, Anemone Shrimp, Goldback Anthias and Green Sea Turtle. 

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

The last card to be featured today comes from the city of Yogyakarta in Indonesia.

It is renowned as a center of classical Javanese fine art and culture such as batik, ballet, drama, music, poetry, and puppet shows.Yogyakarta was also the Indonesian capital during the National Revolution from 1945 - 1949.
On the card you can see the Tugu monument, which is a famous landmark that is located right at the center of Yogyakarta.
The monument has a sphere as the top spire and this represents the universe. Previously that is during the colonial era there was a golden cylinder in the place of the spire. In the Indonesian language the word "tugu" means column.
The Tugu Monument that is there at the north of the Keraton at the interjection of the Jl. Sudirman and the Jl. Mangkubumi is not the one that was originally built. The first monument was built in 1755 to commemorate the setting up of the Ngayogyakarta Sultanate. The structure was built in direct alignment with the Mount Merapi and the Keraton. Thus it formed an axis that is said to have special power.

Btw....i got this card along with many others in an envelope...and since i hadnt  featured the stamps with the previous cards, here they are now. Ill skip the comments....since i simply couldnt open the English version of the Indonesian Post Office site, so that i could read what information does it include in the Philately section and if it could be any helpful. So in case you know something more about the stamps or you can give me a good link about Indonesian stamps, you are always welcome to do so.

Bali, Indonesia (04)

Last week was scarce on mail...very scarce....hopefully this one will be better...and maybe my so 'famous' new country will arrive as well...though for some reason i have a feeling that if it doesnt arrive this week, several new countries will arrive next week....well, the more the merrier...btw, to whomever i owe a mail or a message or anything...you know me...im always behind with that...sometimes i think that if i had to write you a real letter, it would have reached you sooner, than me writing you an email...yeah, im THAT lousy and e-mail unfriendly :)

Well, i think that at the mention of "Bali" you are more used to seeing those exotic beaches or lovely turqoise water...well, for a change, something cultural as well :)
This is the Taman Ayum Temple in Mengwai, West Bali.
The Taman Ayum Temple is a Royal Temple of Mengwi Empire and it is located in Mengwi Village and it had been newly sanctified in the year 1634. The temple served as the family temple of the Mengwi dynasty, whose kingdom survived until the late 1800s. The temple was built by I Gusti Agung Anom, a founder of the Mengwi kingdom in 1934, and were skilfully and renovated in later years, giving its present appearance which tourists find so attractive and interesting. The temple is famous for its exquisite wooden merus, or pagoda-like shrines. The name itself means beautiful garden. It is built on a high tableland which is surrounded by ponds.

Ijen, Indonesia

Anyone loves volcanoes?? Well, here is a nice card for you, volcano lovers...I think Marta loved them :)

The Ijen volcano complex is a group of stratovolcanoes in East Java, Indonesia. It is inside a larger caldera Ijen which is about 20 kilometers wide. The Gunung Merapi stratovolcano is the highest point of that complex.
West of Gunung Merapi is the Ijen volcano, which has a one-kilometer-wide turquoise-colored acid crater lake. The lake is the site of a labor-intensive sulfur mining operation, in which sulfur-laden baskets are carried by hand from the crater floor. Many other post-caldera cones and craters are located within the caldera or along its rim. The largest concentration of post-caldera cones forms an E-W-trending zone across the southern side of the caldera. The active crater at Kawah Ijen has an equivalent radius of 361 meters, a surface of 41 × 106 square meters. It is 200 meters deep and has a volume of 36 × 106 cubic meters.

Im pretty sure you didnt need all that volcanic info.... 

Bali, Indonesia

A really tranquil scene showing the peaceful palm-fringed lagoon at Candidasa

Located 85 km north-east of the airport, on the east coast, Candidasa offers a good base for exploring east Bali. A low key, laid back place close to cultural treasures like Pura Besakih and Tenganan Village - a unique village belonging to the original surviving Bali Aga aboriginal communities. It has lots of rustic charm.
 

Kelimutu, Indonesia

A really magnificent view of a magnificent place...

Kelimutu is a volcano close to the town of Moni in central Flores Island of Indonesia containing three summit crater lakes of varying colors. Tiwu Ata Mbupu (Lake of Old People) is usually blue and is the westernmost of the three lakes. The other two lakes, Tiwu Nuwa Muri Koo Fai (Lake of Young Men and Maidens) and Tiwu Ata Polo (Bewitched or Enchanted Lake) are separated by a shared crater wall and are typically green or red in color, respectively. The lake colors do vary on a periodic basis.
Subaqueous fumaroles are the probable cause of active upwelling that occurs at the two eastern lakes.

Mother nature really leaves me speechless sometimes.....

Jakarta, Indonesia

A view of Jakarta at night...

I dont know if this fountain is of any particular significance or no...i dont even know if it has a name, coz its not stated on the card...though i think that since its already put on a postcard, there has got to be something important related to it...or that it least has a name...if anyone knows, you know what to do..:)

Did you know that Jakarta used to have several different names during history? It was called Sunda Kelapa (397-1527), Jayakarta (1527-1619), Batavia (1619-1942) and Djakarta (1942-1972).
It is the capital and largest city in Indonesia, and as well the 11th largest city in the world (wow!!). It is located on the northwest coast of the Java Island.

now, here is something roaming through my mind...the "Java" PC programming language...is the origin of its name ANYHOW related to the Java Island? This has been bugging me for a long time...why the Java application is actually called Java...or is it indeed just a random choice of words? Im really curious....

Bali, Indonesia (02)

What exactly those black spots and lines represent, im not sure...thats how the card arrived in my mailbox..at first i thought it may be dirt...but when i did a closer inspection on both sides, i might think as well its from the stamp marks...and the card which was over this one, its cancellation somewhat left traces on my card as well...since the cancellation on my own is as well somewhat smeared...

The card shows the temple "Tahan Lot", which is one of the sacred temples of the Hindu people in Bali.
Unfortunately, i couldnt really find much info about it...i always end up on sites with photos about it...no relevant information...or maybe im again just lazy to google more for it...shame on me :(

Lake Toba, Indonesia

This is unfortunately the last card of the Indonesian set I received, but i hope ill get more in the future :)

Lake Toba is the largest volcanic lake in the world. It is 100km long, 30km wide and 505m at its deepest point. It is situated in Northern Sumatra, with a surface elevation of 900m.

Mount Bromo, Indonesia

Another one of the set of Indonesian cards

Mount Bromo is one of the most popular tourist attractions in East Java, Indonesia. It is an active volcano, and part of the Tengger massif, and even though at 2329 meters it is not the highest peak of the massif, it is the most well known.

A Legend

According to a local folk tale, at the end of the 15th century, princess Roro Anteng from the Majapahit Empire, started a separate principality together with her husband Joko Seger. They named it Tengger by the last syllables of their names. The principality did prosper, but the ruling couple failed to conceive children. In their despair they climbed Mount Bromo to pray to the gods, who granted them help, but requested the last child to be sacrificed to the gods. They had 24 children, and when the 25th and last child Kesuma was born Roro Anteng refused to do the sacrifice as promised. The gods then threatened with fire and brimstone, until she finally did the sacrifice. After the child was thrown into the crater, the voice of the child ordered the local people to perform an annual ceremony on the volcano, which is not held today.

Prambanan, Indonesia

I think that all those UNESCO lovers and collectors, would like the set of cards today.....
btw, at the latest meeting in Quebec, there were 27 new UNESCO sites in the whs list....this is one of the reasons why i had given up my aim of focusing on missing countries and UNESCO's.....ill never manage to get them all....coz even if i do, some new things to collect would come up....never-ending story :) and its really too much effort and time for me.....well, you actually know that already....

The first one comes from Indonesia, and shows Prambanan, the largest Hindu temple compound, located in Central Java.
It is characterised by its tall and pointed architecture, typical of the Hindu temple architecture and by the 47m high central building inside a large complex of individual temples.

Now, i was amazed at how much information there can be found about this site....all of them worth talking about! But its pointless to post it all, coz its enormous amounts of info....so ill just leave it up to you to click this link and read more about it....

Bali, Indonesia (01)

Next destination would be a beautiful place in Asia....Bali! :)


It is an Indonesian island, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east.
It is the largest tourist destination in the country and is renowned for its highly developed arts, including dance, sculpture, painting, leather,metalworking and music.
The card shows "The Nusa Dua" complex which is situated in southern Bali, and is the island's largest resort area.

This should make you want to go there, if the picture still hasnt convinced you :)

Crystal clear water and stretches of white sandy beach of Nusa Dua makes Nusa Dua a perfect spot for luxurious resorts to which your exhausted bodies, after a Barong performance at Batubulan and a long climb of the steps of the Mother Temple Besakih, will want to rest. Some of the most sumptuous and luxurious hotels in the world find their home in Nusa Dua Bali. You can relax in the Thalasso spa of the Grand Mirage Resort after a day of surfing or diving. Or you can tee off into the sunset, while watching the gentle waves come from the blue sea and caress the banks surrounding the luscious greens. Tranquil swimming pools under the coconut trees seem to be one with the distant blue sea. Art galleries and numerous shops surround them.

Matahari Islands, Indonesia

Another of the set of Indonesian cards, showing the Matahari Islands(?).....


This place here looks unnaturally beautiful...like a real real paradise....

If you google for the islands you wont actually get any info...but if you just type 'matahari'....it gets very interesting...and I wouldnt have related these two things myself.

"At 18, she answered an advertisement in a Dutch newspaper placed by a man looking for a wife. Margaretha married Dutch naval officer Rudolf John MacLeod in Amsterdam. They moved to Java and had two children......The disenchanted Margaretha abandoned him temporarily, moving in with Van Rheedes, who was another Dutch officer. For months she studied the Indonesian traditions intensively, joining a local dance company. In 1897 she revealed her artistic surname Mata Hari via correspondence to her relatives in Holland"

well, I hope you know who Mata Hari was (no, im not thinking of the Bosnian singer here!)

I need info...of the actual EXISTENCE of this place :)

yeah yeah, very funny.....I have this verse by Alanis in my head right now 'you live, you learn...'