Hunza, Pakistan

Hello from the sunny/cloudy/sunny/cloudy/oh-i-so-much-wanna-rain-but-i-think-i-may-spare-you-the-trouble Skopje. Well, I rather it rains now than later when I wanna go to this music event and among else, see Psychic TV live.

Well, I have some hours to spare till then, so why not post a few cards? :)


First comes this amazing card from  Pakistan that Vera sent me few years ago when we swapped, and this card is just sooo beautiful! I love love love the colours of this, as they call it, amazing spring of Aliabad in the Hunza Valley.

Hunza is located in the northern part of Pakistan, not far from the borders with China and Afghanistan. It's well known for its picturesque beauty and culture, and traditions of the mountain people.

In March, April and May, the Hunza valley is full of flowers and blossoming trees (as you can see here on the card), and in contrast to the distant snowy peaks, it looks amazing, though as Vera points it out, the view from Aliabad remains spectacular throughout the year, even when it's cold and raining. 

The blossom starts with the almond trees, then apricot trees, cherries, apples, peaches and pears. Apricot is a famous legend fruit of the valley and in ancient times used to be the main source of food. 

Hunza is also famous for its gem stones, which are considered to be one of the most valuable in the world.

Hunzakuts (the local people of Hunza) tell a legend of 3 soldiers from the Army of Alexander the Great, which passed through the valley  with their Persian wives and founding the first villages of Altit, Baltit and Ganesh - a nice story but not confirmed. And the old Mir (King) of Hunza had an even better tale, claiming to be a descendant from Alexander's Union with a fairy of the Hindu Kush.

Oh, I love legends and fairy tales! Don't you? :))

Now along with the stamps, I have to again show Vera's amazing work of art and effort she puts on postcards (you can check out the previous one here) I often wish I had at least half the talent and creativity when it comes to the cards I send...

As for the stamps - the one on the left was issued in 2012, showing Muhammad Ali Jinnah who gained independence for Pakistan. He is a founder of Pakistan and beloved national hero. The other stamp is also from 2012, commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Visit of King Bhumibol Adulyadej & Queen Sirikit of Thailand to Pakistan.

Vera, thank you very much again for this fantastic card, stamps and design!!

Dhamaka Lake, Pakistan

So, my fellow dear readers..this will be the last post before me taking off on my holidays...I cant believe it that the time has almost come! Now im in the state of panic...and in realization that I should have bought a new suitcase...mine is just NOT enough...but well, I guess Ill have to manage..Im in the middle of packing, and as usual I have no idea what to take..Im sure ill take stuff that are extra and I wont need, and that i will 'forget' something important...the beauty of all travels, eh? :))

So before I go, here is one more update, with a few lovely cards :)

First comes from dear Vera who has moved to Pakistan and who was so kind to search for some of my favourite cards so that she can send them to me! And I dont know if I had said this before, but Pakistan has AMAZING postcards and STUNNING nature in general!
The lovely card here shows the Dhamaka Lake in the Swat valley, which is situated in the north of Pakistan. It has an ancient history, but its recorded history begins with Alexander the Great, who entered Swat in 326 or 327 BC. Swat in the past used to be home to the Buddhism that spread from there to other parts of Asia (China, Bhutan, Tibet and even Japan). Many monasteries have been founded there, where Buddhist monks used to live and Buddhist teachers educated their students.
Probably another reason why this card is so appealing to me is coz it is related to Alexander, so it feels close to heart :)

Before I get down to the stamps, please take a look at the artistic beauty here..makes the card sooo beautiful and special, and I also REALLY appreciate the effort and the time that Vera took to decorate my card like this! Love it!!
As for the stamps..the one on the right was issued this year, commemorating the 150th Anniversary of St Joseph's Convent School in Karachi, while the other one...it should be a definitive..but i cant tell exactly from which year...the other definitives of that kind were issued in 1994, but this one of Rs.28 does not seem to be among them...so any help is welcome :) thank you soo much again dear Vera!!

Dudipatsar Lake, Pakistan

Mmmm......snow....i would kill for bits of it right now...its over 30 degrees outside and its just May....I really hate the hot weather in Skopje, coz it feels unbearable...its not just hot...its tough to breathe and makes you feel weak...yesterday i had to do some stuff and had to walk/cycle....when i eventually got back home i was so exhausted of it that i crashed down to sleep at 8pm....and woke up sometime around 11pm....which of course resulted in a total deviation of my sleeping biorhythm, as if it wasnt already too messed up...argh, i dont wanna predict the summer...sometimes it can actually drastically change and be cool....but i recall days and weeks of 50 degrees when you just really cant do anything....dont come here in summer...really!

Ive already posted another card from Pakistan some time ago, which also shows the Kaghan Valley but from some different aspect.
I have to say that this card has one of the loveliest images ive seen.....and proves how poor my knowledge of Pakistan is...well, my knowledge is poor on any near/middle east countries. Thats mainly coz of the media, and the daily dosage of news where they'd show dusty streets with people fighting/shooting/throwing bombs....they'd talk (and still do) about self-suicidal bombing attacks...Casualties....military troops etc etc. So from all that i wasnt really able to grasp the 'other side' of these places but thanks to postcards, i have the chance to do so, and i apologize for all my ignorance regarding any place in the world....im anxiously trying to change all that, one step at a time...
Kaghan Valley is renowned for its countless glistening jade lakes, but the gem of gems in this treasury of natural jewels is Dudipatsar Lake. Boasting a height of 3,800 metres, the lake offers peace and tranquility in July, with its waters reflecting the ring of ice-encrusted guardian peaks. Dudipatsar lies 18km to the east of Besal, a settlement in the Upper Kaghan Valley.

There are 3 stamps used on the card. The first one was issued in 2005, and belongs to a set of 2 stamps commemorating the 50 years of IBA (Institute of Business Administration). The stamp next to it was issued in 1994, 1 of a set of 12 featuring Mohammed Ali Jinnah, while the stamp at the bottom features Nishan-E-Haider which is highest military award given in Pakistan, and the youngest of its recipients, Rashid Minhas Shaheed, a pilot officer. This stamp was issued in September, 2003.

Kaghan, Pakistan

Mmmm....Pakistan....my first card from Pakistan...country no. 83....

The card shows Kaghan, a valley in the Mansehra District of the North-West frontier Province in Pakistan.
It has a reputation as a place of great natural beauty.
he Kaghan valley is named for the town of Kaghan rather than for the Kunhar River which flows through the length of the valley. The Valley extends for 155 km rising from an elevation of 2,134 metres to its highest point, the Babusar Pass at 4,173 metres. The local population is friendly and easygoing and speaks Hindko (a language spoken by the hill people in Hazara), Pushto and/or Urdu.

Its mountains, dales, lakes, water-falls, streams and glaciers are still in an unbelievable pristine state. It is indeed an unspoiled paradise! This is why it can be a deeply satisfying experience to spend a few days in Kaghan.

Does seem like a nice place indeed....it would be nice to actually have a chance to visit it....