Kiruna, Sweden

Next we will pay a short visit to the northernmost town in Sweden and that is Kiruna.

I guess that due to the lack of snow, the picture here was taken sometime during the summer period.
Due to its position north of the Arctic Circle the city experiences both midnight sun and polar night throughout the year as well as a very cold climate by Scandinavian standards.

I wish there was something by Scandinavian standards regarding OUR weather right now...

two nice stamps - the long one on the right was issued in 2010 - it comes fro a set of 5 stamps representing Swedish castles and if my shortsightedness hasn't deceived me, then here you can see the Vadstena castle. The windmill stamp was issued in 2011, representing renewable energy.

Thanks a bunch to my Sissel fairy for this one :)

Singapore

One more for today - yeah, sorry, I feel a bit rusty when it comes to this :)

As today's post has started with a card from Jean Pierre, let's end it that way - though this one was sent back in 2011 :)))
It shows some colourful houses and buildings in Singapore, in particular the Chinatown, the Arab Street, and the Trishaw Riders. Hm, everything gets down to China somehow, don't you think?

some nice colourful stamps here - first is a flower stamp from a set of two, issued in 2010 (it shows the Dillenia suffruticosa or the Simpoh Ayer). The middle stamp is from a set of 4 issued in 2008, showing Cash Crops of Early Singapore. The last one was issued in 2011 in a set of 5 stamps showing the spices of Singapore - this one shows the Tamarindus indica or also known as Tamarind.

So that would be all for today folks!

Thank you Jean-Pierre! (take 2)

And thank you everyone for (hopefully) still dropping by! Enjoy your summer days, hopefully not as unbearably hot as here :)

Bolivia

Hello all and welcome to a new postcards' episode :)

I must admit I've been a bit lazy this past week, but hopefully I will get through today's update which will open with a card from Bolivia.

I received this one as part of some lottery, that from this perspective I remember nothing about (well it was like 6 years ago so no wonder).
From what I could understand, on the card you can see people removing coca leaves - yeah, coca not cocoa as I had misread.
Coca is any of the four cultivated plants in the family Erythroxylaceae, native to western South America. The plant is grown as a cash crop in Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, even in areas where its cultivation is unlawful and it is well known throughout the world for its psychoactive alkaloid, cocaine. The UN Office of Drug Control estimated that 30,900 hectares of coca were planted in Bolivia in 2009, making Bolivia the third largest producer of coca after Colombia and Peru.
It is estimated that 35,148 of 54,608 metric tons produced in Bolivia is sold in unauthorized markets dominated by the cocaine trade, most of it from coca production in the Chapare (a rural province in Central Bolivia).

I wonder now if this card is legal in the first place :D

I love these huge cancellations, even though they sometimes give me the trouble having to delete the address and all without actually ruining the cancellation itself. As for the stamp, it is from a set of four stamps issued in 2008 for the 30th Anniversary of the Japan International Cooperation Agency in Bolivia.

Thanks a lot to Marisol for this card and I am really sorry I do not remember the exact lottery occasion for it.

Bihać, Bosnia and Herzegovina

a card that Jasmin sent me as part of the Ireland vs the Wolrd RR on the PC forum - i find it a bit funny to receive a card from Bosnia for something with the name of Ireland as part of it :)))

The card shows the Una river which at total length of 212 km, flows both through Bosnia and Croatia.
In the background you can see the main bridge, and further in the back you can see both a church and a mosque.

There is also a movie titled Una, based on the book by Momo Kapor. You can watch it on YouTube, though unfortunately it has no English subtitles =/

probably like one of the most frequently used stamps from Bosnia from the set of 6 vegetable stamps issued in 2006.

Jasmine, hvala ti puno :)

Abu Dhabi, UAE

A surprise card from Jean Pierre

The card shows the Roundabout Monument in Abu Dhabi but I have no idea what's the whole deal about it and what's its actual significance (reminds me a lot of Skopje when it comes to useless and insignificant sculptures and monuments...)

the two stamps are from a stamp sheet issued in 2011 consisting of 6 stamps in total and commemorating the 31st Session of the GDD Supreme Council.

Thank you Jean-Pierre!!

Tam-shui River, Taiwan

Another river for today, this one running through Taipei, Taiwan's capital.

It is one of the few rivers in the island that flows along a north-south direction, with a total length of 159 km.
Unfortunately, it is heavily polluted by both raw sewage and industrial pollution from illegal industry. Clean up and natural river restoration is on the agenda of the Taipei City Government, Taiwan Central Government and several citizen organizations.

I guess a river couldn't really be proud of itself when among the scarce information you find about it, one refers to its pollution.
However, the view at dusk is really nice.

a lovely cat stamp from a set of four stamps issued in 2005 featuring cats and dogs.

Seattle, USA

The last post for today features two cards from Bryon that somehow I can relate to our current political situation...that is the Colourful Revolution that has been ongoing here for over a month.
I know that the foreign media are not really covering this event, so if you are curious to read more about what's going on, you can read the following article that wraps it up nicely

Colourful Revolution in Macedonia


And if you are wondering what's the relation of that Revolution to these cards...well they are also very colourful :)

The first card shows The Gum Wall in Seattle - yep, what you can see here is chewing gums indeed. I find it both super-cool and gross :)
It is a local landmark of Seattle in an alleyway in downtown of the city and was named one of the top 5 germiest tourist attractions in 2009 - I mean, what else could one expect =)

Three nice stamps on the backside - the famous American clock is first, while the middle and the last stamp were both issued in 2011 - the first one for the Hanukkah and the latter for the Kwanzaa Festival.

This second card shows something that is also kinda typical about Seattle and that is a bunch of umbrellas in the streets cos of the frequent rains. Maybe it is not fun when it is raining so often, but the thing makes a really cool card :)

another bunch of nice stamps, featuring again the American clock at the bottom, while the top row of stamps starts with a fab George Gershwin stamp from a set of four American Art stamps issued in 1973. The middle one is from 2012 issued for the 100th Anniversary of Arizona Statehood while the last one is also from 2012 for the Distinguished Americans series, featuring José Ferrer, a Puerto Rican actor, theatre and film director.
He was the first Puerto Rican actor, as well as the first Hispanic actor, to win an Academy Award (in 1950 for Cyrano de Bergerac).

Well, Puerto Rico is a US territory after all...

Thanks a lot Bryon for both of these cards, they were kinda inspiring :)

And it is a bit early, but still, wishing you all a great weekend!

San Marino

Here comes another *hello*! Yeah, I know this one may seem like too soon after the previous post, but this blog as you know serves as a great way to keep my mind off things and well I don't really have much else to do anyway...plus if you remember the China-talk, it would be nice to post more cards while I still can cos if that China thing does get realized in reality, I highly doubt I will have much time for posting cards...if any....

I'll start today with two cards from San Marino...I don't really have many cards from there but it seems to me that more or less most of them share the same views...at least these two...

The one above was sent by Rita from her visit there in 2012, where on the big picture you can see the Fortress of Guaita as part of the three peaks which overlook the city of San Marino.

what amazes me about these two cards today are the stamps....I don't think Ive seen so beautiful San Marino stamps on a card before.
First we have a whole set of 3 stamps issued in 1967, for the 300th Anniversary of the Death of Giovanni Francesco Barbieri (an Italian Baroque painter and draftsman).
Next to it is a fantastic, absolutely fantastic stamp from a set of 2 stamps issued in 1983 for the San Marino Grand Prix. The last stamp is from a set of four stamps issued in 1988, commemorating the 900th Anniversary of the University of Bolognia.

On this second card you can also see the Towers...well, all three of them, Guaita, Cesta and Montale.
This second card came as a surprise from Tolya from Russia

the stamps on the second card are from 1997 from an issue named 'cities', where they supposedly show how some cities have changed over the years. These two stamps show how Hong Kong has changed from 1897 to 1997.

It is funny how all of these are rather older stamps actually...

Wat Saket, Thailand

This card arrived as an official few years ago

TH-82554

The card shows the Golden Mountain (or Phu Khao Thong), one of the Buddhist temples in Bangkok. 

The Wat Saket is a low hill crowned with a gleaming gold chedi. Within, the 58-metre chedi houses a Buddha relic and welcomes worshippers all year round. The temple also hosts an annual temple fair in November, which lasts a week during Loy Krathong.
The temple is now a popular Bangkok tourist attraction and has become one of the symbols of the city.

the stamp is a definitive from 2007, showing Hat Pattaya.

Victoria, Malta

Silvan sent me this card from a philatelic exhibition in Malta.

I have previously shown a card from the citadel in Victoria - here you can also see it in the background, but also have  wider glimpse of the town.
Victoria is actually the capital of Gozo, the second island of Malta.....but it is funny how if you mention just Gozo, many people are simply lost...

Here you can see the special cancellation from the exhibition. The stamp is from a set of 3 issued in 2015, showing National feasts. This particular one is also a SEPAC issue.

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, Turkey

Ok, just one more card for today...I don't wanna be overwhelming you so much, but just thought I'd post this one since after I posted this FDC, I recalled I should have another Atatürk card somewhere, and i wasn't mistaken :)

Well, today it is like 135 years since Atatürk's birth, the most worshiped man of Turkey.
I have already done a post about him here, so I wouldn't be repeating myself. However, I wanted to share with you a video which is kinda related to him since among else, Atatürk' introduced a new alphabet for the written Turkish language based on a modified Latin alphabet.
The new Turkish alphabet would serve as a replacement for the old Arabic script and as a solution to the literacy problem in Turkey. On 1 November 1928 he introduced the new Turkish alphabet and abolished the use of Arabic script. At the time, literate citizens of the country comprised as little as 10% of the population.
After the introduction of the new alphabet, it is said that the literacy has reached 70%!

Here is the video I had mentioned, referring to the Turkish language.

the stamp was issued in 2009 and is a joint issue between Turkey and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Ok, that would be all for today. Ok, I admit I'm in a bit of a hurry, meeting some friends in a while.
Anyways, hope you liked today's choice :)

So long!

Doha, Qatar

Hello fellow bloggers, readers and those who have accidentally stumbled upon here. Time for a new update :)

And today's update starts with this card that Jean Pierre sent me some years ago from Qatar's capital.
On this card you can see the dallah monument on the Corniche in Doha.
A Dallah is a traditional Arabic coffee pot used for centuries to brew and serve Qawha (gahwa), an Arabic coffee or Gulf coffee made through a multi-step ritual, and Khaleeji, a spicy, bitter coffee traditionally served during feasts like Eid ul-Fitr.
The Dallah has a distinctive form, featuring a bulbous body that tapers to a "waistline" in the middle and flares out at the top, covered by a spire-shaped lid topped with a tall finial and held by a sinuous handle. The most distinctive feature is a long spout with a crescent-shaped beak. This beak may be covered with a metal flap to keep the coffee warmer, but traditionally it is open to view the coffee as it is poured out.
A Dallah can be made of brass, steel, silver and even 24K gold for special occasions or used by royalty.
The origins of the dallah are unclear. Among the earliest references to a dallah as a coffee boiler in the modern shape date to the mid-17th century.The dallah plays such an important role in the identity of Persian Gulf countries that it is featured in public artworks and on monetary coins (as is the case here).

Jean Pierre used two lovely stamps on the card. The one on the right was issued in 2010 in a set of 4 stamps representing Doha as the capital of the Arab culture, while the other stamp was issued in 1996 in a set of 6 stamps featuring Gazelles and Beira Antelope, where this stamp shows the Gazella dorcas pelzelni.

btw, seeing that Hallmark sign on a card from Qatar is not something I would really expect :)


Thank you very much Jean Pierre!!

Gratulerer med dagen Norge! / Happy Birthday Norway!

17 May is like probably the most important day in Norway since it is the country's Constitution Day, which is the National Day of Norway.

The Constitution of Norway was signed at Eidsvoll on May 17 in the year 1814. The constitution declared Norway to be an independent kingdom in an attempt to avoid being ceded to Sweden after Denmark–Norway's devastating defeat in the Napoleonic Wars.

So for the birthday of my most beloved country in the world, here are a few Norwegian cards which I thought that thematically would be appropriate for today =)
In case you wanna read a bit more about the Norwegian's most important day of the year, take a look here - Understanding 17 May

PL-60549

First comes an official card which even though shows the Norwegian flag, was actually sent from Poland, but don't get me started on that now, let me tell you a few words about the flag instead :)

It was adopted on 13 July 1821, by a resolution by the Norwegian parliament, the Storting.

The idea for this flag belongs to Frederik Meltzer, Member of Parliament from Bergen. He got the idea of adding a blue cross to the Danish flag during a meeting in the parliament. The discussion on the flag circled around considerations about reflecting the past, that is the Danish colours, which enjoyed great popularity, and considerations that the union with Sweden should also be reflected in the flag. So we can say that the red and white came from the Danish flag, the blue from the Swedish. At the same time, the colour combination red, white, blue was also attractive to the Parliament because it reflected the colours of liberty, as in the flags of France, the USA, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands.

here is that Polish stamp issued in 2009 for the World Post Day.



I have no idea how I obtained the following two cards (most probably a swap) - all I know is that I found them in the 2010 pile.

On both of the cards you can see a map of the country along with some beautiful nature scenes located in different parts of it (the one above actually shows views from the north of the country only).

The next map card - I received it twice....and funny thing is that both senders sent it like just a few days apart...what a telepathy!! :D
One was sent by Sissel and one by Cathrine - I can freely say my two most regular Norwegian contributors :))

Both Sissel and Cathrine have said on the cards that the map is a bit inaccurate - I don't know if it's cos its maybe an older edition or something...but still makes it a really nice map-card.

Among else it says that
- the country is a Constitutional Monarchy with a Parliamentary system of Government
- monetary unit is the Norwegian krone
- religion: Protestant
- main export: oil and gas, ships and offshore platforms, fish, paper
- capital: Oslo
- largest lake: Mjøsa
- highest mountain: Galdhøpiggen, 2469m
- average life expectancy: women - 80 years, men - 73 years  (what the hell are you doing to your men Norway?? or should I ask that the Norwegian women maybe? :P)
- national anthem: Ja, vi elsker dette landet

speaking of mountains, it reminded me of this thing I read yesterday - it is not the latest news, actually it is like more than a year old, but I still thought it may be worth sharing this article about the Future Library Project that is taking place in Norway :)

here are the two stamps that came along with these cards - the above one featuring the Revtangen, Klepp, Rogaland was issued in 2009 in a set of 6 Tourism stamps, while the one below was issued in 2011 in a set of three stamps for the Year of the Architecture.

For the end of this post I will share with you a small anecdote from my recent Spanish trip that is related to Norway :)

See, we were visiting Benidorm one day, and just as we parked the car, another car parked in front of us, and I don't know why I took a look, but something just got my attention and I realized the car was Norwegian! I couldn't really believe it and I just stood there waiting for the people to get out of the car in order to talk to them, in my terrible basic Norwegian! To make it worse, I was so excited that I couldn't even think of the simplest of words at the moment!! And I don't know who was more shocked, me, that I came across Norwegians at a random place in Spain, or them, that they came across someone at a random place in Spain who actually spoke Norwegian (or better said, had her attempts to do so :D) It was hilarious cos as I've probably mentioned before, spoken Norwegian is a nightmare to me, so not only they talked to me in Norwegian, they often had to translate in English what they had actually said cos my brain was duh? huh? what??!! Yeah, the joke's on me, I know, but frankly I am also proud of myself cos I didn't run away as I usually do when I have to talk in a language I am not fluent in (like Spanish or German), but on the whole contrary, I was waiting for them to get out of the car in order to exchange a few words.
They were an older and really lovely couple, so a big hug to them in case they ever come across this post and remember that clumsy girl in Benidorm who tried to talk to them in Norwegian :D

Princeton, USA

So after that Norwegian confession, lets move on to this next card from Princeton in New Jersey that arrived as an official earlier this year.

US-3894874

from the back of the card:

A look at some of the unique architecture and shops on Nassau Street. The historic Princeton University Campus is located across the street. Here you can also find the Drumthwacket, which is the official residence of the governor of New Jersey.

the USPS Christmas stamp from 2014.

Jyväskylä, Finland

A Finnish card I received in 2009...I think that I've been doing well in my attempt to take into consideration more and more cards received long time ago instead of just focusing on the latest ones :)

On the card you can see the Kuokkala Bridge in the Finnish town of Jyväskylä, which is located in the central part of the country.

Elias Lönnrot, the compiler of the Finnish national epic, the Kalevala, gave the city the nickname "Athens of Finland". This nickname refers to the major role of Jyväskylä as an educational center, and as the first place in the world to provide education in Finnish.

I didn't know that Athens was like reference to education....for me it just the capital of Greece, and the goddess of wisdom (though her name is Athena, not Athens actually...)

the stamp was issued in 2007 in a set of two Antiques' stamps.

Three Cliffs Bay, Wales

One more card for today, this one from dear Anu, sent of course, ages ago :)

I really don't know why I am neglecting Wales on this blog, and I swear it is not on purpose!! This is just like my second Welsh card ever on this blog, and I have quite a number received from there, so I really don't know why do I not let them see the light of the day.

This gorgeous view shows the Three Cliffs Bay, a bay on the south coast of the Gower Peninsula in the City and County of Swansea, Wales. The bay takes its name from the three sea cliffs that jut out into the bay (well, of course).
The sea cliffs are limestone, about 20 m high, and are a popular destination for rock climbers - the largest of the Three Cliffs is easily climbed if approached from the grassy base.

always a fantastic choice of stamps by Anu!! From left to right: a Christmas stamp from a set of 3 issued in 1971, with this one representing the Adoration of the Kings. Next to it is a butterfly stamp from a set of 4 issued in 1981, where on this one you can see the Small Tortoiseshell. The third stamp was issued in 1974 in a set of 4 Winston Churchill stamps, while the last one is from that UK from A to Z set - this one was issued in 2001 and shows the Glastonbury Tor.

Anu, thank you for another lovely card with lovely stamps!

And everyone, thanks for reading :)

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!!

Palanga, Lithuania

Next comes an official I received earlier this year, showing the Sea Bridge of Palanga.

LT-498225

It is considered to be the most popular bridge not just in Palanga, but in Lithuania as well.

At the end of the 19th century Palanga was ruled by Counts Tiškevičiai. They decided to build a dock for ships that could be used to transport bricks made in counts’ brickyard. The dock was built in 1884-1888 and vessel “Phoenix” cruised to Klaipeda and Liepaja. Later, when the export of bricks failed, the ship was used for transportation of passengers. Unfortunately, after storms the dock would be covered in sand so it was realized that the bridge was not suitable for navigation. Since 1892, the pier has become the most popular place for taking walks.
The impacts of time, sea waves and wind destroyed this structure, thus, a new pier of 470 meters in length was built on concrete poles in 1998.

The stamp was issued in 2015 for the World Day of Information Technology Development.

Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe, South Africa

Next comes a fantastic train card that Sandra sent me as part of our swap!

The card shows the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe train which was the last remaining continually-operated passenger steam train in Africa, ending operation in June 2009.
The railway was completed in 1928, linking the towns of George and Knysna in the Western Cape, South Africa. The 3 hour journey also stopped in the towns of Wilderness, Goukamma, and Sedgefield. The scenic 67-kilometre route went along the rugged coastline of the Garden Route before ending by crossing a bridge over the lagoon in Knysna.

In 2007, the train's owners, Transnet Limited, announced that the train was not regarded as part of its core business. Transnet initiated a tender process to dispose of the train to a new owner/operator. However, on August 19, 2010 Transnet announced that, following unsuccessful attempts to find such a new operator, the train would cease operating. Nonetheless, the Western Cape Province's Finance, Economic Development and Tourism Minister, Alan Winde, says he is resolved to keep this heritage tourism asset operational.

well, fingers crossed for that!!

the train card comes with, among else, two fantastic train stamps, issued in 2010 in a set of 10 train stamps, commemorating the 150th Anniversary of South African Railways.
That horse-looking stamp is also from 2010, from a set of 16 Crafts' stamps, while the fish one was issued in 2000 in a set of 11 fish stamps, with this one showing the Blackbar Triggerfish.

Thank you so much Sandra!!

Florida Keys, USA

A great card from Florida that Jean-Pierre sent me from his travels in 2011.

On the card you can see the Seven Mile Bridge coming south from Marathon to Key West and was one of the longest bridges at the time it was built. (1982).
It is located in the Florida Keys, a coral cay archipelago located off the southern coast of Florida, forming the southernmost portion of the continental United States.

Whenever I look at this card, it looks like a bunch of light-bulbs had been lined up, lurking from the water.

Three nice stamps here - the George Washington one from 2010, next to whom is Mother Theresa, issued in 2010, commemorating the 100th Anniversary of her Birth, while the third stamp is from 2011, simply titled Jazz.

Thank you very much Jean Pierre!!