Stamps I've Met

Santa Claus cover from Finland no. 2

2011-12-25T14:07:00.002+01:00

Courtesy of Giovanni we received a fantastic present from the Santa Claus office at the Artic Circle, from Napapiiri, Finland! Santa, as usual, sent a greeting and a lovely picture and a calendar, and put on a stamp with himself, this time from 2001, and cancelled it with a special postmark. Thank you, Giovanni!!

Postcard from Andorra (Spanish Post)

2011-12-07T23:45:00.005+01:00

Here's a fresh postcard sent from the capital of Andorra on 29 November 2011, showing a breathtaking view of Andorra la Vella from the Romanesque church of St. Miguel d'Engolasters.
The EUROPA forest stamp was issued on 4 April 2011 and shows the Bosc de Sorobilles near Ordino. Print-run: 115,000.

Thank you, Fabienne!!

Cover from Dominica

2011-12-05T20:29:00.003+01:00

Disney's Chip and Dale are soaking and drying stamps on this lovely cover sent on 28 July 1986 from Dominica to Ceske Budejovice (Budweis) in South Bohemia. The set of 4 large stamps was issued in 1986 to commemorate the Ameripex philatelic exhibition held in the US.

Cover from Grenada

2011-12-05T20:26:00.002+01:00

Still tripping in the Caribbean, here's a cover sent on 10 April 1991 from Grenada to Trinec in Silesia/Czechoslovakia. The bird stamps are definitives from a series issued in 1989.

Cover from Montserrat

2011-12-04T12:48:00.005+01:00

Continuing the trip along the Caribbean, here's an airmail cover sent from the island of Montserrat to Trinec in North Moravia sometime in 1989/1990. The moon-landing stamp is part of a quartet of stamps from 1989, commemorating the 20th Anniversary of the the First Manned Moon Landing.

Cover from St. Kitts

2011-12-03T18:39:00.004+01:00

Following the cover from the island of Nevis, here's a cover from St. Kitts, the neighbouring island forming with Nevis the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis (West Indies, pop. around 51,000). The cover was mailed from the capital of Basseterre on 12 July 1993 To Czechoslovakia (it should have been the Czech Republic by then). The ship stamp is part of a big series of stamps issued in 1990, the stamp depicting the Cathedral of St. John the Divine is from 1993, commemorating the 150th Anniversary of the Diocese of the North Eastern Caribbean and Aruba.

Cover from Nevis

2011-12-03T18:28:00.003+01:00

Here's another beauty from my treasure trove of exotic covers, an airmail cover sent from Charleston, the capital of the island of Nevis in the West Indies, with two cricket stamps issued in 1989. The date on the postmark is illegible, but it should be somewhere around 1990.

Cover from Transkei, South Africa

2011-12-02T21:49:00.005+01:00

Last week, when we were collectively ill at home with some gastric flu, I spent an evening browsing pages of the largest Czech auction server www.aukro.cz, looking for nothing, and on a whim I bid 1 Czech crown (4 eurocent) at an auction for a collection of more than 50 covers and postcards from some pretty exotic locations around the world, sent to various address in the former Czechoslovakia, in the years 1970-1993, and surprise, surprise, I won, as the only bidder... and the items are just beautiful, here's, for example, a cover from the former Bantustan Transkei in South Africa (dissolved in 1994), with a complete series of stamps on the topic of textile production from 1988, postmarked in Impala Park on 4 December 1990.

Cover from France no. 15

2011-11-29T23:01:00.003+01:00

Here's a beautiful cover from 2009 (postmarked on 18 April in Lyon) that I forgot to show at that time, with the complete French souvenir sheet with two lovely engraved stamps, issued as part of the "Preserve the Polar Regions and Glaciers" project in 2009. Thank you, Eric, also for the careful cancellation!

Postcard from Serbia no. 5

2011-11-29T22:49:00.005+01:00

Here's a nice night-view postcard showing the New Palace in Beograde, Serbia, the former royal residence, now the residence of the Serbian president. The first of the three 22 dinar stamps is a definitive with a decorative ring from the 18th century, the second in row is a Herrerasaurus ischigualastensis, an Argentinian dinosaur in Beograde, presumably visiting at an exhibition (2009), and the red car stamp commemorated the 55th anniversary of Zastava/Fiat in 2010.

Thank you, Ana:)

Cover from Italy no. 25

2011-11-18T22:42:00.003+01:00

Here's another excellent cover from Giovanni, with a stamp from 2010, from the classical Italian series "Tourism", showing the town of Viggiano in the province of Potenza in southern Italy.

The stamp was cancelled in Pulsano (Taranto) with a special postmark commemorating a feast of the Madonna of Lourdes held on 11 February 2011.

Grazie, Giovanni!!

Cover from Portugal no. 7

2011-11-18T22:30:00.005+01:00

A nice cover from Portugal, sent from Loures, near Lisbon in 2009. The 67 eurocent stamp shows an olive oil press (o lagar) from a series of stamps celebrating olive oil (issued on 7 October 2008), the bird definitive is from 2003.

Thank you, Nuno!

Postcard from Aland no. 3

2011-11-16T22:52:00.007+01:00

A gorgeous postcard sent from the municipality of Saltvik in the Åland archipelago, Finland, with a fairy-tale snow-covered windmill and a trio of lovely stamps, including a chanterelle, the mushroom featured also on the previous cover from Spain - this Åland one was issued in 2003 along with two other mushrooms. Next to the chanterelle there is a stoat (hermine) from a 2004 series dedicated to animals, and a windmill in Soderby, municipality of Lemland in Åland, on another splendid stamp from the series depicting Åland landscapes and nature (2006).

Thank you, Liisa!!!

Cover from Spain no. 9

2011-11-14T23:38:00.004+01:00

This is a lovely airmail cover in the best tradition, sent from Barcelona, Spain, with a complete set of two mycology stamps which were issued on 16 October 2009 in 320,000 copies. The left-hand mushroom is Boletus pinophilus (pine bolete), in Czech hřib borový (yum!), the right-hand one is Cantharellus cibarius (chanterelle), in Czech liška (= fox). Both also very popular and widely used and eaten here.

Muchas gracias, David!!

Postcard from Slovenia no. 3

2011-11-13T23:39:00.006+01:00

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When we were returning from our holiday in Croatia this June, we spent a few hours in and around the Predjama Castle in Slovenia. A really impressive building set against a huge rock cavity, part castle, part rock hideout, it's a great place to visit especially since one is free to roam the premises and does not have to follow a guide. At the entrance, in a souvenir shop, we bough a few cards and a few copies of the only stamp available which, as I only later learned, is custom made/personalised and sold only at the castle and at the Postojnska Jama Cave some ten kilometers away (the castle and the cave are connected by an underground passage and also as tourist attractions). The C-rate personalised stamp was issued in 2008 to commemorate the 190th anniversary of the factual discovery of the cave system at Postojna.

We had also a great lunch at a medieval restaurant there with typical Slovenian dishes, and left a baby sweater lying on a bench there:)

Cover from the USA no. 7

2011-11-12T23:19:00.002+01:00

A very nice cover received last year from Illinois, USA featuring two 44c stamps of the Cowboys of the Silver Screen series issued on 17 April 2010. The film stars here are Gene Autry and Williams S. Hart... plus a 10c definitive. Thank you so much, Bob!

Cover from Ukraine no. 3

2011-11-12T15:14:00.007+01:00

Another colourful cover from Ukraine, sent on 21 November 2009 from Kyiv; and the very first, 80k, stamp is connected to the Ukranian capital city, as it is part of a series called "Kyiv Through Artists' Eyes" (2005). The most conspicuous stamp of all here is the woman with the traditional Ukrainian hat, from a series of 12 stamps showing various examples of ornamental head-dresses (2006). The rest of the postage is made up by two current definitives of a jug and a tile, all of it on the first day cover which accompanied a souvenir sheet dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Kiyv zoo (2009). Thank you Ksenia!

Postcard from Pitcairn Islands

2011-11-08T23:52:00.008+01:00

Here's a splendid greeting from Pitcairn Island, the only populated island of the four isles comprising the Pitcairn archipelago in the Pacific Ocean, a British Overseas Territory. The picture shows the local school and a set of shell stamps from 2001.

The NZD 1.80 stamp shows HMS Monmouth from a set of 6 stamps dedicated to the Royal Navy Vessels (2nd series, issued on 9 December 2010), ships that visited Pitcairn and contributed to improving the life of resident Pitcairners, e.g. providing medical services and judicial duties.

Thank you so much, Giovanni!!!

Cover from Bulgaria no. 6

2011-11-07T22:39:00.004+01:00

It's not very frequent that Czech people draw attention of foreign postal administrations, but here is an example from Bulgaria that it does happen:)

Here is a cover with the right-hand part of a souvenir sheet featuring works and a portrait of Alphonse Mucha. Mucha was born here in Moravia in 1860 and became famous especially in France due to his distinctive style of Art Nouveau painting and graphic design, and he also designed stamps, and his works also appeared on them, like, for example, here (2010 self adhesive stamps with the overseas rate)

The Bulgarian sheet was issued on 23 July 2010 (the year of the 150th anniversary of Mucha's birth), in 20,000 copies, and the 1 leva stamp on the cover above bears the postmark of Sofia, 21 September 2010.

Thank you, Lilia:)

Postcard from Slovakia no. 7

2011-11-06T23:44:00.008+01:00

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Here's a postcard we sent ourselves from a visit to the town of Medzilaborce (pop. approx. 6,600) in northeastern Slovakia, one of its most remote and undiscovered regions. Medzilaborce is now famous for its museum of Andy Warhol whose parents came from the vicinity of the town. There is also a Jewish cemetery and a large white Orthodox Church.

The stamp from 2008 shows a portrait of Slovak poetess Masa Halamova. The T1 100g denomination has been used in the period when Slovakia was leaving its koruna and accepting euro. Now almost all of the new stamps bear only euro denomination.

The 1 koruna definitives are from 1993, part of the long series showing the coats of arms of Slovak towns.

And talking of Andy Warhol I found in my collection of postcards this night skyline view of Corpus Christi in Texas, with the Andy Warhol stamp from 2002, along with a sad-looking dog on a neuter spay stamp from the same year, what a crazy combination of looks...

Postcard from South Korea

2011-11-05T17:51:00.005+01:00

This is a nice postcard I received from South Korea in 2010, showing a painting on silk of dogs and peonies from Gaheo Museum. The long stamp is taken from a sheet of four stamps dedicated to Old and Historic Korean trees, second series, issued on 5 April 2010, and the small definitive stamp from 2006 shows a poison bulb (Crinum asiaticum). The machine postmark is illegible.

Postcard from Italy no. 6

2011-11-04T21:48:00.006+01:00

Here's a great postcard with the higher value Italy's Europa 2011 stamp, postmarked in Pisa on 23 August 2011, showing a marble quarry in the Alpi Apuane Mountai Range in Tuscany...

As always, my sincerest thanks go to, Giovanni from Milano:)

Cover from Italy no. 24

2011-11-04T21:41:00.003+01:00

After the Spanish Europa stamp here are its Italian cousins, on a cover with the set of two stamps issued on 9 April 2011, with no less than four first-day-of-issue cancellations from Roma Filatelico. Grazie mille, Giovanni!!!

Cover from Spain no. 8

2011-11-03T22:57:00.004+01:00

Here is a nice cover received from José Luis in Carballo, Galicia, Spain, showing an autumnal view of a beechwood in the province of Segovia (el Hayedo de la Pedrosa). The stamp was issued on 4 April 2011 as part of the Europa stamp project and bears the new logo. Muchísimas gracias, José Luis!

I am back, hopefully:)

2011-11-03T22:56:00.000+01:00

Hello everyone, with the arrival of a lovely foggy autumn I feel a fresh burst of energy to return to posting the dozens of beautiful covers and postcards I've received since I went silent, and also from before that time. I hope to be back for a longer time now that I've reorganised my time and work to have a better defined daily regime. Thank you for following me:)

Apology

2011-04-18T17:15:00.002+02:00

Dear friends,
at the moment I can't dedicate myself to my hobbies for more than one reason. I hope this break from posting will be only temporary. I am afraid I can't accept any new offers for trades. But I will honour all my current exchanges. Thank you!

Covers from Italy 21, 22 and 23

2011-03-30T22:20:00.005+02:00

A set of three great covers received recently from Giovanni. Here's a registered letter sent from Milano, Via Rimini post-office, with a sheet of 4 abstract stamps issued on 10 March 2011, dedicated to the state's Fiscal Agencies (Land Registry, Customs, State Property and Revenue), and 4 stamps issued on 7 January 2011 on the occasion of the 150th Anniversary of the Italy's unification...

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... this stamp is featured also on the above a cover with a special first-day-of-issue cancellation from the Presidential Palace in Rome (il Quirinale)...

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...and the same special cancellation can be seen used also on the souvenir sheet (7 January 2011), with the symbolic Italian flag, also part of the commemoration of the Italy's Unification.

Grazie, Giovanni, for these covers, and also for the fantastic surprise from the Pitcairn Island which I will show shortly:))

Czech cover no. 6

2011-03-29T10:58:00.007+02:00

A new stamp in the ongoing series dedicated to the tradition of the Czech stamp production, issued on 20 January 2011, reproducing the stamp from a postal card (1966) made by Josef Herčík, one of the top Czech engravers. The cover above bears the stamp with the coupon (taken from a booklet), and has two cancellations... I wanted to have it only hand-cancelled, but interestingly, the cover then still went to receive the machine cancellation, at the same post-office (Kroměříž 1 - the only one here which has the machine).

Below, the stamp is used again, this time without the coupon, but with a hand-cancellation only, from Kroměříž 2 post-office located in the Main Square. This postcard shows the Baroque Church of St. John the Baptist, within a stone's throw of the said office.

Cover from France no. 14

2011-03-29T10:35:00.003+02:00

A lovely cover from France with a set of four selfadhesive stamps, taken from one of two booklets issued in 2010, showing typical regional dishes... Merci, Eric!!

Cover from Slovakia no. 4

2011-03-29T10:29:00.002+02:00

Here's another bunch of splendid mail received lately from around the world. Due to further time constraints I will reduce my comments, but will show the lovely covers and postcards anyway, they speak for themselves:)

Slovakia: registered letter sent from Bratislava, 2 x Topolčany Castle (2010) with two coupons of the State Geological Institute, with two engraved wooden churches (East Slovakia, protected as a UNESCO WHS) and one offset printed coupon in the middle, taken from a sheet issued in 2008.

Thank you, Marian!!

Cover from Luxembourg

2011-03-16T09:45:00.006+01:00

A set of two nice self-adhesive stamps on this cover sent from Luxembourg on 8 March 2011. The issue, from 16 March 2010, is dedicated to the Eischtal (the Valley of the river Eisch, or 'Valley of the Seven Castles' - only six of them depicted here:) -, in central Luxembourg).

Thank you, Arturo!

Postcard from Spain no. 4

2011-03-15T11:53:00.005+01:00

A nice postcard showing the major sights of Madrid, sent from Ciudad Real on 22 December 2010.

The 0.64 euro Christmas stamp was issued on 3 November 2010, and is a painting by J. Carrero, a variation on Christmas themes.

Gracias Aurora!

Czech cover no. 5

2011-03-15T10:34:00.006+01:00

Here's a Czech cover with a few stamps which I wanted to have postally used in my collection. The 6.50 crowns "Rose above Prague II." has two coupons, the right-hand one being used only once in a sheet of nine stamps which is the format these stamps were issued in. The left-hand one accompanies each of the stamps, and is a publicity for a postal savings bank (there may have been other tabs in circulation too, but this is the default version). The stamp was issued on 22 October 2003; incidentally, on 26 March 2003 a very similar stamp in a very similar sheet with different coupons was issued too, only with the nominal value of 6.40 crowns.

The cartoon stamp (28 May 2003) is by Adolf Born, and is part of the series "For Children", the two kids are Mach and Šebestová, who can work miracles with the telephone receiver Mach is holding.

The 0.40 crowns stamp is one of the twelve zodiac signs - pisces.

Postcard from Poland no. 2

2011-03-11T22:44:00.004+01:00

This is an impressive postcard received in January 2011 from Warsaw, showing the Palace of Culture and Science (Palac Kultury i Nauky) against a dramatic sunset.

The 3-zloty stamp was a bit of mystery to me. Before checking the Polish Post website, I tried to guess what it is related to... and had no idea... koi, a drop of water, and a blue stamp frame?? Well, the answer is... the stamp is taken out of a souvenir sheet which mentions the context on the border... The World Philatelic Exposition in Luoyang, China, held on 10-16 April 2009, and now it's obvious, my dear Watson:)

(An aside, in Polish I read that the stamp was issued on 16 "kwietnia" and I thought, ok, it's May - květen in Czech - but far from it! 16 kwietna is 16 April - duben in Czech... our languages are similar, but this is a truly false friend:)

Thank you, Marta, for this card!!

Covers from Russia no. 14 and 15

2011-03-10T22:18:00.005+01:00

Two beautiful covers received earlier this week from Yuri in St. Petersburg, with a complete series of 4 stamps dedicated to the decorative art of the Republic of Dagestan in the North Caucasus region (2,5 million inhabitants). The head and scarf decorations and the ornamental dagger date from the late 19th and early 20th centuries (as far as I am able to read with my knowledge of the Russian alphabet...). The postage is complemented by the kremlin definitive self-adhesive stamps from 2009, and animal definitives from 2008.

Both covers contained also these lovely postcards showing the major sights of St. Petersburg: Palace Square and The University Embankment. Thank you very much, Yuri!!

Covers from Hong Kong no. 4 and 5

2011-03-08T20:09:00.006+01:00

Two more lovely FDCs from Brian in Hong Kong. On 29 December 2010 the Hong Kong Post issued a set of five stamps devoted to the lighthouses in the local port. The 2.40 dollar stamp shows the New Green Island Lighthouse, completed in 1905, and declared national monument in 2008.

And 22 January 2011 saw the issue of Hong Kong's stamps celebrating the year of the rabbit. The souvenir cover used here is connected with the issue of the gold and silver sheetlet with two 50-dollar stamps depicting tiger and rabbit.

Cover from Slovakia no. 3

2011-03-07T10:08:00.006+01:00

A great cover sent by Miloš. The 1.20 euro stamp was issued on 26 November 2010 in the ongoing art series (in the same tradition as the Czech one = large engraved stamps). This stamp shows a detail from the picture called the Coronation of Carl Robert of Anjou (1317), which can be found in the UNESCO WHS Cathedral Church of St. Martin in Spišská Kapitula. Another 1.20 euro portrait stamp (Madonna with the Child) was issued on the same day with the same nominal value.

The letter was sent through the town of Močenok in the Šala District, where a special cancellation was used on 31 January 2011, dedicated to St. Cyril and his discovery of the remains of St. Clement.

The list of the Slovak special cancellations can be found here. It looks like there are many more special cancellations on offer than in the Czech Republic.

Thank, you, Miloš!!

Cover from Latvia no. 9

2011-03-06T16:18:00.004+01:00

An adorable rabbit cover received at the end of January from Helena:) Quite surprisingly, the Latvian post joined the many, mainly Asian, postal authorities, to issue a stamp to greet the year of the rabbit, with a cute photo of a "trusis" with cabbage. The same animal is also depicted on the special cover issued as an accompaniment to the stamp. The rest of the postage is covered by the also supercute Christmas stamps from 2004, with more rabbits:)

The cover contained also an interesting postcard showing a piece of a facade in Riga, made in the Art Nouveau style, called also "Mucha style", after the famous Czech artist Alfons Mucha. What a great connection between the two countries!

Thank you so much, Helena, this is just fantastic!!

Cover from Austria no. 6

2011-03-06T14:45:00.006+01:00

A lovely Christmas greeting from Florian in Austria, with a special postmark (Sonderstempel) from Christkindl dated 30 December 2010. The cover has another postmark too, from the previous day, from the post office of Ilz (8262) in Styria. The Christmas stamp, which is connected with the Cistercian abbey in Rein also in Styria, was issued on 19/11/2010 in 4,000,000 copies. Apart from that, the Austrian post issued two more Advent/Christmas stamps, one of them self-adhesive.

Danke schon, Florian!!

Postcard from New Zealand

2011-03-06T12:43:00.007+01:00

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A great aerial picture of the city of Auckland in New Zealand's North Island. With Devonport and Rangitoto Island in the background.

The 1.90 NZ dollar (= 1 euro) stamp shows the Queenstown Bay in South Island, and is part of a 2010 issue of landscape definitives. Here is the self-adhesive version.

Thank you, Phebe!!

Cover from Israel no. 2

2011-03-06T11:51:00.004+01:00

An uncancelled cover received at the end of 2010 from Netanya in Israel, with a 1998 definitive showing a water skier, and a 2010 commemorative (one out of three) issued on the occasion of the Shanghai Expo, dedicated to the "Israeli innovations that changed the world".

Total postage is 4.2 shekels, which equals 0.83 euro.

Thank you, Debora!

Picking up the threads

2011-03-06T10:36:00.004+01:00

After another pause, caused again by a heavy workload, and also by a chain of childhood illnesses including chicken pox, and also flu, I hope to be back... and on Monday also start sending mail too...:)

Cover from Germany no. 3

2011-03-06T10:20:00.005+01:00

One of the first covers received in 2011, with four German stamps issued on 3 January 2011: 0.75 euro ballonblume in the ongoing series of definitive stamps, a famous painting by romantic painter Caspar David Friedrich, and two commemoratives connected with the German state of Hesse: a stamp dedicated to the history of gliders flying off the Wasserkuppe, a high plateau in the Rhön Mountains near Fulda, and a stamp dedicated to the only national park in Hesse, Kellerwald-Edersee NP.

The letter was sent through Briefzentrum no. 41, in Monchengladbach.

Thank you Isa!!

Postcard from Thailand no. 5

2011-01-24T12:54:00.005+01:00

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A superb postcard showing the building of the railway station in the town of Hua Hin (pop. 85,000) in Prachuap Khiri Khan Province. This railway station is arguably the most beautiful in Thailand, and the trains run through it to the south of the country and link directly with Malaysia.

The postage of 12 baht is covered by a nice set of four square stamps showing toy speedboats, issued on 5 October 2010 in a series commemorating the International Letter Writing Week.

Thank you very much, Terdsak!!

Cover from Latvia no. 8

2011-01-24T12:10:00.003+01:00

Received a few days ago, another great surprise from Oleg. This time with a splendid 0.38 lat stamp depicting the Latvian state emblem, complete with the heraldic animals, issued on 12 November 2010 in a series of three stamps devoted to the centenary of the Latvian Republic.

The rest of the postage is covered with four different coat-of-arms stamps, showing the arms of Zemgale (2010), Staicele (2010), Auce (2007), and Aizkraukle (2006).

Thank you so much, Oleg!! I will get you the new Josef Herčík stamp, and I will try to find the version from the booklet with a coupon attached. All the best!

Covers from Italy no. 19 and 20

2011-01-22T10:56:00.005+01:00

Two nice covers received from (and via) Giovanni. Both with a 0.65 euro stamp issued on 2 July 2010 commemorating the 100th anniversary of the death of Giovanni Virginio Schiaparelli, Italian astronomer noted for his telescopic observations of Mars and for having detected the markings that he called canali (channels), later misinterpreted as "canals." He showed that meteor swarms travel through space in cometary orbits (Columia Encyclopedia). The planet Mars is also shown on the stamp.

The cover sent from Pisogne (province of Brescia) has a lovely special cancellation from 26 September 2010, commemorating the 60th "festa del fungo e della castagna" (mushroom and chestnut holiday).

Grazie mille, Giovanni!

Postcard from France no. 7

2011-01-18T13:11:00.009+01:00

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A lovely postcard received in October 2010 showing a view of Scandola Nature Reserve in Corsica, France, part of the UNESCO WHS: the Gulf of Porto - Calanche of Piana, Gulf of Girolata, Scandola Reserve. Scandola is famous for red cliffs, some 900 metres high, sand beaches, and practically inaccessible grottoes.

The stamp of 0.58 euro, issued on 8 September 2010, commemorates the 150th anniversary of the Alliance Israélite Universelle, a Paris-based international Jewish organization founded in 1860 by the French statesman Adolphe Crémieux to safeguard the human rights of Jews around the world (as Wikipedia says).

Thank you, Marie!!

New Czech stamps - October 2010

2011-01-16T16:35:00.015+01:00

Continuing the overview of the recent Czech stamp production... in the post about September stamps I forgot to mention another new A rate definitive stamp, one of the prettiest issued last year. It appeared on 29 September 2010 and shows a hand-painted postal shield of the Austrian postal administration from the collection of the Postal Museum in Prague, with the texts "C.k. poštovní and telegrafní úřad" and "K.k. Post und Telegrafen Amt", six postal goblins busy about their work and a historic map. Print run unknown.

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On 20 October 2010 the Post issued two new stamps in the Technical Monuments series... this time dedicated to bridges: 10 Kč stamp shows one of the newest bridges in the country which is located in Ústí nad Labem on the Labe River (constructed in 1993-1998), whereas the 12 Kč stamp shows the oldest one, in Písek in South Bohemia (older even than the Charles Bridge in Prague). Pity these stamps are rather simplistic, to be honest, I am not too enthusiastic about them:( Print runs: 1,500,000 and 800,000 copies.

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On the same day there were also new additions to the Historic Stoves series: 10 Kč - Art Noveau stove from the village of Troubky-Zdislavice in the district of Kroměříž, and 20 Kč - Art Deco stove from the town of Nové Město nad Metují in East Bohemia. Print runs: 1,500,000 and 1,000,000 copies.

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The stamp issued in October 2010: Myšpulín the Dog from the Four Clover Leaf comics series in a booklet of domestic-rate self-adhesives stamps, continuing in the tradition of Fifinka issued on 28 April 2010. The rest of the quartet will appear in 2011.

Czech cover no. 4

2011-01-16T12:57:00.008+01:00

Even if this is not a nice cover with stamps, it contained a lot of nice stamps, so I decided tom show it here anyway... It came from the philatelic office of the Czech Post in Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad) with the Czech stamps I ordered for using on letters I send abroad. Orders are made here after registration from among available stamps, and delivered free of charge if the value of the order is higher than 100 Czech crows (4 euro) for Czech addresses, and higher than 500 Czech crowns (20 euro) for addresses abroad (excellent service!!!)

This cover is "insured letter" (cenné psaní), with VL-number on the red barcode sticker, and the money is collected on delivery (cash on delivery, dobírka = remboursement). Travel time from Karlovy Vary to the opposite tip of the country where I live is 1 day.

In the catalogue I came across the very first stamp issued in the Czech Republic (20 January 1993):

The nominal value is still quoted in Czechoslovakian crowns (3 Kčs), now sold for the equal amount in Czech crowns... I will try to use this stamp on cover to see whether the system will accept it, and will show the result here.

Cover from Italy no. 18

2011-01-16T10:54:00.004+01:00

Another lovely surprise from Giovanni, special cover with a 0.65 euro stamp from a sheet of 4 issued on 5 May 2010, commemorating, according to wikipedia, "the Expedition of the Thousand (Italian: Spedizione dei Mille) was a military campaign led by the revolutionary general Giuseppe Garibaldi in 1860. A force of volunteers defeated the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, leading to its dissolution and annexation by the Kingdom of Sardinia, an important step in the creation of a newly unified Kingdom of Italy". The set of stamps is part of the celebrations of the 150th anniversary of Italy's unification (2011).

This stamps shows a scene when the volunteers from northern Italy reached Sicily at the town of Marsalla (sbarco a Marsalla).

Apart from that, there is a nice special postmark from the town of Valdobbiadene near Treviso, in Veneto, in a winemaking region (home of Prosecco Conegliano-Valdobbiadene), which is mentioned also in the postmark: "brinda la vita" - "toast to life".

Grazie, Giovanni!!

Cover from the USA no. 6

2011-01-14T19:38:00.003+01:00

A cover with more stamps from the fantastic series of Flags of Our Nations. This time, taken from the set no. 3, issued on 6 August 2009. The flags belong to the states of Massachusetts and Maryland. The cover was sent from New Jersey, but unfortunately the machine cancellation is not very legible.

Thank you, Ron!!

Cover from Thailand no. 3

2011-01-14T15:28:00.006+01:00

A great cover received in December 2010 from Terdsak in Phetchaburi (central Thailand). The cover features a 15 baht stamp from a series devoted to the Chinese New Year celebrations. The original version, issued on 1 February 2008, has the nominal value of 5 bath, and the stamp used here is an overprint. The postage is complemented by two 1 baht definitives with the portrait of King Rama IX, the world's longest-serving current head of state and the longest-reigning monarch in Thai history.

The enclosed postcards shows views of Phra Nakorn Khiri, Holy City Hill, overlooking the town of Phetchaburi.

Thank you very much, Terdsak!!

Postcard from Chile

2011-01-12T11:19:00.008+01:00

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A lovely postcard received a few days ago from Santiago de Chile showing Bellavista Hill in Valparaíso, in central Chile, one of the its most important seaports and the seat of the National Congress of Chile. Since 2003 the Historic Quarter of Valparaíso has been on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.

The postage of 310 pesos is covered by a 290 pesos Christmas stamp (issued on 26 November 2010) and a se-tenant duo of definitive stamps from 2008 showing typical Chilean characters, organillero (organ-grinder) and palomita (not sure about this one, heh, maybe popcorn vendor?, my dictionary does not help me:)).

The print-run of the Christmas stamp was 50,000. Out of curiosity, I checked the print-run of the last year's Czech Christmas stamp, which was... 15 million pieces! Mind-boggling difference, especially since the population of Chile is 17 million, and of Czech Rep. 10 million. The explication might be the tradition of sending greeting cards which is very strong here, but still...

Thank you, Hernán, for this beauty!!

Czech cover no. 3

2011-01-11T20:38:00.004+01:00

Here is one of the new September 2010 stamps used on cover, with two coupons, the one with the postal submarine delivering mail being attached to only every ninth stamp.

New Czech stamps - September 2010

2011-01-11T12:45:00.016+01:00

Still catching up to finish the presentation of the new Czech stamps of 2010:-) (because two new stamps for 2011 are already out...)

On 1 September, the Post issued this lovely sheet with fauna and flora of the South Moravia Biosphere Reserve, with stamps showing butterflies, a hoopoe, a grasshopper and a lizard, along with a set of coupons. Print-run: 70,000.

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On the same day, a new sports stamp was also issued, dedicated to the FIBA World Basketball Championship. Then with the rate of 17 Kč for sending postcards and light letters to Europe. But on 1 September the rate changed... and 17 Kč went up to 20 and 18 Kč for overseas increased to 21 Kč.

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September also saw new additions to the definitive series of flower stamps, widely used here: anemone, tulip and iris.

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There were also three new stamps with letter denominations. PRO FILATELIA A rate stamp with a boy and a girl looking at stamps (9 stamps with 12 coupons in a sheet), PRO FILATELIA E rate stamp with a boy and a stamp (9 stamps and 12 coupons in a sheet, 9 repeated, 3 unique), and the Four Leaf Clover comics characters which had been available until then only as self-adhesives in booklet. Now there is the whole gang as a regular A rate stamp, again issued as 9 stamps and 12 coupons (3 of them being unique).

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And on 29 September there were two new additions to the Personalities series, with Arnold Branald, author of children's book and a playwright, and Karel Zeman, film-maker and graphic designer, hugely popular for his breathtaking film adaptations of Jules Verne novels, using sets painted in the style of Victorian illustrations (mainly engravings by Gustave Doré). More about him also here.

Cover from Canada no. 2

2011-01-10T21:14:00.004+01:00

Received today from Burnaby, BC. A great set of three stamps showing "Roadside Attractions", including a 7.3 metre-tall coffee pot in Davidson, Saskatchewan; a giant Happy Rock in Gladstone, Manitoba, and an enormous Atlantic Puffin in Longue-Point-de-Mingan, Quebec, always with a map of Canada showing the location of these sights. The complete set of four stamps was issued on 5 July 2010, and is the second in a series of three. There is also an odd-shaped self-adhesive version of these colourful stamps.

Thank you, Slavko!!

Cover from Spain no. 7

2011-01-10T16:02:00.004+01:00

Here is a cover from Spain (unfortunately without cancellations) with 4 nice trumpet stamps issued on 9 April 2010. There were three more musical instruments issued in the same series last year: saxophone, horn and trombone.

Thank you, Juan!

Cover from Russia no. 13

2011-01-09T12:24:00.006+01:00

An absolute stunner received a couple of days ago from the city of Tyumen in Russia (Tyumen was the first Russian settlement in Siberia), with the total of 17 stamps...

The first 10.50 ruble self-adhesive stamp is the most recent of them, being issued on 1 December 2010 for the upcoming New Year, and shows a smiling Father Frost. The poodle on the 2-ruble stamp from 2000 has its friends from the same series below (chihuahua - 1 ruble - and toy terrier - 1.50 ruble), accompanied by a shar-pei from 2002 (2 ruble). Back on top we have two horses from a series devoted to native Russian breed (7 November 2007): Orlov trotter and Vladimir breed, followed by a sword and a shield from the collections of the Moscow Kremlin (2006). The paintings show portraits of artists V. L. Borovikovsky and I. I. Shishkin (both 2007). The stamp-on-stamp from 2008 commemorated the 150th anniversary of the first Russian postal stamp. And the stork and the European bison (zubr) were issued in 2007 with the WWF logo.

These two animals are accompanied by a fox a and three hares from the 5th issue of definitive stamps (2008).

Thank you very much, Maria, for this splendid surprise!!

Cover from Belgium no. 4

2011-01-06T10:45:00.003+01:00

A great cover received from Kortemark in Belgium (postmarked in Gent), with an interesting and nicely designed stamp commemorating the Belgian presidency of the EU (1/7 - 31/12 2010). It was issued on 1 July 2010, also in a special sheet. Thank you, Gilles!

Cover from Singapore no. 5

2011-01-05T21:30:00.004+01:00

A lovely, yummy cover received from Singapore with two fantastic stamps issued on 17 July 2009 showing Singaporean desserts. They are ondeh-ondeh (green glutinous rice balls sprinkled with grated coconut that is seasoned with fine salt on the outside and gula melaka inside as a fill) and ice kacang (sweetened dried beans, small dried fruits, strips of jelly and little droplets of starch in bright colors, preserved sugar palm fruit and seeds, chunks or long slivers of grass jelly are mixed with shaved ice and sugar syrup).

Just great, stamps showing the colours of this world:) Thank you, Daphne!

Cover from Italy no. 17

2011-01-05T09:35:00.003+01:00

Received from Giovanni at the end of 2010, with many wishes for 2011. The playful 0.65 eurocent stamp, issued on 29 October 2010, shows a toy train in a winter landscape, and there was another stamp in this Christmas series, with the painting called Adarazione dei Magi by Sandro Botticelli. Giovanni, grazie! E tanti auguri a Te!! In gamba!

Postcard from Thailand no. 4

2010-12-28T09:24:00.007+01:00

A great card received from Terdsak from the town of Phetchaburi in central Thailand, capital of the Phetchaburi Province. It shows the Pa Lao-U Waterfalls in the province of Prachuab Khiri Khan, south of Phetchaburi.

The four definitive flag stamps were issued on 12 August 2010 as part of of the national identity set (which was also the topic of this year's UPAEP issues in Latin America). The other stamp shows cassia flower. Thank you very much, Terdsak!

Postcard from Great Britain no. 7

2010-12-23T23:22:00.007+01:00

This week I have also received this fabulous card issued by the Royal Mail with the picture of the 1st class stamp dedicated to A. A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh as illustrated by E. H. Shepard. The same stamp was used for mailing this card. To commemorate this classic of children's literature on 12 October 2010 the Royal Mail issued a set of 6 stamps and a sheet of 4 others. The two 1st class stamps from the set and from the sheet bear the EUROPA logo... and what other book could be chosen for the year of children's literature?

Thank you very much, Catherine!!

Postcard from Russia no. 3

2010-12-23T22:25:00.004+01:00

A great postcard received a couple of days ago from Moscow, showing the lower Katun River and the Aya Lake, part of the Golden Mountains of Altai UNESCO World Heritage Site, located largely in the Altai Republic, Russia, and in Kazakhstan (Central Asia). The great thing is that the self-tenant stamps on the right are related to the Altai mountains too, they show (clockwise) Belukha Mount, Lake Teletskoye and the the River Katun. The set was issued on 18 November 2004 in 200,000 copies. The rest of the postage is covered by a stamp with the coat of arms of the city of Yaroslavl (10.5 roubles). Thank you, Julia!!

Postcard from Taiwan

2010-12-21T22:12:00.009+01:00

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A great postcard sent on 9 December 2010 from Taiwan, showing a night view of Taipei, with its impressive Taipei 101 skyscraper, constructed in 1999-2004.

And six stamps!! The yellow greeting stamps was issued on 1 December 2010 to welcome the Year of the Rabbit, there is also its 12 Taiwan Dollar cousin. The 1 TWD Dicturus aeneus was issued in 2008 in the Birds of Taiwan II series, the 0.50 TWD Bauhinia variegata (pink flower at the top) is part of Flowers IV definitive series (2010), the 2.50 TWD Rosalia formosa conviva is one of four long-horned beetles from a 2010 series dedicated to them, the 1 TWD Calliandra emarginata is a pretty pink flower from the Flowers II series, and the 3.50 TWD Lantana camara is part of the Flowers I series of definitives.

Thank you Shih for this Taiwan beauty!

Cover from Bulgaria no. 5

2010-12-20T21:09:00.004+01:00

Christmas stamps were used also on this nice cover sent from Sofia, Bulgaria, two years ago. Bulgaria, just as the Czech Republic, issues only one Christmas stamp, so here are two of them, with traditional religious themes, to reach the necessary postage. The left-hand stamp was issued on 30 November 2005, the right-hand one on 21 November 2008, and is accompanied by the first day of issue postmark. Interestingly, the Bulgarian word for Christmas "koleda" means "carol" in Czech (Christmas in Czech is Vánoce)...

Thank you, Lilia:)

Cover from Estonia no. 5

2010-12-20T18:18:00.006+01:00

Received today, another pretty Christmas stamp:)... This time from Jarvakandi in Estonia, issued on 25 November 2010 (print-run 400,000). There is also another stamp for domestic use. Thank you, Cindi!

Postcard from Great Britain no. 6

2010-12-19T11:20:00.006+01:00

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A nice postcard received a few days ago from souther Wales, showing the the promenade and the bay of the town of Porthcawl in the county borough of Bridgend, not far from Cardiff. Porthcawl is a holiday resort.

The 60p stamp has a picture of Wallace and Gromit at Christmas, from the well-known British TV series. On 2 November 2010 the Royal Mail issued the total of seven Christmas stamps with these characters. Such a pity that these beautiful self-adhesive stamps are so small!

Thank you, Claire!!

Santa Claus cover from Finland

2010-12-17T18:34:00.005+01:00

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Received today from Santa Claus Main Post Office in Napapiiri, Arctic Circle, Finland:)

A really beautiful large cover with two seasonal stamps. The Santa Claus 0.55 euro stamp is part of the Finland's Christmas issue (together with Santa's deer), the 1 class landscape stamp is independent, even if issued on the same day (5 November 2010), and offers a view of the magical Lapland countryside complete with Santa Claus and his sledge.

This lovely envelope is a surprise, but there is a slight indication of whom if might have come from, so thank you very much, G.:)

Postcard from Poland

2010-12-17T14:09:00.005+01:00

A nice postcard received yesterday from Szczecin (Štětín in Czech) in northwestern Poland, the capital of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, with a view of the breathtaking castle of the Pomeranian Dukes who ruled the Duchy of Pomerania from 1121 to 1637. The 2.40 zloty Christmas stamp was issued on 27 November 2010 together with another stamp for local use. Yes, Christmas time is coming:)

Cover from Portugal no. 6

2010-12-16T10:16:00.007+01:00

A nice cover sent on 14 October 2008 from Lisbon (Loja do Cidadao, postcode 1600) with a set of four 0.31 euro stamps issued in September and October 2008.

The first one on the left shows an olive grove and is part of a series celebrating olive oil (issued on 7 October 2008), the second brown stamp commemorated the 100th anniversary of the CUF Barreiro company on 19 September 2008 (my Portuguese is not good enough to understand more:), the nice car stamp is dedicated to the Boavista racing circuit and the local history of Formula One races (issued on 11 September 2008), and the elegant stamp below them, issued on 5 October 2008, along with many others, commemorates the 100 anniversary of Republican ideas.

Apart the stamps shown above, each series includes also a miniature sheet with a single higher priced stamp.

When researching the background of these stamps, I noticed that, for example, only in October 2008, Portugal's post issued the total 41 stamps! The scope of production is really impressive.

Thank you, Sofia!!

Cover from France no. 13

2010-12-15T19:40:00.004+01:00

A beautiful airmail cover sent by Daniel from Mende, department of Lozere (48) in southern France. The 0.58 euro stamp showing the facade of the Opera Garnier is taken from a miniature sheet of 4 stamps dedicated to Paris, in the annual series European Capitals, this one issued on 8 November 2010. For example, here is another, which was dedicated to Prague in 2008.

Besides a set of fantastic used stamps, Daniel included also his own postal card with the stamp showing the aqueduct of Arcueil - Cachan in the department of Val-de-Marne (94), with the first day of issue postmarks dated 24 September 2010.

Merci beaucoup, Daniel!!

Czech registered cover no. 8

2010-12-13T22:48:00.004+01:00

Received today, a registered cover sent from the town of Jaroměř in Královehradecký Region (East Bohemia). The postage is covered by a single engraved stamp of 26 Kč (the current rate for a domestic registered letter of up to 50 grams), showing a picture by Czech painter Alois Kalvoda called "Aspens near Velké Němčice" (1897) housed by the Moravian Gallery in Brno... and it is sublime.

The stamp is part of the decades running series "Art on Stamps", the showcase of the Czech stamp production, and was issued on 9 November 2005, together with two other stamps shown above... or here. I would like to point out this Czech stamp catalogue (unfortunately not in English), presenting the complete stamp production from 1945 to 1992 (Známky ČSR II) and from 1993 to these days (Známky ČR, the links on the right - navigation). The information includes names of issues, dates of issues, print-runs, authors, pictures of FDCs, pictures of sheets, prices for unused, clearly postmarked and not-so-clearly postmarked stamps, etc.

Cover from Finland no. 10

2010-12-13T21:37:00.003+01:00

An interesting cover sent from Lappeenranta in Finland, with a complete series of two stamps issued on 19 January 1990, with holograms. The issue commemorated the incorporation of the state posts and telecommunication services, and the holograms, hovering on a background of Finnish landscapes, show logos and globes. It looks impressive, and this scan shows it quite well too.

Thank you, Petri!

Postcard from Romania no. 2

2010-12-13T16:09:00.005+01:00

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A lovely postcard showing the Piata Mica in Sibiu, central Romania, in Transylvania, 155,000 inhabitants, the European Capital of Culture in 2007.

The two definitives of 50 bani and 1.6 lei form part of a long series called "Peasant Pottery"; these two stamps are from 2005 and 2007, The town of Radauti in northern Romania, where the card was sent from, is represented by the ornamenal dish on the 1.6 lei stamp.

Registered cover from the Czech Republic no. 7

2010-12-10T21:33:00.006+01:00

A registered cover received yesterday from the town of Varnsdorf on the Czech-German border in Ustecky kraj (the name does sound German), with three 10 Kč stamps (two self-adhesive Fifinkas - name of the cartoon character - and a rose definitive), with the rest of the postage marked on the R-label (called APOST). Actually, there are two R-labels here, which is a new trend, one classic yellow label stating the postage paid, and a new barcode label, without postage and with the same number. The barcode sticker has been used since 1 September 2010 at all post-offices. The yellow APOSTs will be now used only when the postage is paid in cash. Both are nice collectible material (there are 3377 post offices in the CR:)

The price for sending domestic registered mail weighing 50 - 100 grams is now 34 Czech crowns (i.e. approximately 1.36 euro).

Cover from Italy no. 16

2010-12-10T00:31:00.002+01:00

Another fantastic cover received from Giovanni, with an embossed 0.85 euro stamp (and three new 0.20 euro definitives) commemorating the Men's Volleyball World Championship held in Italy from 25 September to 10 October 2010. The stamp, issued on 24 September 2010, has an old-fashioned feel, it is engraved, and I find it very interesting.
One of the venues of the tournament was Milan where the special cancellation on the cover was used on 24 September. And the winner was Brazil (the Czechs ranked 10th in the final standing). Grazie, Giovanni!

Cover from Spain no. 6

2010-12-09T14:36:00.002+01:00

Here is a lovely cover sent from Carballo in Galicia, with the complete set of three large stamps issued on 20 May 2010 in the series "Espacios naturales de Espana", showing views and the typical flora and fauna of: Parque Natural de las Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas (Province of Jaén); Parque Nacional de Donana (Provinces of Sevilla, Huelva and Cádiz); and Parque Nacional de Garajonay (Isla de la Gomera, Canary Islands). The print run of each stamp was 320,000 pieces, and I love them! (the Donana stamp with the sunset is just beautiful). Muchas gracias, José Luis!!

Cover from India no. 2

2010-12-09T13:29:00.003+01:00

A cover from India received yesterday from Thana, Maharashtra, with the definitives from the current series called "Builders of Modern India": Indira Gandhi (1917 - 1984), issued on 1 December 2008, and Mother Teresa (1910 - 1997), issued on 1 March 2009. Thank you, Niraj.

Cover from Austria no. 5

2010-12-07T09:26:00.002+01:00

A splendid cover sent by Florian from Austria. It flied by balloon post between Pinkafeld and Riedlingsdorf in Burgenland on 16 October 2010 (there is such a flight every year in Austria, in 2010 it was the 21st, to raise funds for children cancer research). The 0.55 euro stamp, issued on 14 June 2010, commemorates the 100th anniversary of the second alpine spring water system (Vienna public water main), the 0.10 euro laburnum definitive was issued in 2007.

The special postmark used in Pinkafeld commemorates not only the 21. Ballonpostfahrt (balloon flight), but also the 1150th anniversary of Pinkafeld. The other postmark is of Riedlingsdorf (postal code 7422) at the other end of the journey.

Thank you so much, Florian!!

Postcard from Great Britain no. 5

2010-12-06T17:56:00.009+01:00

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An impressive viewcard received today from the UK, showing the ruins of the priory in the village of Castle Acre in the county of Norfolk. thought to have been founded in 1089 by William de Warenne.

Since the priory radiates mystery, it's very fitting that the stamp is also dedicated to a mystery, or rather an author of mysteries, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930) who penned the immortal Sherlock Holmes (and lots of other novels and short stories, I myself love his horrors!). The stamp was issued on 8 October 2009, in a series called "Eminent Britons", dedicated to prominent British personalities with their anniversaries in 2009.

Thank you, Catherine!!!

Covers from Finland no. 8 and 9

2010-12-05T23:04:00.008+01:00

It's -12 degrees Celsius now here, so it may be convenient to get warm a bit... these two Finland's covers are just perfect, because both have campfires in them. The first 0.65 euro stamp was issued on 28 April 2004, as part of the EUROPA project focusing on various aspects of vacations, and a sunset with campfire at sea or at a lake is definitely one of them. The other EUROPA stamp was issued on 9 May 2007 (scouting centenary) and shows three girls scouts also around campfire. Both covers were sent from the town of Mikkeli, by Liisa, thank you!!

Cover no. 12 from France

2010-12-04T17:29:00.006+01:00

A really interesting cover received on Friday from the region of Ile de France with a pretty stamp issued on 29 May 2008. The stamp is supposed to be sent to inform of the birth of a baby, and, after scratching part of its surface, it is revealed if it is a boy or a girl... Here I show the stamp before the scratching, and after... and in this case "c'est un garcon" - "it's a boy":)

There is of course also the girl version. Merci beaucoup Anais!

Cover from Italy no. 15

2010-12-03T14:11:00.004+01:00

Giovanni has just sent me this fantastic cover with a souvenir sheet showing the Basilica Santa Maria di Collemaggio in the city of L'Aquila, capital of the Abruzzi region in central Italy, in April 2009 hit by the destructive earthquake. The basilica is an important example of Romanesque art in Abruzzo. And there is also a special postmark from Florence, commemorating the 2nd Salon of Arts and Restauration, with the head of Michalangelo's David.

Grazie, Giovanni! Yesterday I sent you a special cover; I hope it arrives safely even with this terrible snowing.

Postcard from Přerov, Czech Republic

2010-12-01T23:16:00.004+01:00

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Here is a view of the centre of the town of Přerov, where I grew up:) - the main (Masaryk) Square and the Municipal House, which is a cultural venue for concerts, also with a very stylish (black, plush, and magic) night club (the entry is right behind the bus). The A stamp (local rate of 10 Kč) was issued on 29 September 2010, and in my opinion is one of the best of this year issued here. It features a painted sign of the Austro-Hungarian Post (1870s), a historic map and six postal goblins busy about their important work in postmarking and delivering letters.

The card was dropped on Saturday into a post box, so on Monday it received the automatic cancellation which is truly awful (I expected otherwise, but no, everything found in post boxes these days goes to the machines).

Cover from Italy no. 14

2010-11-30T09:55:00.003+01:00

Another great surprise from Giovanni, a variation on the theme of Inter Milan, Italy's football champion in the season 2009-2010 after this special postcard and this cover with a special postmark. The cover above with the commemorative Inter Milan stamp was sent on 7 August 2010 from Terracina, province of Latina, near Rome, with another special football postmark. Grazie mille, Giovanni!

Cover from Hong Kong no. 3

2010-11-30T09:47:00.003+01:00

This is a lovely pictorial cover sent by Brian from Hong Kong, with a $2.40 stamp from a series called "Hong Kong in My Eyes". The stamp was drawn by TAN Ying-yun and is cancelled by the day of issue postmark, and sent on the official first day cover (21 October 2010). To complete the postage there is the definitive white-bellied sea eagle stamp as well.

Cover from Latvia no. 7

2010-11-29T14:17:00.006+01:00

A great cover from Oleg in Riga, Latvia, with a 0.40 lat stamp issued on 5 August 2010, showing a steam engine used in the 1920-1930s, from a series of railway stamps. Another nice example is here. The other 0.15 lat bears the coat of arms of the spa town of Jurmala, issued in 2005. Thank you, Oleg!

Postcard from Russia no. 2

2010-11-28T23:21:00.008+01:00

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A beautiful panoramic postcard received in September 2010 from Dalnerechensk, Russia, showing a vista of the city of Vladivostok, the capital of Primorsky Kray in Russian Far East on the Pacific Ocean, the terminus of the Trans-Siberian Railway. In 2010 Vladivostok celebrates the 150th anniversary of its founding, which is also commemorated by the 7.70 rouble stamp with the city's coat of arms (tiger on the rock). The other smaller stamp shows the coat of arms of the city of Yaroslavl (both issued on 27 August 2010), and the large 2 rouble stamp, issued in 2002, shows the portrait of admiral P. S. Nakhimov (1802-1855), who during the Crimean War defeated the Turkish fleet. The small hare definitive is part of the fifth issue of definitive stamps (2008). Thank you, Elena!

Cover from Philippines

2010-11-28T12:53:00.004+01:00

A superb cover received in October 2010 from Manila, Philippines. With a complete series of stamps issued on 8 September 2010, celebrating 300 years of devotion to Our Lady of Penafrancia, the patroness of the Bicol Region, in the province of Camarines Sur. The festivities start the second Friday of September each year and are the largest Marian devotion in the country. The first two 7p stamps show the image of Our Lady of Peñafrancia from 1924 and 2009, the third stamp shows Our Lady of Peñafrancia Shrine, and the fourth stamp shows the Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Peñafrancia in Naga City (each stamp has a print-run of 160,000 pieces). The souvenir sheet of 28 pesos(8,500 pieces issued) shows in black and white the Shrine in Naga City. Thank you very muchJohn Paul!

New Czech stamps - June 2010

2010-11-27T18:51:00.012+01:00

After a pause... I am here with the new Czech stamps series, this time covering the month of June 2010.
On 16 June the Czech Post issued a really nice engraved stamp of 17 Kč commemorating the 700th anniversary of the succession of the Luxembourgs to the Czech throne. The stamp shows the married couple of John of Luxembourg and Elisabeth of Bohemia. As a result of their marriage, Jean of Luxembourg became king of Bohemia in 1310. The stamp is a joint issue with the Duchy of Luxembourg, was designed by Czech artist Karel Zeman and printed in Prague. Print-run 265,000 stamps.

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Two geographical stamps were issued on the same day in the "Beauties of Our Country" series. 12 Kč stamp dedicated to the town of Klatovy (in Plzeňský kraj in West Bohemia), known for its Baroque pharmacy, carnations, catacombs, and the Renaissance townhall with the Black Tower; and 14 Kč stamp of the town Štramberk in Moravskoslezský kraj, with historic centre and the Gothic tower called Trúba. Print-run of each stamp: 224,000.

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Always on 16 June, another geographical stamp, showing the landscape of the Protected Landscape Area of Žďárské vrchy (Žďárské Hills) approximately in the centre of the Czech Republic. Print-run: 1,500,000.

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16 June: an offset printed stamp of 21 Kč (overseas rate for postcards and light letters up to 20 grams) commemorating the 600th anniversary of the Old Town Astronomical Clock, one of the major sights of Prague. Print-run: 500,000.

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On 23 June the Czech Post issued this unplanned 10 Kč stamp to celebrate the victory of the Czech team at the World Ice Hockey Championship in Germany (ice hockey is one of the national passions). The player kissing the trophy looks a bit like Jaromír Jágr, the team's captain, but only remotely, as it is still not permitted to portray living people on Czech stamps (except the president). Print-run: 1,500,000

Postcard from Záhlinice, Czech Republic

2010-11-27T10:04:00.005+01:00

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A postcard which I sent to myself on 4 May 2010 when visiting the neighbouring town of Hulín, to have our car repaired. At the local post-office I found this card of the village Záhlinice, which is part of Hulín. Záhlinice has some 370 inhabitants, a huge defunct brewery (closed in 1925) and a malting plant which is still in operation. There are also some large ponds between the village and my town.

The stamp used and hand-cancelled at the counter, the only 10 Kč commemorative available at the moment at the post-office, was issued on 24 March 2010, and is a reminder of the Vancouver Olympic Games and the gold medals won there, courtesy of speed-skater Martina Sáblíková.

Cover from Hong Kong no. 2

2010-11-26T17:26:00.003+01:00

A nice cover sent from Hong Kong on 15 July 2010, the day of issue of the "Biodiversity" series of fauna photo stamps, presenting some living creatures endemic to Hong Kong. Here we have frog Liuixalus romeri, along with 10c white-bellied sea eagle to make up the necessary postage. Both stamps were cancelled by the day of issue postmark. Thank you, Brian!!

Cover from Jamaica no. 3

2010-11-24T19:01:00.002+01:00

A registered cover from Jamaica received in July 2010, which in fact is the top side of a packet in which I received a nice Jamaican rum shot glass. The Jamaican registered sticker is accompanied by a Czech one used at Praha 120 Post Office, and a postmark saying BEZ CLA which means DUTY-FREE. The stamp that really draws the attention is the fantastic Bob Marley souvenir sheet issued on 31 July 1995 with a then pretty high nominal value of 100 Jamaican dollars. There were five more stamp issued in 1995, all of them commemorating the 50th anniversary of Bob Marley's birth. The two 40 dollar stamps were issued on 1 December 2002 and commemorate the 100th anniversary of PAHO (Pan American health Organisation). It is evident that there was one more stamp, but was torn off during the journey, but even without it this is a very nice artifact.

Cover from Macedonia no. 2

2010-11-24T12:55:00.004+01:00

A lovely cover sent on 2 June 2010 from Skopje, the capital of Macedonia, by Ana. The souvenir sheet of 72 denars (1.17 euro) shows cornflower Centaurea grbavacensis and the 1 denar stamp Helichrysum zivojinii, both issued on 10 September 2008 in a series dedicated to Macedonian flowers. And there was a nice surprise in the envelope - a stamp related to my country, issued in 2009, in a series presenting various countries of the EU accompanied by a typical view or a person.

Thank you!

Postcard from Malaysia no. 3

2010-11-23T22:58:00.005+01:00

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After Argentina this is another faraway place:) This great postcard arrived in September 2010 from the town of Tenom in Sabah, Malaysia, and shows the remains of an ancient volcano (hills of Bodgaya and Bohey Dulang islands) in Tun Sakaran Marine Park, one of the six national parks in the state of Sabah (Borneo).

The 30 sen square stamp has sweet potatoes (Ubi Keledek, Ipomoea batatas), from a series called "Tuber Plants" of four stamps (and a souvenir sheet), issued on 23 July 2009. The the other 30 sen stamps features Pteroptyx valida, one of the fireflies presented in a set of four stamps and a souvenir sheet issued on 10 May 2010.

Thank you so much Caroline.

Cover from Argentina no. 4

2010-11-23T21:20:00.007+01:00

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A lovely cover received at the end of September 2010 from Agustín in Playa Unión, in Argentina's state of Chubut, a really exotic place from the Central European point of view:)

The round tennis ball stamp - which even has the texture of a tennis ball!!! - issued on 26 September 2009, is taken from a sheet celebrating the superior skills of tennis player Guillermo Vilas, as part of a series of souvenir sheets called Argentine's Sport Idols II. (The other stamps in this issue were dedicated to Juan Curuchet, Luciana Aymar and Delfo Cabrera). The two 1 peso stamps show the facade of Palacio Duhau in Buenos Aires, one of 8 historic protected buildings in Argentina shown on a series of stamps issued on 12 December 2009.

And then there is the typical large Argentinian postmark which always fascinates me with the amount of information put in it.

Muchísimas gracias, Agustín, also for the fantastic penguin postcard!

Postcard from China no. 6

2010-11-22T20:17:00.007+01:00

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A fantastic postcard showing the Detian - Banyue Falls (Chinese: 德天瀑布 & 板約瀑布) or Ban Gioc Falls (Vietnamese: thác Bản Giốc), two waterfalls on the Quy Xuan River on the China-Vietnam border, located in the Karst hills of Daxing County in the Chongzuo prefecture of Guangxi Province, arguably the most beautiful place in China, as the text on the front claims.

The four stamps present a nice overview of some of the China's 2009 production. The top 120 fen stamp shows Anding Academy (2009-27, 4-2) from a series of four stamps presenting ancient academies, issued on 15 November 2009.

The other 120 fen stamp below (2009-9, 3-1), issued on 23 May 2009, shows the North Gate at the ancient town of Fenghuang in Xiangxi Prefecture, Hunan Province.

The third 120 fen stamp (2009-18, 3-2), issued on 27 August 2009, shows the Glittery Flying Waterfall in the Huang Long Scenic Area in the northwest part of Sichuan, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992. There are two more stamps in the series and a miniature sheet.

The last pink stamp at the bottom (2009-7, 2-1), issued on 10 April 2009 to commemorate the China 2009 World Stamp Exhibition, shows a carmine pot with a design of a dragon and a phoenix playing with peony. There are two 120 stamps, and a 600 fen miniature sheet.

Thank you Charlotte, there is very much to explore on a single postcard:)

Aerogramme from Isle of Man

2010-11-22T17:07:00.002+01:00

Received in October, this great aerogramme sent on 27 September 2010 from the town of Douglas, in Isle of Man, and missent to Malaysia:) Thank you very much, Florian!

Cover from Italy no. 13

2010-11-22T00:27:00.005+01:00

A fantastic cover from Giovanni: with a stamp of Piazzale di porta Pia in Rome (the stamp is dedicated to the capital of Rome, in a series of pictorial views started with the Foro romano in 2007) cancelled on 20 September 2010 by the day-of-issue postmark used at Roma Filatelico counter, with another pictorial postmark of Roma Spazio Filatelico cancelling the small 0.05 euro definitive making up the rest of the postage. This is truly great! Grazie, Giovanni!