Cover from Thailand no. 3

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

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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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!