POSTCARD N.23 - PORTUGAL

Postcard sent on the 1st June; received on the 5th June 2026

Postcard image:  Vila Nova de Cerveira

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I rarely post mail from my own country here since for one this blog is mainly fed with mail I receive from abroad and for another, apart from the odd postcard I send myself whenever I travel, or a very particular Portuguese stamp issue that I might want to highlight on a self-sent FDC, these days I almost don't get any Portuguese stamped mail.

So it is always a pleasure to receive mail with nice Portuguese stamps, particularly when it is sent by a friend.

Um grande Obrigado. Eric. Gostei muito de receber este postal. Quem sabe se um dia não nos veremos em Vila Nova de Cerveira?

Vila Nova de Cerveira is a nice little town perched on the Portuguese bank of the Miño which goes out into the ocean just some 10 km away, at Caminha, the last town on the Portuguese side.

Spain is just 150 m away, on the other bank, so rowing your way or even swimming across might be options, but these days a fast hop through the Ponte da Amizade (Friendship Bridge) will get you to Goián (and much cheaper gas.... :-)) in a matter of minutes.

Vila Nova de Cerveira, probably got its name from tthe fact that Deer (Cervos) were once a common sight in the region, something that is no longer the case (and I suspect hasn't been for centuries...?).

Even so, the visitor can find a couple of deer in town, either in the statue of a deer that is located in a public park  and which occupies the centre of the postcard, or high above, on a viewpoint on the hills overlooking the town.

V. N. Cerveira is famous for its Sculpture biennial that has been taking place since 1978 and which has left a trace on the town itself since quite a few sculptures from past editions of the bieenial are today part of the urban landscape, like the Sculpture "Esforço" (Effort) by José Rodrigues, dated of 1983, which is shown in the centre photograph in the left column of the postcard.

The Town Hall image occupies the top of the same column while the bottom photo shows the entrance door to the Village castle.

The column on the left shows, from top to bottom:

-  The Monument to the Heroes of 1808, honouring the local defenders that faced the French Napoleonic invaders; 

- The Green House, a privately owned palace of the 19th century

- A typical village street.

Stamps

Eric used a 0,69 stamp of the Camélias dos Açores (Azorean Camellias) issue dated of  04APR2025.

This issue comprised three stamps (0,69; 1,21; 1,33 €) and a one stamp Souvenir Sheet (3,51€) all illustrated with different camellia species.

Camellias were introduced in the Azores for ornamental purposes in the 19th century and they adapted quite well to the local  temperate and humid climate, so much so that the Azores is the only place in Europe where Tea (itself a camellia species) is produced, in  the Island of São Miguel.

Postage was completed with a 0,04 stamp from the "Bicycles and Cycling" issue dated of 18MAR2026, comprising 5 stamps (0,04; 0,73; 1; 1,30; 1,45 €).

The stamps are illustrated with photos of famous Portuguese Cyclists, the 0,04 € stamp on the cover featuring José Bento Pessoa (1874 - 1954) who held the 500 metres world record and won the 1897  Spanish National Road Race Championships.

Eric's postcard reminded me of a trip to the region my wife and I and our two girls did quite a few years ago, so I  searched  my archives for some photos, and here they are:

The deer at the Deer viewpoint

The view from the Deer viewpoint: Vila nova de Cerveira in the foreground , the Minho river and the ocean on the horizon, past the Hill of Santa Trega, in Spain

COVER N. 725 - USA 

Postmark: Manual - Carthage IN 45115 USPS Mechanical -  Indianapolis IN 22.05.2026

Posted on the  22nd May;  Received on the 2nd June 2026

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This cover is the logic sequence to the previous blog entry, since this was the cover that contained the APO cover which Alex had sent me and which had ended up in the United States.

So, a large Thank You, John, for  going through the trouble of  forwarding the cover back to me. Truly appreciated.

John used three of the 10 self-adhesive "USA Forever" stamps themed on fruits and vegetables issued on 17JUL2020.

Tiny as they are, these stamps do exhibit some pretty nice still life photos. I especially like the Plums...

"...

Forgive me

they were delicious

so sweet

and so cold"

Postmark from Carthage, a town in the State of Indiana of roughly 1000 inhabitants.

COVER N. 724 - USA - ARMY POST OFFICE

Postmark: Army Post Office APO AS ???? 22.04.2026

Posted on the  22nd April;  Received on the 2nd June 2026

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Another first in my collection, thanks to the "Ghost who walks", the restless wanderer, my friend The Phantom.

This time he managed to send me a letter through the America Army Post Office, although the letter took a bit of a detour and ended up in Indianapolis...

So on this particular ocasion I have not only to say Danke Sehr to Alex, but also a king size Thank You to John, who put my letter back on track from Indianapolis to Portugal, and ultimately to  my letterbox.

Army Post Office is, I believe, as the name implies, a vector for mail circulation and distribution amongst members of the military stationed abroad, who can send their mail as if they were sending it from their own country, the PO at their location being attributed a ZIP code.

Anyway, be it as it might, The Phantom managed to send me a cover through APO, but instead of it going directly to my mailbox if was sent to Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. There  its recipient kindly forward it to me through regular mail, so all is well that ends well...

Alex used three of the four self-adhesive "USA Forever" stamps issued on 15MAR2024, featuring photographs of hummingbirds. 

The postmarks are rather blotched but this is indeed a very interesting addition to my collection.

COVER N. 723 - CANADA

Postmark: Canada Post Postes Canada A24 Ovens Ave New Westminster B.C. V3L 1YD 25.05.2026

Posted on the  25th May;  Received on the 2nd June 2026

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Philatelic Matter. Please Hand Cancel.... the true mantra of the cover collector... what a nice cover from Canada, graced not only with no less than 5  large stamps but also with very large and clear postmarks.  Thanks a lot, Evelyn.

Stamps, left to right, Top to Bottom:

- Canada Post Christmas issue of 1981 comprised three 15 cent stamps, dated of  16NOV1981, illustrated with Christmas trees, the stamps offering an overview of christmas tree decoration evolution in the span of 200 years: 1781; 1881, 1981.

The stamp on the cover featuring a tree as it would be decorated in 1781 shows the humble pine all dressed up with  natural items or low technology ones, that is, fruit; pine cones and candles, a far cry from today's  trees, all decorated in led chains and exquisite ornaments.

- The  XX winter Olympics took place in Torino, in 2006. Canada Participation resulted in a total of  24 medals, 7 Gold, 10 Silver, 7 Bronze.

On the occasion, Canada Post issued on 03FEB2026 a se-tenant 2x 51 cent stamp set, the stamps highlighting two of the disciplines in the games: Team Pursuit in Speed skating and Skeleton. Further to the bilingual legend - XX Olympic Winter games XXes  Jeux Olympiques d'Hiver Toriuno 2006 - the stamps carry the five interlocking rings of the Olympic Games logo.

- Starting in 2022, Canada Post has been yearly honouring the  Indigenous Leaders of Canadian First Nations with issues illustrated with photographs of distinguished First Nations Leaders.

I have mentioned the "P" stamp issued on  20JUL2025, as part of a set of three,   honouring Julia  Haogak Ogina, an Inuit drum dance teacher and community leader when I posted cover 619, so please hit the link to go and take a look.

Josephine Mandamin was featured in one of the three stamps that were comprised in the 2024 Indigenous Leaders Issue, dated of 21JUN2024.

Quoting direct from the release notes:

Known as Grandmother Water Walker, Anishinaabe Elder Josephine “Biidaasige” Mandamin (1942-2019) trekked more than 25,000 kilometres – including around all five Great Lakes – to raise awareness of the need to preserve the sacred, life-giving gift of water.

The residential school Survivor and fourth-degree member of the Three Fires Midewiwin Society was born on Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory on Manitoulin Island, Ontario, and lived most of her life in Thunder Bay, serving as a spiritual adviser and healer.

In 2002, she and a group of other Anishinaabe women founded the Mother Earth Water Walk movement to encourage people to protect water from pollution and other threats. Between 2003 and 2017, she led walks along the shores of waterways in Canada and the United States – singing, praying, and sharing the traditional ceremonies and knowledge of her people.

Her many honours included the Meritorious Service Cross, for her contributions to Indigenous leadership and reconciliation, and the Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario Heritage Award for Excellence in Conservation.

Mandamin’s legacy lives on through community water walks and the dedicated Anishinaabe women she mentored, who continue to carry out her work and share her powerful message of environmental conservation.

The large and quite clear Postmark hails from  new Westminster, a city of about 80,000 inhabitants in the Province of British Columbia.

COVER N. 722 - MONACO

Postmark: Monaco Musée des Timbres et des Monnaies 26.05.2026

Posted on the  26th May;  Received on the 1st June 2026

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Monaco has a fine philatelic tradition. To this day, just like its neighbour, France, Monaco keeps issuing some fine intaglio printed stamps with some regularity, and these most likely than not are a sign of tradition and savoir faire that speaks a lot, in these days of almost one click digital creating, proofing and printing.

Roland, once again, sent me a cover from Monaco, with some very beautiful stamps on it, two of which fit the comment I made above 100 %. Un grand Merci, Roland!

- Prince Albert I of Monaco (1848-1922) was a keen philatelist, but I believe this not to be his main claim to fame. In fact, the thing that he will probably be more readily associated with is oceanic exploration, an activity to which he devoted a large part of his life and resources and which bore tangible fruits in the founding of Monaco's Institut Oceanographique and the Oceanographic museum two well respected institutions that survive to this day.

Some of his ocean exploration journeys were narrated in his book "La Carrière d'un Navigateur"  (A Navigator's Carreer) first published in 1902.

In 1977, the Postal Administration of the Principality issued two sets of nine multicolour  intaglio printed  stamps celebrating the 75th anniversary of the publication of La Carrière d'un navigateur, illustrated with what I would think could be replicas of photographs therein included.

The first set, which included the 0,80 Franc stamp on the top right corner of the cover depicting a navigation scene with Albert on the deck of one of his yachts talking to the man at the helm, was issued on 03MAY1977.

- The 1,70 franc below the  "La Carrière d'un Navigateur" one was issued by Monaco's Office des Timbres on 08NOV1978 and it celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Salvation Army,  (L'armée du Salut) a charitable institution and also a Protestant  Christian Church, founded in London in 1865, by  William and Catherine Booth, whose portraits appear on the foreground of the image illustrating the stamp, while the background is occupied by a Salvation army band  playing. The stamp also included the Salvation Army's crest with the motto “Sang et Feu” (Blood and Fire).

Last but not least,  the cover includes a more recent 1,96 € stamp dated of 20JUN2024, illustrated with a photo of the Facade of the Prince's Palace framed by two bugle playing guards in the foreground.

This particular stamp was Monaco's entry for Sepac's 2024 common issue programme, themed on "Main Tourist Attractions".

Postmark from the Musée des Timbres et des Monnaies, established by Prince Rainier III in 1950, to accommodate the collection started by Albert I, later expanded by Louis II and Rainier III himself.

COVER N. 721 - BRASIL

Postmark: AC Central de S. Paulo 12.05.2026

Posted on the  12th May;  Received on the 27th May 2026

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The second letter I got from Brasil on the same  week bore the trademark of Luis, with whom I've been exchanging mail for quite sometime now:  a perfectly made envelope  using recycled paper, which I find is quite a fine and intelligent way of using paper that otherwise would end up in the bin. Muito Obrigado, Luis. Resposta em breve, como habitualmente.

- Ginásio Pernambucano is the oldest school in Brazil, having been functioning uninterruptedly since 1825, that is 200 years ago.

First located at Convento do Carmo, (Carmo Convent) in Recife, a Carmelite run convent, it occupied several facilities until finally being established in a purpose built building where it has been functioning since 1866, still in the city of Recife, the capital city of the State of Pernambuco.

Celebrating its 200th anniversary, Correios do Brasil issued a 3,7 Reais stamp on 01DEC2025, illustrated with an image of the building and the official logo of the institution.

- Think "Garota de Ipanema", the immortal song authored by Tom Jobim and Vinicius de Morais with a beat that in its essence is a watered down samba and there is Bossa Nova for you, the genre that became so popular in the 60s that it transcended frontiers with stars like Frank Sinatra or Ella Fitzgerald including it in their repertoire.

On 22NOV2025, Correios do Brasil issued a 3,70 Reais stamp celebrating this relevant musical genre, the stamp design clearly highlighting its Carioca origins trough the inclusion of the two main hills that dominate Rio de Janeiro's landscape, - the Pão de Açucar and the Corcovado -  over a shinning sun (summer for all) and a guitar in the foreground, the instrument that was at the forefront of Bossa Nova's creation.

Brasil's Biblioteca Postal (Postal Library) which is integrated into the country's Postal Museum was created in Rio de Janeiro in 1888, but is now located in Brasilia, since 1980.

Celebrating the 130th anniversary of the institution, a 1,55 Reais stamp was issued on 04May2018, illustrated with symbols of postal activity, like letterboxes, envelopes, postmark, rubber stamp…

As usual with Luis' letters, the postmark hails from São Paulo's central Post Office.

POSTCARD N.230 -  USA

Postcard sent on the 19th May; received on the 26th May 2026

Postcard image:  Old Mission Santa Barbara, California

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Ravi sent me another card from his US journey. This time from Santa Barbara., in the State of California. Bohomȧ  sthoothi, Ravi!

From 1769 to 1821 what is now the State of California was colonised by the Kingdom of Spain, a situation that come to an end when Mexico became independent and took control over the territory which it would cede to the United States in 1848 by the end of the Mexican-American war.

Spain established in what was then known as Alta California, a total of 21 Missions through which the European coloniser sought to convert Natives to Catholicism and to exploit them as workforce for the upholding of the Spanish colonial economy.

The tenth of these Missions was established on Santa Barbara's day, December the 4th, 1786, by a Franciscan priest, father Fermin Lasuén, occupying a rise overlooking the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Ynez Mountains,

Santa Barbara Mission, which would become known as the Queen of Missions, due to its architectural beauty  featuring a classic Roman Temple facade, framed by twin bell towers, and the fact that it served as the headquarters for the Franciscan order in Alta California, is to this day run by Franciscan friars and functions as a parish church of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

Ravi used a "Forever Global" self-adhesive stamp issued on 24Jan2025, illustrated with a 1794 Compass Rose that was drawn in 1794 by "...Lucia Wadsworth — the aunt of poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow — in her school geography notebook...", according to Wikipedia.