POSTCARD N.228 - U.A.E. - UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Postcard sent on the 6th Februray; received on the 6th May 2026

Postcard image:  Dubai Skyline 

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Ravi also sent me a postcard from Dubai, during his stay there. Bohomȧ  sthoothi, friend.

Looking at the joyful image on the card, I cannot but think about the irony in it.... these are the kind of fireworks that one expects over a city, not those of incoming missiles or air defence explosions...

The Barakah Nuclear Power Plant was the first commercial nuclear power plant to be built in the Arabian Peninsula and also the first in the Arab world. It has 4 reactors, for a total output of 5600 MW, the first having been commissioned in 2020.

On the occasion of the inauguration of the facility, Emirates Post issued on 25OCT2020 the 3 dirham stamp used on the postcard, which features a dusk or dawn picture of the facility, with the domes of the four reactors clearly visible.

The two coloured postmark was again applied at the Customer Happiness Centre of Dubai's Convention Centre.

COVER N. 710 - U.A.E.- UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Postmark: Customer Happines Centre Dubai Convention Centre Emirates Post 04.02.2026

Posted on 4th of February;  Received on the 6th May 2026

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Ravindra sends me a cover from Dubai in the UAE.... Luckily he did not get caught in the disruption caused by yet another senseless and illegal war that two and a half months later has only brought general economic uncertainty and particular suffering for those directly affected by military action, the more so in Iran and Lebanon, but also in other States of the Persian Gulf region.

Bohomȧ  sthoothi, Ravi.

The United Arab Emirates became independent from the United Kingdom in 1971. According to a timeline of  Emirates Post history that I consulted here, "Post offices open in the emirates of Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah" in 1963 and 1964.

This is probably the event that was considered as the founding moment for Postal Services in Abu Dhabi, which 50 years later was celebrated with the 4 stamp souvenir sheet that Ravi used on this cover, issued on 3'MAR2013.

Of note is the fact that the stamps carry no face value indication, this being indicated on the frame of the sheet, as a global 10 dirham. As such I presume the stamps could not be used individually... was that so?

The four stamps (or should I call them vignettes?)  are illustrated with photographs of postal treatment facilities in Abu Dhabi. The top right corner and bottom left one stamps feature the same building on different eras (1968, 1975), Could it be that the other two with photos form 1963 and 1993, also show the same facility, as it was originally and as it looked like in 1993?

Postmark from The Customer Happiness Centre (quite an uncommon designation for a service...) of the Dubai Convention Centre.

COVER N. 709 - FRANCE

Postmark: none

Posted on ?;  Received on the 28th April 2026

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Well, as we say here, "Christmas is whenever a man wants it to be...".

Merci Daniel. Ta lettre avec les timbres est en transit....

I must be a good and well behaved kid, since I do not believe Santa writes this early in the year to anyone who does not have a service record as pristine as mine 😀.

The prepaid letter envelope the Daniel used was, as far as I could investigate over the internet, issued by la Poste in 1993, as part of a set of three, all featuring Santa, both in the pre-printed stamp and  the cachet.

No cancellation was applied on this envelope, probably due to its prepaid/pre-printed nature.

POSTCARD N.227 - PHILIPPINES

Postcrossing postcard sent on ?; received on the 29th April 2026

Postcard image:  Cherry Blossoms 

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Heidi sends me some cherry blossoms from the Philippines. Maraming salamat po, Heidi.

Intrigued by the photograph on the postcard I investigated if there are native cherries in the Philippines and the answer was "Yes. There are several, distinct types of tropical, cherry-like fruits native to the Philippines, but they are not the same species as the temperate sweet cherries (like Bing cherries) commonly imported from North America or Europe".

The 1 Piso Postal Station Stamp illustrated with a mail distribution scooter is part of a three stamp set (1; 17; 100 P), issued on 09AUG2024.

The 12 Piso stamp dedicated to the Filipino Language is part of the second 20024 issue in the National Symbols definitive series, comprising 6 stamps (12; 14; 35; 45; 50; 55 P), which began to circulate on 15OCT2024.

The 1Piso stamp bearing the image of a South Sea Pearl inside a Pinctada Maxima oyster, the largest pearl oyster in the world, cultivated in Philippines, Indonesia, Tahiti and Australia, was also issued    on 09AUG2024, included in the first definitive set of three stamps (1; 5; 17 P) dedicated to National Symbols.

COVER N. 708 - USA

Postmark: Mechanical postmark Milwaukee, WI 530 date illegible

Posted on ?;  Received on the 29th April 2026

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A pretty battered envelope (could it be that the ghost of Joe Frazier  found the envelope while in transit?) with the bright shining portrait of Muhammad Ali (1942-2016) who is regarded as the greatest boxer of all times, "The Greatest"  in fact being his nickname.  Thanks a lot, Norbert.

Well boxing is not my kind of sport... I am too much of a physical coward for that (I guess I have a lot of trouble not only understanding a sport where the aim seems to be punching the opponent as hard as one can until he or she is down on the ground, unable to repay in kind, but also why would anyone want - and pay - to watch someone do it...)

So I would rather remember Ali not as the boxing Champion he was, having held the heavyweight boxing champion title for three times, but as an advocate for Peace and Justice, and an icon of the 60s-70s counterculture and social activism.

And I will also never forget the image of Muhammad Ali holding the Olympic flame, to light the torch in the Atlanta 1996 Games. Such greatness, in spite of his physical limitation....

10 years after his passing, USPS honoured Muhammad Ali with a two "Forever/USA" stamp set, issued on 15JAN2026.

The stamps feature a 1974 Associated Press Photograph  of Ali and, according to the release notes the up or down positioning of the ALI legend suggests the way he moved in the ring.

Somewhere in the release notes it is mentioned that Ali once said, “I should be a postage stamp, because that's the only way I'll ever get licked.” 

Well, I have to say, "No way, champ... not even this way. These days, the damn things are self-adhesive!"

COVER N. 707 - SAMOA

Postmark: Samoa Post Apia Samoa Date: ? 

Posted on ?;  Received on the 29th April 2026

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Covers sent from  the small insular states that dot the vastness of the Pacific Ocean, are not that common on my letterbox, so whenever my friend Mr. Postman therein drops one of these I feel particularly happy.

Although the postmark bears no date of expedition, I would expect it to have undergone a lengthy journey. In fact, the other cover I have from Samoa took about a month and a half to reach me, so I would be surprised if this one had a faster transit.

Again, a friend and a friend's friend (who, according to a Portuguese saying is therefore my friend also, for “o amigo do meu amigo meu amigo é”) were instrumental in making sure I got this nice surprise from Polynesia.  

Eric, my generous Flying Dutchman friend, was the kind soul behind this operation who also enrolled the help of his friend Wolfgang.

My most sincere thanks goes out to the two of them!

Stamps:

The theme for the Europa Stamps this year is 70 years of the first Europa stamp. Curiously enough, the first stamp on this cover is the one issued by Samoa in 2006 celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first Europa stamp.

Strangely enough, quite a few non-European postal administrations issued stamps on this occasion. Samoa's issue, which saw the light of day on 07DEC2005, consisted of a four stamp set, available as individual stamps or included in a souvenir sheet, with 60 sene; 3; 4 and 10 tālā denominations.

The graphic conception of the four stamps followed the same principle: a blue background with the white stars of the Southern Cross, as featured in the top left quarter of Samoa's flag, with the Earth superimposed on it, being circled by a carrousel of Europa stamps from several years and countries.

As can be seen on the 4 tālā stamp on the cover, the CEPT and the 50th anniversary of the first Europa stamps 1956-2006 logos are also featured.

Samoa was known until 1997 as Western Samoa, that is “Samoa I Sisifo”, in Samoan. 

Such is the country's identification on the 8 sene stamp issued on 09MAR1973, featuring a Hawker Siddeley 748 of Polynesian Airlines, flying out of Samoa's international Airport.

The stamp is part of a four stamp set (8;10;12; 22 sene) dedicated to "Planes at Faleolo Airport". As a matter of curiosity three of the stamps are illustrated with the HS 748, while the one with the highest face value features a BAC One-Eleven.

William Willis (1893 – 1968) was  an American sailor who became famous for his oceanic journeys on balsa rafts.

In 1963 -1964 he single handedly sailed his raft Age Unlimited (he was 71 at the time) across 10,000 miles of Pacifc Ocean,  from Peru to Australia with a stop in Apia, Samoa's capital.

Sadly he would lose his life in 1968, at 74, as he tried to cross the North Atlantic on a small sail boat.

This great seafaring feat was chosen by the Samoan Postal Administration to be remembered on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Union Postale Universelle, highlighting in the 50 sene stamp encapsulated in a souvenir sheet issued on 04OCT1974, which occupies most of the face of the cover.

The stamp features Willis Effigy and an image of his raft, while the souvenir sheet frame is illustrated with a map showing the portion of Pacific Ocean between South Africa and Australia. Age Unlimited's journey path is also inscribed on the stamp, which features the legends; “Universal Postal Union centenary 1874-1974” and "Willis Raft mail Samoa-Australia"

The 60th anniversary of Elizabeth II, was celebrated by Samoa with a set of  5 stamps (32, 48, 56, 67 sene; 2 tālā)  issued on 21APR1986. While all stamps are illustrated with photographs of Queen Elizabeth, the 32 sene stamp on the cover also features Prince Phillip.

Pietà paintings by celebrated artists were chosen to illustrate a same denomination (2.70 tālā ) four stamp set, issued on 02AOPR2015, on the occasion of the year's Easter.

On the cover the Pietà of Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, by French Illuminator and Painter Enguerrand Quarton (c. 1410 – c. 1466).

Postmark from Apia, Samoa's Capital.

POSTCARD N.226 - SLOVENIA

Postcard sent on the 22nd April; received on the 28th April 2026

Postcard image:  Moravske Toplice highlights.

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Francisca surprises me again with  a postcard from Slovenia,  featuring some images of Moravske Toplice, a Spa city in the  Rekmurje region of the country, located in its Northwest tip, just some 12 km, as the bird flies, from the border with Hungary.

Muito obrigado, Francisca. Espero poder retribuir muito em breve 😀.

Moravske Toplice is not a large town, by any means. In fact, according to Wikipedia, total population is less than 1000 inhabitants.

This restrained population figure, though, does not take into account the significant number of visitants that each year seek its Spa facilities, which not only provide thermal water treatments but also feature recreational pools with waterslides, as illustrated by the small thumbnails in the postcard face.

The other relevant landmark in town is the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (centre thumbnail), whose neo-Romanesque tower was built in 1925, as an addition to an existing manor house that functioned as a church since 1893.

The current building is the result of renovation works which took place in the early 60s of last century.

Storks, from what I was able to read on the internet are  seasonal visitors to Moravske Toplice, being well liked (and protected) by locals, hence the predominant place this joyful bird occupies in the postcard.

Speaking of well liked animals.., otters (Lutra lutra) do  play in the first division, don't they?

The charming semi aquatic mustelid species that inhabits the Eurasia and Magreb regions is currently classified as “Near Threatened”, by IUCN standards.

I presume that this quality was what granted it inclusion in the  5 stamp set issued on 28SEP2018 by Pošta Slovenije dedicated to "Endangered Mammals", which further to the "D" Tariff otter stamp included a Tariff "A" Lynx (Lynx lynx); a Tariff "B" Mountain Hare (Lepus timidus); a 1 € Weasel (Mustela nivalis) and a Tariff "C" Mediterranean Water Shrew (Neomys anomalus).

Postmark from the town pictured on the postcard: Moravske Toplice