COVER N.77 - USA

Postmark: Santa Claus, IN - 7OCT2021 OCT7/2021
Posted on the 7th October; received on the 23rd February
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There is a Portuguese saying (in reality it is a quote from a poem by José Carlos Ary dos Santos, a poet I was lucky enough to have watched saying his own poems, a couple of times) that says that Christmas is whenever a man wants it to be.

So, it was Christmas, earlier this week, and it came through the letterbox in the form of a beautiful cover, sent from the aptly named city of Santa Claus, in the state of Indiana, USA. Thank you so much Yue!

As could only be expected, it seems that Santa Claus, in Spencer County, with a population of about 2000 souls,  evolves around the idea of an evergreen Christmas, with a theme park, and even a golf course, themed on it. 

Spencer County can also claim to its name the fact that Abraham Licoln spent some of his early years there, so visitors can enjoy Christmas with an historical twist....

 

Upon receiving the cover, one of the things that grabbed my attention was the incredibly neat handwriting on the address lines. My own handwriting is so bad and ugly that I have stopped using it on the covers I post, and now print the address on them. A beautiful handwriting really adds to the general look of a cover, I find and this was absolutely perfect!.

Stamps, left to right:

14 cent stamp issued on 24APR1972, celebrating Fiorello LaGuardia, the Republican Mayor of New York throughout the second world war years, in a stream of three consecutive mandates that started in 1934 and ended in 1945.

2 Forever stamps, part of a four self-adhesive se-tenant stamp set, issued on 07OCT2021, as the year's Christmas emission of the USPS, entitled "A Visit from St. Nick".

Being a First Day Cover, the Xmas stamps are cancelled with the First Day commemorative Postmark, that highlights the title of the emission.

 COVER N.76 - Cyprus

Postmark: Larnaka - Cyprus - 1FEB22
Posted on the 14th February; received on the 23rd February
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I spent a few days in Cyprus a couple of weeks ago. I had the opportunity to visit a good deal of the country, experiencing all kinds of weather: rain, a tremendous hail shower, mountains with roads closed due to snow storms and warm sunny days by the sea... the full catalogue, it seems.

I found it full of interesting archaeological spots well worth visiting, lively cities that somehow seem to be undergoing a transformation from the old colonial towns that seemed you have stopped in time after the independence  into modern and functional cosmopolises and a beautiful and inviting seaside.

I was also lucky to have been greeted by the first flowers of an early spring (this was the warmest winter of the last 30 years, I was told... bloody climate change to blame...) and everywhere I looked wild anemones and cyclamen were dotting the ground with their graceful presence and colours. I also saw the first wild Orchids of the year there -  Orchis collina - of which there were plenty in the main Pafos Archaeological site.

Orchis collina

Unfortunately I wasn't able to go to Northern Cyprus, because the insurance for the car wouldn't cover it. I could (and did try to) walk my way through in Nicosia, but a negative COVID test was being asked for at the crossing checkpoint and it was already late so there would be no point in doing it to visit the northern side of Nicosia by night and the very next day I was going to Larnaka so... maybe next time!

I couldn't let go of the opportunity to send me a cover, but it was not the easiest thing to do because the post office is only open from 8 to 14 and since I'd be travelling or visiting sites in the mornings I had to find me a way of getting the visit to the post office into my journey programme. I managed to finally do it in Larnaka, but when I visited the post office there I wasn't wearing my glasses and I ended up making a mess of the glued stamps because I used way to much glue on them...

I also sent some post cards from some other cities and they did arrive today also, but  unfortunately all came with uncancelled stamps..... 

Anyway, a most pleasant visit and another country in my philatelic Atlas!

Stamps:

As a way to help finance the Refugee Fund created by the Cypriot Government to deal with the problems caused by the Turkish invasion of the island in 1974, a special "Refugee Stamp" was created in 1971, with a value of 10 mils, that was thereafter obligatorily applied to every object to be posted.

From 1984 the refugee stamp started to be denominated in Euro with a value of 1 cent and, from 1989 on, it has become an yearly issue, always with the same design but with a different background colour. Staring in 2008 it's face value was increased to the current 2 cents.

The 2020 stamp on my cover was issued on 12FEB2020.

4 0,34€ stamp souvenir sheet issued on 8JUL2021, celebrating the Natura 2000 Network Sites in Cyprus. Quoting directly from the European Environmental Agency: "Natura 2000 is a network of protected areas covering Europe's most valuable and threatened species and habitats. It is the largest coordinated network of protected areas in the world, extending across all 28 EU countries, both on land and at sea. The sites within Natura 2000 are designated under the Birds and the Habitats Directives."

The stamps are illustrated with pictures of protected animals in their local habitats, and clockwise from top left we have  (quoting the Cyprus post website): the lake of Oroklini with the Flamingos, Tripilos in the forest of Paphos with the Agrino (Mouflon), Akamas with the snow crane and sea area with Posidonia oceanica and Caretta Caretta turtle.

COVER N.75 - Russia

Postmark: Illegible - 4-02-22
Posted on the 4th February; received on the 18th February
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Once again Julia sends me a lavishly decorated envelope with some very nice stamps of my favourite philatelic topic: aviation. Thanks a lot Julia. You are too kind!

The envelope is decorated with the logos of the "Russian Knights" and the "Swifts" Aerobatic Squadrons of the Russian Air Force, which are also the subject of the se-tenant strip of stamps used to mail the cover to Portugal. 

The Mig 29 of the Swifts is also showcased in the very nice postcard (#69)  Julia included inside her beautiful cover. Thank you so much!

The Swifts (Strizhi) were formed in 1991 with pilots belonging to the 237th Guards Proskurov Aircraft Demonstration Centre, based in Kubinka Air Base. 

The team flies MiG-29A and MiG-29UB (two-seater version of the A) aircraft. 

Although also relying on pilots from the 37th Guards Proskurov Aircraft Demonstration Centre, the Russian Knights display team, formed on 5 April 1991, flies Sukhoi SU-35S and Su-30SM fighters.

Stamps

Left to right, top to bottom:

The stamp strip with two 25 Ruble stamps  is part of a minisheet of 4 such strips issued on 24NOV2022 celebrating both aerobatic display teams, the vignette in he middle showing both teams flying in a tight formation.

The stamp on the right exhibits one of the Russian Knights Su-30SM. A mach 2 capable multirole fighter for all-weather, air-to-air and air interdiction missions, and a development of the SU-27, its original version first took to the air in 1989. The SM version is characterised by the presence of thrust vectoring for its  two Saturn AL-31F powerplants  and cannards fore of the wings, 

The stamp on the left illustrates the Mig 29 of the Russian Knights.  Conceived as an air superiority fighter and Mach 2.25 capable through the use of two Klimov RD-33 afterburning turbofan engines, the Mig 29  first flew in 1977, and is still in production today, equipping the air forces of several countries.

5 Rubble stamp issued on 12JUL2008, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Helicopert Sport, a discipline of air sports that according to FAI - the Federation Aeronautique Internationale, "offers a great spectator experience. Events flown are in Navigation, Precision, Fender rigging, Slalom and Freestyle.".

The stamp is illustrated with an image of a MI-1, the first mass produced soviet helicopter, designed by Michail Mil. Its prototype first flew in 1948 and its first public appearance occurred at the Tushino Air Display of 1951.

POSTCARD N.69 - Russia

Postcrossing postcard sent  the 31st January; received on the 16th February
Postcard image: MIG 29. Aerobatic team "Strizhi" (The Swifts)
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Inside Julia's beautiful cover (#75) was this also very nice postcard with two images of a Swift's MIG-29 in the display team's current painting scheme:

 POSTCARD N.68 - Russia

Postcrossing postcard sent on the 31st January; received on the 16th February
Postcard image: Main Narzan Baths, Kislovodsk
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Kislovodsk, (a toponym that would translate into "Sour Waters") is a Russian city placed between the Caspian and Black seas and  famous for its many spas, it seems. Another call to fame stems from the fact that it was also the birthplace of writer and 1970 Literature Nobel prize laureate Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (1918-2008), famous for his novels highly critical of the communist regime, of which the mos famous is "Thje Goulag Archipelago".

Tank you Elena, for  a nice postcard, from an interesting place.

Stamps:

- Self-adhesive 5, 6 and 50 Rubles stamp, part of the 7th definitive issue of the Russian Federation, started in 2019. They exhibit the State Postal Administration Emblem and were issued on 07AUG2019.

Unfortunately I cannot read the rather light postmark.

COVER N.74 - Italy

Postmark: 52015 Prattovecchio (AR) - C 17-1-22
Posted on the 17th January; received on the 12th February
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Thanks a lot Roberto for this nice cover with a full set of 2 huge stamps. Quite a nice and appreciated addition to the fold. 

The two stamps constitute a commemorative set issued on 07MAR2008, highlighting the then forthcoming International Philately Festival, that took place in  the Pallazo dei Congressi (Congress Palace) in Rome, between 21 and 25 October 2009.

The 0,60€ stamp is illustrated with a view of the outside of the venue: Il Pallazo dei Congressi. The modernist lines of the building can clearly be grasped from the illustration and its construction began in 1938 within the scope of the Universal Exposition of 1942 that sadly was never to be, due to the second supreme nastiness.  The building was conceived by Adalberto Libera and was only finished in 1954.

The image on the 0,65€ stamp needs no description since it pictures the most iconic of all the iconic Rome landmarks (well, the Fontana di Trevi might also be a worthy contender to this title...)

Construction of the colosseum was ordered by emperor Vespesian and began in 72 AD, to be completed in 80 AD.

One cannot enter the colosseum and not be taken aback  by the sheer size of its amphitheatre. But what's even more striking and shiver inducing is just the thought of what was going down in the arena for the perverse enjoyment of the people....

The postmark tells us that the cover was mailled from Pratovecchio, an Italian comune of the Arezzo province, in the region of  Tuscany.

 COVER N.72 - India

Postmark: Ahmedabad G.P.O. Philatelic Bureau - 24-1-22
Posted on the 24th January; received on the 12th February
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I'm now well past the 40 countries mark and some new ones keep falling in. India, fantastic cover Piyush, thank you so much!

It always strikes me that covers from India I see here and there in the internet most of the times seem to have very nice envelopes, and this was also the case. I have written before how much I like the traditional airmail envelopes with their blue white red frames, but this one takes it to another level with the  colourful images of the four pilgrimage sites of Chardam Yatra , two of which are also the subject of the stamps on the cover.

Now, before going any further, I must say that I am totally ignorant in what regards Hinduism (and a lot of other religions), so I did a bit of checking on the internet to grasp what was the meaning of the images on the cover and at first i was misled, because the Chardam Yatra, the four holy pilgrimage sites that any Hindu should visit at least once in a lifetime, the Four Abodes, are are Badrinath, Dwarka, Puri and Rameswaram. Of these four, only the first is included in  the images on the cover, so I dug a bit deeper and found that Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath are the Chota Chardam, meaning the four small abodes, that is to say a smaller pilgrimage circuit, but none the less important in Hindu tradition, linking temples that are located in mountainous and not easy to reach locations,  that nevertheless attract thousands of visitors each year, in spite of the often hazardous journey (this quote I took from Wikipedia tells it all, I believe: "Mortality rates for a season often surpass 200")...

Stamps:

Both stamps are part of a four stamp set issued on 19NOV2019, dedicated to the Chota Chardam sites. The 10 Rupee stamp depicts the Yamunotri temple,  located in western Garhwal Himalayas at an elevation of about 3,291metres. It is devoted to goddess Yamuna, that also gives her name to the second most holy river of India, that springs from Yamunotri.

the 15 Rupee stamp features the Kedarnath temple. Located on the Garhwal range of the Himalaias.it is dedicated to the god Shiva.

These beautiful stamps were cancelled by a postmark from the Ahmedabad Philatelic Bureau, a place very far from the sites they promote.

COVER N.73 - Switzerland

Postmark: 9000 St. Gallen - Annahme - 3-2-22 (?)
Posted on the 3rd February; received on the 12th February
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A nice and clean cover from the land of watches, mountain ridding trains and cheese with holes. Thank you so much Charlotte! 

Stamps left to right:

10+10 Swiss Franc cents stamp, issued on  29MAY1970, as part of a 4 stamp set (10; 20; 30; 50 Swiss Franc cents) with a 10 cent fund raising surcharge for  Stiftung PRO PATRIA Schweizerische Bundesfeierspende a "Swiss patriotic and charitable organization. Its purpose is to give meaning to the Swiss national holiday, August 1, by collecting donations to the benefit of social and cultural works of national public interest" (cf. Wikipedia).

The stamps in the set are illustrated with images of contemporary stained glass windows, that on  my cover, entitled "sailor", being authored by Gian Casty (1914-1979), a prolific artist who specialised in glass painting and left a sound body of work in both profane and religious buildings.

100 and 85 Swiss Frank cents stamps, part of a four stamp set issued on 04MAR2021 (incidentally, my birthday...) dedicated to "animals in the city". The stamps depict an ermine  (Mustela erminea) and a wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus), respectively, the other stamps in the set being graced with images of a mole (Talpa europea) -1.50 CHF and a red fox (Vulpes vulpes) - 2 CHF.

The postmark, although difficult to read, indicates that the cover was mailed from Post Branch 9000 St. Gallen 1 Annahme.

St. Gallen is the capital city of the canton of... St Gallen, located in the eastern part of Switzerland, very close to the Bodensee, the natural border with Germany.

 COVER N.71 - ALGERIA

Postmark: Annaba - R - P 22JAN22
Posted on the 22nd January; received on the 12th February
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Argelia! And so the list keeps growing... how fitting it is that after receiving a letter from Tunisia, I should get another from the country next door. Thanks a lot Kader!

And what a nice envelope it was, with no less that 5 very interesting and eye catching stamps. 

Kader is a fellow postcrosser and I emailed him asking if he'd be interested in swapping a cover, to which he replied affirmatively and here's the proof of it. I hope my letter also falls soon into his letterbox.

Stamps, left to right, top to bottom:

5 Dinar stamp, part of a 4 stamp set, issued on 12MAY2018, showcasing some of the country's historic sites. The beautiful illustration depicts one of the thirteen mausoleums, located close to the Algerian city of Tairet that were erected in pre-Islamic times, in the mountains of the Frenda region. 

5 Dinar stamp, part of a 4 stamp set, issued on 11NOV1998, dedicated to birds dwelling in humid areas. The lovely illustration on the stamp shows an Osprey (Pandion haliaetus), a fish eating bird of prey with a vast distribution across all the continents with the exception of Antartica and thankfully still deserving a "least concern" global conservation status, due to the high numbers of individuals in the wild. The other three stamps in this beautiful set are the Adouin's Gull (Larus audouinii) -10 Dinars; the European Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) - 24 Dinars, and the Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) - 30 Dinars.

10 Dinar stamp, part of the already mentioned set dedicated to historic sites, issued on 12MAY2018, It depicts the ruins of the Roman city of Tiddis, located in Eastern Algeria. 

24 Dinnar, issued on  08APR2004 stamp celebrating the 2004 Presidential election which would be once again won by Abdelaziz Bouteflika (1931-2021) , who served as the country's President between 1999 and 2019, after a resignation dictated by health issues, thus ending a long political carreer that started in the ranks of the National Liberation Front, and would see him occupying top political chairs before becoming the country's President, like that of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Presidency of UN's General Assembly between 1974 and 1975.

10 Dinar stamp, part of a two stamp set issued on 11NOV2015, (10 and 25 Dinars) dedicated to renewable energies. it carries the legend "Les differentes energies" to showcase hydro-electric, solar,  wind generated and bio-mass generated energy.

COVER N.70 - Tunisia

Postmark: Le Bardo 18JAN22
Posted on the 18th January; received on the 4th February
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Thanks a lot,  Mourad, for a nice Euromed cover from Tunisia! Another country box ticked!

Stamps left to right

500 milimes stamp, part of a 2stamp set (130 and 500 milimes), dedicated to the 40th anniversary of the Republic of Tunisia. A French protectorate since 1881, The Republic of Tunisia gained its independence in 1957, thus materialising the dream of Habib Bourguiba, the country's first President, and founder of the Neo-Destour, a political party that fought for an independent and secular Tunisia. The stamp depicts an airplane and flowers, probably as an alegory for progress and peace. the other stamp in the set showcases Tunisia's coat of arms with a self-explanatory "40" numeral.

the 1 and 0,75 Dinar stamps are Tunisia's 2019 Euromed emission, dedicated to the theme of typical costumes of the Mediterranean, and were issued on 05SEP2019 . They depict, respectively, a masculine costume from the city of Kairuan and a feminine one from the city of Douz. Detailed information on both can be found at the very informative Euromed site.

The postmark tells us that the letter was posted in the city of Le Bardo.

 POSTCARD N.67 - Germany

Postcrossing postcard sent on the 25th October; received on the 4th February
Postcard image: Glenfinnan, Scotland
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Better late then never, I've heard it so many times said. Well, this old aforism fits like a glove to this postcard I got from Monique, in Germany. Thank you Monique. The postcard took a staggering 107 days, that is to say three and a half months, to travel from Anklam, near the Baltic, to my place, near the Atlantic... 

The first thing that stroke me as I looked at the card was that I knew the place in the picture, but somehow I could not associate it to Germany... and so right I was....upon turning the postcard over to inspect the stamp I noticed the little legend, Scotland 2021, and all of a sudden it all came to light: The Glenfinnan monument, by Loch Shiel... not only did I know the place but I had been there and had even climbed to the top of the monument to take a look at the view.

I went looking for photos of my passing through Glenfinnan...

Quoting from the official site of the National Trust for Scotland:

Surrounded by mountains on the shores of Loch Shiel, Glenfinnan Monument is a Highland gem and a tranquil spot from which to imagine the day when one of the most important events in Scottish history began here: the 1745 Jacobite Rising.

Eight months before the Battle of Culloden, 1,200 Highlanders gathered in Glenfinnan to pledge their allegiance to Prince Charles Edward Stuart. After raising the royal standard (flag) and sharing a brandy, they set off on a fateful campaign to regain the British throne for a Stuart king.

In 1815, the 18m-high monument was built as a poignant reminder of the clansmen who gave their lives to the Jacobite cause. Today you can climb to the top and stand beside the lone Highlander for a unique Highland panorama.

Stamps

0,15€ stamp issued on 18DEC2018, as part of the long standing definitive emission started in 2005 themed on wild flowers. it shows a milkmaid (Cardamine pratensis). 

0,80€ stamp issued on 10JUN2021, commemorating the European Soccer Championship of 2020, which took place between 11 June and 11 july 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Italy took the cup home. 

The machine applied cancelation tells us that the card was processed via Briefzentrum 17 -  Neubrandenburg. I cannot read the vignette on the postmark, and its top third is also missing.

COVER N.69 - United Nations - Vienna

Postmark: Wien Vereinte nationen 16JAN22 
Posted on the 16th January; received on the 1st February
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Once again I have to thank Roland for another very nice cover, this time posted from the Vienna branch of the United Nations Postal Administration.

Year after year the UN Postal Administration has been issuing a series of stamps in  blocks of four se-tenant items each dedicated to the theme of endangered species. Since the UN Postal Service has three branches - New York; Genéve and Vienna - each one issuing stamps in their corresponding denomination - Dollars; Swiss Francs and Euro - every year the spotlight is shone over 12 species that we all take for granted but that may one day disappear mainly due to the loss of their habitat as a result of human activity, as it has happened in the past with a variety of species.

The beautifully executed stamps on my cover are part of the 2021 UN Wien block of four 0,90€ stamps issued on 07APR2021 and they showcase the braided nail-tail wallaby (Onychogalea fraenata) a small nocturnal wallaby endemic to Queensland, Australia, of which there are only an estimated 500 individuals in the wild, thus having earned the "Vulnerable" conservation status accorded by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Of note is the fact that This particular species was thought to be extinct by 1937 until, in 1973, a small population was identified as still living in the region of Dingo, Queensland.

The other 0,90€ stamp features the  Buru babirusa (Babyrousa babyrussa), a member of the Suidae family, that comprises all pigs and wild boars. Endemic to four Indonesian Islands, it is also classified as "Vulnerable", data from 1996 estimating that between 4,000 and 5,000 individuals still lived in the wild, but in risk of prey by huntsman, and loss of habitat due to logging.

COVER N.68 - France

Postmark: Bureau Philatelique Toulouse Capitol 25JAN2022 
Posted on the 25th December; received on the 31st January
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Another nice cover from France with a couple of interesting stamps fell on my letterbox on the last day of January. Thanks a lot Marie-José.

Stamps. left to right:

Established in 1762 by Monseigneur Louis De Montmorency Laval, Bishop of Metz, Baccarat Crystals would become one of the most famous Cristal ware manufacturer in the world. On 01AUG2014 La Poste would pay homage to this famous French manufacturer by issuing two self-adhesive stamps in the shape of an heart, an item many times produced in crystal by Baccarat, adorned with the silhouettes of  two of the crystal items that the manufacturer is famous for: a chandelier, for the 0,61€ stamp and a drinking glass for the 1,02€ stamp. 

The Solar Impulse, Pioneer of the Ecological transition, so reads the legend on the 1,08€ stamp that was issued on 21JUN2021, highlighting the fact that the energetic transition from fossil fuels to sustainable sources is here to stay and has already taken to the air. 

Drawing on the experience accumulated with the Solar Impulse I,  Adré Borshberg and Betrand Piccard have created the Solar impulse 2 demonstrating the viability of electric powered aircraft (in this case solar powered aircraft) for the future of aviation. Solar impulse 2, accomplished a full round the world flight, from ant to Abu-Dabhi in the course of 16 months, from March 2015 to June 2016.

The stamps carry the postmark of the Philatelic Bureau of Toulouse. 

COVER N.67 - Costa Rica

Postmark: Correos RECIBIDO Sucursal Correo Central 
Posted on the 14th January; received on the 28th January

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While in Costa Rica, my daughter Marta also sent me a letter from the country's capital, San José.

Unfortunately (not that I blame her, of course) the stamp applied on the envelope is the same ATM label used on the postcard Marta had previously sent me.

This nice label was first issued on May 2018, and it features the photograph of a  Red Legged Honey creeper (Cyanerpes cyaneus).

The postmark indicates that the letter was sent from the central Post office in San José.

COVER N.66 - South Africa

Postmark: No postmark on stamps. Letter sent registred (label - Reg. Airmail letter small, 15/12/2021) from Gallomanor 
Posted on the 15th December; received on the 31st January
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The end of the year was drawing close when I got a message from the land of Cape of Good Hope (probably the cape in the world with the most beautiful name, me thinks). A fellow collector wanted to swap covers and I immediately said yes. Sadly it was just about the time Omicron was making its entrance into the daily vocabulary across the world and new restrictions to travel and mail were coming into being, especially affecting transit to and fro that particular area of the globe. 

But as George Harrison once said "All things must pass" and luckily it seems that Omicron might be a contribution for the end of it all, so regular transit is slowly coming back and with it Kyle's beautiful cover finally made it to my letter box. Thanks a lot Kyle; another country to my list!

Kyle used the 5 auto-adhesive stamps issued in souvenir sheet form on 05FEB2015 to celebrate the centenary of the South African Aviation Corps. all stamps have no face value being the correct tariff for "airmail postcard".

Pressured by the German expansion operations in austral Africa ever since the beginning of the First World War, the Union Defence Force of what was still a dominion of the UK, quickly understood the manyfold advantages of  the airplane in warfare and swiftly established the South African Aviation Corps, on the 29th January 2015, the forerunner of the South African Air Force that in its turn would be established on the 1st February 1920. 

The first stamps has showcases the image of an Henry Farman Biplane. The Henry Farman F-27, a reconnaissance airplane,  was sthe first aircraft operated by the SAAC.

The second stamp is illustrated by an image of the 14-15 Star. Quoting directly from Wikipedia, "the 1914–15 Star is a campaign medal of the British Empire which was awarded to officers and men of British and Imperial forces who served in any theatre of the First World War against the Central European Powers during 1914 and 1915. The medal was never awarded singly and recipients also received the British War Medal and Victory Medal."

The third stamp according to its kegend, depicts a SAAC tunic detail.

the fourth stamps is dedicated to the embroidered  pilot's wings used by pilots of the SAAC.

the fith and final stamp illustrates the shoulder badge of the tunics of SAAC members. 

COVER N.65 - Colombia

Postmark: P.V. Unicentro - Quatro Setenta y dos - Servicio de Envios de Colombia - 31DIC2021
Posted on the 31th December; received on the 27th January
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What a cover I got this time.... a true Mega-Cover, if not for the size, at least for the sheer number of stamps that decorate it, and what's more, from a country that will fill another gap in my collection...

Thanks a lot Roland. I was speechless, when Mr. Postman rang for the delivery, I still have trouble finding the right words to say how much I appreciated it.

The envelope was so big I couldn't scan it, so it'll have to be a shot taken with my mobile phone:

Stamps. left to right, top to bottom:

Se-tenant 10.000 Pesos stamp pair issued on 09MAY2018, as a joint issue with Mexico, celebrating the year of the friendship between the two countries. Butterflies, common to both Colombia and Mexico, were chosen as the symbol of this friendship, the honour falling on the iconic Monarch (Danaus plexippus) a member of Nymphalidae family, whose trans-american migration is well known and many times cited as one of the most spectacular animal migrations.

The other stamp features the beautiful Blue Morpho (Morpho Pleides), another member of the Nymphalidae family, that can have a wingspan as large as 20 cm, what makes it easy to identify it.

1000 Peso stamp pair issued on 22JUL21, celebrating the 70th anniversary of the La Grand Colombia University, Founded in 1951.

200 Peso stamp se-tenant pair, part of a 8 equally denominated stamp minisheet, issued on 20JAN2021, dedicated to the National Parks of Bolivia. This is listed on several sources as  being the 8th series dedicated to this theme, the first 6 having been issued in 2019. The stamp on the left depicts the locally known as Paingua (Anadara tuberculosa) bivalve clam, which is exploited for food and commercialisation while that on the right shows a photo from a mangrove at Sanquianga Park. Since  Painguas thrive in mangroves, I would believe that the fact both stamps are paired is due to this relationship.

Pair of the 50 Pesos stamp issued on 10JUL20217, celebrating the 90th anniversary of the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia.

pair of 500 Pesos Stamps, part of a minisheet of equally priced 6 stamps issued on 24FEB2021celebrating the Colombian distinguished personalities. The top stamp is dedicated to Enrique Grau (1920-2004), one of the most representative Colombian painters of the 20th century, famous for his portraits of Amerindian and Afro-colombian characters. the bottom stamp is dedicated to Alejandro Óbregon, (1920-1992) another outstanding Colombian painter (although Spanish born) who was also a sculptor, a muralist and an engraver, known for his colourful hard to categorise paintings where the abstract mingles with the figurative and the real with the surreal.

5,000 Pesos stamp se-tenant pair, issued on 04JUL2021, celebrating the 60th anniversary of the San Juan-San Pedro Folklore Festival, that yearly take place in June in Bambuco in the region of Huila in the centre of  Colombia. Honouring both saints this festival is a way to promote local traditions especially dancing.

As a side note, I should say that in my own country,  Portugal, S. João and S. Pedro, (along with S. António) also are revered as patrons of several cities and yearly their days are celebrated with popular festivals,  an occasion for partying with popular music and  dances (Marches) and for indulging in  grilled sardines served on slices of  bread, all washed down with plenty of  red wine.

The last 10,000 Peso stamp was issued on 26AUG2020 with the noblest of intentions: raising funds to support the "Computers in education" programme, an aim that was reinforced by the educational challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and  its implications on face-to-face education...

The legend on the stamp reads Colombia rewrites its history.... I hope Colombia succeeds in doing so!

Unfortunately, a full minisheet fell from the envelope while in transit, so the right hand side has a conspicuous white space that should have been filled with a full set of 9 stamps....

COVER N.64 - Chile

Postmark: Conception - Centro - 30DIC2021
Posted on the 30th December; received on the 27thJanuary
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Thanks a lot Jindřich for a cover so full of stamps. I loved it!

Stamps, left to right; top to bottom:

70 Pesos stamp issued on 09AUG2013, part of a 10 stamp set celebrating historic aircraft and their role in significant events in the history of the country. The image on the stamp is that of a Bell 47 helicopter (the first helicopter certified for civilian use manufactured between  1946 and 1974 and a workhorse of several air forces all over the world), the tiny legend on the stamp highlighting its role during the Air Bridge on the aftermath of the Earthquake of Valdivia (1960).

30 Pesos stamps issued in se-tenat form, part of a 10 stamp set issued on 25FEN2008, honouring Chilean Typical Street Trades, in the case the Photographer and the Peanut Vendor. Other characters on this set are: Road Sweeper and Knife Grinder (20 Pesos); Ice Cream vendor and Shoe Shiner (50 Pesos); POp corn vendor and Organ Grinder (100 Pesos); One Man Band and Newspaper Vendor (500 Pesos).

360 pesos Stamp issued on 09OCT2018, the occasion of the Continental Philatelic Exhibition, EXFIL2018, The beautiful image depicts a Condor Andino (Andean Condor) - Vultur Gryphus, Chile's national bird, flying over the Andes.

110 Pesos Stamp issued on 21OCT1997, as the Christmas issue.

60 Pesos stamp issued on 04NOV2015 as part of a 7 stamp set dedicted to Chillean Cartography other than the map of Antarctica on this particular stamp, the set comprises Antarctica #1 (50 Pesos); Robinson Crusoe Island (80 Pesos); Robinson Crusoe Island #2 (100 Pesos); Easter Island 1770 and Easter Island 1777 (both denominated at 1000 Pesos)

10 and 20 pesos stamps, issued on 29DEC2016 as part of a very beautiful 6 stamp set dedicated to indigenous peoples. Besides the Tanu and the Halaháches on the 10 and 20 pesos stamps, the set comprises the Matan (30 Pesos); the Shoort Jóichik (150 pesos); the Kulan (100 Pesos) and the Ulen (1000 Pesos).

Another 70 Pesos stamp issued on 09AUG2013, in the same 10 stamp set of the first stamp 

mentioned above. Its image depicts a LET - L13 Blanik, a Czech Glider first introduced in 1956 and still in production. The legend on the stamp highlights its use for the first crossing of the Andes Range in a glider, in 1964.