POSTCARD N.148 - BELARUS

Postcrossing Postcard sent on the 5th July; received on the11th July 2024

Postcard image: River Svolna, the right tributary of the Drissa, Vitebsk region.
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It always pleases me to see that quite often postcrossers really go that extra mile to ensure that the card they are sending to someone else, somewhere, whom they don't know, is not just a square of paper with a nice photo on it - what would already be quite fine, since this corresponds to my definition of postcard - but also a friendly gesture by  trying to accommodate the receiver's own personal interests.

Elena, who sent me this lovely card, collects stamps. and she knows, from my profile, that I share her interest in this particular field, so she made sure she used a bunch of nice stamps to post the card  to me. Quite a nice and friendly gesture, which I trully appreciated. Вялікі дзякуй, Elena! 

River Svolna   originates in Russia, in the Necheritsa Lake, close to the Border with Belarus, where it runs meandering through forests (judging from the photograph)  for most of its path, before joining the Drissa, some 200km from Minsk, the country's Capital city..

Stamps left to right , top to bottom:

- Naratschanski National Parlk, establihed in 1999 and named after the lake it encompasses - Lake Narach - occupies a total area of 89000 hectares, in the northwest of Belarus.

It is featured on the photograph that illustrates the "A" tariff stamp issued on 05OCT2016 as part of a two stamp joint Pakisntan-Belarus issue themed on National Parks. The tariff "H" companion stamp of this issue,  is dedicated to Saiful Muluk National Park, in Pakistan.

- Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) are cute animals, even cuter as babies, of course. 

A baby fox is the subject of the"A" tariff stamp issued on 09JAN20202, as part of a mini-sheet dedicated to wild baby animals. 

- The Polesye State Radiation - Ecological Reserve was established in the aftermath of the horrific Chernobyl disaster and it occupies the area in Belarus right next to the Ukrainian Chernobyl Exclusion Zone,  most affected by radioactive fallout.

An eagle, a woodpecker, a linx and a wader bird which I cannot identify are present in th "A" tariff stamp issued on 01MAR2028, which in conjunction with an "H" tariff stamp dedicated to the  Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve constitute Belarus contribution to the Commonwealth of Independent States 2018 common issue, themed on Nature Parks.

- 5 Belarusian kapeyka stamp part of the definitive issue of 06JUL2016 illustrated with the Belarus Coat of Arms. The set comprises 12 stamps all identical but with a differing colour background.

- 1 kapeyka self-adhesive imperforated stamp illustrated with a cucumber, part of a definitive "vegetable" 14 stamp set, issued on 01JUL2020.

The Postmark hails from Minsk, Belarus capital.