COVER N. 589 - FRANCE

Postmark:  Bureau Philatélique 48 Mende RP 12.05.2025

Posted on the  12h May; Received on the 19th May 2025

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I do find the souvenir sheet that La Poste has issued for the celebrations of that Opera of all Operas, Carmen, Bizet's chef d'oeuvre, absolutely delightful, so I was very happy to get another outstanding cover with this piece of philatelic art on it.

Un grand Merci Daniel.

I've written about this particular issue on the entry regarding cover #571. At the time I mentioned that the flower in the bottom centre of the illustration was that of an eucalyptus.

Well, on one of my recent walks along the Portuguese coast, I came across a bunch of trees in several towns through which I've passed on the way that made me think I was completely off the mark here. 

I now believe this to be a flower of a Metrosideros species plant, like the one I shot in Praia de Santa Cruz (Photo at the bottom of the post).

These look absolutely amazing when in bloom, especially in the warm light of the end of the day, with the red glowing in stark contrast with the rich, dep green of the foliage. a great sight!

The souvenir sheet, here obliterated with a postmark from the Bureau Philatélique of the city of Mende, in region of Occitania, in the South of France, was issued on 27MAR2025, celebrating the 150th anniversary of Bizet's Carmen

Time for a Seguidilla, I'd think....