POSTCARD N.188 - CYPRUS

Postcard sent on ?; received on the 9th September 2025.

Postcard image: Images from a Cyprus village

__________________________________________________________________________________

Michal was in Cyprus on holidays and he kindly sent me a postcard with images from Cyprus, with a decidedly Mediterranean look. Moc děkuji, Michal.

Not much to say about the images on the postcards, apart from noting their Mediterranean aura... in fact I would not question it if the legend in the postcard would read South of Spain, or Portugal, or Malta...

The only thing I find a little different from what I'd see here, is the oven, and only because of its "façade" design, since I would not expect more than a door in it, in our local versions, and maybe  a different colour, since ours tend to be made in red or orange of yellowish bricks....

The Butterfly stamp featuring a Cigaritis acamas cypriaca, a member of the Lycaenidae family that can be found from North Africa and the Near East to India, and also being present in Cyprus, was issued on 12FEB2020, as part of a three stamp set (0.34; 0.41; 0.64 €) dedicated to Butterflies of Cyprus.

To the left of the butterfly stamp there's the Refugee stamp that is mandatory in all postage in Cyprus, the value of which is meant to help maintain the Refugee Fund created by the Cypriot Government to deal with the problems caused by the Turkish invasion of the island in 1974.

The Refugee stamp, mandatory in any posted object, was established in 1971, with a value of 10 mils. 

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.

As usual with postcards from Cyprus, the post office didn't bother to obliterate the stamp, so I have no clue as to where or when the postcard was sent.

COVER N. 635 - U.S.A.

Postmark: First day of Issue 250 Years of Delivering Washington  DC 20066 23.07.2025 

Posted on the 23rd July; Received on the 10th September 2025

_________________________________________________________________________________

A.W. agains sends me the perfect philatelic cover. Thank you so much for another beautiful FDC, A. W.!

Even before its independency, the United States of America, already had its own Postal Services, which were established in the  Second Continental Congress which took place in Philadelphia on July 26, 1775,    its first postmaster being none other than the prolific Benjamin Franklin.

250 years after, the United States Postal Services still fulfil its universal service obligations, having processed and delivered in 2024  approximately 112.5 billion postal pieces and 7.3 billion packages.

Honouring this rich history of public service, USPS issued on 23JUL2025 a great pane of 20 "Forever USA" interconnected stamps, which combined show an illustration of mail being delivered in a town throughout the four different seasons of the year.

Appropriately, since Autumn begins today, the 22nd September, the five stamps in the row of the pane that A.W. picked up to grace the envelope he so kindly  sent me, represent the season of the warm leaf colours and, of course, you can find my friend Mr/Ms. Postman/Postlady in each of the individual stamps.

The Postmark hails from Washington D.C.

COVER N. 634 - ROMANIA

Postmark: 5407 TG Mures OPE M. S 01.09.2025 

Posted on the 1st September; Received on the 9th September 2025

_________________________________________________________________________________

Christopher Columbus sails from Târgu Mureș to my letterbox, thanks to a fine Romanian cover, Mulțumesc mult, Anna Maria!

In my personal ranking of  road trips in Europe, the days I spent travelling through Romania some years ago,  occupy quite a high position. 

I absolutely loved the country, full of great scenic beauty and amazing historical sites, but I do have one regret: on the last day of my stay in Bucharest, I remember trying to find a post office open to buy some stamps and for some reason I don't remember now, I could not find one.

Still I managed to send a postcard from Bran, after the inevitable visit to its famous castle, since I managed to buy a card and a stamp at one of the  stalls, in front of the restaurant where I remember having had a great bowl of soup.

Since this was some years before the Covid epidemic, I did not yet have my covers blog nor was I really interested in collecting stamps. Still, whenever I went abroad I would send me a postcard and buy a few local  stamps as a souvenir of the journey, and I was sad not to have bought Romanian stamps since they are generally quite interesting.

And so are those on  the cover Anna Maria sent me.

2006 marked the 50th anniversary of CEPT/Europa common themed issues. The postal administrations of several countries - some not even European - chose to commemorate this fact with celebratory issues.

Poșta Română was one such case, having issued on 22AUG2005 a 4 x 4,75 Leu stamp set in se-tenant form, both in perforate and imperforate versions, all stamps being illustrated with the effigy of Christopher Columbus  (Cristofor Colum, in Romanian).

In two of the stamps the illustration space is shared with an illustration of one of the ships of Columbus most famous expedition of 1492.: The Carrack Santa Maria,  originally La Gallega, is featured on the stamp on the left end of the three stamp row  in the cover, while the stamp on the right end includes an image of the Pinta, I believe, a caravel.

The stamps also pay homage to the Genovese (?) Spanish (?) Portuguese (?) navigator and explorer, since 2006 marked the 500th anniversary of Columbus passing, in Valladolid, Spain.

The Postmark indicates the cover was send from the beautiful  city of Târgu Mureș, in Transilvania, which I well remember, especially for the very large Orthodox Ascension Cathedral on one end of a very long the square which had another orthodox church at the other end - the Annunciation Church.

COVER N. 634 - FRANCE

Postmark: 50 ans Radio France Premier Jour 42 Saint-Etriènne 29.08.2025 

Posted on the 29th August; Received on the 6th September 2025

_________________________________________________________________________________

What a fantastic cover. I was absolutely blown away by what I found inside the very big and unexpected envelope coming from the Post Office Services at St. Etiènne, France.

The Haddock Captain in me shouted "Tonnerre de Brest! Mais qu'est-ce que c'est que ça ????

Inside the large envelope another, smaller one, but still quite large, loomed.... Damn! I had never seen a one stamp souvenir sheet this big… 14.3 x 18.5 cm… standard framing size….

And then just a tiny legend on it. "50 ans Radio France", “on Air”...

What to make of it? Beautiful as the illustration might be, I could not make sense out of it… I immediately realised it had to do with the celebration of the 50 years of Radio France, but I did not even know what Radio France was (well, of course, a radio station, but its history???) let alone the rationale for the bande dessinée / video game illustration….. I was totally in awe and lost in perception.

And yes I was also totally grateful to Eric for such a fantastic addition to my collection. Un énorme Merci, mon ami!

The history of Radio in France goes back to 1897, when Eugène Ducretet successfully transmitted radio signals between his workshop and the Panteón, located some 4000 metres away.

Ducret would later install a radio transmitter on the 3rd stage of the Eiffel tower and pursue his experiences, what led to the iconic tower being saved from dismantling since it provided a perfect emplacement for the antennae that would ensure an ever growing communications range, which would prove paramount during the 1st world war.

Regular broadcasting from Radio Tour Eiffel, the first to do it in the Hexagon,  would go on from 1922 until 1940.

After the second world war, radio broadcasting, as in many european countries, Portugal included, became a state monopoly and in 1975, during the Presidency of  Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, the radio broadcasting sector was reorganised, a new umbrella state entity - Radio France -  being created, tasked with the mission of Informing, Educating, Disseminating Knowledge and Entertaining the French Public at large.

50 years later, Radio France keeps doing so, in spite of the substantial evolution and modification of  the radio broadcasting panorama, which now encompasses all the small and not so small regional, ex-pirate and corporate radios that fill the ether, not always with anything worth listening to (but that's my usual grumpy opinion about media in general, these days...).

Today, Radio France is responsible not only for 7 broadcasting networks, but also for maintaining two orchestras and two choirs, as part of the tools to duly fulfil its mission.

On 29AUG2025 La Poste issued the phenomenal one 1,39 € stamp  miniature sheet on the cover, celebrating the 50 Years of Radio France, which Eric tells me is the biggest single stamp sheet ever issued in France,  if not in the whole wide world, I would suspect.

The image is rich in symbolism but I confess I had to go and look at the release notes to understand it (and Eric also provided some clues) since a foreigner not familiar with the theme, such as I, would have trouble reading all those not readily decipherable semiotic hints.

And my conclusions, perhaps due to my "outsider" status, do differ slightly from the official explanation of the image, and this I find also great, for such is the beauty of art!

At the fulcrum of the image lies Radio France's headquarters building - La Maison de la Radio - designed by architect  Henry Bernard  and inaugurated in 1963 as the headquarters of the then RTF - Radiodiffusion-télévision française - itself  classified as an Historic Monument, as well as a 3D representation of the company's logo. So far, so good...

Now, as I see it, the image presents the building, lying on its side, as some sort of spacecraft travelling through the air under the power of a light that pulses at the vanishing point of the perspective, which also occupies a position in relation to the hexagonal window that can be interpreted as an allegory to the location of Paris, where Radio France Headquarters are located,  in the French hexagon.

The propelling waves are the signal transmission waves, of course.

What I don't really get is what are the three human figures doing. Just like the general ambience of the drawing, they are reminiscent of video game or comic book characters, maybe progressing through some obstacle course... who knows....

The author of the drawing, Ugo Gattoni,  Eric told me, is the same artist who created the colourful and exquisitely detailed  Paris Olympics Poster.

The First Day Postmark which replicates the logo for Radio France, was issued at Saint Étienne, a  city in the Loire département, some 60 km southwest of Lyon, with a population of  approximately 173 thousand inhabitants.

COVER N. 633 - NORWAY

Postmark: Søgne A  4640 28.08.2025 

Posted on the 28th August; Received on the 4th September 2025

_________________________________________________________________________________

What a treat! This cover would fly all by itself, so many are the aircraft stamps on it. The all things that fly, (damselflies and butterflies included) nut in me  was really pleased to get this one.

Tusen takk, Kjell!

Stamps:

Beginning with the four stamp souvenir sheet:

Norwex 80 was an international philatelic exhibition that took place in Oslo between 13 and 22 June 1980.

Calling on the attention of stamps fans to the event, on 05OCT1979, Postverket, the then existing Norwegian Postal operator  (I believe....) issued the 4 stamp (1.25; 2; 2.8; 4 Krone)  miniature sheet on the cover, dedicated to important moments in the history of Arctic aviation in Norway.

when together the image in the background of the stamps forms a map section projected form the North Pole, the on each individual stamp an image of an aircraft associated  with an important milestone flight is superimposed into it.

Left to right, top to bottom:

Dornier Wal N-25, one of the 2 aircraft in which Roald Amudsen and  Lincoln Ellsworth (who would be the navigators for the mission) tried to become the first to fly over the North Pole, in 1925.

Unfortunately, the mission was unsuccessful in its ultimate aim, and the crew of six of both aircraft had to return home on the N25, (the N24, was lost on landing on ice), after spending almost four weeks on the ice, working to prepare a makeshift  take off strip so that the surviving Dornier could take to the air again.

Norge, an airship designed and piloted by Italian pilot and engineer Umberto Nobile, in which he,  Amudsen, Ellworth and 13 other members of the expedition plus Nobile's pet dog were the first to verifiably fly over the North Pole, on the 12th May 1926.

Loening C-2-C Air Yacht in which Thor Solberg made the first flight from the United States to Norway, in 1935

SAS Douglas DC7C, which made the first flight on the Polar Route from Oslo to Tokyo in 1957.

The 15 Krone stamp on the top left corner of the cover is part of a three stamp set (14; 15; 27 krone) issued on 18MAY2012, celebrating the centenary of aviation in Norway, which began in 1912 with a Rumpler Taube flight piloted by Hans Dons, this aircraft being the subject of the 14K stamp.

The 15 K on the cover bear the image of a Douglas DEC3, while  the 27 k is illustrated with a photograph of a current day glider.

The three stamps were issued integrated in a miniature sheet.

The 4 krone stamp illustrated with a  Douglas DC9 about to land atop a Boeing 727 😀 was part of a mini sheet issued for the already mention Norwex, on 13JUN1980, the first day of the exhibition.

The last stamp on the cover, with a facial value of 4.5 Krone, was issued on 08MAY1987 as a one stamp souvenir sheet, for a joint issue Norway Somalia, celebrating the red cross and red crescent activity.

The postmark was applied at Søgne, in ths south of Norway.

COVER N. 632 - CANADA

Postmark: Canada Post Postes Canada Canoe B.C. 21.08.2025 

Posted on the 21st August; Received on the 2nd September 2025

_________________________________________________________________________________

Hanukkah and Diwali, two different celebrations, from two different religions, both having a common symbolic fulcrum: light!

Thank you very much, Edward, for a cover with no less than 4 stamps and a nice pictographic cancel.

I won’t elaborate over the signification of the Hanukkah and the Diwali Festivals, since I am not at all versed in the fundaments of both the Jewish and Hindu religions, agnostic that I am. Suffice to say that both festivals play a very important part in the traditions of both religions, 

As I read, Hanukkah celebrates the miracle of the oil in a very small container having been enough to keep a menorah alight for eight days in the  Temple in Jerusalem after it had been taken by the Jews over from the Greeks, and takes place on the 25th day of Kislev, which may occur at any time from November 28 to December 27.

On its part, Diwali, celebrates the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and is celebrated during the months of  of Ashvin and Kārtika—between around mid-September and mid-November.

The “P” (permanent) tariff  stamps on the top row are the traditional Hanukkah issues of the Canadian Post for 2022 and 2024.

On the left we have the  07NOV2022 stamp which, according to the release notes, “reflects the joyful spirit of the festival through a vibrant, contemporary interpretation of the flames on an eight-branched menorah”

On the right is the 14NOV2024  issue featuring a 19th-century peacock-themed hanukkiyah (menorah) that was rescued from a burning synagogue in Germany during Kristallnacht in 1938.

The bottom row “P” tariff stamps are dedicated to the Diwali Fest, also an annual tradition of the Canadian Post.

On the left, we can see the 15OCT2024 issue, which, according to the release notes, “highlights Lakshmi Puja, which for many is the most important occasion of the celebration, often falling on the second or third day.

Traditions vary during this time, but many people light small clay lamps called diyas and perform rituals to invite Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth and prosperity, into their homes to bestow good fortune. Inspired by depictions of Lakshmi, the stamp design features three of her hands – one is showering coins, another holds a lotus flower and the third holds a diya.”

Finally, on the right we have the 06OCT2022 issue. Illustrated with an oil burning lamp.

Again referring to the release notes, “one of the many tales surrounding the origins of Diwali relates to the diya (small clay lamp) at the heart of the design. According to an ancient legend, when the venerable Prince Rama and his wife, Sita, returned home from exile, jubilant villagers illuminated their path with dīpāvali (rows of diyas), from which the word Diwali is derived. To this day, rows of lamps, candles and lights burn in homes and temples during the festival”.

The Pictorial cancellation was applied at canoe, a semi-rural community, part of the city of Salmon Arm, in British Columbia, 

COVER N. 631 - AUSTRIA

Postmark: Correos Antigua Guatemala 18.08.2025 

Posted on the 18th August; Received on the 1st September 2025

_________________________________________________________________________________

It has been a while since I last added a new country to my list of postal services present in my collection, but thanks to the friendly help of Lisa, and most of all, the never abating support from my friend The Flying Dutchman, I can tick another box with the addition of Guatemala to the collection.

Muchas Gracias Lisa,  Hartelijk dank, Eric!

Nonetheless I do have a "National Cover" from Guatemala, that I have yet to post here in my "National Covers" section.

Marta, my daughter got it from the Postal Museum at Guatemala city in one of her travels. Still, at the time, there were no postal services to Portugal, so she got me an uncirculated stamped and postmarked cover.

Nowadays, thankfully, postal services have resumed so here is the first Guatemalan cover in my blog:

The cover includes three definitive stamps of the Fine Arts (Textiles) series initiated in 2010, showcasing patterns of the exquisitely elaborated patterns of Guatemalan woven textiles.

The 4 and 5 quetzal stamps are the 2020 reprints of the 15DEC2010 original issues, while the 25 quetzal stamp dates of 14APR2015.

Postmark from Antigua, a World Heritage Site town, in the South of the country.

Located some 40 km away from Guatemala city, La Antigua was the capital of the Captaincy General of Guatemala during the Spanish colonisationera, an administrative division of the Spanish empire which included what is now Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, and the Mexican state of Chiapas. 

COVER N. 631 - AUSTRIA

Postmark: Illegible 

Posted on ?; Received on the  27th August 2025

_________________________________________________________________________________

It is not the fault of the person sending the letter, of course, but whenever I look at an envelope with a stamp on it without a clear or at least positively visible postmark,  I can't help but feel that there is something missing there. 

Postmarks are as essential to a letter as the punched hole in the bus ticket of yore was to one's journey; they are proof of intent, the confirmation of  a travel history and the indication where it all began... without them, a letter is still a letter, of course, but it is not the message... it is the messenger that's somehow lacking...

A postmark is an essential element of a cover, and it transcends the mere functional aspect of its presence. It is a graphic compositional element, be it an elaborate first day or commemorative cachet or the humble day mark applied at the post office desk, and its presence or lack of it, does impart on the envelope a mark of dignity and purpose that, to me, makes quite a difference.

All this about this nice cover I got from Austria that does have a postmark on it, albeit so subtle that at first look does not seem to be there.

As I said, of course, it is not the sender's fault and I was quite happy to receive it, as usual. Danke sehr Patrik!

The one 2,10 € stamp souvenir sheet on the cover, was issued on 24AUG2019. Themed on Historic Postal vehicles. it is illustrated with a scene depicting one of the carriages of the K.k. Express Post, in the Mariahilf line.

The Kaiserlich und Königlich Express Post was an early form of express mail service in the Austrian Empire, founded in 1823. The Mariahilf Route was one of the routes established by this service, connecting with Vienna to other important cities like Brno, Prague, and Pressburg. These routes used four-horse coaches designed to transport up to twelve passengers and cover distances quickly for the time.

COVER N. 630 - ALGERIA

Postmark: First Day Postmark in Arabic and regular postmark issued at Kouba - 20.07.2025 

Posted on the 20th July; Received on the  20th August 2025

_________________________________________________________________________________

A large First Day Cover from Algeria, full of goodies inside. شكراً جزيلاً, Hocine!

- Born into an Afro-Caribbean family in the French island of  Martinique in the Caribbean, Franz Fanon (1925-1961) a distinguished psychiatrist and anti-colonialist, would pursue his early studies in Fort-de-France on the same Island.

At the early age of 18, with the second world war raging,  he joined  the Free French Forces and he would see combat action in Europe, having been wounded while fighting in the Voges.

After the war Fanon graduated from the University of Lyon as a Psychiatrist and he would pursue studies into the psychological effects of colonisation upon black people, which would become the central theme of his first book, "Black skin, white masks", published in 1952.

The following year,  Fanon would go to Algeria, where he worked at the  Blida-Joinville Psychiatric Hospital.

His strong anti-colonialist convictions led him to enroll in the FNL, the Algerian National Liberation Front, to fight for the independence of Algeria,  and resign from  his functions at the hospital where he was ironically tasked with treating French soldiers and officers who performed acts of torture against locals, whom he also had to treat.

Having developed Leukaemia while in exile, in Tunis, he would later travel to the United States to seek treatment, but he would eventually die in  Bethesda, Maryland, in 1963.

On the occasion of the centenary of his birth Algérie Poste issued on 28JUL2025 the celebratory 25 Dinar stamp on the cover, illustrated with Franz Fanon portrait.

The First Day postmark replicates the illustration of the stamp.

- The 7th Natural Gas Exporter Summit  took place in the city of Algiers, on the 2nd March 2024. 

The summit brought together Heads of State and Government from Member Countries, including Algeria, Bolivia, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Iran, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Russia, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Arab Emirates and Venezuela, from Observer Members, namely Angola, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Malaysia, Mauritania, Mozambique, and Peru, and from Guest Countries, including Italy, Oman, Senegal, and Tunisia. 

The conclusions of the summit were summon up in what became known as the Algiers Declaration expressing the leaders’ resolve to “promote natural gas as an abundant, affordable, flexible and reliable energy source, and harness and develop more environmentally-friendly, efficient and sustainable natural gas technologies”.

On the occasion of the Summit, Algérie Poste issued on 29FEB2024, the 50 Dinar stamp on the cover, illustrated with the logo of the summit.

The cover was posted at Kouba, a suburb town of Algiers, the capital or Algeria, in the North of the country.

COVER N. 629 - PERU

Postmark: Peru Serpost S.A. Lima - 06.07.2025 / Fiesta de Amancaes 2025 Serpost S.A. Lima   24.07.2025

Posted on the 14th July; Received on the 11th August 2025

_________________________________________________________________________________

My third cover from Peru and what a beauty is it. I have said before, I just can't resist an airmail envelope with the colourful frame around it, the more so when it is so uncommon to my eye as this one~, framed in the colours of the Peruvian banner. Muchísimas Gracias Ligier! 

Something strikes me odd regarding the amazing pictorial postmarks... the dates... the one on the stamps reads 06 July, while the other on the corner dates of 24 July.... strange.

Ligier posted the letter with stamps from a definitive series, issued on 13JAN2020, but these are quite colourful and eye-catching:

The 20 sol stamp features a view of Peru's most famous site - Machu Picchu;

The 3.60 sol stamp is illustrated with the flower of the Cantua (Cantua buxifolia) Peru's National flower (and one of the national flowers of Bolívia, also), an evergreen andean shrub that can reach 4 metres in height, 

The postmark over the stamps features Peru's coat of arms, while the pictorial postmark on the left lower corner of the envelope celebrates the Festival of the Amancaes.

The 3 days of  showcasing Peruvian culture, its gastronomy, music, traditions, handicrafts, take place each year in Lima, on and around St. John's day, celebrating the amancaes flower - Ismene amancaes - a member of the Amaryllidaceae family,  native to the coastal hills of Peru.

COVER N. 628 - POLAND

Postmark: Gdansk 50 - KE - 14.07.205

Posted on the 14th July; Received on the 11th August 2025

_________________________________________________________________________________

A very fine cover, as usual, from Roman. Dziękuję bardzo!

As usual, Roman took the time to write a few explanatory and highly appreciated notes regarding the stamps he used on the cover.

The very beautiful 3,90  Zloty stamps with a dancer in traditional costume (which also featured in cover #372) were issued on 08NOV202 in commemoration of the 75 years of the celebrated Mazowsze Ensemble  - Państwowy Zespół Ludowy Pieśni i Tańca "Mazowsz -  The Polish National Song and Dance Folk Ensemble, founded in 1948.

In his notes, Roland included this photo of the Group, singing Carrols in the Polish Parliament in 2013...

... and he adds that the costumes are typical of the Lowicz region, a town located  between Warsaw and Lodz.

While on the theme, Roman also included a postcard evocative of the Chodsko Folk Festival, the m ost important and oldest such event in Poland.

Postage was completed with 2 more stamps:

-  20 grosz definitive stamp of the flowers and fruits series,  issued on 06JUL2016, bearing the image of a Saffron plant, Crocus sp, one of my favourite flowers.

- 2 Zloty stamp commemorative of the 150th anniversary of UPU - Union Postale Universelle, issued on 30OCT2024, remarkable in the fact that it does not follow the general design standard of the various stamps issued by several postal administrations to mark the occasion.

As usual with Roman's sendings, the postmark hails from Gdansk.

COVER N. 627 - NORWAY  

Postmark: Stathelle 1 3960 - 01.07.2025

Posted on the st July; Received on the 7th August 2025

_________________________________________________________________________________

Another cover with quite a few stamps on it from up North, and a country not very much represented in my collection,  Tusen takk, Kai Arne!

Stamps;

Musk oxen (Ovibos moschatus) are synonimous with the arctic, so it is fitting that an issue dedicated to Norwegian fauna should include a photo of such a distinctive dweller of the arctic regions.

The fauna issue for 2011, dated of 03JAN2011, which concluded an annual series initiated in 2006, comprised two stamps (17 and 27 Krone). The animal depicted on the 27 Krone companion stamp in the set was the quintessential arctic dweller, the Polar bear (Ursus maritimus).

Sigrid Undset (1882 – 1949) was a Danish-born Norwegian writer who was the recipient of the 1928 Nobel Prize for Literature.

She is featured on a portrait painted by Norwegian painter Anders Castus Svarstad (1869 –1943), replicated on a 2 Krone stamp issued on 01OCT1982 as part of a two stamp set dedicated to writer's birth anniversaries. The companion stamp in the set features a painting of another Norwegian Nobel Literature Prize winner (1903) - Bjørnstjerne Martinus Bjørnson (1832 — 1910), painted by Erik Werenskiold (1855 – 1938).

The CEPT/EUROPA 1977 theme for the common issue was "Landscapes".

Norway's entry comprised two stamps (1.25 and 1.80 Krone), issued on 02MAY1977. The 1.80 Krone stamp on the cover, featured a photograph of Huldefossen waterfall, located in the. Sogn og Fjordane county

The Lion Rampant 40 Ore definitive stamp is probably the 31MAR1941 reprint of this stamp, which was first issued in 1927, bu I am not sure about this.

Postmark from Stathelle 1, a town in Telemar county, on the South of the coutry.

COVER N. 626 - MONTENEGRO  

Postmark: Lastva Grbaljska 85317 - 21.07.2025

Posted on the 21st July; Received on the 6th August 2025

_________________________________________________________________________________

Hmmmm, Montenegro.... a country that ranks real high on my list of  most loved places, for all its unspoiled incredible natural beauty, and only the second cover I got from there... Un grand Merci, Roland.

We will begin with the two stamps on the upper right corner. These constitute a set issued on 21MAY2012, themed on nature protection, something that in the case of Montenegro is, if possible, even more vital than in a lot of the world places, given the yet pristine condition of a large area of the territory.

To illustrate the idea, the stamps feature two animals - a duck (0.30 €) andf a frog (0.95€) wearing a lifebuoy. 

Even if totally in favour of the message conveyed, I  am not particularly fond of the design and maybe it is just me, but I had some trouble identifying the duck on the stamp, for the image seemed quite confusing.

- A century of aviation in Montenegro, reads the red legend below the somewhat stylised biplane illustrating the 0,30 € stamp, issued on 05SEP2013, on the left upper corner of the envelope, with its wheels replaced by Montenegro's Air Force cockades.

In fact, it seems that the first heavier than air flight in Montenegro was made by a Donnet-Lévêque seaplane in 1913, in the port of Tivat, a place that is not that far from what is now Tivat Airport, a sight I quite remember, when I drove up the mountain from Kotor in a narrow road that had more than 20 hairpin bends before it reached the summit.

Tivat Airport

 - The 0,30 € stamp illustrated with a child's drawing of a child running away from a bee was issued on 31OCT2017. It carries the legend Radost Europe, what translates, I believe, into Joy of Europe, hence I believe it to have been issued on the occasion of the Radost Europe children's festival that annually takes place, since 1969, in  the City of Belgrade, Serbia.

The festival, aims to showcase the cultures and customs of children all across Europe, through their songs and dances.

The postmark was applied at Lastva Grbaljska, a town not very far from Budva, on the coast.

COVER N. 625 - INDIA  

Postmark: Illegible - 26.07.2025

Posted on the 26th July; Received on the 5th August 2025

_________________________________________________________________________________

Sometimes I receive covers, like the one I'm posting here, all covered in stamps, something which is always motif for great enthusiasm and joy. Sadly, I cannot reciprocate in kind, since the days of small denomination stamps are gone and we now only have typically 4 stamps rates, that are combined in each new set that CTT, the Portuguese postal operator, issues: Domestic 20g; Europe 20 g; blue mail (next day, domestic, 20 g) and International 20g.

Further to that, CTT, always keen on emptying collector's pockets, very often includes in any new set a souvenir sheet with a face value equal to the tariff of a registered domestic 20g letter.

In the light of this, it is quite impossible to send fellow collectors envelopes all covered in stamps, although I do try to use 2 stamps most of the time, even it the face value of both stamps combined slightly exceeds the Europe or International tariff, because I know what a joy it is to see more than one stamp on  a cover. 

Another strategy I use to try to compensate is to send out covers with First Day postmarks (and in this case I may use a single stamp, of course), because of the element of added interest the pictorial First Day Postmark always imparts on the cover.

Anyway, all this said, I have to thank P.A. for  his very nice cover with no less than 7 stamps on it, all relating to themes that I fancy, and for which I am quite thankful. Many Thanks P.A.

Stamps, left to right; top to bottom:

- Preserve the Polar Regions and Glaciers, such is the message inscribed at the bottom of each of the two 5 Rupee stamps issued on 19DEC2009.

The two stamps, one illustrated with a polar bear and the other with penguins, constitute the contribution  of India's postal operator to a campaign led by the postal administrations of  Finland and Chile, initiated  in 2007, on the occasion of the International Polar Year 2007-2009. More than 30 countries would join the campaign whose logo  (a "protected" ice crystal) is also featured on the stamps.

- Wild orchids, some the most beautiful flowers that exist... and a theme that has been fairly covered in stamps.

The 5 Rupee Orchid stamp on the cover, is part of a six stamp (2 x 5; 2 x 25; 2 x 25 Rupees)  mini-sheet issued on 08JUN2016 dedicated to these beautiful flowers.

The orchid on the cover stamp is a Paphiopedilum villosum, native to Southeast Asia.

- In 2016, India Post with the aim of raising awareness amidst students to nature preservation, held a country wide stamp design competition, subject to this theme.

The beautiful painting of a tiger and a peacock in a forest, on the  5 Rupee stamp was one of the winning entries in the contest, which originated a 6 x 5 Rupee stamps included in a  mini-sheet issued on 17JAN2017.

- Protected natural areas of World Heritage Site status was the theme for a mini-sheet issued on 16MAR2020, which included  5 stamps (2 x 5; 3 x 12 Rupees).

Two of the 5 rupee stamps can be seen on the cover, one featuring what I believe is a snow leopard, a western Tragopan (a pheasant species) and probably an ibex, all characteristic of the Great Himalayan National park, and the other, dedicated to Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, featuring a Golden lagur (an endangered monkey species) up front, while on the background a rhino and a buffalo can also be seen.

- To complete postage P. A. used a  5 Rupee stamp issued on 13APR2017 as part of the Creators of India series, featuring Gopinath Bordoloi (1890 –1950) an Indian politician and independence activist and a follower of Gandhi’s non violence principle, who was the head of the Government of the State of Assam between 1946 and 1950.

The Postmark being illegible I cannot identify the place of posting.

COVER N. 624 - NETHERLANDS  

Postmark: Post NL - Voorschoten - 25.07.2025

Posted on the 25th July; Received on the 3rd August 2025

_________________________________________________________________________________

We all know were babies come from, right? And Yes, it is high time someone should honour the relentless baby carriers that for ages have ensured the continuation of our species. 

Muito obrigado, Eric!... But... quintuplets... I am not sure I have the stamina to handle it.... after all my two girls were enough of a chore... ;-)

The 5 self-adhesive 0,39 €/85 ct stamp booklet on the cover was issued by PTT POST, now Post NL on  02JUL2021.

I do believe that these are stamps that several postal administrations every once in a while issue that are meant to be used in special occasions, like the birth of a new child, a wedding or any other social relevant occasion.

The 0.02 € postage make-up stamp was issued on 02-09-2002 while the 0.03 € was issued on 11DEC2006.

As so often unfortunately happens with Dutch postmarks, the place of posting is illegible.

Update:

Again Eric comes to the rescue: The place of posting was Voorschoten, a town in the province of West Holland, with a population of 25,650, close to the Hague, which Eric says  is very beautiful, somethng I totally believe.

POSTCARD N.187 - GREENLAND.

Postcard sent on the 04 August; received on the 19th August 2025.

Postcard image: The Schooner Activ

__________________________________________________________________________________

The Flying Dutchman... the ship that will never dock again.... condemned to err across the mighty oceans forever...

No, it is not the Flying Dutchman caught on camera, but the image on the postcard could not be more  fitting, with all that backlit aura of mystery as the bow breaks the surface of the sea somewhere out there.... after all it was sent by none other than my friend the Flying Dutchman himself :-)

Hartelijk dank, Eric and please extend my thanks to Wolfgang, for his help dispatching the postcard from the cold shores of Greenland, the "land that's never green, where there's ice and snow and the whalefishes blow, and where day life seldom sins, brave boys, where daylight seldom sins...." as so masterfully sang  Judy Collins and Theodore Bikel  on an old vynil album I had bought a long, long time ago....

If the Photo on the card reminds me of the Flying Dutchman, well the stamps on its back made me think of Philip Glass... Quite a nice and pleasing minimal repetitive structure, isn't it :-)?

The 4+0.5 Krone charity stamp is part of a two stamp set (both stamps with the same facial value) issued on 17JUN1993.

The stamp on the postcard celebrates the 70th anniversary of the presence of the Red Cross in Greenland while its companion in the set, the 50th anniversary of the Greenland Scouts movement.

Not being able to confirm it, I'd think that  the 0.5 Krone charity tax would go to the Red Cross.

I quite like the layout of the stamp with the Greenland flag mimicking a sun on the horizon, framed by mountains, flown over by a procession of doves carrying the red cross in their beaks. Quite nice.

The Postmark is unfortunately illegible, so I cannot grasp wherefrom it was sent.

UPDATE: Eric came to the rescue and told me that the Potscard had been sent from 3950 Aasiaat, on the west coast of the Island.

COVER N. 623 - SLOVAKIA  

Postmark: Trnavá Hora 96611 - 29.07.2025

Posted on the 29th July; Received on the 5th August 2025

_________________________________________________________________________________

Clearly, the weather interfered at some point along the way.... and somehow it is a fitting tribute, for 100 years ago, the pilots in open cockpit aircraft also had to withstand the rigours of weather and irrespective of rain or shine, what really mattered was to reach one's destination... same as it happened with the cover that Michal so kindly sent me.  Ďakujem, Michal.

The first commercial flight between Prague and Košice, via Bratislava, in what was then Czechoslovakia, took place on the  5th may 1924.

Surely, the feat bears no comparison with today's era of aircraft belching thousands upon thousands or passengers on ever crowded terminals, for the single-engine Aero A.14 biplane (a modified version of the WW1 vintage German Hansa Brandenburg CI) of  CSA-Československé Statni Aerolinie carried but one single passenger  sitting behind the pilot in the open cockpit, cruising at the fantastic maximum speed of 170 km/h.

By way of comparison, in 2023 Košice airport handled a total of 625,053 passengers, with solid growth prospects for this relevant regional hub.

To mark the centenary of  this important milestone in the history of Slovak civil aviation, Slovenská pošta issued on 03MAY2024  the 2,70 € stamp that Michal used on the cover, featuring an illustration of the Aero A.14 flying over a contemporary map of Czechoslovakia, with the flight route superimposed on it.

Incidentally, the photograph on which the aircraft image was based can be found on the internet, on Wikipedia, and I can't resist reproducing it here:

Source: Aero A.14 – Wikipédia

The postmark on the neatly addressed and laid out  envelope was applied at Trnavá Hora, a 1.2 thousand inhabitants town in central Slovakia.

COVER N. 622 - AUSTRIA 

Postmark: Feldkirchen Bei Graz 8073 date illegible

Posted on ?; Received on the 5th August 2025

_________________________________________________________________________________

Austria. The first country that I got mail from when I started this blog (note to self: come to think of it, it's high time I should send some mail to Florian...) and yet not one that I often see in my mailbox...Vielen Dank, Kurt!

The common theme for the EUROPA stamps of 2024 was "Underwater fauna and flora". Austria's issue comprised one single 1,20 stamp, illustrated with a photograph of the Grüner See (the Green Lake), which began to circulate on 04MAY2024.

I was not familiar with the Green Lake, but my voyager papillae immediately started salivating  just from looking at some photos on the internet.

The lake which is quite shallow from July to May, (1to 2 meters deep at most) but come spring and the melting of the ice from the nearby mountains, its water rises exponentially, attaining depths up to about 12 metres.

As a consequence, all the man made infrastructures around the lake, like park benches and walkways, get underwater what makes for a rather strange sight given the transparency and clarity of the emerald green water.

This is particularly highlighted in  the stamp with a coat of UV varnish on the lower 4/5 of the stamp, which imparts a rather "watery" look to the photograph. I have no access to a UV light right now, but the effect should be even greater under such a light source.

The Postmark was applied at Feldkirchen Bei Graz, a town of 7.3 thousand inhabitants in the State of Styria