COVER N. 717 - USA

Postmark: (Mechanical) Milwauke WI 530 05.05.2026

Posted on the 5th April ; received on the 12th May, 2026

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A nice cover with nice stamps, pity the mechanical cancel. Anyway, thanks a lot, Norbert, this goes great with the Ali cover you also sent me. 

I have to confess my ignorance regarding the personality that is honoured in this stamp of the Black Heritage series that USPS has been running since 1978. so, I had to look the name up on wikipedia to learn that Phillis Wheatley, (c. 1753 -1784) was the first published afro-american female poet.

Born in western Africa, probably in what is now Gambia or Senegal, and brought to America as a slave some years before the USA independence, 1761, to be more precise, Phillis life story is sadly one of going full circle. 

In fact, she would in time acquire a level of education uncomparable to that of other persons sharing the same origins, for her owners, John and Susanna Wheatley, and especially their daughter Mary and son Nathaniel, tutored her and later acknowledged her writing abilities to the point of seeking support for the publication of her first poetry book in London, something that would come to fruition in 1773, thanks to the interest of   Selina Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon, who subsidised the publication.

Phillis would be manumitted by the Wheatleys in 1873, and after their death she would marry a  free black grocer with whom she had three children, all of which sadly died still in their  infancy. 

John Peters, her husband, who  further to his job as grocer also worked  as shopkeeper, lawyer, and physician to provide for his family, was emprisoned for debt in 1784, what caused Phillis to start working as a scullery made at a boarding house to make ends meet, something she barely was able to do. It was during this time that she contracted Pneumonia, the cause of her death on December the 5th 1784.

Honouring her legacy as the first Afro-American published female writer, USPS issued the "Forever USA" stamp on the cover, on 29JAN2026.

Postage was completed with two 10 cent stamps of the “Flowers”! definitive issue dated of 18JUL2024. The flowers illustrating the stamp are Poppies and Cornflowers.

COVER N. 716 - INDIA

Postmark: Ahmedabad G.P.O. 38000 Philatelic Bureau 24.04.2026

Posted on the 24th April ; received on teh 12th May, 2026

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Once again I am humbled by the perfect handwriting on the address line of this cover from India, graced with quite an interesting two stamp souvenir sheet dedicated to what must be a quite complex, yet fascinating theme: India's cultural heritage.

 आपका बहुत-बहुत धन्यवाद, Dilip. 

The souvenir sheet featured on the cover, comprising two stamps (5 and 20 rupee) bearing images of two Indian temples, was issued on 11APR2013.

I will, of course, not discourse on the theme these stamps are meant to illustrate, given my absolute ignorance of it, but I think it is pretty safe to say that religion in its many declinations, plays a very important part in India's Architectural heritage.

Furthermore, the sense of impotence that ignorance motivates is easily enhanced when one tries to find some information that will at least provide a tiny beacon so as to where begin, when the first paragraph your search returns is

"Srikurmam is the only Indian temple in the world where Vishnu is worshiped in his Kurma avatar. Initially dedicated to Shiva and referred to as Kurmeswara temple, Ramanuja is said to have converted Srikurmam into a Vaishnavite temple in the 11th century AD. Since then, the temple was regarded as an important centre of Vaishnavism in the medieval period along with Simhachalam." (source: Srikurmam Temple, Srikakulam – The Abode of Lord Vishnu in Kurma Avataar – Discover India)

As a matter of fact, the 10 most context significant nouns in these 4 lines, are almost clueless for me, and this is one of the beauties of exposition to foreign cultures: the world is much broader, diverse and richer than our own immediate perception of it. Stamps keep reminding me of it; powerful awareness raisers they are....

Still, I managed to conclude that Srikurman temple is located in the eponymous district,  in the State of Andhra Pradesh, having been built in the 2nd Century AD and that this is the only temple where Vishnu, the God of Preservation and one of the most important deities in Hinduism is worshiped in his Kurma (tortoise) avatar.

Srikurman Temple is represented on the 5 Rupee stamp.

The 10 Rupee Stamp is illustrated with the image of the Arasavalli Sun Temple, Arasavalli being located just one kilometre away to east of Srikurman.

This all white temple is believed to have been built in the 7th century AD and  is dedicated to Lord Surya, the Solar deity.

Postage was completed with a 10 rupee stamp issued in January 2016 as part of the year's issue of the definitive series "Makers of India", featuring the portrait of Indian ruler  and founder of the Maratha Empire, Shivaji Bhosle, (1630-1680), whose royal title was Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj 

Postmark from Ahmedabad, in the state of Gujarat, the fifth most populous city in India with almost 5.6 million inhabitants in its metropolitan area.

COVER N. 715 - BRITISH CROWN DEPENDENCIES - BAILIWICK OF GUERNSEY - GUERNSEY

Postmark: Guernesey Post Post Office 06.05.2026

Posted on the 6th May;  Received on the 12th May 2026

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The second cover I got on the same day from the Channel Islands, courtesy of Roland and another line to add to the list. Un grand merci, Roland!

This was not only my first ever cover from Guernsey, but also the first one stamped with the 2026 EUROPA common issue.

And as much as I don't have  anything against the celebration of 70 years of EUROPA/CEPT stamps or the artwork for the stamp per se, (which results from a design contest organised by PostEurop for its members and won by Finland)  I confess I find it extremely boring to have all postal organisations that participate in this well established philatelic tradition issuing similar, if not almost equal, stamps.

Yes, I know that a common design was used in the early CEPT issues, but even so, if you take a look at any given year of the CEPT issues, all the stamps had different colours in the background and such. It may also be argued that the same happens in many of this year's issues (Portugal, for instance) where the main artwork is complemented by other graphic elements. Still,  the fact is that the main artwork is so graphically striking and prominent in the stamp that, to me, all the rest fades from view, leaving but the square colourful artwork with the seven circles that mimic perforations to impact our retinas.

There is a precedent in the 2023 issue, but that was (and is) a special case. On that particular issue the common design is a statement of unity, of shared intent and hope, so having it affirmed by as many countries as possible only reinforces its message.

The idea, this year, even if truly worth of celebration and full of positive intentions and connections,  is a bit more limited in scope, in ... meta-significance, to use a probably non-existing word.

Anyway, this is of course only my personal opinion and as such absolutely debatable, but I really would prefer to see more diversity in design, as it is customary in the EUROPA issues.

The 1.54 Pound stamp, which constitutes Guernsey Post 2026 EUROPA issue, on the cover, was issued on 01APR2026.

 

COVER N. 714 - BRITISH CROWN DEPENDENCIES - BAILIWICK OF GUERNSEY - SARK

Postmark: Sark Guernesey Post 06.05.2026

Posted on the 6th May;  Received on the 12th May 2026

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I love it whenever my letterbox is graced with mail from a "never before" origin.  I started this blog 5 years ago (man, time does fly...) with the aim of receiving mail from as many different origins as possible and I think I can be very happy with the results thus far achieved.

But I have again to acknowledge, and most of all be grateful for the fact,  that what I may look upon as a personal success is, most of the times, but the result of the generosity and kindness of some like minded collectors, whom I hope they will not mind me calling them "friends", who, from the very beginning of this blog, did their best to help me on the track to reach my goal.

One such kind friend is Monsieur Roland Montagne, the coordinator of the London Cover Circuit Club, who has made it possible for me to list here on these pages covers from places that would be out of my most optimistic expectations.

Recently he again surprised me with a couple of covers that inaugurated two more lines on the origin list, so i take the opportunity pour  vous remercier pour toute votre soutien et generosité, cher ami; un grand merci, Roland!

Sark... the small channel island which up to 2008 was the last feudal state in Europe, being administrated under a system of Seigneur and Tenants that went back to 1565, when Queen Elizabeth I granted the Island as a fief to  Helier de Carteret, Seigneur of St. Ouen in Jersey, provided that he kept the island occupied by forty men who were of her English subjects or swore allegiance to the Crown.

The direct descendants of these first Seigneur and tenants still live on the island which now has replaced the direct allegiance to the Seigneur by a parliamentary regime, with 18 locally elected parliament members (Conseillers, 28 originally), although the Seigneur still holds the hereditary title as constitutional head of the island.

Sark, which administratively is part of the Bailiwick of Guernesey, is also famous for its other modern day eccentricities, like the total ban on motorised vehicles, only tractors, bicycles,  horse-drawn vehicles and electric buggies for the elderly or disabled, being authorised on its roads.

Sark issued its own stamps for the first time in 2025. The second issue, dated of 03SEP2025, is a definitive set comprising 15 values (1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9; 10; 20; 50 Pence; 1; 2; 4 Pounds), illustrated with photos of local wild flowers.

On the cover we have the 4 and 50 Pence and the 1 Pound stamps, of this issue, bearing photos respectively of:

- Sand crocus (Romulea columnae),l a member of the  Iridaceae family, occurring  from western Europe to the Mediterranean;

- Ox-eye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare), a member of the Asteraceae family, native to Europe and the temperate regions of Asia;

- Honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum), a member of the Caprifoliaceae family, native to much of Europe, North Africa, Turkey and the Caucasus.

Postmark from the Post Office at Sark.

COVER N. 713 - ALBANIA

Postmark: Ilegible 02.05.2026

Posted on the 2nd May;  Received on the 11th May 2026

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Another rare visitor to this blog: Albania. Faleminderit shumë, Sadik!

I am always very happy to hear the metallic noise of the flap of my letterbox being dropped, after the morning visit of  my friend Mr. Postman.

Until now I always knew that he was coming, stopping or just passing by, because even with my windows closed, I would hear the very characteristic noise of his motorbike, something I was always very attentive to. 

In fact, whenever I heard a bike motor idling by my door, I knew that seconds later that sound would be complemented by the metallic "clomp" of the letterbox flap again dropping into place, after which  the engine sound would again get higher in pitch only to progressively fade into the distance.

Whenever this sequence of events unfolded, I knew I had mail waiting for me, and a visit to the letterbox was thus in order.

Conversely, whenever I heard the bike engine as a continuous sound  in a sudden crescendo/decrescendo mode, which was as fastly gone as it appeared, I knew that Mr. Postman held nothing for me in his delivery bag.

But, ever since a moment in the past which I cannot precisely identify, I have started to notice that the above routine could not be held anymore. In fact, as the day progressed and no sign of engine noise entered through my windows, many were the occasions when I would go and check the letterbox, just to be sure even if  not hopping to find anything there, only to realise there were some envelopes waiting for me.

Some days ago, it so happened that, by chance, I went outside just as Mr. Postman had just dropped this letter from Albania in my letterbox... I looked at him, he returned my gaze and made a sign with his hand indicating that he had just put something inside the box and without further ado proudly went away, as silent as the day's cool breeze that I could feel but not hear, in his shiny all new and silent electric bike...

The 10 and 50 lek stamps  featuring portraits of distinguisehd Albanian doctors are part of a set of three, issued on 16DEC2025 as a three stamp se-tenant strip

When investigating the  two stamps I came across an interesting site devoted to the discovery of Pharmacy and Medicine through philately, so I'll quote directly from there: 

10 lek - Bajram Preza, Neurologist.

Bajram Preza (born 2 February 1923 in Preza near Tirana, † 2007) was a pioneering Albanian neurologist with comprehensive training in neurology and psychiatry in Sarajevo and Nizhny Novgorod. In 1958, he defended Albania’s first medical doctoral dissertation and later authored the country’s first medical textbook for students. For more than three decades, he headed the Neurological Clinic in Tirana and, through his teaching, research, and clinical work, left a lasting mark on generations of Albanian physicians.

50 lek - Koço Poro

Koço Poro (1923–1995) was a prominent Albanian physician of the 20th century. Among other positions, he served as Director and Chief Physician of the Regional Hospital of Elbasan and as Head of Pathology. In Albanian sources, he is described as an influential medical figure, in some cases also referred to as a rheumatologist. His life dates are often given as 1925–2013, although these have not been officially documented.

PostEurop, the entity that coordinates the annual issue of EUROPA stamps, a task previously ensured by CEPT,  was created in 1993.

Marking the 30 years of the organisation Posta Shqiptare (Albania Post) issued the 70 lek stamp on the cover with the legend 30 Vjetori PostEurop (30 Years of PostEurop) on 28JUN2024. The issue also comprises a souvenir sheet with a single stamp (identical to the individual stamp except for the denomination which is 250 lek).

COVER N. 712 - CHILE

Postmark: Correos Chile Concepcion Centro 06.04.2026

Posted on 6th April;  Received on the 8th May 2026

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Always a pleasure to get a good cover from afar with nice stamps on it, such as the one I got from Chile. Muchísimas gracias, Jindrich, por la carta y también por los bellísimos sellos.

- The theme for the UPAEP - the Postal Union of the Americas, Spain and Portugal common issue in 2011 was mailboxes. The contribution of Chile for this common issue was the stamp on the 290 Pesos stamp issued on 21OCT2011 featuring an image of a typical cast iron pillar box, which I believe is an original British design that was exported to several counties, mine included, and of course, Chile.

Further to the value indication and the UPAEP logo, the stamp bears the legend "Buzones" which translates into "Mail boxes".

- Papa Francisco visited Chile from 15 to 18 January, 2018. On the occasion of his visit Correos de Chile issued, on 10JAN2028, the single 600 Pesos stamp on the cover, illustrated with a hyper-realistic coloured pencil drawing of Pope Francis,  with his own signature "Francisco" .  A small signature is also included on the right side of the drawing, which I presume to be that of its author (Mana?) though I could not find any information regarding this particular question.

On the side of the Pope's face,  the official logo for the visit  is also included, this being a  yellow cross with the map of Chile superimposed on it and the legend Mi Paz les doy (I give you my Peace).

- UPAEP's theme for the 1995 common issue was "Nature". Chile participated with a 2 stamp set (100; 250 Pesos), issued on 12OCT1995, dedicated to Environmental Protection, of which, the higher denomination stamp is included on this cover.

The illustration on the stamp is a child's drawing of some farmers with trees behind them, farmers working being also depicted in the set's companion stamp. 

As usual the stamp bears the UPAEP logo and the word AMERICA.

Postmark From the city of Concepción, the centre of Chile's second largest metropolitan area of country, after Santiago, the Capital,  located in the central region of the country.

COVER N. 711 - BRUNEI

Postmark: Serikomplex Brunei Darussalam 12.01.2026

Posted on 12th January;  Received on the 7th May 2026

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The intrepid Phantom writes from Brunei, the small sultanate that occupies about 5,800 square kilometres of land on the northern coast of the Island of Borneo, which it shares with Malaysia and Indonesia and which has been ruled by the same family as an absolute monarchy for the last 600 years.

It is not that often that Mr. Postman brings in mail from such far away places, so I am really grateful to The Ghost who Walks for having me in his thoughts whenever he pauses in his wanderings to visit the local Post Office.

Danke Sehr, Alex!

The portrait of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, who ascended to throne in 1967 and is now the current longest reigning monarch, after the passing of Great Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, illustrates all the stamps Alex used on this cover.

The 50 and 25 sen stamps are part of a definitive series issued on 23DEC1985, comprising 12 values (10; 15; 20; 25; 35; 40; 50; 75 sen; 1, 2, 5, 10  dollar), while the larger 15 sen stamp was included in a 12 stamp definitive issue (10; 15; 20; 30; 50; 60; 75; 90 sen; 1; 2; 5; 10 dollar) dated of  22FEB2007.

A far as the internet tells me, the postmark hails from  the Post office located in the Batu Satu area of Bandar Seri Begawan, the Capital of Brunei.

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 arguably 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 in 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

COVER N. 706 - NORWAY

Postmark: Søgne A 4640 13.04.2026  

Posted on the 13th April;  Received on the 24th April 2026

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A warm and friendly cover from the cold north of Europe.

Tusen takk, Kjell, I'll do my best to correspond, but as I said in my email message, I'm afraid it might not be much of a help anyway....

- Contrary to the majority of the Nobel Prizes, which, under the general supervision of the Nobel Committee are awarded by several Swedish institutions in the fields of Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature and Economics, the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded annually by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, in accordance to the written will of Alfred Nobel.

Norway's postal administration  has issued several stamps honouring Peace Prize laureates although not in a systematic manner.

The 5 krone stamp on the cover was issued in 25NOV1981, and it honours the 1921 recipients of the prize, awarded in acknowledgment for "their lifelong contributions to the cause of peace and organized internationalism":

Karl Hjalmar Branting (1860 - 1925), a Swedish politician and statesman who served as Prime Minister on three occasions from 1920 to 1925 and led the Swedish Social-Democratic Party until his death in 1925;

Christian Lous Lange (1869 – 1938)  a Norwegian historian, teacher, and political scientist, who was the Secretary of the Norwegian Nobel Committee between 1900 and 1909 and  also Norway's delegate or alternate delegate in the league of Nations, until 1938, amongst other public service commissions.

 

- the 5 krone stamp illustrated with the image of a sextant over a map was issued on 14NOV1985 as part of a two stamp set (2,5 and 5 Kr.) celebrating the 250 years of Norway's Port Authority and, I presume,  the 200 years of the first hydrographic map elaborated in Norway.

The 4.5 (Kayaking) and 7 (climbing) krone stamps constitute a set issued on 20APR2001 dedicated to adventure sports.

the 80 øre stamp is part of a set of three (.80; 1; 1.25 Kr) stamps issued on 22NOV1979, which although themed on wild flora constitute the year's Christmas issue. 

The stamp is illustrated with an image of a Glacier Buttercup (Ranunculus glacialis), an arctic-alpine member of the Ranunculaceae family, which can be found in the mountains of Southern Europe and the Scandinavia Peninsula as is said to be one of the highest-ascending plants in the Alps, flowering at over 4,000 m.

The 15 krone stamp illustrated with an image of a DC-3 is part of a 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.

Postmark from Søgne, in the very south of Norway.

COVER N. 705  / POSTCARDS 224 - 225 - SPAIN

Postmark: Correos CTA Valencia 20.04.2026

Posted on the 20th April;  Received on the 24th April 2026

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Letters can hide all sorts of surprises inside their opaque envelopes. If not for the welcome splash of colour of one or two stamps, usually tightly framed in the upper right corner, most times they dress up in an almost antiseptic and absolutely neutral whiteness which gives no clue as to what might be lurking inside.

And so the ritual again begins: fuelled by anticipation and curiosity (provided he or she is not a cat...) - or fear and discontentment (yes, letters can also be the unpleasant harbinger of pain or sorrow) - he or she whose name appears on the front of the neat paper rectangle momentarily inspects the envelope, the stamps and the postmark, only to nervously turn it face down on the worktable and carefully insert a blade trough the fold of the rear flap. Then, with the time honed mastery and certainty of a cardiothoracic surgeon, he or she runs it through the top of that same fold, thus creating a clean access into the treasure chamber.

Two fingers, usually  thumb and indicator, then provide the mechanical element  that allows content to be extracted.

That does not mean that extraction can be void of its own set of hurdles to jump over. In fact, the written paper inside might have caught  some glue while the envelope was being closed and is now also glued onto to its inner face;  the paper inside was so tightly inserted into the envelope that it proves hard to extract...; the door bell rings and you have to leave it to deal with it later....

But most times it is a pleasant ride all the way down to the moment when you have the envelope and its contents all laying on your desk and you finally go through the latter with the calm and attention they deserve.

None of the difficulties I just wrote about arose when I opened up the nice envelope adorned with the most gracious handwriting that I got from across the border. In fact I don't even know why I would write all that stuff as a prologue to a post regarding a perfectly composed and treated envelope, such as the ones I get from Eva, of which this one is no exception....

A written train of thought, maybe... does this even exist?

Moltes gràcies, Eva. És sempre un plaer rebre una carta teva.

- I was in A Coruña just a couple of weeks ago, so the stamp with the photo of the beautiful Hercules Tower, the oldest operating lighthouse in the world, whose roman origins go back to the late 1st or early 2nd centuries, brought back pleasant memories of quite an enjoyable weekend escapade.

The 0,62€ stamp is part of a 6 same denomination stamp set themed on Spanish Lighthouses issued by Correos de España on 15APR2009.

- I confess I have never heard of  Gabriel Aragón "Gaby" (1920-1995), whom the internet informs me was a "Spanish clown and saxophonist, member of the trio Gaby, Fofó and Miliki". The trio was very famous as "The TV Clowns" all across Latin America, and of course in their homeland, so I read also.

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Payasos de la TV (The TV Clowns), as can be read on the legend on the side of the stamp,  Correos de España issued on 16FEB2024 the self-adhesive "A3" Tariff  (domestic up to 100 g) stamp, illustrated with the effigy of  Gabriel Aragón "Gaby".

Mechanical postmark from the Automated Treatment Centre of Valencia (CTA Valencia)

There are few things, if any, in this world which have no detractors or “dislikers”. But if there is one, then Lighthouses have got be it!

And rightfully so. What is not to like in the elegant towers, the more so since most times their warm and assuring light revolves around places blessed with unspoiled natural, even if harsh sometimes, beauty?

Cullera might not be the most spectacular lighthouse in Spain, as Eva tells me, but then again  who wouldn't stop  a while if driving along the winding road on the photo, to admire its beautiful trellised lantern?

Rice might not be as universal, as liking goes, as lighthouses, but it is still one of the most common and globally consumed staple food.

So much so that many countries have found endemic ways of cooking it, which have gone past the simple fruition at table status to become maters of national pride and honour. Many are the examples and  from Yangzhou fried rice to Risotto, from Biryani to Paella, a whole plethora of national declinations lies in between.

Paella was invented in the Valencia region and is today one of Spain's most well known dishes.

Still,  just as with the Italian Pizza, what is served as Paella in many a restaurant worldwide, is a far cry from the original simple yet tasteful dish, that Eva tells me is locally better known simply as Arròs (rice) and cooked with a lot more vegetables (artichokes, peas, green beans...) in it than what is usually proposed elsewhere.

In my own country, we used to have a dish called Arroz à Valenciana (Valenciana Rice) that sadly seems to have but disappeared from our tiny local restaurants' menus... another sad sign of times....

POSTCARD N.223 - NETHERLANDS

Postcrossing Postcard sent on the 14th April; received on the 24th April 2026

Postcard image:  Mehringdamm, Berlim.

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A nice ambient night shot of a street in Berlin, near  Mehringdamm U-Bahn station, with a quote on the back that reads "even if 5 mini spring rolls for 2.5 €uro isn't a bad offer, the gastronomic leader of the U-Bah station at Mehringdamm is still Mustafa's famous Vegetable kebabs"

This got me curious.... I'll be sure to check if it still holds if I ever return to Berlin again.

Danke sehr, Anna.

Anna also included a "quirky historical fact" on his postcard, this being Postcrossing's writing prompt  for March:

She writes:"Did you know that in the 18th century the Prussian state had its citizens checked to see if they were secretly roasting coffee to avoid paying taxes?

So-called "coffee sniffers" sneaked through the stair wells and sniffed to see if they could smell coffee roasting".

No I did not know that, but as far as stupid taxes go, I remember when you had to pay a tax (in order to protect the matchbox industry) if you wanted to use a cigarette lighter here in my own country, in plain 20th century. This tax was only abolished in 1970.

On to the stamps:

- 5 and 15 Euro  cents World of letters series stamps:

0,05€ - Letters as Lotus Flower - issued on 02DEC2021 

0.15 € - Letters Peacock - issued on 10AUG2024 

- 0,45 + 0,20 € welfare surtax stamps, part of a set of 5 (.45 + .20; 3 x .55+.25; 1.44 + 56 €) dedicated to climate types in the wonderful world series, issued on 07OCT2004.

The  Polar climate is the type illustrated by this particular stamp, which features a photograph of icebergs  in the ocean.

- 0,45 € self-adhesive stamp, issued on 09FEB2012, celebrating the  125th Anniversary of the Narrow Gauge Railways in Harz, illustrated with a photo of one of the company's steam powered trains. 

The first narrow gauge railroad in the Harz mountains, in Central Germany, opened to traffic in 1887, with a service between Gernrode and Mägdesprung.

Today the Harz Narrow Gauge Railways network extends over 140 km of narrow gauge railroad.

Mechanical postmark from Briefzentrum 10 - Central Berlim.