COVER N. 379 - LITHUANIA

Postmark: Kaišiadorys - Lietuva 14.12.2023

Posted on the 14th December 2023; received on the 2nd January 2024

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The second cover of 2024, came from Lithuania, carrying some very interesting stamps inside and also on the face of the envelope. Labai ačiū, Leonardas!

The two stamps Leonardas used on the cover constitute Lietuvos Paštas 2023 Christmas issue, which began to circulate on 24NOV2023. The two equally priced stamps (1,20 €) are illustrated with images of a couple ice skating and of another couple kissing under the mistletoe.

The Postmark was applied at Kaišiadorys, a city in central Lithuania, with a total population of approximately 8.300 inhabitants.

COVER N. 378 - HONDURAS

Postmark: Correo Nacional de Honduras -  Administracion de Valle de Angeles - Honducor - date illegible

Posted on (?) ; received on the 2nd January 2024

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The first covers of 2024 landed on my letterbox on the second of the year, and quite an interesting pair, they were.

We'll start by this amazingly stamped Honduran cover, courtesy of The Flying Dutchman, which by itself is worthy of being shown in a philatelic exhibition in the odd mail category.... the problem would be to find a support to exhibit it from both sides... Joni Mitchell comes to mind: "I glue on stamps, from both sides now...." 😅

Thanks a great lot, Eric. What a Wonderful cover!

The face of the C6 envelope is almost entirely occupied by a souvenir sheet issue by Empresa de Correos de Honduras - Honducor -  the Postal Administration of Honduras, on 14AUG2002, celebrating the 500th anniversary of the first ever celebration of a Catholic mass on continental American soil, which took place on Punta Caxinas, in what is now Honduras, on the 13th or 14th August  (according to different sources) 1502, during the fourth and last trip of Columbus to the Americas.

It should also be noted that the first Catholic mass on American soil was celebrated on January the 6th, 1494, in the Dominican Republic.

The souvenir sheet was also the Honduran contribution to the UPAEP  (Postal Union of the Americas, Spain and Portugal) common emission of 2002, as indicated by the presence of the  Upaep America 2002 logo on each stamp.

Clockwise from the top left we have:

-10 Lempira Stamp with a detail of a painting by Honduran painter Mario Castillo (1932-2012), entitled 400 Años de História (400 Years of History);

- 10 Lempira stamp with an illustration depicting the celebration of the first Mass;

- 2.60 Lempira stamp with a detail from a painting by naive Honduran painter Roque Zelaya Acosta (1958 -);

- 3 Lempira stamp illustrated with a photo of the ruins of the Trujillo fortress, dating from the second half of the 16th century, Trujillo being the name that was given to the place Columbus called Punta de Caxinas, where the first Mass on continental soil was celebrated. 

On 25SEP202, Honducor issued a four stamp set dedicated to Honduran orchids. One of these stamps can be seen on the upper right corner of the envelope face. With a face value of 1.40 Lempira, it is illustrated with a photo of a Vanilla Planifolia, the plant which produces the fruit from which Vanilla is extracted.

On 03DEC2009, Honducor issued a three stamp set under the motto "Paz, Fe, Democracia, Honduras es Nuestra" (Peace, Faith, Democracy; Honduras is Ours". The 3 lempira stamp on the right centre of the envelope face belongs to this set and it depicts the Honduram Presidential Palace, located in Tegucigalpa, the Honduran Capital.

As for the back of the cover:

A souvenir sheet with an imperforated 2 Lampira stamp, issued on 29SEP1990 celebrating the centenary of the Luis Bogran Technical Institute, which was founded in 1890, during the Government presided by Luis Bogran, as the National Arts and Crafts School of Honduras, with a view to the vocational training of industrial workers needed for the mining operations in the region of the river Guayape.

In 1943, The Postal Administration of Honduras issued a single set of stamps. For use in airmail, as informed by the "Correo Aereo" legend on top of the stamps, the beautifully recessed printed stamps were illustrated with images of related to the Honduran life, places and culture. The 40 centavos stamp on the right upper corner of the back of the envelope is illustrated with a wheat stook.

On 22NOV2004, Honducor issued a souvenir sheet with 4 identical stamps with a face value of 2,60 Lempira each, as the 2004 Christmas issue. The stamp is illustrated with the image of the Holly family on route, Joseph walking along Mary who is holding the Baby, riding a donkey.

The postmark was issued at the Post Office of  Valle de Ángeles, a city in the department of Francisco Morazán, Central Honduras.

COVER N. 377 - BRASIL

Postmark: AC Central SE /SPM - 07.12.2023

Posted on the 7th December; received on the 30th December 2023

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The second cover received from Luis, from São Paulo, and the very last for 2023. Muito Obrigado Luis! Bom Ano Novo. Abraço!

On 07SEP2023, Correios do Brasil issued a five stamp set dedicated to Central Markets all with the same face value (2,45 Reais). Further to the Market of Florianópolis, on the stamp on the cover, the set includes stamps dedicated to the Central Markets of Fortaleza, Goiânia, Manaus,  and  Belo Horizonte.

Of note is the fact that, following the best market traditions, the value of the stamps is indicated by a price tag claiming "Just R$ 2,45".

On 29MAY2023, Correios do Brasil issued an eight stamp set dedicated to lighthouses of the country, all with a face value of 3 Reais.

The stamp on the cover portraits  the lighthouse of Cape orange, built in 1977 and located in the National Park of Cape Orange, in the State of Amapá.

The 0.2 and 0.05 Reais stamps on the upper right corner are part of the definitive series issued between 2005 and 2011, dedicated to Professions. Illustrated with a shoemaker and a seamstress, respectively,  they both integrated the first set of three stamps, issued on 30DEC2005.

I believe that the A C initials in the postmark strad for Agência Central although I don't have a clue as to what the SE/SPM initials refer to.

COVER N. 376 - BRASIL

Postmark: AC Central SE /SPM - 07.12.2023

Posted on the 7th December; received on the 30th December 2023

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Due to a quite happy coincidence, my last two covers of 2023, spoke Portuguese. both having been sent from the State of S.Paulo, one of the 26 States and one Federal District that integrate Brazil, our brother country and a member of CPLP,  the Community of Portuguese Language Countries.

Muito Obrigado Luis. Sabe bem escrever isto aqui em Português! Um abraço!

For me, central markets are hives of human activity. More than ensuring a commercial function, they are true social interfaces, so many are the people that use them on a frequent and regular basis, what facilitates the creation of bonds between buyers and sellers who, in time, are no longer just that but also people who know each other, who can relate to each other, friends, even, maybe, in some cases.....

I love markets and whenever I visit a city, I make sure I go to its main market... it's always a pleasure walking through it and seeing what's on offer, what is also a fine introduction to a country's gastronomic habits.

On 07SEP2023, Correios do Brasil issued a five stamp set dedicated to Central Markets all with the same face value (2,45 Reais). Further to the Market of Fortaleza, on the stamp on the cover, the set includes stamps dedicated to the Central Markets of Goiânia, Manaus, Florianópolis and  Belo Horizonte.

Of note is the fact that, following the best market traditions, the value of the stamps is indicated by a price tag claiming "Just R$ 2,45".

On 29MAY2023, Correios do Brasil issued an eight stamp set dedicated to lighthouses of the country, all with a face value of 3 Reais.

The stamp on the cover portraits  the lighthouse of Moela on the Island of the same name, 2,5, km off the coast of the State of  S. Paulo.

The 0.05 and 0.2 Reais stamps on the upper right corner are part of the definitive series issued between 2005 and 2011, dedicated to Professions. Illustrated with a seamstress and a  shoemaker, respectively,  they both integrated the first set of three stamps, issued on 30DEC2005.

I believe that the A C initials in the postmark strad for Agência Central although I don't have a clue as to what the SE/SPM initials refer to.

POSTCARD N.128 - U.A.E. - UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

postcard sent on the 12th December; received on the 20th December 2023

Postcard image: Greetings from UAE
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A popular postcard series and a much appreciated postcard in my letterbox, cortesy of the Consortium Phantom&Flying Dutchman Inc. Thanks a lot, guys. Truly nice!

The 3 dirham stamp was issued on 01JAN1973 as part of a 12 stamp set illustrated with the Flag, the Coat of Arms and photos from sights in the United Arab Emirates. This particular stamp carries an image of what I believe is the port of the  limestone quarry at  Khor Khwair, the biggest in the world, in Ras Al Khaimah, one of the seven Emirates federated in the State.

The bicolor postmark, carrying the Emirates Post logo originated at the Exchange Centre in Dubai

COVER N. 375 - FRANCE

Postmark: Carré d'Encre - 09.12.2023

Posted on the 9th December; received on the 19th December 2023

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Un grand Merci, Jean-Pierre, pour ce belle enveloppe enluminée.

The 1,80E stamp, used by Jen-Pierre, belongs to the series "Métiers d'art", being dedicated to the artist specialising in Illuminations, le Enlumineur,  was issued on 02OCT2013.

The stamp is postmarked from le Carré d'encre, La Poste's specialised philatelic and writing supplies, located in Paris. 

Inside the envelope I could also find a much appreciated postcard celebrating Louis Blériot, the first man to fly over La Manche, from Calais to Dover, in 1909.

POSTCARD N.127 - GERMANY

Postcard sent on the 12th December; received on the 19th December 2023

Postcard image: Zugspitze 2962 m and Eibsee 1000 m
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A fine postcard from Alex, from Germany's highest peak , Zugspitze, and highest post office to! Thanks a lot, Alex.

Frauenkirche  in Dresden is a reminder of the horrors of war. Completely raised to ground during the infamous bombings of WW2, it would only be rebuilt after the reunification of Germany, the reconstruction works, started in 1994, having been completed in 2005.

On 07SEP2023, Deutsche Post issued a 1 Euro stamp dedicated to the Church, on which  before and after reconstruction images are included, the first dating back to 1957 and the later to 2015.

To complete postage, Alex used  a 10 cent Stamp from the "World of Letters" definitive series. This particular stamp was issued on 02NOV2022.

The nice pictorial postmark is that of the post office at Zugspitze.