POSTCARD N.164 - PORTUGAL - R.A. AÇORES

Postcard sent on the 9th September, received on the 23rd September 2024

Postcard image: the islet of Vila Franca seen from the Island of S. Miguel___________________________________________________________________________, 

As it is well known, The Phantom, the ghost who walks, knows no boundaries, so I wasn't surprised at all to receive a nice postcard from the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, from one of islands of one the nicest archipelagos on the planet: S. Miguel, in the Azores.

Thanks a lot, Mr. Phantom. I wish I was there with you...

The vertical drone view of the Islet of Vila Franca off the coast of the town with the same name, midway down the south coast of S. Miguel Island  Island is one of the recent years iconic views that have been promoting the Azores as an outstanding tourist destination.

If you google it, you'll understand why... suffice to say that red Bull has chosen the location as one of the venues for their cliff diving series...

Hydrangeas are also one of the Azores trademarks and the view of the Islet against the never ending sea, framed by a bunch of  vivid hydrangeas couldn't be more eloquent as to what the Azores are about... 

To send me the postcard, Alex used a stamp with from my country's other Autonomous Region, the Archipelago of Madeira, issued on 08SET20223 as part of an outstandingly beautiful issue comprising 3 stamps (0,61; 1,05; 1,15 €) and a one stamp souvenir sheet (3 €) dedicated to endemic species of the region.

The Postmark  indicates that the postcard was mailed from São Pedro, a parish of the city of Ponta Delgada, S. Miguel's capital.

Of note is the (negative) fact that in spite of paying for  "Correio Azul", what should mean 2 working days delivery from the islands to the mainland,  as clearly indicated by the appropriate label on the card and by the use of a stamp with a face value exceeding that needed for the service (0,90 € at present), the postcard took no less than 14 days to arrive.....

COVER N. 512 - LAOS

Postmark: ? Acceptence...? 02.09.2024

Posted on the 2nd September; Received on the 23rd September 2024

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My friend the Flying Dutchmen surprise me with yet another cover from a distant place, making it possible for me to add another country to the ever growing list. Muito Obrigado, Eric!

Laos, or the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a large question mark to me. In fact the only thing I can remember about this Southeast Asia state is that it once was part of French Indochina and after gaining its independence, as the Kingdom of Laos, it suffered heavily under the carpet bombings of B-52's during the Vietnam war, when part of the country was occupied by North Vietnamese forces, in support of their actions against the South Vietnamese/American forces.

The Kingdom of Laos would subside in 1975 with the end of the  civil war  which would go one for another 2 years after the Vietnam War  terminated in 1973, and,  its place, the Pathet Lao, a communist movement backed by the USSR, established the now existing  Lao People's Democratic Republic. 

I wonder why would Laos issue a stamp commemorating 50 years of the first Europa Stamps, let alone six, but that's exactly what happened as proved by the six imperforate stamps on the cover, issued on 01DEC2005.

Each stamp is illustrated with an image of a well known European landmark side by side with a Laotian one.

from left to right, top to bottom:

7000 kip  - the Palace of Knossos, Greece and Patuxai, Vientiane, Laos, a monument completed in 1968 honouring the victims of the fight for independence from France.

 6000 kip - Stonehenge, England, and Plain of Jars, Laos, a megalithic site with hundreds of stone jars implanted on the ground, believed to be used for burial purposes.

8000 kip - Trier Cathedral, Germany and Wat Phra Keo, Vientiane, Laos, a temple made in 1565 to house what is known as the Emerald Buddha, a statue of Buddha sculpted in green stone.

7500 kip - Notre Dame de  Paris, France and That Lauang, Valentiane, Laos, considered to be the most iconic of all Laotian landmarks, this Buddhist stupa, whose origins can be traced back to the 3rd century AD, is covered in gold.

7500 kip - Lom Stave Church, Norway and Wat Xieng Thong, Luang Prabang, Laos, one of the most important Buddhist monasteries in the country, it was built in 1559-60.

7000 kip - The Coliseum, Rome, Italy, and Wat Phu, a temple in Southern Laos, one of the oldest worshiping constructions in all Southeast Asia.

Unfortunately, I cannot make out the local of expedition in the postmark.

COVER N. 511 - FRANCE - DROM-COM - TAAF - TERRES AUSTRALES ET ANTARCTIQUES FRANÇAISES

Postmark: Ile Tromelin - Iles Éparses T.A.A.F 06.09.2024

Posted on the 26th July; Received on the 19th September 2024

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I imagine that for all the multidisciplinary experts that live for a few months in the scientific bases established in such remote places as the Kerguelen, Crozet and Amsterdam/Saint Paul Islands, all territories part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF), a visit to the grocer's shop for a pack of butter or to the office supplies centre for an ink cartridge is way out of question. And yet, these valiant boys and girls have to be fed and provided with all the comforts (well, at least the very essential)  needed for an everyday life as normal as the situation allows for, and, at the end of their missions, rotated back to where they usually belong.

This is one of the important roles that one of the world's largest oceanographic ships provides, in complement to its mission as research vessel (and also, I read, as tourist ship, accommodating up to 14 passengers for a 28 day journey to the islands...if ever I win the lottery, count me in....)

Upon opening my mailbox a couple of days ago, I had this amazing cover, posted from this impressive vessel in the cold sub-Antarctic seas lurking there. Thank you so much, Jeff. You really made my day!

Other than the  regular post office postmark applied at the Island of Tromelin (one of the scattered Islands, located off and around  the coast of Madagascar) the envelope is absolutely laden on the front and the back with the personal cachets of several members of the crew. Those that can be identified are: the ship's Captain - who also autographed the cover - Commandant Ganor Ginat; Communications Officer Vanessa Larose; The "Vaguemestre" for Tromelin island (not identified by name); Telecommunications manager Florent Payet and the Chef of Crozet island Anne-Adelaïde Lasbareilles.

As usual a square mark with the coordinates of where the postmark was applied  is also present, along with a few stampmarks pertaining to the vessel itself.

The stamp Jeff used is the same I commented on post regarding cover 499, issued on 02JAN2024,  illustrated with an image of  the La Dauphine, a Corvette built in 1773.

The Marion Dufresne
Image credit: DATA TERRA

COVER N. 510 - INDIA

Postmark: 26th July - 11th Aug. 2024 Paris Olympic games Paris 2024 560 0C1 Bengaluru 26.07.2024

Posted on the 26th July; Received on the 19th September 2024

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A cover with a bit of a mystery. In fact, it was addressed to me as a member of the London Cover Circuit, but inside there was no circuit form, just some philatelic items. Anyway, Thanks a lot A. V., I'll be sure to reply some time soon.

India's team for the Olympics which took place in Paris this last summer, included 110 athletes competing in 16 disciplines. 

By the night of the closing ceremony, India ranked 71st in the list of countries with athletes being awarded medals, with a total of 6 prizes: 1 silver (men's javelin throw) and 5 bronze (3 for shooting, one for men's field hockey and one for men's freestyle wrestling) medals.

Celebrating its participation of India in the Games, India Post issued on 26JUL2024 the 4 x 5 rupee stamps souvenir sheet on the cover. The stamps are illustrated with images of 4 disciplines of the Olympic menu, namely sailing, javelin throw, field hockey and table tennis.

At the height pf the Covid pandemic in India Post  issued a 4 x 10 Rupee mini-sheet themed on "Combat Corona Campaign - Salute to COVID-19 Warriors". The stamp on the cover, part of this issue, features an illustration of two of the many postal workers, who ensured postal services were maintained all through those difficult times.

The letter was mailed from Bangalore (Bengaluru) the capital of the State of Kamataka, in the South of the country.

COVER N. 509 - SRI LANKA

Postmark: Headquarters P. O. Colombo Mail 10.09.24

Posted on the 10th September; Received on the 17th September 2024

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Another cover with stamps from the lovely waterfall set issued by Sri Lanka Post as its first issue for the current year. Bohomȧ  sthoothi, Ravi!

The waterfall set was issued on 02FEB2024 and it comprises ten 50 rupee stamps. With the addition of the present three, I believe I'm only missing one of them, thanks to the care and generosity of Ravindra.

From left to right:

Lover's Leap Ella waterfall

Lover's Leap Waterfall is fed with water coming from Pidurutalagala Mountain, the highest in Sri Lanka and  one that is the subject to one of the postcards Ravindra has also sent me and which I have been posting here on my blog.

It is 30 metres high, being located in Nuwara Eliya’s countryside and it gets its name from a legend that says that two forbidden lovers chose it to plunge to their deaths, so that they could be together forever.

Dunsinane Ella Waterfall

Having as its closest urban conglomerate the town of Pundalu Oya, this seldom visited waterfall is 100 metres high and cascades downs several steps into the river which bears the same name as the aforementioned closest town: Pundalu Oya.

 Aberdeen Ella Warterefall

Water drops from an height of 98 metres in this waterfall located on the Kehelgamu Oya, near Ginigathena, being named in honour of... you've guessed it, the well known Scottish city of Aberdeen.

As usual, the postmark is from Colombo's PO Headquarters.

COVER N. 508 - HUNGARY

Postmark: Balatonalmádi 11.09.24

Posted on the 11th September; Received on the 17th September 2024

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A travel through time... a beautiful first day cover... from 1985. Nothing like some nice flowers to brighten up your day. Köszönöm szépen, Hòka.

As I type I cannot erase from my mind the absolutely heart-wrenching images I saw on TV of the effects of tempest Boris in several central and eastern European countries, Hungary being one of them. I hope that things get back to normal  soon and that all those afflicted by the storm can find the help they will surely need to rebuild their lives.

The negative impact of  large scale natural phenomena brought about by extreme weather, be it tempests or forest fires, such as the devastating ones we had in  Portugal again this year, is growing with each year that passes....we must find a way out of this vicious cycle....climate change is a global challenge and a global threat to everyone.... Scientists have warned us, the Secretary-general of the UN has called on our attention to it, even the Pope has many times raised the issue in his allocutions....

We urgently need leaders that will work together to find a way out of the labyrinth, but as António Guterres yesterday said, the world is derailing..., all because of the lousy quality of most of the conductors, I add...

Lilies, who doesn't love them? The Liliaceae family comprises some 600 species of flowering plants mainly to be found in the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere.

On 29OCT1985, the postal services of what was then the Hungarian People's Republic issued a seven stamp set (1; 2x2; 2x4; 5 and 6 forint) dedicated to flowers of the Lily family.

left to right:

- Snake's head fritillary (Fritillaria Meleagris), a native to the flood river plains of Europe, it is easily recognised by the checkered pattern of its petals.

- Lemon daylily (Hemerocallis lilioasphodelus), daylilies produce flowers that last but for a day, and the Lemon daily is one such case. It can be found in the wild in China, Russia and Northern Italy and Slovenia.

 

- Orange Lily (Lilium Bulbiferum), a native to most of Europe, from Spain to the Ukraine, growing on mountain meadows and hillsides.

- Martagon Lily (Lilium Martagon). another widely distributed plant that can be found from Portugal (although it estimated that its local population only numbers between 2,500 to 10,000 plants) to Mongolia.

The stamps actually used to post the letter to Portugal comprise two pairs of "Belföld" (domestic) tariff items:

- Stamp illustrated with a photo of a postal delivery bicycle, part of a 5 (3 x Domestic + 2 x Europa) self-adhesive definitive stamp set, issued on 05MAY2021, dedicated to postal history artefacts.

- Stamp issued on 07JUL2023, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the introduction of Postal Codes in Hungary, illustrated with a map of the country divided into the 9 existing Hungarian postal code regions.

The Postmark indicates that the letter was sent from the city of Balatonalmádi, a resort town on the northern shore of lake Balaton, with a population of 8,500.

POSTCARD N.163 - CZECH REPUBLIC

Postcard sent on the 6th September, received on the 16th September 2024

Postcard image: Vitkov castle 
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Another of Michal's great high ground lookouts and castles postcards from the Sumava mountains. Bardzo děkuji, Michal!

Vítkov castle (Vitkův Hrádek - The little castle of Vitek), dating from the 13th century, is the highest located castle in Bohemia (1053 m) and in the 50s of the 20th century it served as a military watch-post, a steel tower having been built alongside it for this purpose. It is now a visitable space.

The E tariff stamp was issued on 12OCT2022 as part of a se-tenant pair of E tariff stamps issued on the occasion of  LIBEREC 2022, an European postage stamp exhibition held in the city of Liberec, Czech Republic, between 13 and 16 October .