Postcard from disputed region Donbass

I have received nice illustration postcard from disputed region Donbass. Postcard is issued by Post of Donbass - Почта Донбасса (Print run: 500). Post of Donbass is a state-owned enterprise being the operator of the postal system of unrecognized people's republics in Donbass, Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic.

The state-owned company was created on December 9, 2014 in Donetsk by an edict of the DPR Head Alexander Zakharchenko on the basis of the Ukrainian state company Ukrposhta. Сreation of the structure was necessitated by termination of Ukrposhta operations in the areas of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts of Ukraine not controlled by Kiev.

The DPR Ministry of Communications oversees the Post of Donbass operations. After establishing on March 23, 2015 of mail service between self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic, the Post of Donbass united postal services of both DPR and LPR.

This stamps are from set of three stamps Astronauts of Donbass. These astronauts are Alexander A. Volkov & Leonid D. Kizim. Stamps are issued on 04.03.2016.


Thank you Roman!

Bahama parrot (Amazona leucocephala bahamensis)

The Bahama parrot is a subspecies of the Cuban Amazon parrot. The Bahama Parrot’s scientific name literally means “white headed Amazon from The Bahamas.” Its white head and mostly green body make the Bahama parrot easily recognized. Historically, the Bahama Parrot occurred on seven different Bahamian islands including Abaco, Great Inagua, New Providence, San Salvador, Long Island, Crooked Island, and Acklins. However, today due to habitat loss and other threats, they are mostly found only on Abaco and Great Inagua Islands.

Both stamps are from set  Fauna - Marine Life, Spirobranchus giganteus and Gymnothorax funebris, issued on 03.01.2012.


Thank you Roy!

Bahamas: Historic Nassau

Nassau is the capital, largest city, and commercial centre of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The city has an estimated population of 274,400 as of 2016, or 70 percent of the entire population of the Bahamas.The city was named in honour of William III of England, Prince of Orange-Nassau. Nassau has been recognized as a part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network as a city of Crafts and Folk Art. It is one of only two Caribbean cities to receive this honor.

Stamps:

First stamp is from set The 90th Anniversary of the Birth of Queen Elizabeth II, issued on 21.04.2016.
Other two stamps are from set  Fauna - Marine Life, Lobatus gigas & Spirobranchus giganteus, issued on 03.01.2012.


Thank you Roy!

Slovakia: Postcrossing meeting in Komárno

My first postcard from Slovakia is Postcrossing meeting in Komárno. Komárno is a town in Slovakia at the confluence of the Danube and the Váh rivers. Komárno was formed from part of a historical town in Hungary situated on both banks of the Danube. Following World War I and the Treaty of Trianon, the border of the newly created Czechoslovakia cut the historical, unified town in half, creating two new towns. The smaller part, based on the former suburb of Újszőny, is in present-day Hungary as Komárom. Komárno and Komárom are connected by the Elisabeth Bridge, which used to be a border crossing between Slovakia and Hungary until border checks were lifted due to the Schengen Area rules. The town is the historic seat of the Serbian national minority in Slovakia.

 Stamp is EUROPA 2016: Ecology in Europe – Think Green!, issued on 05.05.2016.


Thank you Ľubomír!

Cover from Russia with tho maxicards

I have received cover from Russia with two wonderful maxicards from series Weapons of Victory, dedicated to Soviet fighter aircrafts from World War II, issued on 29.04.2011. Both maxicards have special postmark dedicated to 70 Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War (World War Two).

The Yakovlev Yak-3  was a World War II Soviet fighter aircraft. Robust and easy to maintain, it was very much liked by pilots and ground crew alike. It was one of the smallest and lightest major combat fighters fielded by any combatant during the war. Its high power-to-weight ratio gave it excellent performance. It proved a formidable dogfighter. Marcel Albert, World War II French ace, who flew the Yak in USSR with the Normandie-Niémen Group, considered it a superior aircraft when compared to the P-51D Mustang and the Supermarine Spitfire. After the war ended, it flew with the Yugoslav and Polish Air Forces.

The Lavochkin La-5 was a Soviet fighter aircraft of World War II. It was a development and refinement of the LaGG-3 and was one of the Soviet Air Force's most capable types of warplane. The two aircraft shared a lot of traits including its wooden construction. The biggest change came in the way of a new powerful radial engine that gave the La-5 vastly better performance.The La-5 was flown by the highest scoring allied ace, Ivan Kozhedub, who scored 62 air kills. 

Nice cover with beautiful stamps, and picture of Pskov Kremlin, an ancient citadel in Pskov, Russia. In the central part of the city, the Krom is located at the junction of the Velikaya River and smaller Pskova river. The citadel is of medieval origin, with the surrounding walls constructed starting in the late 15th century.

Stamps are:

Zaraysk Kremlin, issued on 01.10.2009.
V.I.Nesterenko "Russian Madonna", from set Russian Contemporary Art, issued on 30.07.2012.
M.V.Pereyaslavets "Monument to A.I.Pokryshkin", from set Russian Contemporary Art, issued on 25.10.2013.

Thank you Maria!

Germany: Limburg an der Lahn

Limburg lies in western Hessen between the Taunus and the Westerwald on the river Lahn. The town lies roughly centrally in a basin within the Rhenish Slate Mountains which is surrounded by the low ranges of the Taunus and Westerwald and called the Limburg Basin. Owing to the favourable soil and climate, the Limburg Basin stands as one of Hesse's richest agricultural regions and moreover, with its convenient Lahn crossing, it has been of great importance to transport since the Middle Ages.

This definitive stamp is Daffodil, issued on 02.01.2006.

Thank you Ana!

Slovenia: Postojna Cave

Postojna Cave is a 24,120 m long karst cave system near Postojna, southwestern Slovenia. The caves were created by the Pivka River. In 1872, cave rails were laid along with the first cave train for tourists. At first, these were pushed along by the guides themselves, later at the beginning of the 20th century a gas locomotive was introduced. After 1945, the gas locomotive was replaced by an electric one. You can see the train on this postcard. About 5.3 kilometers of the cave system are open to the public. The caves are also home to the endemic olm, the largest trogloditic amphibian in the world, and you can see it on the stamp below.

What a nice matching stamp! But this is a personalized postage stamp, and I can't find release date anywhere.


Thank you, Georgi!

Angola: Giant sable antelope

This is my first postcard from Angola! Angola s the seventh-largest country in Africa, and is bordered by Namibia to the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north and east, Zambia to the east, and the Atlantic Ocean to west. The exclave province of Cabinda has borders with the Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The capital and largest city of Angola is Luanda.

The giant sable antelope, (Hippotragus niger variani), is a large, rare subspecies of sable antelope native and endemic to the region between the Cuango and Luando Rivers in Angola. There was a great degree of uncertainty regarding the number of animals that survived during the Angolan Civil War. The giant sable antelope is the national symbol of Angola. In African mythology, just like other antelopes, they symbolize vivacity, velocity, beauty and visual sharpness.

Stamp is from set  of two stamps dedicated to The 30th Anniversary of Filda, issued on 01.06.2013.


Thank you Tian Ziyi!

Postcard from Uganda

This is my second postcard From Uganda. On this one you can see African elephant, zebras, lions and local woman. Uganda has 60 protected areas, including ten national parks: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Rwenzori Mountains National Park (both UNESCO World Heritage Sites), Kibale National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park, Lake Mburo National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Mount Elgon National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, and Semuliki National Park.

This stamp is from set Pope Francis' Visit to Uganda, issued on 27.11.2015.


Thank you Nezihe!

Three Towers of San Marino

This beautiful postcard is my first from San Marino, enclaved microstate surrounded by Italy. San Marino claims to be the oldest surviving sovereign state and constitutional republic in the world, as the continuation of the monastic community founded on 3 September 301, by stonecutter Marinus of Arba.

The Three Towers of San Marino are a group of towers located on the three peaks of Monte Titano in the capital, also called San Marino. They are depicted on both the national flag and coat of arms.

First stamp is from set of two stamps The 1000th Anniversary of the Transfer of the Body of St. Leo, issued on 07.06.2016. Second stamp is from set Europa 2015 - Old Toys, issued on 10.03.2015.


Thank you Petr!

Uganda: Kampala

This is my first postcard from Uganda. Uganda is the world's second most populous landlocked country after Ethiopia. The southern part of the country includes a substantial portion of Lake Victoria, shared with Kenya and Tanzania. Uganda is in the African Great Lakes region. Uganda also lies within the Nile basin, and has a varied but generally a modified equatorial climate.

Kampala is the capital and largest city of Uganda. The city is divided into five boroughs that oversee local planning: Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division, and Lubaga Division. The city is coterminous with Kampala District. Surrounding Kampala is the rapidly growing Wakiso District, whose population more than doubled between 2002 and 2014 and now stands at over 2 million.

Stamps are Rhinoceros viper, from set of six reptile stamps, issued on 21.08.1995.

Thank you  Wampamba!

Postcrossing meeting in Helsinki

I have received postcard from international Postcrossing meeting held in Helsinki. On this beautiful postcard you can see Uspenski Cathedral in summer evening. Uspenski Cathedral is an Eastern Orthodox cathedral in Helsinki, Finland, dedicated to the Dormition of the Theotokos. Its name comes from the Old Church Slavonic word uspenie, which denotes the Dormition. The Cathedral is set upon a hillside on the Katajanokka peninsula overlooking the city. On the back of the cathedral, there is a plaque commemorating Russian Emperor Alexander II, who was the sovereign of the Grand Duchy of Finland during the cathedral's construction. Uspenski Cathedral is claimed to be the largest orthodox church in Western Europe.

Stamps from Finland are always unique and beautiful! This stamp with comet is from set of six stamps called Signs of the Sky, issued on 08.09.2014. Stamps are designed by Nina Rintala, and printed by Joh. Enschedé Stamps, from Netherlands.

Here you can also see awesome special cancellation for this Postcrossing meeting with famous Inge Löök's old ladies.


Thank you very much Nina!

Postcard from Rwanda

This is my first postcard from beautiful Rwanda. Rwanda is a state in central and east Africa and one of the smallest countries on the African mainland. Located a few degrees south of the Equator, Rwanda is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Rwanda is in the African Great Lakes region and is highly elevated; its geography dominated by mountains in the west and savanna to the east, with numerous lakes throughout the country.

Stamp is Basket weaving, from set of five stamps dedicated to art and culture of Rwanda, issued on 15.11.2010.

Postcard from Mauritius

This is my first postcard from beautiful Mauritius. Mauritius is an island nation in the Indian Ocean about 2,000 kilometres off the southeast coast of the African continent. The country includes the island of Mauritius, Rodrigues (560 kilometres east), and the outer islands (Agaléga, St. Brandon and two disputed territories). The islands of Mauritius and Rodrigues (172 km southwest) form part of the Mascarene Islands, along with nearby Réunion, a French overseas department. The area of the country is 2,040 km2. The capital and largest city is Port Louis.

This stamp is Mascarene Swallow (Phedina borbonica), from set Flora and Fauna, issued on 30.08.2013.

The Mascarene Swallow, also known as the Mascarene Martin and the 'grosse hirondelle' in French, is a rare bird with a total population of less than 500 pairs in Mauritius.


Thank you Roshan!

Maldives: Maayafushi, Ari Atoll

This is my first postcard from Maldives! This beautiful island of Maayafushi is in the northern part of Ari Atoll.

The Maldives is an island country in the Indian Ocean. It lies southwest of India and Sri Lanka. The chain of twenty six atolls stretches from Ihavandhippolhu Atoll in the north to the Addu Atoll in the south. Comprising a territory spanning roughly 90,000 square kilometres, the Maldives is one of the world's most geographically dispersed countries, as well as the smallest Asian country by both land area and population, with a little over over 393,500 inhabitants.

What a fantastic stamps! Both stamps are from set Marine Life, Emperor Angelfish (Pomacanthus imperator) and Orangespine Unicornfish (Naso lituratus), issued on 24.12.2002.


Thank you Mohamed!

island of Maayafushi

island of Maayafushi

island of Maayafushi 

 

island of Maayafushi

island of Maayafushi

Postcard from Greece

I have received nice multiview postcard from Greece. That will be my next summer holiday destination.
An important percentage of Greece's national income comes from tourism. Tourism funds 16% of the gross domestic products which also includes the Tourism Council and the London-Based World Travel.

The most visited region of Greece was that of Central Macedonia, with 18% of the country's total tourist flow (amounting to 3.6 million tourists), followed by Attica with 2.6 million and the Peloponnese with 1.8 million. Northern Greece is the country's most-visited geographical region, with 6.5 million tourists, while Central Greece is second with 6.3 million.

Greece has attracted 26 million visitors in 2015 and is projected to attract 28 million visitors in 2016.

This stamp is from set Tourism diving; Ship-wreck, Byzantine period, Rhodos, issued on 20.07.2015.
I have received earlier one stamp from this very nice set.


Thank you Lana!

Croatia: Stari Grad

This summer we have been on vacation in Croatia, in Stari Grad, on Hvar island. We have sent this local shaped postcard to my mother.

Stari Grad (literally Old Town) is a town on the northern side of the island of Hvar in Dalmatia, Croatia. One of the oldest towns in Europe, its position at the end of a long, protected bay and next to prime agricultural land has long made it attractive for human settlement.

The most ancient part of Stari Grad falls within the UNESCO Protected World Heritage Site of the Stari Grad Plain, while the entire municipality lies within the surrounding buffer zone.

This nice self-adhesive stamp is Cylinder Anemone (Cerianthus membranaceus), from set of four stamps Croatian Undersea World II, issued on 15.06.2015.

Cover from Estonia

I have received cover from Estonia with two maxicards, one from Soviet Union, and second from North Korea.

First maxicard is from North Korea, from set of four: World Nature Conservation - Mandarin Ducks (Aix galericulata), issued on 04.08.1987. The mandarin duck is a perching duck species found in East Asia and is native to Japan. It is medium-sized, at 41–49 cm long with a 65–75 cm wingspan. For Koreans, mandarin ducks represent peace, fidelity, and plentiful offspring. Similar to the Chinese, they believe that these ducks mate for life. For these reasons, pairs of mandarin ducks called wedding ducks are often given as wedding gifts and play a significant role in Korean marriage.

Second maxicard is one of the last issued by Soviet Union. This is Snakelocks Anemone (Anemonia sulcata), from set of five stamps Fauna of Black Sea, issued on 04.01.1991. The snakelocks anemone  is a sea anemone found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea. The tentacles of anemones in deep or murky water can be a grey colour, but are otherwise usually a deep green colour with purple tips due to the presence of symbiotic algae within the tentacles that use sunlight as an energy source. As a result, the anemones prefer brightly lit shallow waters. On average the snakelock anemone is 8 cm wide.

Stamps on cover:
Post Horn, issued on 19.05.2016.
Estonian Fauna - European Otter, issued on 25.08.2015.
Bird of the Year - The Great Tit, issued on 17.02.2016.


Thank you Ella!