Christmas Cookies on cover from Iceland

Gingerbread baking is an indispensable pastime in many Icelandic homes before Christmas. The artfully decorated gingerbread can be made into all sorts of shapes and colours. Families come together to bake biscuits or make their own gingerbread houses in various shapes and sizes. And this is what inspired Elsa Nielsen to design this beautiful Christmas stamp set which was released on 01.11.2018. This stamp set is with gingerbread scent, so if you rub stamps, you can smell this wonderful scent!


Thank you, Rosmarie!

Europa CEPT 2019 National Birds on cover from Iceland

Íslandspóstur issued two beautiful stamps for Europa CEPT 2019 National Birds on 11.4.2019. Left bird is gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus), the most famous of all Icelandic birds. Iceland’s national Order is the Order of the Falcon. For centuries, falcons were caught in Iceland and brought to Europe where they were used for hunting and games. The falcon catches its prey in air, but also on land and water, its preferred food being the ptarmigan. This may be the reason why most falcons pairs are found 2-4 years after the ptarmigan population is at its height. Presently the Icelandic falcon stock is estimated at 300-400 breeding pairs. The falcon is on the list of endangered species in imminent danger.

And on right stamp is white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla), bird of prey breeding in northern Europe and Asia. The eagle became almost extinct in Europe, but preservation activities have made it possible to rebuild some nest sites. Males are smaller than female birds. The eagle reaches sexual maturity four to five years old. The eagle population in Iceland is slowly recovering and counted 76 adult couples in 2017, having more than tripled over 50 years. They catch birds and fish, even taking lambs and seals when the opportunity arises. The eagle was accorded full status as protected species in 1913.


Thank you, Rosmarie!

Postcard from Vigur Island, with smallest post office in Iceland

Vigur is the second largest island of the Ísafjarðardjúp fjord in Westfjords, Iceland. The island is around 2 kilometres (6,600 ft) in length and 400 metres in width. The island is most noted for its sheep farming, with only a single farm being located on Vigur. Smallest post office in Iceland i slocated here, and my friend Wolfgang sent me this beautiful aerial view of the island from that place.

On this fantastic stamp you can see White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla), from set Europa (C.E.P.T.) 2019 - National Birds, issued on 11.4.2019.


Thank you so much, Wolfgang!

Iceland: Ísafjörður

Ísafjörður is a town in the northwest of Iceland. According to the Landnámabók (the book of settlement), Skutulsfjördur was first settled by Helgi Magri Hrólfsson in the 9th century. In the 16th century, the town grew as it became a trading post for foreign merchants. Witch trials were common around the same time throughout the Westfjords, and many people were banished to the nearby peninsula of Hornstrandir, now a national nature reserve. The town of Ísafjörður was granted municipal status in 1786.

First stamp on postcard is from set Islands, issued on 6.9.2001. and second is Day of the Stamp, issued on 7.10.2005.


Thank you Wolfgang!

Iceland: Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall and Kirkjufell mountain

This beautiful landmark is Kirkjufell, the most photographed mountain in Iceland. This 463m high mountain on the north coast of Iceland's Snæfellsnes peninsula, is located near the town of Grundarfjörður. On the left side you can see beautiful Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall.

This is stamps set Seals, issued on 28.01.2010. This seals are Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina) and Harp Seal (Phoca groenlandica).


Thank you Patrik!