Fiji, Wallis & Futuna, Tonga, The Concorde and Sabena

Well, it's Thursday and my last update was Sunday, so I figure it's time for another . I think I'll start with a couple of cards from the South Pacific region, all compliments of David. It's a card showing Levuka, the old capital of the Fiji Islands. Levuka is located on the eastern coast of the Fijian island of Ovalau. It was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in June of this year. The town served as the capital from 1874-1882.

 David used a rather large insect stamp here. It is 1 of 2 Insect stamps issued in 2010.

Here's a card from Wallis & Futuna. One doesn't received mail from Wallis & Futuna everyday, so when you find a card in the mailbox from there, it's a special day. Not only is this card from a great place but it shows an Aircalin aircraft in flight. Aircalin or Air Caledonie International is the international airline of New Caledonia. This is my first Aircalin postcard.

  The stamp on the left was issued in 2012 and is entitled Poets of the Sea. The otherstamp was issued this current year and celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the Mata-Utu Tribunal or the Court of First Instance.

 

David's third and final card for this time provides us with a look at the Royal Palace in Nuku'alopa, Kingdom of Tonga. Another place you don't get a lot of mail from. The current Monarch is King Tupou VI. 

 

Now all good stamp collectors know that the stamps of Tonga include some strange shapes, so it's not a big surprise to see stamps shaped like bananas and coconuts used here.  The large regular shaped stamp was issued in 2003 , it's 1 of 4 in a set showing Beaches. Fafa Beach looks like a nice place to spend a day. The Banana and Coconut stamps are from a souvenir sheet of 5 Fruits issued in 2001. 

 

David's blog and trip updates are found here . 

A wonderful British Airways Concorde postcard is flying in next. I really don't need to say anything, it speaks for itself. A fine addition to my Airlines/Aircraft on Postcards Collection.  

This Concorde flew in from Finland as it has a 2012 self-adhesive stamp featuring Bottenhavets National Park. The park , in southwest Finland consists of 98 % water. 

This next card , from Johan, is a great Aviation card . It looks like an old poster of Belgian Air Lines, with the slogan " With SABENA, You're in good hands. " 

Johan used 2 Europa stamps from 1969 on this one. He was in Brussels and had this card cancelled with a special cancellation celebrating the 20th Anniversary of  Post Europ. 

You can find Johan's blog right here.

So ends another update. Thanks to David, Sanna and Johan for their cards. This blog wouldn't be much without people like you. Be sure to check in again soon. Take care.

Planes, Planes and more Planes

Today's update is all about Planes- turbo-props, jets, bi-planes , any and all. Lately, I have received quite a number of postcards of planes. Please bear with me for this time , if by chance your interest lies elsewhere.
Today I have four cards and all will be fine additions to my Aircraft and Airlines postcard Collection.

First up is an Eastern Air Lines Super Constellation flying over Miami Beach, Florida. I don't think I need to write anymore about the Connie, I've done that quite a few times on this blog, other than to say I think it's one of the most beautiful planes ever built. I just wish that I had an opportunity to fly on one.

Laura from Wisconsin sent this card along. She used 3 stamps, the 1 on the right is was issued in 2012 and the other 2 in 2013. The 2 Apple stamps from self-adhesive coils from a set of 4. The other one is a self-adhesive Forever stamp from the Earthscapes m/sheet . It shoes a bird's eye view of a Residential Subdivision. All 3 were heavily cancelled.

The last time I wrote about Elvis, I mentioned that people often say "Elvis has left the building " and I wrote that maybe he just went to the Post Office. Well now maybe he has just went to the airport. This second card is entitled Elvis' Lisa Marie. It shows N880EP, a Convair 880. Elvis Presley bought the "Lisa Marie"as his personal transport in April of 1975 after its career with Delta Airlines. He purchased it for $250,000 and spent another $325,000 plus on its refurbishment. It has been displayed at The King's Graceland home since 1984. It was nicknamed "Hounddog One ". If you look at the aircraft's tail, you notice it carries the TCB symbol which stands for "Taking Care of Business ".

Julia, a Postcrosser from Michigan sent this card along. She used the round Forever Global stamp. I have shown this stamp quite often in the past, so see no need for it again.

This next card from Belarus shows an Antonov AN-2 on skies. The AN-2 is a single -engine biplane produced between 1947 and 2002. More than 18,000 have been built. It is comparable in role, configuration and era to a de Haviland Canada DH-3 Otter.

 

Olga used a number of nice stamps on this one. The train stamp is from a set of 2 issued in 2010. The bird stamp in the center is from 2011, a Birdlife issue. Interestingly the bird next to it is actually not a stamp. Part of the selvage I guess. The blue vertical stamp is from a 2011 set of 2 highlighting Polar Protection. 

My last card for this day comes from Russia. It is of a Aeroflot Ilyushin IL-18. It is a large turboprop airliner, one of the best known Soviet aircraft, as well as one of the most popular and durable. 564 of the IL-18 were produced between 1959 and 1978. Comparable aircraft of the type are the Bristol Britannia, the Lockheed L-188 Electra, the Vickers Viscount and the Douglas DC-6. 

 

Roman used a 2009 Europa astronomy issue and a 2013 stamp honouring A.I. Pokryshkin .  Alexander Ivanovich Pokryshkin was a Marshal of the Soviet Air Force. He was made a Hero of the Soviet Union on three separate occasions

That's my update for this time. Thanks to Roman, Laura, Julia, and Olga for their fine cards.  All will find a home in my collection. Thanks for reading. Take care, see you again soon. 

 

American Samoa, Vulcan, and Waterton

Hello again, I just have a few cards for this time, or at least that's the plan right now.

Let's start with a card from American Samoa. Compliments of David, of course. He was in Pago Pago on August 30th. This card shows the National Park of American Samoa. Pola Island , in the National Park, is on the north coast of Tutilla Island and is an important area for sea birds such as the booby. Look to the left of the large tree in the center of the card.

David used 3 stamps including a George Washington definitive from 2011, on the left. In the center is a 2013 Forever commemorative stamp issued on August 28th honoring The 1963 March on Washington. The final stamp, issued in 2011 is another Forever stamp , 1 of 5 in a Send A Hello , animation figures set.

 

Card # 2 is a picture of a mural in the town of Vulcan, Planet Earth. My Lovely Teena and I visited there a couple of weeks ago and she was kind enough to drop this card in the mail for me. The mural shows a number of grain elevators along the railroad track , about to experience a flyover by the USS Enterprise NCC-1701. Have a look.

The stamp on this one is from one of the Signs of the Zodiac set issued by Canada Post. This one was issued in 2012 and it is Virgo.
A nice cancellation on this one, it's the Trekkie Center in the town.

Just a note on this one, time wise, or date wise. Teena dropped the card in the mail on Sept 6, it received it's cancellation on Sept 6 , but  wasn't delivered in Airdrie until Sept 16 - 10 days later. 10 days to go 153.6 km. Now that's sweet service, don't you think ?  Good luck to Canada Post on their brand new same day service on packages in Toronto. They're going to need it. Order something  online in the morning, and have it delivered in the evening. Oh yes, Toronto is going to win the Stanley Cup someday, but what century is the question. 

My next 2 cards are from Waterton, Alberta. Waterton Lakes National Park.  
Where the Mountains Meet the Prairie
Rugged, windswept mountains rise abruptly out of gentle prairie grassland in spectacular Waterton Lakes National Park. Here, several different ecological regions meet and interact in a landscape shaped by wind, fire, flooding, and abundant plants and wildlife. The park helps protect the unique and unusually diverse physical, biological and cultural resources found in the Crown of the Continent: one of the narrowest places in the Rocky Mountains.
This first card, another one from My Lovely Teena, gives a look at Upper Waterton Lake. We took a tour of the lake on the M.V. International.  It's a two nation trip, we cruised Waterton Glacier International Peace Park, the world's first International Peace Park. It truly is the "Jewel of the Rockies ". We cruised the lake and crossed the international border and landed at Goat Haunt, Montana.   

 

Teena used a very recent stamp, issued Sept 3rd, on this one. It's 1 of 7 in the NHL Team Jerseys issue. The one shown here represents the Calgary Flames, of course.

 

The 2nd card from waterton gives you a look at The Prince of Wales Hotel, a Waterton landmark since the 1920s. The hotel overlooks Upper Waterton Lake. 

 

Both cards received a clear Waterton Lakes National Park cancellation. A new Superman stamp issued 10 Sept was used on this one. The stamp is 1 of 5, actually make that 6, that commemorate the 75th Anniversary of Superman. The six stamp issue is  composed of one commemorative coil and five commemorative stamps . 

 

  

 

There you have it. Thanks to David and My Lovely Teena for the cards.  I should be back again soon, I have the cards, just have to find the time. Any questions - leave a comment, any comments- leave a comment . Take care.

Cards from David, of Labrador, The Graduate and a few others

Hello again, I think it's time for another update.
My first card for today is from Fiji. It is a "Bula "or  hello card showing native Fijians performing a traditional dance.


David from Ireland sent this card. I'm not sure if he's back home yet or still in the South Pacific. He left around the 3rd week of August for 3-4 weeks. Some guys got it hard , it seems. David used 2 stamps , the Flower of Fiji stamp, issued in 2004 and a 2012 Sustainable Energy stamp, 1 of 4 in the set.
David writes the fine postcard and travel blog - Postcards : A World Travelogue. 

Here's the 2 stamps.

This next card is also from David, continuing his trip in Samoa., The Cradle of Polynesia. It's a look at Apia, on Upolu Island.

 

This time David used a really new stamp, issued 22 July 2013 . It's my first stamp of  Prince George of Cambridge, George Alexander Louis.

 

Card # 3 is another for my Towns of Newfoundland  and Labrador postcard collection. This time it's Battle Harbour, Labrador. Battle Harbour is a summer fishing station, formerly a permanent settlement, located on the Labrador coast in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. You can see a typical coastal view of a Labrador town. 

The card was sent from the Battle Harbour  Historic Trust. It was handstamped by the trust on August 31 and then postmarked by Canada Post on Sept 5th at Mary's Harbour. A 2012 Baby Wildlife stamp was used- this one showing Raccoons. 





The Graduate is coming up next. It's the classic scene of Benjamin ( Dustin Hoffman) standing fully clothed, except for socks and shoes , as Mrs Robinson ( Anne Bancroft ) straightens out her nylons. The Graduate was and is a great movie , it had great stars, great music and great direction. Who can forget Ben saying "Mrs. Robinson, you're trying to seduce me .  Aren't you ? "

The card arrived from The Netherlands, sent by Postcrosser Justine. It had a common Dutch stamp which I've shown a number of times , so I see no need to show it again. 


Hey, that's four cards already . Here's another one. This one comes from Anastasia in Chernihiv, an historic city in northern Ukraine.  It is a head-on view of an Airbus A319. A great card for my Aircraft on postcards collection.

 

Anastasia used a definitive from the 2008 set of 13.

 

Now for the last card for this time. It comes from Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia & Herzegovina. On the  card you can see a number of sights in  the city.

 

The 2 same stamps are from a set of 6 definitives featuring Vegetables issued in 2006.

 

So ends another update. Thanks to David, Battle Harbour Trust, Justine and Anastasia  for their cards. 

Tune in again soon.

Just a Mishmash of Cards

Hello again. For today, I have a small group of cards, not really related in any way - what I like to call a mishmash of cards.
Let's start with a card from Belarus. I seem to be receiving quite a few cards from Belarus. I guess Belarus must be the new Finland. Natasha's card shows us a early 19th century set of dueling pistols. Apparently they are English guns made of wood and metal. Looking at them, one wonders whether they might be the cause of someones demise.

 
Natasha used a couple of self adhesive definitives from 2012. 

 

Card # 2 for this time will have to be self explanatory  . It's called a OOPS! card and that's all I know. You can form your own opinion as to what the picture means. I obviously missed it.

  I really wanted to show this card for what's on the reverse. The nice United nations, New York postmarks and the many UN stamps. Jeff from Colorado was in New York and sent this one. Nice of him to use the Canadian Flag in the top right corner.

The Palm in Dubai, United Arab Emirates is showcased next. This is part of Jebel Ali Island , located in the Persian Gulf. It is an artificially created island. Work began on this project in 2002.

The stamps on this card are quite nice. The stamp on the left was issued in 2009, a self adhesive , commemorating the Second Arab Stamp Expo. The card's sender wrote that this stamp was only on sale during the expo. His words, not mine. The stamp on the right , celebrating the Golden Jubilee of The Abu Dhabi  Police Force  was issued in 2007. 

 

My next card comes from The Netherlands and showcases its Redlight District in Amsterdam.

  Coty used a 2013 stamp issued to honor Alexandrine Tinne, a famous Dutch explorer. She was killed in Sudan in 1869.

 

Here's the last card for this time. Not a pretty site. It's the Costa Concordia lying on her side. I think the words translate as "New Course CDA ". Certainly the Costa Concordia could have used a new course. CDA is a political party in The Netherlands. Personally, I don't think if I ran a political party, I would want it associated or identified with The Costa Concordia or its very unsuccessful final voyage. 

We find a number of stamps on this card. Next to the blue 10 cent definitive is a 1985 semi-postal stamp , 1 of 4 in a set to raise money for Child Welfare. The next stamp commemorates The Salvation Army and was issued in 1987, and there were 2 in the set. The stamp on the right , also issued in 1987, commemorates the Golden Wedding of Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard.

That's my update for this time. Thanks for cards going to Natasha, Jeff, Coty and the two who are nameless on their cards. Thanks for reading, visit again soon. If you have a comment, leave a comment.

A Rainy Day Post

Well, it's raining here today, has been all day, so it's a perfect day to work on the blog, on postcards and on stamps. It's just that kind of day. I have cards from Romania, Canada, Finland, Italy, USA, France and Spain in the lineup for this time.

Let's start with Romania. Beautiful Peles Castle in Sinaia is the subject of my first card. Peleș Castle is a Neo-Renaissance castle in the Carpathian Mountains, near Sinaia, in Prahova County, Romania, on an existing medieval route linking Transylvania and Wallachia, built between 1873 and 1914.

Jean Pierre posted this one in Bucharest, the capital. He used 2 fine large stamps. The stamp on the left is a 2013 Easter issue. The one on the right was issued in 2012 to commemorate 150 Years of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

 

Postcard # 2 is one from Montreal, Canada.  It gives us a good look at St Joseph's Oratory in Mount Royal.  Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal, is a Roman Catholic minor basilica and national shrine on Westmount Summit in Montreal, Quebec. It is Canada's largest church. Construction started as early as 1904 and after many years  it was finally completed in 1967. In 2004 , the Oratory was designated a historic Site of Canada on the occasion of its 100th anniversary. 

 

This card is another from my brother Dale who seems to get around a bit. He visited Ottawa and Montreal in July and dropped this card in the mail in Montreal.Dale used one of the Canadian Pride Flag stamps issued back in January of 2102. This VW van stamp was 1 of 5 in the flag set.  

 

My next card is a great black and white shot of a Finnish Airlines Douglas DC-3 at Malmi Airport in Helsinki, taken in 1996. The Douglas DC-3 is a fixed-wing propeller-driven airliner. Its speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. It brings back memories for me for sure, my first airplane flight was on a DC-3 back in 1965 or 1966. This card will certainly find a place in my Collection of Airlines and Aircraft on Postcards. 

This card is from Liisa, a Postcrosser who lives quite near Malmi Airport. Liisa used a 2013 stamp from a set of 6 entitled Finnish Oddity . A rather strange set of stamps. 

 

Card # 4 is of  The Colosseum in Rome.  The Colosseum or Coliseum, also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre is an elliptical amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy . Construction took place between 70 AD and 80 AD. It was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1980. In 2007 the complex was also included among the New 7 Wonders of the World. 

Johan of  Johan Postcards was visiting Italy in July and was kind enough to send this card.  He used a recent large size definitive on his card. 

Here's a rather old linen style card showing an official photograph of the U.S. Army Air Corps. 

It's a group of Boeing B-17s "Flying Fortressess " in formation over the East River, New York City. 

 

Joe from New York was kind enough to send this card along. He used a 2013 stamp featuring a 1966 Pontiac GTO and Rosa Parks stamp , also issued this year. 

 So ends another update. I'll hold the cards from France and Spain for another time. Thanks today go out to Joe, Liisa, Johan, Dale and Jean Pierre. 

Thanks guys.