The Peak, Bali, Sainte-Chapelle and a couple of Jets

BLOG # 1581 ---  Day 428 of the Current ( Second ) Russian Invasion of Ukraine 

                                                                  GLORY TO UKRAINE

Here I am , back with a few more cards. While away I received many cards in the Airline & Aircraft theme. I know they are not everyone's cup of tea, so I will stagger them among other cards. That should keep me and everybody somewhat happy. The first card for today is from Denpasar, the capital of Bali province. It gives us a look at Besakih Temple, the most important, the largest and holiest temple of Balinese Hinduism. It is the central temple of a group of temples and is famous for its forest of  thatched pagodas.

 Jean Pierre used a stamp from 2020, 1 of 3 in a set showing Medals. The one shown is the Bintang Jasa Utama, the highest award of Indonesia, given to honor someone for their service. 

My second card today shows an Asiana Airlines Airbus A330, registered as HL7747. It was delivered to Asiana in December 2006 and continues to fly with the airline. Asiana Airlines, founded in February 1988, is headquartered in Seoul. 

Jean Pierre used a 2023 stamp on this card. It highlights the Protection of Endangered Species in Korea and Cambodia. 

This next card shows an image of the Sainte-Chapelle in Dijon and the residences of the Dukes of Burgundy. The 3D image was created at the Museum of Fine Arts in Dijon. 

Dominique used the 2021 Simone de Beauvoir stamp here. 

Another aircraft - what can I say ? Here we have a Malaysia Airlines B747-400, registered as 9M-MPD. The picture was taken at Taipei in December 2005. This aircraft was delivered to Malaysia Airlines in October 1993 and saw service there until 2008. From 2009 to 2016 it saw service with Alwefeer Air, Eaglexpress Air, Nas Air and Saudi Arabian Airlines. This B747 was then stored at Kuala Lumpur and later broken up there in November 2021. 

This card from Jean Pierre arrived with a stamp from 2022. It is 1 of 3 in a set of Leisure Activities. 

My next card is from Hong Kong. It a great night view of the city from the Peak. The Peak is Victoria Peak, a hill on the western half of Hong Kong Island, with an elevation of 552 meters. The peak is serviced by the Peak Tram, a funicular dating from 1888. 

Henning used 2 stamps, 1 of which is a little different. The Bird stamp is 1 of 12 in a Birds set. The other , the strange shaped one is from a minisheet of 6 issued for the Hong Kong Palace Museum. 

I think I'll call it a day here now. Five cards  - that's not bad. Thanks for today's  cards and stamps go out to Jean Pierre, Dominique, and Henning.  

Concorde's Final Flight and Bosnia Herzegovina

  BLOG # 1580---- Day 425 of the Current ( Second ) Russian Invasion of Ukraine    

                                                             GLORY TO UKRAINE

Here we go with another blog update. This time I am starting with a card with a great picture of the Concorde. This is Concorde's final flight, taken shortly before landing at Filton, Bristol, 26th November 2003. Concorde is flying over Clifton Suspension Bridge which opened in 1864. The flight was from Heathrow to Bristol and the Concorde was registered as G-BOAF.

Jan used the 2022 Postcrossing stamp from Germany. 

Card 2 is from Bosnia Herzegovina in the Balkans, in southeastern Europe. The card shows a few buildings but I am unable to come up with any names for them . 

Alena used two stamps from the Serbian Republic of Bosnia  Herzegovina. The left stamp is from a set of 9 definitives featuring Dogs. The set was issued in 2022. The right stamp , from 2020, is 1 of 2 showing Cultural Traditions. 

Well folks that's all again for today. Another short update. Thanks for today's cards go to Jan and Alena. 

Take care, I'll be back soon. 

Budapest and Airberlin

 BLOG # 1579---- Day 423 of the Current ( Second ) Russian Invasion of Ukraine    

                                                             GLORY TO UKRAINE

Hello again, glad you arrived here. I'm back with a few cards for your enjoyment once again. I'll start today with a favourite card topic for me -- an airline and an aircraft. Here we have an Airberlin B373 , registered as D-ABAF. The aircraft is 22 years old. It flew with Airberlin from 2001 to 2014. Since then it has seen service with TUIfly, Eurowings, and Aero Airways. 

Isa used 2 Flower definitives along with a great aviation themed stamp. A set of 4 Aircrafts was issued in 2008 and this stamp is an A380 from that set.

 

Today's second card arrived from Budapest. It's a multi-view card with lots of sights and buildings that can be found in the city. The large building in the center of the card is the Hungarian Parliament Building. It dates from 1886 and has over 690 rooms. It is the third largest complex of its kind in the world. 

Meelis used 2 stamps on this one. The left stamp , issued in 2013, commemorates the 86th Stamp Day. The right stamp, another Aviation stamps, is from 2022 and Commemorates the 100th Anniversary of the Founding of the Hungarian Airline Magyar Legiforgalmi Resvenytarsasag. 

 

I know this is a short update with just 2 cards, but that's it for this time. Thanks go out to Isa and Meelis for the cards and stamps. 

Take care everyone, see you again soon. 

 

Ethiopia, a Giraffe, Mt Otemanu and a Well Dressed Soldier

BLOG # 1578 ---- Day 420 of the Current ( Second ) Russian Invasion of Ukraine    

                                                             GLORY TO UKRAINE

Well hello again, it has been quite a while. I have been away , down south , getting some sun, warm temperatures , and beach time. I was in Puerto Plata , Dominican Republic. It's not a great place for postcard people or stamp people. The postcards were not great, mostly just beach and water scenes. Stamps were non-existent at the Puerto Plata Post Office. what to do , what to do ? I had intentions of posting approximately 20 postcards while down there. Sadly that did not happen. I eventually found an over priced, exorbitantly over priced stamp at a hotel. I purchased a few and bought a few postcards. The stamp is not one issued by Dominican Post, so I don't know how the cards will be  delivered, by whom or if they will ever enter the mail stream. I just hope they will sometime, somehow. I'm sorry I couldn't post all twenty , but if you are included in the few I did send out, good luck on it arriving. I'm not confident at all.     

Even though I was away, postcards continued to arrive in my mailbox. Forty-seven cards actually, so I should have lots to blog about. Even though I may not get to everyone's card right away, I do want to acknowledge cards from and thank Bruce, Jean Pierre, Dominique, Johan, Alena, Meelis, Isa and Francesca for them. Regular contributors and supporters like these folks keep me going and I really appreciate it. 

Time for cards now I think. My first two cards are from Africa and from countries not seen often on the blog. Ethiopia and Zimbabwe. 

First up is this geometric design on a Giraffe card. I like it . It was posted in the Harare neighbourhood of Borrowdale. 

 Bruce used a R rate stamp from 2019 showing a Baby Rhinoceros. It is 1 of 4 in a set.

Card 2 is from Ethiopia, where it all began. It was issued by the National Museum of Ethiopia. The card shows a number of early residents of Earth, dating back to 6 million years. 

 

Bruce used a 2017 stamp, 1 of 5 in a set, commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia. 

Funny thing about this card,. Bruce wrote his comments and dated the card 26.06.2019 . The stamp escaped cancellation so that can't help. I only received it this past week. So where has it been for the last 4 years or so, down behind a desk at the post office maybe ?  Maybe Bruce knows.

This next card is from French Polynesia, it was postmarked at Papeete on Tahiti. It shows us Mount Otemanu , a 727 m high volcanic mountain on Bora Bora. The name means  - the peak which sucks up living things. Mt Otemanu rises up from a sparkling turquoise lagoon. 

 Jean Pierre used a number of stamps on this card. From left to right we go. Far left is a 2021 stamp highlighting the Maeva Beach Hotel. The middle stamp is 1 of 3 issued in 2021 featuring Islands of Polynesia. On the right - from 1979, 1 of 5 in a set showing Planes used in Polynesia. 

As there was something a little strange with the previous card, what about this one. Jean Pierre commented on the card - Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. The stamps were cancelled on 27/02/2023 . I guess there's a little story here also. That's what makes postcards so interesting. 

Since I'm easing back into this after more than a month away, this next card will be the last for today. It's from Peru and no it's not about Machu Picchu. It shows a young soldier wearing a light cavalry regiment uniform of the Peruvian Army. 

 

Francesca used a beautiful mini-sheet from 2022.  It was issued to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of Las Palmas Air Base. There is also a small bird stamp near the bottom showing a Condor. It was issued in 2019. 

Well that's all for today. Thanks go out to Bruce, Jean Pierre and Francesca. Great cards and great stamps all around. 

And yes I'm glad to be back and live.