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.