Slovakia FDC on "Sights of Our Homeland - Dobšinská Ice Cave"

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Slovakia

Sights of our Homeland - Dobšinská ice cave

Date of Issue : 15 April 2011

Dobšinská Ice Cave is located in the Slovak Paradise National Park in the Spiš-Gemer karst, in the cadastre of municipality Dobšiná. Cave entrance is on the northern slope of the Duča Hill at elevation of 969 m, near the village named Dobšinská Ľadová Jaskyňa. It was discovered on June 15, 1870 by Eugen Ruffiny accompanied by Gustáv Lang and Andrej Mega.

Dobšinská Ice Cave was formed approximately 400 thousand years ago. The main part of the cave is the Great Hall. It is 72 m long, 36 - 42 m wide and 9 – 11 m high. The hall contains large quantities of floor ice, which is almost 27 m thick. Dominant feature of the Great Hall and, at the same time, the symbol of the cave is a hollow ice stalagnate called Studňa (Well). Between 1891 and 1946, it was used for occasional skating for public.

The cave has been open since 1871. Dobšinská Ice Cave is among the largest and most important ice caves in the world; in 2000 it became the part of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage UNESCO.

A very nice Slovak FDC sent from Dobsina, with both the special seal and the datestamp postmark of Dobsina. Thank You very much !

China FDC on "Chinese Aircraft (2)"

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China


Chinese Aircraft (2)

Date of Issue : 17 April 2011

(from Left to Right)
3-1 : J-10 Fighter
3-2 : JH-7 Fighter-Bomber
3-3 : AC313 Helicopter

Russia FDC on "50th Anniversary of the First Human Spaceflight"

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Russia

50th Anniversary of the First Human Spaceflight

Date of Issue : 12 April 2011

The stamp depicts a portrait of Y.A. Gagarin and the spaceship "Vostok" blasting off is represented on the fields of the souvenir sheet.

Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin (9 March 1934 – 27 March 1968) was a Soviet pilot and cosmonaut. He was the first human to journey into outer space when his Vostok spacecraft completed an orbit of the Earth on April 12, 1961.

Gagarin died when a training jet he was piloting crashed in 1968.

Sri Lanka Postcard - Galle Fort

Postcard
明信片
Bilhete Postal

Sri Lanka

Great views! This nice postcard shows the view of Galle Fort, an UNESCO World heritage site. Thank You very much to my friend !

Estonia FDC on "Estonia Folk Costumes - Harju County"

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Estonia

Estonia Folk Costumes - Harju County

Date of Issue : 14 April 2011

Clothes of more or less the same type as elsewhere in North Estonia were worn in Harju County

0.58 Euro : Jõelähtme - A girl and a woman from the first half or the middle of the 19th century.
The girl’s headgear is a so-called eared wreath and a wide red band decorates her green-striped skirt. The girl’s sleeve embroidery is rather simple, but the sleeves of the married woman who sports an embroidered apron are decorated with lavish wide embroidery. She wears a pot hat lined with silk. Gradually spreading, such hats crowded out the earlier traditional women’s headgear.

0.35 Euro : Rapla
The Rapla woman wears a hat. The so-called eye brooch with red stones was a popular festive decoration. The Rapla woman wears white embroidered sleeves, a skirt with horizontal stripes of a more modern type and a purchased apron with large flowers embroidered on it. The man with the bagpipe wears a grey jacket and light pants with blue stripes. The traditional and quite widespread man’s suit in North Estonia was navy blue.

Israel FDC on "Visit Israel"

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Israel

Visit Israel

Date of Issue : 12 April 2011

4.2 NIS : Visit Israel Sea of Galiliee, Israel’s largest lake. Many historical sites, with significant religious and cultural meaning, are located in the area.

6 NIS : Visit Israel Jerusalem, Israel’s capital city, is sacred to three religions - Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and offers a combination of religion, history and culture.

6.1 NIS : Visit Israel Red Sea.

Korea FDC on "50th Anniversary of Korea - Portugal Diplomatic Relations"

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South Korea

50th Anniversary of Korea - Portugal Diplomatic Relations

Date of Issue : 15 April 2011

Turtle Ship
As a pioneering warship of the Joseon Dynasty, the Turtle Ship was conceived in 1592 by Admiral Yi Sun-Shin who anticipated a Japanese invasion. Yi Sun-Shin, utilized the Turtle Ship gained victory in 23 naval battles over 7 years.

Nau
As the armed commercial vessel of Portugal in the 16th century, Nau was able to haul a heavy load with ample provisions, crew and passengers. It could also be mounted with more cannons designed to defend against pirate attacks. In general, Nau was equipped with 3 decks, 3 masts (2 square-shaped and 1 triangle-shaped) and a forecastle and an after castle. Its loading capacity ranged from 120 to 1,200 tons. At the time, Nau played a leading role on the maritime route between Lisbon, Portugal and Goa, India.

Portugal FDC on "50 Years Diplomatic Relations Portugal Korea"

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Portugal

50 Anos Relações Diplomáticas Portugal Coreia

50 Years Diplomatic Relations Portugal Korea

Date of Issue : 15 April 2011

I20g : Turtle Ship
As a pioneering warship of the Joseon Dynasty, the Turtle Ship was conceived in 1592 by Admiral Yi Sun-Shin who anticipated a Japanese invasion. Yi Sun-Shin, utilized the Turtle Ship gained victory in 23 naval battles over 7 years.

N20g : Nau
As the armed commercial vessel of Portugal in the 16th century, Nau was able to haul a heavy load with ample provisions, crew and passengers. It could also be mounted with more cannons designed to defend against pirate attacks. In general, Nau was equipped with 3 decks, 3 masts (2 square-shaped and 1 triangle-shaped) and a forecastle and an after castle. Its loading capacity ranged from 120 to 1,200 tons. At the time, Nau played a leading role on the maritime route between Lisbon, Portugal and Goa, India.

Macau Postage Due Cover to Singapore

Postage Due Cover
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Macau Singapore

Date Sent: 25 March 2011

Macau Stamp
~~~ one of the "I Ching, Pa Kua VI (易經，八卦 六)" MOP 2 stamps (Issued on 1 March 2008)

The cover above was dropped to postal letter box outside the Macau Rua do Campo Post Office on 25 March 2011. On the cover, I just affixed a Macau MOP 2 stamp out of the normal postage of MOP 5 (20g). Really very nice. The Singapore's Loyang datestamp postmark is very clear. Thank You very much to my friend !

Singapore FDC on "Pond Life (Definitive)"

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Singapore

Pond Life (Definitive)

Date of Issue : 13 April 2011

(Upper row, from left to right)
5c : White-Collared Kingfisher
20c : Diving Beetle
30c : Common Redbolt
45c : Ornate Coraltail

(Lower row, from left to right)
50c : Black Marsh Terrapin
55c : White-Breasted Waterhen
80c : Common Toad or Asian Toad

Korea Postcard - The 30th Anniversary of the Press Arbitration Commission

Postcard
明信片
Bilhete Postal

South Korea

Date of Issue : 31 March 2011

A commemorative postcard for the 30th Anniversary of the Press Arbitration Commission.

Taiwan FDC on "Taiwan Butterflies (Issue of 2011)"

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Taiwan

Taiwan Butterflies (Issue of 2011)

Date of Issue : 8 April 2011

The Taiwan Butterflies souvenir sheet (Issue of 2011), printed in the shape of a butterfly with a butterfly-shaped cutout on each stamp, consisting of four stamps, featuring Euploea butterflies.

Euploea eunice hobsoni (Butler) (NT$5.00): This butterfly has dark brown forewings with an iridescent blue shimmer. There are some pale blue gray markings on the submarginal areas of each of its wings and at the center of its forewings.

Euploea sylvester swinhoei Wallace & Moore (NT$5.00): The upper surfaces of the forewings of this dark brown butterfly have an iridescent blue shimmer near the apex and light blue spots along the outer edges of its cells. There are three pale blue gray spots at the center of the underside of its forewings.

Euploea tulliolus koxinga Fruhstorfer (NT$12.00): This dark brown butterfly has iridescent blue forewings. There are rows of white markings in the submarginal areas of the upper surfaces of each of its wings. The undersides of its wings are paler in color, with white markings at the center of its forewings and also in positions that correspond to the white spots on its upper surfaces.

Euploea mulciber barsine Fruhstorfer (NT$12.00): The male has a large violescent patch with some scattered tiny white spots near the apex of its forewings. The female has white scattered spots near the apex and white streaks on the inner edges of the forewings and the cells of the hind wings.

A really very nice FDC from Taiwan. I very much like this souvenir sheet. Thank You very much to my friend !

Korea FDC on "Old & Historic Trees of Korea (3rd)"

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South Korea

Old & Historic Trees of Korea (3rd)

Date of Issue : 5 April 2011

In the third installment of the “Old & Historic Trees of Korea” series, trees that have stories related to Seonbi (classical scholars) and thus called “Seonbi Trees” are introduced.

A group of Japanese black pines at Sancheondan, Jeju (Natural Monument No. 160)
It is said that during the tenure of King Seongjong of the Joseon Dynasty, Lee Yak-Dong, when starting his new post as Jeju governor, built an altar around the Japanese black pines, since the road leading to the top of Halla Mountain where religious rituals dedicated to the mountain spirit had been held was too steep. Belonging to Pinaceae, the Japanese black pine is also called sea pine since it grows near the beach. With an average height of 29.7m, the pines live about 500~600 years. Legend tells that when God came down to the human world, he took a rest near this big tree and this belief led the Japanese black pines to be regarded as being sacred and thus protected.

Ginkgo tree at Yogwang-ri, Geumsan (Natural Monument No. 84)
An ancestor of the O clan who lived in the village as the governor of Jeolla Province, built a pavilion under this ginkgo tree, and named it "the gingko tree pavilion. After the pavilion became dilapidated, the village inhabitants built a new, hexagonal pavilion called “Haengjeongheon.” This ginkgo tree is about 1,000 years old, 24m high and 12.93m in circumference. With its broken branches, the village inhabitants made dining tables and 37 coffins over 3 years.

Zelkova tree at Haksaru, Hamyang (Natural Monument No. 407)
During the tenure of King Seongjong of the Joseon Dynasty, Kim Jongjik, the governor of Hamyang Province, lost his 5-year old son, whom he bore after the age of 40, to measles. The following year, before he left Hamynag, he planted a zelkova, a tree with an extended lifespan, in front of Haksaru pavilion. This tree currently stands by a large road at the entrance of Hamyang Elementary School, serving as a playground for children and as a resting place for passersby. This tree is about 500 years old, 22m high and 7.3m in circumference.

Literary Rock Pine at Chukji-ri, Hadong (Natural Monument No. 491)
From ancient times, literary people have visited this tree and praised it, reciting poetry and prose under its shade. This is the reason this tree is called “Munamsong (Literary Rock Pine).” The locals organized the “Munamsong” fraternity to protect the tree. The appearance of this tree is very astonishing as it looks as if the tree is sitting on a flat rock between a large rock split into two pieces. The tree is assumed to be about 300 years old, 14m high and 3.39m in circumference.

Trinidad and Tobago Postcard - Pelicans

Postcard
明信片
Bilhete Postal

Trinidad and Tobago

A nice postcard showing Pelicans on San Fernando Waterfront, South Trinidad. I like the clear roller postmark of Port of Spain. Thank You very much !

Slovakia FDC on "Ice Hockey World Championship 2011"

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Slovakia

Ice Hockey World Championship 2011

Date of Issue : 25 March 2011

The Congress of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) decided to hold the 2011 World Championship in Slovakia. World-class hockey players will be playing in Bratislava and Košice from 29 April to 15 May. Slovak candidacy received 70 votes, while the Swedish one only 20 and the Hungarian one 14 votes. The last time our country received such an honour was sixteen years ago, but at that time it was a lower category, namely Group B World Cup.

In 2000, Slovaks became the world vice-champions and won silver medals. Two years later, Slovakia made hockey history. A team led by Coach Ján Filc won a longed-for title of the world champions. In a memorable final match in Swedish Gothenburg, hockey players around Šatan, Bondra and Pálffy won 4:3 over Russia and brought home gold medals. A collection of precious metals was completed by the national team in Finland 2003, where Slovakia won the bronze medals.

Two very nice FDCs from Slovakia, with the special official seal of the famous icehockey Jozef "Gillette" Golonka - member of International Ice Hockey Hall of Fame. Thank You very much !

Estonia FDC on "Flower Stamp - Peony"

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Estonia

Flower Stamp - Peony

Date of Issue : 24 March 2011

The peony or paeony is a name for plants in the genus Paeonia, the only genus in the flowering plants family Paeoniaceae. They are native to southern Europe, East Asia and western North America where they grow in grasslands, brushwoods and in valleys between mountains.

The Chinese peony (Paeonia lactiflora) featured in the stamp has tripartite leaves with elliptical or lanceolate leaflets usually with sharp ends, dark green on top and light on bottom. The height of the plant is between 80 to 100 cm and the flowers are 8 to 12 cm in diameter, blossoming in June and July. It is the base of two thirds of garden peony varieties and about 10,000 varieties are known.

This Estonian flower stamp is really beautiful. Very very nice. Thank You very much to my friend !

Australia Aerogramme - Red-eyed Tree Frog

Aerogramme
航空郵簡
Bilhete Carta-Avião

Australia

Another nice Australian aerogramme showing the Red-eyed Tree Frog. Thank You very much !

Indonesia FDC on "International Year of Chemistry 2011"

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Indonesia


International Year of Chemistry 2011

Date of Issue : 1 March 2011

Institute Of Technology Bandung has been carrying out research on forest plants in Indonesia.Through their research they have proved that some plant species like jackfruit (Artocarpus champeden) contain dozens of new chemicals.

Substances for the first time found in them were named Artoindonesianin A, Artoindonesianin B, Artoindonesianin C, and so on until Artoindonesianin V. Artoindonesianin is considered to be anti-malarial.

The stamp and first day cover released by the Indonesia Post glorifies the Indonesian Chemical Discovery Of Artoindonesian C.