India Cover

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India

A nice India cover affixed with a "Greetings" souvenir sheet issued on 1 Dec 2009. You can also see a special postmark of "Stamp Mania 2009" .

Cyprus Postcard - The Cyprus Museum

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Bilhete Postal

Cyprus

This is my second postcard from Cyprus showing the view of the Cyprus Museum and its collection.

Kenya Postcard

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Bilhete Postal

Kenya

One of the biggest postcard I have ever received. My friend was so kind to teach me some Swahili words. Thank You very much!

Macau FDC on "10th Anniversary of the People's Liberation Army Garrison Stationed in Macau"

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Macau

10th Anniversary of the People's Liberation Army Garrison Stationed in Macau

10° Aniversário do Estacionamento da Guarnição em Macau do Exército de Libertação do Povo Chinês

Date of Issue : 20 December 2009

As a symbol of China's resumption of sovereignty over Macau, the People's Liberation Army Macau Garrison stationed for defense of Macau on 20 December 1999.

This issue includes a set of six stamps and a souvenir sheet, the stamps showed the soldiers regard Macau as their home, love Macau and treat the people with common touch, taking active part in social community activities; and the souvenir sheet specially designed in the shape of a shield to match the shield emblem of the Garrison in Macau.

This is one of the FDCs I sent to myself on 20 Dec 2009.

China FDC on "10th Anniversary of Macao's Return to the Motherland"

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China


10th Anniversary of Macao's Return to the Motherland

Date of Issue : 20 December 2009

3-1 : Celebration
(The national flag of China and the flag of Macao, and the sculpture of Golden Lotus Flower)

3-2 : Cooperation
(The view of Largo do Senado, and the Macau Tower together with the word "CEPA")

3-3 : Prosperity
(Macao Science Centre and the Sai Van Bridge, with the view of Macao waterfront at the background).

Macao was both the first and last European colony in China. Portuguese traders first settled in Macao in the 16th century and subsequently administered the region until the handover on 20 December 1999.

The Chinese government assumed formal sovereignty over Macao on 20 December 1999 and 20 December 2009 marks the 10th anniversary of Macao's return to the motherland.

Hong Kong FDC on "Stonecutters Bridge"

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Hong Kong

Stonecutters Bridge

Date of Issue : 17 December 2009

Stonecutters Bridge straddles the Rambler Channel at the entrance to the Kwai Chung Container Port. The approaches from Stonecutters Island on the east and Tsing Yi Island on the west are located near Container Terminals 8 and 9, respectively, and the connection forms a major part of the section of Route 8 between Tsing Yi and Cheung Sha Wan. Construction commenced in 2004 for commissioning in December 2009 after completion of the bridge deck in April 2009. Hongkong Post issues a set of special stamps to recognize this new icon of Hong Kong.

The dual 3-lane bridge is 1,596 metres long with a main span measuring 1,018 metres, the second longest cable-stayed span in the world. Supported by 224 cables running from two circular tapered towers of almost 300 metres in height, the bridge provides a navigation channel with 73.5 metres vertical clearance and 900 metres horizontal clearance for the safe passage of mega container vessels.

The stamps showcase the splendour of the bridge from various angles – an upward view of the lofty girders and the tower ($1.40); a long shot illustrating the architectural ingenuity of this magnificent structure ($2.40); a view from sea level of the hustle and bustle of the container port under the bridge ($3); and a bird’s eye perspective of the tower demonstrating the beauty of the stay cables unfolding fanlike along its length ($5).

The stamps are very beautiful. Its a pity that I could not get the time to the nearest post office of the bridge to sent the FDC.

Australia Postcard - Broken Hill

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Bilhete Postal

Australia

Another nice postcard of Broken Hill, New South Wales.

Indonesia FDC on "Singapore-Indonesia Joint Issue : Tourist Attractions"

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Indonesia


Singapore-Indonesia Joint Issue : Tourist Attractions

Date of Issue : 28 October 2009

7500 : Singa Ambara Raja Statue, Indonesia
Singa Ambara Raja statue is the landmark of Singaraja City on the northern part of Bali. Adapted from Buleleng regency symbol, this statue uniquely depicts a winged lion holding a big corn in one of its front leg. The statue was officially inaugurated on 30 March 1971 to signify the historical struggle of Singaraja people against Dutch colony

4000 : Merlion, Singapore
The iconic Merlion is Singapore's most enduring symbol. The name of the half-lion, half-fish creature is a combination of both Singapore's ancient name "Temasek" (meaning "sea town") and original name "Singapura" (meaning "Lion City").

2500 : Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (Beautiful Indonesian Miniature Park), Indonesia
Taman Mini Indonesia Indah or "Beautiful Indonesian Miniature Park" is a recreational spot with splendid cultural highlights of the grandeur of Indonesia. Officially opened on 20 April 1975, it covers nearly 250 acres of area at the eastern side of Jakarta. The park is a summary of Indonesian culture, with virtually all aspects of daily life of each provinces of Indonesia encapsulated in separate pavilions with collection of architectures, clothing, dances and traditions.

1500 : Sentosa, Singapore
Sentosa was a British military fortress until 1967 when it was handed back to the newly independent Singapore Government. In 1968, the Government decided to develop the island into a holiday resort for local visitors and tourists. The public was invited to suggest names for the island and "Sentosa" - meaning peace & tranquility in Malay - was eventually chosen for the island resort in 1972.

Slovakia FDC on "Postage Stamp Day - Louis Braille (1809 - 1852)"

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Slovakia

Postage Stamp Day - Louis Braille (1809 - 1852)

Date of Issue : 4 December 2009

Louis Braille is the inventor of the ingenious system used by blind people to read and write. At the age of sixteen (in 1825) he developed a system of characters with six raised dots which can be variously combined to represent the whole alphabet. The invention represented a real breakthrough on the path of knowledge, education, and self-assertion of millions of blind and visually-impaired across the world.
Louis Braille was born on 4 January 1809 in Coupvray, France, to the family of a harness maker. He was the youngest of four children. When he was just over three years old, he unfortunately lost his sight while playing in his father’s workshop. Louis Braille died on 6 January 1852 in Paris.

It is my third Louis Braille FDC. It is really very nice to affix one old stamp in Slovak Koruna denomination on the FDC.

Jamaica Postcard - New Kingston

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Bilhete Postal

Jamaica

A nice cityview card of New Kingston. Thank You very much!

Brunei Darussalam Postcard - Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque

Postcard
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Bilhete Postal

Brunei Darussalam

A very nice card of the landmark of Brunei, the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque. Thank You very much!

Vietnam FDC on "Year of the Tiger"

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Vietnam

Year of the Tiger

Date of Issue : 1 December 2009

The stampset was issued to welcome the year 2010 - Year of the Tiger - Year to celebrate 1000th anniversary of Thang Long - Ha Noi. It shows the images of Tiger, the third symbolized animal in zodiac, has lively design with bright colours of yellow and pink, typical colours of festivals and spring days.

This is my second FDC for the Year of Tiger. Very nice.

Hong Kong FDC on "Hong Kong 2009 East Asian Games"

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Hong Kong

Hong Kong 2009 East Asian Games

Date of Issue : 5 December 2009

This set of stamps is issued to celebrate the 5th East Asian Games held in Hong Kong from 5 to 13 December 2009. The event marks an exciting milestone in our sports history, as it is the first time Hong Kong has had the honour to host a regional multi-sport contest of this scale.

The set of six stamps contains two designs for each of the three denominations, featuring all the 22 sports in the 5th East Asian Games, namely, Judo, Rowing and Rugby Sevens ($1.40); Athletics, Badminton, Wushu and Shooting ($1.40); Basketball, Hockey, Squash and Aquatics ($2.40); Cycling, Weightlifting and Tennis ($2.40); Windsurfing, Football, Bowling and Taekwondo ($3); Table Tennis, Volleyball, DanceSport and Cue Sports ($3). The silhouettes in gold, silver and bronze foil represent the three levels of medals awarded, bringing out the spirit of competition that motivates athletes to go for their best.

At the end, Hong Kong get a total of 26 gold medals in this East Asian Games, including football. Unimaginable!

As the opening ceremony of the Hong Kong 2009 East Asian Games took place at Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza,Tsimshatsui, I posted my FDC at Tsim Sha Tsui Post Office (TST). The postmarks are very clear. Its a pity that the postman tore away the red local registered mail label during delivery, so you can only see half of the datestamp postmark at the 0.50 bird definitive stamp.

France Cover - European Capitals : Lisbon Miniature Sheet

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France

On the cover above, there is a very nice "European Capitals - Lisbon" Miniature Sheet, issued on 9 Nov 2009. The sheet contains 4 stamps each with a denomination of 0.56 Euros. The souvenir sheet shows various views of historic parts of Lisbon. In the upper left of the sheet one can see the Monastery of the Heironymites. Below this is a picture of the Belem Tower. At the bottom of the sheet we are shown the Monument to Discoveries. Finally on the right side of the sheet one can see a depiction of Bairro Alto district of Lisbon. Between the stamps are drawings of the Chateau St Georges, Elevador Santa Justa and two Azulejos, a typical form of Portuguese painted, tin-glazed, ceramic tilework.

Although the souvenir sheet is a little bit torn, I still like it very much. The postmarks on the sheet are very clear. It is rather strange that on each stamps of the sheet, there are datestamp postmark of two different dates, 28 Nov and 29 Nov.

Israel FDC on "Lighthouses In Israel"

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Israel

Lighthouses In Israel

Date of Issue : 26 November 2009

The stamps in the series depict three of the lighthouses built along Israel’s southern Mediterranean coastline:

4.60 Israeli shekel : Jaffa
This 29-meter high lighthouse is built on a hilltop poised above the Jaffa Port. The Jaffa lighthouse was initially erected in 1865 as part of operations carried out by Turkish authorities to improve the port facilities. The structure appearing on the stamp was built by the British in 1936. The lighthouse’s identifying mark was four white flashes, emitted every 14 seconds. The rocks along the Jaffa shore did not allow ships to enter the port, thus passengers and cargo were offloaded at sea and transported to shore in small row boats, such as that appearing on the stamp to the right of the lighthouse.

6.70 Israeli shekel : Tel-Aviv
This lighthouse was built in the 1930’s on the beach to the north of Tel-Aviv, adjacent to the Yarkon Estuary in order to warn ships against approaching the shore, where sandbars were located. The 20-meter high lighthouse served the Tel-Aviv Port as well as the adjacent electricity plant harbor. The lighthouse’s identifying mark was two flashes (one long and one short), emitted every seven seconds.

8.80 Israeli shekel : Ashdod
This 76-meter high lighthouse is built atop Tel Yona, near the Ashdod Port. It was erected in the 1960’s as part of the construction of the port facilities. The lighthouse’s identifying mark was three white flashes, emitted every 20 seconds. Ashdod Port is Israel’s largest sea port. It is a modern facility, equipped with huge cranes and is capable of handling large cargo ships quickly and efficiently.

The stamps are very beautiful.

India FDC on "Holy Cross Church"

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India

Holy Cross Church

Date of issue : 14 September 2009

(The following information is from the website : http://www.smcim.org/mapranam/about.htm)

The Mapranam Holy Cross Church, which is part of the Irinjalakuda Diocese is a historically renowned and noted Pilgrim Centre ideally located in the enchanting rural ambience of Kerala. One of the oldest Churches, founded in 928 AD, it was recently renovated (1989) and attracts worshippers beyond the religious barriers. It is perhaps for the first time in the history of the world that a religious Sanctum has combined and practiced the cultural, spiritual and ethical values of different religions- especially Christianity, Hinduism and Islam. The Church is already accepted and acknowledged by masses across the region and serves as a parent institution to several Churches that belong to the localities such as Irinjalakuda Cathedral (The Head Quarters of Irinjalakuda Diocese) Porathussery, Karuvannur, Chemmanda, Karalam, Pallissery, Kuzhikkattukon, Pullur, Thanissery, Thuravankunnu, etc..

There are only a few churches in Kerala that are established in the name of the Holy Cross. The Mapranam Holy Cross Church is the only one of its kind in the Dioceses of Irinjalakkuda, Thrissur and Palakkad. Besides, Mapranam is one of the very few churches that is blessed with the possession of a relic of the Holy Cross of Jesus Christ. So the Holy Cross Church Mapranam holds a unique history in the Syro Malabar Archiepiscopal Church. On the 21st of September 1887, Mar Selinose Thereesa, Apostolic Vicar of Varapuzha, conferred his recognition and granted permission to the Holy Cross Church Mapranam to place the relic of Holy Cross in the Church. Every year on the 14th of September is celebrated as the feast of the Holy Cross when the worshippers could experience the mercy and the blessings of relic of the Holy Cross. Besides, the faithful get a chance to kiss the relic of the Holy Cross on 21st September, the eighth day of the feast and on Good Friday.

Israel FDC on "Israel - Romania Joint Issue : The Yiddish Theatre, 1876, lasi"

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Israel

Israel - Romania Joint Issue : The Yiddish Theatre, 1876, lasi

Date of Issue : 26 November 2009

The stamp features an adapted illustration, based on the original poster for the play Two kuni Lemis.

This joint Israel-Romania stamp issue commemorates the establishment of the Yiddish Theatre in Lasi, Romania in 1876 and the accomplishments of the founder of Jewish theatre, Abraham Goldfaden (1840-1908).

Very nice stamp design.

China FDC on "Stage Art of Ma Lianliang"

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China


Stage Art of Ma Lianliang (馬連良)

Date of Issue : 28 November 2009

2-1 : Summoning the East Wind
2-2 : Orphan of the Zhao Family

Ma Lianliang (1901 - 1966), a native of Beijing, of Hui ethnic group, was a renowned master of Peking Opera. At the age of eight, he entered Xi Lian Cheng Opera School. After graduation, he combined what he learned from the school with bold innovation, and based on stage practice, he gradually developed a unique artistic style of his own, which is now commonly known as the Ma School. The images he portrayed on stage featured distinctive personalities, and in addition to outstanding performance in singing, recitation and acting, the master impressed the audience with his accurate representation of scenarios and vivid depiction of dramatic figures, thus realizing a perfect fusion of play plots with artistic forms. His most representative plays, including "Summoning the East Wind", "Sweet Dew Temple", "Su Wu as a Shepherd" and "Orphan of the Zhao Family", enjoy great popularity among the audience.

Both the cover and stamps design are very nice. Its great to find out that the name "Ma Lianliang" on the stamp is in traditional chinese

Australia Postcard - Broken Hill

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Bilhete Postal

Australia

A very nice multiview card from Broken Hill, New South Wales. I also like the astronomy stamp which shows the Reflection Nebula M78. Thank You very much!

Israel FDC on "Christmas"

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Israel

Christmas

Date of Issue : 26 November 2009

I'm glad to receive Christmas FDC from Israel, the holy land. It's a pity that a foolish postman add a datestamp postmark on it

Korea FDC on "New Year's Greetings Stamp"

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South Korea

New Year's Greetings Stamp

Date of Issue : 01 December 2009

The year 2010 is the year of the tiger. The stamp design features a baby tiger roaring loudly.

This is the first Year of Tiger FDC I receive. Very nice as usual !