Indonesia FDC on "A Century of Muhammadiyah"

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Indonesia


A Century of Muhammadiyah

Date of Issue : 3 July 2010

Muhammadiyah is an Islamic organization in Indonesia. Muhammadiyah, literally means "followers of Muhammad" (from Arabic). The organization was founded on 18 November 1912 by Ahmad Dahlan— a court official of the kraton of Yogyakarta and an educated Muslim scholar from Mecca in the city of Yogyakarta as a reformist socioreligious movement, advocating ijtihad - individual interpretation of Qur'an and sunnah, as opposed to taqlid - the acceptance of the traditional interpretations propounded by the ulama.

At the moment, Muhammadiyah is the second largest Islamic organization in Indonesia with 29 million members. Although Muhammadiyah leaders and members are often actively involved in shaping the politics in Indonesia, Muhammadiyah is not a political party. It has devoted itself to social and educational activities.

Israel Postcard - The Western Wall, Jerusalem

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Bilhete Postal

Israel

A beautiful card showing the view of Western Wall, Jerusalem. My friend is so nice to affix so many stamps on the card. Thank You very much !

China FDC on "China Maritime Day"

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China


China Maritime Day

Date of Issue : 11 July 2010

China Maritime Day falls on July 11, anniversary of the date Zheng He of the Ming Dynasty royal court set out on his first overseas voyage. It was designated by the State Council in 2005. It is the executive date of World Maritime Day in China. China Maritime Day 2010 highlighted the theme of "ocean, sailor and strait", with its primary celebration venue in Quanzhou, Fujian Province.

Bahrain Postcard - old Khamis Mosque

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Bilhete Postal

Bahrain

Another nice Bahrain postcard showing the old Khamis Mosque.

Lithuania Postcard

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Bilhete Postal

Lithuania

A really unexpected surprise from Lithuania. This nice multiview postcard shows various Churches in Vilnius, including Churches of St. Ann, All Saints, St. Michael, Gates of the Basilian Monastery, Churches of St Bernardine, St Casimir, Sts Johns, Sts Apostles Peter and Paul and St Nicola. The three stamps affixed on the card are beautiful too. Thank You very much to my friend

Macau Cover

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Macau

On July 15, Macau celebrated the 5th Anniversary of “The Historic Centre of Macao” inscribed on the UNESCO’s prestigious “World Cultural Heritage List”.Besides that Macau issued a set of "St. Augustine's Square" stamps, Macau Post also set up a counter to provide postal stamping service in Lilau Square. On that day, I have spent some time to Lilau Square and sent a cover to myself. I was so foolish and crazy to affix 10 stamps with a total face value of 31.5, which is enough for the postage of senting a letter of 100g to Hong Kong by express mail. On the cover, I have affixed a set of "St. Augustine's Square" new stamps, and some World heritage stamps issued in 2005.

Portugal Postcard - Statue of Vasco da Gama

Postcard
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Bilhete Postal

Portugal

A nice postcard showing the view of Statue of Vasco da Gama. Sines is the birthplace of Vasco da Gama, a great Portuguese explorer, who was born at the castle where his father Estêvão da Gama was the local alcalde.

Macau FDC on "World Heritage – St. Augustine's Square"

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Macau

Património Mundial – Largo de Santo Agostinho

World Heritage – St. Augustine's Square

Date of Issue : 15 July 2010

To celebrate the 5th Anniversary of “The Historic Centre of Macao” inscribed on the UNESCO’s prestigious “World Cultural Heritage List”, Macau Post issued a set of stamps based on the theme “World Heritage – St. Augustine's Square”.

MOP 1.5 stamp : Teatro Dom Pedro V (Dom Pedro V Theatre)

MOP 2.5 stamp : Biblioteca Sir Robert Ho Tung (Sir Robert Ho Tung Library)

MOP 3.5 stamp : Igreja de Santo Agostinho (St. Augustine's Church)

MOP 4.0 stamp : Seminário e Igreja de São José (St. Joseph's Seminary and Church)

MOP 10.0 souvenir sheet : Largo de Santo Agostinho (St. Augustine's Square), the historic spot where the Portuguese gathered for social activities in the past

July 15 was really a busy day to me. Both Hong Kong Post and Macau issued stamps on that day. Hong Kong has the "Biodiversity" stamp issue, while Macau issued the "St. Augustine's Square". This Macau stamp issue was designed by Mr. Lai Ieng. I very much like the stamps designed by him. So, I did not mind to spent some time to visit Macau and sent a FDC to myself. Hope he would continue to design more and more beautiful stamps.

Hong Kong FDC on "Biodiversity"

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Hong Kong

Biodiversity

Date of Issue : 15 July 2010

The United Nations declared 2010 the International Year of Biodiversity. This set of stamps presents four endemic species in the territory.

Macropodus hongkongensis ($1.40) - A member of the Belontiidae family, Macropodus hongkongensis (commonly known as Hong Kong Paradise Fish) is the only freshwater fish named after Hong Kong. It can be found in the northeastern part of the territory including the northern New Territories, Tai Po and Sai Kung. The fish has an elliptical and laterally compressed body with elongated dorsal and anal fins. The first pair of gill-rakers extends to form a supplementary respiratory organ. The fish is generally solid black or greyish in colour. During spawning season, the males exhibit dark black body colour and their unpaired fins are lined with bluish-white edges.

Liuixalus romeri ($2.40) - Liuixalus romeri (commonly known as Romer's Tree Frog) is an amphibian of the Rhacophoridae family. Distributed in woodlands on Lamma Island, Lantau Island, Po Toi and Chek Lap Kok, it is the smallest among the frog species recorded in Hong Kong, with an average body length from 1.5 to 2.5 centimetres. The frog's whitish belly and brownish back with a dark X-shaped marking give camouflage in its natural habitat.

Sinopora hongkongensis ($3) - Sinopora hongkongensis is a medium-sized tree of the Lauraceae or Laurel family, and can reach 16 metres in height. Bracteoles bear rust-coloured hairs. Leaves are elliptical and flowers small and greenish-yellow, with globular and yellowish-brown fruits up to 4 centimetres in diameter. First discovered at Tai Mo Shan in 2005, Sinopora hongkongensis was identified as a species new to science and is the only known representative of the genus Sinopora.

Fukienogomphus choifongae ($5) - Fukienogomphus choifongae is a medium-sized gomphid. The dragonfly has a yellow and black body. The male has stout white superior anal appendages and widely divaricate black inferior anal appendages. The female also has white superior anal appendages but short black inferior anal appendages. First discovered at Wu Kau Tang in the northeastern New Territories in 2004, Fukienogomphus choifongae was identified as a species new to science

Nicaragua Postcard - Volcano Momotombito

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Bilhete Postal

Nicaragua

A nice postcard showing the view of Volcano Momotombito. The stamps are beautiful and the cancellation are nice too. Thank You very much !

China FDC on "Ruins of the Ancient Loulan"

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China


Ruins of the Ancient Loulan (樓蘭)

Date of Issue : 3 July 2010

2-1 : Buddhist Pagoda
2-2 : Three-Room House

The ruins of the ancient city of Loulan are located northwest to Lop Nur in Ruoqiang County, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. During the Han Dynasty (206B.C.-A.D.220), Loulan city, as the capital of Loulan Kingdom in the western region, occupied a strategic geographical location along the Silk Road stretching to the western regions, playing an important role in the Chinese history of international cultural exchange. In the following Wei and Jin dynasties, as well as the early Liang Period, the city witnessed great prosperity. After the mid-4th century, it declined. Despite more than 1000 years of weathering, today many historical sites and cultural relics can still be found on the locale, including houses, Buddhist temples, beacon towers, and tombs. the ruins were listed as an important cultural heritage under state protection in 1988.

Israel FDC on "Musical Instruments of the Middle East"

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Israel

Musical Instruments of the Middle East

Date of Issue : 14 June 2010

(from Left to Right)
Darbuka and Drum
Darbuka is a goblet shaped hand drum used mostly in music originating in countries near the Middle East. Its thin, responsive drumhead and resonance help it produce a distinctively crisp sound. The drum is the world's oldest and most ubiquitous musical instrument.

Qanun and Piano
The qanun has 50-100 strings and is popular from India to northwest Africa. It is very commonly used in Turkish music and came to Egypt through Turkish influence. The qanun, which is considered to be a precursor to the Western piano, is incorporated into modern Arab music and is considered, along with the oud, to be a focal instrument. The piano reached its peak in Western music in the early 18th century and in the 19th and 20th centuries

Oud and Guitar
The guitar is very common in Western folk and artistic music. There are many different types of guitars and the number of strings varies, although six strings are customary. This instrument is known by many names and has been a part of Western culture since the Middle Ages. The guitar may be played polyphonically. The oud is the most typical Arab instrument, but its origins are unclear. In most cases it has five strings and in ancient times was played with an eagle feather. Today a pick is used. The oud is monophonic. Arab music theoreticians used the oud to explain their music.

The stamp tabs and lower sections feature Oriental rugs from the Middle East and Central Asia.

Taiwan FDC on "Chinese Classic Novel 'Journey to the West' (Issue of 2010)"

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Taiwan

Chinese Classic Novel “Journey to the West” (Issue of 2010)

Date of Issue : 7 July 2010

(from Left to Right)
NT$5 Stamp : Complete Enlightenment
The monkey king of Mt. Huaguo in the Water Curtain Cave, desiring immortality, made off to the Three Star Cave to study under the Buddhist Patriarch Subodhi, who gave him the name Sun Wukong, and from whom he learned secrets of magic. Later, because Sun would recklessly show off his magic, Subodhi renounced him as a student. Furthermore, Subodhi gave him a pointer: “Whence one comes, one returns.”

NT$5 Stamp : Sun Wukong Wreaks Havoc in Heaven
The Jade Emperor conveyed on Sun Wukong the title “Great Sage Equal of Heaven,” and sent him off to administer the garden of Queen Mother of the West’s peaches of immortality. Sun stole and ate some peaches, pills of immortality and wine prepared for Heaven’s Peach Festival. The Jade Emperor dispatched his forces to capture him and the monkey was imprisoned in Mt. Wuhang by Tathagata.

NT$12 Stamp : Dreaming of Beheading the Jing River Dragon King
The Jing River Dragon King disobeyed the Jade Emperor’s directive to create rain. Consequently, the emperor sent Wei Zheng to behead the Dragon King, and the Dragon King appeared in Emperor Tang Taizong’s dream to ask for help. To divert Wei Zheng’s attention, Emperor Tang Taizong invited him to his palace to discuss affairs of state and then play chess. During the game Wei Zheng dozed off, at which time his spirit left his body to behead the dragon.

NT$25 Stamp : Stealing the Ginseng Fruits
The Ginseng fruit was a great treasure of Longevity Mountain. After Sun Wukong and Pigsy were scolded for secretly eating Ginseng fruits, Sun Wukong destroyed the orchard in a fit of pique. Eventually the dew drops of the Goddess of Mercy saved the Ginseng fruit trees.

Nepal Postcard - Annapurna Range

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Bilhete Postal

Nepal

A beautiful postcard showing the Annapurna Range from Pokhara, Nepal.

Hong Kong FDC on "Characteristic Streets in Hong Kong"

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Hong Kong

Characteristic Streets in Hong Kong

Date of Issue : 24 June 2010

Pottinger Street ($1.40) – The street was originally built from Queen's Road Central up to Hollywood Road. Because of its steep slope, the street was paved entirely with stone slabs, forming steps in an undulating pattern to make it easy for people to go up and down and to drain away stormwater. It is hence also called "Stone Slab Street".

Nathan Road ($1.40) – Stretching from Tsim Sha Tsui in the south all the way up to Boundary Street in Mong Kok, Nathan Road is one of the busiest streets in Hong Kong. It runs through the hustling and bustling Yau Tsim Mong District, lit up like a kaleidoscope by neon signs of shops, hotels, shopping arcades and restaurants along the way.

Hollywood Road ($2.40) – Alias "Antique Street", Hollywood Road is lined with antique shops that lend an air of nostalgic elegance. In this treasure trove for antique lovers, a wide range of thrilling items covering ceramics and jade, silk and embroidery, blackwood furniture, paintings and calligraphy are waiting for discerning buyers.

Temple Street ($2.40) – For a real taste of Hong Kong culture, there is no better place than Temple Street, the street named after Tin Hau Temple in Yau Ma Tei. Dubbed "People’s Night Market" for its all-time bargains, Temple Street comes alive when the city lights up at dusk. Flocks of visitors linger around open-air stalls offering inexpensive goods, local culinary delights or fortune-telling, and they also enjoy performances of Chinese opera.

Des Voeux Road West ($3) – Our famous "Dried Seafood Street", Des Voeux Road West is a traditional marketplace for ginseng products and herbs as well as dried seafood. Clustered with shops selling products such as dried abalone, sea cucumber, shark fin and fish maw as well as Chinese herbal medicines and tonics, the street swarms with locals and visitors shopping for festive goodies when the Lunar New Year is drawing near.

Stanley Market ($3) – Encompassing Stanley New Street, Stanley Market Road and Stanley Main Street, Stanley Market is a popular tourist attraction in Southern District on Hong Kong Island. Apart from an interesting array of shops and stalls selling clothing and accessories, Chinese paintings and calligraphy, handicrafts and local souvenirs, the place is dotted with bars and restaurants offering a fine selection of world cuisines, making it an ideal choice for leisure travel.

China FDC on "Guangzhou and the Enchanting Pearl River"

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China


Guangzhou and the Enchanting Pearl River

Date of Issue : 28 June 2010

(On the 2nd FDC)
4-1 : Legendary Five Goats
4-2 : Guangzhou Center for the Performing Arts

(On the top FDC)
4-3 : The Pearl River
4-4 : Guangzhou International Convention and Exhibition Center

Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong Province, lies in the southern part of the province where the Pearl River meets the sea. Legend has it that five immortals riding five goats, each holding a rice stalk in the mouth, descended here from the heaven, hence the city's nicknames, Suicheng (City of Rice Ears) and Yangcheng (City of Goats). In 214 B.C., Qin Shi Huang (First Emperor of the Qin Dynasty) ordered General Ren Xiao to lead troops on an expedition to unify the southern regions. The triumphant troops then constructed a city in present-day Panyu area, which was documented as the begining of the history of Guangzhou. Historically, Guangzhou was an important part of the ancient Maritime Silk Road, while in morden days, it is a pilot in China's reform and opening-up policies, and it serves as the host city of the 16th Asian Games.

The design of the special cancellation of Shanghai is very much better than the offical cancellation.

Sri Lanka Postcard

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Bilhete Postal

Sri Lanka

A beautiful postcard showing a wall painting of bringing a sapling of the sacred botree "FUCUS RELIGIOSA" to Sri Lanka in the 2nd Century BC.

Israel ATM FDC - Pallas Gull

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Israel

Pallas Gull

Date of Issue : 14 June 2010

Another beautiful Israel ATM FDC.

Korea FDC on "The 60th Anniversary of the Korean War"

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South Korea

The 60th Anniversary of the Korean War

Date of Issue : 25 June 2010

Stamp Design : one butterfly that flutters peacefully over the barbed wires of the ceasefire line. Looking at the butterfly that flutters about freely, it is hoped that the day of such peace will eventually come to the Korean peninsula

The Korean War began on June 25, 1950 and ended with an armistice on July 27, 1953.

In South Korea, the war is often called, "yugio" (육이오) meaning "6·25" (the date of the start of the conflict), or, more formally, Hanguk Jeonjaeng (한국전쟁) simply meaning, "Korean war".

Indonesia FDC on "World Environment Day 2010"

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Indonesia


World Environment Day 2010

Date of Issue : 5 June 2010

Portugal Postcard - Estádio José Alvalade

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Bilhete Postal

Portugal

A nice postcard showing the nightview of Estádio José Alvalade, the stadium of Sporting Clube de Portugal. On the card, there was a Portugal World Cup 2010 stamp affixed on it. Very nice. Its a pity that Portugal could not go further in the FIFA World Cup 2010. Let us hope Portugal national football team would perform better in the World Cup 2014, four years later.

France Cover - FIFA World Cup 2010

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France

On the cover above, there is a very nice "FIFA World Cup 2010" Miniature Sheet, issued on 13 June 2010. The sheet contains 4 stamps each with a denomination of 0.85 Euros. The bottom of the souvenir sheet shows a landscape of savanna decorated with the 32 flags of the participating countries. Two of the four stamps illustrate with their way football, while the other two represent, for one the Parliament of Pretoria (administrative capital of South Africa), for the other a sight of the Cape Town (legislative capital of South Africa).

I was really happy when I got this unexpected surprise from my French friend. Very colourful design. You would simply love it even if you are not stamp collector. The cancellation were neat and nice too. Thank you very much to my friend.

Myanmar Postcard - Kaba Aye Pagoda

Postcard
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Bilhete Postal

Myanmar

My first postcard from Myanmar. This card shows the Kaba Aye Pagoda, literally means "World Peace" and this Pagoda, which stands in the same compound as the "Great Cave", was built to commemorate the sixth buddhist synod. Thank You very much to my friend !