Hong Kong FDC on "Weather Phenomena"

First Day Cover
首日封
Sobrescrito de 1.º Dia

Hong Kong

Weather Phenomena

Date of Issue : 27 March 2014

$1.7 : Rainbow

The self made FDCs above are autographed by Postmaster General, Mrs. Jessie TING, JP (丁葉燕薇女士) and the Director of the Hong Kong Observatory, Mr Shun Chi-Ming.

Estonia FDC on "Bird of the Year – Common Kingfisher"

First Day Cover
首日封
Sobrescrito de 1.º Dia

Estonia

Bird of the Year – Common Kingfisher

Date of Issue : 20 March 2014

Due to its extraordinary colours the Common Kingfisher, (Alcedo atthis), is called the Nordic jewel and the pearl of rivers. It nests on the banks of rivers, brooks and bigger ditches lined with trees and rivers, the banks of which offer opportunities for digging its nest. The kingfisher particularly likes shallow rivers with pure water. It mainly feeds on small fish.

Taiwan Cover - 2014 Hsinchu Marathon

Cover
封
Sobrescrito

Taiwan

A cover from Taiwan with 2014 Hsinchu Marathon special postmark. Thank You very much to my friend !

Malaysia Cover - Underwater Life

Cover
封
Sobrescrito

Malaysia

A very beautiful Malaysian cover, with the 2012 Underwater Life stamp set, sent on my birthday, 23 March. Thank you very much to my friend !

Hong Kong Cover - Happy Birthday to Me

Cover
封
Sobrescrito

Hong Kong

Last Sunday, 23 March was my birthday. To commemorate my birthday, I specially go to General Post Office and Tsim Sha Tsui Post Office to sent myself some letters. Just unlucky that, there is double cancellation on the cover from GPO.

China FDC on "Protection of Consumer Rights and Interests"

First Day Cover
首日封
Sobrescrito de 1.º Dia

China


Protection of Consumer Rights and Interests

Date of Issue : 15 March 2014

2-1 : Fairness and Justice
2-2 : Protection of the Rights

China Consumers' Association, established in 1984, has been holding activities annually to celebrate the "March 15-World Consumer Rights Day" since 1986. In 1987, China Consumers' Association joined the Consumer International. In 1993, the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Consumer Rights and Interests was promulgated.

Brazil Aerogramme

Aerogramme
航空郵簡
Bilhete Carta-Avião

Brazil

Another nice aerogramme from Brazil. Thank You very much to my friend !

Portugal FDC on "800th Anniversary of the Notary in Portugal"

First Day Cover
首日封
Sobrescrito de 1.º Dia

Portugal

800 Anos do Notariado em Portugal

800th Anniversary of the Notary in Portugal

Date of Issue : 6 March 2014

Latvia FDC on "Tulip"

First Day Cover
首日封
Sobrescrito de 1.º Dia

Latvia

Tulip

Date of Issue : 7 March 2014

Tulips are plants belonging to the lily family. They got their name because of their shape: the word tulip is derived from the Persian word toliban meaning turban, a type of headdress. Tulip is a genus of about 100 species, of which only one species - the wild tulip - grows in the wild in Latvia.

Hong Kong Local Postage Due Cover

Postage Due Cover
欠資封
Sobrescrito com Selos de Porteado

Hong Kong

Date Sent: 8 March 2014

Postage Stamp
~~~ Hong Kong 1997 $1.3 Definitive Stamp
(Issued on 26 January 1997)

Hong Kong Postage Due Label (Left)
~~~ Issued on 23 September 2004

A Hong Kong local postage due cover, with the "Closure of International Mail Centre (IMC)" special cancellation. I just affixed a Hong Kong $1.3 stamp out of the normal postage of $1.7. The postage due is : ($1.7 - $1.3) x 2 = HK$0.8

Portugal Postcard - National Olympic Congress

Postcard
明信片
Bilhete Postal

Portugal

Congresso Nacional Olímpico

National Olympic Congress

Date of Issue : 3 March 2014

Estonia FDC on "Võru"

First Day Cover
首日封
Sobrescrito de 1.º Dia

Estonia

Võru

Date of Issue : 5 March 2014

The city of Võru lies in the South-eastern corner of Estonia, about 250 km from the capital, Tallinn, and about 40 kilometres from the border crossing point to Russia at Luhamaa. The territory of the city covers 13 sq km. The pride of the city is Lake Tamula of 231.3 hectares, the beach promenade along its northern shore and the longest suspension bridge in Estonia (180 metres). Võru was granted city rights in 1784 and the city marks its birthday every August 21. The city got its coat-of-arms as early as in 1788. It features a spruce on golden background. In accordance with an imperial ukase the city got the arms because that tree is very characteristic to the landscape around Võru.

Russia FDC on "150th Anniversary of Moscow Zoo"

First Day Cover
首日封
Sobrescrito de 1.º Dia

Russia

150th Anniversary of Moscow Zoo

Date of Issue : 13 February 2014

In 2014 the Moscow Zoological Park, one of the oldest zoos in Europe, will become 150 years old.

At the opening it contained 134 domestic animals, 153 wild animals and birds and 7 reptiles. Today one can see in the Moscow Zoo more than eight thousand animals, some species have been bred by experts for the first time in the world.

The margins of the souvenir sheet depict: a Macaw parrot, a giraffe, a tiger, a manul cat, a peacock, a crocodile, a brown baby bear, a pink flamingo, an Asian elephant, and a gibbon; the postage stamp shows the main entrance to the building of the Moscow Zoo.

Brazil Aerogramme

Aerogramme
航空郵簡
Bilhete Carta-Avião

Brazil

Another nice aerogramme from Brazil. Thank You very much to my friend !

Hong Kong Cover - Closure of International Mail Centre Post Office

Cover
封
Sobrescrito

Hong Kong

8 March 2014 was the last day of International Mail Centre (IMC) Post Office. To commemorate its closure, I sent a letter to me from there by recorded delivery.

China FDC on "Scroll of Bathing Horses"

First Day Cover
首日封
Sobrescrito de 1.º Dia

China


Scroll of Bathing Horses

Date of Issue : 1 March 2014

As a masterpiece of Zhao's mature works, the Scroll of Bathing Horses, successfully combining the landscape painting skill of the Song Dynasty, the horse painting skill of Tang Dynasty with the scholar-official demeanor of Zhao Mengfu to a perfect culmination.

Taiwan FDC on "Swinhoe’s Pheasant"

First Day Cover
首日封
Sobrescrito de 1.º Dia

Taiwan

Swinhoe’s Pheasant

Date of Issue : 20 February 2014

The Swinhoe’s pheasant is a member of the Phasianidae family and is a protected species endemic to Taiwan. A quick and nimble bird, it inhabits the floor of broadleaf forests between 300 and 2,300 meters in elevation. The designs follow:

Four stamps in a se-tenant block:
Immature (NT$5): Immature young males have a mottled plumage that resembles a mix of adult male and adult female plumage.
Male (NT$5): The male has a bright red wattle on each cheek, a dark bluish black head, white patches on its crest, nape, and upper back, and red scapulars. It has long tail feathers including two central pure white ones. The rest of its body is bluish black with a bright blue or bluish green sheen.
Chicks (NT$10): The chicks have an eye line beside each eye and several dark brown stripes on their heads.
Hen and Chick (NT$12): The plain female is brown overall with dense arrow- and v-shaped patterns. Its tail feathers are chestnut red with black horizontal markings. Chicks start follow around their mothers as soon as they are hatched.

Cuba Aerogramme

Aerogramme
航空郵簡
Bilhete Carta-Avião

Cuba

A very nice aerogramme from Cuba. Thank You very much to my friend !

Portugal FDC on "400th Anniversary of the 1st Edition of Peregrinação by Fernão Mendes Pinto"

First Day Cover
首日封
Sobrescrito de 1.º Dia

Portugal

400 Anos da 1ª Edição da Peregrinação de Fernão Mendes Pinto

400th Anniversary of the 1st Edition of Peregrinação (Pilgrimage) by Fernão Mendes Pinto

Date of Issue : 24 February 2014

Macau Postage Due Cover to Hong Kong

Postage Due Cover
欠資封
Sobrescrito com Selos de Porteado

Macau Hong Kong

Date Sent: 17 February 2014

Macau ATM
~~~ Macau "Year of the Horse" ATM (Issued on 14 February 2014)

Hong Kong Postage Due Label
~~~ Issued on 23 September 2004

On the cover, I just affixed a "Year of the Horse" ATM stamps of 1 Pataca out of the normal postage of 2.5 Patacas. On 1 March, I went to the GPO to get the mail and paid the postage due. The postage due should be : ((1.5 / 2.5) x 2.3) + 4 = HK$5.4. On the cover, you can see the round-shaped T 1.5/2.5 postmark from Macau and a Hong Kong "To Pay" chop.

Estonia FDC on "Heads of state of the Republic of Estonia - Konstantin Päts"

First Day Cover
首日封
Sobrescrito de 1.º Dia

Estonia

Heads of state of the Republic of Estonia - Konstantin Päts

Date of Issue : 21 February 2014

Konstantin Päts (23 February 1874 – 18 January 1956) was the most influential politician of interwar Estonia.

After the new constitution was adopted in 1938, Päts became the first President of Estonia. During his presidency, the Soviet Union occupied Estonia in 1940. As President, he was forced to sign decrees for over a month, until he was finally arrested and deported to Russia, where he died in 1956.