Antarctica: McMurdo Station

Today I received a special cover. Its from the McMurdo Station, which is the main U.S. station in Antarctica. The original station was built in 1955 to 1956 for the International Geophysical Year. Today's station is the primary logistics facility for supply of inland stations and remote field camps, and is also the waste management center for much of the U.S. Antarctic Program. Year-round and summer science projects are supported at McMurdo. The station is the largest community in Antarctica, capable of supporting up to 1,258 residents.

Its also my first cover ever from Antarctica and I'm very happy it made its way to me.

Stamps:
2x Geometric Snowflakes (from a set of four) - Issued: 23-10-2015
Penguins - Issued: 01-06-2015


♁ 77°51' S, 166°40' E

Germany: Bavarian Forest

The Bavarian Forest (German: Bayerischer Wald) is a wooded low-mountain region in Bavaria, Germany. It extends along the Czech border and is continued on the Czech side by the Šumava (Bohemian Forest). Geographically the Bavarian Forest and Bohemian Forest are sections of the same mountain range. A part of the Bavarian Forest belongs to the Bavarian Forest National Park (Nationalpark Bayerischer Wald) (240 km²), established in 1970 as the first national park in Germany. The highest mountain in the region is the Großer Arber ("Great Arber", 1,456 m)

Stamp:
Wild Germany - Bavarian Forest - Issued: 02-01-2016 with special postmark

Thanks to Julia for sending me this card in an envelope!

Switzerland: Lufthansa Airbus A319-100

On the card you can see a Airbus A319-100. The Airbus 319-100 is a single aisle, twin-engine jet manufactured by Airbus Industrie, the European consortium. It is part of the Airbus 320 family, the world’s best selling aircraft line. The A319 has the longest flying range in its category. The A319 is a shortened derivative of the highly successful A320, it is shorter by seven fuselage frames and otherwise almost identical in all other aspects.

On the back of the card you can see the new 2016 postmark of the Zürich Airport.

Stamps:
left: PTT-Series (from a set of four) - Issued: 05-09-1980
right: Tennis - Roger Federer - Issued: 10-04-2007


Many thanks to Hansjürg for this nice card and postmark!

Germany: Speyer & Speyer Cathedral

Speyer is a town in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, with approximately 50,000 inhabitants. Founded by the Romans, it is one of Germany's oldest cities. Located beside the river Rhine, Speyer is 25 km south of Ludwigshafen and Mannheim.

Stamp:
Flowers Definitive Stamp "Convallaria majalis" - Issued: 06-05-2009


Speyer is dominated by the Speyer Cathedral. Laid out in the form of a Latin cross, it is one of Germany's largest and most important Romanesque buildings, and was intended to be no less than the largest church in the western world when building work began in 1030. In 1981, the cathedral was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List of culturally important sites as "a major monument of Romanesque art in the German Empire".

Stamp:
The 800th Anniversary of the City of Dessau - Issued: 01-07-2013

USA: Cover from Utqiaġvik (Barrow), Alaska

Barrow is the largest city of the North Slope Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska and is located above the Arctic Circle. It is the 11th northernmost public community in the world and is the northernmost city in the United States of America, with nearby Point Barrow being the nation's northernmost point. In July 2013, the population estimate was 4,373.

 

Update 2022: The City of Barrow is now renamed to Utqiaġvik (took place in 2016)

  

Stamps:
2x Geometric Snowflakes (from a set of four) - Issued: 23-10-2015
Penguins - Issued: 01-06-2015



♁ 71°17′ N 156°45′ W

South Africa: Johannesburg

Johannesburg is the largest city in South Africa. It is the provincial capital of Gauteng, which is the wealthiest province in South Africa. The city was named and established in 1886 following the discovery of gold on what had been a farm. The name is attributed to one or all of three men involved in the establishment of the city. In ten years, the population was 100,000 inhabitants. While Johannesburg is not one of South Africa's three capital cities, it is the seat of the Constitutional Court, which has the final word on interpretation of South Africa's constitution as well as with issues in connection with constitutional matters.

Stamps:
left: South African Harbors (from a set of five) - Issued: 28-01-1993
right: Football World Cup - South Africa. The 3rd SAPOA Issue (from a set of 9) - Issued: 09-04-2010


Thanks to Fanie for this card!

France: Lighthouses of Brittany

Some days ago, I received some nice cards with Lighthouses on them. All of them are located in Brittany (French: Bretagne). Brittany is a cultural region in the north-west of France. It is bordered by the English Channel to the north, the Celtic Sea and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and the Bay of Biscay to the south.

On the first card, you can see "The Phare de Nividic", which is one of three major lightouses on Ouessant in Brittany.

Stamps:
5x Definitive Issue New Marianne (3 x 0,10 Cent + 2 x 0,01 Cent) - Issued: 15-07-13
Roosters of France (from a set of 4) - Issued: 13-11-2015


The second card shows Les Pierres Noires. It was built between 1867 and 1871. It secures and lights Saint Mathieu fore land and path since May 1st 1872.

Stamps:
5x Definitive Issue New Marianne (3 x 0,10 Cent + 2 x 0,01 Cent) - Issued: 15-07-13
Roosters of France (from a set of 4) - Issued: 13-11-2015


The third and last one shows Ar Men ("the rock" in Breton) Lighthouse. It is located at one end of the Chaussée de l'Île de Sein, at the west end of Brittany. It shares its name with the rock on which it was erected between 1867 and 1881.Ar Men is one of the best known lighthouses because of its isolated situation and the considerable difficulties its construction has presented, and the danger in evacuating its personnel. Considered as one of the most challenging workplaces by the community of lighthouse keepers.

Stamps:
5x Definitive Issue New Marianne (3 x 0,10 Cent + 2 x 0,01 Cent) - Issued: 15-07-13
Roosters of France (from a set of 4) - Issued: 13-11-2015

Many thanks to Stéphane for this great cards!

Germany: Kahler Asten

The Kahler Asten is an 841.9-metre-high mountain in the Rothaar range in the district of Hochsauerland, in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is a popular destination, receiving more than 500,000 visitors annually. On the card you can see Astenturm (Asten tower). From the platform of the tower, which is 862 m above sea level (NN), there is a superb all-round view over the Rothaargebirge and other parts of the Sauerland. The Kahler Asten and the surrounding area, with its sister mountains, out to about 40 kilometres is one of the most well-known winter sport regions in the German Central Uplands due to its good snow conditions.

Stamps:
Comics - Asterix (from a set of three) - Issued: 01-09-2015 with a postmark of the Asten-Turm Restaurant on the left

Germany: Classic Cars

I received this two covers yesterday. On the covers you can see the current stamp issue from the german stamp series "Classic Cars". On the first cover you see the Ford Capri 1. The Ford Capri 1 is a fastback coupé that was built by Ford Motor Company from 1969 to 1973. Using the mechanical components from the Ford Cortina and intended as the European equivalent of the Ford Mustang for the European markets, the Capri went on to be a highly successful car for Ford, and sold nearly 1.9 million units in its lifetime.

Stamp:
Classic Cars "Ford Capri 1" (from a set of two) - Issued: 02-01-2016 with special first day of Issue postmark

On the second cover you can see the Porsche 911 Targa. This car is also known as the “safety cabriolet”. At its world premiere in 1965 at the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt, Germany  it caused a stir; its “roll-over bar” was its unique selling point. The background: this was designed to protect the occupants' head area in the event of overturning.

Stamp:
Classic Cars "Porsche 911 Targa" (from a set of two) - Issued: 02-01-2016 with special first day of Issue postmark

Ireland: Trinity College Dublin

Trinity College Dublin is recognised internationally as Ireland’s premier university and as one of the world's leading research-intensive universities. Founded in 1592 on the general pattern of the ancient colleges at Oxford and Cambridge, it is the oldest university in Ireland and one of the older universities of Western Europe. Amongst the graduates are included notable people such as Oscar Wilde or 2015 Nobel Prize Laureate in Physiology or Medicine William C. Campbell.

On the card you can see on the right The Campanile of Trinity College. It is a bell tower and one of the university's most iconic landmarks. Donated by then Archbishop of Armagh, Lord John Beresford it was designed by Sir Charles Lanyon, sculpted by Thomas Kirk and finished in 1853.

Stamps (from the left):
Wild Flowers - Issued: 12-04-2005
2x Wild Flowers - Issued: 03-03-2008
The 400th Anniversary of the Battle of the Counts and the End of Gaelic Aristocracy (from a set of two) - Issued: 23-02-2007


Many thanks to Ann for this card!

Canada: Canadian Rockies

The Canadian Rockies comprise the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains. They are the eastern part of the Canadian Cordillera, which is a system of multiple ranges of mountains which runs from the Canadian Prairies to the Pacific Coast. The Canadian Rockies mountain system comprises the southeastern part of this system, laying between the Interior Plains of Alberta and Northeastern British Columbia on the east to the Rocky Mountain Trench of BC on the west. The southern end borders Idaho and Montana of the USA. In geographic terms the boundary is at the Canada/US border, but in geological terms it might be considered to be at Marias Pass in northern Montana. The northern end is at the Liard River in northern British Columbia.The Canadian Rockies have numerous high peaks and ranges, such as Mount Robson (Sometimes called Mount Bella) (3,954 m (12,972 ft)) and Mount Columbia (3,747 m (12,293 ft)). Much of the range is protected by national and provincial parks, several of which collectively comprise a World Heritage Site.

On the card you can see Moraine Lake in Banff National Park on a winter day.

Stamp:
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Canada (from a set of 6) - Issued: 03-07-2015


Thanks to Beverly for this great card!

Namibia: Wildlife of Africa

This is my first card from Namibia. Namibia formerly known as German South-West Africa and then South West Africa, is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. Namibia has a population of 2.1 million people and a stable multi-party parliamentary democracy. Agriculture, herding, tourism and the mining industry – including mining for gem diamonds, uranium, gold, silver, and base metals – form the basis of Namibia's economy. Given the presence of the arid Namib Desert, it is one of the least densely populated countries in the world. The capital city is Windhoek. The card had a rough ride until it finally arrives here.

Stamp:
Small antelopes of Namibia  (from a set of four) - Issued: 22-06-2015

Thanks to Lars for this card!

Germany: Dresden Striezelmarkt

The Striezelmarkt in Dresden is one of Germany's oldest documented Christmas markets. Founded as a one-day market in 1434, it celebrated its 580th anniversary in 2014. The annual market lasts throughout the Advent season until Christmas Eve. Today the most famous features of Dresden Striezelmarkt are the world's largest usable Christmas arch with a breadth of 13.5 metres and a height of more than 5 metres and the 14-metre high Erzgebirge Christmas pyramid. One very well-loved tradition on a cold December night in Dresden is drinking steaming mugs of mulled wine at the Striezelmarkt. The hot red wine spiced with cloves and cinnamon is served in specially decorated mugs.

Stamp:
Merry Christmas (from a set two) - Issued: 27-11-2007 with special postmark (06.12.)

Germany: Meersburg

Meersburg is a town of Baden-Württemberg in the southwest of Germany at Lake Constance. About 5,600 people are living there. It is famous for its charming medieval city. The lower town ("Unterstadt") and upper town ("Oberstadt") are reserved for pedestrians only and connected by two stairways and a steep street ("Steigstrasse"). One of Germany's most celebrated poets, Annette von Droste-Hülshoff, lived her final years at Meersburg Castle, from 1841–1848. On the back of the card, you see a special postmark of famous Meersburg Castle.

Stamp:
Flowers "Paeonia sp." - Issued: 04-12-2014

Austria: Bregenz

Bregenz is the capital of Vorarlberg, the westernmost federal state of Austria. The city is located on the eastern shores of Lake Constance, the third-largest freshwater lake in Central Europe, between Switzerland in the west and Germany in the northwest. The city is situated on a plateau falling in a series of terraces to the lake at the foot of Pfänder mountain. It is a junction of the arterial roads from the Rhine valley to the German Alpine foothills, with cruise ship services on Lake Constance. The city is especially famous for the annual summer music festival Bregenzer Festspiele (Bregenz Festival). On the card you can see the main stage of the festival located at the sea shore.

Stamp:
Lederhosen - Issued: 24-09-2015 (Too bad, with a poor cancellation)