Japan: German frigate "Baden-Württemberg" (F 222) - Mission: "Indo-Pacific Deployment 2024" (May - December 2024)

For around six months, from May to December 2024, german frigate "Baden-Württemberg" and replenishment ship "Frankfurt am Main" will be traveling westwards around the globe. The voyage is formally a so-called foreign training cruise. Above all, this means that the naval vessels and crews will use the time for their own training – especially in cooperation with various partner navies in the Indo-Pacific region. The cover below was mailed during the port call to Tokyo from 20 to 25 August 2024 with the cachet of the Crew "Echo".

 

Stamp:

Definitive Stamp "Kerria japonica" - Issued: 02-02-2015

Picture of the Ship during the port call to Tokyo:

Picture: (c)Bundeswehr/Julia Kelm

 

Pakistan: Arshad Nadeem - Javelin Gold Medalist at the 2024 Paris Olympics

Arshad Nadeem, the Pakistani javelin thrower, made history at the 2024 Olympics by winning a gold medal, marking a historic milestone for both his career and his nation. In Paris, Nadeem delivered a stunning performance, launching his javelin over 90 meters to secure his gold. Its Pakistan first-ever Olympic gold medal in track and field.

 

Stamps:

3x Arshad Nadeem - Javelin Gold Medalist at the 2024 Paris Olympics - Issued: 14-08-2024

Many thanks to Mohammad!

Latvia: Intangible Cultural Heritage - "Gauja rafters"

For a long time, the River Gauja was an important waterway for rafting timber to Rīga. The ancient rafting trade has been included in the Latvian intangible cultural heritage list and in the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage list.

 

Stamp:

Intangible Cultural Heritage - "Gauja rafters" - Issued: 12-04-2024

Many thanks to Vera!

Belgium: Cycling - "Belgian Tour de France Winners"

 

Stamps:

Cycling - "Belgian Tour de France Winners" (from a set of 10) - Issued: 12-06-2017

Many thanks to Wesley!

Tunisia: Musical Instruments - "Gnaoua Instrument" - Joint Issue w/ Morocco

Stamp:

Musical Instruments - "Gnaoua Instrument" - Joint Issue w/ Morocco - Issued: 02-12-2021

Many thanks to Abida!

 

Liechtenstein: 120th Anniversary of the Birth of Salvador Dalí

Salvador Dalí (Salvador Domingo Felipe Jacinto Dalí i Domènech, Marquess of Dalí of Púbol), born 11 May 1904 died 23 January 1989, was a Spanish painter who became famous for the unusual images he used in his paintings. He was born in Figueres, Catalonia, Spain. His eccentric personality and surrealist masterpieces, like 'The Persistence of Memory', made him a household name in modern art. To celebrate his 120th birthday, the Principality of Liechtenstein issued a special commemorative Souvenir Sheet in June 2024 that can be seen on the Cover below, mailed from the city of Mauren in the north of Liechtenstein.

 Stamp:

 120th Anniversary of the Birth of Salvador Dalí (s/s) - Issued: 03-06-2024

Japan: Mount Fuji Summit Post Office

Mount Fuji (富士山) is Japan's highest mountain (3776,24 m) and the focal point of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. Visible from Tokyo on a clear day, the mountain is to the west of Tokyo on the main island Honshu, straddling the border between Shizuoka and Yamanashi prefectures. The Mount Fuji Summit Post Office opened its doors only for a limited period during summer to match the Mt. Fuji climbing season. 

Many thanks to Linda for making it possible to get this nice cover from there!

Stamps:

Philatelic Week - Details of Harunobu Suzuki's Illustrations of Tale of Genji by Lady Murasaki (from a set of 2) - Issued: 20-04-1981

Mount Fuji (Personalized Stamp ?) - Issued: 00-00-0000

Singapore: Games of the XXXIII. Olympiad - Paris, France

 

Stamps:

Games of the XXXIII. Olympiad - Paris, France (from a set of 10) - Issued: 26-07-2024

Many thanks to Henrik!

Cyprus: German frigate "Brandenburg" (F 215) - Operation "UNIFIL" (March 24 - July 24)

Under the command of frigate captain Andreas Scheiba, the crew of the german frigate "Brandenburg" departed from Wilhelmshaven, Germany in March 2024 to support maritime surveillance off the Lebanese coast and train the Lebanese navy as part of the UNIFIL mission (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon). Numerous maneuvers took place with international partners. The covers below show port calls of the frigate in Limassol, Cyprus, in Spain (too bad no postmark on the cover) and from the arrival back in Wilhelmshaven, Germany.

  

Stamps:

Euromed 2023 - "Mediterranean Festival" - Issued: 10-07-2023

Refugee Fund Tax Stamp 2023

 

EUROPA 2023 - "Peace - the highest value of humanity" - Issued: 09-05-2023

Stamps:

Sights in Germany - "Der Brocken" - Issued: 01-03-2024

Definitives - "Flowers" - Issued: 18-12-2018

Picture of the Ship:

 

Source: https://www.bundeswehr.de/de/einsaetze-bundeswehr/unifil-fregatte-mtf-5780552

 

China: Suzhou Industrial Park

The Suzhou Industrial Park is a development region in Suzhou, Jiangsu, China. The industrial park was established in February 1994, as part of the reform and opening up campaign in the 1990s, and is unique in its joint governance by Chinese and Singaporean officials. The Suzhou Industrial Park spans an area of 278 square kilometres (107 sq mi), and has a population of 807,800 permanent residents, per a 2019 publication released by the industrial park.

Many thanks Xu Wei for another great cover, which came directly from Suzhou!

Stamps:

Sincerity - Issued: 20-08-2014  

4x Suzhou Industrial Park - Issued: 10-06-2024

Paraguay: America UPAEP 2012 - "Myths and Legends"

On this cover from Paraguay (my very first) you can see a stamp which is part of the 2012 UPAEP issue from Paraguay. The topic was Myths and Legends and the nice sheet from Paraguay shows different stamps of "Los Hijos de Tau y Kerana". The stamp on this cover shows "Teju Jagua", the first son of Tau and Kerana and one of the seven legendary monsters of Guaraní mythology. The Tupi-Guarani mythology is the set of narratives about the gods and spirits of the different Tupi-Guarani peoples, who are living in the south-central part of South America, especially in Paraguay and parts of the surrounding areas of Argentina, Brazil, and Bolivia.

Stamp:

America UPAEP 2012 - "Myths and Legends"  (from a set of 7) - Issued: 07-06-2012

Many thanks to Gabriel!