Greenland: Sisimiut

Today I received this great card from Greenland. It shows the greenland flag. The flag of Greenland was designed by Greenland native Thue Christiansen. It features two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a large disk slightly to the hoist side of centre. The top half of the disk is red, the bottom half is white. It was adopted on June 21, 1985 and is the only national flag of a Nordic country or territory without a Nordic Cross. The card was cancelled in Sisimiut. Sisimiut, formerly Holsteinsborg, is a town in central-western Greenland, located on the coast of Davis Strait, approximately 320 km (200 mi) north of Nuuk. It is the administrative center of the Qeqqata Municipality and the second-largest town in Greenland, with a population of 5,598 people in 2013.

Stamps:
left: Queen Margrethe II - Issued: 22-10-2012
right: Charity Stamp - Child Rights Institution MIO - Issued: 18-01-2016


♁ 66°56 N 53°40′ W

Germany: Martin Luther

Martin Luther (10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German professor of theology, composer, priest, former monk and a seminal figure in the Protestant Reformation. He strongly disputed the claim that freedom from God's punishment for sin could be purchased with money. He proposed an academic discussion of the power and usefulness of indulgences in his Ninety-Five Theses of 1517. His refusal to retract all of his writings at the demand of Pope Leo X in 1520 and the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V at the Diet of Worms in 1521 resulted in his excommunication by the Pope and condemnation as an outlaw by the Emperor. His translation of the Bible into the vernacular (instead of Latin) made it more accessible, which had a tremendous impact on the church and German culture. Luther died in 1546 in Eisleben, Germany. The card shows him around 1540.

Stamp:
ATM Stamp "Post Tower - Bonn" (0, 45 €) - Issued: 24-10-2008 with special postmark commemorating the 470. Anniversary of his day of death

Germany: The 25th Anniversary of the 112 European Emergency Number

112 is the common emergency telephone number that can be dialed free of charge from most mobile telephones and, in some countries, fixed telephones in order to reach emergency services (ambulance, fire and rescue, police). 112 was first standardised by a Recommendation by the CEPT in 1972 and later by a decision of the EU Council in 1991 and subsequently reaffirmed in 2002 by article 26 of the Universal Service Directive and its subsequent amendments.

Stamps (left to right):
ATM Stamp "Brandenburg Gate – Berlin" (0,05 ct) - Issued: 24-10-2008
Definitive Issue - Flowers "Tagetes erect" - Issued: 07-07-2005
The 25th Anniversary of the 112 European Emergency Number - Issued: 11-02-2016 with special first day of Issued postmark

Germany: The 200th Anniversary of the Birth of Ernst Litfaß (1816-1874)

Ernst Amandus Theodor Litfaß (11 February 1816 – 27 December 1874) was a German printer and publisher. He invented the free-standing cylindrical advertising column which bears his name in German (Litfaßsäule). In 1854 Litfaß proposed putting up columns in the streets of Berlin for announcement and advertising purposes. Allegedly, he was disgusted by the unsystematic and ubiquitous posting of pamphlets, notices and other materials on walls, doors, fences and trees. In December that year he was granted permission to erect such Annoncier-Säulen columns, and on 1 July 1855 the first 100 Litfaß-Säulen were presented in Berlin. Litfaß had a monopoly on his advertising columns and grew rich fast. After his death in Wiesbaden in 1874, the idea of putting up Litfaßsäulen (Litfaß columns or Litfaß pillars) quickly spread to other German cities. Today, they can be found in other countries as well.

Stamps:
2x The 200th Anniversary of the Birth of Ernst Litfaß (1816-1874) - Issued: 11-02-2016 with special first day of Issue postmark

Germany: Little Red Riding Hood

"Little Red Riding Hood", or "Little Red Ridinghood", also known as "Little Red Cap" or simply "Red Riding Hood", is a European fairy tale about a young girl and a Big Bad Wolf. The story has been changed considerably in its history and subject to numerous modern adaptations and readings. The story was first published by Charles Perrault and later reedited by the Grimm Brothers.

Stamps:
Charity Stamps - Little Red Riding Hood (whole Set) - Issued: 11-02-2016 with special first day of Issue postmark

Thailand: Bangkok

Bangkok is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies 1,568.7 square kilometres (605.7 sq mi) in the Chao Phraya River delta in Central Thailand, and has a population of over 8 million, or 12.6 percent of the country's population. Bangkok is subdivided into 50 districts. The city is also one of the world's top tourist destination cities. The Department of Tourism recorded 26,861,095 Thai and 11,361,808 foreign visitors to Bangkok in 2010. Since 1962 Bangkok is twinned with Washington, DC.

Stamps:
left: The 10th Anniversary of Thailand Post Company Limited - Issued: 14-08-2013
right:  Amphibians (from a set of 4) - Issued: 10-07-2014


Many thanks to Kwanjira for this great card!

Sri Lanka: Turtles

Yesterday I received my first card from Sri Lanka. Officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and known from the beginning of British colonial rule until 1972 as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia near south-east India. Sri Lanka has maritime borders with India to the northwest and the Maldives to the southwest. Its documented history spans 3,000 years, with evidence of pre-historic human settlements dating back to at least 125,000 years. Sri Lanka is a republic and a unitary state governed by a Semi-presidential system. The legislative capital, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, is a suburb of the commercial capital and largest city, Colombo.

Stamp:
Moonstones, Guardstones & Balustrades of Sri Lanka (from a set of six) - Issued: 12-12-2012


Many thanks to Ramona for this great card!

USA: Reno, NV

Reno is a city in the U.S. state of Nevada. It is located in the Northern portion of the state, approximately 36 miles (58 km) from Lake Tahoe. Known as "The Biggest Little City in the World", Reno is famous for its casinos and as the birthplace of Caesars Entertainment Corporation. It is the county seat of Washoe County, located in the northwestern part of the state. The city sits in a high desert at the foot of the Sierra Nevada and its downtown area (along with Sparks) occupies a valley informally known as the Truckee Meadows.

Stamps:
2x American Design - American Clock - Issued: 24-01-2003
Patriotic Waves - Issued: 12-01-2015


Thanks to Caleb for this card!

Russia: Bashkortostan

The Republic of Bashkortostan (Russian: Респу́блика Башкортоста́н) is a federal subject of Russia (a republic). It is located between the Volga River and the Ural Mountains. Its capital is the city of Ufa. With the population of 4,072,292 as of the 2010 Census, Bashkortostan is the most populous of the republics in Russia.

Stamps:
Happy New Year - Issued: 12-12-2014
Definitive Issue. Kremlins "Moscow Kremlin" (from a set of 12) - Issued: 01-10-2009
Definitive Issue. Kremlins "Novgorod Kremlin" (from a set of 12) - Issued: 01-10-2009


Thanks to Svetlana for this card!

Indonesia: Cover with Postcards

Today I received a nice cover from Indonesia. Indonesia is a sovereign island country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. It is the largest island country in the world by the number of islands, with more than fourteen thousand islands. Indonesia has an estimated population of over 255 million people and is the world's fourth most populous country and the most populous Muslim-majority country. The world's most populous island of Java contains more than half of the country's population. The capital and largest city is Jakarta.

Stamps:
Upper row: Indonesian Defence Industry (whole set) - Issued: 05-10-2015
lower row: The 70th Anniversary of the House of Representatives (whole set) - Issued: 29-08-2015

Inside the cover I found these great cards:

Jakarta by Night

Island and Province of Bali

Senggigi Beach, Lombok

Many thanks to Justin for this great cover and postcards!

Russia: Novosibirsk Akademgorodok

Akademgorodok (Russian: Академгородо́к; Academic Town) is a part of the Sovetsky District of the city of Novosibirsk, Russia, located 30 km south of the city center and about 10 km west of the Science town Koltsovo. It is the educational and scientific centre of Siberia. As you can see on the card it is surrounded by a birch and pine forest on the shore of the Ob Sea, an artificial reservoir on the river Ob. Located within Akademgorodok is Novosibirsk State University, 35 research institutes, medical academy, apartment buildings and houses, and a variety of community amenities including stores, hotels, hospitals, restaurants and cafes, cinemas, clubs and libraries.

Stamps:
left: Coat of Arms - City of Derbent - Issued: 16-06-2015
right: Paintings - The 200th Anniversary of the Birth of Pavel Andreyevich Fedotov (1815-1852) - Issued: 23-06-2015


Many thanks again to Tonya!

Germany: Schwetzingen

Schwetzingen is a german town situated in the northwest of Baden-Württemberg, around 10 km (6.2 mi) southwest of Heidelberg and 15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Mannheim. Schwetzingen was mentioned as "Suezzingen" for the first time in 766, therefore the city is celebrating its 1250th Birthday this year. To commemorates this event the German Post issued a special stamp and postmark. Both you can see on the back of this card.

Stamp:
The 1250th Anniversary of the City of Schwetzingen - Issued: 02-01-2016 with special postmark

USA: Jackson Square, New Orleans

I received this card from New Orleans. New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The population of the city was 343,829 as of the 2010 U.S. Census. On the card you can see the Jackson Square. Formerly called the Place d'Arms and dominated by St. Louis Cathedral, Jackson Square was the social and cultural center of the Vieux Carre. The Jackson monument is an outstanding example of perfect balance; the entire weight of the statue rests solely on the hind legs of the horse.

Stamps:
left: Music Icons - Elvis Presley, 1935-1977 - Issued: 12-08-2015
right: Butterflies - Eastern Tiger Swallowtail - Issued: 01-06-2015


Thanks to Arnold for this nice card!

Germany: Mannheim

Mannheim is a city in the southwestern part of Germany, the third-largest in the German state of Baden-Württemberg after Stuttgart and Karlsruhe. Mannheim is among the twenty largest cities in Germany, with a 2012 population of approximately 295,000 inhabitants. Mannheim is located at the confluence of the Rhine and the Neckar in the northwestern corner of Baden-Württemberg. The Rhine separates Mannheim from the city of Ludwigshafen, just to the west of it in Rhineland-Palatinate, and the border of Baden-Württemberg with Hesse is just to the north. Mannheim is downstream along the Neckar from the city of Heidelberg. Besides others, Mannheim is twinned with Riesa.

Stamp:
Tourism - Germany's Most Beautiful Panoramas "Dresden" (from a set of two) - Issued: 03-04-2014

Switzerland: Lavaux Vineyard Terraces (Lake Geneva)

On saturday I received this cover with a beautiful stamp on it. The stamps are showing a great view on Lake Geneva . Lake Geneva (French: lac Léman, le Léman, sometimes lac de Genève  German: Genfersee) is a lake on the north side of the Alps, shared between Switzerland and France. It is one of the largest lakes in Western Europe. The view on the stamps is from Lavaux. It is a region in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland, in the district of Lavaux-Oron. The Lavaux consist of 830 hectares of terraced vineyards that stretch for about 30 km along the south-facing northern shores of Lake Geneva. Since July 2007, the Lavaux is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Stamps:
UNESCO World Heritage - Lavaux (whole set) - Issued: 09-09-2011


Thanks to Hansjürg for this nice Cover!

Greenland: Ilulissat

I also received this nice cover from Greenland today. It was hand-cancelled in Ilulissat, which is a town in the Qaasuitsup municipality in western Greenland, located approximately 350 km (220 mi) north of the Arctic Circle. The city was formerly known as Jakobshavn or Jacobshaven and with population of 4,541 as of 2013, it is the third-largest city in Greenland, after Nuuk and Sisimiut. In direct translation, Ilulissat is the Kalaallisut word for "Icebergs". The nearby Ilulissat Icefjord is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and has made Ilulissat the most popular tourist destination in Greenland.

Stamp:
Queen Margrethe II - Issued: 13-05-2015


♁ 69°13′N 51°06′W

Czech Republic: Offical Postcrossing Stamp

Today I received a nice cover from the Czech Republic. It symbolize the never-ending flow of postcards, from hand-in-hand, connecting different people all around the world. The stamp was launched in early September at the yearly Sběratel/Collector's fair.

Stamp:
Postcrossing - Issued: 02-09-2015

Many thanks to Klara for this nice cover!

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!