Ukraine: 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro

Today is the last day of the Games of the XXXI. Olympiad. The games took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from 5th August to 21st August. More than 11,000 athletes from 207 National Olympic Committees, including first time entrants Kosovo, South Sudan, and a Refugee Olympic Team, took part.  With 306 sets of medals, the games featured 28 Olympic sports, including rugby sevens and golf, which were added to the Olympic program in 2009.

Stamps:
right: Olympic Games - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Issued: 23-07-2016
left:  Flora - Definitive - Issued: 11-01-2013


Many thanks to Roman for this cover!

USA: Alma, CO (Highest Post Office in the USA)

Some days ago, I received this nice cover. It comes from Alma, Colorado, USA. At an elevation of approximately 10,578 feet (3,224 m), the town is the highest incorporated municipality in the United States with permanent residents. In 2010 the population was 270. The town is also quite interesting, because it is also home to the highest US Post Office.

Stamps:
3x Go Green (from a set of 16) - Issued: 14-04-2011


Many thanks to Postmaster Connie for the great work!

UK: Return-to-Sender from Lerwick, Shetland Islands

This cover was also made by myself and I sent it to Shetland. Shetland, also called the Shetland Islands, is a subarctic archipelago of Scotland that lies northeast of the island of Great Britain and forms part of the United Kingdom. The islands lie some 80 km (50 mi) to the northeast of Orkney and 280 km (170 mi) southeast of the Faroe Islands and form part of the division between the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the North Sea to the east. The total area is 1,466 km2 (566 sq mi) and the population totalled 23,210 in 2012. The islands' administrative centre and largest settlement is Lerwick.

I sent it on April 29th and it arrived back after 96 days on August 3rd.

Stamp:
Tourism - Germany's Most Beautiful Panoramas 'Moselle' (from a set of two) - Issued: 07-04-2016

Germany: Lighthouses in Germany

Staberhuk Lighthouse is one of five Lighthouses of Fehmarn Island at the Baltic Sea in Germany. The tower was originally built with yellow bricks but it turned out that those were not suited for severe Baltic Sea winters. Therefore the north and west sides were later covered in red bricks which makes the lighthouse appear to have vertical red and yellow stripes. The Fresnel lens installed in the lantern was originally used in the Heligoland lighthouse while that North Sea island was under British administration in the 19th century. It was transferred to Staberhuk when the lighthouse in Heligoland was replaced in 1901.

Stamps:
Lighthouses "Staberhuk" - Issued: 07-07-2016 with special first day of Issue postmark


The Kampen lighthouse is located on the geestland core of the German island of Sylt, south of Kampen. It is a white conical stone tower with a broad black band. The Lighthouse was automated in 1997 and from 2004 to 2005 it was elaborately renovated and was therefore completely scaffolded for several months. On 4 June 2006 the 150th anniversary was celebrated with a Turmfest and the rare opportunity was provided to scale the newly renovated tower.

Stamp:
Lighthouses "Kampen" - Issued: 07-07-2016 with special first day of Issue postmark

Italy: The 90th Anniversary of the Institute of the Italian Encyclopedia

The Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana was founded in 1925 by the businessman and philanthropist Giovanni Treccani. His project was to publish the large Enciclopedia italiana di scienze, lettere ed arti (appearing in 35 volumes, 1929-1937, updated with appendices to the present day) and the Dizionario biografico degli italiani.  Both of these works were lacking in Italy at the time. From 1925 to 1943 the scholarly supervisor of the Istituto was philosopher Giovanni Gentile. Included among the rich list of publications are encyclopaedic-lexicographic works (from the Dizionario enciclopedico italiano, 1955-61 to La Piccola Treccani, 1995-97), a vast range of Italian dictionaries, works of historical-literary scope (Enciclopedia dantesca, Enciclopedia virgiliana, Enciclopedia oraziana, Federico II. Enciclopedia fridericiana). Since 1975 the Istituto has produced specialized encyclopaedias on various fields such as art, archaeology, the social sciences, law, cinema, fashion, sport, the human body, the life sciences and the history of cities (Storia di Milano, Storia di Venezia), in addition to art books (Pompeii, Venezia, Firenze).In keeping with the needs of contemporary society the Treccani’s editions are targeting an ever wider audience, branching out into different formats and channels of communication, from paper to multimedia support both on and offline (CD, DVD, Website).

Stamps:
Minisheet "The 90th Anniversary of the Institute of the Italian Encyclopedia" - Issued: 31-10-2015 with special postmark
Posta Italiana - Self Adhesive Stamp (0,25 €) - Issued: 13-02-2013


Many thanks to Ivan of this great Cover!

Austria: Mirabell Gardens

The Mirabell Gardens (German: Mirabellgarten) are part of the Mirabell Palace (German: Schloss Mirabell) a historical building in the city of Salzburg, Austria. The palace with its gardens is a listed cultural heritage monument and part of the Historic Centre of the City of Salzburg UNESCO World Heritage Site. The palace was built about 1606 on the shore of the Salzach river north of the medieval city walls, at the behest of Prince-Archbishop Wolf Dietrich Raitenau. Mirabell Gardens was completely redesigned under archbishop Johann Ernst von Thun in 1690 and in 1854, Emperor Franz Joseph made Mirabell Gardens open to the public for the very first time.

Stamp:
EUROPA - "Think Green" - Issued: 14-05-2016


Many thanks to Dustin for this nice card!

Germany: Goslar

Goslar is a historic town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the administrative centre of the district of Goslar and located on the northwestern slopes of the Harz mountain range. The Old Town of Goslar and the Mines of Rammelsberg are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. As the 2013 the Population of was 50,681.

Stamp:
Wild Germany - Saxon Switzerland National Park - Issued: 02-06-2016


Thanks to Michael, Sabrina and Niklas for this nice card!

Crimea: Sevastopol

Sevastopol (Ukrainian: Севасто́поль) is a city located in the southwestern region of the Crimean Peninsula on the Black Sea. As a result of the 2014 annexation of Crimea by Russia, the city is administered as a federal city of the Russian Federation, though Ukraine and most of the international community continue to regard Sevastopol as a city with special status within Ukraine.

Although Crimea is not a separate country, but because of the difficult political situation I listed it as an own country.

Stamps:
State Awards of the Russian Federation (from a set of 18) - Issued: 19-02-2016


Many thanks to David for this great card!

Canada: Return-to-Sender from Cambridge Bay, Nunavut

This cover arrived some days ago. I came back from Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, Canada. The town is located on Victoria Island in the Kitikmeot Region of Nunavut and got a population of about 1,477. It is named for Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge, while the traditional Inuinnaqtun name for the area is Ikaluktuutiak (old orthography) or Iqaluktuttiaq (new orthography) meaning "good fishing place". Cambridge Bay is the largest stop for passenger and research vessels traversing the Arctic Ocean's Northwest Passage.

I sent it on 16th May and it arrived back after 74 days on 29th July 2016.

Stamps:
left: The 500th Anniversary of the German Beer Purity Law - Issued: 07-04-2016
right: The 100th German Catholic Day - Leipzig, Germany - Issued: 02-05-2016

Cambridge Bay: ♁ 69° 07' N 105°03 W

Germany: Büsum

Büsum is a fishing and tourist town in the district of Dithmarschen, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is situated on the North Sea coast, approx. 18 km southwest of Heide. One of the landmarks of the town is Büsum Lighthouse. Built in 1912/13 from 55 tons of cast iron plates, it was originally painted black until it received its characteristic red and white daymark in 1952. It has been operated automatically since 1976 and is managed by the Water and Shipping Authority Tönning. From the harbor of Büsum, tourists can take trips to sea, either for pleasure or fishing, as nature trips along the Wadden Sea National Parks, or to the island Helgoland. During the first weekend in August, Büsum's fishermen race their boats in the annual Kutterregatta to determine the fastest fishing vessel. The first regatta was held in 1894. It is traditionally the highlight of summer events in Büsum.

Stamp:
Lighthouses "Buk" (from a set of two) - Issued: 03-07-2016

Stamp:
Flowers "Convallaria majalis" - Issued: 0-05-2010

Both stamp got a special ship cancellation from the "MS OL Büsum". Many thanks to my wife for these great cards!

Germany: Research Vessel Polarstern on The Expedition PS 99 from Bremerhaven to Tromsø

Yesterday I got this great cover. It comes from the Research Vessel and Icebreaker Polarstern. It is the most important resource for German polar research and the flagship of the Alfred Wegener Institute. Commissioned on 9 December 1982, the Polarstern has since logged more than 1.5 million nautical miles, or roughly 2.7 million kilometres (as of 2014). Today she’s one of the world’s most advanced and versatile polar research ships in the world.

The RV Polarstern expedition PS99 to the Arctic started on 13 June 2016 in Bremerhaven and led to study areas northwest of Bear Island, south of Spitsbergen and in the central and eastern Fram Strait. The cruise ended on 16 July 2016 in Tromsø (Norway).

Stamp:
The 100th Anniversary of the Awarding of the Title of Professor tio Rachel Hirsch (1870-1953) - Issued: 02-11-2013


Thanks to the Crew of RV Polarstern for this great cover!

USA: Return-to-Sender from Death Valley, CA

This cover came back to me some days ago. It was sent to the Death Valley Post Office in California, USA. Death Valley is a desert valley located in Eastern California. It is the lowest, driest, and hottest area in North America. Death Valley's Badwater Basin is the point of the lowest elevation in North America, at 282 feet (86 m) below sea level. The hottest air temperature ever recorded in Death Valley was 134 °F (56.7 °C) on July 10, 1913, at Furnace Creek, which is the hottest atmospheric temperature ever recorded on earth. The greatest number of consecutive days with a maximum temperature of 100 °F (38 °C) or above was 154 days in the summer of 2001. The summer of 1996 had 40 days over 120 °F (49 °C), and 105 days over 110 °F (43 °C).

The cover was sent on 22.04.2016 and arrived back with a nice postmark after 81 days on 12th July 2016.

Stamp:
Classic Cars (from a set of two) - Issued: 02-04-2015

USA: Ochopee, Florida - Smallest US Post Office Building

Yesterday I received this nice cover. It comes from the Post Office at Ochopee in Florida, USA. It claims to be the smallest in the United States. It is located about 3 miles (5 km) east of the intersection of US 41 and State Road 29. The building used to be a storage facility for irrigation pipes of an adjacent tomato farm. It was converted into a post office in 1953, after a fire which destroyed Ochopee's previous post office and general store.

It also got the famous Ochopee post mark:

Stamps:
3x Go Green (from a set of 16) - Issued: 14-04-2011

Switzerland: Lake Constance

Lake Constance (German: Bodensee) is a lake on the Rhine at the northern foot of the Alps, and consists of three bodies of water: the Obersee ("upper lake"), the Untersee ("lower lake"), and a connecting stretch of the Rhine, called the Seerhein. The lake is situated in Germany, Switzerland and Austria near the Alps. Specifically, its shorelines lie in the German states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, the Austrian state of Vorarlberg, and the Swiss cantons of Thurgau, St Gallen and Schaffhausen. The river Rhine flows into the lake from the south, with its original course forming the Austro-Swiss border, and has its outflow of the "Lower Lake" where it to some extent forms the German-Swiss border until the city Basel.

Stamps:
Lake Constance (whole Set) - Issued: 12-05-2016


Many thanks to Hansjürg for this great Cover!

Philippines: Fort Santiago

Fort Santiago (Spanish: Fuerte de Santiago; Filipino: Moóg ng Santiago) is a citadel first built by Spanish conquistador, Miguel López de Legazpi for the new established city of Manila in the Philippines. The defense fortress is part of the structures of the walled city of Manila referred to as Intramuros.The fort is one of the most important historical sites in Manila. Several lives were lost in its prisons during the Spanish Colonial Period and World War II. José Rizal, the Philippine national hero, was imprisoned here before his execution in 1896. The Rizal Shrine museum displays memorabilia of the hero in their collection and the fort features, embedded onto the ground in bronze, his footsteps representing his final walk from his cell to the location of the actual execution.

Stamp:
Miss Universe 2015: Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach - Issued: 17-04-2016

Germany: UEFA Euro 2016 Opening Game

The UEFA Euro 2016 is currently being held in France from 10 June to 10 July 2016. To commemorate the Opening Gamet, the german post issued a special cancellation. The host France played against Romania. France won 2-1 and later also advanced to Knockout phase.

Stamp:
Sports - Balls (from a set of three) - Issued: 02-05-2016 with special cancellation

Italy: EUROPA - "Think Green"

Once again a nice cover with the 2016 EUROPA Stamp for my collection. Italy also issued two stamps. One with the common design and a second one, designed by Anna Maria Maresca, shows a Globe protected by a tree.

Stamps:
EUROPA - "Think Green" (whole Set) - Issued: 09-05-2016


Many thanks to Gabriele for this nice cover!

Canada: Star Trek 50th Anniversary - Souvenir Sheet (U.S.S. Enterprise and Klingon battle cruiser)

Star Trek is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry that follows the adventures of the starship USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) and its crew. The first series, now referred to as The Original Series, debuted in 1966 and ran for three seasons on NBC. Star Trek has been a cult phenomenon for decades. Fans of the franchise are called Trekkies or Trekkers. The franchise spans a wide range of spin-offs including games, figurines, novels, toys, and comics. For it 50th Anniversary Canadian Post issued several stamps and collectibles showing the main characters of the series.

Stamps:
left: The 50th Anniversary of Star Trek "James T. Kirk" - Issued: 05-05-2016
right: The 50th Anniversary of Star Trek - U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 & Klingon Battle Cruiser (Mini Sheet) - Issued: 05-05-2016


Many thanks to Tristan for this great cover!

France: Saint-Nazaire Bridge

The Saint-Nazaire Bridge (French: Le pont de Saint-Nazaire) is a cable-stayed bridge spanning the Loire river and linking Saint-Nazaire on the north bank and Saint-Brevin-les-Pins on the south bank, in the department of Loire-Atlantique, Brittany, France. The Saint-Nazaire Bridge was commissioned on October 18, 1975 after three years of construction. With its 404-meter central span, the 720-meter metal structure held, at the time of its construction, the world record length for a cable-stayed metallic bridge.

Stamp:
EUROPA - "Think Green" - Issued: 09-05-2016


Many thanks to Stephane for this great card!

Belgium: Shrimp Fishing on Horseback (De Belgische Kust)

On the north-west Belgian coast, there is a little-known tradition: shrimp fishing on horseback. To do it, the fishermen drag the fishing nets behind them, picking up the shrimp from the sands while on horseback. The fishermen train Belgian draft horses, with an average weight of 1000kg, and use special materials to capture the shrimp. Listed, since December 2013, on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity because of the activity’s respect for the marine environment and the cultural heritage and promotion it provides to the local community among other reasons, shrimp fishing on horseback is currently only practiced by 15 fishermen who work as a community and are fully involved in keeping this tradition alive.

Stamp:
Shrimp Fishermen on Horseback - Issued: 27-06-2015


Many thanks to Lara for this nice card with matching stamp!

Russia: 2016 IIHF World Championship Russia FDC

The 2016 IIHF World Championship was the 80th such event hosted by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), being held in Moscow and Saint Petersburg, Russia, from 6 May to 22 May 2016. Canada won their 26th gold medal, defeating Finland 2–0 in the gold medal game. For this event Russian Post issued a special FDC and stamp. The stamp features the official mascot of the 2016 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship: Laika the Dog in a hockey sweater.

Stamp:
IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship - Russia - Issued: 06-05-2016 with special first day of issue postmark


Thanks to Ivan for sending me this FDC in an envelope!

Spain: Paguera, Mallorca (Balearic Islands)

Peguera is a tourist town in the municipality of Calvià on the island of Majorca (also spelled as Mallorca in Spanish), part of the Spanish autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. It has three large beaches and hundreds of hotels, hostels and apartments. The population is approximately 3,988 inhabitants. The town's name refers to the oven tar produced in this area from the pitch of pine tree resin.

Stamp:
Tourism (from a set of two) - Issued: 02-01-2016


Many thanks to Gabi and "Kalle" for this nice card!

Andorra: EUROPA - "Think Green" (French Post)

Again a nice cover for my EUROPA Stamps of 2016 collection. This time it comes from Andorra. Andorra is the sixth-smallest nation in Europe, having an area of 468 km2 (181 sq mi) and a population of approximately 85,000. Its capital Andorra la Vella is the highest capital city in Europe, at an elevation of 1,023 metres (3,356 ft) above sea level. The official language is Catalan, although Spanish, Portuguese, and French are also commonly spoken.

Stamps:
EUROPA - "Think Green" - Issued: 20-05-2016 with special first day of Issue postmark


Thanks to Roland for this great Cover! 

Germany: Bielefeld, SchücoArena

On the card you can see our local football stadium. The stadium, which has a capacity of 27 300, is owned by the football club DSC Arminia Bielefeld and mostly used for the club's matches. Formerly named Stadion Alm, it is currently known as SchücoArena due to a sponsorship deal with the Bielefeld-based window and solar panel manufacturers.

Stamp:
Sports - Balls (from a set of three) - Issued: 02-05-2016 with special first day of Issue postmark