Indonesia: World Press Freedom Day

Every year, 3 May is a date which celebrates the fundamental principles of press freedom; to evaluate press freedom around the world, to defend the media from attacks on their independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession. This year the UNESCO, the Government of Indonesia, and the Press Council of Indonesia co-organized the World Press Freedom Day's main event and the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize Ceremony in Jakarta, Indonesia, from 1-4 May 2017.

This nice cover was sent to me from Pontianak, Indonesia. The city is located precisely on the equator, hence it is widely known as Kota Khatulistiwa (Equatorial City). The city center is actually less than 3 kilometres (2 mi) south of the equator.

Stamps:

World Press Freedom Day (full Set) - Issued: 03-05-2017

Many thanks to Muhammad for this nice Cover!

Åland: EUROPA - Kastelholms Slott

Kastelholm Castle (Swedish: Kastelholms slott) is a Swedish-buil medieval castle located in Sund, Åland, Finland, approximately 25 kilometres (16 mi) northeast of of the capital Mariehamn, overlooking a fjord to the south of the village of Kastelholm. Built in the 14th century, and held in fief during the Middle Ages by various nobles, feudal chiefs, and kings, it had significant period in the 15th and 16th centuries. Today it is an important part of the tourist circuit in Åland.

I'm happy to receive this cover with a matching illustrated postmark from Kastelholm Castle!

Stamp:
EUROPA "Castles" - Issued: 09-05-2017 with matching postmark

Latvia: EUROPA - "Castles"

Latvia is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe, one of the three Baltic states. The capital of Latvia is Riga. For this year's EUROPA theme Latvian Post issued two stamps. The first one shows Bauska Castle (Nom. 1,71 €). It is a complex consisting of the ruins of an earlier castle and a later palace on the outskirts of the Latvian city of Bauska. The other one is Cesvaine Palace (Nom. 0,78 €). It is located in the town of Cesvaine in the Madona District. Next to the palace are the old medieval castle ruins, remains from the old bishops castle. Cesvaine Palace was built in 1896 for the German baron Emil von Wulf.

Stamps:
EUROPA Castles (full set) - Issued: 21-04-2017


Many thanks to Vera for this nice Cover!

France: EUROPA - "Castles"

For this year's EUROPA Issue the french Post put together three castles on one stamp. You can see Castles of the Loire Valley, Chambord (Loir-et-Cher), Azay-le-Rideau (Indre-et-Loire) and Chenonceau (Indre-et-Loire). The Loire-Valley, the region, where all these castles are located is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000. 

Stamp:

EUROPA 2017 "Castles" - Issued: 14-05-2017

Many thanks to Eric for this nice Cover!

USA: Total Solar Eclipse of August 21st 2017

Today, on the 21st of August 2017, a total solar eclipse crosses the USA from Oregon to South Carolina. On this day, the Moon completely obscures the Sun.  The day instantly turns to deep twilight and the Sun's corona becomes visible for a precious two minutes. As you can see on the card the total eclipse is only visible within a 110-km (70-mile) wide path that crosses the USA. In other countries it will only be visible as a partial eclipse.

I'm very happy to receive this special card for this lifetime event with also a special stamp. The stamp looks black, but if you press your finger on it the moon will appear.

Stamp:
Total Solar Eclipse - Issued: 20-06-2017


Many thanks to Nancy for this great Card!

Germany: Search and Rescue Vessels of the German Maritime Search and Rescue Service (DGzRS)

The German Maritime Search and Rescue Service (German: Deutsche Gesellschaft zur Rettung Schiffbrüchiger - DGzRS) is responsible for Search and Rescue in German territorial waters in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, including the Exclusive Economic Zone. The headquarters and the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre of the Society are located in Bremen, Germany. It was founded in Kiel on 29 May 1865. It owns 61 lifeboats at 54 stations which are operated by 185 employed crew members and 800 volunteers.

The DGzRS operates 59 vessels on 54 stations in the North Sea and Baltic. 20 of which are seagoing cruisers (German: Seenotrettungskreuzer) between 20 m and 46 m of length and 39 vessels are classified as inshore lifeboats (German: Seenotrettungsboote). A feature of the cruisers is that all but the 20-m class carry a fully equipped small lifeboat on deck which can quickly be released through a gate in the aft for conducting operations in shallow waters.

In this Post I'd like to show you some Covers from my collection with Ship-Cancellations and/or Cachets of these Cruisers and Lifeboats.


1. SK Bernhard Gruben

This is a 23.1-m class Cruiser. It's homeport is Norderney, which is one of the seven East Frisian Islands off the North Sea coast of Germany. As you can see from the Cachet this Cruiser got a small but fully equipped lifeboat on Deck. The Cruiser was built in 1997 and was named after Bernhard Gruben, a foreman, who died in accident in 1st January 1995.

2. SK Anneliese Kramer

This is a 28-m class Cruiser. It's homeport is Cuxhaven. This is a very new Cruiser, which was built in 2017 and it also got a lifeboat on Deck. The Cruiser was named after Anneliese Kramer, who donated much of her fortune to DGzRS after she died.

3. SRB Secretarius

This is a small 9,5/10,1-m class Boat and also one of the newest. It's homeport is the East Frisian Island Langeoog. The Ship Commissioning Ceremony was held on 12th August 2017 in Berne, Germany. On the Cover you can see the Cachet for this Ceremony. The Boat was named after the Organisator of the so-called "Bremer Eiswette", which is an annual bet since 1829 if the River Weser in Bremen is frozen on the 6th of January or not.

USA: Oscar de la Renta (1932-2014)

Óscar Arístides Renta Fiallo (22 July 1932 – 20 October 2014), known professionally as Oscar de la Renta, was a Dominican fashion designer. De la Renta became internationally known in the 1960s as one of the couturiers who dressed Jacqueline Kennedy. An award-winning designer, he worked for Lanvin and Balmain. US Postal Service honored him with a Stamps Set including 11 images - an evocative black-and-white portrait of de la Renta and 10 details from some of his most exquisite gowns.

Stamps:
Oscar de la Renta (1932-2014) (from a Set of 11) - Issued: 16-02-2017


Many thanks to A.W. Welch for this nice Cover!

Greenland: Princess Mary & Prince Fred of Denmark Copper Wedding Anniversary

In Denmark there are three major Marriage Milestones: Gold is 50 years, Silver is 25 and Cooper is 12½ years. Prince Frederik of Denmark wed Princess Mary, formerly Mary Donaldson, in May 2004 after meeting four years earlier at the Sydney Olympics. In November 2016 they now celebrated their Copper Wedding. For this special Occasion Greenland Post issued a special Sheet. This sheet contains a nice family portrait of the Royal Family. I used this sheet to send this cover from the International Stamp Fair in Essen.

Stamp:
Copper Wedding Anniversary, Frederik/Mary - Issued: 17-10-2016

Falkland Islands: Whale & Dolphin Definitives

This is my first Cover from Falkland Islands. The Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean on the Patagonian Shelf. The principal islands are about 300 miles (483 kilometres) east of South America's southern Patagonian coast, at a latitude of about 52°S. As a British overseas territory, the Falklands have internal self-governance, and the United Kingdom takes responsibility for their defence and foreign affairs. The islands' total population is about 3400, the capital is Stanley.

On the Cover you see two stamps from the Whale and Dolphin Definitives Set. The left one is the Long-finned Pilot and the right one are "Killer Whales"

Stamps:
Marine Life - Whales and Dolphins (from a Set of 12) - Issued: 09-11-2012

Germany: Zugspitze (Schneefernerhaus) - Germany's Highest Post Office

The Zugspitze at 2,962 m (9,718 ft) above sea level, is the highest peak of the Wetterstein Mountains as well as the highest mountain in Germany. It lies south of the town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, and the Austria–Germany border runs over its western summit. This nice Cover was cancelled at Germany's highest Post Office. On the Postmark you can see the Schneefernerhaus.  It is a former hotel in the Alps, that is now used as an environmental research station. It lies immediately below the summit of the Zugspitze at a height of 2,650 m and was opened on 20 June 1931.

Stamp:
The 200th Anniversary of the Invention of the Bicycle - Issued: 13-07-2017


Many thanks to Alexander for this nice Cover!

Switzerland: EUROPA - "Castles"

Switzerland issued two different stamps for the 2017 EUROPA theme. The stamps show three different Castles in Bellinzona: Sasso Corbaro, Montebello and Castelgrande. Bellinzona's castles and their fortified walls form part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Their history dates back to the Palaeolithic Period. Castelgrande - depicted on the right-hand stamp - is the oldest of the three castles and was first mentioned in 590. From 1506 it became the seat of the federal governors of Canton Uri.Castello Montebello is the fortification in the middle. It was built towards the end of the 13th century, just as the Gotthard Pass was becoming the most important route across the Alps. It was home to the governors of Canton Schwyz. Castello di Sasso Corbaro, shown on the left, is the smallest and newest of the three castles, but enjoys the most elevated position. In 1506 the castle fell into the hands of Canton Nidwalden and remained there until it was passed on to newly founded Canton Ticino in 1803.

Stamps:
EUROPA "Castles" (Full Set) - Issued: 11-05-2017


Many thanks to Hansjürg for this nice Cover!

Liechtenstein: EUROPA - "Castles"

Liechtenstein issued two different stamp for this year's EUROPA theme. The first stamps shows Vaduz Castle. Vaduz Castle (German: Schloss Vaduz) is the palace and official residence of the Prince of Liechtenstein. The castle gave its name to the town of Vaduz, the capital of Liechtenstein, which it overlooks from an adjacent hilltop. I got the stamp on a special Fair Cover from the International Stamp Fair in Essen including a special Fair Cancellation.

The second stamp shows Gutenberg Castle (German: Burg Gutenberg). It is a preserved castle in the town of Balzers, Liechtenstein, the centre of the municipality of Balzers. Gutenberg is one of the five castles of the principality and one of two that have survived preserved until the present day. Unlike Vaduz Castle, Gutenberg Castle does not serve as a residence of the princely family of Liechtenstein and is open to the general public as a museum.

Stamps:
EUROPA - Palaces and Castles (full Set) - Issued: 06-03-2017

Canada: Star Trek - Year 2

After last year the Canadian Post issued also this year a series of stamps dedicated to Star Trek. This series is called "Year 2", so one can expect more stamps to come? We will see. I received this nice Cover with the complete set on it. It shows five legendary leaders of the so-called Starfleet. Featured on the stamps are: Kirk (William Shatner), Picard (Patrick Stewart), Sisko (Avery Brooks), Archer (Scott Bakula) and Janeway (Kate Mulgrew). As an addition a permanent domestic rate stamp was also issued (you can see it one left). It shows the Shuttle Galileo. It appeared in episode "The Galileo Seven” and was deployed to navigate the treacherous parts of space that the U.S.S. Enterprise could not.

Stamps:
Star Trek - Year 2 (full Set) - Issued: 27-04-2017


Many thanks to Tristan for this great Cover!

Chile: Multi-View Card

I received this nice card from a friend of mine. He was hiking with friends on the "Greater Patagonian Trail" in Chile. It is a long distance network of trails in the southern Andes that spans from the outskirts of Santiago all the way to southern Patagonia. On this journey they made a documentary of their experiences to create more awareness for the issues the people are dealing with in this region.

They now started a Kickstarter-Campaign to make this documentary possible. If you like to contribute, check this link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1118318772/unbounded-a-feature-documentary

Stamp:
Label


Many thanks to Aljoscha and to the Crew of the Unbounded Film Project!


Also check their FB-Page: https://www.facebook.com/unboundedthefilm/

Ukraine: EUROPA - "Castles"

Ukraine issued two different stamps for the EUROPA 2017 theme. The stamps show Medzhybizh Fortress (left) and Olesko Castle (right). The first one is situated at the confluence of the Southern Bug and Buzhenka rivers, in the town of Medzhybizh. It was built as a bulwark against Ottoman expansion in the 1540s and became one of the strongest fortresses of the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland in Podolia. Olesko Castle is located within the borders of the present-day Busk Raion in Ukraine. The first historical records of the castle are in a document dated 1327, when Pope Boniface IX gave Halych, a Catholic bishop, this castle as a gift. It is located about seventy-five kilometers from Lviv, the largest city in western Ukraine.

Stamps:
EUROPA - "Castles" - Issued: 09-06-2017


Many thanks to Roman for this nice Cover!

Spain: Cover from B.I.O. Hesperides

BIO Hespérides (A-33), is a Spanish polar research vessel. It was built in 1990, by Bazán Shipyards of Cartagena (Spain). Hespérides is used to service the research bases in Antarctica, mainly the Spanish Juan Carlos I Antarctic Base, as well as to perform research voyages. It is operated by the Spanish Navy and the responsible of the scientific equipment is the Spanish National Research Council.

The Ship departed from its base in Cartagena back in December 2016 for its 30th Antarctic campaign. Throughout this campaign 17 scientific research projects took place. Many of these projects were related to research on climate change and global warming. It arrived back in Cartagena in the End of May 2017.

Stamp:
The 30th Anniversary of Spain as Member State of the European Union - Issued: 07-07-2016

San Marino: EUROPA - "Castles"

This Cover was also mailed from the International Stamp Fair in Essen. It arrived some days ago and shows the contribution of San Marino to this year's EUROPA stamps theme. San Marino is an enclaved microstate surrounded by Italy, situated on the Italian Peninsula on the northeastern side of the Apennine Mountains. Its size is just over 61 km2 (24 sq mi), with a population of 33,562. Its capital is the City of San Marino and its largest city is Serravalle. San Marino has the smallest population of all the members of the Council of Europe.

The € 0.95 value shows the Second Tower of San Marino, called Cesta, situated on the highest point of Mount Titano, 755 meters above sea level. It was an ancient Roman watchtower and in 1956 it became the seat of the Museum of Ancient Arms. The €1.00 value shows the First Tower, named Guaita, which is the major and most ancient of the three rocks, dating back to the 11th century.

Stamps:
EUROPA "Castles" (Full Set) - Issued: 07-03-2017

Switzerland: Churfirsten Mountain Range

Churfirsten is a mountain range of peaks that rise up to 2,306 metres above sea level over Lake Walen, Switzerland. They form the natural boundary between the canton's Toggenburg and Sarganserland districts. The name is a plural, indicating the peaks forming the historical boundary of the bishopric of Chur. It has historically also been folk-etymologized as "Kurfürsten", i.e. the prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire who in the later medieval period (until 1648) numbered seven, which in turn encouraged the count of seven main or "official" peaks. The standard "seven peaks" of the Churfirsten are (from west to east):Selun (2205 m), Frümsel (2263 m), Brisi (2279 m), Zuestoll (2235 m), Schibenstoll (2234 m), Hinterrugg (2306 m), Chäserrugg (2262 m).

Stamps:
Churfirsten (Strip of four Stamps) - Issued: 11-05-2017


Many thanks to Hansjürg for this great Cover!

Guernsey: EUROPA - Castle Cornet

Another nice Cover with the 2017 EUROPA Theme stamp. This comes from Guernsey, an island in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy. The stamps on the cover were issued in a set of six different views of Castle Cornet. But only these two stamps are the contribution to the 2017 theme. Castle Cornet is located on a former tidal island, also known as Cornet Rock or Castle Rock. Its importance was as a guardian not only of the Island, but of the roadstead. It became part of one of the breakwaters of St Peter Port's harbour, the main one in the island, since 1859. It was built between 1206 and 1256 and in use until mid 19th century.

I sent this cover from the International Stamp Fair in Essen and so a special Postmark from this event was also applied on the Cover.

Stamps:
EUROPA "Castle Cornet" (from a set of six) - Issued: 04-05-2017

Finland: EUROPA - "Castles"

The Europa issue (also known as Europa - CEPT until 1992) is an annual joint issue of stamps with a common design or theme by postal administrations member of the European Communities (1956-1959), the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT from 1960 to 1992), then the PostEurop Association since 1993. The Theme for this year, 2017, is "Castles". The Finnish Post was very creative with it's design of the stamp. They just choose a Snowcastle - brilliant idea!

Stamp:
EUROPA "Castles" - Issued: 20-01-2017


Many thanks to Kimmo for this nice Cover!

Germany: Essen International Stamp Fair 2017

The 27th Essen International Stamp Fair took place from 11th to 13th May 2017. It is the oldest event of its kind in Germany, or for that matter, in the entire world. Collectors have been streaming to the Ruhr metropolis from near and far since 1976. Since 2006, the event has been held on an annual basis at the beginning of May. I attended this Stamp Fair for one day and sent this Cover to myself.

The postmark on this cover is kind of special, because its only available at this Stamp Fair. You can read the german word "Messe" ("Fair") on the postmark which indicates this.

Stamp:
The 50th Anniversary of Sports Charity Stamps (from a set of three) - Issued: 11-05-2017

France: The Great Wave

The beautiful stamp on this Cover from France shows "The Great Wave off Kanagawa", also known as "The Great Wave" or simply "The Wave". It is a woodblock print by the Japanese ukiyo-e artist Hokusai. It was published sometime between 1829 and 1833 in the late Edo period as the first print in Hokusai's series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji. It is Hokusai's most famous work, and one of the most recognizable works of Japanese art in the world.

Stamp:

Hokusai - The Great Wave off Kanazawa - Issued: 19-01-2015

Many thanks to Eric for sending me this nice stamp on a cover!

Liechtenstein: Ruggeller Riet

Ruggell is the most northerly and low-lying of the Liechtenstein communities/municipalities. While Liechtenstein is known as a largely mountainous country, Ruggell is largely flat and is situated along the Rhine River, where the international borders with Switzerland and Austria meet. The stamp shows the Ruggeler Riet Nature Reserve. It covers an area of 90 hectares. Its rich variety of local fauna and, in particular, flora makes it a fascinating region perfect for nature-lovers.

Stamps:
Nature Reserves in Liechtenstein – Ruggeller Riet (from a set of four) - Issued: 06-06-2016

Germany: Research Vessel Polarstern on the Expedition PS 104 (Punta Arenas – Punta Arenas)

This is another great cover from the german Research Vessel and Icebreaker Polarstern. The Expedition PS 104 was planned to start on 6th February 2017 from Punta Arenas to the Amundsen Sea (Antarctica) and then return back to Punta Arenas on 18th March 2017. The main research programme of the Expedition PS 104 was aimed to use the so called MeBo seabed drilling system to drill a series of up to 70 m long sediment cores from the oldest to the youngest sedimentary sequences of the Amundsen Sea Embayment shelf.

For further Details of the Expedition check: http://expedition.awi.de/expedition/PS104?alias=null

Stamp:
Youth Philately - Indigenous Saltwater Fish (from a set of 3) - Issued: 04-08-2016 with Ship Cancellation of RV Polarstern


Thanks to the Crew of RV Polarstern for the excellent work!

Germany: Frankfurt (Oder)

Frankfurt (Oder) is a town in Brandenburg, Germany, located on the Oder River, on the German-Polish border directly opposite the town of Słubice, which was part of Frankfurt until 1945. At the end of the 1980s, it reached a population peak with more than 87,000 inhabitants. The number dropped below 70,000 in 2002 and was just above 60,000 in 2010. The official name Frankfurt (Oder) and the older "Frankfurt an der Oder" are used to distinguish it from the larger city of Frankfurt am Main.

Stamp:

Easter Cartoon (from a set of two) - Issued: 01-03-2014

Many thanks to Holger for this nice card!

Switzerland: 200th Anniversary of the Bicycle

The first verifiable claim for a practically used bicycle belongs to German Baron Karl von Drais, a civil servant to the Grand Duke of Baden in Germany. Drais invented his Laufmaschine (German for "running machine") of 1817 that was called Draisine (English) or draisienne (French) by the press. Today, 200 years later, the bicycle is seen as an efficient and highly ecological means of transport that enhances the quality of life. Like in many other countries Bicycles are very popular in Switzerland, too. Swiss Post celebrates this event with a set of two different Stamps (CHF 1.00 Draisine and CHF 1.00 Modern Bicycle).

Stamps:
200th anniversary of the bicycle (full set) - Issued: 02-03-2017


Many thanks to Hansjürg for this great cover!

Germany: Town Musicians of Bremen

Like every year the german post issued a stamp series dedicated to Welfare. This year's Welfare Stamps Theme is "Town Musicians of Bremen". It is a fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm. In the story a donkey, a dog, a cat, and a rooster (or hen), all past their prime years in life and usefulness on their respective farms, were soon to be discarded or mistreated by their masters. One by one they leave their homes and set out together. They decide to go to Bremen, known for its freedom, to live without owners and become musicians there.

The Set of welfare stamps includes three different motifs out of this fairy tale: 1.  „Freunde treffen“ (70 Cent + 30 Cent), 2. "Der Überfall" (85 Cent + 40 Cent) and 3. "Im Neuen Zuhause" (145 Cent + 55 Cent).

Stamps:
Charity Stamps - Town Musicians of Bremen (full set) - Issued: 09-02-2017 with Special First-Day of Issue Postmark