A very interesting formation...

FROM CANADA

Hello Fellow Collectors!

Today I have another postcard to show you...

It's a vintage card with a woman in bikini. Today this piece of clothing have changed dramatically...

In your opinion.... Did it change for better or for worse?

On the back of the postcard is an $1.60 Orchid stamp similar to the one bellow.

Issued 2007

The END... and the new Beginning!

CHINA - UK

Today have ended the 2008 Olympic Games Beijing!

These were truly magnificent games... In the Olympic spirit of friendship for all the people...

Congratulations P.R.CHINA!!

The Olympic spirit will now travel to UK for the preparation of the next Olympic Games London!

Olympic games (The Handover) M/S

Issue Date: 22 August2008

"Issued jointly by Royal Mail and China Post, The Olympic Games Miniature Sheet features two stamps of ancient towers, together with two of modern iconic steel structures. From Beijing the astonishing mesh of steel of the National Stadium, known to many as the Bird's Nest, sits next to London's iconic London Eye, one of the UK's most striking attractions. Representing the past tradition of each country, further stamps show Beijing's Corner Tower of the Forbidden City - home to China's Emperors for five centuries - and another former Royal residence, the world famous Tower of London." in RoyalMail website

If any of my reader would trade me the FDC of this issue, please let me know!

Thank you!

Portugal in the Olympics 1912-2008

NEW ISSUE: OLYMPIC GAMES BEIJING 2008

To commemorate the Olympic games in Beijing... the Portuguese postal authority and the Portuguese Olympic Committee issued 24 PERSONALIZED stamps about the participation of Portugak in the Olympics between the years of 1912 and 2008.

10.000 sets were issued, all numbered!

Men's Triple Jump Champion Nelson Evora: 2008 Olympics Beijing

The PORTUGUESE Nelson Evora Wins Men’s Triple Jump Gold Medal

It's our first Gold Medal in 12 years in the Olympics.... so congratulations to you Nelson! Keep up the good work! He jumped 17.67 meters beating Great Britain and Bahamas. Very nice job!

Next... I have an FDC from Russia on topic... yes, of course, Beijing Olympics...

Beijing 2008 Olympic Games

Date of Issue: 15 April 2008

There are many sport events on this set, from top strip to bottom strip:

1st strip: Volleyball, Badminton
2nd strip: Swimming, Canoe / kayak, Synchronised swimming, Water Polo
3rd strip: Boxing, Pommel horse, Rhythmic gymnastics, Equestrian, Marathon, High Jump, Weightlifting
4th strip: Sailing, Diving, Javelin, Fencing, Tennis, Taekwondo, Baseball
5th strip: Basketball, Floor exercise or Balance beam?, Shooting, Cycling, Wrestling, Pole vault, Archery
6th strip: Hockey, Hurdle, Trampoline, Football, Rings
7th strip: Beach volleyball, Handball

Hope you have enjoyed the news! Take care!

Portugal ATM 2008

International Year of the Fireman!

For all of you that like to collect ATM stamps... Today I'll show you some covers with a 2008 new issue from Portugal commemorating the International Year of the Fireman!

We have several different ATM machines distributed in the country. I'll show you 2 examples.


Above you can see the ATM stamps from the Crouzet machine. They are large ATM with a grey helmet design.

Bellow you can compare with the SMD ATM which are smaller and with a red helmet design!

And how are the ATMs in your country? Do they exist in your country? Do you like to collect them? Please let us know.... See you soon!

Ascension Island New Issue

Botanists & Plants 2008

Do you like Plants? If you're a plant lover you will surely like the new Ascension Island stamps set!

The earliest visitors to Ascension during the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries found very few plants growing on the island.

Today the colourful profusion of flowering plants and trees which now cover much of Ascension is the result of introductions from around the world.

35p - Valerius Cordus was a German apothecary whose detailed botanical studies advanced pharmacology in the early 16th century.The genus Cordia (BORAGINACEAE) commemorates his name. Cordia sebestena is known as the Geiger Tree or Anaconda.

40p - Born in Warwickshire Nehemiah Grew practiced medicine in Lo don where he became famous for his work on plant anatomy. The genus Grewia (TILIACEAE), which commemorates his name, is native to tropical Africa, Asia and Australia. The common names for Grewia occidentalis are Starflower and Four Corners.


50p - The French botanist, Charles Plumier, after whom the genus Plumeria (APOCYNACEAE) was named, was born in Marseilles. Plumeria rubra is perhaps more familiar to people as Frangipani or Pagoda or Temple Tree.

£2 - Carl Peter Thunberg was born in Sweden and went on to study medicine at Uppsala University, where he also became a pupil of Linnaeus. The genus of tropical plants, Thunbergia (ACANTHACEAE), is named after him. Thunbergia grandiflora is known as Bengal Clockvine or Bengal Trumpet.

More details of the issue here.

WWF Muriqui Monkey

BRAZIL 1986

Hello!

I think you all know that I collect stamps related to COSMOS/SPACE and also WWF... Yes... I'm glad that you knew that!


Today I have the above FDC to show you... It is a local WWF FDC issued by the Brazilian Post Office and not an official one from WWF.

Myself, I prefer the local ones and not the oficial ones, and you?


This set was issued in 1986 and is the 1st WWF issue from Brazil! It depicts the Muriqui Monkey.The name muriqui comes from the Tupi Indians of Brazil.

In the wild, muriquis are restricted to small, isolated patches of Atlantic coastal forest in Brazil. There are fewer than 2000 muriquis remaining in the wild.

The majority of their diet is composed of leaves and fruit, but they also eat flowers, bark, and buds.

Natural predators of muriquis include felids, such as jaguars, as well as raptors, but because top predators require large home ranges, the isolated patches of forest in which muriquis live do not support these animals in high enough numbers to create a critical threat for muriquis at Barreiro Rico and Montes Claros

Information retrieved from: Cawthon Lang KA. 2006 August 30. Primate Factsheets: Muriqui (Brachyteles) Taxonomy, Morphology, & Ecology. . Accessed 2008 August 17.

Pauline Johnson

Tekahionwake
1861 – 7 March

Today the Indian Princess knocked at my door... in the form of a postcard sent from Canada!

Thank you Tamra!

On the backside of the postcard reads: Remembered for her verse and stories, Emily Pauline Johnson Tekahionwake toured the world as the "Indian Princess", regaling crowds with romantic tales of Native American life. She is buried in Stanley Park.

For more information please click here.

8-8-2008

Hello! Very nice surprises I've received in my mailbox today...

The 1st one was a letter with a special address on... did the person in question thought I could get lost?!? Hmmm! ehehe :)

The 2nd one was a cover posted on 8.8.2008, the opening day of the Olympic games Beijing, with a Portuguese stamp depicting the Olympics!

Thank you Maria for this great surprise... I really wasn't expecting this!

Inside the letter was this card... in Portuguese!


For you that doesn't read Portuguese... It says many things but the most important one is that the jointed names of the Olympic mascots say: Beijing welcomes you!

Pretty cool, isn't it?

Take care and... see you soon!

Annie Oakley... Postcard!

Annie Oakley
1860-1926

Today I've received a postcard (with a female) from Canada... Yes, I also collect postcards with female figures and Annie Oakley is one very special woman.

On the backside of the postcard you can read:

Nicknamed "Little Miss Sure Shot", Annie traveled many years with Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. Her accuracy with rifle and pistol astounded thousands who flocked to see the show. She once shot a cigarette from the mouth of Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany.

The stamps (all 2008 isses) used were:

1. Founding of Quebec City (joint issue with France), issued on May 16.


2. Royal Canadian Mint, issued on Jun 4.


3. Beijing 2008 Olympics, issued on Jul 18.

Thank you Carole!

A postcard will soon fly in your direction!

USA....Former USSR... Space!

SPACE.... THE FINAL FRONTIER!!!

Today I have an American Cover to show you!

Well... it was sent by a friend and fellow collector.

On the left of the cover you can see one stamp from the US and 4 stamps from the former USSR! The US stamp depicts the Apollo XI mission issued in 1969. The 4 Russian stamps were issued to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Apollo XI in 1989... interesting .... isn't it?

Thank you Brian for making this great cover for me!

 

Olympic Games 2008

Beijing 2008 Olympics

S/S issued by Mozambique
(former Portuguese Colony)


Today was the official opening of the 2008 Olympics!

I want to wish good luck to all the Portuguese athletes competing at the games.

BOA SORTE / GOOD LUCK!

Mailbox.... Netherland Antilles!

Hello Blog Readers!

I've placed a challenge for people to send me pictures of mailboxes, see my previous post here!

You can still participate!!!
This challenge will only end at the end of August!

Today I've received a garden mailbox picture from Netherland Antilles sent by a fellow collector! Thank you!

Great Pictures!

And I know someone that will specially love to see this pink flamingo!

Joint Issue Canada-Japan

Anne of Green Gables

Anne of Green Gables is the name of a book published in 1908 and written by Lucy Maud Montgomery, a Canadian author.

Canadian issue 2008

According to WIKI "The novel is very popular in Japan, and Anne is an icon there. Many Japanese couples have wedding ceremonies on the grounds of the Green Gables farm and some girls arrive with red-dyed hair and pigtails, to look like Anne."

Japanese issue 2008


How famous is Anne of Green Gables in your country?

Birthday!

Happy Birthday my dear BLOG!

Today Stamp Friends Around the World celebrates ONE year of existence.

It's a daily battle to keep a blog running but It's also lots of fun!

I want to thank all the readers for keeping coming back for more stamp related topics and for your comments and support!

Thank you for making my blog... our blog!

Mailbox Competition...

Hello!

Yesterday I've placed a challenge for people to send me pictures of mailboxes from the street, their homes, garden mailboxes, etc... and to the winner I'll send 2 postcards from my country PORTUGAL!

You can still participate!!!
This challenge will only end at the end of August!

Today I've received a garden mailbox picture from Finland sent by Eeva! Thank you!

Great Picture!


Is it your home garden mailbox?

Challenge... for postcards!

Hello!

I've placed a challenge for people to send me pictures of mailboxes from the street, their homes, etc... and to the winner I'll send 2 postcards from my country PORTUGAL!

You can still participate!!!
This challenge will only end at the end of August!

The 1st person to send me mailboxes' pictures was Christina taken during her trip to Serbia last autumn.

The red mailbox is in the town of Pirot and is an original mailbox from early 20 century.

The yellow mailbox is inside an old Serbian monastery!

On the photo bellow you can see her travel companion Mr. Sheep sending her the postcard in the monastery mailbox!

You can still participate!!!
This challenge will only end at the end of August!

Please send your mailbox pictures to stamp.friends@gmail.com

Thank you Christina for these great pictures!

New Mail Prices

Prices go UP!!!

Starting today... 1st of August... sending a regular letter of up to 20gr (and yes, that includes postcards!) is more expensive! Portuguese Postal Offices increased the prices!!!!

..................now...........before

Portugal - € 0.31 0,30

Spain - € 0.57 0,52

Europe - € 0.67 - 0,61

Rest of the World - € 0.80 - 0,75

Very expensive wouldn't you say?

Who controls the letters controls the universe.... or should I say... He who controls the spice controls the universe!!! eheh

Well... life goes on... and letters continue to circulate...