Postcards from around the World: February 2020

Saturday, February 29, 2020

OMAN

SULTANATE OF OMAN

Oman is a country in the middle east which is well populated with people from Kerala, my state in India especially Muscat and Salalah. Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman, is an Arab country on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia.

The speciality of Salalah is that the nature there and climate is a contrast to the entire middle east. That might have been the attraction for many Keralites as the climates in Kerala and Salalah tag well along. Oman is believed to be the oldest Arab state to have been formed in the Arabian peninsula.

A dagger, this weapon originated in Oman and was spread to other countries mainly using the Ottoman empire. Originally meant to defend one, over time it lost its significance as a weapon and is currently carried around as a ceremonial dagger. It has gone on to become a symbol of pride and can be found on the national emblem of Oman as well as the Omani rial. It can be found in any souq and is usually sold as a souvenir.

My friend Robert sent me the card from Oman on his holiday there with family with a nice postmark. It depicts the Grand Mosque. Really beautiful❤️❤️. It is postmarked at a town called Al Hamra, a 400 year ild town in Northeastern town.

Grand Mosque

Postmarked at Al Hamra on 30/12/2019

GREENLAND

Greenland is the world's largest island, located between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. It is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark.

Greenland boasts the second largest ice sheet in the world after Antarctica, which covers more than 1.8 million square kilometres. That is, in fact, nearly the entirety of the Greenland island: a whopping 80% of it.

Wonder why Greenland is called 'green'? The name is said to have been given by Erik the Red, who settled there in the 900s after being exiled from Iceland for murder.

Some say he gave that name as a kind of medieval marketing, hoping to get more settlers to join him. Others believe temperatures were higher and the land greener at the time, leading many people to join him. There were about 280 farms in the two earliest main settlements.

My friend Christian send me the below aerogramme from Greenland with beautiful pictures of animals and a great postmark.

Picture aerogramme with map of Greenland with
postmark of Nuuk 03/10/2019

Another interesting card is FW Greenland sent by a good friend on 10/01/2020 at Tasilaq. Tasiilaq, formerly Ammassalik and Angmagssalik, is a town in the Sermersooq municipality in southeastern Greenland. With 2,017 inhabitants as of 2013, it is the most populous community on the eastern coast, and the seventh-largest town in Greenland.

FW Greenland

Postmarked in Tasiilaq on 10/01/2020

GRENADA

Grenada is a Caribbean country comprising a main island, also called Grenada, and smaller surrounding islands. Dubbed the “Spice Isle,” the hilly main island is home to numerous nutmeg plantations. It’s also the site of the capital, St. George’s, whose colourful homes, Georgian buildings and early-18th-century Fort George overlook narrow Carenage Harbour. To the south is Grand Anse Beach, with resorts and bars.

The Grenada dove, which is a critically endangered species, is the national bird of Grenada. The national meal of the island nation is called “oildown”. The meal is cooked in coconut milk until it is completely absorbed. Grenada is the home of the world’s first underwater sculpture park. The sculptures are developed with concrete and rebar, and are placed naturally without affecting the natural reef and the lives of its inhabitants adversely.

The below card was sent by my friend Camille which is a beautiful card of the FW series postmarked at St.George's.❤️💚

FW Grenada with some facts

Postmarked at St. George's on 05/01/2020

Kyrgyzstan

KYRGYZSTAN

Kyrgyzstan, officially the Kyrgyz Republic, and also known as Kirghizia, is a country in Central Asia. Kyrgyzstan is a landlocked country with mountainous terrain. It is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west and southwest, Tajikistan to the southwest and China to the east.

Kyrgyzstan is a country my dad visited years ago on work and spent 2 months. So he knows a lot about the life there. He says that the people are friendly there although men do not work much but leave it to women. The water there flowing from the mountains is crystal clear.

My friend Moazzam sent me this beautiful card showing the Tian Shan Mountains in Kyrgyzstan. Beautiful place is it is. Thank you very much buddy.

The Tian Shan Mountains, Kyrgyzstan

Postmarked in Bishkek on 30/01/2020

Friday, February 28, 2020

NORTH KOREA

North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, is a country in East Asia constituting the northern part of the Korean Peninsula, with Pyongyang as its capital and the largest city in the country.

For a postcard collector like me North Korea is a real hard country to find. Really happy that Baby Pig helped me this card postmarked at Pyongyang. The postmark is great. Lovely card as well.

Two beautiful Pyongyang postmarks on 24/01/2020

Tuesday, February 25, 2020

CAMBODIA

Cambodia is a Southeast Asian nation whose landscape spans low-lying plains, the Mekong Delta, mountains and Gulf of Thailand coastline. Phnom Penh, its capital, is home to the art deco Central Market, glittering Royal Palace and the National Museum's historical and archaeological exhibits. In the country's northwest are the ruins of Angkor Wat, a massive stone temple complex built during the Khmer Empire.

Cambodia is famous for a Hindu temple known as Angkor Wat temple. Here the sunrise is the most captivate thing. There are so many temples like Ta Prohm temple, Bayon which is the central temple of the ancient city of Angkor Thom attract the peoples to go there and see the beauty of this place.

My first card from Cambodia is FW Cambodia sent by Hau. The postmark reads Pochentong. Phnom Penh International Airport was formerly known as Pochentong International Airport.

FW Cambodia

Postmark Pochentong on 03/01/2020

My second card from Cambodia was sent by Martine which shows a floating village called Kampong Phluk, South of the Roluos group. Sounds interesting?

Kampong Phluk

Postmarked in Phnom Penh on 20/01/2020

NEVIS

NEVIS

Nevis is part of the Caribbean Islands of Saint Kitts and Nevis. The capital is Charlestown. The name Nevis is derived from Spanish "Nuestra Señora de las Nieves" meaning "Out Lady of the Snows".

Booby High Shoals is a popular offshore dive site sheltering sea turtles and stingrays. The below card was sent to me by Mangwan, a well known postcrosser with a great postmark❤️

Postmarked on 13/01/2020 in Charlestown HPO

FW Saint Kitts and Nevis

SVALBARD

Svalbard is a Norwegian archipelago between mainland Norway and the North Pole. One of the world’s northernmost inhabited areas, it's known for its rugged, remote terrain of glaciers and frozen tundra sheltering polar bears, Svalbard reindeer and Arctic foxes. The Northern Lights are visible during winter, and summer brings the “midnight sun”—sunlight 24 hours a day.

Polar bears are the iconic symbol of Svalbard, and one of the main tourist attractions.The animals are protected and people moving outside the settlements are required to have appropriate scare devices to ward off attacks. They are also advised to carry a firearm for use as a last resort.

A good friend sent me the below postcard postmarked at Longyearbyen on 12 December 2019 with a great postmark.

Special postmark of Longyearbyen on 12/12/2018

REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

When hearing Congo what comes to mind is Democratic Republic of Congo. But this is Republic of the Congo. Both are different.

The Republic of the Congo, also called Congo-Brazzaville, is a central African nation with rainforest reserves that are habitats for gorillas. Its capital city, Brazzaville, lies across the Congo River from Kinshasa, the capital of neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo. Brazzaville's highlights include traditional craft markets and the mid-20th-century Basilique Sainte-Anne, with a green-tiled roof and spire.

French Congo included Congo Brazaville. This card is postmarked on 14 October 2019 in Brazaville.

FW Congo Republic

Postmarked on 14/10/2019 in Brazaville

REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA

South Africa is a country on the southernmost tip of the African continent, marked by several distinct ecosystems. Inland safari destination Kruger National Park is populated by big game. The Western Cape offers beaches, lush winelands around Stellenbosch and Paarl, craggy cliffs at the Cape of Good Hope, forest and lagoons along the Garden Route, and the city of Cape Town, beneath flat-topped Table Mountain.

The speciality of South Africa is it's the "Rainbow Nation", an achievement thanks to Mandela and the South Africans. They have been through a lot. Recently the mail service in South Africa is compromising on speed and reliability. Don't know how long it will survive.

My friend Hannah sent me this card postmarked at Port Elizabeth❤️

Views of Cape Town

Postmarked on 17/12/2019

TURKMENISTAN

Turkmenistan is a country in Central Asia bordered by the Caspian Sea and largely covered by the Karakum Desert. It’s known for archaeological ruins including those at Nisa and Merv, major stops along the ancient trade route the Silk Road. Ashgabat, the capital, was rebuilt in Soviet style in the mid-20th century and is filled with grand monuments honoring former president Saparmurat Niyazov.

The national flag features a white crescent (symbol of Islam) and five stars representing the five regions of the country. Placed upon a green field is a symbolic representation of the country's famous carpet industry.

My friend Olesya sent me this card postmarked at Ashgabat for my humble collection. Lovely card for my collection.

FW Turkmenistan with details

Postmarked in Ashgabat on 16/12/2019

ANTARCTICA

Antarctica is not a country. It's a place shared by many countries with their research stations. I decided to collect postcards from each of these stations.

On 25 February a gem arrived to ky collection. This is my first of Antarctica and the only one so far. It comes from McMurdo Station near Ross Dependencies. It is part of U.S. Antarctica. Really happy.

My own design

Postmarkedon 05/02/2020 at McMurdo Station

COVID-19 started and cards started turning up less frequently at my address which made me miss postcards more and more. So it was pleasant surprise when a second pistcard turned up from Antartica's another US base called Amundsen- Scott South Pole station. It also turns out that this is the southernmost Antarctic research station. I was head above heels.

Monday, February 24, 2020

SIERRA LEONE

Sierra Leone is a country in West Africa, on the Atlantic Ocean. It’s known for the white-sand beaches lining the Freetown Peninsula. The capital city, Freetown, commemorates the nation’s slave-trade history with the Cotton Tree landmark and King’s Yard Gate. Both were known as places of refuge for returned slaves in the 18th and 19th centuries. Nearby Bunce Island was a key departure point during the slave trade.

Lumley Beach, Freetown

My friend Abbas sent me this postcard postmarked on 9 October 2019. It took some time to reach me however the postmark is awesome. It depicts Lumley Beach in Freetown. It is one of the major tourist attractions in Freetown.

Postmarked in Freetown on 09/10/2019

RWANDA

Rwanda is a small country in the continent of Africa. But this small country means a lot to the world and to Africa.

Why?

The people of Rwanda learned a lot after the 1994 genocide. The world watched on as Rwanda suffered. Their people fought amongst themselves while the Brits maintained diplomacy by not interfering to the end. Modern Rwanda is one the fastest developing economies in Africa with a lot of promises. It has low corruption rate compared to other African countries. Their rate of growth has been incredible after all they have been through. Paul Kagame is the beloved president of the Rwandans, a man of vision as well as change. Women empowerment has been ensured.

Rwanda is one of the countries where mountain gorillas can be safely visited. Hotel Rwanda is a must watch film. My friend Holger, an eminent postcrosser sent me this beautiful postcard on his visit there. Thank you.

View of Kigali city

Postmarked on 18/01/2020 in Kigali

Sunday, February 23, 2020

JERSEY

Jersey is one among the channel islands smaller than Greater London. Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey, is a British Crown dependency^[located near the coast of Normandy, France.It is the second-closest of the Channel Islands to France, after Alderney.

Jersey was part of the Duchy of Normandy, whose dukes went on to become kings of England from 1066. After Normandy was lost by the kings of England in the 13th century, and the ducal title surrendered to France, Jersey and the other Channel Islands remained attached to the English crown.

The bailiwick consists of the island of Jersey, the largest of the Channel Islands, along with surrounding uninhabited islands and rocks collectively named Les Dirouilles, Les Écréhous, Les Minquiers ,Les Pierres de Lecq, and other reefs. Although the bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey are often referred to collectively as the Channel Islands, the "Channel Islands" are not a constitutional or political unit. Jersey has a separate relationship to the Crown from the other Crown dependencies of Guernsey and the Isle of Man, although all are held by the monarch of the United Kingdom.

La Cotte de St Brelade is a Palaeolithic site inhabited before rising sea levels transformed Jersey into an island. Jersey was a centre of Neolithic activity, as demonstrated by the concentration of dolmens. Evidence of Bronze Age and early Iron Age settlements can be found in many locations around the island.

My friend Nathanial sent me this postcard from Jersey on 11 February, 2020.

Postcard of FW series of postcardsmarket.com

Postmarked on 11/02/2020

REUNION ISLAND

Réunion

Réunion is an overseas department and region of the French Republic and an island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar and 175 km (109 mi) southwest of Mauritius. As of January 2020, it had a population of 859,959.

The island has been inhabited since the 16th century, when people from France and Madagascar settled there. Slavery was abolished on 20 December 1848 (a date celebrated yearly on the island), when the Fre

nch Second Republic abolished slavery in the French colonies. However, later on indentured workers were brought to Réunion from South India, among other places. The island became an overseas department of France in 1946.

As in France, the official language is French. In addition, the majority of the region's population speaks Réunion Creole.

The Piton des Neiges volcano, the highest point on the island at 3,070 m (10,070 ft) above sea level, is northwest of the Piton de la Fournaise. Collapsed calderas and canyons are south west of the mountain. While the Piton de la Fournaise is one of Earth's most active volcanoes, the Piton des Neiges is dormant. Its name is French for "peak of snows", but snowfall on the summit of the mountain is rare. The slopes of both volcanoes are heavily forested. Cultivated land and cities like the capital city of Saint-Denis are concentrated on the surrounding coastal lowlands. Offshore, part of the west coast is characterised by a coral reef system. Réunion also has three calderas: the Cirque de Salazie, the Cirque de Cilaos and the Cirque de Mafate. The last is accessible only on foot or by helicopter.

My friend Josema sent me the card below postmarked on December 26, 2019 in Saint-Denis. It depicts a colonial bungalow on Rue de Paris street in Saint- Denis.

Postmarked at Saint- Denis on 26/12/2019

GUYANA

Guyana officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern mainland of South America. It is the only English speaking country in South America, and is culturally considered part of the Anglophone-Caribbean sphere. In addition it is one of the founding member countries of the Caribbean Community organization (CARICOM). Guyana is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north, Brazil to the south and southwest, Venezuela to the west, and Suriname to the east. With an area of 215,000 square kilometres (83,000 sq mi), Guyana is the third-smallest sovereign state on mainland South America after Uruguay and Suriname.

The flag of Guyana, known as The Golden Arrowhead, has been the national flag of Guyana since May 1966 when the country became independent from the United Kingdom. It was designed by Whitney Smith, an American vexillologist (though originally without the black and white fimbriations, which were later additions suggested by the College of Arms in the United Kingdom). The proportions of the national flag are 3:5. The colours are symbolic, with red for zeal and dynamism, gold for mineral wealth, green for agriculture and forests, black for endurance, and white for rivers and water. Kaieteur Falls is the world's largest single-drop waterfall by volume.

The first card from Guyana was sent to me by friend Farnaz postmarked at Georgetown on 4 December 2019. It shows St. George's Cathedral, Stabroek Market, City Hall, Cuffy Monument, Umana Yana, Guyana Parliament. All of these are landmarks of Guyana.

Postmarked on 04/12/19 in Georgetown

The below card was sent to me by my friend Mark on 6 January, 2020 depicting St. George's Cathedral designed by Sir Arthur Bloomfield and built in the 1890s. It is reputed to be one of the world's tallest wooden buildings. Its spire rises 132 ft and is located between Church Street and North Road in Georgetown, Guyana.

Postmarked on 06/01/2020 in Georgetown

What's special?