3rd April 2023: Legislative Palace in Montevideo, Uruguay (my first postcard!)

Uruguay is a country in South America bordering on Argentina and Brazil. Uruguay won its independence between 1811 and 1828, following a four-way struggle between Portugal and Spain, and later Argentina and Brazil. It remained subject to foreign influence and intervention throughout the first half of the 19th century. From the late 19th century to the early 20th century, numerous pioneering economic, labor, and social reforms were implemented, which led to the creation of a highly developed welfare state. Despite some setbacks in the 20th century, Uruguay is described as a "full democracy" and is very highly ranked in international measurements of government transparency, economic freedom, social progress, income equality, per capita income, innovation, and infrastructure. It is a United Nations, OAS, and Mercosur founding member.

Montevideo is the capital and largest city of Uruguay. It is the seat of the administrative headquarters of Mercosur and ALADI, Latin America's leading trade blocs, a position that entailed comparisons to the role of Brussels in Europe. The 2019 Mercer's report on quality of life, rated Montevideo first in Latin America, a rank the city has consistently held since 2005. The Legislative Palace was built between 1904 and 1925. It is the meeting place of the General Assembly of Uruguay and the seat of the legislative branch of the Uruguayan government.

While this s my first postcard from Uruguay, I had already got a cover from there in 2020. Surprisingly the same stamp about the Year of the Rat was used on both of them. 

Thank You very much Jorge for sending the card and Marcel for arranging it for me!

29th October 2022: Santiago de Chile, Chile

Santiago de Chile is the capital and largest city of Chile and one of the largest cities in the Americas. Founded in 1541 by the Spanish conquistador Pedro de Valdivia, Santiago has served as the capital city of Chile since colonial times. Santiago is the political and financial center of Chile and is home to the regional headquarters of many multinational corporations. The Chilean government's executive and judiciary branches are based in Santiago, while the Congress mostly meets in nearby Valparaíso.

This is my first card sent written and stamped from Chile. Three stamps were used on it. 

Thank You very much Francisco for sending this card to me and Marcel for arranging it!

9th July 2022: Tirana, Albania (my first card!)

Albania is a country in Southeast Europa bordering on Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Greece. First becoming independent from the Ottoman Empire in 1912, Albania has undergone a diverse political evolution transitioning from a monarchy to a communist regime before becoming a sovereign parliamentary constitutional republic.

Tirana is the capital and largest city of Albania as well as the country's most important economic, financial, political and trade centre. It is home to a mixture of architectural styles reflecting the influential periods in its history. The current appearance was considerably shaped by two totalitarian regimes, once by the fascist regime of Benito Mussolini during the Second World War and the regime of Enver Hoxha in the aftermath.

The stamp is from a set of four about Early Locomotives and Their Inventors issued on 27th September 2015 in commemoration of the 190th anniversary of the first Locomotive. This stamp shows Robert Stephenson and the Rocket of 1829.

Thank You very much Marcel!

cover from the USA with cards from Afghanistan

On 4th December I got not only a postcard but also two covers from the USA.

A complete set about Otters in Snow (issued 12-10-2021) was used on this cover. 

In the cover were five postcards from Afghanistan which on the backside all got Afghan stamps and postmarks from Kabul.

Afghanistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia bordering on Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, China and Pakistan. Since the late 1970s the country is nearly a permanent war zone and just four months ago the Taliban returned to power after the Fall of Kabul, the country's caüital. 

The first card shows what is left of the eastern Buddha of Bamiyan. The two Buddhas of Bamiyan were monumental statues dating back to the 6th century. They were masterpieces of Afghan art with various influences from surrounding regions. Although the statues themselves were blown up by the Taliban in 2001, their remains and the surrounding Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamyan Valley were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2003. 

The stamp is from a set of seven about the World Tourism Day and was issued on 27th September 1984.

The second card shows the Darul Aman Palace in Kabul. The Darul Aman Palace was built in the 1920s by Amanullah Khan, the Emir and later King of Afghanistan, and was supposed to house a future parliament, but remained uncomplete and even worse it saw heavy destructions during the many years of war. By now however it was renovated for the celebration of Afghanistan's Centenary of Independence in 2019. 

The same stamp was used here again. 

The third card is called "Tanks Became Toys". A very strange and sad image. 

The stamp on this card shows Mohammed Zahir Shah (issued 14-10-1969). Mohammed Zahir Schah was the King of Afghanistan from 1933 until he was overthrown by his brother in 1973, who replaced the monarchy by a single-party republic. His long reign was marked by peace in the country that was lost afterwards.

The other two cards show women in traditional costumes and the stamp on both is about Pashtunistan Day (issued 31-08-1974).

Thank You very much Sam-Quito!

Austria: Vienna with Brexit Stamp

Last Wednesday I got four postcards: three from Austria and one from Crimea.

One of the cards from Austria shows various views of Vienna. Vienna is the capital and largest city of Austria and one of its nine States. It is also the second largest German-speaking city and the fifth largest city of the European Union. One of the four major UN office sites is located in the Vienna as well. The Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna is since 1996 on the UNESCO World Heritage List, Vienna's Historic Centre followed 2001.

With a very special stamp:
Brexit (issued 31-01-2020)
The stamp was actually already prepared for last year, but was postponed until the actual Brexit. The originally planned date, 29th March 2019, was thus crossed out and replaced by the new date. The United Kingdom is printed with varnish and disappaers if you hold the stamp at the right angle to the light.
with First Day Special Postmark
Austrian Heraldy (from set of fourteen) (issued 01-07-2018)

Thank You very much Anita!

Cambodia: Wat Ounalom in Phnom Penh

****** Happy New Year! ******

On Saturday I got two postcards: one from Cambodia and one from Belgium.

The card from Cambodia shows Wat Ounalom in Phnom Penh. Phnom Penh is the capital of Cambodia and the country's economic and cultural centre. The city was founded in 1372 and was capital for the first time between 1434 and 1497, but after loosing the status it just regained it in 1865 during the French colonial era. Back then it was considered to be one of the loveliest French-built cities in Indochina and was nicknamed Pearl of Asia. Today it is again a popular tourist destination. Wat Ounalom is the most important wat of Phnom Penh and the center of Cambodian Buddhism. It was damaged during the Khmer Rouge period but has since been restored. The main complex houses a stupa that contains what is believed to be an eyebrow hair of Buddha.

Stamp:
55 years Cambodian-Chinese Friendship (from set of two) (issued 14-05-2014)

Thank You very much Jobbo!

UAE: Yas Viceroy Hotel in Abu Dhabi

Last Wednesday I got two postcards: one from the United Arab Emirates and one from Singapore.

The card from the United Arab Emirates shows the Yas Viceroy Hotel in Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi is the second largest city in the United Arab Emirates and the capital of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Also it is the capital of the whole country. The city's rapid development and urbanisation, coupled with the massive oil and gas reserves and production, and relatively high average income of its population, have transformed it into a large and advanced metropolis. The Yas Viceroy Hotel was built across the F1 Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi and is known for its very futuristic design.

Stamps:
Falconry (from set of fourteen) (issued 17-02-1990)
Summer Olympics in Sydney (from set of three) (issued 16-09-2000)

Thank You very much Tristan!

Trinidad and Tobago: Port of Spain

On 13th July I got my first postcard from Trinidad and Tobago.

Trinidad and Tobago is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean and consists of the bigger Trinidad and the smaller Tobago. In 1962 it became independent from the United Kingdom. 

The card shows Port of Spain on Trinidad. Port of Spain is the capital and second largest city of Trinidad and Tobago. As shipping hub and financial centre it is one of the leading cities in the Caribbean. 

With a nice stamp:
Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II (from set of three) (issued 2002)

Thank You very much Kimiko for sending and Marcel for arranging this card!

Sri Lanka: Parliament Building in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte

On Tuesday I got four postcards: one from Sri Lanka and three from Germany.

The card from Sri Lanka shows the Sri Lankan Parliament Building in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is the official capital of Sri Lanka and a satellite city and within the urban area of Sri Lanka's de-facto economic and legislative capital Colombo.

Stamp:
Flowers of Sri Lanka (from set of twelve) (issued 07-10-2016)

Thank You very much Jobbo!

Kenya: Nairobi

On Wednesday I got my first postcard from Kenya.

Kenya is a country in East Africa bordering on South Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Tanzania and Uganda. In 1963 it got independent from the United Kingdom. 

The card shows various views of Nairobi. Nairobi was founded in 1899 by the colonial authorities in British East Africa as a rail depot on the Uganda Railway and already in 1905 it became the colony's capital, which it remained also after the independence. Today it is an important business hub and the tenth-largest city in Africa. Since 1996 the city is home to the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON), the United Nations' headquarters for Africa. 

Stamps:
Birds (from set of nine) (issued 2014)

Thank You very much Irfan!

Jordan: Nymphaeum in Amman

On Thursday I got two postcards: one from Jordan and one from Germany.

The card from Jordan shows the Nymphaeum in Amman. Amman is already inhabited since the Neolithic Age, but just became a big city in the last hundred years. In 1921 Amman became the capital of the newly created Emirate of Transjordan, which became the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in 1950. Today is Amman the largest city and economic centre of Jordan. It is also considered to be among the most liberal and westernized Arab cities and is a major tourist destination in the region.

Stamps:
Definitive (from set of four) (issued 15-05-1996)
Definitive - Overprinted Stamp of 2003 (issued 20-12-2009)

Thank You very much Marcel!

Croatia: Zagreb

Last Friday I got two postcards: one from Croatia and one from Estonia.

The card from Croatia shows various views of Zagreb. Zagreb is the capital and economic centre of Croatia. It is also the country's largest city and the fourth largest city in Southeast Europe.

With great stamps:
50 years Professor Balthazar (issued 03-05-2018)

Thank You very much Ana!

Israel: White City of Tel Aviv

On Wednesday I got three postcards: two from Israel and one from Japan.

One of the cards from Israel shows the Zlotopolsky House in Tel Aviv's White City. Tel Aviv was founded in 1907 and developed as a metropolitan city under the British Mandate in Palestine. It was also an important destination for Jewish immigrants. After the State of Israel was founded in 1948, Tel Aviv became an important technological, financial and touristic centre and is also home to many foreign embassies. Among the Jewish immigrants were also many architects who were trained in Europe and who built the World's largest concentration of International Style buildings in Tel Aviv, the White City. The White City of Tel Aviv is since 2003 on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Stamp:
Festivals - Childhood Memories (from set of three) (issued 02-09-2015)

Thank You very much Marcel!

My Trip to Paris and Versailles

Last week I was in Paris and Versailles and there I got some postcards for my collection.

Paris is the capital city and the most populous city of France. The metropolitan area of Paris is one of the largest population centres in Europe. It is also a global city and is regarded as a major city of arts and fashion. The city is located on the River Seine in the Île-de-France region in Northern France. In 1900 and 1924 Paris hosted the Olympic Summer Games and in 2024 it will once again do so. The Banks of the Seine in Paris are since 1991 on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The Louvre was built as fortress in the late 12th century and in the 16th century it became the main residence of the French Kings, which it remained until 1682 when Louis XIV moved to Versailles. From then on the Louvre was used to house the royal collections. During the French Revolution the National Assembly decreed that the Louvre should be used as a museum to display the nation's masterpieces. Since the museum was opened in 1793 its collections were, with some setbacks, steadily growing and now house 38000 objects from prehistory to the 21st century. Today it is the most visited and largest art museum in the World. Some of the most famous artworks in its collection are Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, the Nike of Samothrace, the Venus de Milo and so many more.

Les Invalides was built in the late 17th century as home and hospital for aged and unwell soldiers. Its construction was ordered by Louis XIV. Today it still serves its original purpose, but also houses some museums. The most famous of the museums at Les Invalides is the Musée de l'Armée.

Even more famous than the Musée de l'Armée is the Dôme des Invalides, which houses the tombs of some French military heroes including the tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte since 1840.

Notre-Dame de Paris is one of the oldest and finest examples of French Gothic architecture. It is the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Paris and houses some of Catholicism's most important relics. During the French Revolution it suffered desecration, but was restored in 1845 and once again in 1991. In 1804 it was the site of Napoleon Bonaparte's coronation ceremony as Emperor of the French. Victor Hugo's famous novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame is centred at the cathedral.

The Eiffel Tower was built for the 1889 World's Fair held in Paris and was designed and built by Gustav Eiffel. It is 324 metres tall. Since its construction it has become a global cultural icon of France and one of the most recognisable structures in the World. Today it is one of the most visited paid monuments in the World.

In the shop at one of the feets of the Eiffel Tower I found two special Paris cards which I was looking for for some years now.

The Palace of Versailles is one of the largest palaces in Europe. Actually only a small hunting lodge, it was enlarged into a royal palace by Louis XIV between 1661 and 1715. In 1682 Louis XIV moved his court from Paris to Versailles. The palace became the political and cultural centre of France, but also a symbol of the Absolute Monarchy and the abundant life of the monarch. Furthermore it provided Europe with a model of the ideal royal residence and so the architecture of the palace, the gardens and the life of Versailles were often copied in other countries. In the course of the French Revolution Louis XVI and his family were forced to return to Paris in 1789. Since the 19th century it was used as museum and can be visited. After the French defeat in the Franco-Prussian War Prussian King Wilhelm I was proclaimed German Emperor in the Hall of Mirrors on 18th January 1871 and after World War I the Treaty of Versailles was signed there in 1919. Palace and Park of Versailles are since 1979 on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

In Paris I also bought a few cards of places which I have not seen during my trip.

The Centre Georges Pompidou was opened in 1977. Among others it houses the Musée National d'Art Moderne, the largest museum for modern art in Europe.

The Place de la Concorde is the largest public square in Paris. It was the site of many notable public executions during the French Revolution. Famous victims of the executions on the square include Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, Georges Danton, Maximilien Robespierre and Olympe de Gouges.

The Pont Alexandre III was built between 1896 and 1900. It is a deck arch bridge, which is named after Russian Tsar Alexander III in commemoration of the conclusion of the Franco-Russian Alliance in 1892. The bridge is widely regarded as the most extravagant bridge in Paris.