Malaysia: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis with ASEAN stamp

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the ASEAN eight member states decided to release a joint issue. The stamps show the member country's national flower. On Saturday I got two postcards from Malaysia with the ASEAN stamp and the First Day Special Postmark. In my collection I already have the stamp of Thailand and I arranged swaps for the stamps from Indonesia and Singapore. If there is anybody who can help me to get the stamps from Cambodia, Laos, the Philippines or Vietnam I would be very happy to swap.

The Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is native to East Asia. It is mainly used as ornamental plant, but it is also used in Chinese herbology. In 1960 it was decided that the Hibiscus rosa-sinensis will be the national flower of Malaysia. In Malay it is known as Bunga Raya meaning celebratory flower. The five petals represent the five National Principles of Malaysia.

As extra bonus both cards were signed by the stamp designer.

Thank You very much Matthew!

Sweden: Autumn

On Friday I got two postcards: one from Sweden and one from New Zealand.

The card from Sweden shows an autumn illustration.

With a nice matching stamp:
Apple Feast (from set of five) (issued 24-08-2017)
with First Day Special Postmark

Thank You very much Doris!

New Zealand: Wildlife Warning Signs

On Friday I got two postcards: one from New Zealand and one from Sweden.

The card from New Zealand shows various Wildlife Warning Signs.

Stamps:
ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 (from set of fourteen) (issued 04-02-2015)
The Great Kiwi Road Trip (two from set of fourteen) (issued 12-07-2017)

Thank You very much Sharon!

covers from Andorra and Spain

On Friday I got not only two postcards but also four covers from Andorra and Spain.

Stamps:

Coat of Arms (two from set of six) (issued 02-01-2010)

The Souls of Saint Julia and Saint Germà of Loria (issued 25-11-2016)

Stamps:
The 1950s (from set of four) (issued 20-10-2016)
Definitive (from set of five) (issued 19-01-2015)
with a special postmark about the 25th anniversary of the EXPO in Sevilla

Stamps:
Definitive (from set of five) (issued 19-01-2015)
The 1950s (two from set of four) (issued 20-10-2016)
Definitive (from set of six) (issued 02-01-2016)
with a special postmark from Pont de Suert

Stamp:
The 1950s (from set of four) (issued 20-10-2016)
with a special postmark from Burguete-Roncesvalles

Thank You very much William!

Myanmar: Inle Lake

On Thursday I got a postcard from Myanmar.

It shows the Fishermen of Inle Lake. Inle Lake is the second largest lake in Myanmar. It is home to various endemic species and in 2015 it became Myanmar's first designated place of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves. Today it is also a popular tourist destination.

Stamp:
Musical Instruments (from set of two) (issued 27-07-2017 ???)

Thank You very much Jobbo!

My Trip to Lake Garda

After my summer holidays in Austria I also spent two days at Lake Garda in Italy. When I was there I sent two cards to myself. The first one, which I have posted in the post office, arrived two weeks ago. The second one, which I put in a normal postbox, finally arrived on Wednesday.

Lake Garda is located in northern Italy in the provinces of Verona, Brescia and Trentino. It is the largest lake of Italy and a popular tourist destination.

A postcard I bought shows a map of Lake Garda.

The first card I sent to myself shows the Venetian Fortress of Peschiera del Garda. Peschiera del Garda is situated on the South East corner of Lake Garda. The Republic of Venice turned the town into a fortress between the 15th and 16th century and large parts of the fortifications can be still seen today. As one of the Venetian Works of Defence is Peschiera del Garda since 2017 on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Stamp:
EUROPA (from set of two) (issued 09-05-2017)

The second card I sent to myself shows the Castello Scaligero in Malcesine. The Castello Scaligero was built by the Scaliger family in the 13th century. In 1786 Johann Wolfgang Goethe visited the castle during his Italian Journey. Today it is the most famous landmark of Malcesine and houses a museum.

With a matching stamp:
EUROPA (from set of two) (issued 09-05-2017)

Another card I bought shows Lazise. Lazise is a popular tourist destination.

Germany: Water Tower of Mannheim

On Tuesday I got a postcard from Germany.

It shows the Water Tower of Mannheim. The Water Tower was built between 1886 and 1889 to fulfil all functions of the water supply. Today it is a landmark of Mannheim.

The card was signed during the Postcrossing Meet-up in Mannheim.
Stamp:
Lighthouses (from set of two) (issued 08-06-2017)

Thank You very much Birgit!

Germany: Altenberg Zinc Factory in Oberhausen

On Monday I got a postcard from Germany.

It shows the Altenberg Zinc Factory in Oberhausen. The Altenberg Zinc Factory was opened in 1853 by a Belgian company. Due to environmental problems it was closed in 1981, but since 1997 it is home to the main site of the LVR Industrial Museum. 

Stamp:
500th birthday of Lucas Cranach the Younger (issued 01-10-2015)

Thank You very much Marcel!

Germany: Nolde Museum in Seebüll

On Saturday I got a postcard from Germany.

It shows a painting from the collection of the Nolde Museum. The Nolde Museum is an art museum in Seebüll in the German State of Schleswig-Holstein. It was opened in 1957 in the former residence of the Expressionist painter Emil Nolde and only shows his paintings. 

I bought this card recently at the Art Museum in Wolfsburg.

Stamp:
Water Lily (issued 11-05-2017)
with a special postmark about Emil Nolde's 150th birthday

I also bought two other cards of Emil Nolde's paintings.

Cover and Stamps from Portugal

On Saturday I got not only a postcard but also a cover from Portugal.

Stamps:

Portugal and World War I (from set of three) (issued 30-06-2017)

150th anniversary of the Abolition of the Death Penalty (from set of two) (issued 01-07-2017)

EUROMED - Trees of the Mediterranean (from set of four) (issued 10-07-2017)

Inside were the complete sets of the three stamps on the envelope.

At the beginning of World War I Portugal remained officially neutral, but already shortly after there were hostile engagements between Portugal and the German Empire due to the German campaign in Angola and the submarine warfare which sought to blockade the United Kingdom, the most important market for Portuguese products. On 9th March 1916 the German Empire declared war on Portugal followed by Portugal's reciprocal declaration. Around 12000 Portuguese troops died during World War I. After the war the German Empire was forced to cede the port of Kionga to Portugal.

In 1867 Portugal was the first country that abolished the death penalty. The Charter of Law of Abolition of the Death Penalty got the European Heritage Label in 2014.

The trees shown on the stamps are the Cork Oak, the Iberian Pear, the Strawberry Tree and the Olive Tree.

Thank You very much José!

Germany: Colossus of Prora

On Friday I got two postcards from Germany.

They both show the Colossus of Prora. The Colossus of Prora is a colossal Nazi-planned holiday resort on the island of Rügen and a particularly striking example of Third Reich architecture. It was built between 1936 and 1939 as a Strength Through Joy project and was designed to provide affordable holidays for the average worker, but was never used for this purpose. Later the buildings were used by the East German National Peoples Army. In recent years it was sold and redeveloped.

Stamp:
Lighthouses (from set of two) (issued 07-07-2016)

Stamp:
Lighthouses (from set of two) (issued 08-06-2017)

Thank You very much Ulf!

Transnistria: Combined Heat and Power Plant in Tiraspol

On Thursday I got two postcards: one from Transnistria and one from Kyrgyzstan.

The card from Transnistria shows the Combined Heat and Power Plant in Tiraspol. The Combined Heat and Power Plant is the largest power generation project utilizing renewable energy sources in the whole of Moldova. It is in use since 2008 and fully covers the technological needs of the textile enterprise Tirotex. 

Transnistria issues its own stamps, but as its independence is not recognised internationally the stamps can only be used within the territory. To send mail to other countries Moldovan stamps have to be used. The Transnistrian stamp on this card is from a set of three definitive stamps and was issued on 12th April 2016. The new motive was printed on the backside of a fiscal stamp from the 1990s.

Thank You very much Hanko!

Kyrgyzstan: Yurts

On Thursday I got two postcards: one from Kyrgyzstan and one from Transnistria.

The card from Kyrgyzstan shows a Kyrgyz landscape with three Yurts.

Stamp (of Kyrgyz Express Post):
Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro (from set of two) (issued 05-08-2016)

Thank You very much Hanko!

Sweden: Linnaean Garden

On Wednesday I got three postcards: one from Sweden and two from Thailand.

The card from Sweden shows the Linnaean Garden in Uppsala. The Linnaean Garden is the oldest botanical garden in Sweden. Carl Linnaeus became responsible for the garden in 1741 and had it rearranged according to his taxonomy. He documented the arrangement in his work Hortus Upsaliensis. In the 19th century the garden decayed, but in 1917 it was restored. Today it belongs to the University of Uppsala. It seeks for the inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Stamps:
National Parks (from set of three) (issued 12-09-1989)
Photography (from set of three) (issued 06-10-1990)
Retro (two from set of five) (issued 12-01-2017)
Crown Regalia (from set of five) (issued 20-10-1971)
Floating logs (issued 09-02-1970)
Flora (from set of four) (issued 27-03-2008)

Thank You very much Merja!