Israel: Necropolis of Bet She’arim

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

The card from Israel shows the relief of a Menorah at the Necropolis of Bet She’arim. The Necropolis of Bet She’arim became the the primary Jewish burial place in the 2nd century after Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans. It was a place of activity of Rabbi Judah the Patriarch and a centre of the Jewish renewal. The catacombs are descriped as a treasury of artworks and inscriptions in Greek, Aramaic, Hebrew and Palmyrene. Since 2015 is the Necropolis of Bet She’arim on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

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

Thank You very much Marcel!

Croatia: Professor Balthazar

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

The card from Croatia shows Professor Balthazar. Professor Balthazar is the main character of a Croatian animated television series for children. He is an old inventor, who solves all problems of his fellow citizens with the help of his magic machine. In total 59 episodes were produced with Professor Balthazar between 1968 and 1977.

Interestingly the card was sent from Rijeka, which was the inspiration for Professor Balthazar's home town in the series.
With great matching stamps:
50 years Professor Balthazar (issued 03-05-2018)

Thank You very much Antonella!

Poland: Maritime Museum in Szczecin

On Tuesday I got four postcards: one from Poland, one from Hong Kong, one from Vietnam and one from Germany.

The card from Poland shows the Maritime Museum in Szczecin. The Maritime Museum is housed in the former building of the city museum, that was finished in 1913 when Szczecin was still a part of Germany. After World War II Szczecin became a part of Poland, the city museum moved to another place and the Maritime Museum was set up in the building. Since 1970 it is part of the National Museum in Szczecin.

With a nice stamp:
Robert Lewandowski (issued 14-06-2018)

Thank You very much Kasia!

Germany: Marienburg Castle

On Tuesday I got four postcards: one from Germany, one from Poland, one from Hong Kong and one from Vietnam.

The card from Germany shows Marienburg Castle in the German State of Lower Saxony. Marienburg Castle was built between 1858 and 1869 as a birthday present by King George V of Hanover to his wife Marie of Saxe-Altenburg. As the Kingdom of Hanover was annexed by Prussia in 1866, it remained uninhabited for nearly 80 years. Today the castle is still a private property of the House of Hanover, but also houses a museum and can be booked as an event location.

Stamp:
Bluebells (issued 08-06-2017)
Centaurium (issued 03-07-2014)

Thank You very much Serena!

Vietnam: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

On Tuesday I got four postcards: one from Vietnam, one from Germany, one from Poland and one from Hong Kong.

The card from Vietnam shows the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi. The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is the last resting place of the Vietnamese revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh. It was inspired by the mausoleum of Lenin and was built between 1973 and 1975 at the place where Ho declared Vietnam's independence in 1945. 

Stamps:
Architecture (from set of six) (issued 2018)
Architecture (from set of six) (issued 2016)

Thank You very much Jobbo!

Hong Kong: Fun with Numbers

On Tuesday I got four postcards: one from Hong Kong, one from Vietnam, one from Germany and one from Poland.

The card from Hong Kong is a maxicard of the recent stamp issue about mathematic symbols. The set consists of sixteen stamps and was issued on 17th July 2018.

Stamp:
Hong Kong Shopping Streets (from set of six) (issued 19-09-2017)

Thank You very much Kayee!

Japan: Sapporo Clock Tower

On Monday I got a postcard from Japan.

It shows the Sapporo Clock Tower. Sapporo is the capital of the prefecture of Hokkaido, the largest city on Hokkaido and the fifth largest city in Japan. 1868 is said to be the official foundation year of Sapporo, when the Meiji government moved the administrative center of Hokkaido from Hakodate to the city. In the following time the city was developed with American assistance. In 1972 Sapporo hosted as first city in Asia the Winter Olympics. The Sapporo Clock Tower was built in 1878 for the Sapporo Agricultural College. It is today a popular landmark and the oldest building standing in Sapporo.  

With a matching stamp:
150 years of the Naming of Hokkaido (from set of ten) (issued 17-07-2018)
with First Day Special Postmark

Thank You very much Keiko!

Estonia: Old Map

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

The card from Estonia shows an old map of the country.

With a nice stamp:
Posthorn (from set of three) (issued 18-01-2017)
Manilaiu Lighthouse (issued 07-06-2018)
with a special postmark of the EstEx Stamp Exhibition
100 years Estonian Stamps (issued 13-07-2018)
with First Day Special Postmark

Thank You very much Jaan!

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!

covers from Germany

Last Friday I got only two postcards but also two covers from Germany.

Stamp:

Centenary of World War I (issued 07-08-2014)

with a special postmark about the centenary of the end of World War I which shows Friedrich Ebert

Friedrich Ebert was a German politician of the Social Democratic Party of Germany. In 1913 he became the leader of his party. During World War I he supported the Burgfriedenspolitik and after the war he was one of the leading figures of the German Revolution. In 1919 he became the first President of Germany. His politics were coined by the pursuit of a coordination of interests and the fight against uprisings from the left and the right. His early death in 1925 was a caesura for the Weimar Republic.

Stamp:
100th birthday of Nelson Mandela (issued 12-07-2018)
It is a joint issue with South Africa.
with First Day Special Postmark

My Stamp Order from Romania

Last Wednesday I got my stamp order from Romania.

Among others I ordered a set of three maxicards showing buildings in Sighişoara (issued 24-07-2009). Sighişoara is a small town in Transylvania. It was founded by German craftsmen and merchants known as the Saxons of Transylvania and is famous for its medieval monuments built by this now extinct culture that testify to the city's former strategic and commercial role on the fringes of central Europe. The Historic Centre of Sighişoara is since 1999 on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

 Another maxicard I ordered is about the EUROPA stamp of the year 2000 (issued 09-05-2000).

I also bought this stamp set about the Romanian Postage Stamp Day, which commemorates the battles of Marasti, Marasesti and Oituz (issued 14-07-2017).

When Romania entered World War I alongside the Entente in 1916, there were soon some victories of the Romanian forces aided by Russia, but when the Central Powers started to fight back, big parts of Romania were occupied by the end of 1916. The three battles of Marasti, Marasesti and Oituz, which were fought in July and August 1917 and which all ended with Romanian successes, left the remaining Romanian territories unoccupied and seemed like a relief, but the situation once again took a turn for the worse for Romania in November 1917, when Russia's involvement in the war ended with the October Revolution. Romania was then forced to sign an armistice with the Central Powers on 9th December 1917, which was later followed by the Treaty of Bucharest. 

This is one FDC which I ordered as well. It was issued on 29th November 2006 and is part of a joint issue with Bulgaria, which celebrated the accession of the two countries to the European Union. Interestingly the stamps of both countries are affixed to the cover.

You can see the other stamps I bought on my stamp blog.

Belgium: Sint-Petrus-en-Pauluskerk in Ostend

On Tuesday I got a postcard from Belgium.

It shows the Sint-Petrus-en-Pauluskerk in Ostend. The Sint-Petrus-en-Pauluskerk is a Roman Catholic church and the main church of Ostend. It was built between 1899 and 1908 in the Neo-Gothic style. 

Stamp:
Intimate Animal Portraits (from set of five) (issued 17-02-2014)

Thank You very much William!

cover from Russia

On Friday I got a cover from Russia.

Stamp:

FIFA World Cup - Participating Teams (from set of eight) (issued 10-05-2018)

The stamp is about Group G, which consisted of Belgium, England, Panama and Tunisia. For Panama it was the first participation in a Football World Cup. Belgium was the top in the group and England the second. Belgium and England met again in the match for third place, which was won by Belgium.

with a special postmark about the World Cup

Thank You very much Elena!

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!

Israel: Shrine of the Báb

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

One of the cards from Israel shows the Shrine of the Báb in Haifa. The Shrine of the Báb is an important location for pilgrimage in the Bahá'í Faith and is considered to be the second holiest place on Earth for Bahá'ís. As one of the Bahá’i Holy Places in Haifa and the Western Galilee it is since 2008 on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

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

Thank You very much Marcel!

Japan: Yamagata Prefectural Museum

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

The card from Japan shows the Yamagata Prefectural Museum. The Yamagata Prefectural Museum was opened in 1971. It shows exhibits about the nature and history of the Yamagata prefecture.

Stamp:
Sea Life - Jellyfish (from set of ten) (issued 04-07-2018)
The stamp is embossed.
with First Day Special Postmark

Thank You very much Keiko!

United Kingdom: New Lanark

On Tuesday I got a postcard from the United Kingdom.

It shows New Lanark in Scotland. New Lanark is a village on the River Clyde. In 1785 David Dale founded a cotton mill in the village, which was powered by the river, and under his son-in-law Robert Owen New Lanark was turned into a model industrial community. Owen held the opinion that contented workers perform better and among others he thus built a school for the workers' children, abandoned corporal punishments and introduced a pension scheme and a type of health insurance. New Lanark prospered under his enlightened and at that time radical management. The mill was closed in 1968 and until the New Lanark Conservation Trust was founded in 1974, many buildings decayed. Today it is a popular tourist destination. New Lanark is an anchor point of the European Route of Industrial Heritage and since 2001 on the UNESCO World Heritage List. 

Stamps:
Queen's Head

Thank You very much Claas!

Turkey: Bridge in Rize

On Monday I got a postcard from Turkey.

It shows a bridge in Rize. 

With related stamps:
EUROPA (whole set) (issued 09-05-2018)

Thank You very much Muammer!

cover from Russia

On Saturday I got a cover from Russia.

With great stamps:

50 years diplomatic relations with Singapore (whole set) (issued 25-06-2018)

It is a joint issue with Singapore.

with First Day Special Postmark

Inside was a mint version of the set on the cover and a Russian postcard.

The postcard shows the Otkritie Arena in Moscow. The Otkritie Arena was built between 2010 and 2014. It is mainly used for football matches like home matches of Spartak Moscow and occasionally matches of the Russian national team. Currently it is one of the venues of the FIFA World Cup. During the cup it is known as Spartak Stadium.

Thank You very much Ekaterina!

France: Arras

On Friday I got two postcards from France.

One of them shows various views of Arras. Arras is a city in northern France. For centuries is was located in the border region of France and Germany and often it changed the country. In 1758 Maximilien Robespierre was born in the city. During World War I the city was located near the front line. In April and May 1917 the Battle of Arras was fought. After the war the city was mainly destroyed, but was soon after rebuilt. Today it is especially known for its Belfry and the Vauban Citadel, which are both on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Stamps:
Marianne 0,10€
Kayserberg (issued 21-06-2018)
with a special postmark from the philatelic shop in Arras

Thank You very much William!

France: Lille

On Friday I got two postcards from France.

One of them shows various views of Lille. Lille is a big city in French Flanders in northern France near the border with Belgium.

Stamp:
Ryder Cup (issued 02-07-2018)
with a special postmark from the philatelic shop in Lille

Thank You very much William!

Slovenia: Karst Shepherd

On Thursday I got a postcard from Slovenia.

It shows a Karst Shepherd. The Karst Shepherd is a mountain dog from Slovenia. It is recognised by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale.

With a related stamp:
Year of the Dog (issued 26-01-2018)

Thank You very much Mateja!

Germany: German National Theatre and Goethe-Schiller Monument in Weimar

On Wednesday I got two postcards from Germany.

One of them shows the German National Theatre and the Goethe-Schiller Monument in Weimar. The German National Theatre was built on the location of the former Court Theatre, which burned down in 1825 and which was especially known as place of activity of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Friedrich Schiller. Between 1919 and 1920 the Weimar National Assembly drew up the new German constitution in the theatre. The Goethe-Schiller Monument was placed in front of the theatre in 1857 and since then became one of the most famous monuments in Germany.

Stamp:
Lighthouse (from set of two) (issued 07-06-2018)

Thank You very much Ina!