29th April 2023: World Stamp Festival Stamp Show in Tokyo, Japan

Thank You very much Keiko!

Macau: Postcrossing Meet-up

On 31st March I got two postcards: one from Macau and one from Germany.

The card from Macau is the official card of a Postcrossing Meet-up held on 23rd November 2020.

The card was signed during the meet-up.

The stamp is from a set of eight about the UNESCO World Heritage in Macau (issued 31-07-2008). It shows the Quartel dos Mouros. The special postmark celebrates the International Arbor Day.

Thank You very much Jerry!

Macau: Year of the Ox

On 17th February I got three postcards: one from Macau, one from Austria and my first card from Gabon.

The card from Macau is a Year of the Ox card.

Like usual Macau Post also issued this year a set of "normal" stamps about the Chinese New Year and a label stamp. The label stamp about this Year of the Ox (issued 20-01-2021) was used on the card and got cancelled with the First Day Special Postmark. To note that this year the label stamp was issued on time, while last year it had been postponed multiple times due to Covid-19. A second stamp was used to cover the postage for a card to Germany.

Two cachets were applied to the card as well. One of them promotes the fight against Covid-19.

Thank You very much Jerry!

As I did not expect to find someone to swap with in Macau, I ordered the "normal" Year of the Ox stamps in early January. They finally arrived here on 11th March. Actually it was said last year that a new series was started with the Year of the Rat, but these stamps are completely different. I really wonder why they changed the plans.

Macau: Year of the Rat

On 24th January I got six postcards: one from Macau, one from Australia, two from the Philippines, one from Russia and one from Hong Kong.

The card from Macau is about the Year of the Rat.

With a great matching stamp:
Year of the Rat (from set of four) (issued 05-01-2020)
with First Day Special Postmark

Thank You very much Holly!

cover from Hong Kong

On Monday I got a cover from Hong Kong.

With nice stamps:

Year of the Pig (from set of four) (issued 12-01-2019)

Landscapes of Hong Kong (from set of sixteen) (issued 24-07-2014)

70th Anniversary of the People's Republic of China (from set of four) (issued 01-10-2019)

Inside were two postcards from Hong Kong and one from Macao.

The first card from Hong Kong is about the MacLehose Trail. The MacLehose Trail is a 100km hiking trail in the New Territories. It is named after Sir Murray MacLehose, the longest-serving governor of Hong Kong who was himself an enthusiastic hiker. The trail passes through a variety of natural scenery including beaches and many of Hong Kong's highest peaks.

The card is a maxicard. The stamp is from a set of ten and was issued on 24th October 2019. As special feature the stamp has holes.

The second card from Hong Kong shows a Post Box. The Post Boxes of Hong Kong were imported from the United Kingdom. After Hong Kong's handover to the People's Republic of China the formerly red boxes were painted green and were adorned with the new Hongkong Post logo, but as of October 2015 59 colonial post boxes bearing the royal insignia were still in service.

The card from Macao is a maxicard about the 70th anniversary of the People's Republic of China. The stamp is from a set of four and was issued on 1st October 2019.

Thank You very much Yan!

cover from Macao

Last Wednesday I got a cover from Macao.

Stamps:

Chinese White Dolphin (from set of four) (issued 01-12-2017)

Ceramics (from set of six) (issued 31-10-2000)

Inside was a Year of the Pig maxicard. The stamp is from a set of five and was issued on the 5th January 2019.

Thank You very much Wing!

Macao: 35th Asian International Stamp Exhibition

On Saturday I got three postcards: one from Macao, one from Germany and one from France.

The card from Macao is a maxicard about the 35th Asian International Stamp Exhibition. The Asian International Stamp Exhibition is a regional philatelic exhibition of the Asian countries, which was established in 1977. This year it was held between the 21st and 24th September in Macao. It was the first time that the exhibition took place in Macao.

The stamp is from a set of three and was issued on 1st March to promote the exhibition.

The card was sent with the same stamp as on the front side.

Thank You very much Joe!

Stamp Order from Macao

Last Tuesday I got my stamp order from Macao.

Among others I bought a stamp set about the Year of the Rooster, which was issued on 5th January 2017.

I also bought a set of maxicards about Mulan. The stamps were issued on 8th April 2016.

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

cover from Macao

On Wednesday I got a cover from Macao.

With nice stamps:

Year of the Dog (two from set of five) (issued 05-01-2018)

Census (from set of three) (issued 23-08-2001)

Inside were a Year of the Dog maxicard with another stamp from the set and a small card with a Year of the Dog ATM stamp and a special postmark.

Thank You very much Wing!

Macao: Ruins of St. Paul's

Today I got three postcards: one from Macao, one from Germany and one from the Åland Islands.

The card from Macao shows the Ruins of St. Paul's in the Historic Centre of Macao. The Church of Mater Dei, built between 1602 and 1640, and the St. Paul's College were destroyed by a fire in 1835. Since then the remaining facade became Macao's landmark. The Historic Centre of Macao is one of the earliest and longest-lasting encounters between China and the West and provides a unique testimony to the meeting of influences from East and West. Since 2005 is the Historic Centre of Macao on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The card is prepaid.

Thank You very much Joe!

cover from China

On Monday I got not only eleven postcards but also three covers including one from China.

Inside was a maxicard from Macao. The stamp is from a set of five and was issued on 22nd January 2016. It celebrates the Year of the Monkey.

Thank You very much "Lokwongho"!

Macao: International Museum Day

Today I got four postcards: two from Macao and two from New Zealand.

One of the cards from Macao thematises the International Museum Day. The International Museum Day tokes place on the third Sunday in may since 1978.

Stamp:
World Heritage (from set of eight) (issued 31-07-2008)
with a special postmark of the International Museum Day

Thank You very much Lily!

Macao: Sai Van Bridge

Today I got four postcards: two from Macao and two from New Zealand.

One of the cards from Macao shows the Sai Van Bridge. The Sai Van Bridge connects the Macao Peninsula with the Taipa Island. It was opened in 2004 and is the third bridge on this stretch.

The stamp got lost during the journey. :(

Thank You very much Lily!

Macao: Giant Panda

Today I got a postcard from Macao.

The card shows a Giant Panda. The Seac Pai Van Park in Macao hosts two Giant Pandas. They are called Xin Xin (female) and Kai Kai (male).

Stamp:
Year of the Horse-label (issued 14-02-2014)

Thank You very much Anthia!

Macao: Ruins of St Paul's

Today I got two cards: my first card from Macao and one from Germany.

Macao is one of two Special Administrative Regions of China and is located 50km away from Hong Kong. Until 1999 was Macao a Portuguese colony. The most people in Macao speak Cantonese. Macao is famous for the sights from the colonial time and for the casinos. Gambling is legal in Macao and thus many people from China and Hong Kong come, because of this Macao is since 2006 the World's biggest Gambling centre. Macao is also one of the World's richest cities, has a the second highest life expectancy in the World and has also a very high Human Development Index.

The card shows the Ruins of St. Paul's in the Historic Centre of Macao. The Church of Mater Dei built between 1602 and 1640 and St. Paul's College were destroyed by a fire in 1835. Since then the remaining facade and the front steps showed on the card became Macao's landmark. The Historic Centre of Macao is one of the earliest and longest-lasting encounters between China and the West and provides a unique testimony to the meeting of influences from East and West. Since 2005 is the Historic Centre of Macao a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Stamp:
Henrique de Senna Fernandes (issued 09-10-2012)
Henrique de Senna Fernandes (1923-2010) was a writer, teacher and lawyer from Macao. He was from Portuguese ancestry and studied Law at Coimbra University in Portugal. He practised Law in Macao, although his true passion was writing and teaching. Later he became a teacher and principal at the Pedro Nolasco Commercial School in Macao. He published four books. A famous quote of him is "Portugal is my fatherland and Macao is my motherland".

Thank You very much Chloe!