cover from Germany

On Friday I got not only two postcards but also a cover from Germany.

Stamps:

Marigold (issued 07-07-2005)

Condolence (issued 05-12-2013)

with a special postmark about the death of Walter Scheel

Walter Scheel was born in 1919. He was a politician from the Free Democratic Party of Germany. Between 1961 and 1966 he was the Federal Minister of Economic Cooperation and Development and between 1969 and 1974 he was Foreign Minister and Vice Chancellor. In 1974 he was elected as President of the Federal Republic of Germany and remained in office until 1979. He died on 24th August 2016.

Germany: Neandertal

On Tuesday I got three postcards: one from Germany and two from France

The card from Germany comes from the Neandertal. The Neandertal is a small valley of the river Düssel in the German State of North Rhine-Westphalia. The shape of the valley was dramatically changed by industrial quarrying during the 19th and 20th century. In 1856 the first specimen of Homo neanderthalensis was found there. Today there are a museum, an archaeological park and an art trail in the valley.

Stamp:
Dresden (from set of two) (issued 03-04-2014)

Thank You very much Marcel!

France: Saint-Malo

On Tuesday I got three postcards: two from France and one from Germany.

One of the cards from France shows various views of Saint-Malo. Saint-Malo is a city in Brittany. It is one of the most visited cities in France. 

Stamps:
New Marianne 0,10€
Salon Philatélique de Printemps in Belfort (issued 04-04-2016)

Thank You very much William!

France: Lourdes

On Tuesday I got three postcards: two from France and one from Germany.

One of the cards from France shows various views of Lourdes. Lourdes is located in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in the Midi-Pyrénées region. It is famous for Marian apparitions in 1858.

Stamps:
New Marianne 0,10€
Métiers d'Art - Sculpteur sur pierre (issued 04-04-2016)

Thank You very much William!

Tanzania: Stone Town of Zanzibar

On Monday I got two postcards: one from Tanzania and one from Japan.

The card from Tanzania shows an aerial view of the Zanzibar City's Stone Town on Unguja. The Zanzibar Archipelago is located in the Indian Ocean and consists of various islands including the largest islands Unguja and Pemba, which were inhabited since the Late Stone Age. In the 10th century the Persians established a base for traders on Unguja. In 1498 the Europeans visited the islands and already in 1504 they became a part of the Portuguese Empire. In 1698 Zanzibar fell under the control of the Sultanate of Oman. After struggles over the succession of Said bin Sultan, who moved Oman's capital from Muscat to Zanzibar, his son Majid bin Said became the first Sultan of Zanzibar in 1856. The sultans developed an economy of trade and cash crops in the Zanzibar Archipelago with a ruling Arab elite. Important goods were spices, ivory and slaves. In the following years the United Kingdom increased its influence on the islands and in 1890 the German Empire recognised the British protectorate over the islands of Zanzibar and Pemba in the Heligoland-Zanzibar Treaty. In 1963 the protectorate was abolished and Zanzibar became an independent state, but already in 1964 Zanzibar merged with mainland Tanganyika to form the United Republic of Tanzania. Today is Zanzibar a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania with Zanzibar City as its capital. The Stone Town of Zanzibar is since 2000 on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Stamp:
Marine Life (from set of fifteen) (issued 2015)

Thank You very much Mi!

Japan: Yakusugi on Yakushima

On Monday I got two postcards: one from Japan and one from Tanzania.

The card from Japan shows a Yakusugi on Yakushima. A Yakusugi is a Japanese cedar which is older than 1000 years. Yakushima is since 1993 on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Stamp:
Posukuma (from set of ten) (issued 16-09-2016)
with a special postmark showing a train

Thank You very much Keiko!

Italy: Manarola

Last Saturday I got three postcards: one from Italy and two from Finland.

The card from Italy shows Manarola. Manarola is a small fishing and wine-making town on the Ligurian Coast, which is known for its exceptional scenic quality. It is the second smallest and probably also the oldest of the Cinque Terre towns. Since 1997 are the Cinque Terre towns together with Portovenere and the Islands Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Stamps:
Women in Art (from set of three) (issued 01-03-2002)
Philately Day (from set of five) (issued 06-12-2014)
with a special postmark about World Post Day

Thank You very much Irene!

Finland: Turku

Last Saturday I got three postcards: two from Finland and one from Italy.

One of the cards from Finland shows various views of Turku. Turku is the oldest city in Finland. Until 1812 it was also the country's capital and until the 1840s its largest city. Today it is only Finland's sixth largest city but still a cultural centre and notable seaport. The city is officially bilingual, as also Swedish is spoken by a part of its population. In 2011 it was the European Capital of Culture.

With the special stamp and postmark about World Post Day from Turku

Thank You very much Susanna!

Finland: Föri

Last Saturday I got three postcards: two from Finland and one from Italy.

One of the cards from Finland shows Föri. Föri is a chain operated ferry crossing the Aura river near Turku. It is in use since 1903 and is today the only river crossing ferry owned by a Finnish commune.

On the backside of the card is an advertising about the European Stamp Exhibition 2017, which will be held in Tampere.

To commemorate World Post Day and Finland's National Stamp Day the Stamp Club of Turku ordered a special stamp, which also shows Föri.

Thank You very much Susanna!

Thailand: Bangkok

My deepest condolences to all Thai people and especially to my dear friends Jobbo, Kwanjira and Ta with the loss of your beloved King.

On Friday I got two postcards: one from Thailand and one from Germany.

The card from Thailand shows an aerial view of Bangkok. Bangkok is the capital and largest city of Thailand. It is also an important cultural, political and economical centre and one of the most visited cities in the World. 

Stamps:
King Bhumibol (from set of fourteen) (issued 10-10-2010)
King Bhumibol (from set of four) (issued 01-07-1989)

Thank You very much Jobbo!

Germany: Erndtebrück

On Friday I got two postcards: one from Germany and one from Thailand.

The card from Germany shows various views from Erndtebrück. Erndtebrück is a municipality in the German State of North Rhine-Westphalia. It was first mentioned in 1256 and in World War II it was badly damaged due to its function as railway hub at that time. 

Stamp:
Lily of the Valley (issued 06-05-2010)

Thank You very much Ute from JULy!

France: Bordeaux

On Thursday I got two postcards from France.

One of them shows various views of Bordeaux. Bordeaux is the capital of the Aquitaine-Limousin-Poitou-Charentes region. It is a cultural centre of southwestern France and the French city with the second-most protected buildings. It is also the major wine industry capital of the World. The Port of the Moon in Bordeaux is since 2007 on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Stamps:
New Marianne 0,10€
Françoise Giroud (issued 12-09-2016)

Thank You very much William!

France: Park of Versailles

On Thursday I got two postcards from France.

One of them shows the Park of Versailles. The Palace and Park of Versailles are since 1979 on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

You can read more about Versailles on my History Blog.

Stamps:
New Marianne 0,10€
89th Congres of FFAP (issued 23-05-2016)
with a special postmark from the stamp shop Le Carré d'Encre in Paris

Thank You very much William!

cover from France

On Thursday I got not only two postcards but also a cover from France.

Stamps:

Stamp Day (whole set) (issued 08-10-2016)

with First Day Special Postmark

Thank You very much William!

Germany: Governmental District in Berlin

On Thursday I got my order of postcards from the German Bundestag.

Two of the cards show the Reichstag Building at day and night.

Three other cards show the buildings of the Band des Bundes. The Band des Bundes is an arrangement of various administrative buildings in Berlin's Governmental District. It was built between 1997 and 2003 and is a symbolic bridging of East and West Berlin. The included buildings are the Bundeskanzleramt, the Paul Löbe House and the Elisabeth Lüders House.

If anyone is interested in a postcard of the Bundestag you can write it in a comment. I have copies of this five and some others available for swap. ^___^