A postcard from Huehuetenango, Guatemala

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Huehuetenango is a city and a municipality in the highlands of western Guatemala. It is also the capital of the department of Huehuetenango. Santa Cruz Barillas is a municipality in the department of Huehuetenango. It is situated at 1450m above sea level. This waterfall is located near Yulaxac, a village in the jungles of Barillas.

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From a set of two stamps about The Volcano and Lake of Ipala.

The Castle of the Moors, Sintra, Portugal

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The Castle of the Moors is a hilltop medieval castle located in the municipality of Sintra. The castle was constructed during the 8th to 9th century, during the period of Arab occupation of the Iberian peninsula, as the central place in an territory that was imminently agricultural, and which was necessary to protect its population.

The Moorish Castle stands in a 1475 feet (450 meters) perimeter and its walls consist of a double waist, internal and external. At the top there are battlements, strengthened by five towers.

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From a set of 5 stamps about Urban Transport in the 1970's and 1980's.

The Church of St. Pareskevi, Pafos, Cyprus

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The church of St. Paraskevi, built in the form of a basilica with five cupolas placed in the shape of a cross, is one of the most important churches in Cyprus. The church of St. Paraskevi was built in the 9th century A.D. and is preserved almost intact in its initial form apart from the western wall which was demolished in the 19th century in order to build an extension. Its uniqueness lies in the frescos, some of which date back to the 9th century A.D. and are of the oldest in the whole of Cyprus.

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From a set of 8 stamps, Cyprus through the Ages - Pygmy hippopotamus

Thx Steve!

A village in the Ourika Valley, Morocco

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“When the heat in Marrakesh becomes unbearable, many Moroccans and tourists run to the cool and green Ourika Valley. Located in the High Atlas Mountains, only 45 minutes away from Marrakesh, the valley stretches along a vast area from Souk Tnin Ourika to the Berber village of Setti Fatma. The valley is known for its pine and cedar forests. Don’t be surprised if you see some resident friendly Barbary apes on your way.”

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Solidarity Week 2011

Joncunu dancers from Belize

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Belize is a country located on the north eastern coast of Central America and it is the only country in the area where English is the official language. Belize is bordered to the north by Mexico, south and west by Guatemala, and to the east by the Caribbean Sea.

Joncunu or John Canoe, is a dance that originated in times of slavery and is performed around Christmas time. The participants will dress up in white masks and venture from house to house in order to receive food and drinks from that household. Some say the dance is meant to mimic white slave owners and their behaviour.

In Belize the Joncunu is part of the Creole and Garifuna cultures. The Creoles are direct descendants of British slaves.

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Postcards from Bujumbura, Burundi

Hotel Club de Vacances

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The Republic of Burundi is a small landlocked country in east central Africa, bordering Rwanda, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Burundi has a tropical highland climate and is a hilly and mountainous country with a plateau in its eastern part and some plains along the shore of Lake Tanganyika.

Burundi was a kingdom until the late 19th century when it became a German colony. After Germany was defeated in World War I, the control was handed to Belgium and Burundi, together with Rwanda, became a part of the Belgian colonial empire and was known as Ruanda-Urundi. Upon gaining its independence in 1962, the country legally changed its name to Burundi.

Bujumbura is the capital and largest city and main port of Burundi.

Hotel Source du Nil

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(left) from a set of 5 about flaura and fauna(2008): ‘Fleurs d’Erythrine’

(right)  from a set of 8 stamps about birds of prey (2011): the Western Osprey

A Postcard from Zanzibar: The Old Dispensary

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Zanzibar, an Indian Ocean archipelago located off the eastern coastline of Tanzania, contains three large islands and a number of smaller ones.

Zanzibar Town (or city) is a popular destination for tourists, and its old quarter is a United Nation's "World Heritage Site”. 

The Old Dispensary is a historical building in Stone Town. Stone Town is the old part of Zanzibar City.

A dispensary is an office in a school, hospital or other organization that dispenses medications and medical supplies. In a traditional dispensary set-up a pharmacist dispenses medication as per prescription or order form.

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To commemorate 50 years of independence (since 1961) Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, 1st president of Tanzania.

A whale cruises off Kaikoura coastline, New Zealand

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The seaside settlement of Kaikoura, situated midway between Christchurch and Picton on the rugged east coast of New Zealand's South Island, is overlooked by majestic mountains, which are snow-capped for many months of the year.

It is a special part of New Zealand, imbued with powerful natural energy. A place where tectonic plates collide, towering peaks fall to the sea and ocean currents converge. Such rare combinations lure an abundance of marine life, the most famous being the Sperm Whale.

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Cyprus. Paphos. The Lighthouse & Roman Theatre

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Located in Paphos Archaeological Park, Odeon is an amphitheatre-like structure, which was unearthed during excavations.

This archaeological monument built in the 2nd century is made entirely out of well-hewn limestone and has approximately 1,200 seats for spectators. Odeon is not only a tourist attraction today; it also hosts many musical and theatrical performances.

Paphos lighthouse is a golden point of the city as it can be seen from any corner of Paphos. It is situated in close proximity of Odeon.

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A matching stamp: Pafos Lighthouse.

Juneau, Alaska

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Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. Juneau has been the capital of Alaska since 1906. It is named after gold prospector Joe Juneau.

Before Juneau was Juneau, it was Rockwell. Before that, it was Harrisburg. And even before that, it was a settlement for several tribes of native Indians.

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It wasn't until a man named Joseph Juneau and his buddy, Richard Harris, teamed up with a Tlingit native that this plot of land got its big break: gold. The first rush of 40 miners brought a mix of trading posts, saloons, and missionaries to the area. Soon, Juneau became a bonafide town, the first to be settled after Alaska's purchase from Russia in 1867.

more about Juneau

Thx Rod!

Murumtsevo Manor, Russian Federation

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Abandoned castle estate of Count Hrapovitsky, village Muromtsev, Vladimir Region.

more info and pictures

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