Selingan Turtle Island | Malaysia

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Selingan island is one the Turtle Islands, a group of uninhabited islands in the waters of the Sulu Sea on the maritime borders of Malaysia and the Philippines.

Turtle Islands Park comprises three of the Turtle islands, including Selingan island. The Park is famous for its Green and Hawksbill turtles, which lay their eggs on the beaches of the islands. 

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Part of a set of three stamps about threatened habitats: marine (2010).

The Balearic islands: Ibiza

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Ibiza island is one of Spain’s Balearic islands, located in the western Mediterranean Sea. The other three main islands are Majorca, Minorca and Formentera. 

With 50,000 inhabitants, Ibiza Town is the largest city on the island, widely known and visited for its exciting nightlife.

The old town, called the Dalt Vila (literally meaning "Upper Town") is located on a little mountain by the sea. The Upper Town is Ibiza’s oldest area and is a Unesco World Heritage site since 1999.

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A stamp in remembrance of Spanish guitarist Paco de Lucia (1947 – 2014).

The map of Malta

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The Maltese archipelago is located 100 km south of Sicily and 290 km north of Africa. It comprises five islands and two islets.

 

The main island are Malta, Gozo and Comino. Malta is the largest island and the cultural, commercial and administrative centre. Gozo is the second largest island and is more rural, characterised by fishing, tourism, crafts and agriculture. Comino, the smallest of the trio, has one hotel and is largely uninhabited.

The islets are named Kemmunett and Filfla, both uninhabited.

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2014 Europa stamp, this year’s theme is national musical instruments. This stamp portrays a bagpipe.

The capital of the Maldives: Male

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Maldives is an island nation with more than 2000 tropical islands of which only 200 are inhabited. Of the remaining islands about a 100 have been developed into exotic resort islands.

The capital of Maldives – Malé is located in the middle of the atoll chain, a small island with a population 75,000. Male is a city of high-rise buildings and paved roads. 

Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei

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Brunei is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. The official name of Brunei is Brunei Darussalam which means "abode of peace". Bandar Seri Begawan with an estimated population of 200,000, is the capital and largest city of Brunei, the smallest country in Southeast Asia.

 

Stamps

The Green Turtle stamp is part of a series of three stamps about sea turtles issued in 2010. The stamp on the right is to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the Civil Service Day.

Thx Matthew!

The Island of Courage and Sorrow | Belarus

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The (artificial) island of Courage and Sorrow is a memorial, dedicated to the fallen Belarusians who took part in the Afghan war. About 30,000 Belarusians fought in Afghanistan, 771 of them died. In the center of the monument there are figures of mourning women. They symbolize the Belarusian mothers mourning over their sons who did not return from the war.

 

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Slutsk sashes are articles of Belarus manufactory weaving of the second half of 18th — the beginning of 19th centuries. They were called according to the place of origin — Slutsk town.

Ostrog Monastery | Montenegro

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Ostrog monastery is located at 900 meters above sea level,  carved into the magnificent mountain cliff of Ostrog in central Montenegro. Depending on the weather, the Serbian Orthodox monastery can be in or above the clouds.

The monastery, built in the first half of the 17th century, is the most visited holy place of pilgrimage in Montenegro.

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Dado Đurić (1933–2010), was a Yugoslavian-born painter, engraver, drawer, book illustrator and sculptor.

Monastic complex of San Salvatore–Santa Giulia | Italy

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Brescia is a city in the region of Lombardy in northern Italy, situated at the foot of the Alps. In this city, on the ruins of an ecclesiastical complex, the future king of the Longobards, Desiderius, founded the monastery of San Salvatore in 753 AD. The Longobards were a Germanic tribe who ruled Italy from 568 to 774.

This is one of a group of seven historic buildings (monasteries, church buildings and fortresses) that make up the UNESCO World Heritage site of Longobards in Italy, Places of Power (568–774 A.D.). 

French island hideaway: The Fort de Bregancon

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The Fort de Brégançon served as the official retreat of the President of France from 1968 to 2013. It is an old fortress on a tiny island off the French Mediterranean coast, connected to the mainland by a short causeway.

The 17th-century Fort de Brégancon hosted holidaying French leaders for almost 50 years. The current French president Francois Hollande has decided to break with tradition and open it up for the public.

Stamps

Three amazing stamps from the 60’s!

(left) 1968 The 200th Anniversary of the Union of Corsica and France

(middle) 1966 National Congress of Philatelic Societies, Niort Cathedrale

(right) 1965 The 300th Anniversary of the Colonisation of Réunion

Historic Centre of Shakhrisyabz, a monument for Amir Timur

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Amir Timur (1336-1405), also known as Tamerlane, is remembered as a vicious conqueror, who razed ancient cities to the ground and put entire populations to the sword. He was the most powerful ruler in the Muslim world after defeating the Mamluks of Egypt and Syria, the emerging Ottoman Empire and the declining Sultanate of Delhi.

On the other hand, he is also known as a great patron of the arts, literature, and architecture. The Historic Centre of Shakhrisyabz, located on the Silk Roads in southern Uzbekistan, is over 2000 years old. The city contains many fine monuments, and in particular those from the Timurid period.

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A matching stamp!

City of Luxembourg: its Old Quarters and Fortifications

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Luxembourg is a landlocked country in Western Europe, bordered by Belgium, Germany and France. Luxembourg City is a commune with city status, and the capital of Luxembourg.  

The Old City of Luxembourg has long been part of the UNESCO World Heritage. Because of its strategic position, Luxembourg was, from the 16th century until 1867, when its walls were dismantled, one of Europe's greatest fortified sites.

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Europe stamp 2014, part of a set of two stamps. This year’s theme is traditional musical instruments. The stamp depicts a small group of musicians clothed in historical peasant costumes playing the traditional Luxembourgish song, the “Hämmelsmarsch“, on traditional instruments.

Mulo Lighthouse Island | Croatia

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Built in 1873, Mulo is one of the oldest Croatian lighthouses. It consists of an octagonal stone tower, attached to a 2-story stone keeper's house. The lighthouse is located in the Adriatic Sea on a tiny island.

 

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(right) Palagruža is a small, remote Croatian archipelago in the middle of the Adriatic Sea.

The island of Flores | Indonesia

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Indonesia is an island nation, with approximately 18,000 islands of which 922 are permanently inhabited. Together with islands like Bali and Komodo, Flores is part of the Lesser Sunda Islands. A group of islands located north of Australia.

A piece of art from Tanzania

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A hand painted postcard from Tanzania! A real peace of art. The typical style of painting in Tanzania is Tinga-tinga. The genre is named after its founder, Tanzanian painter Edward Said Tingatinga. This postcard is not in Tinga-tinga style however. It looks similar to the style on the postcard from The Republic of the Congo.

 

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Birds of the world. Part of a set of four stamps issued 1997.The Cactus Wren is a species of wren that is native to the southwestern United States. It nests in cactus plants.

Thx Steve!

Traditional Ethiopian Leather Painting Postcard

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Ethiopian art comes in many forms. One of these is the painting on leather goatskin. Yes you already guessed it, this is actually a postcard made of a piece of worn leather. Beautifully painted in the unique Ethiopian style. 

A ‘childlike’ style of painting, figures are drawn in two dimensions, almost cartoon-like in their direct and simplistic portrayal, with strong colors and clear lines. The large almond-shaped eyes are a particularly appealing characteristic. And look at those feet.

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Two definitive stamps, Menelik’s Bushbuck. This time the value of 2 Birr and 5 Birr. In Ethiopia two types of Bushbuck can be found: Meneliki and Powelli. Both are fairly widespread and can be seen in much of Ethiopia's highland forest.

A piece of art from The Republic of the Congo

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The Republic of the Congo also known as Congo-Brazzaville, is a country located in Central Africa. Not to be confused with the other Congo: the Democratic Republic of the Congo or DR Congo.

It is bordered by Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Angolan exclave of Cabinda. The capital is Brazzaville.

Usually I am not so much into self-made cards but this one is really special. Earlier I received a piece of art from Togo and Ivory Coast.   

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The stamp is a 2003 issue: Plantes Ornementales - Mauve sauvage. Part of a set of four stamps.

Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Australia's last unspoilt paradise

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The remote Cocos (Keeling) Islands is a territory of Australia, located in the Indian Ocean, somewhere southwest of ChristmasIsland and approximately midway between Australia and Sri Lanka. The islands are (partially) named after Captain William Keeling, who in 1609 was the first European to see the islands.

The Cocos Keeling Islands are a group of coral islands that form two atolls. Only two of these 27 islands are inhabited. Today only 600 people live on these islands.

Stamps

Australian stamps can be used on Cocos (Keeling) Islands.

Thx Karen!

The Kingston, a convict settlement in Norfolk Island

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Norfolk Island is a tiny 8km x 5km island located somewhere in the middle between Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia, in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean. The island is part of the Commonwealth of Australia, but it enjoys a large degree of self-governance. It has a population of about 2,300 and Its capital is Kingston.

 

The Kingston was a convict settlement between 1788-1855. During the late 18th and 19th centuries, large numbers of convicts were transported to the various Australian penal colonies by the British government. 

Did you know that the island was handed over in 1856 to the people of Pitcairn as a permanent home. It is the descendants of the Pitcainers who live on Norfolk today. Want to know more about this amazingstory?

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Four stamps that shows the beauty of Norfolk Island.

San Blas Islands, Panama

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The San Blas Islands is a group of islands which are located just off the Caribbean coast of Eastern Panama. The indigenous Kuna Yala tribe (the Kuna’s) have self governing authority over the islands and a part of the mainland.

Wellington, the capital of New Zealand

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Wellington is the capital of New Zealand. The city is Situated at the southern end of the North Island, one of the two main islands of New Zealand.

 

Stamps

The stamp on the left depicts the Franz Josef glacier located on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island.

The stamp on the right shows Cape Reinga, the most northern point of New Zealand 

Seoul, capital of South Korea

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Seoul is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. The Seoul Capital Area is the world's third largest metropolitan area with over 25.6 million people.

Inagua Islands, Bahamas

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The Bahamas is an island country consisting of more than 700(!) islands, cays, and islets in the Atlantic Ocean, located north of Cuba.

Great Inagua is the third largest island in The Bahamas. The population of this island is about 1,000.There is a large bird sanctuary in the centre of the island with a population of more than 80,000 Flamingoes and many other bird species.

 

The neighbouring Little Inagua is uninhabited and occupied by a large Land and Sea Park.

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In 2014 The Bahamas issued a set of four stamps to celebrate 10th anniversary of Bahamas National Geographic Information Systems Centre. This 50 cent stamp is about “Hurricane Distribution 1960-2012”. 

Son Bou Beach, Menorca

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The Balearic Islands are an archipelago of Spain in the western Mediterranean Sea. The four largest islands are: Majorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera. Son Bou is a village in Menorca. 

The beach at Son Bou is the longest on the island - some 3km of golden sands. 

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At first glance I thought it was sent from Switzerland. But what looks like a Swiss stamp is ..well a Swiss stamp.

This is how it works: In many souvenir shops, kiosks, hotels and camping sites you can buy ”Swiss Post stickers” that can be used to mail postcards from Spain to anywhere abroad. Postcards bearing ”Swiss Post stickers” must be placed in a ”Swiss Post mailbox”, which you can find at the sales points. The ”Swiss Post mailboxes” are yellow and bear a ”Swiss Post” logo accompanied by a red-rimmed cross. Swiss Post will then collect and dispatch your postcards.

Koh Samui Island

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Ko Samui is an island off the east coast of Thailand. It is Thailand's second-largest island after Phuket. The island’s population of 64,000 welcomes over 1.5 million tourists every year. 

'Beautiful white sand beaches, clean, clear warm water; lush tropical gardens and gentle ocean breezes await you at this ideal holiday destination. If you love the beach, this is the place for you!'

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In 2011 Thailand Post issued a set of four stamps to commemorate Thailand Philatelic Exhibition. Two of them shows an actor and an actress wearing extravagant costumes.