UK - Operation Dynamo

Kirstie sent me this wonderful card, commemorating one of the most wonderful military operatins during WWI. The Dunkirk evacuation, code-named Operation Dynamo by the British, was the evacuation of Allied soldiers from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk, France, between 27 May and the early hours of 3 June 1940, when British, French and Belgian troops were cut off by the German army during the Battle of Dunkirk in the Second World War. The evacuation was ordered on 26 May. In a speech to the House of Commons, Winston Churchill called the events in France "a colossal military disaster", saying that "the whole root and core and brain of the British Army" had been stranded at Dunkirk and seemed about to perish or be captured. In his ("We shall fight on the beaches") speech, he hailed their rescue as a "miracle of deliverance".

On the first day, only 7,010 men were evacuated, but by the ninth day, a total of 338,226 soldiers (198,229 British and 139,997 French) had been rescued by the hastily assembled fleet of 850 boats. Many of the troops were able to embark from the harbour's protective mole onto 42 British destroyers and other large ships, while others had to wade from the beaches toward the ships, waiting for hours to board, shoulder-deep in water. Others were ferried from the beaches to the larger ships, and thousands were carried back to Britain by the famous "little ships of Dunkirk", a flotilla of around 700 merchant marine boats, fishing boats, pleasure craft and Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats — the smallest of which was the 15 ft (4.6 m) fishing boat Tamzine, now in the Imperial War Museum — whose civilian crews were called into service for the emergency. The "miracle of the little ships" remains a prominent folk memory in Britain.

Operation Dynamo took its name from the dynamo room in the naval headquarters below Dover Castle, which contained the dynamo that provided the building with electricity during the war. It was in this room that British Vice Admiral Bertram Ramsay planned the operation and briefed Winston Churchill as it was under way.

Ukraine - St. Nickolas

Here is another nice cover, with lovely stamps sent to me by my friend Stan. The postmark of St. Nickolas with the two children is specially designed for just that day, namely 19th December 2010. Thank you Stan.

Palace of Culture and Science, Warsaw

The Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw is the tallest building in Poland. The building was originally known as the Joseph Stalin Palace of Culture and Science (Pałac Kultury i Nauki imienia Józefa Stalina), but in the wake of destalinization the dedication to Stalin was revoked; Stalin's name was removed from the interior lobby and one of the building's sculptures. It is now the 187th tallest building in the world. As the city's most visible landmark, the building was controversial from its inception. Many Poles initially hated the building because they considered it to be a symbol of Soviet domination, and at least some of that negative feeling persists until today. Some have also argued that, regardless of its political connotations, the building destroyed the aesthetic balance of the old city and imposed dissonance with other buildings.The inhabitants of Warsaw still commonly use nicknames to refer to the palace, notably Pekin (Beijing in Polish, because of its abbreviated name PKiN (Pałac Kultury i Nauki), Pajac ("clown", a word that sounds close to Pałac), Stalin's syringe or even the Russian Wedding Cake. The terrace on the 30th floor, at 114 metres, is a well-known tourist attraction with a panoramic view of the city. An old joke held that the best views of Warsaw were available from the building: it was the only place in the city from where it could not be seen (a claim originally made by the French writer Guy de Maupassant about the Eiffel Tower).

Malaysia – Traditional Past Time Games With Upin & Ipin and Friends

Pos Malaysia Berhad issued a special collection of stamps and first-day covers with regards to Traditional Past Time Games With Upin & Ipin and Friends on 13th December 2010. The stamps include 6 design with 60 sen denomination and a ms with RM5 denomination. Besides that, official maximum cards will also be issued. Pos Malaysia has issued a stamp collection featuring the Upin and Ipin cartoon series using the glitter sticker technique the first in Asia with perforations.

Upin & Ipin is a Malaysian television series of animated shorts produced by Les' Copaque Production, which features the life and adventures of the eponymous twin brothers in a fictional Malaysian kampung. Originally a side project for the blockbuster animated film Geng: The Adventure Begins, Upin & Ipin was introduced on TV9 in 2007 as a six-episode Ramazan/Eid special, to instil significance of the Islamic holy month amongst children. To date, the series has reached its fourth season, including another Ramazan special season in 2008, and, season three onwards, the year-long, secularly themed Upin & Ipin and Friends, the series' international debut via the Disney Channel Asia, which is not explaining Ramazan, but telling the lives of Upin and Ipin with their friends on the normal days.

Upin and Ipin are five-year-old Malay twins who live with their elder sister Ros and maternal grandmother Uda (whom they call Opah) in a wooden house in Kampung Durian Runtuh. They have lost their parents in their infancy. Upin and Ipin study in the village's Tadika Mesra (Friendly Kindergarten), where they befriend a motley bunch of classmates, including the adorable and right-thinking Mei Mei, a jocular and poetic Jarjit Singh, the firm but clumsy and short-tempered Ehsan, an easygoing and sarcastic Fizi (Ehsan's cousin), and an entrepreneurial and meticulous Mail. Budin sent me this very interesting first day cover.

Estonia – Lagrits Eliomys quercinus

Wow! What a long name for this really small creature. Displayed is a maxim card dedicated to this mighty mouse. The next stamp in the Estonian Fauna series is dedicated to the dormouse (Eliomys quercinus L.). The dormouse is a rodent the size of a young rat. It is an omnivore and eats plant fruits, seeds as well as snails, insects and even smaller rodents. Waking in the spring the animal only weighs about 45 grams but by the fall it acquires an abundant store of fat and then weighs nearly 120 grams. The multiply twice a year, with mostly 4 to 6 young in the litter. They are nocturnal. They feed on larger insects, snails, bird and mouse pups, eggs, fruits and nuts.They hibernate in the winter from September to April – sleeping (Some creatures are lucky ;-))). The Garden Dormouse (Eliomys quercinus) is a rodent in the family Dormouse. The coat is gray or brown, with white below.

Dormice prefer deciduous and mixed forests with the presence of oak and hazelnut trees, as well as dry-stone walls and old farm seats. Sometimes they live in houses and outbuildings. Dormice are found in most parts of Europe but their population has seriously fallen in most parts of its area for unknown reasons. They are only known to nest on the mainland, but there is a community on Suur-Tütarsaar Island in the Gulf of Finland. Due to its relatives rarity the dormouse is listed in the 2nd category of protected species. As there is practically no information about dormouse finds in Estonia it has been entered into the category of species with deficient data. My friend Eve send this card to me. She lives near Tallinn.

Austria - Murinsel

This nice card was sent to me by Haas Anneliese. I also liked the lovely stamp on it showing an impressive mountain train.

Graz is the second-largest city in Austria after Vienna and the capital of the federal state of Styria. It has a population of 291,890 as of 2010 (of which 258.605 have principal residence status). Graz has a long tradition as a student city: Its six universities have more than 44,000 students. Graz's "Old Town" is one of the best-preserved city centres in Central Europe. Politically and culturally, Graz was for centuries more important for Slovenes than Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, and still remains influential. In 1999, Graz was added to the UNESCO list of World Cultural Heritage Sites, which was extended in 2010 by Schloss Eggenberg. Graz was sole Cultural Capital of Europe for 2003 and has got the title of a City of Culinary Delights in 2008.

The Murinsel (German, literally Mur island) in Graz, Austria, is actually not an island at all, but an artificial floating platform in the middle of the Mur river. This landmark of Graz was designed by New York artist Vito Acconci on the occasion of Graz becoming the 2003 European Capital of Culture. The building in the form of a giant sea shell measures 50m in length and 20m in width. Two footbridges connect it with both banks of the Mur. The center of the platform forms an amphitheatre. Below a twisted round dome there is a café and a playground. The Murinsel is built for a maximum number of 350 visitors.

Åland - Christmas 8.10.2010

Further to my earlier post on Inge Look, I have on display here a maxim card and a stamp painted by her. On the Åland maxim card and stamp the Old Ladies are celebrating St. Lucy’s Day, as one of them is wearing a crown of candles. The fact that St. Lucy was a young girl does not prevent the ladies from celebrating. Perhaps one of them or both of them have been a Lucy in a procession when they were young girls. On the stamp the Ladies are eating gingerbread biscuits, typical at Christmas time here. The special postmark has the shape of a gingerbread biscuit. They are drinking coffee or mulled wine, typical at Christmas time. Do notice the handbags. They are always seen on the cards. Behind the ladies you can see a sheaf tied with a red ribbon. The sheaf is for the birds. On the stamp the ladies are bringing a Christmas tree. Did you notice that one of them has a saw in her hands and both of them have snowshoes on. There’s always snow in the forest at this time of the year and these shoes help a lot. I am also displaying some labels painted by this popular artist. I must thank my friend Ella for all this.

Norway – Christmas 1991

Sissel sent me this nice FDC with two Christmas stamps issued in 1991. Do enlarge the card by clicking on it, to read about the goat-head!!!

Serbia - Sremska Mitrovica

Sremska Mitrovica is a city and municipality located in the Vojvodina province of Serbia, on the left bank of the Sava river. As of 2002 the town had a total population of 39,041, while Sremska Mitrovica municipality had a population of 85,605. It is the administrative centre of the Srem District of Serbia. It was one of four Roman Capitals, of the ancient Roman Empire. Capital of the Roman Empire during the Tetrarchy, the city was referred to as the glorious mother of cities. Likewise, ten Roman Emperors were born in or near this city, Emperors Herennius Etruscus(251), Hostilian (251), Decius Traian (249-251), Claudius II (268-270), Quintillus (270), Aurelian (270-275), Probus (276-282), Maximianus Herculius (285-310), Constantius II (337-361) and Gratian (367-383). The card sent by Sofija shows the cable-stayed pedestrian bridge “Sveti Irinej”, and a unique golden coin of the Roman Era.

Canada – The Four Indian Kings

On April 19th, 2010, Canada Post began issuing a series of stamps commemorating the 300th anniversary of a painting of Four Indian Kings sent as envoys to England. The stamps, like the original portraits painted by Dutch artist Jan Verelst, show the four Indian chiefs alongside their clan ‘dodem’ (animal entity which watches over a clan). The four Indians chiefs (In 1710, a delegation of “four Kings”—three from the Five Nations Confederacy of the Iroquois and one from the Algonquin nation) were chosen by Peter Schuyler, a member of the New York Indian Commission, to make the sea voyage with him in order to request England’s assistance against the French in the New World. Schuyler had a good relationship with the Native American tribes of his region (they called him ‘Quidor’, or ‘brother’), and his status in the Commission gave him the right to negotiate with Indians. He hoped that they would be able to persuade Queen Anne to give her support to the colonies. At the same time, Schuyler hoped the visit would inspire the native tribes to be allies of the English. At least, he hoped, they would not join the French!

After the visit in 1710, Queen Anne commissioned paintings to mark the event. Interestingly, the Four Indian Kings are painted full-length, a pose normally only used for royalty or persons of distinction in the military. They were obviously warmly welcomed in England, and their visit could be considered a success. The Four Indian Kings are among the most significant documents held by Library and Archives Canada. This cover with the impressive minisheet was sent to me by Guy Dorval.

Åland 8.10.2010 - Inge Löök

“Incredibly funny old lady and other cute pictures of Finnish artist Inge Look”

Inge Löök (Ingebor Lievonen) is an artist and gardener from Pernaja, Finland. She was born in Helsinki 1951. Her artistic name Löök means onion in swedish.

She graduated from high school 1972 and got her gardening degree in 1974 and graduated 1979 from the Arts and Crafts University in Helsinki as a graphical designer. She worked as an gardener for six years but then her art work became a full time job.

She has drawn over 300 postcards, half of which are Christmas themed. She also designed more than 800 greeting cards and illustrated numerous exlibris book-tags. She has illustrated various children’s and young adult’s books and Christian literature and schoolbooks, couple of CD-covers and magazines especially gardenig magazines. She has worked for different publishers in Finland.

She is best known for her anarchistic grannie figures. Her first Grannies illustrations where born in 2003. The motto of the grannies is “Time is not money and spending it isn’t a sin”At first her grannies were rejected by the publisher when she offered them as Valentines Day cards ( commonly known as ystävänpäivä friends day in Finland.) Pirjo Laakso noticed the grannies at a postcard fair and they were included in the Paletti card manufacturers prints. Then the grannies started their world wide success. In a couple of years grannies have sold more than hundred thousand copies. They represent a humorous approach to the world. The visual appearance of the grannies comes from the artists childhood and the old ladies who lived in her neighborhood. Grannies picture a gentle caricature of the artists own attitude towards life.

In spring 2008 a book and a wall calendar was published called “Paljain jaloin mummojen puutarhassa”- barefooted at the grannies garden. Grannies have now appeared in various prints and textiles. Åland and Finland have used them in stamps. Shown here is a cover from Åland, featuring a Christmas stamp with an Inge Look painting of the Grannies having fun. Also displayed are three very typical Inge Look cards. All these are thanks to Ella.

Christmas 23.11.2010

During the Holiday Season, when one is looking forward to Christmas Cheer and the Bon Homme associated with the New Year, what could be better than a cover with lovely Finnish Christmas stamps over the last ten years or so. Ella sent me this memorable cover. Thanks Ella.

USA - USS South Dakota Memorial

When they scrapped "Old Nameless" in 1962, Sioux Falls couldn't get the whole battleship into landlocked South Dakota. So they salvaged what parts they could, poured a foot-high concrete outline onto the ground in Sherman Park along the banks of the Big Sioux River, and combined the pieces into a minimalist pseudo-replica.

The USS South Dakota was in every major battle and the most decorated ship of WWII from 1942-45. It brought down 32 Japanese planes and was the first ship to fire on the Japanese home islands! She was officially numbered BB57, also known as "Battleship X," and her state designation was as the South Dakota.

The anchor, the ship's bell, a massive propeller, and other components are placed around the park within the outline. There is an original 16-inch gun (weighing 94 tons), suitable for shelling the towns of eastern South Dakota, and the actual flag mast. The outline is 680 feet in length.

The bridge contains a gift shop, where at one time a visitor could purchase a commission as an admiral in the South Dakota navy (latest report is that admiralties are no longer available). A short video about the Navy is shown. An extension was added in 2001 to house an expanded museum, though this further mars the illusion that a battleship is rising out of the plains.

Every other year, alumni of the battleship South Dakota gather on its deck/lawn for a reunion of heroes and their familes....

The card has a nice stamp of Mother Teresa on it.

The Arctic Circle 3.11.2010

Hi! The postmark on the cover displayed says Napapiiri. Now Napapiiri is not a city or a village, napapiiri is the artic circle in samisk languange.There are lot of signs like this in North Sverige or swedish, and written on them is napapiiri , too.

Rovaniemi is the place mentioned in the address of the sender of this cover. It is a city and municipality of Finland. It is the administrative capital and commercial centre of Finland's northernmost province, Lapland. It is situated close to the Arctic Circle and is between the hills of Ounasvaara and Korkalovaara, at the confluence of the Kemijoki River and its tributary, the Ounasjoki. The city and the surrounding Rovaniemen maalaiskuntaRovaniemi) were consolidated into a single entity on January 1, 2006. The new municipality has an area of 8,017.19 square kilometres (3,095.45 sq mi) and an approximate population of 60,000. (Rural municipality of

Rovaniemi is the northernmost point of the electric railway system managed by the Finnish Rail Administration. VR Group operates direct daytime and overnight passenger trains from Rovaniemi Station to Oulu, Tampere, Helsinki and Turku. Diesel-powered passenger trains operate north-east of Rovaniemi to Kemijärvi. Rovaniemi Airport is located about 10 kilometres (6 mi) north of the Rovaniemi city centre.

Rovaniemi is also home to the world's most northern branch of McDonald's

In an untouched forest nearby called Myössäjärvi lies a unique natural wonder of the Ice Age. This "devil’s churn" or glacier mill is unusual because it turned upside-down while it moved to its present location. It's also one of the biggest hollow erratic boulders in the world. This is a unique weather formed boulder that is hollow and one can climb inside.

Rovaniemi Finland is just five miles south of the Arctic Circle, which means that you’ll enjoy plenty of sunlight in the summers and extended darkness in the winters. Come spring and fall, however, the light evens out, and these are the best seasons to view the Northern Lights in Finland. Due to the location of Rovaniemi Finland, the Northern Lights can be seen some 200 nights a year on average, and it’s quite a show. Also known as Aurora Borealis, the Northern Lights are rather hard to explain in a sentence or two, but suffice it to say that these natural nighttime light shows are nothing short of spectacular. Many tourists who travel to Rovaniemi come with the hopes of seeing the Northern Lights, and you might be happy to know that the sunsets here are usually pretty phenomenal themselves.