The Zürich Agreement (1959) between Turkey and Greece 1.10.1980

This FDC has great historical significance. The Zürich Agreement (1959) between Turkey and Greece produced a bi-communal constitutional framework for Cyprus which recognised the equality of the two `communities' in many important matters and a large degree of political and cultural separateness. British, Turkish-Cypriot and Greek-Cypriot signatories to the 1960 Zurich agreement paving way for an independent Republic of Cyprus. The President of the Republic would be a Greek, whereas the Vice-President would be a Turkish-Cypriot who would have had the right to veto -a potentially disruptive though crucial way to give effect to political equality. The Turkish-Cypriot members of the House of Representatives could also in effect veto legislation on fiscal, electoral, and municipal matters. This wonderful piece of history was sent to me by Merja.

Norway 21.9.2007 - Sea Food

Ella Thank you very much indeed for this pretty FDC from Norway, issued on 21 September 2007. The theme of the four stamps is - what else but Mmmmm Sea food - Fauna (Marine fauna). The stamps in depict Pink Shrimp, European Lobster, Edible Brown Crab, and the Squat Lobster. Norwegians do have a lovely time with sea food – don’t they?

Bosnia Herzegovina – Railways

These stamps and the FDC was issued by Bosnia Herzegovina to commemorate the Company Zeljeznice Federacije Bosne i Hercegovine which provides rail transportation of passengers and freight in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and internationally. It transports cargo through wagons and freight cars. The company was founded in 1878 and is based in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina with regional offices in Sarajevo, Tuzla, Mostar, Zenica, and Bihac, Bosnia and Herzegovina. This nice cover was thanks to Ella My friend.

Malaysia – Spices

These stamps and the FDC were issued By Malaysia on 28.3.2011, and sent to me by my friend Budin. The 60sen stamp represents Cinnamon, which is derived from the bark of the tree (cinnamomum zeylanicum). It is used in a variety of ways including in smaller pieces in curries or ground up in pastries, cakes and desserts. I take a pinch of cinnamon powder with my porridge everyday. It is said to act like a tonic.

The 90sen stamp features Star Anise. A small fruit originally from China, and tastes like liquorice.

The RM1 stamp features Cardamom. The seeds of which are used in the cooking of a variety of aromatic rice dishes such as,’beriyanis’ as well as in curries etc.

Cyprus – Joint Issue

This is a Joint Issue of stamps by India and Cyprus. The theme is Folk Music and Dances of the two countries. It was issued simultaneously by both countries on 12.4.2006. This mini sheet was due to the kind courtesy of Merja.

Latvia 25.3.2011 – Flower Issue

This time it was second stamp from new series of flowers. The FDC was issued on 25.3.2011. Last year there was a picture of the first stamp in the series with a peony on it and this year we have a rose. Vera sent this pretty FDC to me.

Canada – Centenary of the Navy

The Canadian Navy came into existence on May 4, 1910, when the Naval Service Act became law. Permission to add the prefix “Royal” was granted by King George V in 1911. In 1968, the Canadian Navy was merged with Canada’s army and air force to form the Canadian Armed Forces, later the Canadian Forces; The maritime component was named Maritime Command replacing the title Royal Canadian Navy. With a country as vast as Canada, it’s easy to forget that Canada is a maritime nation. But, bordered by three major oceans and home to the largest coastline in the world, her national development has always been shaped by the safety of her waters. For the past century, the men and women of Canada’s naval forces have stood their guard at sea, protecting the country from threats as diverse as terrorism, illegal resource exploitation, pollution violation, narcotics trafficking and illegal immigration. As the warships of Canada’s navy continue to defend the nation’s interests in home waters and around the world, Canada Post will celebrate their 100^th anniversary with two commemorative stamps. The commemorative stamp issue depicts the past and present of Canada’s naval service. “The two stamps were designed as separate artworks, but they appear as one canvas on this Miniature Sheet. They share the same sky, marine life and open sea environments. The two ships, though of a different age, appear as part of the same fleet,” notes designer Andrew Perro of the Toronto-based firm, Designwerke. “One of Canada’s first warships, the HMCS Niobe, sails alongside a modern frigate, the HMCS Halifax—a feature that speaks to the passage of time, capturing the magnitude of this major centennial milestone.” The design is complimented by marine inspired colours and crisp typography.

Finland - 90th Anniversary of Tove Jansson 9.8.2004

A new Moomin stamp and a silver collector’s coin, “Tove Jansson and Children’s Culture” was issued on August 9, 2004 . The new Moomin stamp celebrated the 90th Anniversary of Finland's beloved artist and author Tove Jansson (1914-2001), the creator of Moomin. The world famous troll became internationally known in 1954 when the London Evening Standard began publishing a cartoon strip entitled “Moomin” drawn by Jansson and his brother Lars. After “Moomin” became syndicated, the cartoon was read in 60 languages. Predating the cartoon strip, Jansson’s first Moomin book, originally written in Swedish, appeared in 1945. A total of 13 books appeared between that year and 1977. The books have been translated into more than 30 languages. In Finland Moomin fans can visit Moominworld, a family oriented theme park in Naantali. The park is centered on the Moomin way of life: family values, friendship and respect for the environment.

The Moomin stamp is printed on a paper stock that has a fabric-like feel, a new and unusual concept in the world of stamps. The new material gives it a 3-D effect. Finnish artist Päivi Vainionpää designed the stamp that features two characters, the Moomin Troll and Snufkin. Merja sent me this nice cover.

Finland - FDC Bronze Age burial site 8.92004

Sammallahdenmäki is a Bronze age burial site in Finland in Lappi municipality. It was designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1999, and includes 36 granite burial cairns dating back more than 3,000 years, to 1,500 to 500 BC. It is located on a hill in a remote area off the road between Tampere and Rauma. Originally, it was near the coast of the Gulf of Bothnia, but the land has risen so it is now 15 kilometers from the sea. It is one of the most important Bronze Age sites in Scandinavia. Four of the cairns were excavated by archaeologist Volter Högman in 1891, including Kirkonlaattia ("Church Floor"), an unusual rectangular cairn covering 16 x 19 metres with a flat top, and Huilun pitkä raunio ("long ruin of Huilu"), which is surrounded by an ancient stone wall. This beautiful cover was given to me by Merja.

Finland - The Moomin Characters 15.3.2000

Once again The Unforgettable Moomin charactes due to the kind courtesy of Brita.

Finland - The Wreck of Vrouw Maria 8.9.2004

Vrouw Maria (Lady Mary) was a Dutch wooden two-masted merchant ship carrying a valuable cargo of art objects, captained by Raymund Lourens, that sank on October 9, 1771, in the outer archipelago of the municipality of Nagu, Finland, 11 kilometers south-east of the island of Jurmo. In 1999, the ship was discovered by the members of Pro Vrouw Maria, led by Rauno Koivusaari. A dispute between the discoverers and the authorities was later resolved. The ship was in good condition when it was discovered, but only six objects from the deck of the ship have been salvaged. The cargo holds have not been disturbed, so the condition of any art on board remains unknown. The Finnish National Board of Antiquities is responsible for the ship and all recovery efforts. Vrouw Maria was loaded with precious artifacts including works of art belonging to Catherine the Great of Russia. The ship set sail from Amsterdam on September 5, 1771, for Saint Petersburg. One month later, on October 3, the ship was caught in a storm and ran aground near the island of Jurmo. The rocks caused only minor damage but shortly afterward the ship ran aground again and lost its rudder. The ship was released by a large wave but the crew found it leaking rapidly. Lowering anchor, the crewmen manned the pumps, but the ship continued to take on water. At dawn on October 4, the decision was made to abandon ship. The crew manned the ship's boats and safely reached nearby rocks, from which they hailed a passing boat. Help arrived the next day, but after several days no progress had been made toward stabilizing the ship, whose pump was clogged with coffee beans from the cargo. On the morning of October 9, the Vrouw Maria sank beneath the waves. While all the crew lived, only a fraction of the cargo was saved.

The First Day Cover titled Gulf of Finland, was issued on 8^th September, 2004. The stamps show treasures of wrecks. Egelskär’s Ceramic drinking vessel represents every day life, Vrouw Maria’s seal represent trading, St. Mikael’s gold watch represents valuable items, Mulan’s tank for gunpowder represents history of warfare and St. Nikolai’s figurehead represents navigation and shipbuilding. This minisheet is the fourth one in the series. The first was issued in 2001, the second in 2002 and the third in 2003. This beautiful cover was given to me by Merja.

Year of the Rabbit 5.1.2011

The lovely First Day Cover on The Year of the Rabbit was sent to me by Zhang. The stamp on the cover which brought the FDC is also displayed. It is a pretty painting. Isn't it?

Canada - Carrie M. Best

This nice FDC was sent to me by Guy Dorval.