St. Etienne Cathedral & the Protestant Temple Neuf in Metz

The First Day Cover displayed was issued to commemorate the 84th FFAP Congress at Metz in France. On Sunday June 12th, the 84th congress of the French Federation of Philatelic Associations brought together representatives of 623 philatelic associations comprising the F.F.A.P. About 250 collections, grouped in 16 different exhibition classes, competed in the Championnat de France de philatélie. The SAMOLUX'11 was also held in Metz on these days. This is the ninth event of the interregional stamp exhibition bringing together collectors from Saarland (Germany), Moselle (France) and Luxembourg. The Metz stamp design is by Claude Andréotto. Since the Nancy congress in 2005, the stamps issued on the occasion of the F.F.A.P. congresses have included an attached commemorative label or vignette with no postal value. In this case, the group shows 3 of the main monuments of the city, the Cathedral of Saint-Etienne, the Temple Neuf and, in the vignette, the Porte des Allemands, a vestige of the old medieval walls. This same building also appears in the first day postmark, also designed by Claude Andréotto. For those interested in more details about he pictures on the stamps, a short brief on them would not be out of place. This stamp and its coupon on the FDC are featuring some emblematic monuments of the city of Metz, the Prefecture of the department of Moselle (Region of Lorraine).

We can indeed see the St. Etienne Cathedral, built from 1220 to 1522, nicknamed the "Lantern of God" because of its impressive stained-glass surface (6,500 m², a record in France !). Saint Étienne de Metz (French for Saint Stephen of Metz), also known as Metz Cathedral) is a Gothic, Catholic cathedral in the city of Metz, capital of Lorraine, France. It is the cathedral of the Catholic Diocese of Metz and the seat of the Bishop of Metz.

To the right on the same stamp and attached to it is a coupon, which depicts the Rhine architecture's Protestant Temple Neuf, inaugurated in 1904 by German Emperor Wilhelm II.
The cathedral is sometime nicknamed the Good Lord's lantern as it possesses the largest expanses of stained glass windows in the world with 6,500 m² (70,000 sq ft). The stained glass windows include works of Hermann von Münster (14th C); Théobald of Lixheim and Valentin Bousch (16th C); Laurent-Charles Maréchal (19th C); Roger Bissière, Jacques Villon and Marc Chagall (20th C). Its nave, 41.41 meters high, is one of the highest in France only overtopped by Beauvais Cathedral and Amiens Cathedral, and is the 10th highest nave in the world. Protestant Temple Neuf was built in 1903, under the reign of the Germans in this town. Like many of the border territories in this area of France, the control of political power has swung between Berlin and Paris for many centuries, making it a place with a multi-cultural feel. This church is a perfect example of that, designed in an obvious Rhenish style; the neo-Romanesque finish is typical of Protestant churches that were built across Germany in the early 20th Century.
This wonderful First Day Cover was given to me by my dear friend Maria.

Pioneers of Aviation

Major invention of the twentieth century, aviation is also a great human adventure. The French Post has issued a series of stamps dedicated to the six aviation pioneers (Farman, Delagrange, the Wright brothers, Latham, Vedrines, Deroche).

Maurice Alain Farman was a French Grand Prix motor racing champion, an aviator, and an aircraft manufacturer and designer.

Leon Delagrange was a French aviator who established a record flight in an airplane in 1908 and made a sensational flight in a storm in England in 1909.

The Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur, were two Americans who were credited with inventing and building the world's first successful airplane and making the first controlled, powered and sustained heavier-than-air human flight, on December 17, 1903.

Arthur Charles Hubert Latham was a French aviation pioneer. He was the first person to attempt to cross the English Channel in an airplane. Due to engine failure during his first of two attempts to cross the Channel, he became the first person to land an airplane on a body of water.

The first airplane to visit the Holy Land was a Bleriot XI, flown by the French aviator Jules Vedrines, who participated in a competition to fly from Paris to Cairo. He landed near Jaffa, on the Mediterranean coast, on December 27th, 1913.

Elise Raymonde Deroche was the first qualified woman pilot in France and in the world.

40th Anniversary of Finland’s independence - Coat of arms of Finland 6.12.1957

The coat of arms of Finland is a crowned lion on a red field, the right forepaw replaced with an armoured hand brandishing a sword, trampling on a saber with the hindpaws. The coat of arms was originally created around the year 1580. This cover and stamp were issued on 6.12.1957.

The grand-ducal coat of arms is thought to have resulted out of a combination of the Göta lion (originating from the Folkunga lion) and the arms of Karelia. The result was that the lion brandishes one weapon and treads on another.

The coat of arms appears on the Finnish state flag. The Finnish lion is also used in a wide variety of emblems of different state authorities, often modified to depict the duties of the unit or the authority. This important cover was given to me by my dear friend Pia.

Bicycles – From the Origin to the Present 17.10.2011

Vehicles for human transport that have two wheels and require balancing by the rider date back to the early 19th century. The first means of transport making use of two wheels, and thus the archetype of the bicycle, was the German draisine dating back to 1817. The term bicycle was coined in France in the 1860s. A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist.
Bicycles were introduced in the 19th century and now number about one billion worldwide, twice as many as automobiles. They are the principal means of transportation in many regions. They also provide a popular form of recreation, and have been adapted for such uses as children's toys, adult fitness, military and police applications, courier services and bicycle racing. The basic shape and configuration of a typical upright bicycle has changed little since the first chain-driven model was developed around 1885. However, many details have been improved, especially since the advent of modern materials and computer-aided design. These have allowed for a proliferation of specialized designs for particular types of cycling. The invention of the bicycle has had an enormous impact on society, both in terms of culture and of advancing modern industrial methods. Several components that eventually played a key role in the development of the automobile were originally invented for the bicycle, including ball bearings, pneumatic tires, chain-driven sprockets, and spoke-tensioned wheels. 
This wonderful set of six stamps and covers were issued by France on 17.6.2011 commemoration this great invention. And, thank you my dear Maria for sending them to me.

Ferrari F1

These stamps are most timely, as this week the first Formula 1 (F1) motor car races will be held in India, in Delhi. And, naturally Ferrari will be an important part of it. Ferrari symbolizes passion, style, and technology to many. It is the oldest surviving, the most well known, and arguably the most loved team in Grand Prix motor racing history. Ferrari’s founder, Enzo Ferrari, was born in 1898 in Modena, Italy. He claimed that when competing in Ravenna in 1923 Countess Paolina Baracca, the mother of Italy's World War I flying ace Francesco Baracca, asked him to put his son's prancing horse emblem on his car for luck. Thus the legend was born. The ‘Prancing Horse’, or ‘Cavallino Rampante’ is one of the most well known and instantly recognisable symbols in global motorsport, a symbol of style and speed to many.

This highly collectable issue, a ‘Ferrari official licensed product’, depicts the evolving design of the Ferrari Formula 1 car that has been driven to victory in Formaula One Grand Prix circuits around the world. The issue comprises a Miniature Sheet containing 6 stamps and 6 individual Sheetlets each dynamically depicting the year’s car design from 1999 through to 2004. It is interesting to see through the stamps, how the car has developed taking on board advancements in technology and aerodynamics whilst adhering to FIA (Federation Internationale de l' Automobile) rules and regulations. The 2004 rules state cars must be no wider than 180cm. The length and height of the car are effectively governed by other specific parameters. For example, bodywork ahead of the rear wheel centre line must be a maximum of 140cm wide. Bodywork behind it must be no more than 100cm wide. Front and rear overhangs are limited to 120cm and 60cm respectively from the wheel centre lines. Thus, the Ferrari F2004 measures 454.5cm by 179.6cm by 95.9cm.
Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing. The team was founded by Enzo Ferrari, initially to race cars produced by Alfa Romeo, though by 1947 Ferrari had begun building their own cars. It is the oldest surviving team in Grand Prix racing, having competed since 1932, and statistically the most successful Formula One team in history with a record of 15 drivers' championships. As a constructor, Ferrari has 16 constructors' championships.
Alberto Ascari, Juan Manuel Fangio, Mike Hawthorn, Phil Hill, John Surtees, Niki Lauda, Jody Scheckter, Michael Schumacher and Kimi Räikkönen have all won drivers world championships driving for the team. The team's current drivers are Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa, and its test drivers are Jules Bianchi, Marc Gené and Giancarlo Fisichella.

“ARANDA” AND “THE NORTH-EAST PASSAGE” STAMPS CELEBRATE THE ANNIVERSARIES OF FINNISH MARINE RESEARCH 7.6.1998

Finnish marine research was commemorated on May 7^th, 1998 with two special stamps. One has a face value of 2,80 and depicts the research vessel of the Finnish Marine Research Institute, “Aranda”; the other one has a face value of 3,20 and has as its subject the famous Northeast Passage explored by the great Finnish scientist A.E. Nordenskiöld (1832-1901). The other stamp features the whaler Vega used by the expedition. In the background is depicted a part of the route. Both stamps are designed by Juha Flinkman, who is a marine biologist and a research diver by profession. Please also read my post Finland - The Discovery of the North East Passage dated 30.1.2010.

The stamps were issued as part of the “Pohjola-Norden” series, a joint project of Nordic Posts. This year, the theme of the series was navigation.

Finnish marine research celebrated its 100th and the Finnish Marine Research Institute its 80th anniversary this year. The “Aranda” vessel depicted on the stamp was assigned to the Finnish Marine Research Institute in 1989. As early as in the winter of 1989/90 (and again in 1995/96) the vessel set sail towards the seas of the Antarctic. “Aranda” continues its round-the-year expeditions on the Baltic and other seas of the world. In 1878-80, the expedition led by A.E. Nordenskiöld sailed around the Old World starting from the Northern coast of Siberia and continuing through the Bering Strait. The vessel Vega was a three-mast barque and it had an auxiliary steam engine. Nordenskiöld, who was a senior lecturer in mineralogy in Helsinki University, moved to Sweden in 1857 and was nominated professor in 1858. He became the director of the Swedish Academy in 1893.
S/S Aranda was a steam-powered Finnish ship that was one of the first ships able to operate between Stockholm and Finland even in icy conditions, later it was used in the archipelago sea as a passenger ship in difficult conditions. This ship was a part of reparations paid to Soviet Union after World War II. The second and third Finnish ships called Aranda have been marine research vessels. The third one, R/V mta Aranda is ice-enforced. Though not very suitable for high seas studies, the low draught of c. 5 meters allows the ship in many difficult places and it has visited both Antarctic waters and Arctic Ocean, including its normal operations on the Baltic Sea. It is registered in Helsinki. The ship can host 25 to 30 researchers. Maximum duration of operations is 60 days. This lovely cover was given to me by my dear friend Pia.

450th Anniversary of the Recognition Of the Sovereignty Of Monaco 6.6.1962

This FDC and the three commemorative stamps on it were issued to celebrate the 450^th Anniversary of the Recognition Of the Sovereignty Of Monaco by Louis XII. This outstanding cover was given to me by my dear friend Maria. The first stamp on the left, pictures the same people as on the FDC i.e. Louis XII King of France at this time and Lucien Grimault (or Grimaldi) the ruler of Monaco at this time. The stamp in the middle, pictures the treaty between both the rulers, and the last stamp

pictures the seals of King Louis XII and Lucien Grimaldi.

The postmark pictures the prince palace of Monaco where all the rulers of Monaco have lived. I believe that the actual prince of Monaco is also from the Grimaldi family!

Lucien (1487 – 22 August 1523) became Lord of Monaco on 11 October 1505, having murdered his predecessor and brother, Jean II, and held that sovereignty until his death. He was the third son of Lambert Grimaldi (1420–1494) and Claudine Grimaldi (1451–1515). His elder brother Louis was disinherited due to insanity. On 25 September 1514 he married Jeanne de Pontevès-Cabanes. The couple had at least five children. A year after Lucien's reign began, Genoa broke free of France, and many of its people fled to Monaco for refuge. In December 1506, 14,000 Genoese troops besieged Monaco and its castle. The blockade lasted for five months, until Lucien was able to route the Genoese in March 1507. Monaco, and by extension Lucien, was now in a tight spot, being subjects of France but caught in a diplomatic tight spot between France and Spain, trying to preserve its fragile independence. In 1515, Lucien bought the feudal rights over the city of Mentone, retained by the family of Anne de Lascaris, Countess of Villars, thus bringing the city, as a whole, under Monaco's sovereignty until the French Revolution.On 22 August 1523, Lucien was assassinated by his nephew, Bartholomew Doria of Dolceaqua, son of Lucien's sister Francoise Doria, at the Prince's Palace of Monaco. His body was dragged down the steps of the palace by Doria's men, to be shown to the disbelieving masses, thus inciting a riot wherein the people of Monaco chased Doria and his men out of the country. Andrea Doria, the famous admiral and a cousin to Bartholomew, is believed have had prior knowledge of the assassination. The full extent of his compliance in this event is speculation, stemming from his being in the Port of Hercules with his squadron of ships on the day of the assassination and his having received a message from Bartholomew that was sent out of the palace just moments before Bartholomew carried out the assassination. The message was believed to have been a ruse to get rid of Lucien's major domo and twelve or fourteen of Lucien's armed men, leaving Lucien alone in the company of his nephew, but for one slave.

Bi-Centenary of the Paris Fire Brigade

Exactly 200 years ago, Napoléon the First created The Paris Fire Brigade just after the accidental burning of the Austrian Embassy. Before that, there was no organisation to fight against the fires and to help the victims of accidents. It is one of the best things Napoleon created in Paris as well as numbering the streets in a very logical manner with even numbers on one side and odd numbers on the other side. There are nearly 9000 firemen in Paris and the surrounding region of Ile de France. All belong to the French army and are under the command of the Ministry of Defence. They do 4 hours of exercise everyday; no wonder why they have fabulous bodies and generate passion and admiration for both Parisians and tourists alike! Only two other cities have a similar situation: Marseille and Monaco. In France’s other cities, firemen are volunteers and sometimes have another job. The Paris Fire Brigade (Brigade des Sapeurs-Pompiers de Paris, BSPP) is a unit, which serves as the fire service for Paris and certain sites of national strategic importance.
The brigade is a unit of the French Army's Engineering Arm (Génie) and the fire fighters are therefore sappers (sapeurs, thus sapeurs-pompiers). With 8,550 firemen, it is the largest fire brigade in Europe and the third largest urban fire service in the world after the Tokyo Fire Department and New York City Fire Department. The Brigade is placed at the disposal of the Paris Prefecture of Police in an arrangement similar to that of the French Gendarmerie. Its motto is "Save or Perish". 

This Bi-centenial commemorative souvenir sheet set of ten commemorative stamps issued on 19 September 2011 was given to me by my dear friend Maria.

Postboxes of Malaysia

To commemorate World Post Day on October 9, 2010 and for the Annual Malaysia Stamp Week, stamps of postboxes of Bukit Bendera or Penang Hill, Faser Hill, Melaka, Seremban and Kuala Lumpur are featured in RM1 sheet and in 60 sen adhesive stamp booklet. Pos Malaysia released new stamp sets on October 10, 2011. The stamp sets contain five stamps (denomination RM1 each) from sheetlet and five stamps (denomination 60 sen) from booklet. This First Day Cover was sent to me by Budin.

Rudolf Koivu, Finnish Artist and Painter 29.8.1970

Rudolf Koivu (1890 - 1946) was a Finnish graphic illustrator and painter, was one of Finland’s most famous illustrators. Koivu is best known for his illustrations of fairy tales and other children’s publications. which are enduringly and timelessly popular. The stamp sheet on the First Day Cover commemorating Rudolf Koivu was issued on 29.8.1970.

The stamps (from left to right and top to bottom) depict illustrations of

1. Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves (from the collection ”One Thousand and One Nights”.

2. Story of the Great Musician.

3. Story of the Giants, the Witches and the Daughter of the Sun.

4. The Golden Bird, Brothers Grimm fairy tales.

5. Lamb’s Brother, written by Rudolf Koivu.

6. The Snow Queen, written by Hans Christian Andersen.

My friend Pia gave me this card..

200th anniv. of Finnish Military Academy 20.3.1979

This Cover and the stamp on it were issued on 20.3.1979 to commemorate the 200th anniv. of Finnish Military Academy. The stamp depicts the old school building at Hamina and the Academy flag. The founder of the Academy was Georg Magnus Sprengtporten. Haapaniemi Military Academy was the first army military academy in the entire Kingdom of Sweden. It was founded in May 1781 and destroyed in a fire on March 26, 1818. The history of the Haapaniemi Military Academy includes three distinctive men. Georg Magnus Sprengtporten was the founder of the Academy, but he never became its commandant. He had been one of those to support Gustav III's coup d'état in 1772, but after disagreements with the King he was sent to the backlands of Savo to command the Savo Jaeger Regiment in 1775. By the time Gustav III gave his concession to found the Acadamy in 1779, Sprengtporten had already moved abroad and finally entered into the service of the Russian Empire at the invitation of Empress Catherine II.
Finland Cadet school was the common name for the Fredrikshamn cadet school during the period 1819–1901. The Cadet School was originally founded in 1780 by Georg Magnus Sprengtporten at Kuopio and transferred in 1781 to Rantasalmi where it was called Haapaniemi Cadet School. In 1819, after the School was transferred to Hamina (Swedish: Fredrikshamn) the name was changed accordingly, in common usage. After Finnish independence in 1917 the Cadet school was moved to Santahamina in Helsinki and in 1920 the premises were occupied by the Reserve Officer School of the newly formed Finnish defence forces. Today the main building of the Cadet school hosts the headquarters of the Reserve Officer School of the Finnish Army. Hamina Cadet School was abolished in 1903 with the abolition of the separate Army of the Grand duchy of Finland as part of the Russification policy. The conscription of Finnish soldiers directly to various units of the Russian Empire was seen as illegal and unconstitutional in Finland. Finnish officers protested first in through mass resignations and later through a strategy of disobedience, in what is now known as the Conscription strikes. Finally it was settled that the Grand Duchy of Finland would fulfil its obligation to the common defence with a monetary compensation to the Russian Empire instead through the provision of conscripts.
As an aside it would interest the reader to know that Field Marshal Mannerheim was a cadet at Hamina cadet school. Due to a disciplinary breach he was expelled in his final year in 1886, which caused him to continue his military career in the Imperial Russian Army. It is indeed ironical that Mannerheim after this initial setback in his military carreer was to play such an important and dominant part in Finland’s 20^th Century history. My friend Pia sent me this card.

Everyday Life in a Viking Village

Landscape paintings are universally appreciated by all, in part because all humans have a connection to the physical world our ancestors have walked for millennia. Of course, this connection to the environment in which we live in is felt stronger by some, especially by outdoor landscape painters and photographers, and by people who live more dependently off the land. The Faroese people, for example, have this deeper connection to the natural world; it is inescapable and unforgettable wherever one goes among the Faeroe Islands. There are no big cities to get mentally lost in and forget about what lies beyond – only picturesque villages in idyllic settings nestled along the ocean and backed by mountains, as depicted in this three stamp miniature sheet. These stamps on the mini sheet displayed were issued on 7^th February 2005. According to me Faeroe Islands issue the most natural and exceptional stamps portraying their world in its very glorious best. The Faroe Islands are among the most visually and spiritually alluring islands in the world, and part of what makes them special is the feeling of closeness to the land that they generate, being small windswept islands in the middle of the vast and cold North Atlantic Ocean.

Scenery stamp series completed with Kökar and Jomala stamps 28.8.2011

The time has come to complete the Åland scenery series. The final two municipalities to be featured are the archipelago municipality of Kökar and Åland’s largest municipality, Jomala. All 16 Åland municipalities will then have been presented and a beautiful pack holding the 16 scenery stamps will also be available.
Kökar is an island situated in the outskirts of the Åland archipelago and the southern-most Åland municipality. Kökar is a popular place for tourists to visit. Many come here to visit the Otterböte Bronze Age site, an ancient settlement for seal hunters. Best known among the sights in Kökar is the island of Källskär. Despite its broken landscape and exposed position, the island has been creatively developed with a harbour, several buildings and a lovely garden. Tove Jansson’s painting, featured on a 2007 stamp, was previously on display on Källskär. This is also where the Pitcher of Källskär can be admired, a nature phenomenon formed by the rotation of large boulders in the whirls of glacier waters running under the ice.
Jomala is located in the middle of main Åland and offers a variety of nature experiences. Kjell Söderlund shot the stamp photo at Hammarudda on the border of the Åland Sea. In Jomala, however, we also find open fields, deciduous woodland meadows and Ice Age formations. It is not known from where the name Jomala originates but theories suggest that “jom” comes from the name of the Viking god Jom and that “ala” means “place”. Therefore, Jomala would mean “the place where Jom is worshipped”. Prehistoric sites have been found in Jomala, just like in Kökar. Jettböle, a Stone-Age settlement dated to approx. 2500–2000 B.C., is one of the most renowned ancient sites in Finland, where most findings have been discovered. My dear friend Ella sent me these two FDCs and the two stamp sheets.
The Jomala stamp is also this year’s Åland SEPAC stamp. Every other year, the members of the Small European Postal Administrations’ Cooperation, SEPAC, issue a joint folder, Beautiful Corners of Europe. The folder was first issued in 2007. This year’s folder holds the stamps from 12 small, European postal administrations.

1994 Ammassalik Centenary

Further to my post on 6.10.2011, here is another FDC issued by the Greenland Post Office on 24.3.1994 to commemorate the Centenary of the Ammassalik Region in Eastern Greenland. This cover showing the traditional Inuit Eskimo musician and the very special postmark showing a traditional sketch was given to me by my dear friend Merja.

Rugby World Cup 2011

France has issued a set of stamps to celebrate the 2011 Rugby World Cup to be held in November in New Zealand. Two stamps in the upper half of the mini sheet picture scenes from a rugby game; a player extracting the ball from a scrum and a player making a pass. The two other stamps picture scenes from New Zealand. However, it would have been helpful if the printers had atleast named the scenes. A search on the internet was necessary to find out that the stamp on the left was of Auckland . The stamp on the right features a view from Arthur's Pass National Park. This is a national park located on the south island which was founded in 1929. The border of the sheet pictures the logo of the Rugby World Cup 2011. In fact this is the same logo for each world cups, only the year changes. One can also see the flags of the twenty countries participating to the final part of the competition: South Africa, England, Argentina, Australia, Canada, Scotland, USA, Fiji, France, Wales, Georgia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Namibia, New Zealand, Romania, Russia, Samoa and Tonga. Russia has qualified for this last stage of the competition for the first time.

50th Anniversary of Scouting Movement 27.02.1957

The founder of Scouting Lord Baden–Powell of Gilwell, (BP) was born in 1857 in England. He lived a busy and adventurous life, and as a boy spent much of his spare time in open–air pursuits hunting in the woods, joining his brothers in expeditions by land and in their boats. Thus he developed his powers of observation and resourcefulness and was helped to acquire many useful skills. He won a scholarship which gave him entry into the Army, where he was sent to India and served for many years. He tried out his ideas of training soldiers in "Scouting" and taught them how to develop experience in stalking and fending for themselves, and to be observant of all signs that would give them an advantage as soldiers. He set down his ideas in the book "Aids to Scouting", which was used as a textbook for many years.
BP was encouraged to set down his views on how he would apply Scouting to the training of boys, so he first conducted an experimental camp in 1907 on Brownsea Island off the Dorset coast. Here, with some 20 boys from all walks of life and suitable adult leaders, Baden–Powell taught the boys what he meant by Scouting. They lived in tents and cooked their own food and learned many valuable skills through games.The camp was a great success and proved Baden-Powell's ideas, so he tackled the task of writing down his experience in a book. "Scouting for Boys" was first published in fortnightly parts, beginning January 15, 1908. Every issue sold out as soon as it hit the news stands, despite the cover price of 4d which was expensive at the time. In fact, "Scouting for Boys ranks third in the world's best sellers after the Bible and Shakespeare.
Although the year 1908 marks the official beginning of the Scouting Movement, Scouting really commenced with the Brownsea Island Camp in August 1907.
Meanwhile Scouting spread to Australia, New Zealand, and India in 1908 and other countries followed shortly after. Chile, in 1909 was the first country outside the Empire to start, followed closely by France, the Scandinavian countries and the United States in 1910. In 1937, 2,500,000 Scouts from nearly 50 countries were affiliated with the International Bureau, which was set up to safeguard Scouting and to prevent control drifting into the hands of the purely religious, political or military bodies. Wood Badge Training of Leaders commenced in 1919 at Gilwell Park, England and has over the years become established as the method of Leader Training throughout the Scouting World.
Today, Scouting is the world's largest youth organisation. From its English origins Scouting struck an enthusiastic chord among boys in so many countries that we now have a World Scout Committee. The World Scout Committee provides unity amongst the National Associations with a World Bureau operating from Geneva, and independent National organisations in 216 countries and territories with a Scout membership of over 25 million. My dear friend Pia gave me this FDC. This First Day Cover and the impressive stamp on it were issued by Finland to commemorate the 50^th Anniversary of the Scouting Movement on 22.2.1957.

Landscapes from Åland 4.8.2006

Lemland is the southernmost municipality of the island, and is completely surrounded by sea. In the west Lemström channel separates Lemland from Jomala municipality and in the east Lumparsund from Lumparland municipality. With its 1700 inhabitants Lemland is the province's fastest growing municipality, thanks to nearness to Mariehamn. The stamp has a view of Söderby in Lemland, at dawn. A calm peaceful morning in November. The municipality is unilingually Swedish. During the Finnish War in 1808 the Swedish king Gustav IV Adolf had his headquarters in the Lemland parsonage. This pretty FDC was given to me by my dear friend Pia.

Animals from Aland

This pretty First Day Cover was given to me by Pia. The stamps and the cover were issued on 1.3.1991. Brief descriptions of the animals pictured on the stamps are given below. The description as I said is brief, notwithstanding the fact that normally volumes could be written on each of these animals, but this blog is constrained to keep it short.

The European Hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus), Common hedgehog or just Hedgehog in the Anglophone parts of Europe, is a hedgehog species found in northern and Western Europe. It is about 20 to 30 cm in length. Adult mass typically ranges from 600 (after hibernation) to up to 1,200 g (prior to hibernation); occasionally, it may reach as much as 1,600 g. Males tend to be slightly longer and heavier than females.

The red squirrel or Eurasian red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) is a species of tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus common throughout Eurasia. The red squirrel is an arboreal, omnivorous rodent. In Great Britain and Ireland, numbers have decreased drastically in recent years, in part because of the introduction of the eastern grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) from North America.

The European Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus), also known as the Western Roe Deer or chevreuil, is a Eurasian species of deer. It is relatively small, reddish and grey-brown, and well adapted to cold environments. Roe Deer are widespread in Western Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, and from the British Isles to the Caucasus. It is distinct from the somewhat larger Siberian Roe Deer.

Burkina Faso - Princess Diana, Princess of Wales

This lovely sheet of stamps portraying Diana, Princess of Wales, was issued by the small African State of Burkina Faso on 20.1.1998. Diana, Princess of Wales (Diana Frances; née Spencer; 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997) was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a pre-eminent celebrity of the late 20th century. Her wedding to Prince Charles, held at St. Paul's Cathedral, was televised and watched by a global audience of over 750 million people. After this marriage she received the courtesy titles Princess of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall, Duchess of Rothesay and Countess of Chester. The marriage produced two sons: Princes William and Harry, currently second and third in line to the thrones of the 16 Commonwealth realms, respectively.

A public figure from the announcement of her engagement to Prince Charles, Diana was born into an aristocratic English family with royal ancestry, and she remained the focus of worldwide media scrutiny during and after her marriage, which ended in divorce on 28 August 1996, including following her death in a car crash in Paris on 31 August 1997 and the subsequent display of public mourning a week later. Diana also received recognition for her charity work and for her support of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines. From 1989, she was the president of Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, in addition to dozens of other charities.

Jean Sibilius 8.12.1957

Jean Sibelius (8 December 1865 – 20 September 1957) was a Finnish composer of the later Romantic period whose music played an important role in the formation of the Finnish national identity. His mastery of the orchestra has been described as "prodigious."
The core of Sibelius's oeuvre is his set of seven symphonies. Like Beethoven, Sibelius used each successive work to further develop his own personal compositional style. His works continue to be performed frequently in the concert hall and are often recorded.
In addition to the symphonies, Sibelius's best-known compositions include Finlandia, the Karelia Suite, Valse triste, the Violin Concerto in D minor and The Swan of Tuonela (one of the four movements of the Lemminkäinen Suite). Other works include pieces inspired by the Finnish national epic, the Kalevala; over 100 songs for voice and piano; incidental music for 13 plays; the opera Jungfrun i tornet (The Maiden in the Tower); chamber music; piano music; Masonic ritual music; and 21 separate publications of choral music.

Sibelius composed prolifically until the mid-1920s. However, after completing his Seventh Symphony (1924), the incidental music to The Tempest (1926), and the tone poem Tapiola (1926), he produced no large-scale works for the remaining thirty years of his life. Although he is reputed to have stopped composing, he in fact attempted to continue writing, including abortive efforts to compose an eighth symphony. He wrote some Masonic music and re-edited some earlier works during this last period of his life, and retained an active interest in new developments in music, although he did not always view modern music favourably. The Finnish 100 mark bill featured his image until it was taken out of circulation in 2002. My dear friend Pia sent me these two covers. Jean Sibelius's 70th birthday was celebrated as a national holiday all over Finland in 1935. A commemorative stamp was issued on Sibelius’s 80th birthday (12-8-1945), and the other FDC was issued to commemorate him after he passed away in 1957.

Christmas 2007 - Santa Comes from Åland! 9.10.2007

Åland issued this cover with a very jolly Santa Claus as the theme on its Christmas stamp. These were issued on 9.10.2007 The cover was sent to me by my dear friend Pia.

The year's Christmas stamp is something out of the ordinary. The Post presents the real Santa Claus – created by an Ålander! Haddon Sundblom was born in 1899 in Michigan and grew up in Chicago. His father Karl Wilhelm emigrated to the USA in 1882 from Föglö in Åland. Haddon's mother Karin came from Sweden. Haddon first planned to follow in his father's footsteps within the building trade but soon decided to pursue art. In the 1920's, he started an advertising agency in Chicago and was in great demand for various commercial assignments. In 1931, Haddon was asked to design an unbeatable Christmas commercial for Coca-Cola. He chose to change the so far rather uninteresting, greyish looking Santa, creating a merry and cheerful man with red cheeks and a large white beard. In doing so, he not only created a lasting symbol associated with a particular trade mark but also changed the general perception of Santa Claus. Every Christmas, Haddon created a new version of Santa Claus. He drew his last Santa Claus for Coca-Cola in 1966, but the Coca-Cola Santa tradition lives on. The illustrations are still used every year in Coca-Cola commercials.

2007’s Åland Christmas stamp shows a Haddon Sundblom Santa, mind you, without a Coca-Cola bottle. The denomination Julpost 07 implies that the stamp could be used for sending Christmas greetings to Åland, Finland and Sweden for €0.50 during a limited period from November to December.

Nature

This pretty miniature sheet of nature stamps was issued by Belarus on 15.4.2005, and the stamps shown depict a bird, animals and a moth species native to Belarus. I suggest you click the picture for a better view.

Greater spotted eagle (Aquila clanga). A medium-sized eagle, the greater spotted eagle only has white spots as a juvenile, when they extend in bands across the upperwing. By adulthood, the spots have faded leaving dark brown feathers across the head, body and wings, with slightly paler flight feathers on the upper side. In gliding flight, the greater spotted eagle holds the feathers at the tips of the wings downward. Although mainly a quiet bird, this eagle has a barking ‘kyak’ call during the breeding season. Aquila clanga occupies a fragmented range, breeding in Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, Belarus, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, mainland China and Mongolia. Passage or wintering birds occur in small numbers over a vast area, including central and eastern Europe, north and east Africa, the Middle East, the Arabian peninsula, the Indian subcontinent and south and South-East Asia. Wintering birds have also been reported in Hong Kong (China). The population probably numbers fewer than 10,000 mature individuals with Russia holding 2,800-3,000 pairs. The European population is probably no more than 900 pairs (with c.170 pairs in Belarus). Numbers appear to have declined in the western half of its range and in some parts of its Asian range.

The Dark Crimson Underwing (Catocala sponsa) is a species of moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found in Europe, North Africa and from Anatolia up to the Caucasus. The wingspan is 60–70 millimetres (2.4–2.8 in). The moth flies from July to September depending on the location. The larvae feed on oak.
The beaver (genus Castor) is a primarily nocturnal, large, semi-aquatic rodent. Castor includes two extant species, North American Beaver (Castor canadensis) (native to North America) and Eurasian Beaver (Castor fiber) (Eurasia). Beavers are known for building dams, canals, and lodges (homes). They are the second-largest rodent in the world (after the capybara). Their colonies create one or more dams to provide still, deep water to protect against predators, and to float food and building material. The North American beaver population was once more than 60 million, but as of 1988 was 6–12 million. This population decline is due to extensive hunting for fur, for glands used as medicine and perfume, and because their harvesting of trees and flooding of waterways may interfere with other land uses.
The European Badger (Meles meles) is a species of badger of the genus Meles, native to almost all of Europe. It is classed as Least Concern for extinction by the IUCN, due to its wide distribution and large population. The European badger is a social burrowing animal which lives on a wide variety of plant and animal food. It is very fussy over the cleanliness of its burrow, and defecates in latrines. Cases are known of European badgers burying their dead family members. Although ferocious when provoked, a trait which was once exploited for the blood sport of badger-baiting, the European badger is generally a peaceful animal, having been known to share its burrows with other species such as rabbits, red foxes and raccoon dogs. Although it does not usually prey on domestic stock, the species is nonetheless alleged to damage livestock through spreading bovine tuberculosis.

Europa CEPT 1990 – Post Office Buildings

         In accordance with the Europa CEPT theme for 1990, Finland issued two stamps on 26.3.1990 showing two of her Post Office Buildings. The stamp on the left on the displayed FDC depicts the Post office in Lapland namely, the Nuvvus post office. The Nuvvus post office building was originally built as a shore house in the year 1840, and it was located by the Tana river (Finnish: Teno or Tenojoki). The building was moved to its current location in the year 1964, and since then it has served as a post office. Nuvvus is a village in Utsjoki, which is a municipality in Finland. It is located in Lapland and borders Norway as well as the municipality of Inari. The stamp on the right shows the Turku post center which was built in 1989. Both its architecture and mechanics represents one of the best in this sector in Europe. The terminal deals in processing and transportation of mail in the sorting area. The terminal also includes special post offices for major customers, an exchange office for international mail and postal duties. This excellent FDC was given to me by my dear friend Pia.

EUROPA CEPT 1979 - Finland- - Post & Telecommunications2.5.1979

The stamp on the right on the FDC is a letter of Queen Christina to Per Brahe in 1638 about establishing a postal servive. The stamp on the left depicts an Optical Telegraph 1796, Map of Grisslehamn-Signilskär-Eckerö telegraph line. These were issued on 2.5.1979

In 1638, Queen Christina of Sweden issued an order starting regular mail service from Stockholm via Åland to Turku. This route was called the Mail Route, and it traversed both sea and land. From Turku, the route continued east as the King's Road all the way to St. Petersburg. The Mail Route is still a living, historic route that tours nine municipalities in Åland and has many exquisite experiences waiting for the traveller. Diverse natural landscapes, beautiful scenery and historical monuments can be found along the road, many parts of which still follow the original 15th century mail route.

Edelcrantz's Shutter Telegraph Systems

Along with the usual ways of communication a special, telegraphic system existed in Sweden from 1794 - the optical telegraph. It was invented by the Swedish poet and scientist Abraham Niclas Edelcrantz, a Royal Counsellor, and consisted of ten shutters, arranged in a pattern that could be easily read off at a distance. The arrangement of the shutters formed what today is called a binary system with 10 signal elements - a predecessor of moden data signal systems. The optical telegraph envisaged a network of linking stations. A signal was successively repeated from one station to the next until the office of destination was reached.

Soon telegraph circuits linking castles and fortresses in the neighbourhood of Stockholm were set up and the system was extended to Grisslehamn and Åland. Subsequently telegraph circuits were introduced between Gothenburg and Marstrand, at Helsingborg and between Karlskrona and its fortresses. Sweden was the second country in the world, after France, to introduce an optical telegraph network.

This nice FDC was given to me by my dear friend Pia.

Greenland Expeditions 5th series - Paul-Émile Victor

This FDC is all about exploration and transportation (Ships & Navigation with Sailing ships). And tells the story of Paul-Émile Victor (June 28, 1907 - March 7, 1995) who was a Artist, adventurer, writer, ethnologist and Science explorer. Victor was born in Geneva, Switzerland. He graduated from École Centrale de Lyon in 1928. In 1934, he participated in an expedition traversing Greenland. During the World War II, he engaged himself in the US Air Forces. After the War, he initiated the Expéditions polaires françaises to organize French polar expeditions. He died in 1995 on Bora Bora in the Pacific, to which he had retired in 1977. Mount Victor, in the Belgica Mountains of Antarctica, is named for him.

In 1934 following an encounter with the famous and high-profile commander and French polar explorer Jean-Baptiste Charcot, he had his first polar expedition with the Museum of Ethnography of the Trocadéro in Paris and the director of this museum, with whom Paul Rivet he embarked on the Pourquoi Pas? the famous commander. It is landed with three companions, the anthropologist Robert Gessain, Michel Perez geologist and director Fred Matter on the east coast of Greenland for his first polar expedition in the Inuit Eskimos of the city Ammassalik for one year. In 1936 he went back to Greenland, where he performed the rare feat of crossing with sled dogs from west to east, with his companions Robert Gessain, Michel Perez and Dane Eigil Knuth. Upon his return to France, after major new scientific and media success thanks to his many conferences and news articles and reviews of his ethnographic study, extensive notes and drawings on traditional culture entirely organized around the Greenland seal. One could go on enumerating the his successes in the field of science and exploration. These two nice FDCs were given to me by my dear friend Merja.

Isle of Man 1988 High Value Definitive Stamps on Railways & Tramways

Europa 1992 - 500 Years of the discovery of America 11.5.1992

The theme chosen by the European Postal and Telecommunications Organisation (CEPT) for Europa 92 was "500 years since the discovery of America". Complete details of this theme are given in my post dated 14.9.2011, where I had described in fair amount of detail about 500 years since the discovery of America on Europa stamps issued by Cyprus.
Here, the FDC shown has stamps issued by Finland on the same theme on 8.5.1992. The stamps are both priced 2.10. The one on the left shows the Flag Ship Santa Maria with a map of the American end of the journey in the back ground. The stamp on the right shows a map with the European part of the voyage and a sketch of Columbus.
Christopher Columbus was an Italian who sailed under the Spanish Flag. He persevered in his quest to obtain backing for an expedition to sail a small fleet of ships to search for a sea route to the Indies. In 1492 King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain finally give Christopher Columbus the money and ships for his expedition. The names of the 1497 Christopher Columbus Ships were the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria. The brave men of the 1400's and 1500's, like Christopher Columbus, who sailed in uncharted waters to unknown lands were courageous adventurers who were motivated by fame, glory and the wealth. The living conditions on board the small ships were basic and the voyages were dangerous. My dear friend Pia gave me this FDC.

Norwegian Monuments

The Europa theme for 1978 was ‘Monuments’. Accordingly Norway issued these two stamps shown on the First Day Cover on 2.5.1978 to commemorate their monuments. Shown are the two well preserved Stave Churches in Norway. The largest stave church in Norway is Heddal (1.25). It is not only a medieval architectural masterpiece, but also a living church for today's congregation in Notodden in Telemark. On the wall in the exterior passage, you can see runes inscribed, telling that the church was dedicated to the holy Virgin Mary. Inside the church you can see a beautifully carved wooden chair from around 1200. The wall-painting that you see today is dated 1668. Underneath, on the west wall, there are remains of the original painting from about 1300.

However, the most visited and most photographed stave church in Norway is Borgund (1.80) in Lærdal beside the Sognefjord. It is also one of the best preserved stave churches. Several runic inscriptions have been found on the church walls.

Borgund. Built around 1180 and is dedicated to the Apostle Andrew. The church is exceptionally well preserved and is one of the most distinctive stave churches in Norway. Some of the finest features are the lavishly carved portals and the roof carvings of dragons's heads. The stave churches are Norway's most important contribution to world architecture and Norway's oldest preserved. This FDC was sent to me by my dear friend Merja.

Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Stamps

Today is the 142^nd Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, The Father of the Nation. There is very little that I can add to the vast knowledge people already have about this Great Man. So, I will only talk a little bit about the Gandhi Memorial stamps, which My Father bought for me. I remember (I was just seven years old then) going with him to the Post Office that day, stand in line for what seemed hours to me and getting this wonderful folder and the four stamps mounted on them. And it is these stamps that marked the beginning of my stamp collecting career, and the start of the finest hobby anyone can indulge in.

The 15th August 1948, the 1st Anniversary of India's Independence was commemorated by issuing postage stamps on "Mahatma Gandhi" in 4 denominations viz., 1? as. 3? as., 12as. and 10 Rupees. The first 3 lower values are in Sepia-brown (Brown), Purple- blue (Violet), Dark-green (Grey -green) respectively. The high value 10 Rupees stamp is in Grey with a Reddish-brown background (Purple-brown and lake). All these stamps were printed in sheets of 50 in 5 rows of 10 stamps each with all around and perforated 11? mm. The top margin has a long inscription extending on 8 stamps, from 2nd to 9th reading "IMRESSION COURVOISER S.A., LA CHAUX - DE - FONDS (SUISSE)". In the bottom margin under the 5th stamp is running number of the sheet and underneath the last stamp is the control number.

The story of making of Gandhi stamps is written by Mr. T. N. Mehta of Indian Postal Administration, is also very interesting as it sketches the true picture of bureaucracy in India. Immediately after Independence, the idea of issue Gandhi Stamp was mooted. On 21st January 1948, the Director General of P & T Dept. requested Security Press, Nasik, to produce Specimen designs for Gandhi Stamps, within a week. The master of India Security Press, suggested issuing a set of 4 Stamps in denominations of lY2annas, 3Y2annas, 8annas and rupee. He proposed that the first 3 Stamps be printed in a single colour in existing 'anna' size and rupee value of Stamp to be printed in two colours in 'rupee' size. Trial copies based on the Em portrait of Gandhiji available with Nashik, was submitted. Alternatively, photographs approved by Mahatma Gandhiji himself could be adopted.
While these preparations were going on tragedy struck the Nation, on 30th January 1948. The picture changed drastically and Security Press was asked on 6th February 1948 to prepare Mourning Stamps. On 17th February 1948, the Security Press submitted 2 designs in denomination of 2? annas for Inland Airmail and 12 annas for Airmail to United Kingdom, based on approval sketch drawn by Mr. C. Biswas. The then Prime Minister Sri Jawaharlal Nehru suggested that the word 'Bapu' be included in the proposed stamp designs both in Hindi and Urdu, a symbolic gesture of Communal Harmony, for which Gandhiji laid his life. The irony of the bureaucracy is plainly visible, in that

• Gandhi! Who fought for Swadeshi throughout his life, his memorial stamps were printed by a Vedishi (foreign) Press.
• Gandhiji always used the cheapest mode of communication, that is a 'Postcard', but his stamp was issued in 10 Rupees denomination (very high value of stamp in those days).

Bureaucracy could not have done a greater disservice to Gandhiji. Philatelically also, this 10 Rupees stamp deprived collectors of possessing the full set because 10rupees was a very big amount and unaffordable in those days.
Lastly, the clothing of Gandhiji in stamps, in no way approximated to the Indian grab or the way Gandhiji used to wear clothes. Actually the original photographs showed the Mahatma unclothed above the waist. However, the anglicised bureaucrats thought that it would be derogatory to portray of the 'Father of the Nation' in such a manner. So they asked the Swiss Printers to adequately cover the naked portion of Gandhiji's body, but they couldn't reproduce it in the Indian Way.
Before concluding, I must admit that as Gandhiji used to glitter and eclipsed all other politicians during his lifetime. His 10 Rupee stamp is glittering in Indian stamps and have eclipsed all other Indian stamps.