Thursday, August 30, 2012

Memorial Buildings of Switzerland




The Swiss FDC is affixed with a block of four of the definitive series stamp (4v1.20 Fr.) issued in 1968. It belongs to the series of memorial buildings of Switzerland and shows the collegiate church in Payerne City (in District Waadt, French speaking Switzerland, about 45 km to the South-West of Berne, the capital of Switzerland). It was built in the10th Century.  Maria gave me this FDC.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Year of the Rabbit 5.1.2011



In the Year of the Rabbit, that is in 2011, hospitable Macau is said to have inherited the characteristics pertaining to that year’s patron animal: ‘gentle, agile, affectionate, peaceful and of quiet nature.’ The Rabbit. These two delightful FDCs, one with the miniature or souvenir sheet if you please, and the other with all the 5 commemorative stamps were issued by Macau. They are postmarked with a quaint postmark dated 5.1.2011.
So, on New Year’s Eve – after purchasing gifts at any of the Lunar New Year fairs – the Chinese residents went to either A-Ma or Kun Iam temples and joined the many worshippers there to usher in the Lunar Year. They bought pinwheels and good luck charms to bring back home, as ‘pinwheels’ are believed to twirl around for a luck change for the better. But, many also chose to enjoy the promised romantic fireworks on display free of charge at night. The firecrackers and fireworks were launched in the special launch areas at the waterfront in Macau and Taipa to add more joy and happiness to the whole family’s outing.
Also, one could watch in the following days the Macau Tower’s ‘CNY Walk’, an admission-free event for visitors to climb the stairs to the Tower’s observation deck, for good luck. The traditional ‘Opening of Kun Yam Treasury’, a ritual common in Southern China, on the 26th day of the first lunar month which attracted the most worshippers to Pou Chai Sim Un (or Kun Iam Tong, one of the three major Buddhist temples in Macau) to pray for good luck and safety. And, to be sure one had watch the grand parade of the 238-metre golden dragon and 18-lions on New Year’s Day.


Tuesday, August 28, 2012

100th anniversary of the Finnish National Board of Antiquities 30.4.1984

This stamp was issued to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Finnish National Board of Antiquities. The stamp depicts Pottery, 3200 B.C.; a silver chalice, 1416; and a crossbow used in the 16th century. The FDC and the stamp were issued on 30.04.1984. The drawing on the cover is that of the National Museum of Finland located in Central Helsinki. This FDC was given to me by Pia.
The oldest directives concerning antiquities were given in Sweden-Finland in 1666, when prehistoric sites and other antiquarian monuments were declared to be under the protection of the State. The clergy were ordered to compile descriptions of the sites of antiquarian and topographical interest that were to be found in their parishes, and around 20 such descriptions from Finland were eventually sent to the newly founded Antiquities College in Stockholm. In the 1680’s, the law was extended to include precious metal objects found in the ground; these were to be offered to the Crown, which could claim them against a reward.
 In the 1700’s, the antiquities laws were augmented several times, most notably in the legislation of 1734. This period saw the rise of the view that antiquities formed part of the national cultural heritage since they represented the works of the ancestors.
 After the Russo-Swedish War of 1808-1809, Finland became a part of Russia as an autonomous Grand Duchy. Though the Swedish law of 1734 was still in force, no public authority was charged with overseeing the antiquities legislation. As romanticism and nationalism began to awaken, so did general concerns over the gradual deterioration of the medieval castles and stone churches.
 In 1870, the Finnish Antiquarian Society was formed to care for and document national historical monuments. The Antiquarian Society, by its activity, greatly influenced the development of Finnish antiquities legislation and administration. The Decree on the Protection of Ancient Monuments was given in 1883, and the next year saw the founding of the Archaeological Bureau, later renamed the State Archaeological Commission, charged with “the general care of country’s ancient monuments”.
 The Archaeological Commission was reorganized in 1972 and became the National Board of Antiquities.

Monday, August 27, 2012

The Matterhorn & Edward Whymper


The stamps on this FDC depicting the Matterhorn were issued to commemorate the Centenary of the successful climb of the Peak by Edward Whymper. My friend Maria gave me this cover.And it was issued on 1.6.1965.
The Matterhorn (German), Monte Cervino (Italian) or Mont Cervin (French), is a mountain in the Pennine Alps on the border between Switzerland and Italy. Its summit is 4,478 metres (14,690 ft) high, making it one of the highest peaks in the Alps. The four steep faces, rising above the surrounding glaciers, face the four compass points. The mountain overlooks the town of Zermatt in the canton of Valais to the north-east and Breuil-Cervinia in the Aosta Valley to the south. The Theodul Pass, located at the eastern base of the peak, is the lowest passage between its north and south side. The Matterhorn was one of the last great Alpine peaks to be climbed and its first ascent marked the end of the golden age of alpinism. It was made in 1865 by a party led by Edward Whymper and ended disastrously when four of its members fell to their deaths on the descent. The north face was not climbed until 1931, and is amongst the six great north faces of the Alps. The Matterhorn is one of the deadliest peaks in the Alps: from 1865 – when it was first climbed – to 1995, 500 alpinists died on it.
Who was Edward Whymper and What was the controversy about his attempt on the Matterhorn? Edward Whymper (27 April 1840 – 16 September 1911), was an English illustrator, climber and explorer best known for the first ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865. On the descent four members of the party were killed. In 1865 Whymper’s party of four was joined by Hudson and Croz, and the inexperienced Douglas Hadow. Their attempt by what is now the normal route, the Hörnli ridge, met with success on 14 July 1865, only days before an Italian party. On the descent, Hadow slipped and fell onto Croz, dislodging him and dragging Douglas and Hudson to their deaths; the rope parted, saving the other three. A controversy ensued as to whether the rope had actually been cut, but a formal investigation could not find any proof. The account of his attempts on the Matterhorn occupies the greater part of his book, Scrambles amongst the Alps (1871), in which the illustrations are engraved by Whymper himself. The accident haunted Whymper:
"Every night, do you understand, I see my comrades of the Matterhorn slipping on their backs, their arms outstretched, one after the other, in perfect order at equal distances—Croz the guide, first, then Hadow, then Hudson, and lastly Douglas. Yes, I shall always see them…"

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Mainland Scenery


Macau is a city on the southern coast of China. It is located at the south of Guangdong Province, on the tip of the peninsula formed by the Zhujiang (Pearl River) estuary on the east and the Xijiang (West River) on the west. Macau is situated 60 km west of Hong Kong and 145 km southwest of Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong Province. It is immediately adjacent to the Zhuhai Special Economic Zone.

This Souvenir Sheet on the FDC is from the series Scenery of the Mainland. The stamp and the souvenir sheet itself are both inscribed by words in Portugese meaning Ancient City of Fenghuang. The souvenir sheet and also the cover show the vista created by the Ancient City of Fenghuang. Fenghuang City is located in the southwest of Hunan Province. It borders Luxi County in the east, Mayang County in the South, Songtao County of Tongren city in Guizhou province in the west and Jishou City and Huayuan County in the north, serving as the strategic gateway connecting Hunan and Guizhou provinces. 


Feng Huang is Chinese for 'phoenix', the mythical bird which is a good omen and symbolizes longevity. When consumed by fire, Feng Huang will be reborn from the flames. Feng Huang Cheng gets its name from a legend that two of these fantastic birds flew over the town and found the town so beautiful that they hovered it, reluctant to leave. Fenghuang Town is located on the western edge of Hunan Province and next to Guizhou. Claimed to be one of the two most beautiful towns in China, Feng Huang Cheng sets an example of what villages were like before the start of modernization. In the town dozens of lanes are paved with stones that run between the wooden houses built on stilts. Generations of local people have stepped on the lanes and worn them down bit by bit. Mist envelopes the town in the early morning or after a rain, creating a charming picturesque scene of Southwest China. But Feng Huang Cheng's charm goes beyond the natural beauty. This ancient town has a history of 1,300 years and it has a number of old gardens as well as distinctive residential buildings, elegant bridges and mysterious towers and pagodas. In Feng Huang Cheng, tourists can also have a glimpse of the Great Wall. This section of the Great Wall was built in the Ming Dynasty (1573-1620) to defend against the local Miao minority ethnic group, which defied the central government at that time.

Saturday, August 25, 2012

1984 FDI Annual World Dental Congress 27.8.1984


Thank you Pia for this FDC issued on 27.8.1984 to coincide with the 1984 FDI Annual World Dental Congress held in Helsinki on 26-31 August 1984.
The FDI World Dental Federation is a federation of approximately 200 national dental associations and specialist groups. The organization’s vision of "leading the world to optimal oral health" acknowledges that oral health is an integral part of general health and well being. So, don't eat chocolates, don't eat sweets don't eat don't eat don't eat :-))

Friday, August 24, 2012

Finnish Postal Services 300th anniversary


"Posti": the Finnish Post and Postal System. The Finnish postal system has existed for more than 370 years, since 1638. From Swedish rule and autonomy under Russia to complete independence of Finland in 1918, the system has lived through the changes of the country. Before , I talk about the cover and the stamps on it so thoughtfully given to me by Pia, I’d like to briefly talk about how it all started.
The Finnish Postal Services Until 1808, While Under Swedish Rule.  Finland was a part of the Swedish kingdom for some seven centuries of its history, from somewhere in the 12th century to the beginning of the 19th century — there is not one specific point in history when Finland is known to have become a part of Sweden. Due to victorious wars and conquests, Sweden had become a European superpower by the early 17th century. The kingdom had expanded to the Baltic countries, east to Livonia and Ingria, and to Northern Germany. The Baltic was almost an inland sea of the kingdom.
The governance and taxation of this budding empire had to evolve, and the new territories needed to be as closely connected to Sweden as possible. An organized, regularly operating postal system was needed in order to accomplish this. On February 20th 1636, Sweden authorized the establishment of the two bases of the present-day postal system — the mail conveyance system and the post office network. Two years later, on September 6th  1638, the Swedish government approved the first official Finnish postal route, which ran from Stockholm to Turku via the Finnish Åland isles, and from Turku along the Baltic coast to Helsinki, finally reaching the Estonian city of Narva. An official postal tariff was also established on the route. In addition to the Southern route, another important postal route in Finland ran from Turku to the North. It was established in the 1640s, and followed the coast along the Gulf of Bothnia — the sea area that separates most of Finland and Sweden — all the way to Stockholm. This long, slow route was a backup for the one that ran via Åland, to be used during winters and otherwise bad weather, when it was impossible to cross the sea. Up until the 1730s, there were virtually no in-land routes.
Due to these two events, September 6th is considered the birthday of the Finnish post. Hence, in order to celebrate this ocassion, the four stamps on the displayed cover were issued. The cover itself is from the postal stationary in vogue since 1845. The details of the stamps are: 1/4 - Second post office building at Ahvenkoski 1787; 2/4 - Peasant mail carriers carrying mail over partly frozen Sea of Åland and Gulf of Finland; 3/4 - Junkers Ju-52 mail plane and mail; and 4/4 - The main office of Finnish Post Service in Helsinki was built in 1938.

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Great Personalities and Events


Thank you so very much Pia for sending me this remarkable sheetlet issued by Belgium. A Sheetlet was issued by Belgium on Great Personalities and Events, and it includes Gandhi. This Gandhi stamp was issued in a miniature sheet in 1999 along with stamps of other world famous people such as Martin Luther King, John F Kennedy, Nelson Mandela, Pope Johannes XXII, King Boudewijn, Willy Brandt, Vladimir Lenin, Ernesto 'CHE' Guevara, Golda Meir,  Jesse Owens, Football, Bicycling Eddy Merckx, (female) singer Edith Piaf, Pop and Rock music the Beatles stamps , film/movie Charley Chaplin stamp,  stamps on Tourism beach and holidays, Scouting, Comics TinTin  and Struppi von Hergé, philately & stamps being viewed through a magnifying-glass. A remarkable sheetlet indeed. A total of 20 stamps are in the sheetlet, each valued at 0.42 Euros.

50th Anniversary of the First Manned Space Flight


Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin (9 March 1934 – 27 March 1968) was a Soviet pilot and cosmonaut. He was the first human to journey into outer space, when his Vostok spacecraft completed an orbit of the Earth on 12 April 1961. This FDC and the stamp on it were issued by Belarus to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the First Manned Space Flight. Irene from Minsk sent me this memorable cover.
Gagarin became an international celebrity, and was awarded many medals and titles, including Hero of the Soviet Union, the nation's highest honour. Vostok 1 marked his only space flight, but he served as backup crew to the Soyuz 1 mission (which ended in a fatal crash). Gagarin later became deputy-training director of the Cosmonaut Training Centre outside Moscow, which was later named after him. Gagarin died in 1968 when the MiG 15 training jet he was piloting crashed.

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

150th anniversary of Helsinki University Observatory 12.9.1984


Helsinki University Observatory housed the Department of Astronomy at the University of Helsinki, south Finland until the end of 2009.
The Helsinki astronomical observatory was designed in cooperation by professor Friedrich Wilhelm Argelander and architect Carl Ludvig Engel. The building was finished in 1834. The instruments and astronomical books that had escaped the great fire in Turku were transferred to Helsinki. The observatory was among the most modern astronomical observatories of its time, and served as an example for several European observatories that were built afterwards.
A separate tower was built in the observatory garden for the telescope designed for astrophotography. This building was finished in 1890. Pia gave me this lovely FDC issued on 12.9.1984. The stamp was issued to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Helsinki University Observatory.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

1976 World Gliding Championships 13.1.1976


This FDC postmarked 13.1.1976 commemorates the 1976 World Gliding Championship held in Finland was given to me by Merja. 
According to me this is one of the most exillarating sports. Mainly because you are all alone with the elements. I’ve had a few flights in a glider when I was a member of the gliding club in my younger days. 
The World Gliding Championships is a gliding competition held every two years or so by the FAI Gliding Commission. The dates are not always exactly two years apart, often because the contests are sometimes held in the summer in the Southern Hemisphere. Gliding had been a demonstration sport at the 1936 Summer Olympics and was due to become an official Olympic sport in the Helsinki Games in 1940. However since the Second World War, gliding has not featured in the Olympics, and so the World Championships are the highest level in the sport. There are now contests for six classes of glider and so in recent years the Championships have been divided between two locations. The women's, junior, grand prix and aerobatic events are also held separately. The Open Class Winner was George Lee of the United Kingdom in his Glider: Schleicher ASW 17. And in the Standard Class the Winner was Ingo Renner, Australia in his Glider Eiri PIK-20B.
The 1976 World Gliding Championships were held at Räyskälä Airfield, Loppi, Finland. The airfield is about 23 kilometres west of Loppi centre and 37 kilometres east of Forssa town centre. It is the largest sports aviation centre in the Nordic countries. and one of the busiest general aviation airfields in Finland. It is also home to the Finnish Sports Aviation Academy. Räyskälä Airfield besides hosting the World Gliding Championships in 1976 also played host to the Junior World Gliding Championships in 2009, and the European Gliding Championships in 1996 and 2005. It will host World Gliding Championships again in 2014.
Just as an aside for aviation buffs The Finnish Aeronautical Association (FAA) was founded in 1919. It is the national and central organization of sport aviation in Finland. The sphere of activity of FAA includes ten different air sport disciplines: powered flying, gliding, experimental flying, ultra light flying, hang gliding, paragliding, parachuting, ballooning, ascending parachutes and aeromodelling. FAA has over 260 member organizations (clubs) and about 10 000 members. The clubs are fairly evenly distributed over the whole of Finland from Hanko to Ivalo and from Vaasa to Joensuu.

Monday, August 20, 2012

Public Buildings and Monuments at Macau


Maria gave me this FDC with four stamps, issued on 19.4.2011 to highlight Public Buildings and Monuments. The buildings and monuments depicted on the stamps are

(1.50ptcs)Seat of Government. Leal Senado, Macau's seat of government, is here, and it overlooks the main town square. Largo do Senado (The Senate Square) is the heart of the city and possibly one of the most popular of Macau attractions. This large Portuguese-style piazza is surrounded by many heritage sites, as well as coffee shops, restaurants, market lanes and shops, and it's always busy with people...

(2.50ptcs)Monetary Authority. The Monetary Authority of Macao is a regulatory institution established on December 20, 1999, upon the transfer of the sovereignty of Macau from Portugal to the People's Republic of China as the Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR). It was formerly known as the "Monetary and Foreign Exchange Authority of Macao", which was created on July 1, 1989.

(3.50ptcs)Old Ladies Home. Ox Warehouse, the quarter of a group of Macau artists - "Old Ladies' House Art Space", holds regular exhibitions in various media, including paintings, sculptures, poster designs, installations, sketching, and so on. In addition to organizing interesting works of contemporary local art, the Old Ladies' House Art Space offers workshops for adults and children in drawing, music, and other forms of art. The Ox Warehouse is worth visiting for the architecture of the old buildings, which also house a small library and a charming, informal cafe.

(4.00ptcs)Macao Foundation. The Macao Foundation was established in 2001, following the merger of the former Macau Foundation that was founded in 1984, and the Macau Foundation for Development and Cooperation, which was founded in 1998. Its objective is to promote, develop and research on the culture, community, economy, education, science, academics and philanthropic activities, as well as activities that promote Macao.

Sunday, August 19, 2012

NORDIA 1985 philatelic exhibition


Pia sent me this wonderful FDC postmarked 15.5.1985 when Finland hosted the inter-Nordic Nordia philatelic exhibition in 1966, 1975, 1981, 1985, 1993 and 1999. 1985 marked the 125th anniversary of the first Finnish perforated stamps, and the inter-Nordic Nordia 1985 philatelic exhibition was arranged at the new Helsinki Fair Centre.
The stamp and the cover both have pictures of Havis Amanda. And was issued on 15.05.1985. Havis Amanda is a nude female statue in Helsinki, Finland. It was sculpted by Ville Vallgren (1855-1940) in 1906 in Paris, but was not erected at its present location at the Market Square in Kaartinkaupunki until 1908. She is a mermaid who stands on seaweed as she rises from the water, with four fish spouting water at her feet and surrounded by four sea lions. She is depicted leaning backwards as if to say goodbye to her element.
It was unveiled on September 20, 1908. The work drew a lot of criticism at first, especially from women. Its nakedness and seductiveness were considered inappropriate. Not all groups objected to the nudity per se, but putting it on a pedestal was thought to subjugate women by making them appear weak and create sexual objectification and belittling of women (equal and common suffrage was introduced in Finland in 1906). Some women's rights groups criticised the look of the figure as plain and some even as "a common French whore", lacking pristine and innocence. The sea lions, with their human tongues hanging out, were said to represent men lusting after the mademoiselle. Today it has been consistently voted the most important and most beautiful piece of art in Helsinki.
Every year on Vappu (1st of May), Manta serves as a centrepiece for the celebrations. Students of the local universities put a cap on the statue in an elaborate ceremony. For many it is a "must see" event.
There is also an urban legend that Havis Amanda patronizes men's sexual potency. Some men believe that washing one's face with water from one of Havis Amanda's fountains and shouting thrice "Rakastaa!" (Finnish verb "love") increases men's sexual ability. I hope the masculine gender around the world are paying heed to this. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to go there yet L.

 


   

Saturday, August 18, 2012

All Saints series of Stamps.





This FDC and the stamps on it were issued by Liechtenstein on 9th December 1964, and were in celebration of All Saints. The stamps from left to right are an All Saint’s chapel, St. Magdalena, and Madonna and Child. Merja gave me this cover.

On the cover is a drawing of St Theodul. For more details of the saint please visit my site http://mypicturepostcards.blogspot.in/search/label/Liechtenstein , and see the post dated 23rd July 2012 on the subject.

Friday, August 17, 2012

Hawker Centres of Singapore 18.5.2011


Wherever you go in Singapore, you’ll most certainly be able to find an eatery, as the locals simply love eating. If you want to taste various cultural delicacies all in one place, you can head to open-air food centres such as Lau Pa Sat, Maxwell Road Food Centre and many more, while for more comfortable dining choices, there is a whole selection of cuisines to choose from – French, Italian, Japanese, Indian and more. A sumptuous dining experience awaits. For those of you who are new to Singapore food, Hawker Centres are some of the best and cheapest places where you will ever eat; and for those who have been around for a while, let this be a reminder of what you have available to you! Let me give you a teste of just a few of the many many Hawker Cs. The ones I’ve been to.

Newton Circus – Clemenceau Ave.Newton Circus (500 Clemenceau Ave) is the most famous and one of the largest hawker centres in Singapore and is designed to give tourists and locals a view of what this historic place was like 40 years ago now that it has been refurbished. The range of food available here is fantastic, perfect for visitors interested in sampling traditional Singaporean specialties, like the legendary Chili Crab. 

Chinatown Complex Food Centre – 335 Smith Street. Having done some budget shopping or just finished up work on a Friday, Chinatown Complex Food Centre (335 Smith Street, Chinatown Complex) makes a great stop. Many say it is the best hawker centre in Singapore. This is a great place to start a night before moving on to the bars and clubs on Clarke Quay, or just for an alternative lunch break. The most popular dishes here are “Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Noodle” and Char Kway Teow (a noodle dish fried with fresh cockles). On top of this, the area is relatively clean and not at all intimidating- great for beginners as well as old-timers.


Maxwell Food Centre – 50 Market Street. Located close to one of Singapore’s favourite places to go out (Club Street), the Maxwell Food Centre (50 Market Street, Off Maxwell Road) is priced great and tastes even better. People all over the world are raving about the Tian Tian Chicken Rice that comes from this place. The seats may be hard but the atmosphere will have you distracted enough (and why not grab a Tiger beer while you’re there!). If you’re looking to miss the queues, head up there for an early lunch on the weekend.

Lau Pa Sat – 18 Raffles Quay. Lau Pa Sat (18 Raffles Quay) is not only a Food Centre, it is also a heritage sight. It was opened in 1825 as Singapore’s first market. It now sits in the middle of the Central Business District so is great for a lunch break as well as anything else. The food is cheap and the place has a continuous buzzing atmosphere. The food selection here is enormous, and delicious. This is our favourite.

Rasapura Masters – Canal Level, Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands. Ok, before I start, Rasapura Masters (Canal Level, Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands) is not a cheap food option in the sense of the other mentioned above. But where else in the world can you find a hawker centre inside one of the world’s most prestigious hotel/casinos? Right here. “Rasa-pura” means “taste-city” and that’s exactly what you’re going to get. Here you’ll find fine-dining restaurants serving up their most famous dishes “hawker style”. This is a great place to start or finish if you’re doing some designer shopping, going to the theatre or having a cocktail at Piano Bar.

Thursday, August 16, 2012

UN – Definitive series





Displayed is a Birds, Definitive Issue First Day Cover (with a Geneva cachet) of the United Nations in New York postmarked on January 9, 1976. Thank you Merja.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

United Nations Stamps - Philately the International Hobby


United Nations stamps issued to commemorate Philately - The International Hobby. The stamps have a design of a stamp being viewed through a magnifier. This stamp is on the Cover. The stamps all have the first day cancellation dated May 22, 1986. The stamps have a Geneva cancellation. 
Readers may be interested to know that the first United Nations stamps were issued in U.S. dollar denominations on United Nations Day, on 24 October 1951. The idea of the United Nations issuing its own stamps was first proposed in 1947 by José Arce the Ambassador from Argentina and president of the United Nations General Assembly, who was himself a philatelist. An agreement with the United States postal authorities was reached in 1951 and it stipulated that the stamps be denominated in United States currency, and used only at UN Headquarters. United Nations stamps are issued simultaneously at UN offices in New York, Geneva and Vienna. This lovely cover was given to me by Merja.

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Joint issue of Belarus and Azerbaijan – Musical Instruments


On May 25, 2011 the Ministry of Communications and Informatization of the Republic of Belarus issued 2 stamps “Wheel lyra” and “Tar” from the series “Joint issue of Belarus and Azerbaijan. Musical instruments”. This lovely first day cover was sent to me by Irina from Minsk.
The wheel lyra (pictured on the stamp on the left and on the cover) said Irina, is an ancient stringed folk instrument of Belarus. In olden times it was played by wandering musicians and blind balladeers.
When the musician is sitting he holds the instrument on his knees, and when standing — on a strap over his shoulder. With one hand he pushes the keys playing a melody, and with the other hand he turns the protruding wheel which touches the strings creating the permanent accompaniment. The wheel lyra has a strong, sharp, somewhat nasal tone. Its quality largely depends on the wheel — it must have precise centering. 
The tar (shown on the stamp on the right) on the other hand is a stringed pizzicato musical instrument very popular in Azerbaijan. This is one of the few national musical instruments for which they specially create musical works. While playing, the musician holds the tar at the breast by his right hand in a horizontal position. With the same hand he plucks the strings by a plectrum. Technical and artistic capabilities of the tar are implemented through trills and different techniques of the plectrum strike. This instrument reminds one of the Indian sitar.

Monday, August 13, 2012

National Trades Union Congress – Singapore 1.5.1986



Singapore’s achievement’s in economic and industrial progress have been attributed in no small measure to the growth and development of a productive labour workforce, galvanized together through the difficulties of the early years of nation building in the 1950’s, by a leadership determined to set the pace and environment for industrial peace. This is very well depicted by the four stamp miniature sheet affixed to the First Day Cover and postmarked on the auspicious Labour Day namely, 1st May 1986.

The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), also known as the Singapore National Trades Union Congress (SNTUC), is the sole national trade union centre in Singapore. It currently has 61 affiliated trade unions and 1 affiliated taxi association. Trade unions in Singapore are run along democratic lines, and membership is voluntary. Major decisions on industrial actions are taken only with majority support expressed through secret ballot. There are three tiers of union leadership, all elected via secret ballot. Workers in a company elect their branch leaders. The next layer is the executive committee of a union. Officials from the executive committee are drawn from the branches. At the national level, there is the Central Committee of the NTUC. The 21-member Central Committee is elected every four years.
Union leaders and employers serve on key institutions such as the National Wages Council, the Economic Development Board, the Central Provident Fund and the Singapore Productivity and Standards Board. Government and employer representatives also serve on the boards of the cooperatives, business ventures and other organizations controlled by NTUC. NTUC was created in 1961 when the Singapore Trades Union Congress (STUC), which had backed the People's Action Party (PAP) in its successful drive for self-government, split into the pro-PAP NTUC and the leftist Singapore Association of Trade Unions (SATU). The SATU collapsed in 1963 following the government's detention of its leaders during Operation Coldstore and its subsequent official deregistration on 13 November 1963, leaving NTUC as the sole trade union centre. Presently, over 98% of union members are in unions affiliated with the NTUC. After the PAP's decisive electoral victory in 1968, the government passed the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act of 1968, which severely limited workers' rights to strike. From 1969, the NTUC adopted, in its own words, "a cooperative, rather than a confrontational policy towards employers." And, that I am sure is one of the secrets of Singapore’s success.
Relations between PAP and NTUC are very close, and have often resulted in members holding office in both organizations at the same time. The NTUC's founder, Devan Nair, was a PAP stalwart and later served as President of Singapore. Ong Teng Cheong, the first directly elected President of Singapore, was both the NTUC secretary general, and the Deputy Prime Minister (from 1985), until his presidential election. Lim Boon Heng, the previous secretary general, is also a Member of Parliament, and the Chairman of the People's Action Party. As of January 5, 2007, Lim Swee Say, the deputy Secretary General, has replaced Lim Boon Heng. 

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Paintings 30.9.1975

The stamps on this Finnish FDC have paintings by famous artists. They were issued to bolster the anti-TB fund. The surcharge indicated on the stamps went towards fighting the dreaded disease TB. The details of the stamps are :- 1/3 - Ellen Thesleff. 'Kaiku' ('The Echo') 1932), 2/3 -  Maria Wiik. 'Hilda Wiik', by Maria Wiik (2.8.1853 - 19.6.1928). 3/3 - Helene Schjerfbeck. 'Kotona' ('At home') 1903 by Schjerfbeck Helena Sofia (10.7.1862 - 23.1.1946). The stamps and the cover were issued on 30.9.1975. Brief details about these artists are given below. This lovely FDC was given to me by Pia.

Ellen Thesleff (b Helsinki, 5 Oct 1869; d Helsinki, 12 Jan 1954). Finnish painter, printmaker and draughtsman. She studied in Finland at Gunnar Fredrik Berndtson's school in 1890 and in Paris at the Académie Colarossi during various short intervals between 1891 and 1894. Along with Magnus Enckell she was a member of a group of Finnish artists who were powerfully influenced by the Symbolist movement in Paris, which drew its inspiration above all from ancient primitive art and from the work of Pierre Puvis de Chavannes and Eugène Carrière. During the early 1890s Thesleff concentrated on portraits of her friends and relatives. Kaiku ("The Echo"), a culturally and historically significant painting by Ellen Thesleff (1869-1954), was sold for 500,000 euros at the Hagelstam auction house in Helsinki. Ellen. She studied at Adolf von Becker's private academy, the drawing school of the Finnish Art Society, Gunnar Fredrik Berndtson's school, and in Paris at the Académie Colarossi. She became a member of a group of Finnish artists influenced by the Symbolist movement in Paris. She travelled widely and exhibited works in various countries, including Sweden, Russia, Italy and Norway. She died in Helsinki in 1952.
Maria Wiik (b Helsinki, 2 Aug 1853; d Helsinki, 19 June 1928). Finnish painter. She studied in Paris at the Académie Julian from 1875 to 1876 under Tony Robert-Fleury and continued her studies with him in the same studio between 1877 and 1880. Her paintings appeared at the Salon for the first time in 1880. The realist techniques Wiik absorbed in Paris came to form the basis of her work, tranquil in composition and restrained in colour. Her favourite subjects were relatively small-scale portraits such as Hilda Wiik (1881; Helsinki, Athenaeum A. Mus.) and still-lifes (e.g. Still-life , c. 1880; Helsinki, Athenaeum A. Mus.). Like many other foreign painters Wiik went to Brittany to paint. In 1883–4 she worked in Concarneau and Pont-Aven, where her enthusiasm for plein-air painting brought immediacy to her work and greater brightness to her colours (e.g. Breton Farm , 1883; Naantali. Finnish born artist from Helsingfors, Helsinki, who followed her fellow student friend Helene SCHJERFBECK to the St Ives Colony in 1887-1889. Previously they had both attended the Finska Konstreningen, and were amongst the first group of Finnish women painters to study in France.
Helene Schjerfbeck (1862–1946). She was a Finnish painter. She is most widely known for her realist works and self-portraits, and less well known for her landscapes and still lifes. Throughout her long life, her work changed dramatically. ‘At Home’, 1903. Acquired by the Turku Art Museum from the 1904 Turku Art Society's annual exhibition. Helene Schjerfbeck is known especially for paintings depicting women, children and the home. As early as the 1890s Schjerfbeck felt a need to simplify her style, which initially led her to eliminate details from the background and to reduce her palette. This is apparent also in many of the portraits she painted of her mother, Olga Schjerfbeck (1839–1923).
Her work starts with a dazzlingly skilled, somewhat melancholic version of late-19th-century academic realism…it ends with distilled, nearly abstract images in which pure paint and cryptic description are held in perfect balance.(Roberta Smith, New York Times, November 27th 1992)

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Intangible Cultural Heritage of Macau


Cantonese Naamyam (Narrative Songs) is popular in the Pearl River Delta region. It was originally performed by blind people in the form of storytelling and singing, gradually taking root in the community. During the 1950s, Cantonese Naamyam was broadcast by Macao’s Vilaverde radio station and Hong Kong Radio Television, with a single narrative song/story lasting months. This period also marked the most pervasive influence of Cantonese Naamyam. The broadcasting of Cantonese Naamyam was discontinued in Hong Kong and Macao in the 1960s, however, following the gradual Westernisation of society.
Cantonese Naamyam has a distinctive method of acquiring its notes and melodies, which can best convey the linguistic features of the Guangdong Pearl River Delta residents. Many of the representative works genuinely reflect the hopeless plight and unstable drifting life shared by the lower classes of society. Today, Cantonese Naamyam is rarely improvised by blind singers, and the form of long narration is no longer used; the unique regional characteristics and cultural and artistic values peculiar to Cantonese Naamyam, however, have received more widespread focus, understanding and recognition from people.
Cantonese Naamyam (Narrative Songs) was inscribed on the Tentative List of Macao S.A.R. Intangible Cultural Heritage Items in 2009 and the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2010. 

The smaller FDC has all the four stamps issued to commemorate Cantonese Naamyam, whereas the larger cover is affixed with the lovely miniature sheet.

Friday, August 10, 2012

10th Anniversary of UN Offices in Vienna


As successor to the League of Nations, the United Nations was founded by 51 countries in the last months of the Second World War. The charter was ratified on October 24, 1945 by the five full members of the Security Council and the majority of the remaining 46 nations. To commemorate this occasion, "United Nations Day" is celebrated each year on October 24. In 1989 the United Nations was comprised of 159 Member States. The six main bodies of the United Nations are the General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council, International Court of Justice, Trusteeship Council, and the Secretariat. The Vienna International Center (VIC) is comprised of several members of the U.N. family. The four largest are the Office of the United Nations in Vienna (UNOV), which itself unites several U.N. institutions resident there, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the U.N. Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Middle East (UNRWA). The commemorative stamp portrays the U.N. building in Vienna, Kaisermühlen, which was completed in 1979, has exterritorial status, and rests on 180,000 square meters of land. Thank you Merja for this pretty FDC.

Thursday, August 9, 2012

UN's direct responsibility for Namibia


These two FDCs with two very expressive stamps were issued by the UN postal Services to commemorate the United Nations having assumed Direct Responsibility for Namibia.
The name of the country is derived from the Namib Desert, considered to be the oldest desert in the world. Before its independence in 1990, the area was known first as German South-West Africa (Deutsch-Südwestafrika), then as South-West Africa, reflecting the colonial occupation by the Germans and the South Africans (technically on behalf of the British crown reflecting South Africa's dominion status within the British Empire).
United Nations Commissioner for South-West Africa was a post created by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 1966 to assert the UN's direct responsibility for South-West Africa which was then under illegal occupation by apartheid South Africa. UNGA renamed the post United Nations Commissioner for Namibia in 1968.Namibia eventually achieved its independence from South Africa on 21st March 1990. Merja gave me thse nice covers.


Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Singapore Zoo - Oriental Small-Clawed Otter 3.6.2011



Before I went to the Singapore Zoo I was advised by all the people I met, to make sure I saw the oriental small-clawed otter, which is also known as the Asian small-clawed otter. And I made sure I paid a visit to the resident otter family of this genre. It is the smallest otter species in the world, weighing less than 5 kg. It lives in mangrove swamps and freshwater wetlands of BangladeshBurmaIndia, southern ChinaTaiwanLaosMalaysiaIndonesia, the PhilippinesThailand and Vietnam. This otter is distinctive for its forepaws, as the claws do not extend above the fleshy end pads of its toes and fingers. These attributes give it a high degree of manual dexterity in using its paws to feed on molluscscrabs and other small aquatic animals.
On 3 June 2011, Singapore Post released a se-tenant strip of four stamps featuring the oriental small-clawed otter. An endangered species that is native to Singapore, this mammal has been spotted at the northwestern coast, the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, and on offshore islands such as Pulau Ubin and Pulau Tekong. Often found in zoos, children are attracted to its playful and inquisitive character. The oriental small-clawed otter is regarded as vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) in the Red List of Threatened Species.
Over a year ago, SingPost approached local artiste Edmund Chen to design this stamp series. The graphics designer is Wong Wui Kong. In this issue, there are two 50 cent stamps and two $1.10 stamps. The postmark for the first day cover is designed by Chen’s daughter Yixin, 11.

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

UN - Shelter for the Homeless

Thank you Merja for this FDC dated 13th March 1987 with the two very subjective stamps on it - as it is about a very important aspect of human life. The Economic and Social Council, recalling General Assembly resolution 37/221 of 20 December 1982, in which the Assembly proclaimed the year 1987 International Year of Shelter for the Homeless; recognizing the objectives of the International Year of Shelter for the Homeless; Recognizing that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights provide that all persons have the right to an adequate standard of living for themselves and their families, including adequate housing, and that States should take appropriate steps to ensure the realization of that right.

Recognizing that the provision of housing for the homeless is an integral part of national economic and social development and represents an important step towards the realization of the right to development. Noting that the objectives of the International Year of Shelter for the Homeless are closely related to the realization of the economic, social and cultural rights set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

The UN resolution was in 1987. Now I quote from the Times of  India a daily newspaper in India. It published on 9th January 2012 that,
At least 3 million homeless people across the country are having to sleep outdoors in the bitter winter this year and state governments have done scant little to provide shelters for them, the Supreme Court commissioners have said in their 'National Report on Homelessness' “.  It thus appears that many countries are giving mere lip service to UN resolutions.

Monday, August 6, 2012

Koran Reading Competion




Tunku Abdul Rahman (first Malaysian premier) was a founder of the International Quran Reading Competition. The program was started on 9 March 1961 at Stadium Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur and 7 countries took part in this competition including Singapore, Brunei, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Sarawak and Malaya. In 1985 the competition was moved to the Putra World Trade Centre.

The FDC shown here, postmarked 22nd September 1975,  commemorates the Koran Reading Competion held in 1975. The winners of the Men's and Women's competions that year were Ismail Hashim and Nursiah Ismail respectively. Both from Malaysia. Incidentally, Ismail Hashim won this competition for the eighth time since it began in 1961.

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Poland assumes Presidency of the EU

Poland assumed the Presidency of the Council of the European Union on July 1. And this FDC so thoughtfully sent to me by Ada from Warsaw with the impressive stamp on it was issued a day prior to that, namely on 30.6.2011, to commemorate this momentous occasion in the History of Poland.
The Council of the European Union is the EU's major decision-making body. The Council's main task is the adoption of European legislation – it does this with the European Parliament. The Council represents the countries of the EU. The Council is not composed of permanent members, but one minister from each EU country always participates in Council meetings. Decisions made by the Council are thus usually reached following negotiations between all EU members. A General Secretariat of the Council of the EU is based in Brussels; its responsibility is ensuring the Council's effective functioning.
The Presidency of the Council of the EU: What Does It Mean? A different EU country presides over the Council of the European Union's work every six months. Poland would take the presidency on July 1, 2011, and would be the host to a majority of the EU's events during that time. Poland will also play a key role in EU activities: It will organize EU meetings; set the EU's political agenda; and ensure the EU's development, integration and security. 

Saturday, August 4, 2012

1986 International Year of Peace


This FDC sent to me by Merja is indeed worth a mention in this blog. The four pretty stamps on the First Day Cover were issued on 20th June 1986.commemorating the International Year of Peace.

The General Assembly, Recalling resolution 37/16 of 16 November 1982, in which it declared 1986 to be the International Year of Peace. Recognizing that the importance of the International Year of Peace, which has been linked with the fortieth anniversary of the United Nations, required that the Year be devoted to concentrate the efforts of the United Nations and its Member States on the promotion and achievement of the ideals of peace by all possible means, which constitutes a fundamental purpose of the Charter. Considering that efforts and activities to achieve positive results in international co-operation for the promotion of peace must be intensified during the Year and for ever.

They Approved the Proclamation of the International Year of Peace, the text of which was annexed to the resolution; Invited all States, all organizations of the United Nations system
and interested non-governmental organizations, educational, scientific, cultural and research organizations and the communications media to co-operate with the Secretary-General in achieving the objectives of the International Year of Peace; and finally Requested the Secretary-General to ensure the widest possible dissemination of the Proclamation.

Friday, August 3, 2012

30th Anniversary of the signing of the UN Charter.


The name "United Nations", coined by United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt was first used in the Declaration by United Nations of 1 January 1942, during the Second World War, when representatives of 26 nations pledged their Governments to continue fighting together against the Axis Powers.
In 1945, representatives of 50 countries met in San Francisco at the United Nations Conference on International Organization to draw up the United Nations Charter. Those delegates deliberated on the basis of proposals worked out by the representatives of China, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and the United States at Dumbarton Oaks, United States in August-October 1944. The Charter was signed on 26 June 1945 by the representatives of the 50 countries. Poland, which was not represented at the Conference, signed it later and became one of the original 51 Member States.
The UN Postal Service issued these two stamps on the miniature sheet pasted on the First day cover issued on 26 June 1975 to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the signing of the UN Charter.
The United Nations officially came into existence on 24 October 1945, when the Charter had been ratified by China, France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, the United States and by a majority of other signatories. United Nations Day is celebrated on 24 October each year. Merja gave me this very historic FDC.
On the cover is a picture of a teakwood statue which symbolises the UN as being "Mankind's hope for a better tomorrow". Whether, that has been fulfilled or will come true, is really debatable!

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Spices of Singapore 15.7.2011



Singapore loves its curries, and for that matter, so do I. And while the Indian ethnic group makes up of about nine percent of Singapore -- a considerably small percentage -- the rich mélange of spices, ingredients and textures has long permeated the island, the country’s multicultural society and rightfully so.
Singapore post issued a set of stamps featuring spices viz Tamarind, Cinnamon, Turmeric, Coriander and star Anise on 15th July 2011. Spices were considered as valuable as gold in the 19th century.
Tamarind comes from the elongated velvety pod of the tamarind tree. The pod contains shiny black seeds enclosed in a sticky pulp. The sweet and sour juice extracted from the pulp is widely used to prepare local delights. The aromatic Cinnamon is obtained from the inner bark of the Cinnamon tree, a small evergreen tree that can grow to about 1om tall. After the bark is harvested, it must be processed immediately while it is still wet. Turmeric is derived from the rhizome of the Turmeric plant. The rhizome is harvested and ground to fine deep orange-yellow power, which is a key ingredient in curries. Coriander (Coriandrum sativum) is an annual herb in the family Apiaceae. Coriander is native to southern Europe and North Africa to southwestern Asia. It is a soft, hairless plant growing to 50 centimetres (20 in) tall. The leaves are variable in shape, broadly lobed at the base of the plant, and slender and feathery higher on the flowering stems. Illicium verum, commonly called Star anise, star aniseed, or Chinese star anise, is a spice that closely resembles anise in flavour, obtained from the star-shaped pericarp of Illicium verum, a small native evergreen tree of southwest China. The star shaped fruits are harvested just before ripening.

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

The 1952 (XVth) Olympic Games in Helsinki, Finland


My friend Pia sent me these two FDCs of the Helsinki Games. They are indeed very timely, in view of the XXXth Games, namely, London 2012, 60 years ago. The 1952 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Helsinki, Finland in 1952. Helsinki had been earlier given the 1940 Summer Olympics, which were cancelled due to World War II. It is famous for being the Olympic Games at which the most number of world records were broken, before the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
The 1952 Olympic Games were largely a reflection of the Cold War. The Soviet Union, after having been out of the Games since 1912, decided to rejoin the competition. The Soviets, instead of joining the other athletes in the Olympic Village, set up their own Olympic Village for Eastern bloc countries in Otaniemi, near the Soviet naval base at Porkkala. Soviet athletes were chaperoned by Soviet officials everywhere they went in an effort to prevent communication with athletes from the West.
The competition of East versus West dominated the atmosphere. Bob Mathias (United States), winner for the second time of the decathlon, described the atmosphere at the Games: "There were many more pressures on American athletes because of the Russians. . . . They were in a sense the real enemy. You just loved to beat 'em. You just had to beat 'em. . . . This feeling was strong down through the entire team." I wonder if there has been any change in these sentiments over the years! However, the highlights of these games can be summarised as given below :-
  • To the enjoyment of the Finnish crowd, the Olympic Flame was lit by two Finnish heroes, runners Paavo Nurmi and Hannes Kolehmainen.
  • For the first time, a team from the Soviet Union participated in the Olympics. The first gold medal for the USSR was won by Nina Romashkova in the women's discus throwing event. The Soviet women's gymnastics team won the first of its eight consecutive gold medals.
  • Israel made its Olympic debut. The Jewish state had been unable to participate in the 1948 Games because of its War of Independence. A previous Palestine Mandate team had boycotted the 1936 Games in protest of the Nazi regime.
  • The Republic of China (Chinese Taipei/Taiwan), listed as "China (Formosa)", withdrew from the Games on July 20, in protest of the allowing of the People's Republic of China's men and women to compete.
  • Hungary, a country of 9 million inhabitants, won 42 medals at these games, coming in third place behind the much more populous United States and Soviet Union.
  • Hungary's Golden Team won the football tournament, beating Yugoslavia 2–0 in the final.
  • Germany and Japan were invited after being barred in 1948. Following the post-war occupation and partition, three German states had been established. Teams from the Federal Republic of Germany and the Saarland (which joined the FRG after 1955) participated; the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) was absent. Though they won 24 medals, the fifth-highest total at the Games, German competitors failed to win a gold medal for the only time.
  • Rules in equestrianism now allowed non-military officers to compete, including women. Lis Hartel of Denmark became the first woman in the sport to win a medal.
  • Emil Zátopek of Czechoslovakia won three gold medals in the 5,000 m, 10,000 m and the Marathon (which he had never run before).
  • The India national field hockey team won its fifth consecutive gold.
  • Bob Mathias of the United States became the first Olympian to successfully defend his decathlon title with a total score of 7,887 points.
  • Josy Barthel of Luxembourg pulled a major surprise by winning the 1500 m.