Cyprus Merchant Marine 4.10.1993

Fom its geographical position which is at the crossroads of three continents, and its proximity to the Suez canal, it is obvious that these circumstances have promoted merchant shipping as an important industry for the island nation of Cyprus. As of 2005 Cyprus holds the 9th largest (by DWT) merchant navy in the world and the 3rd largest in the European Union.

Merchant shipping has long been of great importance to the island, with its roots stretching well back into antiquity. Examples of shipwrecks discovered off the island’s coast (e.g. the Kyrenia ship) plus evidence of ancient ports (e.g. Amathus) give proof to the fact that Cyprus was a major seafaring player in antiquity and located along important trade routes.

Merchant shipping has been actively developed by successive governments since the independence of Cyprus from British rule in 1960 and has since experienced sustained growth. The first shipping hub was created in the port of Famagusta, but since the Turkish invasion of 1974 this port has been occupied by Turkish forces and is currently declared illegal. Most business has since been transferred to Limassol Port and to a lesser extent Larnaca Port.

Shipping makes up approximately 2% of the GDP with an overall contribution in the of CYP£170 million (1999). 3,500 people are employed in the industry, representing 2% of the total gainfully employed population. The total revenue of Cyprus Maritime Administration for the year 2003 was around CYP£5.3 million which mainly consists of tonnage tax from ship owning and ship management companies, registration fees and issue of shipping documents.

The stamp on this FDC commemorates The Cyprus Merchant Marine. It is postmarked on 4.10.1993. Thank you Merja.

First World Congress of The Jewish Youth

On July 2nd 1958 Israel issued a special commemorative stamp to mark the First World Jewish Youth Convention, which took place in Jerusalem between 28 July -1August 1958. 

The stamp was designed by Studio ROLI (Rothschild-Lippman) of Tel Aviv, who also designed the imprinted stamp with the running stag on Israel's postcards and letter sheets (see U.P.U.U.P.U.)

The two groups of dancing children on the stamp are forming the figure ten, similar to the figure incorporated in Israel's Tenth Independence symbol.

The organisers of the World Jewish Youth Convention were the Youth and Hechalutz (Pioneers) Department of the World Zionist Organisation whose task is to increase immigration to Israel by bringing Jewish Youth closer to Jewish values and Zionism. Representatives of all sections of Jewish youth from Israel and the Diaspora took part in the Convention.

Thank you Dear Merja for this lovely cover.

Nuuksio national park 6.5.2013

The series featuring Finnish national parks continues with a sheet of ten stamps dedicated to Nuuksio national park. Nuuksio is the southernmost inland national park in Finland. It can be accessed by public transport or even bicycle from the Greater Helsinki area. The forest-covered landscape of Nuuksio is rolling and spotted with lakes and ponds. The Haukkalampi Lake area is the theme of the Nuuksio National Park first-class stamp designed by Teemu Ollikainen.

But, what makes this stamp so special is the Chameleon Code embedded within the image. Using a smart phone or tablet, you can use the code to access the internet and watch a video of beautiful Finnish nature. The service works on all Android and iPhone telephones and tablets.  Customers can download the Chameleon eXplorer app free of charge from Apple's App Store or from Google Play.

100 Years of Hebrew Magazines for Children

Towards the end of the last century Itamar Ben Avi, the son of Eliezer Ben Yehuda, edited a further attempt at publishing a children's newspaper called S'fat Aver (The Hebrew language), which was printed by hectograph. Its contributors were all young people. Its first and only edition was published in Jerusalem in 1897.

Ten years later, in 1907, Hemda and Eliezer Ben Yehuda published a children's newspaper called Ha-Ivri Hakatan (The Little Hebrew), as a supplement to the Hashkafa newspaper.

This also proved unsuccessful, coming to an end after only three editions. On the other hand, newspapers for children in Eastern Europe flourished and came out with regularity from the start.

In 1899 the first children's weekly in Hebrew, called Gan Shaashu'im (Playground), appeared in Russia. Its subtitle read: "A Newsletter on Education, Literature and Science published weekly for the pleasure and amusement of Jewish youth". Eighty-five editions of this newspaper were published over a period of two years.

A few months later, in 1901, the weekly Olam Katan (Small World) was published in Warsaw under the editorship of the authors Sh. L. Gordon and Ben Avigdor. In this widely distributed newspaper, which came out regularly for four years, appeared the first works written for children by important Hebrew authors of the time. The pioneer of children's illustrated children's newspapers in Hebrew, Olam Katan had an ornate graphic design, with a plethora of literary pieces written in a style attractive to children all over the Jewish world. Its four volumes (1901-1905) constitute a foundation stone of children's literature in Hebrew. The pictorial cover ofOlam Katan is depicted on the new stamp, and underneath it, on the tab, appears the cover of Olam Katan from the Land of Israel. Olam Katan was inherited by the illustrated newspapers Hachaim Vehatev" (Life and Nature), which was published in Lithuania in 1905-6, and two years later by the popular children's weekly Haprachim (The Flowers) which appeared for around seven consecutive years (1907-14).

Thank you Merja for this nice FDC postmarked 9.12.1993.

Jamestown Settlement 11.5.2007

This triangular stamp was issued in commemoration of the 400th Anniversary of the establishment of the Jamestown Settlement, a name used by the Commonwealth of Virginia's portion of the historical sites and museums at Jamestown. 

Jamestown was the first successful English settlement on the mainland of North America. Named for King James I of England, Jamestown was founded in the Colony of Virginia on May 14, 1607. Created as part of the 350th anniversary celebration in 1957 as Jamestown Festival Park, the museum is adjacent and complementary to the Historic Jamestowne on Jamestown Island which is the actual historic and archaeological site where the first settlers landed and lived that is run by the National Park Service and Preservation Virginia.

Late in the 19th century, Jamestown became the focus of renewed historical interest and efforts at preservation. In 1893, a portion of the island was donated to Preservation Virginia (formerly known as The Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities) for that purpose. The actual location of the 1607 fort was thought to be underwater, lost due to erosion. A seawall was constructed, which preserved the site where the remains of the original "James Fort" were to be discovered by archaeologists of the Jamestown Rediscovery project beginning in 1994, a century later.

In 1907, the Jamestown Exposition was held to mark the 300th anniversary of the founding of the Jamestown in 1607. Due to transportation and other considerations which made the site of Jamestown impractical, the celebration was held at Sewell's Point in Norfolk, Virginia, on the harbor of Hampton Roads. During World War I, the Exposition site became part of the US Navy base now known as Naval Station Norfolk. Jamestown is a well known colony.

Liesa of Texas sent me this FDC with the lovely stamp on it

1100 Years of Iceland's history

In geological terms, Iceland is a young island. It started to form about 20 million years ago from a series of volcanic eruptions on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The Iceland hotspot is likely partly responsible for the island's creation and continued existence.

Iceland remained, for a long time, one of the world's last larger islands uninhabited by humans (the others being New Zealand and Madagascar). It has been suggested that the land called Thule by the Greek merchant Pytheas (4th century BC) was actually Iceland, although it seems highly unlikely considering Pytheas' description of it as an agricultural country with plenty of milk, honey, and fruit (possibly the Faroe or Shetland islands). The exact date that humans first reached the island is uncertain. Ancient Roman coins dating to the 3rd century have been found in Iceland, but it is unknown whether they were brought there at that time, or came later with Viking settlers, having circulated as currency already for centuries.

There is some literary evidence that monks and Papar from a Hiberno-Scottish mission may have settled in Iceland before the arrival of the Norse. The 12th-century scholar Ari Þorgilsson wrote in his book, that small bells, corresponding to those used by Irish monks, were found by the settlers. No such artifacts have been discovered by archeologist's, however. Some Icelanders claimed descent from a king in south-east Ireland) at the time of the creation.

According to Landnámabók, Iceland was first discovered by Naddoddr, one of the first settlers in the Faroe Islands, who was sailing from Norway to the Faroe Islands, but lost his way and drifted to the east coast of Iceland. Naddoddr named the country Snæland (Snowland). Swedish sailor Garðar Svavarsson also accidentally drifted to the coast of Iceland. He discovered that the country was an island and named it Garðarshólmi (literally Garðar's Islet) and stayed for the winter at Húsavík. The first Scandinavian who deliberately sailed to Garðarshólmi (Iceland) was Flóki Vilgerðarson, also known as Hrafna-Flóki (Raven-Flóki). Flóki settled for one winter at Barðaströnd. It was a very cold winter, and when he spotted some drift ice in the fjords he gave the island its current name, Ísland (Iceland).

The eleven stamps on these three covers kindly given to me by Maria commemorate 1100 years of Iceland’s existence. Namely from the year 874 to 1974. 

Moomins 6.5.2013

Finnish post issued a stampsheet commemorating the favorite Moomins, central characters in a series of books and a comic strip by Swedish-Finn illustrator and writer Tove Jansson. They are a family of fairy tale characters, who are white and roundish, with large snouts that make them resemble hippopotamuses. The carefree and adventurous family live in their house in Moominvalley, in the forests of Finland, though in the past their temporary residences have included a lighthouse and a theatre. They have had many adventures along with their various friends.

The Moomins are ever-popular favorites on Finnish stamps. This time Itella Posti Oy released a booklet of six stamps, called Moomin Favorites on 6.5.2013.  The stamps illustrate philosophical Moominpappa, Moomintroll jumping in the water to swim, Moominmamma with her famous handbag, Little My balancing a basket on her head, Snork Maiden reading a letter and Snufkin dancing in delight.  Each of the characters is depicted on a colorful background.

Satu Lusa wants to portray the vitality of Tove Jansson's drawings and the Moomin characters' zest for life. All the drawings in the booklet come from Tove Jansson's comic strips published in The Evening News in the 1950s. The shape of the stamps follows that of the Moomin characters.

Thank you Dear Ella for this pretty cover with the lovely momin booklet or minisheet if you please.

75th Anniversary of TARBUT - HEBREW EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION

On the stamp affixed to the FDC commemorating the 75th Anniversary of TARBUT, namely, the Hebrew EducationaL and Cultural Organisation, are photographs of students in the chemistry laboratory of the Bialystok Hebrew School, and an exercise class at the Tarbut School in Wolyn. 

The tab shows a picture of students at the Tarbut School in Rovno, Wolyn District, Poland. In the photograph, taken in 1919, the year the school was founded, the school's name can be seen in three languages - Hebrew, Ukrainian and Polish.

The goal of the Tarbut' schools was to inculcate Hebrew culture into the Jewish people in the Diaspora. The movement arose at the end of World War I, after the stabilization of the border lines in all of Poland, Lithuania and even in parts of Rumania. The central enterprise was the wide-ranging net of kindergartens and Hebrew schools. Tarbut helped the Jewish children acquire the treasures of the Jewish heritage of all generations as well as the blossoming new culture of Eretz Israel.

Most of the Tarbut elementary schools were founded in Eastern Poland, in the districts of Wilno, Nowogrudek, Polessie, Bialystok, Wolyn and Galicia.At the same time Hebrew high schools were also established. In 1926-1927 there were 16 Hebrew high schools in Poland. In the early 1920s, three Hebrew teachers' seminaries were established in Wilno, Grodno and Lwow respectively. In 1937-1938 there were 42,976 pupils in the Tarbut schools and 1,400 teachers in 267 institutions. This number amounted to 42% of the total Jewish pupil population in the non-government schools. The financial burden of maintaining the schools was on the parents' shoulders, practically without any government support. The teachers' salaries were meager. However, their spiritual satisfaction was enormous.

Thank you Dear Merja for this nice FDC.

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI)

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is a charity that saves lives at sea around the coasts of Great Britain, Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, as well as on selected inland waterways. This lovely FDC was given to me by Pia from Finland. The stamps portray the logo and the motto on the first stamp and the different phases of operations that the RNLI is normally involved in.

The RNLI was founded on 4 March 1824 as the National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck, with Royal Patronage from King George IV of Great Britain and Ireland. It was given the prefix "Royal" and its current name in 1854 by Queen Victoria of Great Britain and Ireland. It has official charity status in both the United Kingdom and Ireland.

The RNLI operates 444 lifeboats (332 are on station, 112 are in the relief fleet), from 236 lifeboat stations around the coasts of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. The RNLI's lifeboats rescued an average of 22 people a day in 2011. RNLI lifeboats launched 8,321 times in 2012, rescuing 7,912 people. The RNLI's lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved more than 140,000 lives since 1824. RNLI lifeguards placed on selected beaches around England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands attended to 14,519 incidents in 2011.  

Wrangel Island

Ever heard of Wrangel Island? I didn't too till Galya sent me this FDC. It is an island in the Arctic Ocean, between the Chukchi Sea and East Siberian Sea. Wrangel Island liesastride the 180° meridian. The International Date Line is displaced eastwards at this latitude to avoid the island as well as the Chukchi Peninsula on the Russian mainland. The closest land to Wrangel Island is tiny and rocky Herald Island located 60 km (37 mi) to the east. The distance to the closest point on the mainland is 140 km (87 mi). It is believed thatWrangel Island may have been the last place on earth where mammoths survived.

Nearly all of Wrangel Island, and Herald Island, are a federally protected nature sanctuary administered by Russia's Ministry of Natural Resources. The island, and its surrounding waters, were classified as a "Zapovednik" (a "strict nature reserve") in 1976 and, as such, receive the highest level of protection and excludes practically all human activity other than for scientific purposes. The Chukotka Regional government extended the marine protected area out to 24 nautical miles in 1999. As of 2003, there were four rangers who reside on the island year-round. In addition a core of about 12 scientists conduct research during the summer months.

Wrangel Island is about 125 km (78 mi) wide and 7,600 km² (2,900 sq mi) in area. It consists of a southern coastal plain that is as wide as 15 km (9.3 mi); a central belt of low-relief mountains; and a northern coastal plain that is as wide as 25 km (16 mi). The east-west trending central mountain belt, the Tsentral'nye Mountain Range, is as much as 40 km (25 mi) wide and 145 km (90 mi) long from coast to coast. Typically, the mountains are a little over 500 m (1,600 ft) above mean sea level. The highest mountain on this island is Sovetskaya Mountain with an elevation of 1,096 m (3,596 ft) above mean sea level. The east-west trending mountain range terminates at sea cliffs at either end of the island.

Wrangel Island belongs administratively to the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug of the Russian Federation. This rocky island has a weather station and, formerly, two Chukchi fishing settlements on the southern side of the island (Ushakovskoye and Zvyozdny on the shore of Somnitelnaya Bay).

Wrangel Island was commemorated with the issue of this stamp on the lovely minisheet affixed to this lovely FDC postmarked 27.2.2012. This wonderful first day cover was given to me byGalina.

For a better Environment

This Israeli FDC with the stamp, postmarked on 22.8.1993, which very graphicallydescibes what man has to do For a better Environment. Namely, importance of taking care of the pollution levels on sea, land and air. 

The importance of keeping the right balance between keeping the natural environment clean and healthy, and the needs for human growth and industrialisation is very aptly shown in the drawing on the cover.

Thank you Dear Merja for this nice FDC.

1975 Health Stamp Issue 6.8.1975

The 1975 Health Stamp Issue incorporated the theme of children and animals. The animals depicted in the designs are typical of those New Zealand children might grow up with in rural areas.

The proceeds of the 'Health' value of health stamps were donated to the Children's Health Camps movement.

3c + 1c. Girl feeding a Lamb.

4c + 1c. Boy with Hen and Chickens.

5c + 1c. Boy pulling Duck in Wagon.

Thank you Maria for this lovely FDC.

Christmas stamps - Panagia tou Araka Church 26.11.1973

The 1973 Christmas stamp issue shown on this First Day Cover postmarked 26.11.1973, featured the ancient Araka Church, and the other stamps portrayed paintings/frescoes that are displayed inside the church.

The 12th century church of Panagia tou Araka, a UNESCO World Heritage site, stands just outside the village of Lagoudera and boasts some of the finest frescoes of the late Comnenian style (1192) prevailing throughout Greece, the Balkans and Russia. Together with the churches of Asinou and Agios Nikolaos tis Stegis, it is considered to be one of the most important Byzantine churches on the island. Visitors should ask for the priest, who can be found on the premises next to the church, to escort them to the church.

My friend Merja sent me this FDC with the lovely stamps and the special postmark on them.

XXX Olympiad London 27.7.2012

SingPost released the Games of the XXX Olympiad London 2012 stamp issue on 2.1.2012.

Wenlock is featured in SingPost’s Games of the XXX Olympiad London 2012 stamp issue. The stamp issue showcases Wenlock in four different Olympic sports that Singapore athletes have displayed consistent excellence - table tennis (1st local), swimming (S$0.65), sailing (S$1.10) and badminton (S$2.00).

There is more to the XXX Olympiad London 2012 mascot than meets the eye. Named Wenlock, the one-eyed mascot got its name from Much Wenlock, a town in England deemed as the birthplace of the modern Olympic Games. Its eye represents a camera lens that records everything and the five friendship bracelets on its wrists resemble the Olympic rings. With a metallic finish, it was fashioned after a last drop of steel left over from the final girder of the Olympic Stadium in London, based on a short story by children's author Michael Morpurgo.

Railway Line between Jaffa and Jerusalem

In 1888, the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire granted a concession to Yosef Navon, a Jerusalem Jew, for building a railway line between Jaffa and Jerusalem. Due to a lack of financial resources, Navon transferred his rights to a group of French capitalists. Construction lasted about two and a half years, and on the 5th of Tishrei, 5653 (26.9.1892), the railroad was inaugurated. The first locomotives and cars were manufactured in the United States and purchased from the De Leseps company after it failed to dig the Panama Canal and went bankrupt. The railroad was 87 kilometres long with a narrow gauge of 100 centimetres. Following World War I, the tracks were adjusted to a standard gauge of 143.5 centimetres which is customary today.

At first, a daily train ran in each direction. The journey took three hours and fifty minutes. Later on, the ride .was reduced by twenty minutes and the trains were more frequent as well: two or three ran in each direction every day.

My friend Merja gave me this cover with the nice stamps on them, postmarked on 16.6.1992. There are 4 stamps in the series issued to commemorate the Jaffa-Jerusalem railway. Each stamp is divided into four parts, the following explanation of each stamp is given right to left:

NIS 0.85 stamp: Part of a drawing of the "Baldwin" engine (made in the United States, 1918); greasing the wheels of a steam engine; a diesel-electric locomotive of the type in service on the line today; a passenger train climbing the bends of the Soreq River on the way to Jerusalem. Above: a modern engine manufactured in USA (3000 hp). Below: a steam engine which was built in England in 1942 and taken out of service in 1958 (no. 70414).

NIS 1 stamp: a junction in Lod station; a mechanical signalling with semaphore arms in Lod station: an electric signalling board in Tel Aviv Central Station, which is meant to be joined to the Jerusalem line this year; a railroad layout map in Lod station. Above: A steam engine built in Scotland in 1935 (wheel classification 4-6-0). Below: one of the first five engines to operate on the line (2-6-0).

NIS 1.30 stamp: Part of the passenger timetable (1926); a train ticket for the Jaffa-Jerusalem line (before the founding of the State):a renovated passenger car; the interior of a passenger car. Above: a modern diesel locomotive (2000 hp). Below: A steam engine (0-6-0) and passenger cars that were built in England at the turn of the century. Some of the cars were in service until 1962.

NIS 1.60 stamp: Bar-Giora station; the railway station in Jaffa at the beginning of the century; a covered platform at Lod station; a frontal drawing of the station in Jerusalem. Above: one of the ten articulated railcar-sets which are due to arrive in Israel in the centennial year (1584 hp). Below: One of eleven railcar-sets built in Germany in the 1950's (1000 hp), which was taken out of service in the late '70s.

Canadian authors - Germaine Guèvremont and Robert W. Service

These two stamps and the cover were issued in Canada on 17.8.1976 in honour of two great Canadian authors - Germaine Guèvremont and Robert W. Service.

The stamp on the left is regarding Germaine Guèvremont, born Grignon (April 16, 1893 – August 21, 1968) who was a prominent figure in Quebec literature.

Born in 1893 in Saint-Jérôme, Quebec, she was educated in Quebec and Toronto, and worked as a journalist for women's magazines before marrying Hyacinthe Guèvremont and moving with him to Sorel in 1916. She was a housewife for a number of years, but later returned to journalism as a writer for The Gazette and an editor for Le Courrier de Sorel. The Guèvremonts later moved to Montreal, where Germaine worked as a court stenographer during the Great Depression. She also began to publish short stories, which were compiled into her debut book, En plein terre, in 1938.

The novel Le Survenant portrayed on the stamp was published in 1945, followed by the sequel Marie-Didace in 1947. The Outlander, an English translation of her two novels in one volume, was published in 1950, and won the fiction prize in the 1950 Governor General's Awards. The book was also published in the United Kingdom under the title Monk's Reach. She did not publish any further novels, but continued to publish journalism and short stories as well as writing radio and television adaptations of her fiction works. She began to write her memoirs late in life, but completed only two chapters before her death in 1968.

She was also a cousin of Claude-Henri Grignon, the author of Un Homme et son péché. Ironically, Guèvremont's novels are largely recognized as the last influential examples of romans de terre, the traditionalist form of Quebec literature in the early 20th century, while Grignon's Un Homme broke with that tradition and is recognized as one of Quebec's first influential modernist novels.

The Cremation of Sam McGee, depicted on the stamp on the right, is among the most famous of Robert W. Service's poems. It was published in 1907 in Songs of a Sourdough. (A "sourdough", in this sense, is a resident of the Yukon.) It concerns the cremation of a prospector who freezes to death near Lake Laberge, (spelled "Lebarge" by Service), Yukon, Canada, as told by the man who cremates him.

The night prior to the death of the title character, who hails from the fictional town of Plumtree, Tennessee, the narrator realizes that "A pal's last need is a thing to heed," and swears to McGee that he will not fail to cremate him. After McGee dies the following day, the narrator winds up hauling the body clear to the "marge [shore, edge] of Lake Lebarge" before he finds a way to perform the promised cremation. Robert Service based the poem on an experience of his roommate, Dr. Sugden, who found a corpse in the cabin of the steamer Olive May.

A success upon its initial publication in 1907, the poem became a staple of traditional campfire storytelling in North America throughout the 20th century. An edition of the poem, published in 1986 and illustrated by Ted Harrison, was read widely in Canadian elementary schools.

Thank you Hemant for this wonderful FDC.

Centenary of the World Meteorological Organisation in 1973

With this cover and the 50c stamp on it Iceland commemorated the Centenary of the World Meteorological Organisation in 1973. Maria gave me this nice cover.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations. It is the UN system's authoritative voice on the state and behaviour of the Earth's atmosphere, its interaction with the oceans, the climate it produces and the resulting distribution of water resources.

WMO has a membership of 191 Member States and Territories (on 1 January 2013). It originated from the International Meteorological Organization (IMO), which was founded in 1873. Established in 1950, WMO became the specialized agency of the United Nations in 1951 for meteorology (weather and climate), operational hydrology and related geophysical sciences.

As weather, climate and the water cycle know no national boundaries, international cooperation at a global scale is essential for the development of meteorology and operational hydrology as well as to reap the benefits from their application. WMO provides the framework for such international cooperation.

Since its establishment, WMO has played a unique and powerful role in contributing to the safety and welfare of humanity. Under WMO leadership and within the framework of WMO programme, National Meteorological and Hydrological Service contribute substantially to the protection of life and property against natural disasters, to safeguarding the environment and to enhancing the economic and social well-being of all sectors of society in areas such as food security, water resources and transport.

Areas of Historical Significance in conjunction with the celebration of Singapore’s 47th National Day 2.8.2012

As a young nation, Singapore has undergone many rapid developments. While Singapore grows into a modern city state, it retains several historically significant sites which offer an interesting mix of the past and the present, the old and the new. SingPost released a new stamp issue, National Day 2012 - Areas of Historical Significance in conjunction with the celebration of Singapore’s 47th National Day. In this second series of stamps that highlights areas of historical significance in Singapore, we have four new stamps featuring two prominent old residential neighbourhoods - Tiong Bahru and Balestier areas of the past and present.

Tiong Bahru derives its name from the Hokkien word, tiong (refers to tombs) and the Malay word, bahru (refers to new) because it was a “newer” cemetery in relation to then existing one (since exhumed) for the Cantonese and Hakka communities at Tanjong Pagar.In its early days, Tiong Bahru comprised mainly mangrove swamps and low hills around which squatter colonies, villages, market gardens and pig farms could be found. Tiong Bahru was earmarked for exhumation and development as Singapore’s first modern public housing estate in the 1920s. This historic estate housed Singapore’s first community centre and the first polyclinic which were set up in 1951 and 1961 respectively. It was also the site of the first “modern” market, the Seng Poh (now Tiong Bahru) Market which was built in 1951. More unusually, Tiong Bahru was the first estate to have its streets named after Chinese pioneers of the 19th and early 20th centuries by the Municipal Government. Today, Tiong Bahru is known for its unique Art Deco architecture and Straits Settlement style shophouses, famous local food fare and traditional trades as well as new art galleries and stylish cafes.

Balestier

Balestier Road is named after Joseph Balestier, the first American Consul to Singapore from 1837 to 1852. Balestier was the ideal residential area for the rich in the 1880s as it was near the city. Balestier Road was once nicknamed “Recreation Road” because of the high number of recreation clubs along its lower stretch of road. It was also the location of the many cottage industries dealing in rattan and sugar cane. Most of the streets south of Balestier Road are named after Myanmar cities while the streets on the north side testify the presence of Malay kampongs that existed in the area until the mid-1960s. Over the past century, Balestier has evolved into a culturally vibrant district with historical and religious institutions and important cultural landmarks like the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall. To retain the unique streetscape, over 150 shophouses and buildings were granted conservation status by the URA in 2003 including the Go Chor Tua Pek Kong Temple. Today, Balestier is well-known for its wide variety of local delicacies such as tau sar piah (a Chinese pastry) and chicken rice. It has also earned itself the nickname, “Street of Lights” for the lighting shops which line both sides of the road.

Haim Yosef David Azulai

Haim Yosef David Azulai ben Isaac Zerachia (1724 – 1 March 1806), commonly known as the Hida (by the acronym of his name), was a Jerusalem born rabbinical scholar, a noted bibliophile, and a pioneer in the publication of Jewish religious writings.

One of the outstanding figures in the gallery of our great of the eighteenth century was Rabbi Chaim Joseph David Azulai - author, traveler and father of modern Hebrew bibliography. Known as the Chidah, he was highly respected for his great piety and scholarship, and he wrote no less than 71 works. Thanks to his work many works of other authors came to light, as we shall see later.

Thank you Merja for this nice FDC. 

1977 Health Stamp Issue3.8.1977

The 1977 Health Stamp Issue featured a 'children in the woods' theme. The proceeds of the 'Health' value of health stamps were donated to the Children's Health Camps movement.

7c + 2c. Girl with a pigeon.

8c + 2c. Boy with Frog.

10c + 2c. Girl with Butterfly.

Thank you Maria for this nice FDC with the pretty stamps.

Health stamps 1973 - Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex 1.8.1973

These two stamps were issued in the on going series on Health that New Zealand issues regularly. 

These stamps featuring Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex KG GCVO ADC(P) (Edward Antony Richard Louis; born 10 March 1964) were issued on 1.8.1973. Part of the cost of the stamps in the form of a surcharge goes towards improving national health services. 

Prince Edward is the third son and fourth (and youngest) child of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. At the time of his birth, he was third in the line of succession to the thrones of ten independent sovereign states known as theCommonwealth realms; however, after the births of two children each to his two elder brothers, and an evolution of the Commonwealth, Prince Edward is now seventh in line to the thrones of sixteen countries: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize, Antigua and Barbuda, and Saint Kitts and Nevis.

Thank you Maria for this nice FDC.

The Killer whale and the Humpback

Galina sent me this nice FDC with the setenant pair of stamps showing two of the greatest type of whales. The Killer whale and the Humpback. These stamps and the cover were issued by Russia on 8.2.2012.

Killer whales (Orcinus orca).  Killer whales are the largest dolphins in the world. Males can grow up to 10 meters in length; females are smaller — up to just 8 meters in length. The sex of mature orcas can be discerned by the size and shape of the dorsal fin: the male has an elongated dorsal fin, up to 2 meters high. Females and subadult animals of both sexes have smaller sickle-shaped dorsal fins.

One key species feature of killer whales is their coloration. The back and sides of the large body are black; the lower jaw, throat and belly are white. On the rear part of the body, the white color goes up the sides, sometimes culminating at the back. Two white patches are located before the eyes and above them. Behind the dorsal fin there is an asymmetrical saddle patch, which is used for the photo-identification of individual whales. In Arctic and Antarctic waters, this white color can be masked by algae covering the orca´s skin and these patches appear fawn or brown. Killer whales have 10-14 teeth on the each half of the upper jaw and 8-14 on the lower. When the mouth closes, the teeth of the upper jaw fit into the spaces between the teeth of lower jaw, helping to catch and bite prey.

The Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) is a species of baleen whale. One of the larger rorqual species, adults range in length from 12–16 metres (39–52 ft) and weigh approximately 36,000 kilograms (79,000 lb). The humpback has a distinctive body shape, with unusually long pectoral fins and a knobbly head. An acrobatic animal known for breaching and slapping the water with its tail and pectorals, it is popular with whale watchers off Australia, New Zealand, South America, Canada, and the United States.

Males produce a complex song lasting 10 to 20 minutes, which they repeat for hours at a time. Its purpose is not clear, though it may have a role in mating.

Found in oceans and seas around the world, humpback whales typically migrate up to 25,000 kilometres (16,000 mi) each year. Humpbacks feed only in summer, in polar waters, and migrate to tropical or subtropical waters to breed and give birth in the winter. During the winter, humpbacks fast and live off their fat reserves. Their diet consists mostly of krill and small fish. Humpbacks have a diverse repertoire of feeding methods, including the bubble net feeding technique.

Like other large whales, the humpback was and is a target for the whaling industry. Once hunted to the brink of extinction, its population fell by an estimated 90% before a moratorium was introduced in 1966. While stocks have since partially recovered, entanglement in fishing gear, collisions with ships, and noise pollution continue to impact the 80,000 humpbacks worldwide.

1978 CEPT EUROPA -Cyprus - monuments

The theme for the 1978 CEPT EUROPA stamps was “monuments”.  The Turkish Cypriot Government issued these stamps and the First Day Cover that year.  A brief description of the monuments shown on the stamps are given below.

Buyuk Han Mosque – Nicosia. Buyuk Han (the Great Inn) is the largest caravansarai on the island of Cyprus and is considered to be one of the finest buildings on the island. Located in North Nicosia, Northern Cyprus, it was built by the Ottomans in 1572, the year after they had seized Cyprus from the Venetians. In the centre of the open courtyard is a mosque with a fountain for pre-prayer ablutions. It became the first city prison under British administration but reverted in 1893 to a hostel for poor families. After spending most of the 1990s being restored, the inn has been revived as a thriving arts centre, consisting of several galleries and workshops. There are also several courtyard cafes and souvenir shops.

 Selimiye Mosque fountain – Nicosia. The Selimiye mosque, originally the Roman Catholic cathedral of Ayia Sofia, is the oldest, and one of the finest examples of Gothic art in Cyprus, the work of the French masons who accompanied the Crusades. The monumental main door and the carved stone window above it are of particular interest. Construction began in 1209 during the reign of the Lusignan king Henry I, and lasted 150 years. There is evidence that it was built over the ruins of a much earlier Byzantine church called Hagia Sophia. It was consecrated in 1326 while still incomplete, and the blunt-roofed bell towers were never finished. Within its portals, Lusignan princes were crowned kings of Cyprus before proceeding to Famagusta for a second, essentially honorary, coronation as king of Jerusalem.

 The cathedral was restored by the Genoese in 1373 and the Mamluks in 1426. The eastern section of the cathedral was destroyed by earthquakes in 1491, and further restoration work was undertaken by the Venetians.

 When the Ottomans took the city in 1570, they destroyed the interior fittings, chopping up the pulpit and pews for firewood, and using the tombstones for flooring. Unfortunately, the more interesting tombstones are not usually visible as the floor is now covered with a large carpet. A pair of fifty metre high minarets were added to the incomplete bell towers, and an ablutions courtyard fountain with trefoil arched niches was constructed.

 As a mosque, the church was renamed the Hagia Sophia Mosque, a name which it retained till 1954 when it was renamed the Selimiye Mosque. As well as being the most beautiful mosque in Nicosia, the Selimiye Mosque is also the biggest and most attended of all. Since the mosque still serves as a house of worship, there are no set visiting times. Try to coincide with the five prayer times, when you are allowed in shoeless, modestly dressed and silent. In recent years, the old streets around the mosques have been renovated. Consequently with the addition of thriving businesses such as authentic restaurants and antique shops, the area around Selimiye Mosque has reached a new level of liveliness, and has become a popular destination among tourists as well as locals, both during the day and night.

Thank you Merja for this very interesting FDC.

60th Anniversary of RAF

Pia from Finland gave me this really wonderful First Day Cover dated 28.2.1978 commemorating the Diamond Jubilee of the Royal Air Force.
The Isle of Man First Day Cover shown here with a set of 4 special 60th Anniversary of RAF stamps showing RAF Short type 184 seaplane flying over HMS Ben-My Chree in 1915. Then we have the Bristol Scott(1915) and HMS Vindex. The Boulton Paul Defiant over the Douglas Bay in 1941. And the 13p stamp with the Sepecat Jaguar of the RAF over Ramsey in 1977.

Anniversaries and events Issue of stamps 7.2.1973

This 1973 Commemorative Stamp Issue marked the anniversaries and events listed below. Thank you Maria for this impressive Anniversaries FDC.

The 3c design was completed by Vivian Jepsen, with the remaining five designs completed by B Langford.

Centennial of Thames Borough - 3c
The design shows old Pollen Street with the hills behind highlighted in symbolic gold.  Thames is a town with 7000 people, at the foot of the Coromandel Peninsula. Gold was first discovered nearby the town in the early 1850s, but it wasn't until an arrangement had been reached with the local Maori to allow prospecting of the area that a major strike was found in 1867. By 1870 the town of Shortland, as it was then called, had been established  with a population of around 20 000, greater than that of Auckland at that time.

Centennial of Westport Borough - 4c
Coal mining and pastoral development, major factors in Westport's economy, are shown in symbolic form.  Westport is a town with 4600 people, near the mouth of the Buller River, 105 km north-east of Greymouth. It is the commercial and administrative town and also the port for the Buller region, where the main industries are coal, saw-milling and farming. A Nelson surveyor, John Rochfort, discovered coal and gold in the region in 1859 and, within two years, a settlement was established.

Centennial of the University of Canterbury - 5c
A cloister, one of the features of the old University buildings, was included within the stamp design.  Canterbury University was established as Canterbury College in 1873 by the Provincial Council. Initially it had a staff of three professors and 87 students.

50th Anniversary of the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society - 6c
This design incorporates the features important to this Society - forest and bird against a lake setting.

Olympic Rowers - 8c
The success of New Zealand rowers at the 1972 Olympics was the highlight of years of dedicated training and devotion to the sport.  Rowing, as a competitive sport, is believed to have begun in NZ on Lyttelton Harbour on New Year's Day in 1862. A number of clubs had formed throughout the country by the time the New Zealand Amateur Rowing Association was formed at a meeting of the representatives of nine clubs in 1887.  New Zealand's greatest rowing triumph came at the Olympic Games at Munich in 1972, when the eight won the gold medal (Hurt, Veldman, Joyce, Hunter, Wilson, Earle, Coker, Robertson, and Dickie, the cox), and the four (Tonks, Storey, Collinge and Mills) won the silver in their event.

25th Anniversary of the Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East (ECAFE) - 10c
Depicted in symbolic form is the aim of the Commission - "progress through co-operation".