Monday, April 14, 2008

More Postcards and Another New Country , Haiti #183






I received a number of postcards today. Four were from Cape Verde, and one each from Japan, Belgium and Haiti. Haiti is the latest new country in my world postcard collection. It is the 183rd country from which I have received a stamped postcard. One doesn't see a lot of mail from Haiti, so I consider myself quite lucky to have received it. It was sent to me by Brian T who lives in Petion-ville, a suburb of the capital Port Au Prince. The card took just over a month to reach me , having been posted on March 12, 2008. Petion-ville is primarily a residential and tourist area. It is one of the most affluent areas of the capital , with many foreign diplomats and foreign businessmen residing within its boundaries. The card shows Cormier Beach in the district of Labadee. Brian used a 1996 Christmas stamp. It is 1 of a set of 6 highlighting paintings. The one on my card is Adoration of the Magi by Gentile da Fabriano.

Haiti is a French and Creole speaking Latin American country located in the Greater Antilles archipelago on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Haiti has a total area of 27,750 square kilometres and a population of approximately 8.8 million. It is one of the most impoverished nations on earth and the least-developed in the Americas.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The second card I am showing today is from Japan. It was sent by Tuyet Mai who writes the blog Covers and FDCS of the World at http://bimbimphilatelyworld.blogspot.com. She used 2 stamps on the card. The smaller one on the left was issued in 1997 , 1 of a set of 3 definitives, showing flowers and insects that pollinate flowers. The stamp on the right was issued in 2002 , 1 of a set of 4, showing flowers in Niigata, the city where Tuyet Mai lives.
The card shows the front of a temple in Koyasan. Koyasan is the spiritual center of Shingon Esoteric Buddhism, which was established by a priest named Kukai about 1200 years ago. On this sacred mountain, about 1000 meters above sea level, there are temples, towers and a huge graveyard that houses Kukai's mausoleum. Koyasan has been added to the UNESCO's World Heritage list as part of the Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain range. Koyasan made the list on July 7, 2004.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The last card for today is one from Belgium. It was sent by Postcrosser Heidi. It shows the town of Tienen. Tienen is known in Belgium as the center of sugar production. It has a population of approximately 32000 people and is also know for its summer rock festival Suikerrock. Heidi used a 2007 stamp , a definitive featuring His Majesty, The King of The Belgians, Albert II.

1 comment:

Mama Randa Morning Glory said...

Wow, your blog and collection are so very interesting! I stumbled across your blog by pushing the "Next Blog" button at the top of blogger pages-- something I've never done until today. Glad I did because I am thoroughly captivated by all of these postcards from around the world. Now I'm off to research "Kosova"! Have a good one, and I wish you the best in acquiring new countries!