SRI LANKA

This lovely card came to me last month from a friend who visited the highlands of Sri Lanka. It shows flora and butterfly diversity typical of this tropical island, with an inset with the country's national flag.

VIETNAM

This colorful card shows the nightime lights and activity in Ho Chi Minh City (previously known as Saigon), one of the most dynamic urban centers of SE Asia.

Vietnam: stamp

1000d: this intriguing 2005 stamp came with the card above and shows a historical political event with crowds holding flags in a plaza

TUNISIA

This amazing card shows some of the troglodyte homes of Matmata, Tunisia. Some accounts date these homes to ancient times, when the Roman empire sent Egyptian tribes to settle the region. Many myths have attempted to explain the origins of these cavelike dwellings, and some maintain that they allowed residents to hide from invaders, or to desert the shelters at night to attack invaders.

AFGHANISTAN

This amazing card shows an early scene of tribal riders in one of Afghanistan's 33 provinces, showing traditional dress and gear

Afghan stamp

This stamp franked the card above, and shows a military vehicle on parade in Kabul

ARGENTINA

This spectacular sight is one that I have actually visited some years ago, and shows the breathtaking Iguazu falls, set amidst lush forest on the Argentine-Brazil border

Argentina: stamp

75c: this cultural stamp came affixed to the card above and show traditional costumes of two tango dancers

BOTSWANA

This lovely card comes from the vast Kalahari region, which covers much of Botswana. The region is really a semi-desert, as occasional rains turn huge tracts of land into prime grazing areas, and the Kalahari supports a diversity of animal and plant species, much more than "true deserts."

Botswana: art stamp

This intriguing local art stamp came with the card above, and shows a stylized snake coiled up against a red earth color

COSTA RICA

Wild rivers are a favorite of tourists that enjoy white water rafting. This card shows such a river, surrounded by rain forest and two images of local forest species: a toucanet and a brightly colored tree frog.

CURACAO

An undersea view is the subject of this card, with a colorful angelfish and local coral reef scenery typical of the Caribbean sea