Postcards of Africa, Islands and Exotic Locales: 2010

UGANDA

This amazing card came to me recently from a friend working in Uganda. It shows the range of birdlife in Uganda, including species such as the Crowned Crane, the Bateleur eagle, Saddlebill stork, Roller, Shoebill, Bustard, Bee-eater, Jacana etc.

Uganda: flora stamp

2ooo shillings: this stamp shows the bird of paradise flower

LIBERIA

This colorful card is the only one I have received from Liberia, Africa's oldest independent republic. This card shows traditional ethnic dress, but sadly lacks details as to the ethnic group it pertains to.

Liberia stamp

35c this stamp franked the card above, and was part of a pre-Civil War issue showing scenes from the Intl. Fund for Agricultural Development

NEVIS

I was lucky to receive a card from Nevis, one of the tiniest of the East Caribbean islands, with a population of just 40,000. This island forms a federation with St. Kitts, and the two gained independence in 1983.

Nevis: stamp

90c this Christmas stamp shows a traditional scene, and was affixed to the card above

FALKLAND IS.

This card is the only one I have seen from the remote South Atlantic territory of the Falklands, and shows a lovely coastal scene, with geese in the foreground. Note the treeless landscape, belying the harsh southern climate of these islands.

Falklands: falcon

35p The Kestrel is pictured on this lovely stamp that was affixed to the card above

St. Helena (British Atlantic Territory)

This stunning view is the only card I have ever obtained from tiny St. Helena, one of the most remote British territories in the Atlantic. The dramatic island scenery reveals small patches of level ground, where the territorial government buildings are found.

St. Helena: stamp

25p: this stamp arrived on the card above, and shows the exiled Napoleon Bonaparte, the most famous resident of St. Helena

IVORY COAST / Cote d'Ivoire

This Ivorian card shows a typical market scene and a vendor of traditional clay bowls and pots, a lovely cultural scene perhaps taken in a rural town. The card is a production of renowned photographer Maurice Ascani, who captures the vivid colors in his collections.

Ivory Coast: stamp

This fascinating stamp came in with the card above and shows a stone carving; this was issued to celebrate archaeological discoveries in the region; it was mailed in 1999 and postmarked in the commercial capital, Abidjan

MALI

The great Mosque of Djenne is considered by some to be one of mankind's most impressive architectural wonders. The first mosque was built on this site in the 1200s, but the current one dates from 1907.

Mali: wildlife stamps

These lovely stamps were posted on the card above, and show a tortoise and a river scene near Gao, showing a pirogue and a camel on the shores of the mighty Niger

EGYPT

The impressive carved stone structures of Abu Simbel lie south of Aswan on the western bank of the Nile and the complex is a World Heritage Site. It was completely relocated in the 1960s to avoid being engulfed by the waters of the Aswan Dam.

EGYPT: pyramids stamp

This airmail stamp arrived on the card above, and shows a modern plane flying over the ancient pyramids of Giza.

GUINEA-BISSAU

This lovely card is the only I have ever acquired from Guinea-Bissau, and shows the local town hall of Bolama, an imposing colonial-era structure.

Tunisia

This stunning scene in Djerba shows a serene boat being guided of the coast with an impressive local castle as a backdrop.

Tunisia: stamp

The lovely card above was franked with this incredible butterfly stamp, showing a species of Danalis. The clear cancel is from Midoun.

BOTSWANA

This card shows a baby Chacma (or Cape) Baboon, a species found in southern Africa noted for its complex social behavior. Baboon groups are very adaptable, and inhabitat a wide range of terrain, from sub-alpine areas in the high Drakensberg Range to the Kalahari Desert.

Botswana: Kingfisher

Botswana has issued some stunning wildlife sets over the years, and this issue is no exception, showing the woodland kingfisher in vivid color. This bird is a common sight throughout Sub-Saharan Africa even in coastal areas, forested streams and areas not suitable for other kingfishers.

Belize

This card shows the Jabiru, a tall (4-5 ft.) Stork found from S. Mexico to Argentina in swamps and flooded plains.

Belize: turtle stamp

30c this stamp shows the Hawksbill sea turtle, a denizen of Caribbean seas that nests on shores throughout the region

BURUNDI

This wildlife image came as my first card posted from Burundi, and shows a bull elephant and a flock of crowned cranes. Burundi is a densely-populated and landlocked country with few parks or nature reserves. It shares Lake Tanganyika with neighboring Tanzania and Dem. Rep. of the Congo.

BURUNDI: stamps

These stamps were franked on the card above and depict fungi as well as the UN's 50th anniv.

BRUNEI

I received a spectacular card last month from a trading friend in Brunei. The aerial view shows the sultan's palace and part of town in the distance. This small enclave is a Muslim country, surrounded by Malaysia on the northern coast of the island of Borneo.

Democratic Republic of CONGO

This stunning card shows a view of Lake Kivu, forming the border of E. Congo and Rwanda. Set amidst the verdant Virungas mountains, this is one of the highest and deepest lakes in Africa. It is also one of just three known "exploding lakes," whose unstable Rift Valley geology have shown violent volcanic movements affecting its water level and contours.

Rwanda: forest and insect stamps

The card above was mailed across the border in Rwanda, with these showy stamps affixed: a forest theme as well as a Euporus beetle.

Gabon

This card accurately shows the state of many routes in Africa during seasonal rains. In this card, a huge logging truck is stuck in meter-thick rivulets of wet mud, and convey the difficulty of transport and communications in Africa's interior.

Gabon: dinosaur stamp

500fr: this stamp is from a series showing prehistoric life. Though colorful, it is typical of many African stamp issues that seem to have little relevance to local life and culture.

KIRIBATI

This is the only card I have ever acquired from the Pacific island nation of Kiribati (pronounced Ki-ri-bass) and shows a man cutting toddy from the crown of a coconut palm. Cutting toddy is almost a ritual in the Pacific, becoming an artful form of producing the beverage from the sap of tender palm stems.

Kiribati: butterfly stamp

50c This butterfly stamp (from definitive series of 1980) graced the card above, postmarked in the capital, Betio, on the island of Tarawa

Lebanon

This lovely card shows views ranging from the cedar and snow-covered peaks to the rocky coast and a subterranean grotto, a true panoply of this rugged country.

Kuwait

This lovely card shows the Jahra Gate, a principal entrance to the city. This card was printed before the invasion of 1990, so this part of the city probably looks very different today.

Maldives

This card shows the Minaret of Juma, a notable mosque located in the capital, Male

Mauritius

This recent card shows a coastal scene with clear water and a beach framed by a Royal Ponciana tree. It is easy to see why tourism thrives in the Mascarene Islands!

Nigeria

This card, now some 30 years old, shows a traditional rural activity: indigo dyeing, from the Kano region

Nigeria: stamps

This stamp shows a pride of cheetahs in Yankari Game Reserve in N. Nigeria, which is now a national park

Niger Republic

The landlocked Niger Republic is located NW of Nigeria. This card shows the stark landscape of this Sahelian nation, with an image of the village of Bouza, in the Ader-Tehoua region.

Niger: lion stamp

100fr this nature protection stamp, showing a wild lion, was affixed to the card above, and posted from the capital, Niamey

Namibia

I am very partial to sunset cards, and this one shows stunning colored skies above the stark landscapes of Namibia

Morocco

This card shows several scenes from Morocco which were not identified, but give a sense of the architecture and historical aspects of various cities

Namibia

This multi-scene card shows:

1. savannah wildflowers (top)

2. the Naute dam (mid)

3. dunes of the Namib Desert (lower)

right: trees and Namib Desert crevasses

Namibia: stamp

50c Mining: this stamp shows a scene from the major industry of Namibia, issued as part of the first definitive set after independence.

Palau

Palau is a group of forested islands in the Pacific known for their rich marine habitats to scuba divers worldwide. I received this card from a diver friend who remarked that the islands were by far the most pristine habitat she had ever visited, and the water clarity and air purity were unparalleled.