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

Curacao: stamps

This card was sent to me just before Curacao separated from the Netherlands Antilles union, with stamps that show local scenes: a letter carrier and local forest biodiversity

THE GAMBIA

A sunset over the white sand beaches of the Gambia is the theme of this lovely card, a welcome site to N. European visitors needing a respite from the cold winter

Gambia: stamps

a butterfly and flowers were the theme of the stamps affixed to the card above, representing the biodiversity of this small W. African nation