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.