BARBADOS

This lovely card shows the white sands of the coast of Barbados, the easternmost of the Lesser Antilles of the Caribbean

ICELAND

This springtime coastal scene shows the scenery and foliage typical of Djupivogur, a town of just 350 located in the east of Iceland

ICELAND

Kr. 105: this lovely bird stamp shows the starling, a widespread and gregarious species

COTE D'IVOIRE / IVORY COAST

This lovely card came this week from Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast. It shows the historical architecture of the seaside town of Grand Bassam, once a thriving port.

Cote d'Ivoire: orchid stamps

This lovely pair of orchid stamps came affixed to the card above, with a clear postmark in Yamoussoukro

NEW CALEDONIA

This stunning scene shows the coastline of the Isle of Pines, located SE of the central island of New Caledonia, as can be seen on the map below

New Caledonia: stamp

In case you think the scene above is idyllic, this shark stamp shows that there are still perils in paradise...

NEW CALEDONIA

This card shows the location of the islands of the New Caledonia chain, an overseas territory of France

MEXICO

This dramatic card shows a plume of ash from Mt. Popocatepetl in the central highlands of Mexico; this peak was revered by the Aztecs for its periodic volcanic activity and dominance over the landscape

MALAYSIAN BORNEO

This magnificent scene shows a view of Mt. Kinabalu in the state of Sabah, Borneo. At 4,095 meters, this is the highest peak between the Himalayas and New Guinea, and is a renowned center of biodiversity.