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

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