Jasmine Revolution

Do you remember the Tunisian revolution in last year ? In the end of 2010, a Sidi Bouzid hawker Mohamed Bouazizi self-immolated as he protests the violence of local police. It caused many anti-government campaigns and try to overthrow Ben Ali, the president of Tunisia during 1987 to 2011. At last the campaigns became a national revolution. On 14 January, 2011, Ben Ali left Tunisia and his government collapsed.

Above stamp issued on March to commemorate this revolution, picture illustrated the clock-tower of Tunis and the campaigners.

From left to right :
600Dinars : Bab Bhar ; 1,000Dinars : Bab Saâdoun ; 250Dinars : Bab El Khadra
250Dinars : Bab Jedid ; 250Dinars : Dar Hsine ; 250Dinars : Dar Ben Abdallah
Monuments of the Medina of Tunis (突尼斯的麥地那古蹟)
Tunisia (2010)
6th September, 2011. Carthage, Tunis.

I was visited Tunisia in Spring, 2007, before the revolution. Of course visited many heritage sites and special museums, also not surprisingly sent a dozen of postcard myself. Although I felt the country do not have many freedom, even on internet or communicate, the people still open to tourist around the country.

Above cover features a set of monuments located in Tunis, the capital of Tunisia. Most of them I have been visited so I specially interest on the stamps and wish to collect them. Below two pictures, are taken by me during the tour.

International Year of Biodiversity (10) - Serbia

International Year of Biodiversity (國際生物多樣性年)
Serbia (2011)
27th May, 2011. Kanjiža

Is it the last one ? On April 2011, Serbia issued a stamp to commemorate International Year of Biodiversity. Not a big surprise the stamp feature human, marine life and animals ... elements. According to the issue tradition of ex-Yugoslavia countries, there has eight stamps with one label in one plate. Above cover affixed three stamps with a label, it features footprints of human, birds and other animals.

International Year of Biodiversity (9) - The Philippines

International Year of Biodiversity (國際生物多樣性年)
The Philippines (2010)
25th March, 2010. Manila

Into 2011, the project of IYB is not ended. Although the United Nations proclaimed that this year is International Year of Forest, still have many countries issue stamps to commemorate IYB on late 2010 and 2011. Above cover, was sent from the Philippines features IYB issue and Biodiversity definitive stamps also issued on same year. The drawings of IYB issue was selected from the local competition of first and second prize, and the illustration of first day cover selected from third prize.

Unfortunately the Biodiversity definitive is related to marine life and I don't have any interest on that.

Marine life of Indonesia

From left to right bottom :
Olive Ridley Turtle (麗龜) ; Green Sea Turtle (綠蠵龜)
Leatherback Turtle (棱皮龜) ; Indo-Pacific Hawksbill Turtle (太平洋玳瑁)
Indonesia (2010)
24th October, 2010. Jakarta
19th November, 2010. Semarang, Tanah Mas
30th November, 2010. Hongkong

Unfortunately, in the time of writing, the WWF International and Groth AG, the agency approves philatelic products with WWF Panda logo. Did not authorize post office of Indonesia issue above stamp set with their logo. It was sadly to see this situation as the beautiful stamps couldn't be a part of WWF series. 4 stamps illustrate variety turtle species with description as above. Those four turtles, now facing over-hunting, egg stolen or population of ocean etc. different poor situations, the population decrease quickly in recent years.

Railway service of Hongkong

$1,40 : Stream locomotive (蒸汽火車)
$2,50 : MTR Metro-Cammell Train (地下鐵路都城嘉慕列車)
$5,00 : Airport Express (機場快線)
$1,80 : Sir Alexander diesel locomotive (亞歷山大爵士號柴油火車)
Hongkong (2010)
30th September, 2010. Maonshan

As the centenary anniversary of railway service of Hongkong, 6 locomotives and electric trains appear on stamps together. In maxicard section, there shown two maxicards related to two early locomotives of Hongkong. Here it is an envelope, which was carried cash for order stamps of Malta. The envelope affixed variety train stamps, two locomotives as well in Maxicards appear again but other two are new. MTR train is the earliest train serves Kwun Tong Line on 1978 which was built in England by Metro-Cammell and refreshed during late-90's years by Australia company ; another one is Airport Express train, which made in Spain together with Tung Chung Line train. They began on service on 1998 until now.

Elevators of Lisbon

Ascensor da Glória

Portugal (2010)

17th May, 2010. Lisbon (first day cancellation)
30th June, 2010. Restauradores, Lisbon
(Praça dos Restauradores)

Few months ago, Portugal Post issued a set of six stamps features Portuguese funiculars. Although they appeared on stamps many times, here are the cover and maxicard I collected.

Above official first day cover shown the stamp of Ascensor da Glória, the funicular inaugurated on 24 October 1885 and now still servicing passengers and tourists. The cars run between Praça dos Restauradores and Bairro Alto area, only suspended the service during 2007 for extension work of Lisbon.

The cover illustrated Elevador de Santa Justa which is outdoor elevator services between Largo do Carmo and Rua do Ouro. It opens on 10 July 1902 and becomes important elevator to resident.

Ascensor da Bica

Portugal (2010)

29th June, 2010. D. Luis I, Lisbon

(Praça de Dom Luís I)

Ascensor da Bica is an historical funicular in Lisbon, it was opened on June 28 of 1892 links between Rua de São Paulo and Largo de Calhariz. A 245m funicular built in the middle of Rua da Bica de Duarte Belo. In 2002, it classified as National Monument of Portugal, together with Ascensor da Glória and Elevador de Santa Justa in Lisbon.

Dragonfly and yacht

L : The Volvo Ocean Race (富豪環球海洋帆船賽) ; R : Banded Demoiselle (豆娘)
Ireland (2009)
25th November, 2009. Dublin (GPO)

Nothing special of this cover, but just want to say thanks to Yoram who sent it to me during a day trip to Dublin, the capital city of Ireland. Two stamps are split from two souvenir sheets respectively. The first one shown the Irish entry yacht named Green Dragon is one of boats in the Volvo Ocean Race, the game held on May 23 to June 6 started from the Spanish port Alicante via Galway, Ireland ; then turn west to America and finished at Saint Petersburg of Russia. The winner of this game is Ericsson 4, a entry yacht of Sweden. Banded Demoiselle is a species of damselfly, it often to be found in slow-flowing steams and rivers of European countries.

Above cover shown the different of postmarks of Ireland, the one in the main page is cancelled by roller-postmark while this one cancelled by regular postmark.

International Year of Biodiversity (3) - Belaurs

International Year of Biodiversity (國際生物多樣性年)
Belarus (2010)
23rd April, 2010. Minsk

After the first two covers of the International Year of Biodiversity from Portugal and South Africa, Belarus Post continuous to release this joint theme issue in souvenir sheet form on April 23, thanks Alexander sent me this first day cover on the day of issue. Compare with last two issues, Belarus stamps do not show any species and is the first one illustrated pictorial animals, plants, marine life and the logotype of the International Year of Biodiversity, which is the second time to be found in stamp (first one is Great Britain which only shown in the frame of whole sheet). However, according to the official document, the logotype is wrong in style as using wrong fronts.

Peace and Freedom

Europa - Peace and Freedom (和平與自由)

Isle of Man (1995)

26th January, 2010. Douglas

To return this maxicard, I found another stamp set for the postage, it is Europa series issued on 1995 to commemorate 50th anniversary of World War II. The stamps illustrate Peel Castle of Douglas and the broken fence respectively, but using doves for the same element. Actually I don't want to talk politics here and I am not super fan of Europa series - although I collected most issues of 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001. If just talk the stamps, they look beautiful and they can call bird stamps, even they are pictorial and decorated.

For me, I also collect pictorial or decorated bird stamps, mostly are dove. But they are not in priority order to collect as most of them meaningless or related to other themes. For this example, it more related to war or castle themes instead of bird theme.

Crabs of Cocos (Keeling) Islands

From left to right :
5c : Little Nipper (葛氏陸方蟹) ; 5c : Purple Crab (兇狠圓軸蟹)
45c : Smooth-banded Ghost Crab (平掌沙蟹)
45c : Horn-eyed Ghost Crab (角眼沙蟹)
Cocos (Keeling) Islands (2000)
21st December, 2009. Cocos Keeling Island

These four crabs are widely to be found in west Pacific area, however they are not normally appear on Cocos (Keeling) Islands, where are the islands located in the east of Indian Ocean. Little Nipper widely to be found in Indian Ocean and west tropical Pacific Ocean, it looks puprle and black. Purple Crab is a large crab, mostly lives in the islands of Samoa, French Polynesia to East Africa, also to be found in Taiwan and Hoinam. It is in purple-reddish colour or purple-greyish colour. Smooth-banded Ghost Crab and Horn-eyed Ghost Crab widely live in the coastlines of east Asia, from southern-Japan to islands of south Pacific, they also live in Red Sea and South Africa.