LATVIA – Cover from Riga, Latvia to Braga, Portugal

First Day Cover of the Lighthouses of Latvia stamp issue, depicting the Uzava's lighthouse posted on October ,15 2010.
(Special thanks to my friend Juris Tarvids)

Stamps booklet

MALAYSIA - Cover from IPOH, Malaysia to Braga, Portugal

Cover posted on November, 01 2010.
(Special thanks to my friend Khor Kok Keong)

INDONESIA - Postcard from Bali, Indonesia to Braga, Portugal

Postcard with stamps from the 2009 Indonesian joint issue with Singapore, posted on August, 20 2010.
(A very special thanks to my friend Edna Chin)

Legong Keraton
The most graceful of Balinese dances, this is the epitome of classical Balinese female dancing. A legong, as the dancer is known, is often a young girl of eight or nine years, rarely older than her early teens.
It was first created in the 18th Century and is usually the first dance to be taught to beginners.
There are many forms of Legong, the most frequently performed dance being the Legong Keraton or Legong of the Palace.
The story of the Legong is very stylized and symbolic and one should know the story before actually watching the performance.
The Legong involves three dancers - two legongs and their 'attendant', the condong.
The legongs are identically costumed in gold brocade, which is bound so tightly that it is a mystery such agitated and rapid moves could be made.
With elaborately made-up faces, plucked eyebrows that are boldly repainted, and hair decorated with frangipanis, the dancers relate the story with captivating movements. A king takes the maiden Rangkesari captive.
When her brother comes to release her, Rangkesari begs the king to free her rather than go to war. The king refuses and chances upon a bird carrying ill omens on his way to battle. However, he ignores the bird, meets Rangkesari's brother, and was thus killed in the fight.
The roles of the dancers may change according to the narration.
However, the dance usually begins with the king's preparations for battle and ends with the bird's appearance.

2009 Indonesia-Singapore joint stamps issue miniature sheet

TURKEY - Postcard from Alanya, Turkey to Braga, Portugal

Postcard posted on October, 28 2010.
(A very special thanks to my friend Sini)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alanya

IRELAND - Postcard from Kilkee, Ireland to Braga, Portugal

Postcard posted on October, 13 2010.
(A very special thanks to my friend Kevin Whelan)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilkee

GEORGIA - Cover from Tbilisi, Georgia to Braga, Portugal

Cover posted on October, 20 2010.

(Very special thanks to my friend Khatuna)

2002 - Ballet stamps issue

Kutaisi postcard

Kutaisi (Georgian: ქუთაისი), was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Colchis, is the second largest city in Georgia and capital of the western region of Imereti.

Kutaisi is one of the most important educational and scientific centers in Georgia, hosting the Gelati Academy of Sciences, established in the 12th century by King David IV. Here is also one of the most important educational centers in modern Georgia, Ak'ak'i Ts'ereteli State University, established in 1930. Besides these two, there are many other universities, institutes, colleges and schools in Kutaisi.
The landmark of the city is the ruined Bagrati Cathedral, built by Bagrat III, king of Georgia, in the early 11th century. The Bagrati Cathedral, and the Ghélati Monastery a few km east of the city, are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

DENMARK - Cover from Søborg, Denmark to Braga, Portugal

Cover with Denmark’s 2008 Nordic Mythology – Mythical Places stamps posted on October, 20 2010.
(Special thanks to my friend Peter Gørtz-Christiansen)

Many places in the Danish landscape are steeped in myth and legend, such as Lindholm Hoje and Feggeklit in the Liim Fjord area. Both appear on the stamps in "Mythical Places", the third and final part of the series on Nordic mythology. The series began in 2004 with the theme "World of the Gods" and continued in 2006 with "Mythical Creatures".
The eight Nordic countries taking part in the stamp issue – Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Aland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands and Greenland – published their stamps and miniature sheets on 27 March 2008.

UKRAINE - Cover from Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine to Braga, Portugal

First Day Cover with of the Locomotive Engineering in Ukraine’ 2010 stamps issue and two definitive stamps of 2.00 UAP from the ‘Seventh definitive stamps issues of Ukraine‘ posted on October, 13 2010. (Special thanks to friend Volodymyr Sulyma)

Locomotive Engineering in Ukraine
Date of Issue: 04-09-2010
Type: Commemorative stamps
Denomination: 1.00, 1.50, 2.00 and 2.00 UAH
No. of Stamp in Set: 11 + coupon
Size: 52x25 mm
Perforation: 13 ¾ by 14 1/4
Color: Multicolor
Process of Printing: offset
Protection of the stamp: microprint "В. Руденко";
fragments of locomotives luminesce under UV-light
Printer: “Ukraina” for production of securities”
Designer: Valerii Rudenko and Viktoriia Savchenko for the postmarks

Bernardine Church, Lviv

for more information about click here: Dnipropetrovsk

Portuguese Stamps Day 2010

Braga’s philatelic exhibition at Casa dos Crivos, Braga.

This year thematic is about ‘The Harbor Bridge’ or Prozelo, a medieval bridge that crosses the Cávado river between the municipalities of Braga and Amares.

The bridge is composed of granitic eleven arches and an uneven board, narrow and irregular, six feet and eight tenths of width between enclosure walls, and one hundred fifty feet long. It also has strong upstream and timpani that comes out the core elements. The first crossing of the river in this zone, which has been registered, were in the Via Nova, best known for Geira made by local boats in port. It is believed that after a bridge was built. The existing bridge was built in the Middle Ages. Until the bridge's construction of the Prado, was the only bridge in the existing low across the Cávado river.

In 1910 it was designated a National Monument.

Your name, port, is a word of the archaic language Galician-Portuguese Portuguese meaning the current way point.

Legend has it that this bridge was built in one night. While the women were bringing the stones that came from lands of Bouro, about 30 km distant, the men built it, in order to conquer the land across the River.

Personalized stamp

Cover with commemorative cancellation

Postcard

Exhibition Brochure

SPAIN - Postcard from Tenerife, Spain to Braga, Portugal

Postcard posted on October, 4 2010.
(A very special thanks to my friend José Carlos)

PHILIPPINES - Cover from City of San Fernando - Pampanga, Philippines to Braga, Portugal

Cover with 2010 definitive stamp of 1p, 5p and 7p posted on September, 14 2010.
(Special thanks to friend Walter Peter)


7p - Lionfish - Singles (11,333,300)
100p - Bottlenose Dolphin - Singles (203,300)

7p The red lionfish (Pterois volitans)
Is a venomous coral reef fish in the family Scorpaenidae. It inhabits the Indian and western Pacific Oceans. Adults can grow as large as 17 inches (43 cm) in length while juveniles may be shorter than 1 inch (2.5 cm). It has fleshy tentacles which protrude from both above the eyes and below the mouth. The pectoral fin is present in a distinctive fan-like shape, and dorsal spines are long and separated. Every spine of the lionfish is venomous, and while no fatalities due to lionfish stings have been reported, their venom extremely painful. The Red Lionfish eat live prey and do not eat fish flakes and other processed food.

100p Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus)
Are the most common and well-known members of the family Delphinidae, the family of oceanic dolphins. Bottlenose dolphins live in groups typically of 10-30 members, called pods, but group size varies from single individuals up to more than 1,000. Their diet consists mainly of forage fish. Dolphins often work as a team to harvest fish schools, but they also hunt individually. Dolphins search for prey primarily using echolocation, which is similar to sonar. They emit clicking sounds and listen for the return echo to determine the location and shape of nearby items, including potential prey. Bottlenose dolphins also use sound for communication, including squeaks and whistles emitted from the blowhole and sounds emitted through body language, such as leaping from the water and slapping their tails on the water surface.

Date of Issue: 13-05-2010
Type: Definitive stamps
Denomination: 7p and 100p
No. of Stamp in Set: 100 (7p) and 50 (100p)
Size: Perforation: 13.5
Color: Multicolor
Process of Printing: Lithography Offset
Printer: Amstar Company, Inc.
Graphic Artist: Jiomer E. Dacaymat
Source: Coral Reef Animals of the Indo-Pacific by Dr. Terence Gosliner
Designer: Darwin A. Marfil (7p)
Design Coordinators: Victorino Z. Serevo; Elenita D.L. San Diego


1p - Yellow Seahorse - Singles (2,800,000)
5p - Giant Clam - Singles (2,500,000)
20p - Scarlet-Fringed Flatworm - Singles (900,000)

1p YELLOW SEAHORSE (Hypocampus Kuda)
The Yellow Seahorse is one of the larger seahorses and is also known as the Common Seahorse, Spotted Seahorse, or Oceanic Seahorse. It has a short crown which is directed backward. Hippocampus kuda actually comes in many colors including yellow, orange, brown, and even black. The Yellow Seahorse tends to get along with pipefish, but they are a slightly faster feeder than the seahorse. In order to maintain the coloration of these wonderful animals it is ideal to keep décor of a similar coloration in the aquarium. Some individuals may have spots. For the best results, seahorses should be kept in a separate, species-only tank that is 50 gallons or larger with multiple items which they can grab with their prehensile tails. The reason for this is that seahorses are very slow methodical eaters and when maintained with other fish, they will never receive the proper amount of food to thrive in the aquarium.

5p GIANT CLAM (Tridacna Crocea)
Several species of giant clams are available to hobbyists, but Tridacna crocea is one of the most popular, if not number one. Note that this species is simply called “crocea” by most, but is also known as the crocus clam, boring giant clam and saffron-colored giant clam in different places and crowds. And they’re also sometimes sold under the trade names super crocea, ultra crocea or something similar, because certain specimens have a more colorful and/or unusual appearance than others. It should be no surprise that they’re highly desirable, because they often come in wonderful blues and greens, with just about every other color mixed in at times, as well. Purple, orange and gold are often seen, as well as solid brown. On top of their wonderful colors, the patterns that typically cover their upper mantle tissue may include stripes, waves, spots, rings, etc., making them look even more beautiful.

20p SCARLET-FRINGED FLATWORM (Pseudoceros Ferrugineus)
Flatworms belong to the Phylum Platyhelminhes, which includes notorious human parasites such as liver flukes and tapeworms. At first glance flatworms are easily mistaken for nudibranchs, but they lacks gills and the body is much thinner and more fragile. They are sometimes seen crawling over sand and coral, or are found under rubble. Fortunately marine flatworms are not harmful, and many have a beautiful appearance. The most stunning belong to a group known as polycads. Their flat oval-shaped bodies frequently exhibit dazzling colors. Their bright livery possibly warns predators of their toxic properties or bitter taste. Flatworms are common on most coral reefs, but due to their small size (most measure less than 8 cm. in length) and secretive habits, they are easily overlooked.
(Periplus Nature Guides – Tropical Marine Life)

Date of Issue: 15-06-2010
Type: Definitive stamps
Denomination: 1p, 5p and 20p
No. of Stamp in Set: 100
Size: Perforation: 13.5
Color: Multicolor
Process of Printing: Lithography
Offset Printer: Amstar Company, Inc.
Graphic Artist: Earvin L. Ayes
Source: Coral Reef Animals of the Indo-Pacific by Dr. Terence Gosliner
Designers: Lino B. Jamisola (1p); Mary Anne C. Cruz (5p); Lawrence Cunanan (20p)
Designer coordinators: Victorino Z. Serevo; Elenita D.L. San Diego

ROMANIA - Cover from Bucarest, Romania to Braga, Portuga

Cover with stamp of 2.10L from the 2010 joint issue Romania-Portugal posted on October, 25 2010.
(Special thanks to friend Popovici Silviu)

In 1880, Portugal recognized Romania’s independence. Celebrating the 130th anniversary of this event, Romfilatelia introduces into circulation the joint stamp issue entitled „Ceramics – Tiles“.
Magic of fire and mystery of the clay moistened by the life-giving water, the modelling in clay become human being’s first step towards art and craftsmanship.
Appeared in the Middle East around 7800 B.C., the ceramic was decorated by incisions, stone polishing or pressing after almost two thousand years later; in 1200 B.C., they started using colours as well.
A remarkable pottery development was attested in the Middle East, in the entire Mediterranean basin and it also expanded to the Roman world and Byzantium.
Both the household objects and the ones used for the houses and palaces adornment continued to experience diversity until the Renaissance.
The Royal palaces and churches were decorated on walls with coloured and enameled bricks. Simultaneously, the plates – glazed stove tiles – for stove making appeared, leading to the development of manufactures where potters made these clay pieces.
The stove tile, a clay plate burnt into the oven until red, mica powdered or enameled, had a square or rectangular shape and was used for building heating or food preparation systems.
The archeological discoveries in the 14th and 15th centuries showed the elites’ preferences for decorating rooms with fireplaces built of tiles.
The patterns on the tiles are geometrical, zoomorphous, phytomorphous, anthropomorphous, heraldic, and religious.
The image reproduced on the postage stamp with the face value of RON 3.10 represents a Saxon origin tile from Bistrita-Nasaud County, dating back from the half of the 19th century, which belongs to the patrimony of the Romanian Peasant Museum in Bucharest. It was modelled by pressing the clay in a mould, was burnt in the oven, enamelled and painted by means of a horn.

The piece has a rectangular shape, depicted with stylized floral motifs: daisies, tulips and carnations placed in its center and corners.
The Azulejos are painted tin-glazed tiles used to cover large surfaces, either inside buildings or on their façades. Azulejo is a word deriving from the Arabic word al-zulayi (meaning “polished stone”).
In the early 16th century, in Seville, the ceramic plates were used to decorate a monumental wall for the first time.
The technique used to process the ceramic has continuously evolved from the Moorish geometric and laced themes, up to plant and animal themes.
The Azulejos constitute one of the representative elements of the Portuguese culture revealing the symbiosis between this culture and the European and Arabic ones.
Also, using Azulejos as thermal insulating and waterproof material reveals a practical, but also esthetic sense, given to these ceramic plates.
Used for more than five centuries and having a major role in architecture, the ceramic plates (azulejos) represent for Portugal not just a state of mind but also an emblem.
The image reproduced on the postage stamp with the face value of RON 2.10 illustrates an azulejo, dating back in the 18th century, Lisbon, from the collection of the National Tile Museum in Lisbon.

Two types of mini-sheets with 4 sets of stamps one with illustrated border and the other with illustrated border and label with silver foiling were issued in limited quantities.

Date of Issue: 30-06-2010
Type: Commemorative stamp
Denomination: 2.10 Lei and 3.10 Lei
No. of Stamp in Set: 2
Size: 30x36 mm
Perforation:
Colour: Multicolour
Process of Printing:
Printer:
Designer: Mihai Vămăşescu

ALGERIA - Cover from Setif, Algeria to Braga, Portugal

First Day Cover with stamps from the 2010 Algerian issue – 50º Anniversaire de L’Organization des Pays Exportateurs de Petrole posted on September, 14 2010.
(Special thanks to my friend Ouari Khemissi)

CROATIA - Cover from Nedelišće, Croatia to Braga, Portugal

Cover with two stamps from 2009’s issues - 21st Men’s World Handball Championship and Accession of the Republic of Croatia to NATO, posted on October, 21 2010.
(Special thanks to my friend Tomislav)

Date of Issue: 16-01-2009
Type: Commemorative stamp
Denomination: 3.50 Kr
No. of Stamp in Set: 1
Size: 40.28x29.82 mm
Perforation: 14
Color: Multicolor
Process of Printing: Offset print + embossed print
Printer: "Zrinski" - Čakovec
Designer: Goran Den Popović i Danijel Popović, designers from Zagreb

21st Men’s World Handball Championship - Croatia 2009
Application of the logo of the 21st Men’s World Handball Championship - Croatia 2009 Globally known victories of Croatia’s men’s national handball team have made our handball players the most trophy winning Croatian sportsmen in general. Gold medals were won by our handball players at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta and the 2004 Olympics in Athens.
Two gold medals won at the biggest world sports events were supplemented with the gold medal won at the World Championship 2003 in Portugal and two silver medals in 1995 in Iceland and in 2005 in Tunis.
The large collection of medals has also been completed with several medals won at European championships. In 1994 in Portugal, handball players were bronze medallists and at the last European Championship in Norway (2008) they were runners-up and won the silver medal. None of the handball national teams on the global level and in any other sport can boast about such success as the Croatian handball.
For many handball enthusiasts and experts worldwide the Croatian handball players are the „European Brazil“. Indeed, the Croatian handball players can really be compared to Brazil in the football world. It’s no wonder that with their continuous successes they are highly appreciated worldwide. It is only thanks to our handball players and their reputation that the International Handball Federation (IHF) entrusted Croatia with the organisation of the World Championship 2009, although at the time the decision was made our country did not have a single sports hall that would be an adequate venue for such sports events.
The organisation of the biggest event in Croatia since its independence can partly be attributed to the guarantees of the Government of the Republic of Croatia and of functionaries in the local communities who made their promises and realised the goals on time.
The sports halls in seven towns have been completed on time and the last organisational preparations have been finished as well. «Let the games begin» - the whole of Croatia is ready to welcome the handball players and their supporters from 24 best handball playing countries worldwide.
In January 2009 (from the 16th January till the 1st February) the whole of Croatia will be breathing together with its handball players, dreaming about another great success. Zagreb, Split, Varaždin, Zadar, Osijek, Poreč and Pula, but also the whole of Croatia.
A similar atmosphere was also at the 2000 Men’s Handball European Championships but also at the 2003 Women’s Handball World Championships, which were organised in Croatia. At that time, the world of handball was delighted with Croatia’s organisational skills. However, these World Championships will be better than the previous ones.
This is what our handball heroes have promised to us and we should believe them because they always keep their promises. Ivano Balić, Petar Metličić, Blaženko Lacković and their «comrades», led by the national team selector and coach Lino Červar have made Croatia happy so many times, and everyone was celebrating and crying with them.
At this event many handball players from the «golden generation» will say goodbye to national team and their dearest jersey. The most beautiful scenario would be if they could say goodbye as winners, with the national anthem on the highest step of the victory podium in the crowded beauty of Zagreb – Arena. The coach Lino Červar made one thing very clear: «It’s going to be the best organised championships in the history of handball. This generation deserves the biggest spectacle and farewell with the golden medal. My guys are the best in the world.
‘Let them cry – Croatia is the world champ’. »

Date of Issue: 04-04-2009
Type: Commemorative stamp
Denomination: 8.00 Kr
No. of Stamp in Set: 1
Size: 42.60x35.50 mm
Perforation: 14
Color: Multicolor
Process of Printing: Offset print
Printer: "Zrinski" - Čakovec
Designer: Igor Kuduz

Accession of the Republic of Croatia to NATO
Digital and Dispersed Map of Croatia and the NATO Alliance Logo The North Atlantic Treaty (NATO) was signed on April 4, 1949.
NATO was established at the height of a Cold War when it became obvious that cooperation from the time of anti Hitler coalition was abandoned; and when the Soviet Union in Eastern Europe tried to create a new coalition of nations «national democracies» and that the Marshal plan and the Truman doctrine served as the basis for gathering those who accepted the Euro Atlantic idea of development and co-operation.
The Treaty was signed for an undetermined period of time and consisted of only 14 articles. The provisions of these articles confirmed the freedom and security to all the members, pointing out the need to accept mutual values recognised in democratic functioning of societies. Pursuant to Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation any threat to security to any country member is considered as a threat to any of the other country members, whereby its member states agree to mutual defence in response to any external party.
The Alliance is referring to Article 51 of the United Nation Charter where it is elaborated that nothing shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations, until the UN Security Council has taken necessary measures.
The Treaty anticipates that any European country is given the possibility to become a NATO member under the condition that it be unanimously invited and accepted into NATO and shall deposit the instrument of accession to NATO with the American Government.
First signatories of the Treaty in Washington on April 4, 1949 were: Belgium, Denmark, France, Island, Italy, Canada, Luxemburg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, USA and Great Britain. Turkey and Greece became NATO members in 1952; The Federal Republic of Germany in 1955 and Spain in 1982 after deposing General Franco’s dictatorship, In the years of the Cold War, NATO had a strong defensive role and the military dimension was at the forefront.
However with international tensions subsiding some changes in international relations were announced and the so called Harmels report in 1957 pointed out a political unity of the NATO members.
During the détente years NATO members would be an important actor in the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OESS) process and also after the fall of the European socialist system in 1989 and SSSR.
In 1991 NATO remained the sole military and political alliance in Europe.
Almost all of the Eastern European countries, except Russia and Belarus, applied to be accepted into NATO and the intensive process of the NATO expansion had begun.
After Clinton organised a Partnership for Peace in 1994 as a preparatory stage for the accession to NATO, the first new members in 1999 were Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary.
After March 2004 Bulgaria, Romania, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia became full members.
At a meeting in Bucharest in 2008 the invitation was extended to Albania and Croatia and the process of Macedonia’s accession to NATO was placed on hold until the subject of the official name of Macedonia shall be resolved.
NATO functions on the principle of inter-government co-operation, and decisions are adopted by a consensus, on the basis of consent among all the member states.
Full sovereignty is preserved of all the member states including their independence even at the price that the democratic principle in some cases slows down actual action.
The headquarters of NATO is in Brussels, and the Military Committee in Mons (Belgium). Although Croatia placed as a goal in the foundation of its foreign policy documents the accession to Euro Atlantic Integrations: NATO EU, it was only after democratic changes began in 2000 that Croatia was invited to Partnership for Peace and the Euro Atlantic Partnership Committee.
That same year, Croatia became a member of PARP (Process for Peace Planning and Review) and only the year after that NATO accepted the first Croatian individual partnership program.
In 2003 Croatia along with Albania and Macedonia signed the American-Adriatic Charter, evidence that the USA is backing the accession of the three states in NATO.
By fulfilling all the criteria stated in the Membership Action Plan (MAO) Croatia received an invitation in Bucharest for meetings in Strasbourg and Kiel on 3-4- April 2009, which will enable Croatia to become a full member of a democratic, industrialized and far reaching Western World!

(Text extracted from the original stamp issue brochures)

CROATIA - Cover from Nedelišće, Croatia to Braga, Portugal

Cover with Souvenir sheet from the 2010 LUBENICE – Island Cres issue posted on September, 13 2010.
(Special thanks to my friend Tomislav)


Date of Issue : 21-05-2010
Type : Commemorative souvenir sheet
Denomination : 10.00 kn
No. of Stamp in Set : 1
Size: 35.50x29.82 mm
Perforation: 14
Color: Multicolor
Process of Printing: Offset
Printer: "Zrinski" - Čakovec
Designer: Igor Konjušak
Graphic artist: Zagreb
Photographer: Petar Strmečki

LUBENICE – Island Cres

Lubenice - a town of stone The power of the ancient myth, in which the main characters are Apsyrtus, Jason, Medea and the Argonauts, introduces us into the pre-origin of the group of islands called Apsyrtides, to which also Cres belongs. At cultural level, on the island Cres there can be noticed for centuries present interaction between the landscape and the evidence of very different peoples (Illyrians, Greeks, Romans and Venetians) who in their historic eras and within their own civilisations created a cultural and historical matrix of this region.
The area of Lubenice and Pernat, called Gerbin (south-western wind) by local inhabitants, is bordered on its west side by the vast bay of Cres and by its position stands out as a separate micro-region of the island Cres. As concerns historic continuity here we find: settlements existing from the pre-historic period till today, settlements built next to cultivated soil and settlements of the scattered type, built at the seashore.
A Roman Hibernicia/Hibernitia, i.e. medieval Ljubljenice, and today’s Lubenice, is a settlement existing in an unbroken continuity for over 4000 years, situated in the central part of the island, at 378 m above sea level, on the high cliff dominating the open sea of the Kvarner Bay. Lubenice, like other pre-historic settlements has used its geostrategic position during history in order to control the entire Kvarner Bay through the Big Gate.
The castle of Lubenice falls under Venetian rule from 1409 to 1797 and remains urbis and logos, with the church seat and military garrison, for the inhabitants who escaped from the further away situated fields of Vransko Lake and the Pernat peninsula.
The prosperity of Lubenice is reflected in the huge territory belonging to the community, from the Cape Pernat to Ustrine and from Orlec to Belej, including also the villages mentioned. The autonomous community of Lubenice was abolished at the end of the 15th century, when it – with all its territory - passes under the administration of the community of Cres.
The flourishing, opulent period on the island at the end of the 17th century favours erecting of houses and sacral buildings also outside the castle, fortified for centuries.
Die inhabitants of the peninsula Pernat, and also of Lubenice have always been economically oriented to agriculture, livestock farming and forestry. Among the particularities of the island Cres are the huge estates with vast sheep economies - the so called shepherd’s dwellings.
Through the oval shape of Lubenice, elongated in the direction north-south, and beginning at the town square, there stretch three main winding paths (streets) leading into the medieval town space. In the far history Lubenice was fortified by walls from the east, that survive today in fragments while the south part of the settlement leans against a vertical, inaccessible cliff above seashore.
In a bounded space, between the renewed south and the original north town gate, the morphology of the construction art of Lubenice is found, spanning from the traditional functional minimalism to the renaissance-baroque elements with rare Venetian additions. In the first plan of the small town, at the town square and dominating it, there is a parish church dedicated to Our Blessed Virgin Mary. Next to the edge of the square and the former town loggia a new bell tower was erected in 1791. At the south end of the locality there is a renewed gothic church of St. Anthony the Eremite and a small Romanesque church of St. Sunday.
In the centre of the small town, next to the former rectory there stands a gothic church of St. Jacob (14th – 15th century). After the north city gate, at the town cemetery, there is a church of St. Stephen from the 17th-18th century.
As for the housing itself, it uses all the elements of autochtonous and organic art of building, combined with the elements used in the continental littoral. In the beginning of 2005 Lubenice was included into the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List.
A somewhat anticipatory concept design of an eco-park in the Pernat peninsula (1988) by the scientist Marijan Vejvoda, with the dynamic idea of including Lubenice in it, a detailed project for the adaptation and reconstruction of the building heritage with the concept for the revival and shaping of a varied tourist offer with compatible contents (1955), an always greater engagement and continuous presence (since 1999) of the Centre for Sustainable Development – Eco Park Pernat - are all important indicators showing that Lubenice is no "island", and that the ideas of its full-scale revitalization, supported by active participation of local inhabitants, will prudently and harmonically incorporate sociological, anthropological and architectural aspects in future, new concepts.
(text from the announcing stamps issue brochure)

Returned to Sender!

It was the first time I received back correspondence I sent to someone.

The letter was sent by registered mail on May, 3 of 2010 to India and after some months travelling across India, has returned to me on September, 2 of 2010.
To my friend Ravanan, that is waiting for this cover for months I could just say that in a few days I will send it back with the hope that this time it reaches the right address…

SINGAPORE – Cover from Singapore to Braga, Portugal

Cover with stamp of 1$10 – ‘Merly Swimming’ from the Youth Olympic Games – Singapore 2010 issue posted on September, 30 2010.
(A very special thanks to my friend Terence Wong)

RUSSIA – Cover from Samara, Russia to Braga, Portugal

Registered cover with the stamp from the 2009 ‘200th Anniversary of Birth Of Vladimir Istomin’. Several additional definitive stamps from 2002, 2005 and 2009 are also present.
Interesting detail related with the flag of Samara!

The 200th anniversary of birth of Vladimir Istomin, the hero of the Sevastopol defense 1854-1855.

Vladimir Ivanovich Istomin (1809-1855) - the hero of Sevastopol defense, Rear Admiral. He participated in the naval Battle of Navarino in 1827, in the battle against the Turkish fleet in the Mediterranean Sea in 1828-1829. Since 1850 he was the commander of the battleship "Paris", which destroyed three Turkish ships and the central coastal battery of the enemy in the naval Sinop Battle in 1853. He was awarded the rank of Rear Admiral for the achievements in battle. From the beginning of the defense of Sevastopol he commanded the 4th range of Malakhov barrow. For his courage he was awarded the Order of St. George of 3rd degree. He was killed by a cannon ball on the Kamtchatka Lunette. The stamp presents the portrait of V.I.Istomin, a fragment of the battleship "Paris" with waving flag of St. Andrew, the scene of Sevastopol defense.
Designer: Kernosov A.
Date of issue: 14-10-2009
Printing method: offset Coated paper Colors: four Perforation: comb 12:11 ½ Sheets of 25 (5x5) stamps
Face value: 10.00

BANGLADESH – Cover from Dhaka, Bangladesh to Braga, Portugal

Registered cover with stamps of the issues ‘FIFA World Cup France 1996’ and ‘2010 ICC World Twenty 20’ posted on September, 13 2010.(Special thanks to my friend Tanvir Rahman)

ICC World Twenty 20 2010
Date of Issue: April 22nd, 2010
Type: CommemorativeDenomination: 15.00 TK
No. of Stamp in Set: 1
No. of Stamp in Each Sheet: 88
Size: 37x37 mm
Perforation: 12.5
Color: MulticolorProcess of Printing: OffsetPrinter: The Security Printing Corporation (Bangladesh) Ltd., Gazipur
Designer: Aminul Haque Mallick
Post Office Issued : Dhaka Gpo, Chittagong Gpo, Rajshahi Gpo, Khulna Gpo, + All Head Post Offices (h.o.)

(World Heritage Site - Historical Shat Gombuj Mosque, Bangladesh)

(Fisherman throwing net for fishing in Bangladesh)