(Special
thanks to my friend Elton D’Souza)
Sunday, October 23, 2011
INDIA – Cover from Margao-Goa, India to Braga, Portugal.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
INDONESIA – Cover from Malang, Indonesia to Braga, Portugal.
(Special
thanks to my friend Ms. Irene Chen)
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| Souvenir sheet |
This
year, the WED theme is Forest: Nature at Your Service'. It underscore the
intinsic link between quality of life and the health of forest and forest
ecosystems. The theme also supports this year's UN International Year of
Forests. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) elected India, one of
the fastest growing economies in the world that is embracing the process of a
transition to Green Economy, as the global host of WED celebration.
In
celebration of Indonesian Environment Day 2011, the theme is adapted into
'Hutan Penyangga Kehidupan'. It emphasizes the essence of forest as guardian of
the balance between the interest of humans and all other living things in the
world. Consequently, maintained forest consevation is required to run that
function. Nothing is more precious than harmonius life between humans and
environment which includes the beachhead ecosysstem of flora and fauna.
As
a part celebration, a stamp series of Environmental Care is issued on June 5,
2011. The stamp Design features pine forest as one of forest ecosystems
commonly found in Indonesia.
Centenary Credit Agricola
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| Stamps (Inland and Europe) |
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| First Day Cover |
2011
is of special importance to the Crédito Agrícola Group that celebrates 100
years of activity.
Crédito
Agrícola – one of the few private financial institutions with exclusively
national capital – is proud of having given, throughout its history, a unique
contribution to the economic and social development of many regions of the
country, generating benefits to the communities where its branch offices are
located and to its associate members and clients, gaining prominence on the
Portuguese Mainland and on the Autonomous Region of the Azores through an
identity that one hundred years later grants it an unparallel institutional and
civic dimension.
Created
in 1911 by the Decree-law that regulated the foundation and activity of
agricultural savings banks, Crédito Agrícola is an institution that has become
deeply rooted in the Portuguese society; today it has a network of
approximately 700 branch offices, 5,000 employees, more than 400,000 associate
members and 1,2 million clients.
Agricultural
Savings Banks form the basis of the Crédito Agrícola Group, they boost local
economies in the regions where they are located and are a guarantee of the
close relationship between the Group and its Clients. Locally raised resources
are, as a rule, invested in socio-economic benefits for that region.
At
the passage of its centenary, the CA Group stands out not only as a financial
institution but also because its universal offer of highly competitive products
and services. The specialized companies within the Group enable it to address
the needs of an increasingly demanding Client universe. That is why the CA
Group assumes the leading role in Portugal as a Relationship or Proximity Bank,
at a time when the rebirth of that paradigm makes all the difference.
Far
from seeking only the profit, Crédito Agrícola presents itself as a top of the
range Financial Group, not only because of its solidity, but also of how it
exercises citizenship, by sharing every year a considerable part of its
revenues with other institutions for the development of culture, sports and
other socially relevant activities.
True
to its very own policy as regards social responsibility and the commitment to a
sustainable future, Crédito Agrícola has in its associate Savings Banks and in
its specialized companies the strength of a financial Group that Portugal
acknowledges.
To
celebrate its Centenary, Crédito Agrícola has organized a number of initiatives
that include, beyond a commemorative stamp and a series of Conferences, an
Honour Committed presided by His Excellency the President of the Republic,
Professor Aníbal Cavaco Silva.
This
is the manner in which Crédito Agrícola wishes to celebrate this important
date, together with its Associate Members, its Clients and its Staff, a
celebration that is extended to all the Portuguese of course; 100 years of
activity, during which it has walked together with many projects and ambitions,
from one generation to the next, in towns and cities, up to this day.
Technical
Details
Date
of Issue: 25 March 2011
Values:
stamps of N20g (€0,32) and E20g (€0,80)
Designer: João Machado
Printer: Joh. Enschedé
Process:
4-colour offset lithography
Size:
stamps 40.0 mm x 30.6 mm
Perforation:
Cross of Christ 13 x 13
Paper:
White TR CPST331 110g/m2
Watermark:
Sheet:
sheets of 50 stamps
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Migrator fishes
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| Stamps |
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| Souvenir sheets |
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| First Day Cover |
The
migration of marine species is a phenomenon that manifest itself in various
ways, in daily, seasonal or annual cycles.
Fish
that migrate from the ocean to the river or from the river to the ocean during
their life cycle are called diadromous and are classified as follows:
anadromous fish (live mostly in the ocean and breed in the rivers) and
catadromous fish (live in fresh water and breed in the ocean).
Most
of these fish are threatened by extinction. In Portugal, the main threats are
posed by the construction of obstacles to the migration routes (such as dams
and dikes), destruction of spawning grounds, overfishing, illegal fishing and
widespread pollution.
The
disappearance of these species is a major loss for our aquatic biodiversity,
with both economic, gastronomic and cultural consequences.
In
order to reverse the situation, it is essential to implement the measures
envisaged in the spatial planning policies, improve the quality of the aquatic
habitats, ensure the continuity of the rivers, rehabilitate the natural
breeding grounds, control pollution and gravel removal, re-establish the
natural hydrologic systems and carry out a sustainable fishing
management.
Anadromous
fish
Atlantic
Salmon, Salmo salar (block)
This
species’ situation is critical, with less than 250 individuals, most of which
consist of a subpopulation of the Minho River.
Salmons
hatch in the rivers where they remain for roughly two years. They migrate to
the ocean and when they reach their sexual maturity they return to the rivers
to breed, to the same place where they were born.
Shad,
Alosa alosa
The
shad, which is an endangered species, can be found in Portugal in the
hydrographic basins of the Minho, Vouga, Mondego (that holds the biggest
subpopulation), Tagus, Guadiana rivers and, occasionally, in the Douro River.
The
juveniles migrate down the rivers to the estuaries, where they grow and mature.
At a later stage they migrate to the ocean, where they remain feeding on
plankton, returning to the rivers to breed.
River
lamprey, Lampetra fluviatilis
This
is a critically endangered species; in Portugal it can be found in the
hydrographic basins of the Douro, Vouga, Mondego, Lis, Ribeiras do Oeste, Tagus
and Sado Rivers.
It
is a very primitive fish, with a simple cartilaginous skeleton and a toothed,
cupping shaped mouth that enables it to feed on the blood of other animals. The
adults spawn in fresh water, on the bottom of the rivers, dying shortly
afterwards. The juveniles migrate downriver to the estuaries and later out into
the ocean where they complete their growth.
Catadromous
fish
European
eel, Anguilla anguilla (block)
This
endangered species can be found in all the hydrographic basins of the
Portuguese Mainland and in the coastal zones of the archipelagos of the Azores
and Madeira; it hunts during the night and feeds on crabs, crayfish, molluscs,
amphibians and fish eggs. The European Eel spawns in the Sargasso Sea,
Northwest of the Caribbean. The larvae cross the ocean in the opposite
direction, towards continental waters and complete their maturity in the
European rivers, and later, when it is time to breed, they migrate back into
the ocean.
Thin-lipped
grey mullet, Liza ramada
This
species, that is highly adaptable to the variation in salinity, can be found
abundantly along the whole Atlantic coast. They move around in large shoals, in
coastal waters, estuaries, lakes and rivers where they feed on algae,
invertebrates and waste.
At
the end of spring the adults and juveniles migrate upriver to freshwater
environments. In the fall the adults return to the ocean to breed. The next
generation of juveniles enter the estuaries by the end of winter.
Flounder,
Platichthys flesus
Present
along the whole Portuguese coast, particularly north of the Tagus River, the
founder can be found along the littoral shore down to depths of 80 meters; it
lives on sandy or muddy bottoms, feeding on small fish and invertebrate. When
they reach sexual maturity (four years in the case of the females or three
years in the case of the males), they migrate to the ocean to breed, in the
winter and beginning of spring. The juveniles enter the estuary in the spring
and beginning of the summer.
Technical
Details
Date
of Issue: 25 March 2011
Values:
stamps of €0,32; €0,47; €0,68 and €0,80 and two souvenir sheets with one stamp
of €1,80 each
Designer:
Atelier Acácio Santos / Elisabete Fonseca with illustrations of Pedro Salgado
Printer:
Joh. Enschedé
Process:
4-colour offset lithography
Size:
stamps 40.0 mm x 30.6 mm
Perforation:
Cross of Christ 13 x 13
Paper:
FSC 110g/m2
Watermark:
Sheet:
sheets of 50 stamps
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Joint issues Portugal - Korean Republic
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| Stamps |
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| First Day Cover |
As
a pioneering type of war ship of the Joseon Dynasty, the Turtle Ship was
conceived in 1592 by Admiral Yi Sun-Shin who anticipated a Japanese
invasion. The shape and tactical capabilities portrayed by Admiral Yi
Sun-Shin himself are as follows:
“Wooden
planks are laid on the upper deck of the ship, and on those planks, narrow
cross-shaped ramps are placed to enable people to walk through, with sharp
spear heads and spikes lodged on the rest of ship’s surface. The bow of
the ship is shaped like a head of a dragon, while the stern takes the
shape of the tail of a turtle. There are gun ports fore and aft and also
six gun ports port and starboard respectively, where large projectiles are
loaded and fired. When enemy soldiers attempt to board the vessel, a straw
mat is placed over the blades on the back of the Turtle Ship so they
cannot be seen. The Turtle Ship will hereinafter be in the vanguard of naval warfare,
with its sharp spear heads and spikes stopping enemy soldiers from
climbing onto its back. When enemy ships try to siege the Turtle Ship, it
can fire its cannons simultaneously fore and aft, port and starboard.”
Yi
Sun-Shin, Korea’s venerated admiral, utilized the Turtle Ship as an
assault ship and gained victory in 23 naval battles over 7 years under the
spirit of “If you want to live through combat, you will certainly die. But
if you want to die at combat, you will certainly live.” The Korean people
take immense pride in both Admiral Yi Sun-Shin and his indomitable Turtle Ship.
The
Portuguese Nau
The
age of the Caravels came to an end when Cap Bojador was rounded in 1487.
The prevailing Atlantic winds and currents that enabled this feat,
rendered far-away voyages feasible and justified the choice of the Nau as
a more suitable vessel for the Cape route. The reason was that it had much
greater DW tonnage, it could carry more cargo thus enable larger profits
and also more provisions, a larger crew, passengers, as well as cannons
for protection against the corsairs. Generally, the Nau had 3
decks, 3 masts (2 fitted with square sails and one with a Latin sail), a
forecastle and an aftercastle, and a carrying capacity varying between 120
and 1200 tuns.
Naus
that
sailed on the so called “Carreira da Índia” (India route) played a
leading role on the annual trade route between Lisbon and Goa, initiated
with the discovery of the maritime route to India, a voyage that Valignano
in 1574 described as being “the longest and most trying voyage there is”.
A true odyssey, which documents, in a dramatic way, our “história
trágico-marítima” (“tragic history of the sea”), a narrative of
dramatic shipwrecks occurred in those times.
Technical
Details
Date
of Issue: 25 March 2011
Values:
stamps of N20g (€0,32) and E20g (€0,80)
Designer: Eunkyung Park (Navio Tartaruga) Telmo Gomes
(Nau Portuguesa)
Printer:
Cartor Security Printer
Process:
4-colour offset lithography
Size:
stamps 40.0 mm x 30.6 mm
Perforation:
Cross of Christ 13 x 13
Paper:
FSC 110g/m2
Watermark:
Sheet:
sheets of 50 stamps
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Centenary of GNR
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| Stamp |
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| Souvenir Sheet |
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| First Day Cover with stamp |
With
the beginning of the Republic in 1910, the Guardas Municipais de Lisboa e
do Porto (Municipal Guards of Lisbon and Porto) become extinct by decree
of the Interim Government, which temporarily determines the creation of
the Guardas Republicanas (Republican Guards), without any fundamental
change in regard to their predecessors.
The
Guarda Nacional Republicana (GNR) was established on 3 May 1911 to “ensure
public safety, law enforcement and safeguard public and private assets
across the country.” The new military corps was initially constituted by a
group of squadrons - six battalions on the mainland and two infantry
companies on the islands - with approximately five thousand men.
Nevertheless,
the political and social turmoil, namely the great outbreak of strikes, do
not let the GNR rest assured, obliging it to intervene here and there.
Furthermore, the monarchist rebellions drew the attention of its leaders
to the need to strengthen institutional security. Thus, in May 1919, the
Government decided to reinforce the GNR, hereby reorganizing it, endowing
it with artillery and increasing its workforce to nearly 19 thousand men.
In
1946, after almost 25 years of absence from the Azores, a GNR Detachment
parts for the island of Terceira to ensure the policing of the Lajes Air
Base. Between 1961 and 1974, a GNR unit constitutes the Rural Police of
the São Tomé and Príncipe Police Corps and, in addition to the normal
rural policing missions, plays an important role in supporting aircraft
stopovers and humanitarian aid to numerous refugees. More recently, the
history of the Guarda Nacional Republicana is marked by the creation of
the Brigada de Trânsito (Traffic Brigade) in June 1970 and the Brigada Fiscal
(Fiscal Brigade) in June 1993, pursuant to the extinction of the Polícia
de Viação e Trânsito (Traffic and Transit Police) and the Guarda Fiscal
(Fiscal Guard) respectively.
Besides
its missions on national territory, the GNR has been an extension of
Portugal in major armed conflicts of modern times - East Timor, Iraq, and
Bosnia and Herzegovina - and in countless scenarios of natural disasters
and civil emergencies.
The
Guarda Nacional Republicana is currently a security force with a general
police mission, composed of approximately 25 thousand military elements
with remits and powers to act across the country, assuming direct
responsibility for ensuring public security, peace and tranquility
in approximately 95% of the national territory, serving more than 60%
of the resident population and accompanying large seasonal movements
of people and national events.
With
this philatelic issue, the CTT (Portuguese Postal Service) associates itself to
the celebration of the centenary of the Guarda Nacional Republicana, thus
acknowledging the cultural tradition that the existence and performance of
its military elements have represented for the history of Portugal.
Technical
Details
Date
of Issue: 24 April 2011
Values: N20g (€0,32)
Designer: Atelier Acácio Santos / Hélder Soares
Credits:
Stamp
- Caps Representative National Guard (male and female)
Souvenir
sheet - Some in the Military Mission and valences National Guard, Patrol Cycle;
Proximity Policing Program (Safe Schools); Surveillance and Control Coast,
Nature Conservation and the Environment, International Operations Peacekeeping;
Honors State (Military Featured cavalry) and Protection and Rescue (1 st
intervention in forest fires).
Printer:
Joh. Enschedé
Process:
4-colour offset lithography
Size:
stamps 40.0 mm x 30.6 mm
Perforation:
Cross of Christ 13 x 13
Paper:
White TR CPST 331 110g/m2
Watermark:
Sheet:
sheets of 50 stamps
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