Saturday, September 28, 2013

BHUPEX 2013

The postmark on this letter from India commemorates the Nandankanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneswar Odisha. The stamp was issued on 26 March 2013 during the (Bhubaneswar) District Level Philatelic Exhibition: BHUPEX 2013. The stamp on this cover was issued 16 March 2013 and commemorates the 125th anniversary of Malayala Manorama: the third largest newspaper in India.


Friday, September 27, 2013

Hasle-Rüegsau, Switzerland

Hasle-Rüegsau is actually two different places, a few kilometers north-east of Bern, Switzerland. The towns of Hasle and Rüegsau sit on opposites sides of the Emme river. 


The two towns, as well as other surrounding hamlets and villages, are served by a central train station and post office which go by the designation Hasle-Rüegsau. Both are in Hasle, across the road from one another.

 

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Fairfield, Australia

This letter with Christmas Island stamps on it came to me from Fairfield, Australia: a suburb of Sydney. Over two thirds of the people living in this suburb were born outside Australia making it is one of the most culturally diverse communities in the country. Very similar to the Toronto suburb I live in.


Wednesday, September 18, 2013

New Zealand, Matariki 2013

This cover from New Zealand has a pair of stamps from the 2013 Matariki issue from New Zealand Post.  Matariki is the Māori new year and also the Māori name for the Pleiades star cluster whose rising signifies the Māori new year. For the past few years, New Zealand Post has produced an annual stamp issue to commemorate Matariki.

The theme for this year's stamps is "Koru":  a spiral pattern used in Māori art to symbolize rebirth. The pattern is derived from the unfurling leaves of the silver fern. Both Matariki stamps on this cover display a variation of this spiral pattern.

USA, Battle of Lake Erie

A first day of issue postmark on the new USPS "Battle of Lake Erie" stamp. The stamp was issued on 10 Sept 2013 to coincided with the 200th anniversary of the battle. The Battle of Lake Erie was the largest naval battle of the war. The Americans were victorious over the British and this victory allowed them to maintain control of Lake Erie for the duration of the war.


Thursday, September 12, 2013

Adelaide, Australia

This came to me from the suburb of Payneham in the north-east of Adelaide, Australia. I was surprised to see the $3 stamp, thinking it was a bit much for international mail, but on the Australia Post website I see that International Airmail for letters up to 50g is $2.60. Postcards are $1.70.


By comparison, in Canada the international letter rate is $1.85 CAD (currently $1.93 AUD).  In the US the international rate is $1.10 USD (currently $1.19 AUD). Makes Australian postage rates look expensive, but it could be worse. The most expensive international letter rate I know of is Norway: 15kr for a 20g letter, which is equivalent to $2.75 AUD. I guess letter rates in Canada aren't so bad after all. Wish I could say the same for parcel rates.

St Pierre and Miquelon