Kuang Si Falls | Laos

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The Kuang Si Falls is a three tier waterfall near the city of Luang Prabang in Laos. The falls begin in shallow pools atop a steep hillside.

The pools lead to the main fall with a 60 metres cascade. The water collects in numerous turquoise blue pools as it flows downstream. 

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A postcard from Chad

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Chad is a landlocked country in Central Africa, bordered by Libya, Sudan, the Central African Republic, Cameroon, Nigeria and Niger. It is the fifth largest country in Africa in terms of area.

As you can see on this postcard, much of the country is positioned within the hot and dry Sahara Desert, covering Chad with sand and barren scrub land. 

 

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Sauvegarde Du Lac-Tchad

Lake Chad has been a source of freshwater for irrigation projects Chad, Niger and Cameroon. Satellite images show a dramatic decrease in the size of the lake over the past 30 years. Since 1963, the lake has shrunk to nearly a twentieth of its original size, due both to climatic changes and to high demands for agricultural water.

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Sheep herding in Greenland

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The world's largest island is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark. When you look at this postcard you wouldn’t think that the climate in Greenland is extremely harsh. More than 80% of the island is covered by an ice cap 4km thick in places.   

The card shows sheep herding near Tasiusaq in the most southern part of Greenland. Compared to the rest of the country it has a relatively mild climate.  

 

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(right) Jørgen Brønlund was a Greenlandic polar explorer. He participated in two Danish expeditions to Greenland in the early 20th century. He died in 1907 at age 30. 

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The Staple Diet of Uganda: Matooke

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A staple food is a food that is eaten routinely, and in such quantities that it constitutes a dominant portion of a standard diet in a given population. Matooke is the staple food of Uganda.

Matooke is a variety of starchy banana, commonly referred to as cooking bananas. The fruit is harvested green and then cooked and often mashed or pounded into a meal. In Uganda it is steam-cooked and the mashed meal is one of the national dishes of the country.

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Dr. Livingstone, I presume? | Burundi

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This monument, known as the Livingstone Rock is located just 8 miles outside Bujumbura, capital of Burundi.  

According to www.burundi-tourism.com this rock is to remember the famous meeting between explorer Dr Livingstone and reporter Stanley in 1871. The latter spoke the famous words: "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?”.  

But  others sources state that the famous meeting took place a little earlier that year in Tanzania. Described clearly in Stanley's book "How I Found Livingstone".

Thank you very much Chris!

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Tunis, the Capital of Tunisia

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Tunis is the capital and largest city of Tunisia. The name of the country is derived from the name of its capital. About 650,000 of the 11 million Tunisians live in Tunis.

 

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The stamp shows the lighthouse of the Galite Islands, a rocky group of islands of volcanic origin off the Tunisian coast.

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The Silver Discoverer | New Zealand

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Silver Discoverer is a small, yacht-type cruise ship operated by Silversea Cruises as the third member of its Silversea Expeditions fleet. The ship is deployed in remote regions of the world including Micronesia, Melanesia, Polynesia, the Russian Far East, Southeast Asia, New Zealand and Australia.

The card was sent by Rod who travelled with this ship to Australia’s Macquarie Island. But the card has a New Zealand stamp.

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The stamp is part of New Zealand’s Chinese Year of the Goat issue. But it could be the year of the sheep or even the year of the ram. This confusion is caused by Mandarin Chinese character yang: 羊 Its apparent meaning is 'horned animal'.

Thank you very much Rod!

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Aerial view of Christmas Island

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Christmas Island is an Australian Non-self Governing External Territory, located in the Indian Ocean, 360km south of Java and 2600 km North West of Perth. The coastline of 73km comprises mostly sheer rocky cliffs 10 to 20 metres high with a few small coral and rubble beaches. 

The island is well known for its annual Red Crab mass migration.

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All three stamps are part of the Chinese Year of the Goat issue. But it could be the year of the sheep or even the year of the ram. This confusion is caused by Mandarin Chinese character yang: 羊 Its apparent meaning is 'horned animal'.

Thank you so much David!

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Mandø Island, Denmark

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The Wadden Sea is the largest unbroken system of intertidal sand and mud flats in the world, with natural processes undisturbed throughout most of the area. Mandø is one of the Danish Wadden Sea islands. The island has 62 inhabitants.

The Wadden Sea is on the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites, together with the Dutch and German part. 

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Timphu, Capital of Bhutan

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Bhutan is a landlocked country in South Asia located at the eastern end of the Himalayas. It is bordered by China and India. Thimphu is the capital and largest city of Bhutan.

 

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Part of a set of 9 stamps Wild Flowers of Bhutan (issue 2014). 

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Kahuzi-Biega National Park in DR Congo

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Kahuzi-Biega National Park is located in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, near the Rwandan border. The park is named after two dormant volcanoes, Mt. Kahuzi (3,308m) and Mt. Biega (2,790m). One of the last groups of eastern lowland gorillas lives in the park, between 2,100 and 2,400m above sea-level.

In 1980 The Kahuzi-Biega National Park was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage.

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The President of DR Congo since 2001, Joseph Kabila (1971).

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The Capital of Rwanda: Kigali

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Kigali, with population of more than 1 million, is the capital and largest city of Rwanda.

Spanning several ridges and valleys, Kigali, with its lush hillsides, flowering trees, winding boulevards and bustling streets, is arguably one of the most attractive capital cities in Africa, as well as one of the cleanest and safest.

Thx Chris!

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Omar AL-Mukhtar street in Gaza | Palestine

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Omar Mukhtar Street is Gaza City's main street. The street is named after the leader of the resistance to Italian colonization of Libya. Originally the street was named after Ottoman governor Jamal Pasha but renamed after the end of the Ottoman rule over Palestine in 1917.

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The Palestinian Authority is the semi-official, self-governing Palestinian body established in May 1994 in accordance with the Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on behalf of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).

The stamp is part of a series of two stamps issued in 2000, commemorating the state visit of Yasir Arafat to Germany.

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Si-o-Se Pol Bridge in Isfahan | Iran

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The Allah-Verdi Khan Bridge is one of of Isfahan's most famous bridges. It is made up of a series of 33 arches, built in 1602 and has a total length of almost 300 metres. The bridge is also known as the Si-o-Se Pol which means 33 Bridge. 

 

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In 2014 Iran issued a series of alphabet stamps. In 2013 Iran issued 7 stamps depicting bridges. The Veresk Bridge in Iran connects the railway between Tehran and the Caspian Sea region. 

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Piazza San Marco - Venice | Italy

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The Piazza San Marco is the principal public square in Venice, Italy. The city is built on a group of 117 small islands separated by canals and linked by bridges. In the background you see the Saint Mark's Basilica with the bell tower.

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To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the death of Giuseppe Gioachino Belli, a famous Italian poet. 

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Narrow streets in Zanzibar's Stone Town | Tanzania

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“For generations the name Zanzibar has captured the imagination of people as a far away, exotic and legendary island located in the Indian Ocean near the East African coast.

Following the west winds, Persian, Arabic and Indian traders sailed to Zanzibar and went back fully loaded when the winds turned east. Spices and slave trading made the island rich and famous. 

People from different continents brought their cultures and religions and created the unique and fascinating blend that can be found on the spice island today. During a walk through the narrow and winding streets of Stone Town the history of the spice island flames up into the imagination again.”

thx again Steve!

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The Casbah of Algiers | Algeria

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The Casbah of Algiers is an Unesco World Heritage since 1992. Many visitors are overwhelmed by the hundreds of narrow streets that wind through it, which can best be described as a labyrinth of pathways. The Casbah’s population is about 80,000.

 

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La Médersa de Tlemcen.

Médersa or Madrassa is is the Arabic word for any type of educational institution, whether secular or religious. Tlemcen is a city in Northwestern Algeria.

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The Acropolis - Athens | Greece

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Acropolis means 'high city' in Greek. The Athenian Acropolis is home to one of the most famous buildings in the world: the Parthenon. This temple was built for the goddess Athena, the goddess of wisdom and military victory. She was Hercules' half-sister.

In 480 BC, the temples on top of the Acropolis were destroyed by the Persians but rebuilt in the next century.

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A Roman Coliseum in the North African Desert: El Jem | Tunisa

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The impressive ruins of the largest amphitheatre in North Africa, which could hold up to 35,000 spectators, are found in the small village of El Jem. It is home to some of the most impressive Roman remains in Africa.

The ruins of the amphitheatre were declared a World Heritage Site in 1979.

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The stamp was issued in 2007 to highlight the Tabarka Jazz Festival.

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Porta Nigra in Trier | Germany

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The Porta Nigra is a large Roman city gate in Trier, Germany. It was built in grey sandstone between 186 and 200 AD. The stones blackened over time, hence its name. Porta Nigra means black gate in Latin. 

 

Together with other remains from the Roman period, the gate is on the list of Unesco World Heritage sites.

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Stolzenfels Castle is a Unesco World Heritage site. 

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