Baku - World Heritage Site

 Asia-Azerbaijan-Baku This card is showing the Shirvanshah Palace in Baku. A World Heritage Site. Baku has vastly changed since my last visit in a very positive way. Loved walking around and  chatting with the locals. 

This stamp shows rock carvings in Azerbaijan. After a bit of trouble found the Philatelic shop in Baku. It was in a book shop ! . Thats a first time. But the staff could not have  been more helpful and very knowledgeable in what I was looking for stamp wise.  A full selection which is rare to find these days. 

Hallstall - Germany

 Europe-Germany-Hallstatt Took a day trip from Salzburg. It is very nice with a beautiful lake surrounded by hills and mountains. It is however very crowded with tourists. I think with social media less and less places are hidden now and everyone can look them up on google. Such is progress . This is a World Heritage Site. 

Nice to see this had a hand postmark from Hallstatt .  Was visiting on a Saturday so the local post office was closed, Used the post box. 

Salzburg - World Heritage Site

 Europe-Austria-Salzburg This is right in the centre of this beautiful city. It was a beautiful day just like the photo . So much to see . 

This is another of those famous stamps . Featuring Tyrolean feathered hat. The Post office  was one of the best visited. Full stock of stamps and very helpful staff.. You dont get all that too often . 

Salszurg - Sound of Music

 Europe-Austria-Salzburg I have wanted to visit this city for such a long time . One of the reasons was as a child I loved the " Sound of Music " musical made in Salzburg . Based on the true story of the Von Trapp family. Took a organised tour and it was wonderful and fun also The card features some sights in the city that is included in the film 

Austria have a habit of issuing stamps from time to time not made of paper. In fact the stamp is made of real leather , I kid you not. Its a lederhousen which includes little studs. Very impressive 

Yangon - Myanmar.

 Asia-Myanmar-Yangon Showing the famous Pagoda . It is even more impressive in reality. One of those sights you never forget. This is a World Heritage Site. 

This card is in fact from October 2022. When I visited Myanmar , all the Post Offices only had limited mail outside the country. After Covid a lot of the Postal agreements with airlines were not renewed and so no way to get the post out to other countries. So , all my postcards were hand postmarked. However, this card was sent to a friend of a friend in Malaysia , as they had a postal service from Myanmar. 

Portsmouth - UK

 Europe-United Kingdom-England-Portsmouth My first time here and I had wanted to visit for such a long time . It certainly lived up to expectations. There is so much to see in the area of the Naval Dockyard. Different museums and the harbour area has been all cleaned up with shopping and plenty of places to eat. This area is a World Heritage Site. 

As ever in many European countries and especially UK getting a selection of stamps from the Post office is near impossible. All Definitive stamps in the UK carry a barcode exactly like Germany. 

Takhai-i-Bhai World Heritage Site - Pakistan

 Asia-Pakistan-Mardan This area features the Hill top monastery from the first century . Known as Takhi-i-Bhai. We had a guide to explain the significance of this famous Buddhist site. Very interesting .A World Heritage Site. 

I did not notice any Post Offices in the Marden region so posted this card back in Lahore. Interesting that some of the definitive stamps are overprinted with a new value of Rs50 , previously Rs10 

Timgad - Algeria - World Heritage Site

 Africa-Algeria-Timgad This was a Roman city around 100AD and is considered one of the finest Roman sites in existance. The area stretches almost  to as far as the eye can see. Well worth seeing and a day trip from Constantine . 

Nice surprise to find a small but modern Post Office just outside the main entrance gate to Timgad. A nice clear cancellation . 

Pompeii - World Heritage Site

 Europe-Italy-Pompeii This is one of those World Heritage Sites, that so many have got to and now I am only getting there now. Though I nearly did not make it. Waiting on the bus from Amalfi bus station, the bus went and I did not see it. Why, I was sitting in the wrong location and the bus had no sign and it was very small , plain white bus. The next bus was 3 hours !! So since I was based in Amalfi I went around the town and got on the later bus. Got to Pompeii at about 4.45pm and you must enter by 5.30pm But had up to 7pm . So it worked out well with a lot less visitors. It was very impressive and bearing in mind I have been to lots of Roman sites. You could really get a feel for the layout of the streets and the look. 

The Post office was on the other side of this site and and near the normal entrance. There was no post box at the main entrance. So I posted this back in Amalfi in the Post box outside . 

Minori -Amalfi Coast

 Europe-Italy-Minori An ancient seaside resort on the Amalfi coast. This was my first stop on this trip to the famous Amalfi coast. This town was recommended as had excellent value with accommodation . Lovely start to the holiday and some nice restaurants to eat. This area is a World Heritage Site. 

Running around Post offices is never considered fun on my behalf. There is a process in buying stamps and they usually have no selection and most of the time the mail is not postmarked. So I had a good start with this small Post office in Minori. I got them to postmark the card while I was in the office. So success. 

Giants Causeway- World Heritage Site

 Europe-United Kingdom-Northern Ireland This is a unusual view of the Giants Causeway on the Antrim coast. From the air. A nice warm day here packed with tourists. This is the only World Heritage Site in Northern Ireland.  

There is a postbox at the Giants Causeway. But did not drop it there due to the changes of not getting postmarked. So on the coast was in a beautiful village of Cushendun.  The girl in the Post office told me it was her first day and had no stamps ! I had already bought the stamps previously. My only request was the card to be postmarked at the post office  and go in the mail . This also has the machine cancel . 

This is taken on the Giants Causeway. A beautiful day 

Greenland - Ilulissat

 Atlantic Ocean-Greenland-Ilulissat Another view of some of the  amazing UNESCO World Heritage site at Ilulissat. It looks exactly like this on the ground . Took a boat tour around this area. 

The recent issue of Europa with the common design and and the other stamp is something to do with local tattoos . Got a good postmark . 

Ilulissat- World Heritage Site - Greenland

 Atlantic Ocean-Greenland- Ilulissat  I have to say this was my favourite part of Greenland . Great scenery , wonderful views and just one of those locations I will never forget. It is the only part of the world excluding Antarctica that you will see the number of Icebergs and flows. Also a World Heritage Site. 

The Post office in this town was a 15 min walk from the centre. But was updated and new with a full ranges of stamps. No postmark unfortunately on this card. 

Luang Prabang - Laos

 Asia-Laos-Luang Prabang  This is Wat Viscoun which is a Buddhist temple of which there are many in luang Prabang . This is the most popular town to visit in Laos. There is certainly a laid back feel about the place. A World Heritage Site. 

These stamps were purchased at the excellent Philatelic Section in Vientiane . The stamps on the right are unusual in that they are not perforated and I had to use a scissors to cut the stamps from the miniature sheet. 

The Bayou Temple - Siem Reap

 Asia-Cambodia-Siem Reap This is showing The Bayou Temple also known as Angkor Thom . Built is the late 12th century. Part of the World Heritage Site . 

The Post office in Siem Reap was well used to getting tourists. They had choices of stamps and well maintained. 

Halong Bay- Vietnam

 Asia-Vietnam-Halong Bay An amazing location . I had always recall seeing a James Bond film that was showing a similar scene . The weather was perfect . Spend an overnight on a small cruising boat here. Exceeded my expectation . A World Heritage Site .

A lot of stamps here due to the low value of many of the stamps. Tried to find a post office in Halong Bay, but the one I went to was closed and had moved to a unknown location. So this card was posted in the next stop which was Ho Chi Minh. 

Siem Reap-Cambodia .

 Asia-Cambodia-Siem Reap My first time to Cambodia and a pure pleasure to be here. The main reason to be in this region is of course Angkor Wat. The largest religious monument in the world . It is amazing to visit the different areas of this vast complex. I love this postcard because it is made of wood and made in Cambodia. A wonderful souvenir from this country. 

I had purchased these stamps from the counter at the main post office in Phnom Penh. Very helpful staff and clear postmark.10/10.

Bagan- Myanmar - World Heritage Site.

 Asia-Myanmar-Bagan Showing the Shwezegone Pagoda . Bagan has so many temples and pagodas. It is breathtaking and was amazed how good condition they were all in. Bagan is a World Heritage Site. 

As per the rest of Myanmar this is postmarked and handed back to me. In fact the post office here did not know that there was a limited postal service to international countries. So I did mail a postcard back to Ireland. I dont expect to get it though .. Lets see. 

Hoi An - Vietnam

 Asia-Vietnam-Hoi An My second time in Vietnam and my first time in Hoi An. This World Heritage Site town is amazing . I was aghast how beautiful it was. Day or night . The town is full of Lanterns and took many photos of such. A great vibe and a must visit in Vietnam. 

 

I normally start in the capital city if touring a country . The main reason is to stock up on special stamps at the main post office, However on this Asian trip I made an exception . The Post office in Hoi An had no selection of stamps and in fact it was mostly the case in Vietnam . More on that later. The Bridge on the definitive stamp is in face here in Hoi An. Crossed it a couple of times. An old Japanese Bridge from the 18th century . 

Bergen - Norway

 Europe-Norway-Bergen Wanted to visit here for a long time. This is the oldest part of Bergen right beside the fishing harbour and known as Bryggen . Arrived here by boat and was great coming into the harbour. The main area is quite small and very easy to walk around. This area is a World Heritage Site. 

The stamp is showing a badger. Posted in Bergen at a postbox . No postmark.