China and Tibet

Asia-Peoples Republic of China-Hangzhou   The West lake shown here is a World Heritage site. Very busy with tourists. A excellent site to visit. 

Most of the time in PR China you just get standard Definitive stamps. So to get something  different I often look for miniature sheets. This is a stamp from one. 

Asia-Tibet-Lhasa   This postcard is showing Patala Palace the most famous and also a  World Heritage site in Tibet. When I arrived here it took a full day to acclimatise to the altitude. Certainly very spiritual feeling. Met a lot of Chinese tourists who had no understanding of the culture or the history of Tibet. 

Here is a special stamp to commemorate 50 years of Tibet. You can see the palace in the background. I brought the stamp with me from my collection. I wanted to put something local on the postcard. 

Asia-Peoples Republic of China-Chengdu   Chendu is the native place of the Giant Pandas. Not often my postcards show animals . What a great animal to just sit and watch. 

What a large colourful stamp. I think from a miniature sheet. 

Asia

Asia-South Korea-Seoul  Showing The Namdaemun Gate . Dates back to the 14 century. Amazing that it is surrounded by busy Seoul traffic. Was damaged by fire in 2008. 

Posted at the main Post office in Seoul. A busy place. 

Asia-South Korea-Seoul  Showing Gyeongbokgung Palace. Spent  an interesting afternoon here. Quite a lot to see at this former Royal Palace. It is still being restored. A World Heritage Site.

The stamp shows 60th Anniversary of Korean Liberation. So 1945. 

Asia-South Korea-Panmunjom  This is showing the Korea Peace House in the joint security area . It is on the South Korea side. This is right on the border with North Korea. . The previous year I had visited the North Korean side. On the North side it was more relaxed . On this side we were heavily briefed by the American soldiers before I could could go near the border line. It was quite tense. 

There was no Post office in Panmunjom or even a mail box. So I had to post this in  Seoul. 

Asia-China Peoples Republic-Shanghai   This is the Jin Mao tower. Stayed here at the Jin Mao Tower which in fact is also a Hyatt hotel. Shanghai is an amazing city. One of the great cities in Asia. The most western city in China. This is on the Pudong side of Shanghai. A great city and the best city for so many food options in China. 

Just by chance I found out there was a Post office on the top of the Jin Mao tower. So in effect it is the highest Post office in the world. (In a building) . So this was the Pudong side . 

Asia-China Peoples Republic-Shanghai   Showing the city at sunset. The old and the new. It is said in Shanghai that when you wake up in the morning and open your curtains you see a new site every day as there is so much building going on. A city that you can see the two sides of China , yesterday and today. 

Posted in the old town and main Post office in Shanghai. In China stamps are quite cheap so unless you use a definitive stamp as postage you need to put a few extra stamps on. 

Asia-China Peoples Republic-Pudong Airport  Built at the turn of the century , Shanghai Pudong  Airport new building. 

Posted at Pudong Airport . 

Asia and London Heathrow

Asia-China Peoples Republic-Guangdong-Dongguan City  This is the Italian restaurant at the Sheraton Dongguan. In this part of China I dined  here most nights.  I had my share of Chinese dinners and God knows what I was eating.   A colleague told me he had dinner out the previous night. He told the waiter he did not like the onion rings. The Waiter said " What onion rings , they were not onion rings they were a part of the Sheep" You can guess yourself . This area is full of factories and is a major hub for a lot of the products we see in our daily lives. 

I had a lot of fun in this post office. In China you get the standard issue stamps. Well I was looking for something more. So to find any different stamps I had to hand over 50 USD to view the stamps. The reason is they were afraid I would run off with the stamps without paying. I guess most people just take the stamps offered. I then selected these stamps and got my change back. Stamps in China are very cheap. 

Asia-China Peoples Republic-Guangzhou  The 3rd largest city in China.  Here we see  the Pearl River. A key area for transportation and trading.There may be blue skies on the postcard but I rarely if ever seen anything blue above the clouds. Quite polluted  I would say.  I think the card is a little worse for wear. 

First stamp is Deng Xiaoping . The scond was Mao Zedong. (Chairman Mao). As you can see it has gone. I think maybe Mao was not exactly popular with everyone. So stamp gone !! Any how it made its way home. 

Asia-Hong Kong  The Iconic Kowloon Star Ferry Pier. When in Hong Kong , this is one certain activity  to do.  Good during the day and even better at night with all the lights. 

Posted at the General Post Office in Central Hong Kong. They had a choice of stamps and Postmarks. This office is very tuned in to stamp collectors. The Postmark shows the star ferry . 

Asia-Hong Kong-Hong Kong International Airport  This is the new airport to replace the old one  Kai Tak. Been to both now. This airport cost 20USD Billion and took 9 years to construct. Very impressive . 

Sent from Chek Lap Kok , also known as Hong Kong International Airport. A good clear postmark. 

Asia-Macau  Got to Macau from fast ferry from Hong Kong. My second time. Gambling and Portuguese influenced food. This is Senado Square situated in the heart of the city. It is preserved according to Portuguese traditions and is now a place for festival and street performances. The Historic centre of Macau is a World Heritage Site. 

Some great looking stamps from Macau. Purchased at the Main Post office. 

Europe-United Kingdom-London Heathrow Airport  Well Heathrow the UKs main Gateway airport. In 1995  you could see concord as you approached the Roundabout. Sadly it is now gone and replaced by Emirates A380. 

Mailed at Heathrow Airport. The stamp shows SS Canberra 1961, but with that great black postmark, I don't think it would win a beauty award! 

Turkey,China,North Korea,Hainan Island

Europe-Turkey-Istanbul  My first card.  Spent a great Valentine's weekend here.  It was great, but snowed all the time.  Still what sights and the fun that was had...

It was snowing. I could not get to the post office. So the Four Seasons Hotel obliged and mailed this card but affixed the stamp in a crooked fashion.  The postcard is from the hotel. 

Asia-Turkey- Kadlkoy Istanbu  Took the boat ride across the Bosphorus to Asia. Europe for Breakfast, Asia for Lunch. 

At least these stamps went on straight.

Asia-China Peoples' Republic-Beijing  3 days in Beijing visiting all the sights.  Lots to see. My first cup of Latte ever at the Hyatt. I don't drink much coffee but it's my favourite type.

The Stamp shows the West lake in Hangzhou, a famous attraction.

Asia-DPRK North Korea-Pyongyang  One week here, very cold.  A lot of Dear Leader Stuff. Still fascinating for sure. Great Memories.  Food left a lot to be desired, but at least more than some of the workers I had seen in the fields looking for scraps.

Well the post office here was something else. They had a great selection. I tried to buy some stamps of the "Dear Leader" to put on the postcard. They would have none of it , having the President postmarked was not a option.  They offered birds and I took one, they were also happy when I took the missile stamps against the "Imperial bastards " !! You have to laugh.

Asia-Hainan Island - Sanya  Well after the grey skies of South China where I had been working, it was a pleasure to find Sanya. It is a sort of Hawaii of China in the South China sea near Vietnam. What a delightful surprise. The hotel helped of course with the pure soft white sand and plenty of R and R. 

These are definitive stamps for PRC. ( Peoples Republic of China ) . 

Asia-Republic of China- Taiwan-Taipei  A view of  Taipei at night and Taipei 101 the tallest building at this time in Asia and the 3rd in the World. The best thing about Taipei is the National Palace Museum. Fantastic and considered to be the best in any part of China PRC or PR. — in Taipei, Taiwan.

These stamps say Republic of China , the stamps issued now state Taiwan. Just to confuse those who don't know about this sort of thing.. — in Taipei, Taiwan.