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Asia-Kyrgyzstan-Osh This city is the gateway to the border with Tajikistan and the Pamir highway. It is the second largest city and the oldest in the country. |
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| As many of you know I usually do not put up cards that are not postmarked. However since this is from a hard to get to place I have listed it. I did give it to the post office itself in Osh. I suspect it might be to do with the stamps. I used ones I had purchased from the philatelic counter in Bishkek. |
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Asia-Japan-Hokkaido-Biei This is Hills Town in Biei . Famous for it flowers in summer. It was certainly a wonderful sight and I loved the couple of hours I spend here as I travelled around Hokkaido by car. |
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| I love the different postmarks that you get in Japan. I posted this in a local post box in the town of Biei. I selected flower stamps as that was the key reason I visited this town. |
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Asia-Japan-Hokkaido-Sapporo This Postcard is a view of the T38 Building in Sapporo. The name gives it a clue that you are on the 38th Floor. A selection of Postcards were available showing varies views from the building in day and night light. This postcard I selected as it reflected the view I had on the visit. Loved the neon colours. |
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| A standard set of Japanese stamps showing flowers. |
Asia-Kyrgyzstan-Bishkek Here you can see some of the highlights of Bishkek capital of Kyrgyzstan. I enjoyed the couple of days there. Possibly the most progressive of the "Stans" and easiest to visit. |
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| This card and stamps are from the official Government Post Office in Bishkek. As you will note in a previous posting here that there are two Postal organisations in Kyrgyzstan. Interesting that the other mail took 2 weeks to Ireland This one took 2 months. Well at least it got here !! The stamps I purchased at the Philatelic Counter and there was an addition of vat tax . The view was that these were for collectors and not for postage. You could buy stamps without vat tax but only at the stamp counter. !! Sounds mad but regular readers of this blog will know that this is not the first time this has arisen. The same is the case in Kenya. Still lovely stamps and I love the unusual shape of the Bus stamp on the left. |
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Asia-Japan-Hokkaido-Sapporo This is a overshot of the city of Sapporo. |
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| These are beautiful Japanese stamps. Well produced with silver embossing. One of the best quality stamps sets I have ever seen. Hard to judge unless you have them in your hand. Part of a miniature sheet. |
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Asia-Japan-Hokkaido-Sapporo This card is showing the Sapporo Clock Tower and some lilacs. It is one of the oldest buildings in the city and is also now a museum. |
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| This card is yet again showing the Prefecture stamps for Hokkaido. Interesting postmarks. One in Japanese and one in English. |
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Asia-Tajikistan-Khorog This is the main town and capital of the Pamirs area in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast which a permit is needed for. This area is full of irrigated villages deep within dramatic rocky valleys with snow capped mountains surrounding the area. Sure makes dramatic scenery . I spend 6 days travelling from the border with Kyrgyzstan to Dunshanbe travelling though this area by road. Tough at times due to the conditions of the road , but certainly spectacular in parts. Stayed in many home Stays as there is very poor tourist infrastructure in this area. This area is also a World Heritage Site |
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| A very helpful Post lady helped me as best she could with the limited stamps available at the Post Office. The outside still reminded me of a typical Russian Post Office. |
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Asia-Japan-Hokkaido-Sapporo This is the former Hokkaido Government Office. The surrounding gardens are very nice and inside is a small museum and tourist office. |
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| These stamps are special Prefecture stamps for Hokkaido. They were not available at the Main Post Office in Sapporo. So I had to find a local stamp dealer and I purchased them . These were the last issued stamps for Hokkaido in 2015. |
