Chile Antarctica Territory

Antarctica-Chile Antarctica-Base Eduardo Frei I got this card when in Punta Arenas. Liked that it said Territory of Antarctica Chile. Here you can see the base . 

These are the same design of stamps I used when I did my first visit. At least here they have the official Postmark. Note that there is no date on the postmark, it is only when it gets to Punta Arenas that the date is applied. 

Chile Antarctica- Base Eduardo Frei

Antarctica-Chilean Antarctica-Base Eduardo Frei I wished the base area did look like this, But when I visited it was summer and very little snow. Though it was cold. 

This card has taken a little over 3 months to get here. But well worth the wait.  I had been to an Antarctic station before that was from Chile. But no Post office. So it completes my Antarctica Posts from - United Kingdom, Argentina, Chile,France, Australia, New Zealand and Norway. 

Skopje Macedonia

Europe-Macedonia-Skopje This city has come along way. Here you can see Alexander the Great. Very impressive statutes in this revived area . Very nice to walk around.  

I got a bit lost looking for the main Post office. I did find the original one , but it now the administration for the Post Macedonia , but not a Post Office anymore. So all I could find was a standard Post office in a shopping mall. Very busy it was. So I just took the stamps they offered. The head Post Office they said is near the airport? . 

Tirana Albania

Europe-Albania-Tirana My second trip to Tirana . I was here 25 years ago and oh my what a big change. Then there were few cars and few options to buy. Now it is a full scale busy city. Needless to say a lot of its old charm is gone , but that is progress. 

I visited the main post office. They had a very helpful Philatelic section . The lady was very helpful and interested . She has been working there for over 10 years , so she was very helpful. Full sets of stamps available. 

Prizren Kosovo

Europe-Kosovo-Prizren This is the the number one tourist city in Kosovo. A beautiful old town on a river. Lots of atmosphere and very busy in the evenings. Enjoyed my stay here. 

I had brought the stamps with me . The Post offices look new and are well maintained. Love the clear blue postmark. Not impressed with the airmail sticker added by Post office staff. 

Mitrovica - Kosovo Serbian

Europe-Kosovo Serbian-Mitrovica  This is the New Bridge that crosses the Ibar river in Mitrovica which is in Northern Kosovo. The Bridge has become a iconic symbol of Kosovo division as it separates around 80,000 Kosovo Albanians on the South side with about the same  number of Serbs on the North side. I had a car and drove here from Pristina without any issues. To drive into North Mitrovica I went to the most North Bridge and crossed there. I noted that all the flags around had changed to Serbian and there was no Republic of Kosovo cars to be seen. I spend most of my day on this side , though I dd eat lunch just across the bridge on the South side. On the North side you will see lots of Serbs posters and Russian flags too. The currency used is the Serbian Dinar

I only found out last year that there were Serbian Post offices in the Serbian Enclaves in Kosovo. I did not know too much and I guess I never really thought about it. It reminded me of my time visiting the Post offices in Bosnia Herzegovina with two different postal administrations. Since Serbia does not recognise Kosovo , Serbia stamps are used and the Post offices in the Serb areas are run by Serbia Post. I brought these stamps with me as they show Churches in Kosovo. The Cancellations are not as clear as I would like but you can see Kosovo . I did arrive at the Post Office at 15.31, but they close at 15.30. Luckily some time later a cleaner came out and the door was unlocked so I was able to gain entry . No one understood english and I guess they were closed so not really helpful in asking questions. But at least I got the postcard through the mail. 

Pristina Kosovo

Europe-Kosovo-Pristina This city has sure changed since my last visit in 2004. A very vibrant city and very enjoyable to walk around the centre. The new attraction is the church dedicated to Mother Theresa which is just about to open. 

I am very pleased I have a card from Pristina . When I visited last the only card I could find was one from Prizren in Kosovo. Then it was under the United Nations administration. Now they have Kosovo stamps from their own nation. Not all countries recognise Kosovo , but Ireland does. 

Post Office Santiago Chile

Main Post Office Santiago  Beautiful building 

The main square 

The main Post Office inside. 

Display outside the Philatelic office which was closed as it was Saturday 

National Portrait Gallery London

Europe-United Kingdom-England-London I have always wanted to visit the National Portrait Gallery which is the largest in the world, but never got around to it. On this trip I made it and it is well worth while. In my opinion most of the best pictures are the Kings and Queens of England . Here is Queen Elizabeth the First. This is from around 1592. Fantastic painting. The Queen reigned from 1533-1603. One of the early works in the Gallery 

Another double cancellation, but better then the usual none. The stamp features a Eurasian Beaver which is an Endangered species. 

Iguacu Falls - Brazil

South America-Brazil-Iguacu Falls  This Postcard is from the Brazilian side of the Falls. It is most certainly worth seeing both sides. The One of the wonders of the world . Magical. 

The best Gift shop is on the Brazil side. They sold postcards and stamps. No choice on the stamps. There was a postbox outside the shop and that is were I mailed this card. I posted it on March 3 but it only got a postmark of 18 April. Says it all. Slow.. 

ABBA - London Exhibition

Europe-United Kingdom-England-London While in London I visited the wonderful ABBA exhibition . Telling the story and the song that really started it for them Waterloo in 1974 winning the Eurovision Song Contest. I remember that night . So since ABBA are in the news with two new songs to be released later this year, I think it is great to have a card showing some of the outfits they appeared in . 1970s. Great exhibition and love the music. 

The stamp is a recent issue showing endangered species. I got the Post office to cancel this by hand before I posted it as the UK has a very poor reputation for postmarking mail and often just uses a pen ! On this occasion it got the standard cancel as well .