Fernando de Noronha

Atlantic Ocean-Fernando de Noronha  This is my last location to visit on my Atlantic Islands list , so was very excited to visit here. Fernando de Nornoha is a World Heritage site. This is mainly due to the wildlife and the nature park. I have many Brazilians in Dublin, but none of them had visited this island. Reason: it is the most expensive part of Brazil to fly to and to stay. This is due to the limited availability . Certainly enjoyed it here, but maybe a little overrated in the travel books. Maybe I have travelled too much !!!! 

Always good to get a card back from a off beat location. I purchased these stamps in Rio. What I love about them is that they had a smell of honey .... well they did have when I purchased them and put them on the card. Now however the aroma is gone, but still beautiful stamps. The Postmark is hard to read , but does say Fernando de Noronha on the top part. 

Cayenne- French Guiana

South America-French Guiana-Cayenne  Seems strange being in Euroland yet being in South America. The city itself was bigger then I had thought. Sort of old world colonial with French style buildings. Had some great French food and was cheaper then France so a pleasant surprise .

Postmark a bit hard to see but it is blue on the left side. It has France with the postal area number. The Post office here just wanted me to buy stickers from a machine and sent me in that direction. I had to get the manager to explain I wanted "standard " stamps. When they finally did understand they had a full selection of stamps in a book These stamps were part of a Souvenir sheet . 

Recife and Olinda- Brazil

South America-Brazil-Recife  Spend a overnight here and hence the card reflects the traffic I recall from the airport and to the hotel. So seen very little of this city. 

There was a full Post office at the airport , so you don't see that very often any more. Some more of the Olympic stamps . A very clean postmark. 

South America-Brazil-Olinda The Drive from Recife to here should be about 20 minutes. A bit of a story here. 5 of us and we got a taxi from the hotel and the driver took the 5 of us. After 10 minutes we noticed we were not going in the most direct fashion and queried the driver. He told  us as we had 5 instead of 4 in the taxi it was illegal and he was driving in a circle to avoid the police check points. However on the way we must have passed the police about 3 times . After 50 minutes we made it here and the driver who said he knew the restaurant had not a clue were to go. He was scared we would complain to the police about him trying to rip us off with the taxi meter clocking up. In the end he says he was sorry and the trip was free. We paid him a fair about , but a crazy drive. Olinda was worth it. We had dinner in avery nice restaurant and we got a tour of the town by night afterwards . A very worthy World Heritage Site.  

Unusual for me I did not post this card in Olinda. I could not find a card while there as the shops were closed. But got this in Recife airport and posted it there. 

Rio de Janeiro and Salvador Brazil

South America-Brazil-Rio de Janeiro  Delighted to be back in Brazil . Was here in 2002. So my first postcard from Brazil. In fact on my first day here, spend the morning on the beach watching the world go by. Here on this trip with a group of good travel buddies. Had been warned about being careful safe wise, took the usual precautions and all went well. Rio de Janeiro is a stunning city to see and especially going up to Sugar Mountain and Christ the Redeemer statue. Love the sense of fun that many Brazilians have. 

I was going to go to the main post office in the centre of Rio . But instead walked to this Post office in Copacabana just down the road from my hotel. Was delighted to see they had a philatelic display in a glass box. So I was able to select what I wanted. These are stamps for the Olympic games in Rio next year. I especially selected these stamps as Badminton featured on the top right stamp is the sport I used to play and was involved in. I have a love of the Olympics and attended many events in Barcelona in 1992 and was at the finals of the Badminton event. First time Badminton was at the Olympic games. 

South America-Brazil-Salvador  Going north now and a World Heritage City. Beautiful and not to big . Great to walk around and was here for  a few days. Loved it and had a great meal in the restaurant on the left in the Postcard. 

I had purchased all my Brazilian stamps from the Post office in Rio, so no need to look for more. But was plesently surprised to find the Post office here also had a selection. The Post office is a very old style and it is in the bottom corner to the left on the postcard, but cant be seen. I had photos in my earlier blog from Salvador. Nice cancellation. 

Nueva Esparta

Margarita Island Venezuela and my last part of South America to visit. Some beach time here.  Having to change money here on the black market but then it is very cheap.  Managed trip to the Post office.  Got the staff to smile and promise to look after my postcards and not to put them in the bin !!! 

Suriname

Spend most of my time here in the Amazon area of Suriname down South. Wildlife and boat trips.  Very enjoyable.  Paramaribo is a World Heritage city in relation to the many buildings made of wood. 

The Post office closes at 2pm so made a early visit on my day of departure.  Will write more when I put the postcards up on the site , when they arrive home.  

French Guiana

 Welcome to Europe in South America.  A part of France and the EU.  I had no expectation of French Guiana but enjoyed Cayenne and Devils Island. Some good wildlife.  The Space Centre in Kourou was less then exciting.  The last photo is the main post office in Cayenne. 

Fernando de Noronha

Fernando de Noronha, a World Heritage Island in North East Brazil. Lovely beaches and wildlife. 

Salvador and Olinda - Brazil

Two World Heritage sites in Brazil.  The last photo is my late evening trip to Olinda. Very colourful buildings. Salvador was very picturesque and I loved the old Post Office on the corner. Great Post Box.  

Brazil Rio de Janeiro

I am currently in Rio de Janeiro as my first stop on this South American adventure. During this time I will visit my last countries in South America and Atlantic Islands.  I have been in Brazil in 2002 so good to be back.  

Visited the Post Office in Copacabana and was pleased to find a selection of new issues on display. Purchased  some to use for the rest of my stay in Brazil. A very beautiful city to look at and lots of beach time. 

Northern Ireland and Next Trip

Europe-Northern Ireland-Belfast  Here are some sights from my recent visit to Belfast . 

Showing here Northern Ireland Definitive Country or regional stamps. One showing Linen and the other The Giants Causeway. 

Here is the main Post office in Belfast. 

Future Trip-  Sorry all I have been very busy at work and so have not been updating this as much as usual, but bear with me. Next week on to : Brazil, Fernando de Noronha, French Guiana, Suriname, Margarita Island and Trinidad.  So some new cards and places to look forward to.