United Kingdom: McKee Clock

The McKee Clock is a clock tower in the town of Bangor, Northern Ireland. Situated at the foot of High Street in the marina's sunken gardens in an area known as the "McKee Clock Arena", the clock is named for its benefactor William McKee.

On the base of the clock, a black granite slab is engraved with the inscription "8 July 1915". This stone records the appreciation of the Bangor Urban District Council for the generous gift of this clock to his native town by James McKee.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McKee_Clock
Postcrossing Forum - 2018 February 50 RR [whiskersonkittens]
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Poland: Palace of Culture and Science

Palace of Culture and Science is a notable high-rise building in Warsaw, Poland. Constructed in 1955, it is the center for various companies, public institutions and cultural activities such as concerts, cinemas, theaters, libraries, sports clubs, universities, scientific institutions and authorities of the Polish Academy of Sciences.

The Palace of Culture and Science is the tallest building in Poland.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palace_of_Culture_and_Science#Construction
Postcrossing Forum - 2018 February 50 RR [CurtisinWarsaw]
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Malaysia: Laksa

Laksa is a spicy noodle soup popular in the Peranakan cuisine. Laksa consists of rice noodles or rice vermicelli with chicken, prawn or fish, served in spicy soup based on either rich and spicy curry coconut milk or on sour asam. Laksa is found in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Southern Thailand.





















Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laksa
My trip to Kuala Lumpur in January 2018
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Ireland: Dublin mini-meetup

Dublin is the capital of and largest city in Ireland. It is located in the province of Leinster on the east coast of Ireland, at the mouth of the River Liffey and bordered on the South by the Wicklow Mountains.

Since the 1900s, Dublin has experienced a significant level of net immigration, with the greatest numbers coming from the European Union, especially from the United Kingdom, Poland and Lithuania. Sixty percent of Ireland's Asian population lives in Dublin. The number decreased during the Great Recession as foreign-born immigrants returned due to high unemployment.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dublin#Demographics
Postcrossing Forum - 2018 January 50 RR [chrissybaby]
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Taiwan: Sun Moon Lake

Postcrossing Forum - 2018 February 50 RR [Defe]
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Chile: Greetings from... Chile

Officially the Republic of Chile, Chile is a South American country occupying a long, narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. The arid Atacama Desert in northern Chile contains great mineral wealth, principally copper.

Chile is one of the South America's most economically and socially stable nations, with a high-income economy and high living standards. It leads Latin American nations in rankings of human development, income per capita, globalization and economic freedom.

Chile is one of the founding members of the United Nations.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chile
Postcrossing Forum - 2018 February 50 RR [SabriSuh]
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Germany: Lake Constance

Lake Constance (German: Bodensee) is a lake on the Rhine at the northern foot of three bodies of water. The Rhine flows into the lake from the south, with its original course forming the Austro-Swiss borer, and has its outflow on the "Lower Lake" where it forms the German-Swiss border until the city of Basel.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Constance
Postcrossing Forum - 2018 February 50 RR [azzurri]
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Hong Kong: My Pet and I [寵物與我] (FDC)

My Pet and I - Official First Day Cover 2013-03-28 [Hongkong Post]

While city dwellers have to deal with the hustle and bustle of city life and pets with adorable look and ability to feel and return love can easily develop a close bond with their masters, keeping pets can help people improve mental health and physical health, soothe their emotions and relieve stress of day-to-day living.

This set of six stamps features six pet animals poplar with children: dog ($1.4), cat ($1.8), tortoise ($2.4), guinea pig ($2.5), rabbit ($3) and hamster ($5). In soft and delightful colors that create a warm and tender atmosphere, the stamps highlight the animals in all their loveliness and liveliness. Snapshots of children playing with their pets in the background are silhouetted. Since pets featured are basically in white, children can add their favorite colors to and design cloths for the pet character in the stamp, making it a unique collection.

Source: Back of Envelop
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Malaysia: Greetings from... Malaysia

Some interesting facts about Malaysia:

1) In terms of government system, Malaysia's national administration is largely structured along British lines - a constitutional monarchy, with power largely invested in parliament.

2) Few places can be described as "a country to two halves" quite a Malaysia. It does beaches and metropolitan gleam on the Malay Peninsula (also known as West Malaysia) - which is home to the capital Kuala Lumpur. It also offers rainforest and the call of the wild on Borneo - which it shares with Indonesia and Brunei.

3) Malaysia is home to some 31 million people, but only half this head-count is Malay. There are Chinese and Indian swirls to this melting pot, as well as indigenous tribal groups, particularly on Borneo.

Source: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/asia/malaysia/articles/sixteen-fascinating-facts-about-malaysia/
My trip to Kuala Lumpur and Penang, Malaysia in January 2018
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Austria: Donauturm

The Donauturm is a tower in Vienna, the tallest structure in Austria. The tower is located near the north bank of the Danube River in the district of Donaustadt.

Postcrossing Forum - 2018 February 50 RR [speeky]
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Malaysia: Chinese New Year Greetings

Postcrossing Forum - 2018 February 50 RR [walkaround99]
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Hong Kong: Kappa Cassiopeiae

Kappa Cassiopeiae is a mammoth blue super giant, 4000 light years from Earth, whose velocity-fueled journey creates bow shocks as the star's magnetic fields, particle winds, and invisible gases collide.

Postcrossing Forum - 2018 February 50 RR [kobito]
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Japan: Lion rocks (Shishiiwa)

Sotomo Arch was chosen by "Japan's 31 most beautiful places" by CCN. Sotomo boasts many natural formations that let you forget yourself in nature's imaginative beauty, such as Fufukameiwa (Turtle Couple Rock), Shishiiwa (Lion Rock), and Karafunajima (Tang Ship Island).

Source: http://wakasa-obama.jp/en/Tourism/detail.php?52
Postcrossing Forum - 2018 February 50 RR [mahora]
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India: Shillong

Shillong is a hill station in the northeastern part of India and the capital of Meghalaya, which means "The Abode of Clouds" and is one of the smallest states in India. It is said that the rolling hills around the town reminded the European settlers of Scotland. Hence, they would also refer to it as the "Scotland of the East".

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shillong
Postcrossing Forum - 2018 February 50 RR [theArgon]
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Malaysia: Year of the Dog Greetings

Since I am currently in a long distance relationship (ldr) with my boyfriend (M) who lives in the USA. I often ask the postcrossing community for advice and tips on how to maintain ldrs in general. These are the kind words sender gave about long distance relationships.

"Long distance relationship advice ---> try to work together with consistent effort not to go long distance for too long. This will help to give hope for the relationship to continue in short term. Maybe discuss and agree on a reasonable timeline. Don't leave it to chance!"

Thanks for the kind words :) M and I have been in a long distance relationship for about 1.5 years, and we try to visit each other every three months. Hopefully, this back and forth visiting can end soon and we can finally be together happily ever after. :D

Postcrossing Forum - 2018 February 50 RR [albertcass]
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USA: Seattle

Some fun facts about Seattle :)

1) There are 6 major companies in the United States that play a part in Seattle facts. They include Costco, Boeing, Amazon, Starbucks, Microsoft, and UPS. Each of these companies was originally founded in the city of Seattle.

2) Many believe Seattle rains much of the time and this causes tourists to plan indoor activities when they visit. However, Seattle actually receives less rain annually than 5 metropolitan cities with more tourists, which are Washington DC, Boston, Miami, Houston, and New York City.

3) Pike Place Market is also a residential area where approximately 500 people live. There are 8 buildings spread along the routes of the market that are seldom discussed, but are part of Seattle's history nonetheless.


Source: http://www.traveladvisortips.com/top-10-interesting-seattle-facts/
Postcrossing Forum - 2018 February 50 RR [pinkstarfish]
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Romania: Bucharest

Bucharest is the capital and the largest city of Romania, as well as its cultural, industrial, and financial centre. It is located in the southeast of the country. Bucharest became the capital of Romania in 1862.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bucharest
Postcrossing Forum - 2018 February 50 RR [Bleriel]
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Hong Kong: Hong Kong International Airport

Postcrossing Forum - 2018 February 50 RR [vinchm]
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Australia: Koala

Koala is an arboreal herbivorous native to Australia. Its closest living relatives are the wombats. The koala is found in coastal areas of the mainland's eastern and southern regions, inhabiting Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. Koalas from the northern populations are typically smaller and lighter in color than their counterparts down south.

This very cute koala maxicard came in the beautiful envelop below. I cannot thank Cindy enough for both the maxicard and the First Day Cover of Year of the Dog 2018.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koala
Postcrossing Forum - 2018 February 50 RR [quickbrownfoxph]
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Spain: Tarragona

Tarragona is the capital of Tarragona province in the autonomous community of Catalonia, Spain. It lies at the mouth of the Francoli River, on a hill rising from the Mediterranean Sea. Tarragona is a flourishing seaport, an important agriculture market, and the centre of active tourism, concentrated in some well-known beach resorts.

Source: https://www.britannica.com/place/Tarragona-Spain
Postcrossing Forum [tolkien]
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Romania: Sibiu

Sibiu is a city in Romania, located northwest of Bucharest. It is one of the most important cultural centres of Romania and was designated the European Capital of Culture for the year of 2007, along with the city of Luxembourg.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sibiu
Postcrossing Forum - 10 Countries RR [Blueriel]
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Hong Kong: Festive Customs [節慶民間習俗] (FDC)

Festive Customs - Official First Day Cover 2018-02-27 [Hongkong Post]

Despite being a fast-paced, modern city that constantly keeps abreast of the times, Hong Kong attaches great importance to its traditional culture and preserves many unique folk customs. The city celebrates an array of colorful traditional festivals, with many festive customs and traditions deeply rooted in the heart of the community. Hongkong Post issues a set of six special stamps on the theme of "Festive Customs" to showcase these customs and traditions with their strong local flavors.

$2  - Putting Up Spring Festival Scrolls 貼揮春
It has been identified as one of the intangible cultural heritages of Hong Kong. It has became a tradition for people to decorate their homes and shops during Chinese New Year with Spring Festival scrolls that are inscribed with auspicious phrases such as "Wishing you safety wherever you go" so as to pray for blessings and fortune in the coming year.

$2.6 - Throwing Wishing Placards 拋寶碟
It is a time-honored custom which is considered to have originated in Lam Tsuen, Tai Po. People write down their name and wishes on wising placards and toss them onto the Lam Tsuen Wishing Trees. It is believed that the higher the wishing placards land on the tree, the greater the chance the wish will come true.

$3.4 - Offering First Incense in Chinese New Year 上頭炷香
It refers to worshippers making their first offerings of joss sticks to the deities immediately upon the arrival of the Lunar New Year.

$3.7 - Spinning Wheels of Fortune 轉風車
It is a popular custom practiced on the third day of the Lunar New Year. This day is known as "chi kou", literally "red mouth", and it is said that arguments are more susceptible to arise on the day. So instead of visiting friends and family, people normally prefer to wish for luck by spinning the wheels of fortune in Che King temples. By tradition, spinning these wheels of fortune will bring good luck in the coming year.

$4.9 - Drawing Chinese Fortune Sticks 求籤
It is a common ritual in local Chinese temples. In performing this ritual, people have to kneel in prater in a designated area of the temple and shake a fortune stick holder until a stick falls out. they can then collect the corresponding oracle in verse from a stall outside the temple or ask the fortune-teller in the temple for an interpretation.

$5 - Unicorn Dance 舞麒麟
It is a form of traditional folk performing art usually practiced during festivals and celebratory occasions. It is listed as part of Hong Kong's intangible cultural heritage. The unicorn dance is performed by two dancers who move the head and body of the unicorn respectively to the rhythm of the music, and is believed to bestow blessings and ward off evil.

Source: Back of FDC
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Hong Kong: Hong Kong by Night II [香港之夜 II] (FDC)

Hong Kong by Night II - Official First Day Cover 2018-03-22 [Hongkong Post]

Hong Kong, Asia's world city, has long been hailed as the "Pearl of the Orient" that boasts a bustling and vibrant cityscape, and magnificent and breathtaking night views. To promote Hong Kong's stunning beauty at night, Hongkong Post issues a set of four special stamps entitled "Hong Kong by Night II", which captures charming night scenes of the city from different perspectives.

$2 Stamp - Apliu Street and Kweilin Street in Sham Shui Po. The district is characterized by its busy trading activities and bustling bazaars that brim with a strong local flavor.

$3.7 Stamp - Central glowing in the dark, adorned by magical and surreal light trails for added vibrancy

$4.9 Stamp - "Monster Building", a housing complex in Quarry Bay comprised of five conjoined old building. These composite buildings, commonly found in the olden days, house both shops and residential flats. After nightfall, household lights dot the buildings to paint a deeply nostalgic picture of Hong Kong

$5 Stamp - Tian Tan Buddha, commonly known as the Big Buddha, sitting peacefully at night. It provides an oasis of tranquility and serenity amid the hustle and bustle of this popular tourist attraction in the daytime.

FDC of the miniature sheet is also available here:
http://walagemini.blogspot.hk/2018/04/hong-kong-hong-kong-by-night-ii-ii.html

Source: Back of envelop
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Hong Kong: Hong Kong by Night II [香港之夜 II] (FDC)

Hong Kong by Night II - Official First Day Cover 2018-03-22 [Hongkong Post]

Hong Kong, Asia's world city, has long been hailed as the "Pearl of the Orient" that boasts a bustling and vibrant cityscape, and magnificent and breathtaking night views. To promote Hong Kong's stunning beauty at night, Hongkong Post issues a set of four special stamps entitled "Hong Kong by Night II", which captures charming night scenes of the city from different perspectives.

$2 Stamp - Apliu Street and Kweilin Street in Sham Shui Po. The district is characterized by its busy trading activities and bustling bazaars that brim with a strong local flavor.

$3.7 Stamp - Central glowing in the dark, adorned by magical and surreal light trails for added vibrancy

$4.9 Stamp - "Monster Building", a housing complex in Quarry Bay comprised of five conjoined old building. These composite buildings, commonly found in the olden days, house both shops and residential flats. After nightfall, household lights dot the buildings to paint a deeply nostalgic picture of Hong Kong

$5 Stamp - Tian Tan Buddha, commonly known as the Big Buddha, sitting peacefully at night. It provides an oasis of tranquility and serenity amid the hustle and bustle of this popular tourist attraction in the daytime.

FDC of the stamp version is also available:
http://walagemini.blogspot.hk/2018/04/hong-kong-hong-kong-by-night-ii-ii_8.html

Source: Back of Envelop
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China: Shanghai

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Finland: Tampere

Tampere is a city in southern Finland. It is the most populous inland city in the Nordic countries. It is the second-largest urban area and third most populous individual municipality in Finland, after cities of Helsinki and Espoo.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tampere
Postcrossing Forum - 2018 February 50 RR [Kahvisieppo]
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Germany: Hamburg

Hamburg is the second largest city of Germany as well as one fo the country's 16 constituent states. Its official name reflects Hamburg's history as a member of the medieval Hanseatic League.

Postcrossing ID: DE-6914269
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United Kingdom: Dachshund

The dachshund is a short-legged, long-bodied, hound-type dog breed. The standard size dachshund was developed to scent, chase, and flush out badgers and other burrow-dwelling animals, while the miniature dachshund was bred to hunt smaller prey such as rabbits. In the United States, they have also been used to track wounded deer and hunt prairie dogs.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dachshund
Direct Swap [cyberpunk]
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