uzbek

Amir Temur (1320-1405, or thereabouts), perhaps more commonly known as Tamerlane, was a particularly brutal military leader from Uzbekistan, seen here on a rearing horse, a statue in Tashkent.  Uzbekistan is a double land-locked country (meaning it has no ocean, but neither does any of the surrounding countries) in Central Asia. It is bounded by Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Turkmenistan.

santas

 a parade of santas

on skiis (1996)

in a sleigh, and in a car, and on a train (2004)

2004 was the 100th Toronto Santa Claus Parade

louis

Celebrating French history.  Designed by Albert Decarie

The 'Sun King' with the  Palace of Versailles in the background, into which he moved the court and government in 1682 making it the de facto capital of France.  He reigned for an astounding 72 years and 110 days.  born 1638, died 1715 

An older Louis - Louis Hébert, born 1575 in Paris, died 1627 in Quebec City - was the first French apothecary in the New World.  The stamp, designed by Clermont Malenfant, shows Louis surrounded by objects of his trade, including a mortar and pestle as well as a sprig of balsam fir and silverweed, both useful as herbal medicines.

names and medals

 

Not many Chinese stamps have any English on them, but this one clearly states the [proud?] anniversary!

China is competing in 33 events to add to their 635 medal count of their 12th summer games.  That Communist Party has invested well in their athletes (though how humanely, is up for debate).

Taiwan, or Chinese Taipei, as it is known at the Games, will be competing in 15 events to add to their 36 medal count. None will involve jellyfish.  This one with the long, long tentacles, is a Lion's Mane. Taiwan does not get to compete under their own name or their own flag.

Albania is one of only five European countries who have never medalled at the Olympics.  This bellflower is deceptively delicate looking - it is a highly invasive plant where I live.  Very pretty though.  This summer they will have 5 competitors for wrestling, shooting, and athletics.  They never use their own Albanian name of Shqiperia for their country.

from one extreme to another in the eastern hemisphere for Sunday Stamps

return of the sun

We are in the exciting grips (and endless media coverage) of Eclipse fever in my part of the world and are praying for a clear day - or at the very least, a clear hour between 3 pm and 4 pm tomorrow!

this is called 'return of the sun' by Inuit artist Kenojuak (1980)

and below, we have the Europa 'flaming sun' from 1972

showing the sun over Niagara Falls, Hopewell Rocks, and Spillars Cove in Newfoundland and Labrador

I have my glasses ready!  Happy viewing to anyone who is in the path of totality, or even in the outskirts (sorry, Eva!)

crimea bridge

 18.10.22

from Ukraine (sent 4.11.22)    artist Yurii Shapoval

on this grim anniversary.  not forgetting that Crimea itself was invaded by Russia in February 2014 as was the Donbas region.

Slava Ukraini

security alliance

In 1959, it was 10 years since NATO was formed.  I've always found it aesthetically pleasing that the English and French acronyms are a palindrome.  

 

"This treaty is not a pact for war, but a  pledge for peace and progress" Lester B Pearson

an anniversary for Sunday Stamps

mysterious

 Mysterious Island

From Monaco for the 150th anniversary of Jules Verne in 1975 

To a 1961 mongoose lemur from Madagascar

For Sunday Stamps - the letter 'M'

labour

Farmers and workers labouring in Tunisia on this 1957 stamp for the first anniversary of independence. I'm not sure about that man wielding the mallet. The man in the circle is Habib Bourgiuba who became the first Prime Minister.

for Sunday Stamps - labourers
 

hero

Brock's Monument can be found at Queenston Heights, Ontario (near Niagara Falls) underneath which lie his remains. He was killed by a gunshot wound to his chest in battle during the War of 1812. This stamp was issued in 1969 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Sir Isaac Brock's birth in Guernsey. The imposing monument stands at 185'

for Sunday Stamps - statues, memorials

air mail

There was a time when the post travelled by balloon

In 1955 France issued a stamp to commemorate 85 years of airmail service. 

In 1870 during the Siege of Paris a balloon could fly higher than the range of enemy rifles thus allowing Gaston Tissandier, a chemist and ballooning pioneer, to deliver 175 lbs of mail. There is an English translation of his writing of the flight and efforts to deliver 30,000 letters from the people of Paris.

for Sunday Stamps - air travel

travels

 The St Lawrence Seaway is a system of locks, canals and channels that allows for ocean going ships to travel from the Atlantic Ocean to the western end of Lake Superior, a distance of 3,750 kms. The Canadian stamp shows a compressed view of the 15 locks with the seven on the right on the St Lawrence River, the Welland Canal in the middle, and the Great Lakes and the locks at Sault Ste Marie on Lake Superior. The American stamp shows an aerial view of the route with the mouth of the St Lawrence River on the bottom right.For Sunday Stamps - your choice

Tekahionwake

E Pauline Johnson (1861-1913) was a Canadian poet of mixed Mohawk and English heritage.  She was a poet, writer and performer at a time when dramatic poetry readings were popular. She was one of the few female writers at the time who could make an independent living from her writings and performances. She was also the first indigenous poet to have her works published. 

Tekahionwake was her Mohawk stage name.

For Sunday Stamps - poets or writers

bear lodge

Devils Tower, a sacred site to Native Americans, was the first national monument established by Teddy Roosevelt in 1906. This name comes from a misinterpretation and requests to have it renamed as Bear Lodge National Historic Landmark have been met with opposition from local senators. Even having it as an additional name seemed to be unsuitable and confusing despite the name asked for being in English and not, say, the Crow language which would make it "Daxpitchcheeaasaao".

The summit is 5,112' (1,559m) above sea level.

architecture

No one is travelling by train these days. And you would be nine years too late to travel to this station anyway as it was decommissioned in 2011 when the railway line closed. It was built in 1932 in the traditional style of small railway stations seen in Britain and is now the only suburban station left in Singapore. The station and railway tracks are near the nature reserve and were conserved over concerns that the dismantling of the building and the tracks might damage the natural environment of the reserve.

This 2013 stamp was one of four issued commemorating heritage railway stations.

for Sunday Stamps - architecture

banking

I haven't really thought about Canadian banks in other countries, but apparently RBC has been in the Caribbean for over 100 years and is in 17 different countries. In The Bahamas, only the Freeport Branch, Port Lucaya and Settlers Way ATM are available and only the Freeport Branch is open regular hours until further notice. I've tried to find where this bank on the 2008 stamp is located but haven't had much luck. Apparently, in 2017 there was a move to a (unpopular) digital platform, so it's possible this building no longer exists as a bank.

volunteers

photograph by Clive Webster

This 1984 stamp (75th anniversary of the Canadian Red Cross) shows a pin that is awarded to volunteers with 10 years of "meritorious" service.

From the Canadian Red Cross website I found an article describing a similar pin they have in their archives. I could not write anything better myself, so here it is in full

For 120 years, the Canadian Red Cross has relied upon the labours of millions of volunteers whose individual names and contributions are now lost to history. This small enamel “Service” pin is the only known clue telling us that Mrs. M.S. Bradley was one of these volunteers.

The pin fits easily in the palm of one’s hand, and was created as a form of official recognition for exceptional volunteer service. It was meant to be worn on the lapel of one’s coat, suit jacket, or blouse, and would have been recognized by others in the Red Cross as a mark of honour. Mrs. Bradley’s name is engraved on the reverse, along with the year 1949 – likely the year it was awarded to her.

Until the late twentieth century it was customary for married women to be known publicly by their husband’s name or initials, so we know that Mrs. Bradley was married to M.S. Bradley, but not what her own first name was. We do not know her age, when she first began working for the Red Cross, or where she lived. In this respect she symbolizes millions of women, similarly unknown, who worked diligently for local Red Cross branches and auxiliaries through periods of war and peace.

The date 1949 does give us a clue as to what Mrs. Bradley may have been doing. The years 1946-49 were a period of transition for the Canadian Red Cross, as it wound down its Second World War (1939-45) services and opened a new period of peacetime work at home and abroad. 

She may have been an active member of a branch supporting established programs like the outpost hospitals or community health promotion. Perhaps she was a skilled local fundraiser. Alternately, she may have helped spearhead a new post-war initiative in her area, like the Swimming and Water Safety program, Blood Transfusion Service, or Sickroom Supplies Loan Cupboard. 

for Sepia Saturday - Red Cross

military

designer: Rudy Kovach, 1975

The Canadian Legion was started in 1925 (it became 'Royal' in 1960) to "safeguard veterans and their dependents, to protect the families of the fallen, and to make sure the wartime sacrifices would be remembered".

Before becoming a veteran, one must get through the Military College (it became 'Royal' in 1878)

designed by Will Davies, 1976

The stamp on the left shows the Colour Party in front of the Memorial Arch and the stamp on the right has a Wing Parade in front of the Mackenzie Building which was the first purpose built building for the college (named for the Prime Minister at the time Alexander Mackenzie).

for Sunday Stamps - military, remembrance

Sunday Stamps - commemorative

On the Tom River in Siberia is a town called Tomsk which celebrated its 400th anniversary in 2004. The stamp shows the City Government Building, the Church of the Resurrection, the Tomsk State University, and an ancient wooden building.  Tomsk is a university city, with 15% of the population being students. It is also well-known for its many wooden houses with elaborately carved trim.

for Sunday Stamps - commemorative

Sunday Stamps - water

Here we have a 1951, green tinted view of Lake Towada as part of Japan's  National Parks series. It is a crater lake and the largest on Honshu Island. The lake and the surrounding forest became a National Park in 1936 and this stamp commemorates its 15th anniversary. An Imperial Japanese Army Air Force plane which crashed in 1943 was found at the bottom of the crater in 2010 and recovered in 2012.

for Sunday Stamps - water