Australia - Wollongong Head Lighthouses

Wollongong Harbour is the only point on the eastern coast of Australia which has two lighthouses at a lovely seaside town called Shell harbour, which is about an hour and a half’s drive South of Sydney on the East coast of Australia Located on Flagstaff Point the newer lighthouse on Wollongong Head assists the passage of vessels into Port Kembla.  Completed in 1936, by the Department of Shipping and Transport, it was the first new lighthouse in New South Wales since 1903. The tower is constructed of reinforced concrete and replaced several earlier lights.  It was built to service as a coastal light and Port Kembla, to the south of Flagstaff Point. Up until now the only aid had been the old Wollongong Breakwater Lighthouse situated on the Belmore Basin to the north. The lighthouse was built in 1871, is situated in the Belmore Basin on the southern breakwater The Breakwater light was discontinued in 1974. This card was sent to me by Emma.

Greenland

A train of huskies across the icy wastes of Greenland. This excellent maxicard was sent to me Ella.

Åland – Lighthouse at Market

Märket is a small 3.3 hectares (8.2 acres) uninhabited skerry in the Baltic Sea between Sweden and FinlandÅland Islands), (in the area of the autonomous which has been divided between two sovereignties since the Treaty of Fredrikshamn of 1809, and is in urgent need of maintenance, and a Finnish interest group is trying to raise funds for its preservation. The lighthouse has been automatic since 1979 and the surrounding buildings are no longer used. The increasing general availability of GPS has made its primary function redundant. Russia and then Finland operated the lighthouse in Swedish territory. In 1981, Sweden and Finland signed a treaty in which the ground under the lighthouse was transferred to Finland in return for an equal area of land in the Finnish half. As a result, the border now snakes across the tiny island in an intricate inverted-S curve, and the lighthouse is finally in Finland. defined the border between Sweden and Russian Empire as going through the middle of the island. The westernmost land point of Finland is on Märket. The Finnish side of the island is part of the Municipality of Hammarland. The Swedish part of island is itself divided by two counties of Sweden - Uppsala County (Östhammar Municipality) and Stockholm County (Norrtälje Municipality).The lighthouse on the card shown in the picture was sent to me by Merja

Italy – 150th Anniversary of the Tricolour - the Symbol of National Identity

A stamp, FDC, Maxi card and a mini sheet were issued by Italy on January 7, 2011 whilst celebrating the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy dedicated to the Tricolour National Flag, the symbol of national identity. The stamp shows the three colours of the Italian flag crossed through by two waving green and red ribbons that continue outside of the design at both the top and the bottom. The word “ITALIA” and the denomination “€ 0,60” complete the stamp. This nice maxi card was sent to me by Roberto.

Egypt – The Sound and Light shows at the Pyramids of Giza

Have you ever wondered what life must have been like thousands of years ago in Egypt? These thoughts of curiosity have inspired artists to take you there, for a brief period, through the creation of sound & light shows. You can get a glimpse back in time to see, feel, and imagine how it was when the powerful ancient Egyptians ruled. The artists have masterfully created a spectacle show that draws you in as part of history. The Sound and Light shows at the Pyramids of Giza are truly awe inspiring. It is magical and mystical. Want a truly unforgettable evening of entertainment in Cairo? Then don't miss the world-famous Pyramids Sound and Light Show in Giza! You'll hear the story of Egypt as seen through the eyes of the Sphinx over the ages, and see the breathtaking site of the floodlit pyramids lit up under the stars.

Finland – Icebreaker Tarmo

The Tarmo is an icebreaker that served Finland for many decades. The Tarmo was built in 1907. She was armed and served in World War II. She is currently moored at a nautical museum in Kotka, Finland. She is often reported to be the world's oldest surviving icebreaker, although Russian Angara icebreaker predates Tarmo by at least 7 years and also survives to this day as a floating museum. Another Finnish icebreaker, built in 1963, was named after the original Tarmo. This card was sent to me by Merja My Friend.

Finland - Grannies

Ella My Friend sent me this card showing our well known world famous characters the 'Grannies'. Here we see the Grannies having a Tree Top Picnic. On the left are the stamps on the cover sent by Ella that had some other things as well.
Thank you Ella.