Russian Engines

For those interested in Railway Engines, here are three of them. These maxi cards were given to me by my friend Ella.

Åland sheep

These two lovely maxi cards were given to me by my friend Ella.

Following an interesting co-operation between Åland Post and Postage Stamp Printing Bureau of China Post Group it is now time for the issue of the miniature sheet featuring Åland sheep. 

For several years, well-known stamp engraver Martin Mörck has instructed Chinese youth in the time-consuming craft of producing an engraved stamp. Initiated by Åland Post, the final exam for the trainees was the participation in a design competition designated to produce two hand-engraved, steel-printed stamp motifs for a miniature sheet featuring the species Åland sheep.  

Bridge in Helsinki

This maxi card depicts a custom house near one of the bridges in Helsinki, Finland. The stamp is one of ten issued on 23.10.2014 featuring bridges in Finland.

For more on this theme please visit http://letstalkstamps.blogspot.in/

Thank you Ella.

Christmas stamps 2014

This maxicard shows his year’s Finnish Christmas stamps, the artwork of Kristina Segercrantz, famous for several award-winning book illustrations. With these stamps executed with watercolor technique, Segercrantz wants to create a true Christmas fairy-tale atmosphere. In the blue-hued Christmas Eve Christmas-tariff stamp, an elf girl enjoys the enchanting atmosphere with a Christmas reindeer in candlelight. In the other Christmas stamp, the orange-hued Christmas Morning 1st-class stamp, an elf rings a large Christmas bell, feet off the ground.

The graphic design of the Christmas stamps comes from Olavi Hankimo. 

Thank you Ella.

Kouvola Railway Station, 1902.

Kouvola is a town and municipality in south-eastern Finland. It is located 134 kilometres (83 mi) northeast of the capital, Helsinki.

The city has a population of 86,943 (31 January 2014) and covers an area of 2,883.30 square kilometres (1,113.25 sq mi) of which 325.06 km²(125.51 sq mi) is water. The population density is 33.99 inhabitants per square kilometre (88.0 /sq mi).

Kouvola's central location within Finland's borders and as a border post between the European Union and Russian Federation makes it a quite lively town.^] The town originally grew up around the junction of the north-south and east-west rail tracks. It was also a major road transport junction.

The card sent to me by Reino shows the Kouvola Railway Station as it was in 1902.

World Post Day in Helsinki

The picture on the card is that of The Market Square in Helsinki at the South Harbour. The market is internationally famous. The booths here sell traditional market foods and treats, as well as handicrafts and souvenirs. There is also a heated café tent where you can comfortably sip steaming hot coffee even on the coldest days in winter.

South Harbour is a bay and harbour area immediately next to the centre of the city of Helsinki, Finland. It is the largest passenger harbour in Finland, and 5.4 million passengers travel through it every year. Most of the harbour's traffic is to Stockholm, Sweden and Tallinn, Estonia, and for cruises. 

Ella sent me this card essentially as it was World Postal or Stamp Day on 9.10.2014. The stamp is a personalised one by the Post Office in Helsinki. The stamp shows an illuminated water front in Helsinki. The postmark is peculiar to Helsinki only on this day.

I had featured a maxi card about Philately Day in Helsinki in 2013 (see my post dated 3.11.2013).

Thank you Ella.

The Salzkammergut, Austria

The Salzkammergut is a resort area located in Austria. It stretches from the City of Salzburg eastwards along the Austrian Alpine Foreland and theNorthern Limestone Alps to the peaks of the Dachstein Mountains, spanning the federal states of Upper Austria, Salzburg, and Styria. The main river of the region is the Traun, a right tributary of the Danube. The name Salzkammergut literally means "Estate of the Salt Chamber" and derives from the Imperial Salt Chamber, the authority charged with running the precious salt mines of the Habsburg Monarchy. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

With its numerous lakes and mountains, the Salzkammergut offers many opportunities to take part in water sports, bathing, hiking, cycling, caving, golf and relaxing around lakes such as the Grundlsee orToplitzsee. The Katrinalm, an alpine pasture, is found near Bad Ischl. Typical Salzkammergut culinary specialities include dishes such as Kaiserschmarrn (cut-up and sugared pancake with raisins), Krapfen (similar to doughnuts) or Lebkuchen (gingerbread).

I think this card is one of the most beautiful cards I have ever received. 

Thank you Claudia for sending it to me. I think you are very lucky to be living in this wonderful region.