Croatian National Parks

Actually this FDC was issued in 1994 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Croatian tourism, and is one of 3 FDCs as there were 7 stamps in a set. This one shows the national parks in my region: Plitvice Lakes (UNESCO), Kornati Islands (my workplace!) and Krka waterfalls.

I have posted an entry on Sunday Stamps' landscapes theme on my postcard blog before remembering that I have this FDC, I hope noone will mind me having two entries xD

 

 

 

The Little Prince

It took me a while to post this because in my research I got immersed in the life story of  a French aristocrat, writer, poet, and pioneering aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, whose death/disappearance haven't been fully explained to this day. This FDC showing his most famous literary hero The Little Prince was issued in 1994 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the tragic event when Saint-Exupéry went on his ninth reconnaissance mission (being a war pilot) only to disappear without a trace. In May 2000 the partial remains of a Lockheed P-38 Lightning were found, spread over thousands of square metres of the seabed off the coast of Marseille, near to where the bracelet with his name was previously found.

“All men have stars, but they are not the same things for different people. For some, who are travelers, the stars are guides. For others they are no more than little lights in the sky. For others, who are scholars, they are problems... But all these stars are silent. You-You alone will have stars as no one else has them... In one of the stars I shall be living. In one of them I shall be laughing. And so it will be as if all the stars will be laughing when you look at the sky at night..You, only you, will have stars that can laugh! And when your sorrow is comforted (time soothes all sorrows) you will be content that you have known me... You will always be my friend. You will want to laugh with me. And you will sometimes open your window, so, for that pleasure... It will be as if, in place of the stars, I had given you a great number of little bells that knew how to laugh”

All of the novella's simple but elegant watercolour illustrations, which were integral to the story, were painted by Saint-Exupéry. What a mind, what a talent...

Discover more historical lessons clicking on this link:

 

Croatia To Niger And Back

I will feel free to say this is a curious story, well at least for me it was :) My friend was travelling through Africa and I have sent him a few letters to Post Restante addresses during that time. He's never received one sent to Niger - if judging from the stamp/cancellation on the back of the envelope, it travelled for a little less than five months. And then surprise surprise, I got it back after approximately TWO years! (with the donkey stamps, yay ;))

Croatian Insects

Seven-spot Ladybird, Alpine Longicorn and Stag Beetle. Am not a huge fan of insects, but these are lovely! 

Croatian Wildlife

Croatian wildlife is not very diverse, but still a few interesting species can be found (and seen if you are lucky..!). I am particularly fond of these two FDCs which show deer and white-tailed eagle (issue from 1993) and loggerhead sea turtle and bottlenose dolphin (1995). These stamps, as from the 90´s, are not valid for current use. Grr. xD

Many many great stamps on this topic, check here!

Notable Croats

Croatian Mail has been issuing sets on notable Croats for about a decade now - this set was issued in 2005, presenting a renaissance painter Juraj Ćulinović, poets Dragutin Tadijanović and Tin Ujević, and a historian Baltazar Adam Krčelić.

River Fish, Croatia

Here a set representing Croatian river fish - White-eye Bream, endemic (river Krka only) and critically endangered Knipowitschia Mrakovcici, and endangered Adriatic Sturgeon. Issued in 2009.

Football, Croatia

In 2008 European Football Championship was held in Austria and Switzerland - as many other countries Croatian Post issued round stamps for the occasion.

This and three other recent posts are dedicated to this week's (125th) Sunday Stamps, the theme being Stamps with unusual shapes, or unusual size. Other interesting examples you can check with the others (you can also visit my postcard blog with more unusual shapes and sizes ;) http://agispostcrossingplanet.blogspot.com/) :

                     

                                                            

12-12-12 Croatia

Xmas and New Year's stamps of Croatian Post - its not them that are big, its the envelope thats tiny!

Sunday Stamps #118 - Lighthouses

Very glad that today's theme for Sunday Stamps are Lighthouses :)) Why? For a few reasons - I do love lighthouses, esp in my country where they are regularly situated on islands and look like a perfect place to relax and get away from the stress of everyday life. I havent visited any of them yet but it remains a big wish! Also, Croatian Mail has been issuing sets of lighthouse stamps each year since 2007, so I have a lot to show!

Ok ok I wont overflow my blog heh, but here is one FDC with the 2007 set, showing three lighthouses of the northern Adriatic - Savudrija, Sveti Ivan and omnipresent-on-postcards Porer.  The FDC even displays their locations relative to each other :)

What else is there? More than you think, have a look!