Spanish Bull fight

Bull fighting is a traditional spectacle in spain..in which one more bulls are baited and then killed in a bullring..A bullring is an arena  where bullfighting is performed. Bullrings are often associated with Spain.It is also played in Portugal,southern France also in some american countries like Mexico,Colombia,Ecuador,Venezuela,Peru .

The picture above shows the bullfighting in Spain in different provinces in 19th century when Government itself promoted it as national symbol .
And here goes the bullfighting in Spain in 2012 where we can see in many area it have been stopped and declared as banned.

It started from prehistoric arena where it was done as a part of bull worship and sacrifice ..
The killing of sacred bull was essential central iconic act of Mithras .The oldest representation of what seems to be a man facing a bull is on the celtiberian tombstone from Clunia and the cave painting "El toro de hachos", both found in Spain.

The above picture shows the bull leaping Frescos

Same was shown in 1937 stamp from Greece shown below

Spanish-style bullfighting is called corrida de toros (literally "running of bulls")
In the traditional way 3 matadores  each fights with 2 bulls which are of weight not less than 460kg and ages between 4 to 6 . Each matador has six assistants—two picadores ("lancers on horseback") mounted on horseback, three banderilleros – who along with the matadors are collectively known as toreros ("bullfighters") – and a mozo de espadas ("sword page"). Collectively they comprise a cuadrilla ("entourage").

Here is  a full set of spanish bull fight 16v set issued in 1960 on the Feb 29

 Designs:
15c Lidian Bull
20c, Rounding up bulls.
25c, Running with the bulls,
30c, Bull entering arena
50c bull fighting with cape
70c bullfighting with bandarillas
80c,1p,1.4p,1.5p fighting with muleta in various poses
1.8c mounted bullfighters placing bandarillas
5p 19th century bullfighter,bullring

Sources and picture courtesy: wiki
More info can be found @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullfighting

Puffins:))

These are for those who are bored seeing railways stamps only..and for all bird and Puffin lovers...
I personally like them they are so cute............

This was a Nordia issue in 2009 Thanks Mr. Guðni Friðrik Gunnarsson for this and the FDC below..

And FDC  was issued in Jersey in 1980 on sea birds its a 8v set..

And this WWF set was issued by IOM post in 1989..its a 4v set..here is the FDC with Puffin cancel..i was looking for this for long time and got it finally.some one told true..Collection needs patience..

And Many thanks To Mr.Richard Martin from UK for the below sheetlet it came to me in perfect condition..

And here is the official Maxi card for this issue(Uploading only the Puffin issue)

Above is the FDC from Faroe island issued in 1978..That was a 3v set of seabirds...
And here goes the 3v set:

From left to right birds are :  Northern Gannet,Atlantic Puffin ,Common Murre

This beautiful MS is  from Hungary  issued on Protect polar regions topic..

My recent acquisition from Gibraltar 1988 Atlantic Puffin..its nice to see sheet value on the edge:)

Its a 4v set shown below:

They are:

4p  European Bee-eater
22p Atlantic Puffin
32p European Honey Buzzard
44p Blue rock Thrush Today i got these two TN postcards from my Facebook Friend Aditi thanks So much:)

Southern Rhodesia Railways stamps::

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I am going to share some of my favourite railways stamps From Southern Rhodesia here:::

These 4v was issued in 1937 ..the locomotive is 11th class locomotive and the bridge is over the Victoria falls..
Just i am enlarging it so you can see the beauty of it:

And the below one issued in 1953 it shows a 15th class Beyer-Garraat Locomotive..Its is from 5v set..which i bought in an local exhibition in Bangalore

and here goes the set:

Though its of Rhodesia and Nyasaland i thought it to share with you..
This was issued way back in 1959 shows Beyer,Peacock 16th class steam locomotives used in 1930s and
class DE2 disel electric locomotive used in 1950s
Bought it from a UK ebay shop at good price:)

3 New Covers

Though i have many covers from many countries..
But today i am glad to share with you 3 wonderful covers which i received from 3 countries from where these are the first..
Gibralta,Greece,Bulgaria..

The Gibraltar cover came with a purchase and rest two are from 2 private swaps
Thanks Tsvetana Petrova(Bulgaria) and Dimitris Tsolakis(Greece)

The Gibraltar stamp is from 2012 issue of 10th anniversary of Chess Fesitval its a 4v issue

The Greek Letter included the surprise postcard:))

Railways Stamps from Moldova::

Moldova issued these wonderful railways stamps in 2005 .
Thanks to Tatiana Kibina who sent me these..

I specially like the rail lines on the margin..
The 60b stamp is Steam Locomotive
The 1L is Shunting Railways Line
1.5L is Disel Train
4.40L is Highway Railways Engine

Good Swapper List Around the world(Stamps+Covers+Postcard)

Hello All,

I am going to publish the Good,Reliable swapper here ...whom i have swapped successfully here ..
This is just for reference.
 P.S. I will not take any responsibility if you swap with the same persons and dont get any response might be for Postal delay or whatever..

1. Tahir Arif(India)
2. Kasinath Ra(India)
3. Timothy joko Veltman(Switzerland)
4. Vera Radnell(From Australia currently in Malyasia)
5. Hakan Mutlu (Turkey)
6. Sei Pei Lin(Malyasia)
7.Bin Sze Tay(Malyasia)
8. Peter Gortz Christiansen(Denmark)
9. Tsvetana Petrova(Bulgaria)
10. Ed Lamoureaux(USA)
11. Natalie Gordon(USA)
12. Witti (Germany)
13. Guðni Friðrik Gunnarsson(Iceland)
14. Maryana Hoshovska(Ukraine)
15. Donata Jankauskaite(Lithuania)
16. Rasel Sarkar (Bangladesh)
17. Linda GroundWater(Australia)
18. Ismail(Algeria)
19.Zine Merouane(Algeria)
20. Laroussi Md. amine(Morocco)
21.Sylviane Boyer(France)
22. Jozikk Jurcik(Latvia)
23.Ylo Juulik (Estonia)
24.Vit Rimkevich(Russia)
25.Richard Martin(UK)
26.Pulak Barua(Bangladesh)
27. Manimala chakroborty
28.Zoran Zoki(Serbia)
29.Zeljko Vasilik(Croatia)
30. Jean Pierre Cordier(France)
31.Imre Berkes(Hungary)
32.David Rivera Alonso(Spain)
33.Choonjong Park(South Korea)
34.Adeline wong(SingaPore)
35.UMBERTO DALLA PRIA(Switzerland)
36.Peter Obermaier(Germany)
37. Slavica Radej(Slovenia)
38.michal(Slovakia)
39.Patrick Liang(Pakistan)
40.Myron de la Paz(Currently Germany as per FB record)

Now these i remember i am sure i have exchanged with more people..
Will update as and when i remember..

TGV Railways

Here is a beautiful  stamp and FDC on TGV railways..I was searching for this kind from long time..

thanks to my friend Timothy Veltman from Switzerland for getting me this..
this stamp was isssued by France in 1984 to comemorate Postal TGV transport ...Paris-Lyon Mail Service..

P.S. I am looking for more TGV stamps around the world+TGV cancel...

This above one issued in 1974 to comemorate the completion of Turbotrain TGV001 project ..

And this above TGV Atlantique was issued in 1989..
It was bulit between 1988-1992 by Alstom is called Second generation TGV Trains
It can go up to 300kmph ...

Gabon issued this one in 1981 to comemorate 200th anniversary of George Stephenson
In this its a 3v set+SS..
I have the 3v set and looking for the SS
Here goes the 3v set..Thanks to M.Imran Siddque for this

The above one was issued in 2007 ..i love the rail road map on it:) shows the route of it in Europe

And this above 2011 issue was sent to me by my friend Jean Pierre

TGV and Eurostar in Lille 1993 issue

PhilaFrance from Mongolia issued in 1989 shows TGV Railways

This one another from Cuba 2009 issues shows a TGV which achieved 320kmph speed..
On the train its written SNCF  is the  SNCF (Société Nationale des Chemins de fer français; "French National Railway Corporation") is France's national state-owned railway company. SNCF operates the country's national rail services, including the TGV, France's high-speed rail network. 

This is form a 6v set+1 SS shown below illustrates the high speed railways around the world..

The trains are:
Acela Express -  USA
AVE - Spain
Eurostar - Europe
ICE - Germany,Austria,Denmark
ICN -Switzerland
TGV - France

The SS shows Shinkansen which runs in Japan..
And another wonderful issue from Cuba 2006

5v set but i am not sharing here the full set as it will be too many types of train in the TGV blog:)

Issued in 1987 for Mickey Mouse 60th anniversary its a 2v SS set i have this one only:(

 From Cook Islands 1985 8v set

1998 sheet from Yugoslavia shows TGV