#141 USA 09/04/25

Kathy sent me this nice cover from the USA, thank you!

It was posted in Rochester, NY, on April 25 (?), 2009.

#140 South Africa 09/05/02

Cover from South Africa, posted in Gillitts on May 02, 2009. Thank you, Marten!

#139 Bhutan 09/05/07

Registered cover from Bhutan, posted in Paro on May 07, 2009.

This cover has attached one of the famous CD stamps of Bhutan, wich has a face value of 225 ngultrum. It was issued on February 21, 2009, and commemorates the transition to constitutional monarchy.

#138 Nagorno-Karabakh 09/05/05

Cover from the internationally unrecognised Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh (break away region of Azerbaijan), posted in Stepanakert on May 5, 2009.

The cover has attached the top left stamp of the sheet of 2004 Christmas issue. It depicts a fragment of a Krkeni kilim of the 19th century, which was found in Harav Village.

#137 Germany 09/05/06

Tim sent me this nice letter from Germany, which was delivered by the private post organisation “Morgenpost“.

The stamp of 52 cent was issued in 2007 and depicts a bus of the Rhein-Neckar-Verkehr GmbH. In addition to the stamp there is a machine label attached. The letter was posted in Heidelberg on May 6 and the Morgenpost handed it over to TNT post, which applied a meter marking on May 7.

Thank you for this interesting letter!

#136 Latvia 09/04/22

My first cover from Latvia was sent to me by Uldis, thank you!

It was posted in Rīga on April 22, 2009.

#135 Algeria 09/01/08

FDC from Algeria, posted in Sétif on January 08, 2009.

Ouari sent me this nice FDC of the bridges mini-sheet, which was issued on November 26, 2008, thank you!

#134 China 09/01/05

First day cover from China, posted in Tangshan on January 5, 2009.

The left stamp on this beautiful cover is part of the series “Architecture of the Dong Nationality” (issued on June 2, 1997); it depicts the Zengchong Drum Tower. The top third stamp and the bottom stamp are part of this series too; they show two “Wind and Rain Bridges”. The top right stamp commemorates the Year of the Ox; it was issued on January 5, 2009. Finally, the middle stamp of 2001 depicts the fish Acipenser dabryanus.

The FDC commemorates the Ji-Chou Year (Year of the Ox):

Since ancient times, the ox, always found working on farmland, has been regarded as an honest, supportive labor partner of human beings. In the eyes of Chinese people, the ox is a symbol, of hardworking spirit and selfless contribution. Widely-circulated adages like “Aware of the arrival of its late years, the ox drives itself further without being whipped” and “Head-bowed, like a willing ox I serve the children” represent the traditional virtue and diligence of the Chinese people. The ox also symbolizes affluence and ease. It will bring a vigorous, dynamic hope of a new year and herald a bright prospect.
(backcover text of FDC)

Thank you, Wang, for sending me this beautiful FDC!

#133 Qatar 09/04/27

My first cover from Qatar, was sent to me by Rodel, thank you!

It was posted in Doha on April 27, 2009.

#132 Georgia 08/12/17

Thank you, Khaty, for this beautiful cover from Tbilisi, Georgia!