Marklaro's World Postcards: 2013

Sunday, December 01, 2013

Estonia - Andrus Veerpalu Max Card - Olimpics Salt Lake 2002

Thanks to August4:
Estonia - Andrus Veerpalu Max Card - Olimpics Salt Lake 2002

Andrus Veerpalu Olympic Winner.

Date of issue: 12th April 2002

Friday, November 01, 2013

Russia - Maxim Card Commemorative of 200th Gogol Birth Day

Maximum postcard from Russia commemorative of 200th Gogol birth day.
A Ukrainian-born writer and thinker (Velyki Sorochintsy, Poltava region), N.V.Gogol is one of the brightest personalities and recognized masters of Russian and world literature. His literary works, aimed at achieving social harmony, have received highest appraisals of his contemporaries and are appreciated by present generations. Being a brilliant folklorist, he also vividly depicted Ukrainian folk customs and traditions of the 19th century.
Gogol's short stories, novels and plays have become for the world literature an impulse to a truthful depiction of reality. The novel "Dead Souls" and the short story "The Overcoat" are considered the foundations of the great 19th-century tradition of realism. His legacy was adopted by such masters of literature as Leo Tolstoy and Fyodor Dostoyevsky. The writer's style is recognized by a great ability for accurate and sympathetic character portrayal as well as rollicking satire and extraordinary humour. Many of Gogol's witty sayings have become maxims in the Ukrainian and Russian languages.
Thanks to Irina.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Romania - WWF Maximum Postcard 1984 - Dalmatian Pelican

Romania - WWF Maximum Postcard 1984 - Dalmatian Pelican.
The Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus) is a member of the pelican family. It breeds from southeastern Europe through Asia to China in swamps and shallow lakes. The nest is a crude heap of vegetation.

This is the largest of the pelicans, averaging 170 cm (67 inches) in length, 11-15 kg (24-33 lbs) in weight and just over 3 m (10 ft) in wingspan. On average, it's the world's heaviest flying species, although large male bustards and swans can exceed the pelican in maximum weight. It differs from the White Pelican in that it has curly nape feathers, grey legs and greyish-white (rather than pure white plumage). It has a red lower mandible in the breeding season. Immatures are grey and lack the pink facial patch of immature White Pelicans. The latter also has darker flight feathers.

This pelican migrates short distances. In flight, it is an elegant soaring bird, with the flock moving in synchrony. The neck is then held back like a heron's.

As is well known, pelicans catch fish in their huge bill pouches, most, like this species, while swimming at the surface.

Like the White Pelican, this species has declined greatly through habitat loss and persecution. As of 1994, there are around 1,000 breeding pairs in Europe, most of them in Russia, Greece, Romania, Bulgaria and Albania (Karavasta Lagoon).

The Dalmatian Pelican is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.