Cover from Belgium

Received a cover from Holger at http://www.myphilately.com/ from Belgium with four stamps on lighthouses on a fantastic lighthouse cover envelope.

Washington World Philatelic Exhibition 2006

A special stamp sheetlet on the Washington 2006 World Philatelic Exhibition is issued to commemorate Hongkong Post's participation in this international event held in Washington DC, the United States, from 27 May to 3 June 2006. Hongkong Post is pleased to participate in Washington 2006 which provides an excellent opportunity to present quality Hong Kong stamps overseas and to promote philately as a universaly enjoyable hobby.

Under the patronage of the Fédération Internationale de Philatélie, the exhibition explores the themes of "Role of the Post Office in Uniting the Country", "Children - They Are The Future" and "Moving the Mail in the 21st Century".

The three themes are combined in the stamp sheetlet. Childresn holding hands in their ethnic costumes, doves carrying letters in their beaks and shapes decorated with serrated edges allude to postal services which connect millions of people around the world. The Bauhinia and the American Beauty Rose, the floral emblems of Hong Kong and Washington DC, highlight the good rapport between the two cities. The children's motif recurs in the First Day Cover design together with the offical logo of the exhibition in the bottom corner.

Date of Issue: 27 May 2006
Denominations: HKD10
Stamp Size: 45mm x 28mm
Stamp Sheetlet Size: 130mm x 75mm
Perforation: 13.07 x 13.33 (one elliptical perforation on each vertical)
Paper: Paper with security fibres
Printing Process: Lithography
Printer: Cartor Security Printing, France
Designer: Benny Lau

First Day Cover affixed with stamps: HKD11

Vanishing Trades

Since independence, Singapore has made tremendous progress in terms of economic development. With rapid urbanisation and modernisation come change, and many of the trades that were once a common sight in Singapore are now canishing. Some of these trades have vanished, replaced by modern machinery. Some are still thriving, given a new "facelift" while others are being phased out.

This set of ten stamps (5 x 1st Local stamps and 5 X $0.80 stamps) features some of these vanishing trades. The clog maker, wooden bucket maker, spice grinder, snake charmer and the satay man were featured in the set of five 1st Local stamps. The mama store, the roti man, the back-lane barber, the Chinese medicinal teashop and the tin bucket maker appeared in the set of five $0.80 stamps.

Beautifully illustrated, the stamps captured an important slice of Singapore's heritage, preserving parts of its multi-cultural lifestyles.

Date of Issue: 24 May 2006
Denominations: 1st Local and 80¢ (each value 5 designs)
Stamp Size: 34mm x 23mm
Perforation: 13
Paper: Unwatermarked
Printing Process: Offset-Lithography
Printer: Beijing Stamp Printing House
Sheet Content: 10 stamps
Designer: Tze Ngan

First Day Cover affixed with stamps: S$5.85