Etna Eruption

I am aptly posting this as my friend is getting a volcano tattoo later today :) I have visited the Silvestri Crater twice but the very top (which is a WHS) was not on the schedule. And here is yet another 'special stamp'! GPS (Global Postal Service) puts 'no Italy' on the stamp, which probably means it is international postage but still, looks funny. If you try googling it, there are tons of advice not to use it, and again because it's too darn slow to arrive. I really have no idea as I wasn't home to receive them...and again sadly no cancellation. But there is always an up-side, and in this case its the matching theme :) I have posted about Etna before so here is just a photo in addition.

Timanfaya National Park, Lanzarote, Spain

Timanfaya National Park (Parque Nacional de Timanfaya) is entirely made up of volcanic soil - the greatest recorded eruptions occurred between 1730 and 1736. The volcanic activity continues as the surface temperature in the core ranges from 100 to 600 °C at the depth of 13 metres, which is demonstrated by pouring water into the ground, resulting in a geyser of steam.

This landscape looks otherworldly, alas couldn't be visited as at this point of the job we were pretty much restricted to the port areas. Xmas was behind us (spent at sea), the day after the port of Fuerteventura was unreachable because of the strong winds so we spent an extra day at sea. Lanzarote was sunny and I had a fish sandwich for lunch, in a place teeming with locals so I thought it must be good! And it was. My colleague ate half of it with words 'I'll treat you when we get first pay' which of course she didn't lol, I've learnt the hard way she was a taker and none a giver, and that lasted for months. Now thats a special story! Perhaps not to be dwelt upon on a postcard blog heh.

The Soufrière Hills Volcano Eruption, Montserrat

After a long period of dormancy, the Soufrière Hills volcano became active in 1995, and has continued to erupt ever since. Its eruptions have rendered more than half of Montserrat uninhabitable, destroying the capital city, Plymouth, and causing widespread evacuations: about two thirds of the population have left the island.

This eruption looks fierce - and I fear that, much like this volcano, I will erupt soon lol. Alert!

The Cirque De Mafate, Réunion

This is an UNESCO card, showing one of the cirques of Réunion. However I have already posted two cards in that section so I'll dedicate this more to the fact that it is Earth Day today, and this is a wonderful example of how stunning our Earth can be! On that note I will post today only the wonders of nature, with no humas in site :)

Thanks goes to Virginie for sending this card, and a stamp showing the Réunion's capital Saint-Denis. What an exotic place to live :)

UNESCO - Mount Etna, Italy

Mount Etna is the highest Mediterranean island mountain (Sicily) and the most active stratovolcano in the world. World Heritage Site (19,237 ha) comprises the most strictly protected and scientifically important area of Mount Etna, and forms part of the Parco dell’Etna Regional Nature Park. The eruptive history of the volcano can be traced back 500,000 years and at least 2,700 years of this activity has been documented, making its notoriety, scientific importance, and cultural and educational value of global significance.

I love the contrast between the constructive and destructive force of nature, with very feeble line to divide them. I think it shows just how fragile and uncertain this world is. Great matching stamp, was so thrilled to get this for my collection! Grazie Daniele:))

Scott Base, Anctarctica, New Zealand

And how much do I love this card?! Such a splendid view of the Scott Base, a research facility located on Ross Island in Antarctica and operated by New Zealand, with Mt. Erebus in the background  (with 3794 metres the second highest volcano in Antarctica).

What also made me really happy is the Ross Dependency stamp issued in 2013, this is info on wikipedia but since the cancellation doesn't say its posted from Christchurch I guess the info on its usability is wrong..? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_the_Ross_Dependency

In any case many many thanks to Amy!

Mount St. Helens, USA

Mount St. Helens is an active stratovolcano in the US state Washington, 96 miles south of Seattle. It is part of the Cascade Volcanic Arc, a segment of the Pacific Ring Of Fire that includes over 160 active volcanoes. This volcano is most notorious for its catastrophic eruption in may of 1980, the most destructive volcanic event in the history of the United States - 57 casualties, 250 homes and 185 miles of highways destroyed.

Great stamps including classic cars, thank you Bryon :))

UNESCO - Fujisan, Sacred Place And Source Of Artistic Inspiration

 

 

It is indeed amazing how picturesque Fujisan is, the solitary stratovolcano in unison with surrounding lakes or tea plantations. I could get a dozen more views and not get tired of it! Thank you so much Yuka I am really loving these, and the stamps that you used that in one way or another reflect the picture :))

UNESCO - Sangay National Park, Ecuador

 

Tungurahua is one of the three volcanos that dominate the landscape of Sangay National Park, also an active one which has been causing troubles for the inhabitants of the nearby town of Banos de Agua Santa for centuries, even in the last decade. The park illustrates the entire spectrum of ecosystems, raging from tropical forests to glaciers.

I have been to Baños and saw the volcano peeking behind the clouds, actually a bit intimidating when you know its power..!

Faial Island, The Azores

Faial Island  is one of the islands in the Azores group that form the Triangle (the other two being Pico and Sao Jorge), and is the smallest and westernmost of the three. The initial postcard shows the general views, the second its capital Horta and the third the paintings that cover its walls and walkways, left there by the many sailing crews that stop on their way across the Atlantic.

The fourth is the islands centre or Caldeira, the crater of a stratovolcano integrated into the dispersed Parque Natural do Faial.

Lago De Atitlan, Guatemala

This beautiful view is of Guatemala's Lake Atitlan and the San Pedro Volcano which rises to a hight of 3020 meters. Not sure about the little town/village but according to the map this must have been taken from Panajachel, a tourist hub situated on the northeast shore of the lake.

A lovely surprise last winter from Pat, thanks a million xD

Icelandic Nature Delights

 

More views of the beautiful Iceland, images that we can easily associate with this enigmatic island of the far north: aurora borealis during the great solar storm in March of 2012, 40-meter-high Seljalandsfoss waterfall on the south, and eruption of the Fimmvorduhals volcano in 2010. Lovely stamps, including Europa :))

UNESCO - Teide National Park, Tenerife, Spain

 

I have been rather slack with blogging lately...and so many great Unesco postcards that I have received lately, I should start today if only with one..! This magnificent view of the Pico Viejo was sent to me by Adolfo with wonderful stamps, muchas gracias :))

The volcano is with 3718 meters the highest peak on the Spanish soil. Teide is of global importance in providing evidence of the geological processes that underpin the evolution of oceanic islands.

UNESCO - Surtsey, Iceland

 

Surtsey, a volcanic island approximately 32 km from the south coast of Iceland, is a new island formed by volcanic eruptions that took place from 1963 to 1967. It is all the more outstanding for having been protected since its birth, providing the world with a pristine natural laboratory. Free from human interference, Surtsey has been producing unique long-term information on the colonisation process of new land by plant and animal life.
The stamp shows the Snæfellsnes, a peninsula in western Iceland named Iceland in Miniature.

Chimborazo, Ecuador

One of my fav postcards of Ecuador, as it shows many aspects of this beautiful country - the railway, the mountains, the fields and the people :)

Mount Kirishima, Japan

Kirishima-Yaku National Park is situated on Kyūshū island in Japan - this is a view of the 1700-m-high active volcano Mount Kirishima. Many thanks to Megumi for the nice view and lovely stamps :)

Views Of The Azores

 

 

I was home this last week and got some great mail - here sent by my friend who sailed to the Azores, a Portuguese archipelago composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the North Atlantic Ocean, and located about 1500 km west of Lisbon and about 1900 km southeast of Newfoundland.

The view cards show:

*Montanha do Pico, a stratovolcano which is the tallest mountain in Portugal. Thank you wikipedia for making me realise that Pico Island vineyards are on the Unesco list - or rather that its the part of the Azores :) though this wouldnt qualify...so close!

*Poço da Alagoinha on Flores Island (and phoa this wasnt so easy to find) also known as Lagoa dos Patos, a permanent puddle under a waterfall. So lush!

*Sperm-whale at the south coast of São Miguel Island.

*Hot springs (caldeiras) on São Miguel

Love the variety of postcards and stamps, and there is more to show...
Sent from Horta on Faial island, a primary stop for yachts crossing the Atlantic.

UNESCO - Pitons, Cirques and Remparts Of Reunion Island

I have already included a postcard of Piton de la Fournaise on my blog, but this time its even more of a special treat :))) Dear Marion insured that this time I recieve the Réunion cancellation (yay!) and even used a special matching stamp, thanks so much!! I also love the snowy views, so you can imagine my joy when I received this card...

This post can also be viewed as part of today's Sunday Stamps, but I will write another post to say more about it :)