Traditional

1984: Traditional Houses

Taking it easy in front of a traditional roundhouse while the farmer tills his soil in the background

c2000: Historic Architecture

Another roundhouse makes an appearance in another set of stamps but this time the text highlights the fact that these are the traditional houses used by the Ngoni and Nyamwezi people.   As we are in Africa there will be lots of wildlife on stamps and

1980: Wildlife

here is a pair of giraffe, or in the Swahili language twiga.  From long legs and necks and lovely markings the magnificent

1991: Elephants

tusks and trunks of the elephant come next, one African and one Asian. 

as these are too.

1994: Protected Animals

Both animals protected but the panda remarkably is having a better time than the african elephant.  Once there were vast herds of elephants in Tanzania, Africa's largest population, but this makes it irresistible to the ivory poacher and the population has declined by 60%.

1963: 1st Anniversary of Asian-Oceanic Postal Union

More animals but this time a proud Temple Guardian.  When it was formed the AOPU's headquarters were in Manila and I wonder if the stamp features one of its temples.

Sunday Stamps II prompt this week is T - for Tanzania, Thailand, Traditional, Twiga, Tusks and Trunks - See It On A Postcard

 

The Naga

This Naga statue stands in Songkhla, Thailand and Kimberly tells me that it spits out water where the lake and the ocean meet and points out the shipping containers in the background.

The Naga or Great Serpent is a mythical snake with supernatural power and it is told that the Naga and water were at the creation of all things. The spraying water is supposed to bring health, good luck and happiness and washes away sins. This sculpture was designed by lecturers from the Thaksin University Fine Arts Faculty.

One of the episodes of The Water Margin started with the memorable quote  "Do not despise the snake for having no horns,for who is to say it will not become a dragon?"" so from this huge Naga it is appropriate that this card came with

two 2013 Year of the Snake stamps with star constellations.  The other stamps two pink lotus (Nelumbo Nucifera) which although it does not show up in the scan are coated with pearly ink. The yellow flower is the national flower of Thailand, the  wonderfully named Golden Shower Tree (Cassia fishla), a definitive stamp first issued in 2010.

Aon Phranang Beach, Thailand

We are coming to the end of the coldest December since records began here, how wonderful to have this card drop through my letterbox. I suddenly felt quite cheery. This area of Thailand is described as "towering limestone cliffs, soft white sand beaches, small coves and offshore islands"  The longtail boats in the picture transports to and from Aon Phranang beach and also to Princess Cave in the distance which is the home of a mythical princess.  The beach is described as secluded and tranquil where rock climbers can be watched scaling the cliffs. The limestone cliffs in this area are a popular destination for climbers. I'd stick to the beach and listen to the Andaman Sea lapping onto the shore while the sun shone down.

The card came with a complete set, wow,  of the August 2010 issue of

Orchid stamps, in particular, Rhynchostylis gigantia which are native to south east Asia. They grow from a single base and are different from all other families of orchids. Their stems are short and strong. Certainly strength would be needed to hold up these exuberant blooms.  The flowers are fragrant and only bloom once a year.

The little stamp with balloons is from a set of six memorable words definitive stamps issued in 2010. This one says congratulations.  The others in the set

are, left to right swasdee (the Thai greeting with hands together), happy birthday, thanks, love, miss you and congratulations. We have sets of stamps for similar occasions which the Royal Mail call 'Smilers'.  Appropriately my sender sends me "greetings from Thailand, the Land of Smiles" and, as might be guessed, is a collector of stamps.

Thank you Sathitporn for brightening my winter day