Folk/National Costumes - Sunday Stamps II

I need some help this week as I have some Bulgarian stamps that I have been unable to find any information about other than that they were issued in 1961

Bulgaria - 1961

I've searched for the names of the costumes show on the LHS of each stamp but haven't succeeded in finding out what they represent.

Bulgaria - 1961

I had more success with provincial costumes from Spain.

Spain 1968 - Huelva Provincial Costume

The city of Huelva, in the province of the same name in South-West Spain, has been inhabited since 3000BC.

Spain 1967

Burgos a city in Northern Spain is the historic capital of the province of Castille.

This is a post for Sunday Stamps II - 41 which you will find at See it on a postcard.

I am away from home this week so may not be able to comment on stamps posted by the other participants or submit the link to this post there. I'll get round to them as soon as I can.

Technology/industry - Sunday Stamps II

I'm sure that you are all aware how quickly technology gets outdated. The FDC I acquired recently illustrates this very well.

Great Britain - Information Technology, 8 Sept 1982

You will appreciate this more when you look at the individual stamps.

Development of Communications

Modern Technological Aids

I don't think I need to explain anything else.

From 1939 when Germany occupied Czechoslovakia, the country was split into Bohemia and Moravia.

Czechoslovakia: Bohemia - 1939

The stamp shows the ironworks at Moravska-Ostrava.

A stamp from South Africa depicts

South Africa - 1961, Western Deep Level Mine

The mine is located in the West Wits gold field and then was said to be the world's deepest.

For technological/industry examples follow the links at Violet's Sunday-Stamps-II-40.

Signs - Thematic Photography

I have been having trouble loading photos from Google photos since they changed their system. They load in a post OK but visitors to my blog can't see them, especially when the post is shared on Facebook. Even there I can't see them either unless I'm signed in to Google.

So I am trying to upload them differently today.

There are many signs that I see on my daily walk to fetch a newspaper. My daughter will recognise their location I'm sure as she went on the same walk with me when over here recently.

Sign of the times

Not what it seems

When you see this:

No buses!

No shortage of warning signs for drivers

I walk on the other side and it's too early to call in here;

Or wander off down a footpath to the fields.

I must not upset the Governor of the local prison by ignoring his instructions.

A different field opens up other opportunities if I needed a rest.

That sign points to where it's possible for youngsters to get some exercise.

However there is one sign that I take for granted as I pass it frequently.

The sign on our house

It's time I gave it some TLC and repainted it - if only I wasn't so tired from my four mile walk.

I hope you pay attention to the signs you see; check out those shared with us at Carmi's Thematic-photographic-350.

TEST

Bridges - Sunday Stamps II

I have always had an interest in bridges. I crossed the Forth Railway Bridge when going to and from St Andrews University in Scotland. Where in the 1950s, there was a very heated debate in the Student Union about the need for a road bridge over the Forth. English students were howled down when they demanded to know why the Scots wanted another bridge - what had they done with the other three?

It was a pleasant surprise for me this week when I was given an album which contained among other things this FDC.

Great Britain - Opening of the Forth Road Bridge.

To my delight, on the 6d stamp, you can make out the structure of the Rail Bridge in the background.

Forth Road and Rail Bridges

On 5 March 2015 Royal Mail issued a set of ten stamps commemorating the engineering feats of bridge building dating from pre-1600 to as recently as 2011.

From left to right:

• Tarr Steps, a clapper bridge over the River Barle in the Exmoor National Park. The name clapper derives from the medieval Latin "claperius" - a pile of stones. The Royal Mail dates this as 'pre-1600.' It's now a scheduled ancient monument and dates from c1000BC

• Row Bridge is probably 18th century. It's a packhorse stone bridge over Mosedale Beck in what is now Cumbria.

• Pulteney Bridge spans the River Avon in Bath and dates from 1774. It features shops built across the full span on both sides.

• Craigellachie Bridge crosses the River Spey near Abelour, Moray, Scotland. Thomas Telford designed this cast iron arched bridge in 1814

• Menai Suspension Bridge (1826) is another of Telford's famous bridges. It connects the island of Anglesey with the Welsh mainland.

• High Level Bridge over the River Tyne (1849), carries road and rail traffic and is the wrought iron bridge between Newcastle and Gateshead

• Royal Border Bridge (1850) between Berwick-upon-Tweed and Tweedmouth is a railway viaduct designed by George Stephenson. Despite its name it is in Northumberland a few miles south of the Scottish border.

• Tees Transporter Bridge, Middlesbrough's icon, affectionately know as "The Tranny" is the bridge furthest down stream on the River Tees. This steel bridge passed its centenary in 2011.

• Humber Bridge is a single span suspension bridge carrying road traffic over the Humber which links Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. Once the longest in the world it dates from 1981.

• Peace Bridge (2011) crosses the River Foyle in Derry, Northern Ireland.

Now you need to cross over and follow the links at Sunday-Stamps-II-39. to see bridges from elsewhere.

Wildlife - Thematic Photography

I'm always on the lookout for wildlife to photograph when I'm out. Quite often it's small creatures that catch my eye.

Caterpillar on the ground

It's the caterpillar that does all the work but the butterfly or moth that gets all the publicity.

If you are a birdwatcher there will come a time when it seems the bird is watching you.

A cormorant alongside the River Tees watching who goes by 

But you wonder how these fellows stay so clean as they approach the mud.

Drakes in their element

When it comes to colours, a snail stands out 

On a bramble leaf

Sometimes wildlife comes to you - like these two in the Michigan dusk.

Rocky and Bambi share a meal

There are even times when you don't have to leave your lounge to see scenes like these.

To see more wildlife check out the links at Carmi's Thematic-Photographic-349.

Rocks, gems and minerals - Sunday Stamps II

In 1982 New Zealand issued a set of 6 stamps featuring minerals all of which are found there.

I can only show you two of the set.

Iron Pyrites is mined for its sulphur content and provides 40% of the world's sulphur. Pyrite, iron sulphide, is the world's most common sulphide. It is also known as "fool's gold"

I must confess that I had not heard of the mineral on the 5c stamp.

Carnelian is a variety of the mineral quartz and belongs to the largest class of minerals - the silicates.

The other stamps in the set feature - 

• 1c Nephrite also known as jade
• 2c Agate - a variety of quartz
• 4c Amethyst - also a quartz variety
• 9c Native Sulphur

I obtained the two stamps illustrated when I was given an envelope from New Zealand which I thought was worth showing again; it carried a lighthouse that would have been right for our theme two weeks ago.

Cape Reinga Lighthouse

For more rocks, gems and minerals follow the links at Sunday-Stamps-ii-38.

Monochrome - Thematic Photography

I only have one suitable photo this week so far.

Can you guess the background?

I may be back with more shots later in the week. In the meantime check how others have met the monochrome challenge at Thematic-photographic-348.