South American ABC - Sunday Stamps

With South America as this week's theme I thought I should start with the alphabet.

'A' is for Argentina, and it so happens that this country has a stamp that shows the whole continent.

Argentina

The second largest country in South America, Argentina gained its independence in 1816 and issued its first stamps in 1858.

'B' is for Brazil, the largest country in the continent; independent in 1822 Brazil became a republic in 1889. The Amazon flows from its source in the Peruvian Andes 4000 miles through Brazil to the Atlantic.

Brazil

'C' is for Chile which lies between the Andes and the South Pacific. Chile's Juan Fernandez Islands are supposed to be where Robinson Crusoe was shipwrecked.

Chile (my one and only stamp)

'E' is for Ecuador which became independent in 1822. Ecuador includes the Galapagos Islands so I'm pleased that I have a stamp of its fauna, a splendidly named bird on a 1977 stamp.

Ecuador

If like me you don't know Spanish, the bird is a Red-legged Boobie.

I  had only one stamp from other countries on the continent and so had to give Guyana (formerly British Guiana), Paraguay, Peru and Venezuela a miss and settle for the letter 'U'.

'U' is for Uruguay, the smallest of the South American republics which borders on the Atlantic; its first stamps were issued in 1856.

Uruguay

I understand that 'encomiendas' means 'parcels' 

For other stamps from down South America way you need to visit Viridian at Sunday Stamps 36

Canada to Central America - Sunday Stamps

I thought I would travel North to South down the continent of North America. My journey came up short as I had no stamps south of Mexico until I visited the local market.

As I was setting out on a journey I chose these stamps to start.

Canada

Stopping off in the USA it seemed appropriate to travel overland with the centenary mail.

US Overland Mail Centenary 1958

I arrived in Mexico on the 150th anniversary of their independence.

Mexico Independence 1810 - 1960

It was the power of butterfly wings that took me to my next stop to a country that became independent as recently as 1981, after having changed its name from British Honduras in 1973.

Belize

Despite using a more modern mode of transport I only made it as far as the largest country in Central America, the one with a coastline on both the Atlantic and the Pacific.

Nicaragua

 

If you would like to see more of the continent please visit Viridian at Sunday Stamps 35