Castles and Palaces - Sunday Stamps II

As my first stamp will show,I've learnt not to make assumptions this week.

Tunisia

I thought this was an impressive castle until I discovered it wasn't a castle at all.

The Skifa Kahla is the ancient gate to the coastal city of Mahdia, the old part of which corresponds to the Roman city of Aphrodisium.

My next stamp is of a place where international conferences are held.

France 1980

In 1999 the Chateau of Rambouillet hosted the NATO peace conference on Kosovo. The rejection of the proposal by the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia lead to the war in Kosovo.

The Greek island of Rhodes is the site of the palace on my last stamp this week.

Greece 2006 - Medieval Castle

This castle also called Kastello was once the Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes.

The 7th century Byzantine citadel was converted by the Knights Hospitaller into their administrative centre and the palace of their Grand Master.

The Ottoman Empire used it as a command centre and fortress. Under Italian rule it became a holiday residence for the King of Italy and for Benito Mussolini, the Fascist dictator. Under the 1947 Peace Treaty with Italy, Rhodes and the Dodecanes islands were transferred to Greece.

Palace of the Grand Master sounds a more impressive title.

To see what other castles and palaces have been found on stamps please follow the links at Violet;s Sunday-Stamps-II-56.

Trades/Professions - Sunday Stamps

Greetings from the USA this week where we are staying with my daughter, her husband and three dogs. Yesterday was a bit traumatic as Gem, her oldest dog, had to be put to sleep after a remarkable 15 and a half years. Gem was the last of the original "Gang of Four."

The lady vet from the Lap of Love, a veterinary hospice was a true professional. However I do not have a stamp that is appropriate for her.

Nevertheless I was surprised to find how many stamps meet Viridian's 'trade/professions' theme.

Algeria - Job Mechanics; 18 April 1965

Hungary - Welder series 1955

Lebanon - Potters work

Iceland - Nurse and patient

This stamp was issued on 19 June 1970 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Icelandic Nurses Association.

My last stamp this week is from Tunisia.

Tunisia - Nass-work - Handicrafts; 15 August 1979

I was pleased to be able to include my one and only stamp from Algeria as the theme forced me to identify what it represented.

I wonder whether anyone will have a stamp of a philatelist this week. To find out you will have to check the links at Sunday-Stamps-193.

Flashes of Colour - Thematic Photography

I found a series of photos in my archives that fit Carmi's flash of colour theme.

The Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge celebrated its centenary in October, but it  was the hoarding in this photo that caught my eye.

Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge & Middlehaven Development hoarding

But somehow we cannot match nature's flashes.

End on to a Rainbow in October

In these days of e-mail it's a pleasure to see a decorated mailbox like this one I passed in Michigan.

Blue Bird Mailbox

Then on a Tunisian beach I snapped this beauty, not so sure she was committed to that parachute ride behind a speed boat.

Hammamet beauty

Finally it was a hotel in Germany that might have been called the Red Lion.

Hotel Zum Löwen, Jestetten

I hope you enjoyed my 'flashes' of inspiration; for more check out Carmi's thematic photographic 173

Sunday Stamps - Out of Africa

With over 40 countries in Africa to chose from this week's theme of stamps from African and the Arabian peninsula made it hard to chose.

The fossil finds in East Africa in recent years have confirmed Darwin theories on the descent of man. Many of the hominid findings have been in this region and that's why I chose to start with stamps from the countries that used to be in British East Africa.

Kenya & Tanganyika

Uhuru means freedom I believe and these stamps were issued in 1963 when the countries became independent.

These counties along with Uganda issued common stamps for a while.

Kenya, Uganda & Tanzania

Tanzania was formed by the union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar in 1964.

Tunisia

It was the uprising in Tunisia that began what is today being called the Arab Spring.

Egypt

Egypt has thrown out its President too, but it was a kingdom until 1953 with the gentleman on the right, King Farouk in charge.

I was going to show a stamp from Libya too but in the process I discovered that the one stamp I have is not from there but from the Lebanon.

Zambia

I've settled instead for stamps from Zambia. Why? 

'Z' ends the alphabet and these stamps are the last in my World Album.

For more African adventures and some tales from the Arabian Nights please visit Viridian at Sunday Stamps 37