Isle of Man Anthem on Europa Stamps

This is a Europa stamp featuring the lyrics of the anthem of the Isle of Man on the tab.  This set is compose of two stamps values of  25p and 30p.  Previously the anthem of the Isle of Man was already feature here.  The anthem composer and lyricist were shown in the stamp.  A Europa stamps are special stamps issued by European postal administrations under the aegis of PostEurop and which have Europe as their central theme. Europa stamps should underline cooperation in the domain of posts, particularly as regards the promotion of philately and contribute to making the public aware of common roots, culture and history of Europe and common goals." In 2002, more than 50 European countries and territories issued Europa Stamps. The first issue dates from 1956 with 6 countries participating.

From 1993 all the stamps have "Europa" inserted into the design in small print. For the new millennium in 2000, the common design once more replaced the common theme. The stamp design for 2000 clearly shows a column of 6 stars representing the original 6 members of the ECSC. 4 Children,(of different heritage) represent Europe's future and are adding to the Vertical Star Column with the background depicting the GREEN letter E meaning a fertile Europe. CEPT is from the French acronym Conférence Européenne des administrations des Postes et des Télécommunications.

French Stamps at Petite France

Mr. Han had a dream: to offer his fellow Koreans a taste of what inspired his love for France. This dream became the  Petite France project: an hour’s drive from Seoul, an urban area home to some 25 million residents, Mr. Han found a quiet location on the shore of Lake Gapyeong. Here he built something between a town and a museum: each house reflects French culture. Visitors can take a few days’ break here, staying in French-style houses furnished in the French manner with furniture imported directly from France. The distinctive architecture of Petite France has even proved a magnet for the film crew of Beethoven Virus, a hugely popular TV series in Korea.

Here, the Little Prince is the guest of honour. Mr. Han takes a keen interest in French literature and enjoys the works of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, in particular  The Little Prince. His favourite passage? The meeting with the fox, of course! In a country where over 350 different editions of  The Little Prince are to be found, not to mention the comic strip versions, those who are familiar with the Little Prince or even those who have only heard of him are delighted when they come to “Petite France” to find statues and wall paintings evoking the world of this magical character at every turn.

With the support of the Saint-Exupéry estate, Mr. Han was keen to combine French lifestyle with the message of a tale that is also a lesson for life. In Korea, Saint-Exupéry is seen as a kind of legend, a knight of the skies and also a philosophical and humanist touchstone.  Mr. Han is delighted to share his admiration with those he welcomes to his village. Visitors queue up to have their photos taken standing next to the statue of the Little Prince or his friend the fox. A permanent exhibition introduces them to the life of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and the origins of “The Little Prince”, and a theatre show has been specially created for the youngest visitors. More than just a tourist attraction hoping to attract some 500,000 visitors annually, Petite France is a special place, offering not only the pleasure of living life French-style but also a chance to reflect on life in the company of a fairytale character.

Rarest Straits Settlements Cover

This envelope is the only known cover used in Singapore bearing all four 1854 values on Indian stamps used in the Straits Settlements. This cover bears two 1/2 anna blue (Die 1), 1-anna Red (Die II), two 2-anna green and a cut-to-shape 4-anna blue and red (1st printing). All stamps are tied by a diamond-of-dots cancellation.

Elephant Stampede and the Latest Exhibits at the Singapore Philatelic Museum

This is my third visit to the Singapore Philatelic Museum. The museum featured 5 current exhibits in addition to their permanent exhibit. Elephant Stampede- which traces the evolution of these giant creatures from mammoth to elephants, their shrinking habitats and the factors which led to their destruction. It also highlighted the symbolism of elephants in Asian culture and religion- like how some kings reincarnated into elephants and the Hindu God Ganesh which had an half elephant body. The exhibit ended on how we humans can help the elephants in their quest for survival. I enjoyed the interactive session, differentiating elephants from Africa and Asia. African elephants are bigger, have 5 toes and larger ears shaped like Africa while their Asian counterparts are smaller, have 4 toes and ears shaped like India.

I was able to see "Baby Emily", an elephant made of postage stamp designed by local sculptor and artist Mr. Sun Yu-Li. This was in conjunction with the Elephant Parade held in Singapore last year to raise awareness and funds for the dwindling elephant population. 161 elephants were auctioned and the proceeds donated the Asian Elephant Foundation. The other exhibits were: The Adventures of Tin Tin, Imagine Dragons, The Story of Dr, Sun Yat Sen and Message Me, an exhibit which explores the development of communication from picture language to the latest technology.

The Singapore Philatelic Museum is a must-see destination for collectors, trivialist and philatelist. It is located at the corner of Coleman and Armenia street and is a few minutes walk from Orchard road. In Singapore, I noticed that young students are frequently brought out of their classroom into the field. Several of these youngsters were seen in the museums and botanical garden which we visited. I was watching some of the Singaporean teachers and they seem to be very firm and strict but easily smiled to me when I passed by. Near the Museum you can also see an old Armenian church, the Bible House and the Perenakan Museum.

Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area- World Heritage Site

A spectacular area stretching over more than 26,000 ha in China's Hunan Province, the site is dominated by more than 3,000 narrow sandstone pillars and peaks, many over 200 m high. Between the peaks lie ravines and gorges with streams, pools and waterfalls, some 40 caves, and two large natural bridges. In addition to the striking beauty of the landscape, the region is also noted for the fact that it is home to a number of endangered plant and animal species.

The site lies in the Wulingyuan District of the city of Dayong and covers the entire drainage basin of the Suoxi Brook, which winds for 69 km through the site. The most notable feature, dominating about two-thirds of the site, are more than 3,000 quartzite sandstone pillars and peaks. Between the peaks are numerous ravines and gorges, many containing attractive streams, pools and waterfalls. The site also contains a number of karst features, notably some 40 caves which are concentrated on the banks of the Suoxiyu River and the south-east side of Tianzi Mountain. Huanglong or Yellow Dragon Cave is said to be one of the 10 largest caves in China. Spectacular calcite deposits are a major feature of many of these caves.

There are two spectacular natural bridges in the area: Xianrenqias (Bridge of the Immortals) and Tianqiashengkong (Bridge Across the Sky). It lies 357 m above the valley floor and may be the highest natural bridge in the world. The site is popularly known to have '800 brooks and streams' but in reality, there are far less, perhaps 60. Many drain into the Suoxi River which runs through the center of the site. One of the side branches of this river has been dammed at one point, creating Baojeng Lake. This lake has been created for water supply, flood control and to enhance the habitat for the Chinese giant salamander as well as for recreation.

Gion- Kyoto's Geisha District

Before we visited the Yasaka shrine, we passed by a a very old district in Kyoto- the Gion District. Our young guide told us that the movie "Memoirs of a Geisha" was filmed here. Originally developed in the Middle Ages, the district was built to accommodate the needs of travelers and visitors to the shrine. It eventually evolved to become one of the most exclusive and well-known geisha districts in all of Japan. The geisha in the Gion district do not refer to themselves as geisha; instead, Gion geisha use the local term geiko. While the term geisha means "artist" or "person of the arts", the more direct term geiko means essentially "a child of the arts" or "a woman of art".

This neighborhood in Kyoto has two hanamachi (geiko communities): Gion Kōbu and Gion Higashi. Despite the considerable decline in the number of geisha in Gion in the last one hundred years, it is still famous for the preservation of forms of traditional architecture and entertainment. Part of this district has been declared a national historical preservation district. Recently, the City of Kyoto completed a project to restore the streets of Gion, which included such plans as moving all overhead utilities underground as part of the ongoing effort to preserve the original beauty of Gion.

Gion remains dotted with old-style Japanese houses called machiya, which roughly translated means "townhouse", some of which are ochaya or "tea houses". These are traditional establishments where the patrons of Gion—from the samurai of old to modern-day businessmen—have been entertained by geiko and geisha in an exclusive manner for centuries.

Inside the ochaya is a private and closed world where the evening's entertainment may include cocktails, conversation, and games as well as traditional Japanese music, singing and dancing. To this day, geiko and maiko (geisha in training) in full regalia can still be seen in the evenings as they move about through the streets of Gion to and from their various engagements at the ochaya. They dance and sing and they entertain for everyone.

There is a popular misconception that Gion was a red-light district. It was a geisha district, and as geisha are entertainers, not prostitutes, Gion is not, and never was, a red-light district. Shimabara was Kyoto's red-light district. The geiko of Gion still maintain the annual dances, the most popular being the Miyako Odori, "Cherry Blossom Dances" or "Dances of the Old Capital", staged by the geisha of Gion Kōbu. The dances run from April 1 through April 30 each year during the height of the cherry blossom (sakura) season. Spectators from Japan and worldwide attend the events, which range from "cheap" seats on tatami mats on the floor (approximately US$15.00), to reserved seats with a small tea ceremony beforehand (approximately US$40.00).

Taiwan's Yehliu Geopark on Stamps

Yehliu is a cape on the north coast of Taiwan in the town of Wanli between Taipei and Keelung. The cape, known by geologists as the Yehliu Promontory, forms part of the Taliao Miocene Formation. It stretches approximately 1,700 meters into the ocean and was formed as geological forces pushed Datun Mountain out of the sea.

A distinctive feature of the cape is the hoodoo stones that dot its surface. These shapes can be viewed at the Yehliu Geopark operated by the North Coast and Guanyinshan National Scenic Area Administration. A number of rock formations have been given imaginative names based on their shapes. The most well-known is the "The Queen's Head", an iconic image in Taiwan and an unofficial emblem for the town of Wanli. Other formations include "The Fairy Shoe", "The Bee Hive", "The Ginger Rocks" and "The Sea Candles."

Admission is 50NT$ and is open from 8am to 5pm daily. To go there: From Taipei City, take a Kuo Kuang Hao bus bound for Jinshan from the Zhongxiao-Fuxing MRT station 9 exit 2.From Tamshui, take the express bus bound for Jinshan at Tamshui Station (near Tamshui MRT station). From Keelung, take the express bus bound for Jinshan or Tamshui at Keelung Station (near Keelung Railway Station).

The sheet above features the beauty of the Yehliu Geopark. This is a special set which can only be availed at the park.

Dr. Sun Yat Sen, Taiwan Anthem Writer

Sun Yat-sen (12 November 1866 – 12 March 1925) was a Chinese revolutionary and president. As the foremost pioneer of Nationalist China, Sun is referred to as the "Father of the Nation" in the Republic of China (ROC), and the "forerunner of democratic revolution" in the People's Republic of China. Sun played an instrumental role in the overthrow of the Qing dynasty during the Xinhai Revolution. Sun was the first provisional president when the Republic of China was founded in 1912 and later co-founded the Kuomintang (KMT), serving as its first leader. Sun was a uniting figure in post-Imperial China, and remains unique among 20th century Chinese politicians for being widely revered amongst the people from both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

Although Sun is considered one of the greatest leaders of modern China, his political life was one of constant struggle and frequent exile. After the success of the revolution, he quickly fell out of power in the newly founded Republic of China, and led successive revolutionary governments as a challenge to the warlords who controlled much of the nation. Sun did not live to see his party consolidate its power over the country during the Northern Expedition. His party, which formed a fragile alliance with the Communists, split into two factions after his death. Sun's chief legacy resides in his developing of the political philosophy known as the Three Principles of the People: nationalism, democracy, and the people's livelihood.

Taiwan's National Anthem, often called "San Min Chu I" (pronounced "San Min Joo Ee"), from the first line of the anthem whose lyrics are taken from the text of a speech given by Dr. Sun Yat Sen, the first president of China at the opening ceremony of the Whampoa Military Academy. The music was composed by Cheng Mao-Yun. The anthem was first selected as the anthem for the entirety of China when controlled by the Kuomintang (1930-1949).

The National Banner Song of Taiwan (alternate anthem) click here.

Picture above taken at the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall with statue of the Hero at Taipei

Long jing Village, China- The Hometown of Tea

Longjing aka Longhong or Longqiu sits on the Fenghuangling mountain on the southwest of West Lake. The ancient Chinese believed that the dragon lives here so name it after Longjing. The famous Longjing tea of West Lake is produced in this village. In Ming and Qing era, the Longjing tea became famous because scholars and emperors highly regarded the tea. Qianlong emperor visited Longjing and adjudged its taste as one of Chinas's best. Longjing is interlinked with the sea and the dragon lives in the sea so we call Longjing. Longjing's water is also very strange, for when stirring it. a line which separates the water appears on the surface like a swinging gossamer, then quickly disappears. Its spring water is clean and sweet. Longjing, Hupao and Yu spring are called the three famous springs of West lake.

The souvenir sheet above features the West Lake in Hangzhou issued by China in 1989.

Rota- Anthem of the Polish National-Territorial Region

The Polish National-Territorial Region (Polish: Polski Kraj Narodowo-Terytorialny) was an autonomous region in Lithuania, self-proclaimed by the local Poles on 6 September 1990. The region included areas surrounding Vilnius, capital of Lithuania, where Poles formed the majority (60–90%). This Eastern part of Lithuania had been part of Poland (from 1922) before being attached to Lithuania under the Mutual Assistance Treaty with the Soviet Union in 1939.

The autonomy region with capital in Naujoji Vilnia included 4,930 km² and population of 215,000 (66% of them Poles). The Polish autonomous movement was related to the Yedinstvo movement and had tacit support from Moscow (thus, when following the Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania the Soviets applied a blockade against Lithuania, the areas of Eastern Lithuania with significant minority population were mostly spared of the blockade, with the aim of gaining minorities' support for Moscow). In the region, the Polish Red-and-White flags were used as official flag and Rota was used as an anthem in the region.

Rota's lyrics were written in 1908 by Maria Konopnicka. The music was composed two years later by Feliks Nowowiejski. Konopnicka's poem came into being as a protest against the German Empire's oppression and suppression of Polish culture in German-occupied western Poland — lands that from the late 18th century after the Partitions of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth to 1918 were under Prussian — and later, German — rule.

Rota was first sung publicly during a patriotic demonstration in Kraków on July 15, 1910, held to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Polish-Lithuanian victory over the Teutonic Knights at the Battle of Grunwald. The anthem quickly became popular across partitioned Poland. Until 1918, Rota served as the anthem of the Polish Scouting movement. After Poland regained independence in 1918, Rota, in 1927, found itself under consideration for a time as a possible Polish national anthem.

The Lithuanian government declared the formation of the Polish autonomous district in Lithuania unconstitutional. After the August Coup of the Soviet hardliners had failed, the Lithuanian parliament suspended on 3 September 1991 the democratically elected local councils that had sought autonomy or secession from Lithuania, thus abolishing the anthem.

Above is a FDC of the composer of Rota, Feliks Nowowiejski, issued by Poland in 2010

Naphtali Herz Imber, Israeli Anthem Lyricist

Naphtali Herz Imber was a Jewish poet and Zionist who wrote the lyrics of Hatikvah, the national anthem of the State of Israel.

Naphtali was born in Złoczów (now Zolochiv, Ukraine), a town in Galicia, Austrian Empire. He began writing poetry at the age of 10 and several years later received an award from Emperor Franz Joseph for a poem on the centenary of Bukovina's joining to the Austrian Empire. In his youth he traveled in Hungary, Serbia, and Romania.

In 1882 Imber moved to Palestine as a secretary of Sir Laurence Oliphant. In 1886 in Jerusalem he published his first book of poems entitled Morning Star. One of the book's poems was Tikvateinu ("Our Hope"); its very first version was written yet in 1877 in Iaşi, Romania. This poem soon became the lyrics of the Zionist anthem and later the Israeli national anthem Hatikvah.

In 1887 he returned to Europe and lived in London; then traveled again, visited India and finally moved to the Unites States in 1892. Imber made a mockery of the serious and had a sardonic vulgar wit. He also translated the Omar Khayyam into Hebrew. He died in New York in 1909 from the effects of chronic alcoholism; in 1953 was re-interred in Jerusalem.

Gastroenterology on Stamps 2

This is the second of the special series on Gastroenterology on stamps. Click here to see first series. Featured here are the first day cover of the 3rd Panhellinic Congress of Gastroenterology issued by Greece in 1974, three special covers from Romania issued in 1993 for the National Symposium of Gastroenterology and Digestive Endoscopy, which had a special cancel and postmark and a Gastroenterology Week- Protection against AIDS stamp issued by Greece in 1992.

In this connection, the PSDE Commander General, Dr. Jonathan Sandejas is encouraging and inviting all gastroenterologist to join the 2011 Live Endoscopy Boot Camp and Workshop at NKI on August 17-19. Several GI topics will be tackled and "Meet the Masters" session is back. Three international faculties from Singapore, India and Thailand will share their expertise. Hope to see you there.

The Official Anthem of the Free State of Bavaria in FDC

The Bayernhymne (Hymn of Bavaria) is the official anthem of the Free State of Bavaria.

The melody of the song was written by Max Kunz in 1835. The text for the original first three stanzas was written by Michael Öchsner. Both men were members of the Bürger-Sänger-Zunft München (Citizen-Singers-Guild Munich), that first performed the song on December 15, 1860. In 1946, the poet Joseph Maria Lutz wrote a new third stanza as a replacement for the 'Königsstrophe' (King's Stanza), since after the abdication of King Ludwig III in 1918, Bavaria has been without a king. He also replaced the 'Deutsche Erde' (German earth) in the first stanza with 'Heimaterde' (native soil).

In 1946, it was also officially recognized as the national anthem of Bavaria, and on July 29, 1966, the then prime minister of Bavaria, Alfons Goppel, chose the version written by Joseph Maria Lutz to be the official version. In 1980, the Bavarian minister-president Franz Josef Straub, changed the official version to contain just the first two stanzas and switched 'Heimaterde' back to 'Deutsche Erde'.

The song, like most national anthems, contains many symbolic representations, including repeated allusions to the colors white and blue, Bavaria's national colors, especially describing Bavaria's Himmel, which can refer to both sky and heaven.

The First Day Cover above features Max Kunz, the composer of the Bavarian Hymn issued by Germany in 2010, the 150th Anniversary.

A Unique Rizal Stamp

I have several Jose Rizal stamps in my collection, but the 1941 apple-hued 2c Commonwealth Regular is one of a kind. This stamp features the young Rizal as rendered by the New York photographer Elaine Rawlinson. The image on this stamp was copied from a menu card which won a stamp design contest sponsored by the Asociacion Filateleca de Filipinas. The stamp cause quite a stir among keen philatelist who noticed that Rizal's hair was parted on the right instead of the usual left! This is the only Rizal stamp which portrays his hair as such.

This stamp also became the first stamp of a series of postage stamps bearing the inscription "United States of America- Commonwealth of the Philippines". This replaced the the 1935 Commonwealth overprint series and as the last of the pre-war issues.

I acquired a few of the stamps bearing this inscription and these include the 1906 Jose Rizal PI-USA stamp- the first Jose Rizal stamp ever issued and the first stamp featuring a Filipino, the 1935 Pictorial Stamp 2 c Red Rizal Issue, the 1936 75th Birth Anniversary Issue, and the 2c sepia 1946 Rizal Regular and Official Issue released on May 28, 1946. This stamp was the last stamp released by the American Administrations Commonwealth because on July 4 of that same year, the Republic of the Philippines was born.

The Ancient Culture Street of Tianjin

The Tianjin Ancient Culture Street dates back 600 years ago. It stands in the key section in upstream Haihe River, which is located in Nankai district of Tianjin. Covering an area of 224,200 sq meters, it used to be one of earliest water transport docklands in Tianjin, one of the busiest cities of commerce and trade in ancient China. As a cultural precinct, Tianjin Ancient Culture Street is well known by the local and overseas tourists alike.

As the result of the Tian Hou Temple expansions, and renovations of the Yu Huang Ge and Haihe Lou building, this street, with its fine landscape and distinctive architectural style, has been a flourishing cultural and tourist area.

Standing at the center of Tianjin Ancient Cultural Street, Tianhou Palace, originally built in 1326, is one of only three Mazu (Goddess of the Sea) Temples in the world (the other two are Fujian Mazu Temple and Beigang Chaotian Temple on Taiwan Island). Tianhou Palace is now the Folk-custom Museum of Tianjin and displays many folk crafts and cultural relics of ancient times. Yuhuang Cabinet is the only building that was built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) in Tianjin, and is the oldest structure in the street. From the top of the two-floor Cabinet, visitors have a bird's-eye view of the whole street. Another building, Tong Qingli (ancient residential houses), built in 1913 and lying to the east of the cultural street, is the largest architectural edifice that combines both eastern and western architectural elements.

Looking closely, visitors will note that buildings along the street are all built with 'blue bricks', and that the doors and windows have colorful paintings drawn upon them. These paintings range from stories of legendary and historical figures to flowers and birds. Some retell stories contained in Chinese classical novels, such as The Dream of a Red Mansion (one the four Chinese classical novels) and Song of Eternal Sorrow, which is a story about the Empress Yang Kwei Fei in the Tang Dynasty (618-907).

Visitors who are interested in Chinese traditional handicrafts will also appreciate another Tianjin Ancient Cultural Street attraction - the hundreds of stores selling a wide variety of folk handicrafts. These include the famous Yang Liuqing New Year Paintings and Niren Zhang Painted Sculptures. Visitors who are fond of Chinese curios, such as jade items, cloisonné and potteries, will also be able to find many examples of these for sale here. The street is also a favorite place to sample the delicious Tianjin local snacks. The local delicacies include Goubuli Steamed Dumplings, Erduoyan (the Ear-hole Lane) Fried Glutinous Cakes and tea soup.

Tianjin Ancient Cultural Street is designed as a place for tourists to experience Chinese folk custom, and as such, contains examples of nearly all the Tianjin local culture in one place. For an added experience, when visiting the street on March 23rd (lunar calendar), visitors will be lucky enough to find the Huanghui Fair, which is held annually on this date. During the Fair you will see performances of stilt walking, dragon lantern, land boat and lion dances.

The set of 4 stamps above features Tianjin sculptures issued in 1996.

Dr. Jose Rizal @ 150 on Stamps

In line with 150th birth centenary of our National Hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, several tourism and philatelic related activities are ongoing. The Department of Tourism (DoT) opened the "Lakbay Jose Rizal @ 150," a year-long tour that allows tourists to retrace the national hero's steps by visiting as many as 27 Rizal sites in the country. Participants will be given "Lakbay passports" and a special stamp for every Rizal site they visit.

The National Historical Commission of the Philippines, in partnership with the Philippine Postal Corporation, also held a stamp design contest entitled “150TH BIRTH ANNIVERSARY OF JOSE RIZAL STAMP DESIGN CONTEST” with the theme Rizal: Haligi ng Bayan. The contest was participated by students, amateurs and professionals and judging was held last March 1, 2011 at the NHCP Building. Dir. Jeremy Barns of the National Museum; Dr. Ngo Tiong Tak from Philippine Postal Corporation, Mr. Danilo Pangan from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and Mr. Fidel Sarmiento from the Art Association of the Philippines, served as judges.

The Philippine Postal Corporation, meanwhile, is issuing commemorative stamps and souvenir sheets that honor Rizal. The postal service is also hosting an exhibit of Rizaliana stamps and other memorabilia at the Manila Central Post Office lobby at the Liwasang Bonifacio. The exhibit will run until the 30th of June. Stamps Clubs and Philatelic Societies all aver the country are also exhibiting their Rizal stamp collections.

Cebu City is one of the 27 historic Rizal sites included in the Lakbay Rizal @150. The S.S. España docked in Cebu on August 2, 1896 for a routine one-day stop over. After breakfast on board, Commander Carcinero took Rizal under custody to the Spanish Military Commander of Cebu, Gen. Adulfo Montero in the Military Headquarters located in Fort San Pedro.

Currently some items from the USP Rizal Museum are on exhibit at the the 2nd Floor, Ayala Center in Cebu. These include the original woolen coat and camisa chino shirts worn by the National Hero.

Above is the block of stamps of Rizal issued for his 150th Birth Anniversary in 2011. Below is my Lakbay Rizal Passport stamped during my visit to Fort San Pedro.

50th Anniversary of the Swiss National Anthem on Stamp

Until the end of the 19th century, there was no Swiss national anthem. The German-language patriotic song Rufst du, mein Vaterland, composed in 1811 by Johann Rudolf Wyss (1743–1818), was the first national anthem, used until 1961. The Swiss Psalm was composed in 1841 by Alberich Zwyssig (1808–1854), with lyrics by Leonhard Widmer (1809–1867). Since then it has been frequently suggested it be adopted as the official anthem, but the Swiss Federal Government has refused several times, wishing to let the people decide what they want to sing on political and military occasions.

The setting of the hymn to the British tune of God Save the Queen led to embarrassing situations when both countries' anthems were played. Therefore it was replaced with another tune in 1961. After a trial period of three years the Swiss tune was adopted indefinitely in 1965. The statute could not be challenged until ten years later but did not totally exclude the possibility of an ultimate change. A competition was set up in 1979 to search for a successor to the anthem. Despite many submissions, none of the others seemed to express the Swiss sentiment.

The Swiss anthem finally got its definitive statutory status in April 1981, the Federal Council maintaining that it was purely a Swiss song suitably dignified and solemn.

The block of 4 stamps above features the Cross (emblem in Swiss flag) with the titles of the anthem in the official languages issued on 2011, the 50th year anniversary.

The Malacca Stamp Museum

Malacca's rich cultural history makes it a haven of museums. One of the several museums located here is the The Malacca Stamp Museum (Muzium Setem Melaka) was formerly the Melaka State Museum. It is also known as the "Sekolah Gambar". Originally, it was used as the residence for Dutch dignitaries living in Malacca. On March 19, 1954, G.E. Wisdom, the resident commissioner of Melaka converted this building into a state museum. However in 1982, the museum was moved to the Stradthuys. Now it houses the Melaka Stamp Museum. The Department of Museums and Antiquity has gazetted it as an ancient monument according to section 15 of the Antiquities Act.

The museum showcases various stamps, first day covers, philatelic products and bank notes. The museum opens daily from 9am to 5 pm except Mondays and during Friday lunchtime (12 noon-2:45 pm). It is presently located at the St. Paul's Hill, in between the Islamic Museum and Umno Museum. Admission is 1 Ringgit.

Forbidden City on Stamp

The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. It is located in the middle of Beijing, China, and now houses the Palace Museum. For almost five hundred years, it served as the home of emperors and their households, as well as the ceremonial and political center of Chinese government.

Built in 1406 to 1420, the complex consists of 980 buildings with 8,707 bays of rooms and covers 720,000 m2 (7,800,000 sq ft). The palace complex exemplifies traditional Chinese palatial architecture, and has influenced cultural and architectural developments in East Asia and elsewhere. The Forbidden City was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987, and is listed by UNESCO as the largest collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world.

Since 1925, the Forbidden City has been under the charge of the Palace Museum, whose extensive collection of artwork and artifacts were built upon the imperial collections of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Part of the museum's former collection is now located in the National Palace Museum in Taipei. Both museums descend from the same institution, but were split after the Chinese Civil War.

The stamp above features the Forbidden City issued in 1954.

Tiananmen Square on Stamp

Tiananmen Square is the largest city square in the world measuring 440,000 m² - 880m by 500m. It is located in the center of China's capital, Beijing, and named after the Tiananmen Gate, also called the Gate of Purification. This gate separates the Forbidden City from the Tiananmen Square. It has great cultural significance as it was the site of several important events in Chinese history. Outside China, the square is best known in recent memory as the focal point of the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, a pro-democracy movement which ended on 4 June 1989 with the declaration of martial law in Beijing by the government and the death of hundreds, perhaps more, of protesters. When I visited Beijing, the Chinese nationals were not aware of the said massacre because media was banned from covering the event.

Used as a massive meeting place since its creation, its flatness is contrasted by the 38-meter (125 ft) high Monument to the People's Heroes, and the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong. The square lies between two ancient, massive gates: the Tian'anmen to the north and the Zhengyangmen, better known as Qianmen to the south. Along the west side of the Square is the Great Hall of the People. Along the east side is the National Museum of China (dedicated to Chinese history predating 1919). Chang'an Avenue, which is used for parades, lies between the Tian'anmen and the Square. Trees line the east and west edges of the Square, but the square itself is open, with neither trees nor benches. The Square is lit with large lampposts which are fitted with video cameras. It is heavily monitored by uniformed and plain clothes policemen.

The souvenir sheet above features the flags of China and Tiananman Square issued in 2009.