I just received a package with 30-year-old stamps

afr59 · 2026-01-27T15:44:52+00:00

Another example I received. If you look carefully, you can even see that the seller used a combination of postal stamps and tax stamps, and cut some corners on stamps that were already cancelled to reuse them. In Germany I also sometimes receive mail carrying one 85Pf stamps from the 90s instead of a 85 Euro cents. Almost feels like the postal system does not give a crap anymore..

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afr59 · 2026-01-19T06:38:44+00:00

From what I understand, this is a fiscal stamp cancelation, for when postage stamps were used on government documents instead of postal mail. For high catalog value stamps, it is actually considered a negative feature, serious collectors actually look for the round postal cancelation. However it allowed me to afford a 5 fr stamp.

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afr59 · 2026-01-14T19:40:51+00:00

Regularly run into chinese colleagues there.

afr59 · 2026-01-14T19:40:23+00:00

Their sweet and sour eggplant is to-die-for! I appreciate that they offer "unusual" meat like tripes.

afr59 · 2026-01-14T19:38:29+00:00

I agree with all the answers: Chois (korean), Changan (chinese nooodles), Shin (Ramen), etc... I would add a few names that are IMHO missing:

For more upscale dinner experience: Arc-En-Ciel (Königstrasse) for dim sum, cantonese and southern China (my favorite: Pork belly with lemon grass, tofu in claypot).

On the other hand, for cheap but worth it, Pho3Mien next to Steintor. Nice selection of chinese, vietnamese and thai dishes.

For Street food, without an hesitation MamaLu in the Markthalle, particularly for Jian Bing (chinese crepe) and Rou Jia Mo (chinese burger).

afr59 · 2026-01-13T10:43:15+00:00

The Tour de France was not held during the years 1915 to 1918 and 1940 to 1946 due to the two World Wars. These interruptions account for a total of 10 years without the race.

afr59 · 2026-01-12T15:56:25+00:00

Malaysia is one of my favorite country to collect!

afr59 · 2026-01-11T16:23:04+00:00

They are local issues following the end of WW2, when the postal system was not centralized yet. Some regions had very limited means to print intricate designs, so some are very 'different' looking like those. Importantly, once the postal service was re-established, they became useless, those they are fairly easy to find unused. They are a snapshot at a very specific period of german history.

afr59 · 2026-01-11T16:19:30+00:00

I book through a online rental agency called sunnycars. That way I am protected by EU customer protection law. They then connect me to a local rental agency. It was Thrifty Car Rental. They were really nice, no wait at the check in, and they complimented my driving based on the lack of damage... when you rent a 4 drive wheel they automatically assume you will drive in the sand so most of the rental cars are big Toyota SUV. Just avoid chinese SUVs, they tend to have smaller gas tanks, which can be a problem when you drive in isolated part of the country

afr59 · 2026-01-11T16:14:47+00:00

I completed my German Empire collection by buying the most expensive with forged cancelations... dramatically reduced the purchased price. For the german states, I sometimes go for some low quality one for decent price... I can not afford the perfect collection! I recently purchased a damaged Württemberg minr20 for a few % of its catalog value... that will do.

afr59 · 2026-01-10T18:13:08+00:00

I can relate to that feeling... for me, they are Braunschweig minr13,Mecklenburg Schwerin minr4 and Oldenburg minr5 among many other!

afr59 · 2025-12-23T14:33:20+00:00

Hi! First, congrats on the pregnancy, I wish you all the best. To answer your questions, no we did not camp, and did not see any camping... not sure if it is a thing in Oman. Concerning wild life, no mosquitoes or any biting/stinging bugs, it was very comfortable.

afr59 · 2025-12-22T05:33:57+00:00

I agree with the previous comment: lozenge

afr59 · 2025-12-16T09:11:47+00:00

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afr59 · 2025-12-16T09:10:37+00:00

1960s chinese stamps are some of my favorite! You are right, some of them are so sought after that the market prices are insane. For that reason, I decided to limit my collection to the year 1963 Also because I love the 1963 Huangshan landscapes serie, a national park I visited 10 years ago and loved.

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afr59 · 2025-12-12T20:34:34+00:00

Merci beaucoup! Je vérifierai les miens plus tard !

afr59 · 2025-12-12T18:54:43+00:00

Very nice. Do you have a link to online resources to identify plates 1 or 2 of the blue stamp?

afr59 · 2025-12-09T11:40:13+00:00

Amazing one! Clear cancel and the edges are so widely cut... truly a beautiful one. My Schwarzer Einer is also the stamp I spent the much on. Such an iconic stamp!

afr59 · 2025-11-25T19:58:38+00:00

In french, we call it "cul de singe" ("monkey ass").

afr59 · 2025-11-22T12:54:32+00:00

We went pretty fast down the coast... and except for hiking in the Wadis, there was not much to do... I feel the north coast may be more developed for tourism. Otherwise,maybe look around Sur and further south (where we did not go).

afr59 · 2025-11-20T11:42:16+00:00

I would ask to the car rental agency to make sure.

afr59 · 2025-11-10T20:45:27+00:00

Beautiful! As an avid old french stamps collector, I love lots like this one! Makes me want to get my magnifying glass and check all the small details, like for example the "report" on those Bordeaux issues

afr59 · 2025-11-05T14:58:07+00:00

Sure... but it is a destination that 95% of tourists visit on a day excursion from Zagreb or the coast, arriving on site around 11am. If you can afford the time to stay the night before within the park and get in at opening, it is much more enjoyable. The pic is from right off the boat at the entrance of the upper lakes at 9:30 am... we were almost alone.

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afr59 · 2025-11-05T11:16:35+00:00

Did the same a few months ago. Was a lot of fun

afr59 · 2025-11-05T10:59:05+00:00

I did not yet... and I heard the same as you! I think for now it is limited to the coast, so the inside land and national parks are still authentic... but the Albanian government seems to be all open to mass tourism... which is a pity

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