#49: First postcard from Cocos (Keeling) Islands

West Island Beach

Commemorative and beach stamps

Received from Deborah from Australia.

The Cocos (Keeling) Islands are southwest of Christmas Island and approximately midway between Australia and Sri Lanka.

#127: Fifth postcard from New Caledonia

The Loyalty Islands 

Sealife, landscape and handshake stamps

Received from Arlène from Nouméa.

The New Caledonian crow is renowned for its intelligence.

#127: Fourth postcard from New Caledonia

Windsurfing

Sea life and Melanesian Art Festival stamps

Received from Arlène from Nouméa.

The Lapita people migrated to the New Caledonia region around 15,000 BC.

#127: Third postcard from New Caledonia

Views of New Caledonia

New banknotes of New Caledonia

Received from Arlène from Nouméa.

Nickel is a major New Caledonian export.

#72: Third postcard from Honduras

Roatan Island

Pope stamps

Received from Glenn from Airdrie, Canada. Please check out his blog here.

The orchid is the national flower of Honduras, while the Scarlet Macaw is its national bird.

#32: Second postcard from Norfolk Island

Views of Norfolk Island

People, Commemorative, fruit, art and shell stamps

Received from Jillian from Norfolk Island.

No vegetables can be imported to Norfolk Island due to government restrictions.

#91: First postcard from Western Sahara

Map of Morocco

Commemorative and Rabat stamps

Received from Radim from Olomouc, Czech Republic. Please check out his blog here.

Western Sahara is bordered by Morocco to the north, Algeria to the extreme northeast, Mauritania to the east and south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west.

#183: First postcard from the Solomon Islands

U.S. War Memorial at Skyline Ridge Guadalcanal

Commemorative, parrot, boat and butterfly stamps

Received from Rod from Riverwood, Australia. Please check out his blog here.

The Solomon Islands are east of Papua New Guinea and northwest of Vanuatu.

#127: Second postcard from New Caledonia

Ile de Pins

Beach-scape, fish and commemorative stamps

Received from Arlène from Nouméa.

New Caledonia holds an independence referendum this year (as does Old Caledonia).

#174: First postcard from Brunei

Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Foundation Complex

Commemorative stamp

Received from Michaël through the "Starring You" project. Check it out and participate to get nice cards like this from around the world.

Brunei is bordered by Malaysia.

#173: Second postcard from Mauritius

Beach and marine views

Commemorative stamp

Received from Samuel and Vivi from Rivière du Rempart.

Mauritius is the most densely populated country in Africa.

#173: First postcard from Mauritius

Beach view

Tea industry and HIV and AIDS awareness stamps

Received from Tasneem from Phoenix.

Mauritius is situated about 1,200 miles off the southeast coast of Africa.

#146: First postcard from Sinai (Asian Egypt)

Saint Catherine

World Post Day stamp

Received from David from Dublin, Ireland. Please check out David's amazing blog and adventures here.

Mexico has more pyramids than Egypt apparently.

#171: First postcard from Paraguay

Palace of the Lopez

Commemorative stamps

Received from Jimena from Misiones, Argentina.

Paraguay is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest.

#33: First postcard from Oregon

Mount Hood

People, commemorative flower and Yosemite stamps

Received from Francis from Portland. Please check out his blog here.

Oregon is bordered on its west by the Pacific Ocean, north by Washington, south by California, east by Idaho, and southeast by Nevada.

#142: Third postcard from Chile

Wiphala

Aviation and wood-carving stamps

Received from Hernán from Santiago. Please check out his blog here.

Chile has the lowest divorce rate globally.

#72: Third postcard from Honduras

Saint Lucia, near Tegucigalpa

Commemorative stamps

Received from Mervin from San Pedro Sula.

It is common to find blonde haired, blue eyed Hondurans living on the bay islands. They are direct descendents of the British Pirates that came here over 500 years ago.

#72: Second postcard from Honduras

The Copan ruins

Commemorative stamps

Received from Mervin from San Pedro Sula.

The five stars on the Honduran flag represent the five countries of Central America. With the middle star representing Honduras, as it is the only country that touches four other Central American countries.

#107: Third postcard from Madeira

Porto Santo

Commemorative stamp

Received from Anabela from Porto Santo.

The whaling scenes from Moby Dick where filmed in Canical, Madeira.

#163: Second postcard from Bosnia and Herzegovina (Hrvatska Pošta Mostar)

Views of Herzegovina

Label, commemorative, archaeology and heron stamps

Received from Zoran from Mostar. Please check out his blog here.

Bosnia and Herzegovina gained it's independence from Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia on March 1, 1992.