Hello From The Netherlands

Hi everyone,

Martin here, from Eindhoven in the Netherlands. Happy to have found this site after coming back to the stamp collecting lifestyle after roughly 15 years of inactivity in that area.
Still have a lot of catching up to do, and hope to get some help when I need it most from you nice people.
And who knows, maybe I can give some advice myself here or there.

Oh, and my collection is mainly centered around Germany. More specifically German Reich (i.e. old Germany) and both West Germany and unified Germany. Besides that I have soft spots for stamps from Malawi (long story), Tuvalu (even longer story) and Iceland (very short story).

Welcome Tinus_NL!



TUVALU?

That is me! I collect Tuvalu! Lots of Tuvalu info here, just ask Rod!

TUVALU MO TE ATUA

Tell us your Tuvalu story.

Welcome Aboard!
I also collect Germany(to 1947), German States & Occupations, etc. As well as All US Revenues and Tax Paids.

Welcome Martin!

I also collect Iceland. Do you collect new or old stamps? And the very short story?

Thanks for the friendly welcome all!

The short story for Andrew: it's old and new for me. I've visited Iceland on two occasions in the late 90's. They were my first 'adventurous' travels, and the country therefore has hit a spot with me.

Rod, you sure you want to hear the Tuvalu story? If you're a Tuvalu collector it might make you jealous (unless you've had the same experience of course).
I'll try to keep it short. Two years ago I traveled across the Pacific and we managed to also end up on Tuvalu! We discovered the island a bit, but I lost interest of the surroundings when I saw this sign outside of a small building:



I nearly busted down the door in my excitement.
Since Tuvalu doesn't get tourists, the people there were surprised to say the least to see they had a customer. Bought some stamps and sheets, and they gave away some as well because they were so happy they got to sell something to a real person. The stamps there were kept in a way most of us probably use when sorting. Imagine some really long tables with tons of Tuvalu stamps everywhere you look. So many in fact, that you have to walk really slowly between the tables in order not to make wind...

Welcome Martin

Great story and yes I am Jealous. I collect worldwide and yes I agree it seems like an impossible task but I can't help myself I just love stamps.

Dianne

Welcome Martin!
Sounds like my kind of stamp store. Wish we had one here in South Carolina.

Welcome to the Forum!
You can see you are among friends already

Hi Martin, Welcome to the forum ! we will be in Holland in 3 weeks..Baarn, Hook of Holland and who knows the whole country probably..my wife has not been "home" in 7 years..time to meet the relatives..well perhaps they can pick us up at the airport at least !

Always a good reason to start collecting a country. It's also the reasons why I collect the Netherlands and Sweden. A few other Scandinavian countries tagged along when I started collecting Sweden.

I spent almost 5 months in the Netherlands on and off 2 years ago for a project at work. Lovely country. Had to spend many weekends there and with your wonderful train system I managed to see as far north as Alkmaar (was in Weesp, near Amsterdam) and as far south as Rotterdam, with Den Haag, Delft, Utrecht, Hilversum, Haarlem, Zaandvoort, and a bike ride south of Amsterdam in the middle.

Tinus,
Welcome to our friendly community, among other collections I start Iceland collection. I bought allot of stamps of that country and that will keep me busy for a while. I collect Greenland too.

I visit your country in 1984, bicycling most of it. I liked Texel island very much and also a dutch girl with a french name, Jacqueline, from Gouda.
Daniel

Martin,

Welcome aboard. It seems there are several of us who returned to the collecting fold after an extended absence (25 or so years in my case).

I've been primarily US-centric until now but am starting to broaden my horizon.

No Iceland, Malawi or Tuvalu, but I do have an overstuffed envelope marked "Germany" that has been waiting for my attention. I'll be sure to take you up on your offer of advice if I need help with identification!

Steve

Thanks again to everyone welcoming me.

As to the people who've been or coming to my little country, I can't help but notice you stay/have stayed in the western part of it. Not to say that isn't interesting, but when you have the chance, also visit the province of Brabant. The old cities of Breda and Den Bosch are very worthwhile, and very near Eindhoven we have the birthplace of Vincent van Gogh, the small village of Nuenen, and a very nice War Museum in the village of Overloon.
Eindhoven is the biggest city (but not a very beautiful one unfortunately), best known for Philips Electronics and being the birthplace of Rik Smits (former Pacers player) and Jan DeBont (director). And just this weekend we've had the festivities surrounding the liberation of the city by the 101st Airborne on September 18th, 1944 (as seen in an episode of Band of Brothers). Ok, rant over...

Edit: Steve, if you do need help just let me know. Happy to be of assistance.

Martin, you guys still remember Rik Smits ? he played for Marist college right down the road from us !!

I remember him for sure, especially since we went to the same high school, right before he took off for the States. We were never in the same class though, although I think I had one or two classes with his sister. Besides, a guy from Eindhoven making it in the NBA was big news over here, and it sparked serious interest in basketball overall.