On The Road Again - Eye To Eye With The Local Postal Authority

Well, we are across the pass, so we are back to the "Grande Nation" (France on France). And true, it is beautiful there.

Here are a few stamps in honour of the Pyrenees. To those who complain, that I have already shown in my contribution from 16.04.26 bears and chamois, to them I say, that that this is right but the now depicted ones in contrast just happen to speak French.



But now, let us roll down the mountains softly and while we are at it, have a look on something that might attract our attention: women, women, women.

There are (in contrast to Germany – there I could only think of the Germania-issues and the women of achievement-issue from the 1990ies) a lot of women displayed on definites, and that not at the end of their life-achievements, but in the midst of their life and not hiding attractivity, though of course designed according to the contemporary taste. So, the French are neither afraid of sensibility nor to arouse attention. I predict, we are going to see some specimen in my coming contributions.

To prove my point, I first take to older material (always a good way to appeal to those as well, who feel overstrained by the modern). A Ceres (Roman goddess of fertility) from 1870.



As a reminder: the French emperor had gambled in 1870 and lost and consequently was replaced by the republic. And they have decided for this allegory or have remembered themselves of the design which had been used some previous years before.

But now we have arrived at the mediterranean shoreline, in Perpignian - which by the above quoted Pyrenee-treaty, which was in fact a deed of annexation, as part of the Northern Catalonian area, came to France. Unfortunately, my quarters were – though provided with an awe-inspiring name – shallow (…by the way we currently have no warm water, so my patronne told me, but only after she had sold me the room and I had taken a shower – so, I was able to confirm her). Visit of the historic center, which seemed to be fully arabicised at the time, and I also strolled past the King of Mallorca's palace.

Time to visit the post office I had as well. Larger towns in France have special postmarks at hand, which are employed on demand. When you are there, simply ask for it – if you know more about it, i.e. about a register in which cities they are all on hand, please let us know. From a visit this year to France I am able to report they are still in use.

And look you here, a Perpignan-stamp I found in my luggage as well. Thus, I could greet friends so



And we can already see a few Mariannes on the item (de Luquet, Eva Luquet was the designer of this issue which ran from 1997 to 2005) used as stamps to supplement to the required amount of EUR 0,46 in total.

Mariannes that are the attractive revolutionaries by profession from France (a highly esteemed allegory of the republican France).

As stamp collectors are a bunch of weirdos, some will probably roll their eyes in annoyance and ask themselves the only question that really matters to them regarding the entire article: namely, whether these are the version with of without the phosphor stripe.

If I were to advise you, to take now your test lamp up to the screen, you would maybe (and rightly so) feel like I was pulling your leg. Also, I don't have the original (it was just temporarily given to me from the recipient).

That bothered me, so I started thinking how I could solve the riddle. And then my longtime memory advised me to have a look at my stock for postage (which must always keep ready on demand to accompany me, should they be called on for a mission in their country of origin). Hadn't I had bought a full sheet by the time, I wondered? If so, there should be a few remaining. And so it is, it is the version with the phosphor stripe.