totoro

from Studio Ghibli  -  My Neighbour Totoro

Sunday Stamps - red

These gates guard the eight largest Chinatowns in Canada and this stamp shows the one in Mississauga, a city just west of Toronto. It was built in 1987 using only timber and no nails — only wooden studs — based on traditional Chinese building techniques. It is 43 feet tall. The stamp was designed by Albert Ng for the 2013 Gates of Chinatown series. The other gates are in Victoria, Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa.

For Sunday Stamps - the colour RED 

tiles

Sunday Stamps - Q

 

1972, Umm al-Qiwain, Masks of Africa

designer: Gyula Vasarhelyi

Most of the African masks in this set are rather scary or gruesome looking (as I imagine they are meant to be).  I could find no information on the masks as to where they originated, or why this theme was chosen. Umm al-Qiwain, or Quwain as it is sometimes spelt (or spelled), is one of the United Arab Emirates. It is the least populous within an area of around 300 square miles. The designer, Gyula (also known as Julian) Vasarhelyi is from Hungary and throughout his career as a freelance artist, designed  more than 7500 stamps in 650 countries.

for the letter Q - Umm al-Qiwain 

Sunday Stamps II - 112

1968, Rwanda
African National Costumes

Rwanda is a land locked country in the Great Lakes region of Central Eastern Africa and is in the southern and eastern hemisphere. Around 10 million people live there. These stamps from 1968 celebrate some of the national costumes. A mushanana is a traditional ceremonial dress for women and consists of a long, flowing skirt bunched at the hips and draped over one shoulder. Although it used to be worn for everyday wear, it is now more commonly seen on formal occasions such as weddings and funerals.

for the southern hemisphere