The Bermuda Bathysphere

 

    

Diving, history and Bermuda, all in one gorgeous stamp. Read the extraordinary story of the Bermuda Bathysphere here. On researching this stamp I discovered that the bathysphere I saw at Bermuda Zoo when I was there in the 80s is a replica. The real one is in a New York Museum. See stamp collecting can be a downer. Still, a fantastic story.

Bill Beebe inside his bathysphere in Bermuda!

Hong Kong and a 130 year old virus plague

 

Here’s a virus themed post. Searching for a bit of Hong Kong history I chanced upon these fine Queen Victoria stamps, one of which was posted on December 19, 1894. Whilst sat at home on furlough from the horrible coronavirus outbreak I decided to find out what Hong Kong was like back when these stamps were used. Turns out they were going through a similar thing. This article explains and talks about how the plague can still be felt 130 years later.  

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/hong-kong-bubonic-plague-1894

It could be Sue!

Another crossover stamp. 1987 was our first trip to visit Geoff in Bermuda. We'd just sold our house in Mannings Close and bought our house in Copthorne. The whole transaction had been a bit more profitable than we expected so we had a bit of spare cash to splash on a holiday. I'd gone via New York, (my first ever flight on Virgin Atlantic), while a very nervous Sue took a direct flight with BA.

This stamp shows a BA Tristar approaching Bermuda over its turquoise seas. Exactly as Sue would have experienced it. Always a great part of a holiday. The meet up in arrivals wasn't so great!

Sue's boarding card (notice she sat in the smoking section) with a photo showing her with Geoff in the bar at Bermuda airport and a table full of 'green meanies'! 

Zambia

A stamp from Northern Rhodesia dated 1952 and featuring elephants and giraffe. Now known as Zambia it has become one of our favourite places on planet earth. The photo below was taken in the Luangwa Valley

Nudibranchs

The divers favourite. A nudibranch is an ornate sea slug like creature. There are over 2,000 known species so plenty to look for when diving in warm waters. Some great Nudibranch photos here - https://www.ranker.com/list/nudibranch-types/ranker-science 

Here's one I snapped at Sea Gypsy - 

Fred's stamp

This one is very special to me. 73 Sutherland Road, Thornton Heath, Croydon. My nan and grandads house. When I was a kid, I'm guessing about 7 years old, I was obsessed with this stamp in my grandads modest collection of about 30 stamps. I kept begging for him to give it to me. He never did! I suddenly remembered this precious moment in time from my childhood and went looking for the stamp that I loved so much.  Thank you the internet and thank you eBay for allowing me to find and buy a copy. 

Unscheduled stop

I couldn't resist this oddity. Quite why the Maldives issued a stamp featuring the Virgin Trains Pendolino is anyone's guess. I did attend the official launch of the Pendolino back in 2002 with Richard Branson and Pete Waterman! I also travelled on this magnificent machine on more than one occasion...