This is Not a Boat #8, PIRATES! - A Halloween Special

Happy Halloween!

Boat #175, Jersey - Devil's Night

Mischief on the high seas, befitting of the day...

Boat #176, Poland

Boat #177, Niue

Boat #178, Poland

Boat #179, Fiume

Anyone out there know anything about Fiume? Be honest. I didn't think so. I didn't either. Fiume was a tiny little country (11 square miles) with a short and bloody history, 1920-1924. Fiume was a port city-state on the Adriatic Sea, connected to Italy along its western border. Its territory is now part of modern day Croatia. Fiume was merely a blip on the ever changing map of Europe in the 20th century. But it'll always have a home here at 365 Boats.

This is Not a Boat #7, Gambia - And Thus Concludes Elephant Week

And thus concludes our first Elephant Week.

This is Not a Boat #6, Cameroon - Elephant Week (continued)

This is Not a Boat #5, South Africa - Elephant Week (continued)

This is Not a Boat #4, Poland - Elephant Week (continued)

This is Not a Boat #3, Burma - Elephant Week (continued)

This is Not a Boat #2, Angola - Elephant Week (continued)

This Is Not a Boat #1, Czechoslovakia - Announcing the Beginning of Elephant Week, and the Extension of the 365 Boats Countdown

When I first began the 365 Boats countdown I was anticipating an April 1st release date for Jonathan and the Big Blue Boat. Since then the release date has been pushed forward (or backward, depending on your point of view) to June 7, 2010. I know, I know, we're all a little disappointed. But I say, why not take advantage of a little extra time? I thought we'd use the extra days to highlight some great non-boat stamps, stamps with themes that pertain to Jonathan in other ways. Jonathan picks up a number of new friends on his voyage—a mountain goat, a whale, a yes, an elephant. So this week I thought we'd take some time out of our regularly scheduled boat countdown to focus on some of my favorite elephant stamps.

This one reminds me quite a bit of this illustration from Jonathan:

Boat #180, Paraguay

Boat #181, Canada

A very rare boat-themed air mail stamp...

Boat #182, Niue

Boat #183, Jersey

Boat #184, Greece

Boat(s) #185, Argentina - Columbus Day Afterglow

Boat #186, United States - COLUMBUS DAY!

I bought this block at the time of its printing back in 1992, the 500th anniversary of Columbus's "discovery" of the New World. It puts me in a nostalgic mood for the days a person could travel from Portugal to the West Indies for only 29 cents.

Boat #187, Spain - A Countdown Within A Countdown to Columbus Day (continued)

Happy Columbus Day Eve!

Boat #188, Spain - A Countdown Within A Countdown to Columbus Day (continued)

Boat #189, Spain - A Countdown Within A Countdown to Columbus Day (continued)

We'll be spending the next 3 days lingering over a few stamps from my all-time favorite stamp set.

Boat #190, San Marino - A Countdown Within A Countdown to Columbus Day (continued)

Rejoice, simple natives! Columbus is here! He's brought with him small pox and a fancy cross dressing first mate.

Boat #191, San Marino - A Countdown Within A Countdown to Columbus Day (continued)

Boat(s) #192, New Zealand - A Countdown Within A Countdown to Columbus Day (continued)

Boat #193, The Islamic Republic of Mauritania - A Countdown Within A Countdown to Columbus Day (continued)

Boats #194, Nicaragua - A Countdown Within A Countdown to Columbus Day (continued)

Today we have three boat stamps for the price of one—a nice set from Nicaragua.

Boat #195, Bulgaria - A Countdown Within A Countdown to Columbus Day (continued)

Boat #196, Dominican Republic - And Thus We Begin A Countdown Within A Countdown to Columbus Day

Starting today and ending on Columbus Day, October 11, I'll be featuring some of my favorite Columbus themed stamps. Enjoy!