recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Swiss Army Knife

**Swiss Army Knife** is a region exclusive single stamp in SLOWLY. This can be purchased in the shop when you visit Switzerland.

## Information

The **Swiss Army knife** is a multi-tool pocketknife manufactured by Victorinox. The term "Swiss Army knife" was coined by American soldiers after World War II after they had trouble pronouncing the German word "Offiziersmesser", meaning "officer’s knife".

The Swiss Army knife generally has a main spearpoint blade plus other blades and tools such as screwdrivers, a can opener, a saw blade, a pair of scissors, and many others. These are stowed inside the handle of the knife through a pivot point mechanism. The handle is traditionally a red color, with either a Victorinox or Wenger "cross" logo or, for Swiss military issue knives, the coat of arms of Switzerland. Other colors, textures, and shapes have appeared over the years.

Originating in Ibach, Switzerland, the Swiss Army knife was first produced in 1891 when the Karl Elsener company, which later became Victorinox, won the contract to produce the Swiss Army's *Modell 1890* knife from the previous German manufacturer. In 1893, the Swiss cutlery company Paul Boéchat & Cie, which later became Wenger SA, received its first contract from the Swiss military to produce model 1890 knives; the two companies split the contract for provision of the knives from 1908 until Victorinox acquired Wenger in 2005. A cultural icon of Switzerland, both the design of the knife and its versatility have worldwide recognition. The term "Swiss Army knife" has acquired usage as a figure of speech indicating extreme utility applicable to more or less any scenario at hand.
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Text and image from Wikipedia.

## Method

This stamp could be purchased on the shop when you log into your account while inside the country.

You will keep it and be able to send to other penpals even after you return from your trip.
World Trade Center, Bahrain

**The Bahrain World Trade Center** is a location stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit **Bahrain**.

## Information

"***The Bahrain World Trade Center*** (also called Bahrain WTC or BWTC) is a 240-metre-high (787 ft), 50-floor, twin tower complex located in Manama, Bahrain. Designed by the multi-national architectural firm Atkins, construction on the towers was completed in 2008. It is the first skyscraper in the world to integrate wind turbines into its design. The wind turbines were developed, built and installed by the Danish company Norwin A/S.

The structure is constructed close to the King Faisal Highway, near popular landmarks such as the towers of Bahrain Financial Harbour (BFH), NBB and Abraj Al Lulu. It currently ranks as the second-tallest building in Bahrain, after the twin towers of the Bahrain Financial Harbour."

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Text and image from Wikipedia.

## Method

This stamp is unlocked by logging into your account while inside the country. Any other local stamps will also be unlocked at the same time.

You will keep it and be able to send to other penpals even after you return from your trip.
Youth and Sports Day, Turkey

**Gençlik ve Spor Bayramı** is a Limited edition stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit Turkey during this special day .

## Information

The **Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day** (Turkish: *Atatürk'ü Anma, Gençlik ve Spor Bayramı*), is an annual Turkish national holiday celebrated on May 19 to commemorate Mustafa Kemal's landing at Samsun on May 19, 1919, which is regarded as the beginning of the Turkish War of Independence in the official historiography.

The first "Gymnastics Festival" (*İdman Bayramı*) was held at the sport meadow of Kadıköy İttihad Sports (Union Club until 1915) by Erkek Muallim Mektebi (Teachers' College for Boys) with personal enterprise of Selim Sirri Bey (Tarcan), who was the Inspector of the Ministry of Education of the Ottoman Empire at the time. According to some sources, it was held on May 12, 1916, as to Faik Reşit Unat, in May 1916, as to Selim Sırrı Tarcan himself, on April 29, 1916. Selim Sirri Bey had brought a score of the Swedish folk music titled *Tre trallande jäntor* ("Three carolling girls") and collected by Felix Körling. This folk music became "Dağ Başını Duman Almış" marşı with Turkish lyrics written by Ali Ulvi Bey (Elöve) in 1917 and sung in this festival for the first time.

Fahrî Yâver-i Hazret-i Şehriyâri Mirliva Mustafa Kemal Pasha was assigned as the inspector of the Ninth Army Troops Inspectorate on April 30, 1919, tasked to oversee the disbanding the Ottoman Army required by the Treaty of Sèvres, and left Istanbul with his staff aboard steamer SS Bandırma for Samsun. After landing in Samsun on May 19, Mustafa Kemal started the Turkish National Movement in contravention to his orders, an act that would lead to the Turkish War of Independence and ultimately the proclamation of the Republic of Turkey in 1923.

Mustafa Kemal and his staff left Samsun on May 24 for transferring their headquarters to the village of Karageçmiş in Havza district. According to Hamza Eroğlu, they sang the march *Dağ Başını Duman Almış* while marching from Samsun to Havza, and according to Şevket Süreyya Aydemir, they also sang this song after leaving Havza to go to Amasya.

Text and image from Wikipedia.

## Method

This stamp is unlocked by logging into your account while inside the country during this special day. Any other local stamps will also be unlocked at the same time.

You will keep it and be able to send to other penpals even after you return from your trip.
St. Nicholas Day

**Saint Nicholas Day** is an exclusive single stamp in SLOWLY. This can be purchased in the shop when you visit some countries.

## Information

**Saint Nicholas Day**, also called the **Feast of Saint Nicholas**, observed on 5 December or on 6 December in Western Christian countries, and on 19 December in Eastern Christian countries using the old church Calendar, is the feast day of Saint Nicholas of Myra; it falls within the season of Advent. It is celebrated as a Christian festival with particular regard to Saint Nicholas' reputation as a bringer of gifts, as well as through the attendance of church services.

In the European countries of Germany and Poland, boys have traditionally dressed as bishops and begged alms for the poor. In Poland and Ukraine children wait for St. Nicholas to come and to put a present under their pillows provided that the children were good during the year. Children who behaved badly may expect to find a twig or a piece of coal under their pillows. In the Netherlands and Belgium children put out a shoe filled with hay and a carrot for Saint Nicholas' horse. On Saint Nicholas Day, gifts are tagged with personal humorous rhymes written by the sender. In the United States, one custom associated with Saint Nicholas Day is children leaving their shoes in the foyer on Saint Nicholas Eve in hope that Saint Nicholas will place some coins on the soles.

The American Santa Claus, as well as the British Father Christmas, derive from Saint Nicholas. "Santa Claus" is itself derived in part from the Dutch *Sinterklaas*, the saint's name in that language. However, the gift giving associated with these descendant figures is associated with Christmas Day rather than Saint Nicholas Day itself.

Text and image from Wikipedia.

## Method

This stamp could be purchased on the shop when you log into your account while inside the country.

You will keep it and be able to send to other penpals even after you return from your trip.
Tunisia

## Information

**Tunisia**, officially the **Republic of Tunisia**, is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a part of the Maghreb region of North Africa, and is bordered by Algeria to the west and southwest, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east; covering 163,610 km2 (63,170 sq mi), with a population of 11 million. It contains the eastern end of the Atlas Mountains and the northern reaches of the Sahara desert, with much of its remaining territory arable land.

Its 1,300 km (810 mi) of coastline include the African conjunction of the western and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Basin. Tunisia is home to Africa's northernmost point, Cape Angela; and its capital and largest city is Tunis, located on its northeastern coast, which lends the country its name. *Text and image from Wikipedia*.

## Country Stamps Gallery

*Additional Reference : Country stamps listing - SlowlyStamps.blogspot*
The Arch of Marcus Aurelius

**The Arch of Marcus Aurelius** is a location stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit **Libya**.

## Information

"***The Arch of Marcus Aurelius*** (Arabic: قوس ماركوس أوريليوس‎, romanized: Qaus Mārkūs Aurīliyūs) is a Roman triumphal arch in the city of Oea, modern Tripoli, Libya, where it is found near the northeastern entrance to the Medina.

It is a quadrifrons triumphal arch, surmounted by an unusual octagonal cupola, and was erected (entirely in marble) by Gaius Calpurnius Celsus, quinquennial duumvir of the city, to commemorate the victories of Lucius Verus, junior colleague and adoptive brother of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius, over the Parthians in the Roman–Parthian War of 161–66.

The monument was actually erected in 165, and cannot be dated later, because the Emperor is referred to with the title Armenicus, but not with the titles of Medicus and Parthicus, which were conferred on him in 166."

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Text and image from Wikipedia.

## Method

This stamp is unlocked by logging into your account while inside the country. Any other local stamps will also be unlocked at the same time.

You will keep it and be able to send to other penpals even after you return from your trip.
Vianden Castle

**Vianden Castle** is a location stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit **Luxembourg**.

## Information

"***The Vianden Castle*** (French: Château de Vianden, German: Burg Vianden Luxembourgish: Buerg Veianen), located in Vianden in the north of Luxembourg, is one of the largest fortified castles west of the Rhine. With origins dating from the 10th century, the castle was built in the Romanesque style from the 11th to 14th centuries.

Gothic transformations and trimmings were added at the end of this period. A Renaissance mansion was added in the 17th century but thereafter the castle was allowed to fall into ruins. It has, however, recently been fully restored and is open to visitors. "

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Text and image from Wikipedia.

## Method

This stamp is unlocked by logging into your account while inside the country. Any other local stamps will also be unlocked at the same time.

You will keep it and be able to send to other penpals even after you return from your trip.
Taza Pir Mosque

**Taza Pir Mosque** is a location stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit **Azerbaijan**.

## Information

"***The Taza Pir Mosque*** (also Tazapir, Teze Pir, Teze-Pir, Tezepir) is a mosque in Baku, Azerbaijan. Its construction began in 1905 and was finished by 1914. The idea for the mosque as well as its financing was provided by an Azeri philanthropist, a female, Nabat Khanum Ashurbeyov (Ashurbeyli).

Only 3 years after opening the mosque was closed in connection with the October Revolution in 1917. Over the years the mosque functioned as a cinema and a barn, and since 1943 to present day - as a mosque. "

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Text and image from Wikipedia.

## Method

This stamp is unlocked by logging into your account while inside the country. Any other local stamps will also be unlocked at the same time.

You will keep it and be able to send to other penpals even after you return from your trip.
The Red Poppy

**The Red Poppy**, originally issued as *Anzac Day* is a Limited edition stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit Australia or New Zealand during this special day.

In November 2022, Slowly team decided to extend this stamp to other countries, like Canada, the United States and others which also commemorate their war veterans and fallen soldiers with a red poppy theme.

## Information

***Anzac Day*** is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand that broadly commemorates all Australians and New Zealanders "who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations" and "the contribution and suffering of all those who have served". Observed on 25 April each year, Anzac Day was originally devised to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who served in the Gallipoli Campaign, their first engagement in the First World War (1914–1918).

Anzac Day marks the anniversary of the first campaign that led to major casualties for Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. The acronym ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, whose soldiers were known as Anzacs. Anzac Day remains one of the most important national occasions of both Australia and New Zealand; however, the ceremonies and their meanings have changed significantly since 1915.

According to Dr Martin Crotty, a historian at the University of Queensland, Anzac commemorations have "suited political purposes right from 1916 when the first Anzac Day march was held in London and Australia, which were very much around trying to get more people to sign up to the war in 1916–1918."
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Text and image from Wikipedia.

## Method

This stamp is unlocked by logging into your account while inside the country during this special day. Any other local stamps will also be unlocked at the same time.

You will keep it and be able to send to other penpals even after you return from your trip.
Tikal Temple I

**Tikal Temple I** is a location stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit **Guatemala**.

## Information

"***Tikal Temple I*** is the designation given to one of the major structures at Tikal, one of the largest cities and archaeological sites of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization in Mesoamerica. It is located in the Petén Basin region of northern Guatemala. It also is known as the Temple of the Great Jaguar because of a lintel that represents a king sitting upon a jaguar throne. An alternative name is the Temple of Ah Cacao, after the ruler buried in the temple. Temple I is a typically Petén-styled limestone stepped pyramid structure that is dated to approximately 732 AD.

Situated at the heart of a World Heritage Site, the temple is surmounted by a characteristic roof comb, a distinctive Maya architectural feature. Building Temple I on the eastern side of the Great Plaza was a significant deviation from the established tradition of building funerary temples just north of the plaza in Tikal's North Acropolis. "

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Text and image from Wikipedia.

## Method

This stamp is unlocked by logging into your account while inside the country. Any other local stamps will also be unlocked at the same time.

You will keep it and be able to send to other penpals even after you return from your trip.
Town hall of Middelburg

**Town hall of Middelburg** is a location stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit the **Netherlands**.

## Information

"***The Town hall of Middelburg*** is situated at the market of Middelburg, Zeeland. It is considered one of the finest gothic buildings in the Netherlands.

Construction began in 1452 and was supervised by several generations of the Flemish family of architects Keldermans. Construction was completed in 1520, the town hall received a facade with gothic windows, red-white shutters, smaller turrets and twenty-five statues of Zeeland's counts and countesses.

The building has one main tower, which the Middelburgers call 'Malle Betje'. This mocking name comes from the fact it used to run behind the town's other clock tower, the 'lange Jan'. Whereas the town hall itself is still used for weddings, since 2004 its spaces are in use by the University College Roosevelt, the local university. "

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Text and image from Wikipedia.

## Method

This stamp is unlocked by logging into your account while inside the country. Any other local stamps will also be unlocked at the same time.

You will keep it and be able to send to other penpals even after you return from your trip.
The National Museum

**The National Museum** is a location stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit **Oman**.

## Information

"***The National Museum***  of the Sultanate of Oman, established by royal decree in 2013 and opened July 30, 2016, is the Sultanate's flagship cultural institution, showcasing the nation’s heritage from the earliest human settlement in the Oman Peninsula some two million years ago through to the present day.

As a national institution with global outreach, the museum is dedicated to ensuring that Oman’s cultural heritage is understood and appreciated not only within the Sultanate, but also internationally. Further, it aims to provide opportunities for cultural expression, innovation, and the transfer of traditional skills and knowledge from one generation to the next.

The museum is located in the heart of Muscat in a purpose-designed building. The total area of the building is 13,700 square metres (147,000 sq ft), including 4,000 square metres (43,000 sq ft) allocated for 14 permanent galleries. "

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Text and image from Wikipedia.

## Method

This stamp is unlocked by logging into your account while inside the country. Any other local stamps will also be unlocked at the same time.

You will keep it and be able to send to other penpals even after you return from your trip.
Somalia

## Information

**Somalia**, officially the **Federal Republic of Somalia**, is a country in the Horn of Africa. The country is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, the Gulf of Aden to the north, the Indian Ocean to the east, and Kenya to the southwest. Somalia has the longest coastline on Africa's mainland. Its terrain consists mainly of plateaus, plains, and highlands. Hot conditions prevail year-round, with periodic monsoon winds and irregular rainfall.

Somalia has an estimated population of around 15 million, of which over 2 million live in the capital and largest city Mogadishu, and has been described as Africa's most culturally homogeneous country. Around 85% of its residents are ethnic Somalis, who have historically inhabited the country's north. Ethnic minorities are largely concentrated in the south. The official languages of Somalia are Somali and Arabic. Most people in the country are Muslims, the majority of them Sunni. *Text and image from Wikipedia*.

## Country Stamps Gallery

*Additional Reference : Country stamps listing - SlowlyStamps.blogspot*
Svetitskovloba

**Svetitskovloba** is a Limited edition stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit Georgia during this special day .

## Information

**Svetitskovloba/Mtskhetoba** **(Georgian: სვეტიცხოვლობა).** On October 14, the Georgian Orthodox Church celebrates the Day of Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of the Living Pillar, is one of the most venerated places of worship in Georgia.

Svetitskhoveli Cathedral is located in Mtskheta, a historical town near the capital city of Tbilisi. The cathedral is believed to be the site where the mantle of Jesus Christ is buried. According to legend, a Georgian Jew named Elias bought the seamless robe of Jesus from a Roman soldier and brought it to his native town of Mtskheta.

Elias gave the robe to his sister Sidonia. Sidonia was overwhelmed by emotions evoked by touching the sacred object and died instantly. Elias could not remove the robe from her grasp, so he buried Sidonia with the robe. A large cedar tree grew from her grave.

In the 4th century, Saint Nino ordered to build the first Georgian Church at the burial site of Sidonia and Jesus' mantle. So Svetitskhoveli Cathedral was founded. It had been the principal Georgian church for about a thousand years before being replaced by the Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tbilisi.

Day of Svetitskhoveli Cathedral (Svetitskovloba) is an official public holiday and non-working day in Georgia.

Text from anydayguide. image from Wikipedia.

## Method

This stamp is unlocked by logging into your account while inside the country during this special day. Any other local stamps will also be unlocked at the same time.

You will keep it and be able to send to other penpals even after you return from your trip.
Strljanica

**Strljanica** is a Limited edition stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit Bosnia-Hezergovina during this special day.

## Information

The most important social event in the Kupres municipality is the annual mowing competition that takes place in July at a specific meadow called **Strljanica**, which is also the local name for the custom. The contest involves the manual mowing of grass using a scythe and is judged by the time, effort and amount mown as cutting grass at that altitude requires strength and a special technique. The top three mowers are recognized, with the chief mower treated as a leader who ensures the successful mowing of all the fields to gather hay for the cattle; agriculture and cattle breeding are essential parts of the area’s economy. Men, starting from the age of eighteen, are traditionally the competitors, with the element being transmitted within families from father to son. Women rake the grass and prepare food for guests. Other elements linked to the competition include national costumes, the forging of scythes and the preparation of cattle for competition. All ethnic and religious groups and individuals in Kupres are free to participate, with the custom being considered as a foundation of the area’s cultural identity, regardless of people’s background. The bearers themselves and the Kupres Mowers Association are most responsible for safeguarding the element.

Text and image from UNESCO.

## Method

This stamp is unlocked by logging into your account while inside the country during this special day. Any other local stamps will also be unlocked at the same time.

You will keep it and be able to send to other penpals even after you return from your trip.
Thai Cuisine

**Thai Cuisine** is a serie of stamps in SLOWLY. This can be purchased on the Stamp Store while you visit Thailand.

## Information

**Thai Cuisine** rplaces emphasis on lightly prepared dishes with strong aromatic components and a spicy edge. Australian chef David Thompson, an expert on Thai food, observes that unlike many other cuisines, Thai cooking is "about the juggling of disparate elements to create a harmonious finish. Like a complex musical chord it's got to have a smooth surface but it doesn't matter what's happening underneath. Simplicity isn't the dictum here, at all.".

Traditional Thai cuisine loosely falls into four categories: *tom* (boiled dishes), *yam* (spicy salads), *tam* (pounded foods), and *gaeng* (curries). Deep-fries, stir-fries, and steamed dishes derive from Chinese cooking. *Text from Wikipedia.*

Thai Cuisine Serie

Text from Wikipedia

## Method

This stamps serie could be purchased on the Stamp Store when you log into your SLOWLY account while inside the country.

You will keep it and be able to send to other penpals even after you return from your trip.
Windmill Day

**Windmill Day** is a Limited edition stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit Netherlands during this special day .

## Information

**The National Mill Day** is a Dutch event that was first organized on October 6, 1973 by the Association De Hollandsche Molen with the cooperation of the VVV to make people better acquainted with the windmills in their area. The first mill day, organized on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of De Hollandsche Molen, was therefore in October, but after that almost always on the second Saturday in May. Since 1976, the National Windmill Day has been combined with the National Bicycle Day organized by the ANWB, which until then was held one or two weeks later. By combining the two days, people could visit the participating windmills by bicycle. For this reason windmills were included in all marked cycle routes. An exception to this was the year 2001. Then, due to the FMD crisis, the National Bicycle Day was moved to September in May and did not coincide once with the National Mill Day. The National Cycling Day no longer exists: the entire month of May has been declared cycling month.

In 2008, a number of old pumping stations were also opened on this day, so that it is usually referred to as the National Mill and Pumping Station Day. Various events are organized around the mills and pumping stations. From 2009, events will not only take place on Saturdays, but throughout the weekend.

Text and image from Wikipedia.

## Method

This stamp is unlocked by logging into your account while inside the country during this special day. Any other local stamps will also be unlocked at the same time.

You will keep it and be able to send to other penpals even after you return from your trip.
Slavin

**Slavin** is a location stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit **Slovakia**.

## Information

"***The Slavin*** is a memorial monument and military cemetery in Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. It is the burial ground of thousands of Soviet Army soldiers who fell during World War II while taking over the city in April 1945 from the occupying German Wehrmacht units and the remaining Slovak troops who supported the clero-fascist Tiso government. It is situated on a hill amidst a rich villa quarter of the capital and embassy residences close to the centre of Bratislava.

It was constructed between 1957 and 1960 on the site of a field cemetery, and opened on April 3, 1960 on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the city's liberation. The monument was constructed similar in kind to the Palace of Culture and Science in Stalinist architectural style. In 1961 it was declared a National Cultural Monument. "

Text and image from Wikipedia.

## Method

This stamp is unlocked by logging into your account while inside the country. Any other local stamps will also be unlocked at the same time.

You will keep it and be able to send to other penpals even after you return from your trip.
Samgye-tang

**Samgye-tang** is a Limited edition stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit South Korea during this special day .

## Information

***Samgye-tang*** (삼계탕; 蔘鷄湯) or **ginseng chicken soup**, meaning ginseng (Kor. *sam*) - chicken (Kor. *gye*) - soup (Kor. *tang*) in Korean, consists primarily of a whole young chicken (*poussin*) filled with garlic, rice, jujube, and ginseng. Samgye-tang is a Korean traditional soup for body health. Samgye-tang is a representative summer health food. Soup made with chicken that is slightly larger than the chick is called Yeonggye Baeksuk, and the chicken is divided into half is called Banggye-tang.
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Text and image from Wikipedia.

## Method

This stamp is unlocked by logging into your account while inside the country during this special day. Any other local stamps will also be unlocked at the same time.

You will keep it and be able to send to other penpals even after you return from your trip.
Sultan Ahmed Mosque

**Sultan Ahmed Mosque** is a location stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit **Turkey**.

## Information

"***The Sultan Ahmed Mosque*** (Turkish: Sultan Ahmet Camii), also known as the Blue Mosque, is an Ottoman-era mosque located in Istanbul, Turkey. A functioning mosque, it also attracts large numbers of tourist visitors.

It was constructed between 1609 and 1616 during the rule of Ahmed I. Its Külliye contains Ahmed's tomb, a madrasah and a hospice. Hand-painted blue tiles adorn the mosque’s interior walls, and at night the mosque is bathed in blue as lights frame the mosque’s five main domes, six minarets and eight secondary domes.[2] It sits next to the Hagia Sophia, the principal mosque of Istanbul until the Blue Mosque's construction and another popular tourist site. "

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Text and image from Wikipedia.

## Method

This stamp is unlocked by logging into your account while inside the country. Any other local stamps will also be unlocked at the same time.

You will keep it and be able to send to other penpals even after you return from your trip.
Winter Solstice

**Winter Solstice** is a Limited edition stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit some countries such as China, Taiwan, Macao, Hong Kong during this special day. The list of countries in which it will be relesead could change each year according to Slowly's team that evaluates users feedback and new information.

## Information

The **Dōngzhì Festival** or **Winter Solstice Festival** (Chinese: 冬至; pinyin: *Dōngzhì*; lit. 'winter's extreme') is one of the most important Chinese festivals celebrated by the Mainland Chinese, Taiwan Chinese, Hong Kong Chinese, Overseas Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, and Vietnamese during the Dongzhi solar term (winter solstice), some day between December 21 to December 23.
The origins of this festival can be traced back to the yin and yang philosophy of balance and harmony in the cosmos. After this celebration, there will be days with longer daylight hours and therefore an increase in positive energy flowing in.
Traditionally, the Dongzhi Festival is also a time for the family to get together. One activity that occurs during these get-togethers (especially in the southern parts of China and in Chinese communities overseas) is the making and eating of *tangyuan* (湯圓) or balls of glutinous rice, which symbolize reunion. *Tangyuan* are made of glutinous rice flour and are sometimes brightly coloured. Each family member receives at least one large *tangyuan* in addition to several small ones. The flour balls are occasionally pink or green. They are cooked in a sweet soup or savory broth with both the ball and the soup/broth served in one bowl. It is also often served with a mildly alcoholic unfiltered rice wine containing whole grains of glutinous rice (and often also Sweet Osmanthus flowers), called *jiuniang*

Text and image from Wikipedia.

## Method

This stamp is unlocked by logging into your account while inside the country during this special day. Any other local stamps will also be unlocked at the same time.

You will keep it and be able to send to other penpals even after you return from your trip.
United Kingdom

## Information

The **United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland**, commonly known as the **United Kingdom** , is a sovereign country in north-western Europe, off the north-­western coast of the European mainland. The United Kingdom includes the island of Great Britain, the north-­eastern part of the island of Ireland, and many smaller islands within the British Isles. Northern Ireland shares a land border with the Republic of Ireland. Otherwise, the United Kingdom is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, with the North Sea to the east, the English Channel to the south and the Celtic Sea to the south-west, giving it the 12th-longest coastline in the world. The Irish Sea separates Great Britain and Ireland. The total area of the United Kingdom is 242,500 square kilometres (93,628 sq mi), with an estimated population in 2020 of 68 million.

The United Kingdom is a unitary parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy. The monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, has reigned since 1952. The capital and largest city is London, a global city and financial centre with a metropolitan area population of 14 million. The United Kingdom consists of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Other than England, the constituent countries have their own devolved governments, each with varying powers. *Text and image from Wikipedia*.

## Country Stamps Gallery

*Additional Reference : Country stamps listing - SlowlyStamps.blogspot*
Reunification Monument, Yaounde

**Reunification Monument, Yaounde** is a location stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit **Cameroon**.

## Information

"***The Reunification Monument*** was constructed in the 1970s to memorialize the post-colonial merging of British and French Cameroon.

Located in Yaounde, it was designed by Gedeon Mpondo and Engelbert Mveng."

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Text and image from Wikipedia.

## Method

This stamp is unlocked by logging into your account while inside the country. Any other local stamps will also be unlocked at the same time.

You will keep it and be able to send to other penpals even after you return from your trip.
Taekwondo

**Taekwondo** is an exclusive single stamp in SLOWLY. This can be purchased in the shop when you visit South Korea.

## Information

***Taekwondo***, is a Korean form of martial arts, characterized by punching and kicking techniques, with emphasis on head-height kicks, jumping spinning kicks, and fast kicking techniques. The literal translation for tae kwon do is "kicking," "punching," and "the art or way of." They are a kind of martial arts in which one attacks or defends with hands and feet anytime or anywhere, without the use of weapons. The physical training undertaken in Taekwondo is purposeful and fosters strength of mind through mental armament.

Taekwondo practitioners wear a uniform, known as a dobok. It is a combat sport and was developed during the 1940s and 1950s by Korean martial artists with experience in martial arts such as karate, Chinese martial arts, and indigenous Korean martial arts traditions such as Taekkyon, Subak, and Gwonbeop. The oldest governing body for Taekwondo is the Korea Taekwondo Association (KTA), formed in 1959 through a collaborative effort by representatives from the nine original kwans, or martial arts schools, in Korea. The main international organisational bodies for Taekwondo today are the International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF), founded by Choi Hong Hi in 1966, and the partnership of the Kukkiwon and World Taekwondo (WT, formerly World Taekwondo Federation or WTF), founded in 1972 and 1973 respectively by the Korea Taekwondo Association. *Gyeorugi* ([kjʌɾuɡi]), a type of full-contact sparring, has been an Olympic event since 2000.
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Text and image from Wikipedia.

## Method

This stamp could be purchased on the shop when you log into your account while inside the country.

You will keep it and be able to send to other penpals even after you return from your trip.
Up Helly Aa

**Up Helly Aa** is an exclusive single stamp in SLOWLY. This can be purchased in the shop when you visit United Kingdom.

## Information

**Up Helly Aa** (literally "Up Holy [Day] All") is a type of fire festival held annually from January to March in various communities in Shetland, Scotland, to mark the end of the Yule season. Each festival involves a torchlit procession by squads of costumed participants (known as guizers) that culminates in the burning of an imitation Viking galley. The largest festival held in Lerwick, Shetland's capital, involves a procession of up to a thousand guizers who march through the streets of Lerwick on the last Tuesday in January. The other rural festivals (known as the 'country' Up Helly Aas) see lower numbers of participants in accordance with their lower populations.

There is a main guizer who is dubbed the "Jarl" (pron. "yarl"). There is a committee which a person must be part of for 15 years before one can be a jarl, and only one person is elected to this committee each year. The procession culminates in the torches being thrown into a replica Viking longship or galley. The event happens all over Shetland and is currently celebrated at eleven locations – Scalloway, Lerwick, Nesting and Girlsta, Uyeasound, Northmavine, Bressay, Cullivoe, Norwick, Waas, the South Mainland and Delting. After the procession, the squads visit local halls (including schools, sports facilities and hotels), where private parties are held. At each hall, each squad performs its act, which may be a send-up of a popular TV show or film, a skit on local events, or singing or dancing.

Certain aspects of the festival have been changed for the modern day; for example, as of 2020 the use of blackface has been banned at festivals in Shetland. Traditionally the guizers at the main festival in Lerwick have always been male (although some women joined the march in 1901 disguised in their costumes). However some smaller rural festivals now include women and the South Mainland Up Helly Aa festival appointed a female Jarl in 2015. Starting from the 2023 festival, restrictions on women's participation within squads in Lerwick were removed.

Text and image from Wikipedia.

## Method

This stamp could be purchased on the shop when you log into your account while inside the country.

You will keep it and be able to send to other penpals even after you return from your trip.
Vatican City

## Information

**Vatican City** , officially the **Vatican City State** , is an independent city state and enclave located within Rome, Italy. The Vatican City State, also known simply as the **Vatican**, became independent from Italy with the Lateran Treaty (1929), and it is a distinct territory under "full ownership, exclusive dominion, and sovereign authority and jurisdiction" of the Holy See, itself a sovereign entity of international law, which maintains the city state's temporal, diplomatic, and spiritual independence. With an area of 49 hectares (121 acres) and a population of about 825, it is the smallest state in the world by both area and population.

As governed by the Holy See, the Vatican City State is an ecclesiastical or sacerdotal-monarchical state (a type of theocracy) ruled by the pope who is the bishop of Rome and head of the Catholic Church. The highest state functionaries are all Catholic clergy of various national origins. *Text and image from Wikipedia*.

## Country Stamps Gallery

*Additional Reference : Country stamps listing - SlowlyStamps.blogspot*
Vietnam

## Information

**Vietnam** , officially the **Socialist Republic of Vietnam**, is a country in Southeast Asia. Located at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, it covers 311,699 square kilometres. With a population of over 96 million, it is the world's fifteenth-most populous country.

Vietnam borders China to the north, Laos and Cambodia to the west, and shares maritime borders with Thailand through the Gulf of Thailand, and the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia through the South China Sea. Its capital is Hanoi and its largest city is Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) *Text and image from Wikipedia*.

## Country Stamps Gallery

*Additional Reference : Country stamps listing - SlowlyStamps.blogspot*
St. Peter's Basilica

**St. Peter's Basilica** is a location stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit the **Vatican City**.

## Information

"***The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican*** (Italian: Basilica Papale di San Pietro in Vaticano), or simply Saint Peter's Basilica (Latin: Basilica Sancti Petri), is a church built in the Renaissance style located in Vatican City, the papal enclave which is within the city of Rome.

Designed principally by Donato Bramante, Michelangelo, Carlo Maderno and Gian Lorenzo Bernini, St. Peter's is the most renowned work of Renaissance architecture and the largest church in the world. While it is neither the mother church of the Catholic Church nor the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome (these equivalent titles being held by the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran in Rome), St. Peter's is regarded as one of the holiest Catholic shrines. It has been described as "holding a unique position in the Christian world" and as "the greatest of all churches of Christendom".

Catholic tradition holds that the basilica is the burial site of Saint Peter, chief among Jesus's apostles and also the first Bishop of Rome (Pope). Saint Peter's tomb is supposedly directly below the high altar of the basilica. For this reason, many popes have been interred at St. Peter's since the Early Christian period. A church has stood on this site since the time of the Roman emperor Constantine the Great. Old St. Peter's Basilica dates from the 4th century AD. Construction of the present basilica began on 18 April 1506 and was completed on 18 November 1626."

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Text and image from Wikipedia.

## Method

This stamp is unlocked by logging into your account while inside the country. Any other local stamps will also be unlocked at the same time.

You will keep it and be able to send to other penpals even after you return from your trip.
Torii

**Torii** is a location stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit **Japan**.

## Information

"***The Torii*** (Japanese: 鳥居, literally bird abode) is a traditional Japanese gate most commonly found at the entrance of or within a Shinto shrine, where it symbolically marks the transition from the mundane to the sacred.

The presence of a *torii* at the entrance is usually the simplest way to identify Shinto shrines, and a small *torii* icon represents them on Japanese road maps.

Torii gates were traditionally made from wood or stone, but today they can be also made of reinforced concrete, copper, stainless steel or other materials. They are usually either unpainted or painted vermilion with a black upper lintel. "

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Text and image from Wikipedia.

## Method

This stamp is unlocked by logging into your account while inside the country. Any other local stamps will also be unlocked at the same time.

You will keep it and be able to send to other penpals even after you return from your trip.
Thaipusam

**Thaipusam** is a Limited edition stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit some countries such as India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and others during this special day. The list of countries in which it will be relesead could change each year according to Slowly's team that evaluates users feedback and new information.

## Information

**Thaipusam** is a festival celebrated by the Tamil community on the full moon in the Tamil month of *Thai* (January/February), usually coinciding with Pushya star, known as **Poosam** in Tamil or **Pooyam** in Malayalam.

It is mainly observed in countries where there is a significant presence of Tamil community such as India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Mauritius, as well as other places where ethnic Tamils reside as a part of the local Indian diaspora population such as Canada, Singapore, South Africa, the United States, Réunion, Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname, Jamaica and the other parts of the Caribbean.

It is a national holiday in many countries such as Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Mauritius. In India Tamil Nadu state is declared for holiday. In certain states of Malaysia and in the nations of Sri Lanka and Mauritius, it is also a government and a bank holiday.
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Text and image from Wikipedia.

## Method

This stamp is unlocked by logging into your account while inside the country during this special day. Any other local stamps will also be unlocked at the same time.

You will keep it and be able to send to other penpals even after you return from your trip.
Zambia

**Zambia** , officially the **Republic of Zambia** , is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central, Southern and East Africa. Its neighbours are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique to the southeast, Zimbabwe and Botswana to the south, Namibia to the southwest, and Angola to the west.

The capital city of Zambia is Lusaka, located in the south-central part of Zambia. The population is concentrated mainly around Lusaka in the south and the Copperbelt Province to the north, the core economic hubs of the country. *Text and image from Wikipedia*.

## Country Stamps Gallery

*Additional Reference : Country stamps listing - SlowlyStamps.blogspot*
Teatro La Caridad

**Teatro La Caridad** is a location stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit **Cuba**.

## Information

"***The Teatro La Caridad*** (Spanish for "Charity's Theater"), located in Santa Clara, is one of the few remaining colonial theatres in Cuba. It is a National Monument of Cuba.

Teatro de La Caridad was built in 1885 and is one of The Eight Grand Theaters of Cuban Colonial era. The theater was financed entirely by Marta Abreu de Estevez, a local and beloved philanthropist who contributed to the prosperity of the city, donating resources to many other projects. La Caridad is one of her greatest legacies.

Engineer Don Herminio Leiva y Aguilera was in charge of the design of the building. Asked for more functionality Don Herminio came up with a structure with an auditorium for 500+ observers, a mini concert room, cafeteria, restaurant, barbershop and a dancing room. The theatre has quite a sober exterior, but it is the engineering solution for new angles of the roof, the amount of windows and doors for better air flow and the interior decoration that stands up. "

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Text and image from Wikipedia.

## Method

This stamp is unlocked by logging into your account while inside the country. Any other local stamps will also be unlocked at the same time.

You will keep it and be able to send to other penpals even after you return from your trip.
Uganda

## Information

**Uganda** , officially the **Republic of Uganda** , is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the south by Tanzania. The southern part of the country includes a substantial portion of Lake Victoria, shared with Kenya and Tanzania.

Uganda is in the African Great Lakes region. Uganda also lies within the Nile basin and has a varied but generally a modified equatorial climate. It has a population of over 42 million, of which 8.5 million live in the capital and largest city of Kampala. *Text and image from Wikipedia*.

## Country Stamps Gallery

*Additional Reference : Country stamps listing - SlowlyStamps.blogspot*
Space Needle

**Space Needle** is a location stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit the **United States**.

## Information

"***The Space Needle*** is an observation tower in Seattle, Washington, United States. Considered to be an icon of the city and the Pacific Northwest, it has been designated a Seattle landmark. Located in the Lower Queen Anne neighbourhood, it was built in the Seattle Center for the 1962 World's Fair, which drew over 2.3 million visitors. Nearly 20,000 people a day used its elevators during the event.

The Space Needle was once the tallest structure west of the Mississippi River, standing at 605 ft (184 m). The tower is 138 ft (42 m) wide, weighs 9,550 short tons (8,660 metric tons), and is built to withstand winds of up to 200 mph (320 km/h) and earthquakes of up to 9.0 magnitude, as strong as the 1700 Cascadia earthquake. It also has 25 lightning rods.

The Space Needle features an observation deck 520 ft (160 m) above ground, providing views of the downtown Seattle skyline, the Olympic and Cascade Mountains, Mount Rainier, Mount Baker, Elliott Bay, and various islands in Puget Sound. "

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Text and image from Wikipedia.

## Method

This stamp is unlocked by logging into your account while inside the country. Any other local stamps will also be unlocked at the same time.

You will keep it and be able to send to other penpals even after you return from your trip.
Rutabaga the Adventure Chef: Book 1

Rutabaga the Adventure Chef: Book 1 is the first book of the Rutabaga the Adventure Chef series. It is followed by Rutabaga the Adventure Chef: Feasts of Fury

## Plot

In the midst of a forest, Rutabaga and Pot find a legendary dragon sword. However, soon they are surrounded by Winn, Beef and Manny. They become friends and go off to fight a dragon, which terrarized the Kingdom of Highmore. However, the dragon proves too much for the four, and Rutabaga, who found the dragon's egg, threw several pop-shrooms at the dragon, which exploded and gave them time to escape. They soon leave for the Kingdom of Highmore, where Rutabaga cooks for the King's Pet, Norman.