recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Eswatini

## Information

**Eswatini**, officially the **Kingdom of Eswatini** and formerly named **Swaziland** (/ˈswɑːzilænd/ *SWAH-zee-land*; officially renamed in 2018), is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. It is bordered by Mozambique to its northeast and South Africa to its north, west, south, and southeast. At no more than 200 km (120 mi) north to south and 130 km (81 mi) east to west,

Eswatini is one of the smallest countries in Africa; despite this, its climate and topography are diverse, ranging from a cool and mountainous highveld to a hot and dry lowveld.

The population is composed primarily of ethnic Swazis. *Text and image from Wikipedia*.

## Country Stamps Gallery

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

## Information

**Fiji**, officially the **Republic of Fiji**, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about 1,100 nautical miles (2,000 km; 1,300 mi) northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists of an archipelago of more than 330 islands—of which about 110 are permanently inhabited—and more than 500 islets, amounting to a total land area of about 18,300 square kilometres (7,100 sq mi).

The most outlying island group is Ono-i-Lau. About 87% of the total population of 883,483 live on the two major islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu. About three-quarters of Fijians live on Viti Levu's coasts: either in the capital city of Suva; or in smaller urban centres such as Nadi. *Text and image from Wikipedia*.

## Country Stamps Gallery

*Additional Reference : Country stamps listing - SlowlyStamps.blogspot*
Baiterek Tower

**Baiterek** is a location stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit **Kazakhstan**.

## Information

"***The Baiterek Tower*** (Kazakh: Бәйтерек, romanized: Báıterek; "tall poplar [tree]") is a monument and observation tower in Nur-Sultan, the capital city of Kazakhstan.

A tourist attraction popular with foreign visitors and native Kazakhs, it is emblematic of the city, which became capital of the country in 1997. The tower is located within on the Nurzhol Boulevard, and is considered a symbol of post-independence Kazakhstan. "

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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.
Diada de Sant Jordi

**Diada de Sant Jordi** is a Limited edition stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit Spain during this special day .

## Information

**Saint George's Day (**San Jorge in Castillian/Spanish and Sant Jordi in Catalan**)** is celebrated annually on April 23.

***La Diada de Sant Jordi*** (Saint George's Day), also known as ***El Dia de la Rosa*** (The Day of the Rose), or ***El Dia del Llibre*** (The Day of the Book), or the Day of Books and Roses. In Catalonia the main activity is the exchange of roses and books between sweethearts, loved ones and colleagues. Historically, men gave women roses, and women gave men a book to celebrate the occasion – "a rose for love and a book forever." The fair of roses was called the lovers' fair because it was attended by engaged and recently married couples. In modern times, the mutual exchange of books is also customary. Roses have been associated with this day since medieval times, but the giving of books is a more recent Catalan tradition originating in 1923, when a writer and publisher, Vicente Cavel, started to promote the holiday as a way to commemorate the nearly simultaneous deaths of Miguel de Cervantes and William Shakespeare on 23 April 1616. Barcelona is the publishing capital of both Catalan and Spanish languages, and the combination of love and literacy was quickly adopted.

The sardana, the national dance of Catalonia, is performed throughout the day in the Plaça Sant Jaume in Barcelona. Many book stores and cafes host readings by authors (including 24-hour marathon readings of different classics of Catalan literature or Spanish literature). Street performers and musicians in public squares add to the day's atmosphere.

23 April is also one of only three days a year when the Palau de la Generalitat, Barcelona's principal government building, is open to the public. The interior is decorated with roses to honour Saint George.

Catalonia exported its tradition of the book and the rose to the rest of the world. In 1995, UNESCO adopted 23 April as World Book Day.

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.
Bangladesh

## Information

Bangladesh, officially the **People's Republic of Bangladesh**, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 163 million people in an area of either 148,460 square kilometres (57,320 sq mi) or 147,570 square kilometres (56,980 sq mi), making it one of the most densely populated countries in the world.

Bangladesh shares land borders with India to the west, north, and east, Myanmar to the southeast, and the Bay of Bengal to the south. It is narrowly separated from Nepal and Bhutan by the Siliguri Corridor; and from China by the Indian state of Sikkim in the north, respectively. Dhaka, the capital and largest city, is the nation's economic, political, and cultural hub. Chittagong, the largest seaport, is the second-largest city. *Text and image from Wikipedia*.

## Country Stamps Gallery

*Additional Reference : Country stamps listing - SlowlyStamps.blogspot*
Día del nunca más

**Día del nunca más** is a Limited edition stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit Uruguay during this special day.

## Information

**José Gervasio Artigas Arnal** (June 19, 1764 – September 23, 1850) was a soldier and statesman who is regarded as a national hero in Uruguay and the father of Uruguayan nationhood.

Born in Montevideo, Artigas enlisted in the Spanish military in 1797 and fought the British in the Anglo-Spanish War. On the outbreak of the Spanish American wars of independence, Artigas supported the Primera Junta in Buenos Aires against Spain. He defeated the Spanish royalists at Las Piedras and laid siege to Montevideo, but was forced to withdraw in the face of Portuguese intervention. Artigas subsequently broke with the centralist government of Buenos Aires and took over Montevideo in 1815. He then oversaw the creation of the Federal League, an alliance of six provinces under a federal style of government. In 1816, the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves invaded the Banda Oriental, eventually annexing it as a province. Artigas was driven into Paraguay, where he lived in exile until his death in 1850. His remains were re-interred at the Central Cemetery of Montevideo in 1855, and in 1977 they were transferred to the Artigas Mausoleum.

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.
Central Suriname Nature Reserve

**Central Suriname Nature Reserve** is a location stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit **Suriname**.

## Information

***Central Suriname Nature Reserve*** (Dutch: *Centraal Suriname Natuurreservaat (CSNR)*) is a conservation unit in Suriname. It preserves an area of tropical rainforest. The reserve is in pristine condition.

The Central Suriname Nature Reserve was created in 1998 by Conservation International and the government of Suriname from the fusion of three existing nature reserves: Ralleighvallen, Tafelberg and Eilerts de Haan gebergte. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000 for its pristine tropical rainforest ecosystem.

The forest received material support from Microsoft co-founder Jeff Harbers.

The reserve is in the Guianan moist forests ecoregion. It contains 16,000 square kilometres (6,200 sq mi) of both montane and lowland primary tropical forest including sections of the Guyana Highlands.

It is known for its rapids and bird species, including the Guiana Cock of the Rock (*Rupicola rupicola*). Over 5,000 different plants have been identified, and large mammals like the jaguar, giant armadillo, and eight species of primates. A research station is located at the foot of Voltzberg and the area is tourist attraction.

Some of the most outstanding features in Central Suriname Nature Reserve are several granite domes – uplifted monoliths of granite rising high above the surrounding rainforest. Barren surface of dark-colored granite is exposed to impact of Sun thus creating unique xerophytic biotope which includes also endemic plant species. The best known granite dome is the 245 m high Voltzberg.

Other attractions include the Julianatop (1,230 m), the highest mountain in Suriname, the Tafelberg (Table Mountain, 1,026 meters), the Hendriktop (908 m), the Van Stockumberg (360 m), and Duivelsei (*Devil's Egg*), a rock seemingly balanced on the edge of a mountain.

The Eilerts de Haan Mountains are named for Johannes Gijsbert Willem Jacobus Eilerts de Haan, an explorer who died in Suriname's interior.

Text from Wikipedia. Image from traveltourismblog.

## 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.
Caipirinha

**Caipirinha** is an exclusive single stamp in SLOWLY. This can be purchased in the shop when you visit Brazil .

## Information

**Caipirinha** is Brazil's national cocktail, made with cachaça (sugarcane hard liquor), sugar, and lime. The drink is prepared by mixing the fruit and the sugar together, then adding the liquor. This can be made in a single large glass to be shared among people, or in a larger jar, from which it is served in individual glasses.
The word *caipirinha* is the diminutive of the word *caipira*, which in Brazilian Portuguese refers to someone from the countryside (specifically, someone from the rural parts of south-central Brazil), similar to US English *hillbilly* or the Lowland Scots *teuchter*.

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.
Armenia

## Information

**Armenia**, officially the **Republic of Armenia**, is a landlocked country located in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region; and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia to the north, the Lachin corridor under a Russian peacekeeping force, and Azerbaijan to the east, and Iran and the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan to the south.

Armenia is a unitary, multi-party, democratic nation-state with an ancient cultural heritage. Yerevan is the capital, largest city and financial center.

*Text and image from Wikipedia*.

## Country Stamps Gallery

*Additional Reference : Country stamps listing - SlowlyStamps.blogspot*
Ahu Tongariki

**Ahu Tongariki** is a location stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit **Chile**.

## Information

"***Ahu Tongariki*** is the largest ahu on Easter Island (Rapa Nui). Its moais were toppled during the island's civil wars, and in the twentieth century the ahu was swept inland by a tsunami. It has since been restored and has fifteen moai, including one that weighs eighty-six tonnes, the heaviest ever erected on the island.

Ahu Tongariki is one kilometer from Rano Raraku and Poike in the Hotu-iti area of Rapa Nui National Park. All the moai here face sunset during the summer solstice. "

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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.
Día de Muertos

**Día de Muertos** is a Limited edition stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit Mexico during this special day .

## Information

**Día de Muertos** is a holiday traditionally celebrated on November 1 and 2, though other days, such as October 31 or November 6, may be included depending on the locality. It largely originated in Mexico, where it is mostly observed, but also in other places, especially by people of Mexican heritage elsewhere. Although associated with the Western Christian Allhallowtide observances of All Hallow's Eve, All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day, it has a much less solemn tone and is portrayed as a holiday of joyful celebration rather than mourning. The multi-day holiday involves family and friends gathering to pay respects and to remember friends and family members who have died. These celebrations can take a humorous tone, as celebrants remember funny events and anecdotes about the departed.

Traditions connected with the holiday include honoring the deceased using calaveras and aztec marigold flowers known as *cempazúchitl*, building home altars called *ofrendas* with the favorite foods and beverages of the departed, and visiting graves with these items as gifts for the deceased. The celebration is not solely focused on the dead, as it is also common to give gifts to friends such as candy sugar skulls, to share traditional *pan de muerto* with family and friends, and to write light-hearted and often irreverent verses in the form of mock epitaphs dedicated to living friends and acquaintances, a literary form known as *calaveras literarias*.

In 2008, the tradition was inscribed in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO
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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.
Bermuda

## Information

**Bermuda**, historically known as *the Bermudas* or *Somers Isles*) is a British Overseas Territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. The closest land outside the territory is in the American state of North Carolina, approximately 1,035 km (643 mi) to the west-northwest.

Bermuda is an archipelago consisting of 181 islands, although the most significant islands are connected by bridges and appear to form one landmass. It has a land area of 54 square kilometres (21 sq mi). Bermuda has a sub-tropical climate, with mild winters and warm summers. Its climate also exhibits oceanic features similar to other coastal areas in the Northern Hemisphere, with warm, moist air from the ocean ensuring relatively high humidity and stabilising temperature. Bermuda lies in Hurricane Alley and thus is prone to severe weather; however, it receives some protection from a coral reef and its position at the north of the belt, which limits the direction and severity of approaching storms. *Text and image from Wikipedia*.

## Country Stamps Gallery

*Additional Reference : Country stamps listing - SlowlyStamps.blogspot*
Día del Bandoneón

**Día del Bandoneón** is a Limited edition stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit Argentina during this special day.

## Information

**Bandoneón Day** is celebrated on 11 July each year in Argentina. This date was chosen to mark the birth of the man who is considered the "Supreme Bandoneón of Buenos Aires", the musician Aníbal Troilo.

On 13 April 2000, the city of Buenos Aires sanctioned the law which decreed July 11 as Bandoneón Day. On 11 July 2005, the Congress of Argentina declared that date as National Bandoneón Day by law, and this was enacted on 18 May 2005. The proponents of this law were Francisco Torne, grandson of Zita Troilo, and the poet Horacio Ferrer, a friend of the musician and president and founder of the National Academy of Tango.

Aníbal Carmelo Troilo, aka Pichuco, was born in Buenos Aires on 11 July 1914 and was a distinguished bandoneon player, composer, and tango orchestra conductor. His orchestra experimented with innovative sounds and themes, and he contributed much to the nation's cultural fabric. For these reasons, the date of his birth is used to commemorate the bandoneon.

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.
Azerbaijan

## Information

**Azerbaijan**, officially the **Republic of Azerbaijan**, is a country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia.

It is a part of the South Caucasus region, and is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia and Turkey to the west, and Iran to the south. Baku is the capital and largest city.

In 1920, the country was incorporated into the Soviet Union as the Azerbaijan SSR. The modern Republic of Azerbaijan proclaimed its independence on 30 August 1991, shortly before the dissolution of the Soviet Union in the same year. *Text and image from Wikipedia*.

## Country Stamps Gallery

*Additional Reference : Country stamps listing - SlowlyStamps.blogspot*
Groundhog Day

**Groundhog Day** is a Limited edition stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit United States or Canada during this special day .

## Information

**Groundhog Day** is a popular North American tradition observed in the United States and Canada on February 2. It derives from the Pennsylvania Dutch superstition that if a groundhog emerging from its burrow on this day sees its shadow due to clear weather, it will retreat to its den and winter will persist for six more weeks; if it does not see its shadow because of cloudiness, spring will arrive early.

While the tradition remains popular in modern times, studies have found no consistent correlation between a groundhog seeing its shadow and the subsequent arrival time of spring-like weather.

The weather lore was brought from German-speaking areas where the badger (German: *Dachs*) is the forecasting animal. This appears to be an enhanced version of the lore that clear weather on the Christian festival of Candlemas forebodes a prolonged winter.

The Groundhog Day ceremony held at Punxsutawney in western Pennsylvania, centering on a semi-mythical groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil, has become the most frequently attended ceremony. *Grundsow Lodges* in Pennsylvania Dutch Country in the southeastern part of the state observe the occasion as well. Other cities in the United States and Canada also have adopted the event.
The groundhog was not named Phil until 1961, possibly as an indirect reference to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
The largest Groundhog Day celebration is held in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, where crowds as large as 40,000 gather each year (nearly eight times the year-round population of the town). The average draw had been about 2,000 until the 1993 movie *Groundhog Day*, which is set at the festivities in Punxsutawney, after which attendance rose to about 10,000. The official Phil is pretended to be a supercentenarian, having been the same forecasting beast since 1887.

Text and image from Wikipedia.

## Method

This stamp is unlocked by logging into your account while inside the countries 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.
Fiesta Nacional de la Vendimia

**Fiesta national de la Vendimia** is a Limited edition stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit Argentina during this special day .

## Information

**Fiesta national de la Vendimia** (**The Grape Harvest National Festival**) takes place annually in Mendoza City, Argentina. It is one of the most important festivals in the country, attracting large numbers of tourists to the region. It is a celebration of wine and the winemaking industry. Each of the 18 departments in Mendoza Province prepare for the festival in the early months of the year. The main event occurs in the first week of March in Mendoza city featuring hundreds of dancers and performers, the selection of a "Reina Nacional de la Vendimia" (National Vendimia Queen) and a large fireworks display.

The first vendimia celebrations in Mendoza Province occurred in the 17th century. The first official valendimia festival took place in 1936. Recently Mendoza's Vendimia ranked number two in National Geographic's Top 10 World's Harvest Festivals, after the Thanksgiving celebrations in Plymouth Plantation, Massachusetts.

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.
Finnish Literature Day

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

## Information

**Finnish Literature Day** is commemorated every year on October 10th, in honour of author Aleksis Kivi (Oct 10, 1834–Dec 31, 1872), who wrote the first novel in Finnish.

Born Alexis Stenvall in Palojoki, a village 33 kilometres (20 miles) north of Helsinki, Kivi was the son of a tailor. He was one of the few boys from his area to pass the university entrance exams in the mid-1800s, and the only commoner; the others who achieved that level were all from upper-class families.
While much of his education took place in Swedish, he is recognised for his literary works in Finnish, and used the pen name Aleksis Kivi, a Finnish version of his birth name. (The spelling and origin of “Alexis Stenvall” are linguistically Swedish.)

Kivi wrote poems, stories and especially plays, but is best known for the novel *Seven Brothers*, which was published in 1870. It has been described as the first novel in Finnish and Finland’s national novel, just as Kivi is often called the first professional Finnish-language writer and Finland’s national author. It seems natural that his birthday is also Finnish Literature Day.
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Text and image from This is Finland.

## 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.
Feria de las Flores

**Feria de las flores** is a Limited edition stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit Colombia during this special day .

## Information

**The Flowers Festival** (Spanish: *Feria de las Flores*) is a festival that takes place in Medellín, Colombia. The festival is the most important social event for the city and includes a pageant, automobiles, a Paso Fino horse parade and many musical concerts.
The first Flowers Festival took place on May 1, 1957. It was organized by Arturo Uribe, a member of the Board of the Office of Development and Tourism in Medellin, Colombia. The festival lasted for five days with an exposition of flowers displayed in the Metropolitan Cathedral, which was organized by the Gardening Club of Medellín and monsignor Tulio Botero to celebrate the Virgin Mary day. This flower parade represents the end of slavery when slaves carried men and women on their backs up steep hills instead of flowers. The first silleteros parade also took place with some 40 men from the *corregimiento* of Santa Elena carrying on their backs flower arrangements to the exposition site.

This festival initially took place during the month of May but was changed to August in 1958 to celebrate the independence of Antioquia. Since then, other events have been added like the *International Pageant of the Flowers*, the cavalcade, Guinness Records in 1996 and 1999, classic automobiles parade, Orchids exposition, among others.
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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.
Bocuk Gecesi

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

## Information

**Bocuk Gecesi** or *Bocuk Night* is an old Balkan tradition associated with the coldest night of winter. It is celebrated in Edirne and some villages in Tekirdağ today.

Crowds in ghost costumes are characteristic of Bocuk Night celebrations. These costumes, which symbolize the evil creature called Bocuk, usually consist only of a white sheet. Face painting is sometimes a complementary element of these costumes.

Bocuk Night traditions were carried to Thrace by the Balkan Turks from the end of the 19th century. These traditions, which are mostly transferred to the present day through individuals before Generation X, form the basis of today’s celebrations.

The most important symbol of Bocuk Night is the evil creature named Bocuk. This creature is often described as a witch in white. Although often described as a woman, Bocuk is also said to be a man in some villages.
Most of the Bocuk Night traditions are aimed at protection from the damage that Bocuk will cause. Some of these traditions are likened to Halloween traditions.
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Text and image from Ulukayin.org.

## 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.
Barriletes Gigantes

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

## Information

**The Santiago Sacatepéquez Giant Kite Festival** is held annually on November 1 and 2 in the Guatemalan municipality of Santiago Sacatepéquez. It is one of the main cultural events in Santiago Sacatepéquez in which giant kites are built. During the day of the dead, the residents of this municipality usually visit the newly painted tombs of their ancestors to pray and place floral offerings there.

Throughout the morning and early afternoon, adult men, young people and children go to the cemetery, which is located on a hill that dominates the beautiful surrounding landscape, with the residents carrying giant kites of various colors and shapes in their arms. which are made of paper from China and thick rods from Castile.

Before launching the kites, the children are in charge of holding them vertically, leaning on the floor, waiting for the order to release them. Once the order is received and I release the kite, it begins to rise, propelled by the strong pulls that are rhythmically given to the string or loop that holds them. Raising the kite is raising the dreams of its manufacturers, keeping them in the air for as long as possible and at the highest possible height is one of the greatest aspirations that each of the participants has.

The fundamental objective of this beautiful custom is religious and cultural, since the residents believe that it is a bond of communication between the souls of loved ones who have died, and that on those days they visit their relatives on earth, and that It also brings together young people to exhibit their artistic talent.

It is also believed that the kites act as messengers of peace, because telegrams are sent to them, which consists of making a hole in a piece of paper or cardboard and placing it in the pita, and with each pull that is given, the telegram is It rises until it reaches the kite itself, sending a message of well-being and pleas for peace between brothers to its destination.

*This tradition was declared cultural heritage of Guatemala by the Ministry of Culture and Sports of Guatemala on October 30, 1998. It was also awarded the Order of Cultural Heritage by President Óscar Berger Perdomo.*

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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.
Grand Hotel

**Grand Hotel** is a location stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit **Taiwan**.

## Information

"***The Grand Hotel*** (Chinese: 圓山大飯店; pinyin: Yuánshān Dà Fàndiàn; lit.: 'Yuanshan Great Hotel') is a landmark located at Yuanshan (圓山) in Zhongshan District, Taipei, Taiwan. The hotel was established in May 1952 and the main building was completed on October 10, 1973. It is owned by the Duen-Mou Foundation of Taiwan, a non-profit organization, and has played host to many foreign dignitaries who have visited Taipei.

The main building of the hotel is one of the world's tallest Chinese classical buildings at 87 metres (285 ft) high. It was also the tallest building in Taiwan from 1973 to 1981. "

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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.
Festa della Repubblica

**Festa della Repubblica** is a Limited edition stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit Italy during this special day .

## Information

***Festa della Repubblica*** ( English: *Republic Day*) is the Italian National Day and Republic Day, which is celebrated on 2 June each year, with the main celebration taking place in Rome. The *Festa della Repubblica* is one of the national symbols of Italy.

The day commemorates the institutional referendum held by universal suffrage in 1946, in which the Italian people were called to the polls to decide on the form of government following the Second World War and the fall of Fascism.

The official ceremony of the Rome celebration includes the solemn flag-raising ceremony at the Altare della Patria and the tribute to the Italian Unknown Soldier with the deposition of a laurel wreath by the President of the Italian Republic in the presence of the highest offices of the State, or of the President of the Senate, the President of the Chamber of Deputies, the President of the Council of Ministers, the President of the Constitutional Court, the Minister of Defense and the Chief of Defense. After the playing of the National Anthem *Il Canto degli Italiani*, the Frecce Tricolori cross the skies of Rome.

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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.
Chap Goh Meh

**Chap Goh Meh** is a Limited edition stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit Malaysia during this special day .

## Information

The fifteenth day of the new year is celebrated as the **Lantern Festival**, also known as the Yuanxiao Festival (simplified Chinese: 元宵节; traditional Chinese: 元宵節; pinyin: *Yuán xiāo jié*), the Shangyuan Festival (simplified Chinese: 上元节; traditional Chinese: 上元節; pinyin: *Shàng yuán jié*), and **Chap Goh Meh** (Chinese: 十五暝; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: *Cha̍p-gō͘-mê*; lit. 'the fifteen night' in Hokkien). Rice dumplings, or *tangyuan* (simplified Chinese: 汤圆; traditional Chinese: 湯圓; pinyin: *tang yuán*), a sweet glutinous rice ball brewed in a soup, are eaten this day. Candles are lit outside houses as a way to guide wayward spirits home. Families may walk the streets carrying lanterns, which sometimes have riddles attached to or written on them as a tradition.

In China and Malaysia, this day is celebrated by individuals seeking a romantic partner, akin to Valentine's Day. Nowadays, single women write their contact number on mandarin oranges and throw them in a river or a lake after which single men collect the oranges and eat them. The taste is an indication of their possible love: sweet represents a good fate while sour represents a bad fate.

This day often marks the end of the Chinese New Year festivities.

Text from wikipedia. image from malaysiakini

## 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.
Freetown Cotton Tree

**Freetown Cotton Tree** is a location stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit **Sierra Leone**.

## Information

"The **Freetown Cotton Tree** is a *Ceiba pentandra*, also known commonly as a kapok tree, a historic symbol of Freetown, the capital city of Sierra Leone. The Cotton Tree gained importance in 1792 when a group of formerly enslaved African Americans, who had gained their freedom by fighting for the British during the American War of Independence, settled the site of modern Freetown.

These former Black Loyalist soldiers, also known as Black Nova Scotians (because they came from Nova Scotia after leaving the United States), resettled in Sierra Leone and founded Freetown on March 11, 1792.

People first landed on the shoreline and walked up to a giant tree just above the bay, where they held a thanksgiving service, gathering around the tree in a large group and praying and singing hymns to thank God for their deliverance to a free land. The tree's exact age is unknown, but it is known to have existed in 1787.

It is the oldest cotton tree in Freetown, Sierra Leone. It stands near the Supreme Court building, the music club building, and the National Museum. The tree has a lot of unique history. It was under this tree that the Nova Scotian settlers first prayed upon landing on the soil of Liberty and freedom, to start their new lives as free people."

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Text and image from Wikipedia.

## Method

This stamp is unlocked by logging into your account while inside the country. If the country has more than one, any other location stamps will also be unlocked at the same time.

## A User proposed stamp

This stamp was suggested at the SLOWLY Feedback site, by user **Nonethewiser** in this topic. We pay tribute here to their valuable contribution to the community, since until then this country had *no Location stamps at all*. Thank you!
Delonix Regia, National Flower

**Delonix Regia, National Flower** is a location stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit **St Kitts and Nevis**.

## Information

"***Delonix Regia*** is a species of flowering plant in the bean family Fabaceae, subfamily Caesalpinioideae native to Madagascar. It is noted for its fern-like leaves and flamboyant display of orange-red flowers over summer. In many tropical parts of the world it is grown as an ornamental tree and in English it is given the name **royal poinciana**, **flamboyant**, **phoenix flower**, **flame of the forest**, or **flame tree** (one of several species given this name).

This species was previously placed in the genus *Poinciana*, named for Phillippe de Longvilliers de Poincy, the 17th-century governor of Saint Christopher (Saint Kitts)."

Text and image from Wikipedia.

## Method

This stamp is unlocked by logging into your account while inside the country. If the country has more than one, any other location stamps will also be unlocked at the same time.
Comrade

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

## Information

The **Dongzhi Festival** or **Winter Solstice Festival** (Korean **동지** Dongji) is one of the most important Asian festivals celebrated by Hong Kongers, Taiwanese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Koreans, Filipinos and other East Asian-related people 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, it is believed that days will have longer daylight hours and therefore create an increase in positive energy flowing in. The philosophical significance of this is symbolized by the I Ching hexagram *fu* (Chinese: 复, "Returning").

Traditionally, the Dongzhi Festival is a time for families to get together. One activity that occurs during these get-togethers (especially in the Asia and in Overseas Asian communities) is the making and eating of *tangyuan* (汤圆) or balls of glutinous rice, which symbolize reunion. *Tangyuan* are made of glutinous rice flour and are sometimes coloured pink or green. Each family member receives at least one large *tangyuan* in addition to several small ones. The flour balls 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 *jiuniang,* a mildly alcoholic, unfiltered rice wine containing whole grains of glutinous rice (and often also sweet osmanthus flowers).

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.
Christchurch

**Christchurch** is a location stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit **New Zealand**.

## Information

"***The Christchurch Cathedral*** (also called Christ Church Cathedral and (rarely) Cathedral Church of Christ, is a deconsecrated Anglican cathedral in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand. It was built between 1864 and 1904 in the centre of the city, surrounded by Cathedral Square. It became the cathedral seat of the Bishop of Christchurch, who is in the New Zealand tikanga of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia.

Earthquakes have repeatedly damaged the building (mostly the spire): in 1881, 1888, 1901, 1922, and 2010. The February 2011 Christchurch earthquake destroyed the spire and the upper portion of the tower, and severely damaged the rest of the building. "

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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.
Fairy Bread

**Fairy Bread** is an exclusive single stamp in SLOWLY. This can be purchased in the shop when you visit Australia and New Zealand.

## Information

**Fairy bread** is sliced white bread spread with butter or margarine and covered with "Hundreds and Thousands", often served at children's parties in Australia and New Zealand. It is typically cut into triangles.

Although people had been putting hundred and thousands (or nonpareils) on bread and butter for some time, the first known reference to this dish as Fairy Bread was in the *Hobart Mercury* in April 1929. Referring to a party for child inmates of the Consumptive Sanitorium, the article proclaimed that "The children will start their party with fairy bread and butter and 100s and 1,000s, and cakes, tarts, and home-made cakes..."

The origin of the term is not known, but it may come from the poem 'Fairy Bread' in Robert Louis Stevenson's *A Child's Garden of Verses* published in 1885, and had been used for a number of different food items before the current usage.

In April 2021, the satirical group The Chaser created a fabricated online petition calling for the renaming of fairy bread, calling it "offensive", which resulted in many mainstream news stories.

In November 2021, a Google Doodle was created to celebrate fairy bread.

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.
Chinese Idioms

**Chinese Idioms** is a serie of stamps in SLOWLY. This can be purchased on the Stamp Store while you visit China.

## Information

**Chengyu** are a type of traditional Chinese idiomatic expression, most of which consist of four characters. Chengyu were widely used in Classical Chinese and are still common in vernacular Chinese writing and in the spoken language today. According to the most stringent definition, there are about 5,000 chéngyǔ in the Chinese language, though some dictionaries list over 20,000.

Chéngyǔ are considered the collected wisdom of the Chinese culture, and contain the experiences, moral concepts, and admonishments from previous generations of Chinese. They are often referred to as **Chinese idioms** or **four-character idioms**; however, they are not the only idioms in Chinese. *Text and from Wikipedia.*

Chinese Idioms Serie
"A crane standing in a flock of chickens" (i.e. someone who is outstanding).

Text from various sources, links provided.

## Method

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

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

**Cartago** is a location stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit **Costa Rica**.

## Information

"***Cartago*** (Spanish pronunciation: [kaɾˈtaɣo]) is the third largest city in Costa Rica, about 25 km (16 mi) east of the capital, San José. It is at an elevation of 1,435 m (4,708 ft) above sea level, at the base of the Irazú Volcano. Cartago is the capital of Cartago province, and was the capital of Costa Rica from 1574 to 1824. The city covers an area of 152,68 km2.

Many pilgrims come to Cartago annually, to visit the nation's principal church, the enormous Basílica de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles, on the feast day of the Virgin of the Angels (August 2). The church has a statue of a Black Madonna known as La Negrita, who supposedly had great healing powers. The sick come to her statue in hope of a miracle from La Negrita. "

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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.
Esala Perahera

**Esala Perahera** is a Limited edition stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit Sri Lanka during this special day .

## Information

**The Kandy Esala Perahera** (the *Sri Dalada Perahara* procession of Kandy) also known as *The Festival of the Tooth* is a festival held in July and August in Kandy, Sri Lanka.

This historical procession is held annually to pay homage to the Sacred Tooth Relic of Buddha, which is housed at the Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy.

A unique symbol of Sri Lanka, the procession consists of traditional local dances such as fire dances and performances in whip-dance garments. The festival ends with the traditional *Diya-kepeema* ritual, a water cutting ceremony which is held at the Mahaweli River at Getambe, Kandy."
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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.
Grenada

## Information

**Grenada**, is an island country in the West Indies in the Caribbean Sea at the southern end of the Grenadines island chain. Grenada consists of the island of Grenada itself, two smaller islands, Carriacou and Petite Martinique, and several small islands which lie to the north of the main island and are a part of the Grenadines.

It is located northwest of Trinidad and Tobago, northeast of Venezuela and southwest of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Its size is 348.5 square kilometres (134.6 sq mi), and it had an estimated population of 112,523 in July 2020. *Text and image from Wikipedia*.

## Country Stamps Gallery

*Additional Reference : Country stamps listing - SlowlyStamps.blogspot*
Els Castells

**Els Castells** is a region exclusive stamp in SLOWLY. This can be purchased in the shop when you visit Spain

## Information

A ***castell*** is a human tower built traditionally at festivals in Catalonia, the Balearic islands and the Valencian Community. At these festivals, several *colles castelleres* (teams that build towers) attempt to build and dismantle a tower's structure. On 16 November 2010, *castells* were declared by UNESCO to be amongst the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
In Catalan, the word *castell* literally translates into castle, however in English its meaning is a human tower.

A *castell* is considered a success when assembly and disassembly can be done in complete succession. The assembly is complete once all *castellers* have climbed into their designated places, and the *enxaneta* climbs into place at the top and raises one open hand. The *enxaneta* then climbs down the other side of the *castell*, after which the remaining levels of *castellers* descend in highest to lowest order until all have reached safety.

Aside from the people who climb to form the upper parts of the tower, others are needed to form the *pinya*, or bottom base of the *castell*, to sustain its weight. Members of the *pinya* (most often men) also act as a 'safety net' if the tower structure collapses, cushioning the fall of people from the upper levels. It is not uncommon—when not in competitions—for other *colles* to assist in the *pinya* when a small *colla* is attempting a specially demanding structure in terms of people needed.
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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.
Crane

**Crane** is an exclusive single stamp in SLOWLY. This can be purchased in the shop when you visit Japan .

## Information

The **red-crowned crane**, also called the **Manchurian crane** or **Japanese crane** , is a large East Asian crane among the rarest cranes in the world. In some parts of its range, it is known as a symbol of luck, longevity, and fidelity.
Adult red-crowned cranes are named for a patch of red bare skin on the crown, which becomes brighter during mating season. Overall, they are snow white in color with black on the wing secondaries, which can appear almost like a black tail when the birds are standing, but the real tail feathers are actually white. Males are black on the cheeks, throat, and neck, while females are pearly gray in these spots. The bill is olive green to greenish horn, the legs are slate to grayish black, and the iris is dark brown.
In Japan, this crane is known as the *tanchōzuru* and is said to live for 1,000 years. A pair of red-crowned cranes was used in the design for the Series D 1000-yen note (reverse side). In the Ainu language, the red-crowned crane is known as *sarurun kamuy* or "marsh kamuy". At Tsurui, they are one of the 100 Soundscapes of Japan. Cranes are said to grant favours in return for acts of sacrifice, as in *Tsuru no Ongaeshi* ("crane's return of a favor").

Given its reputation, Jerry Huff, an American branding expert, recommended it as the international logo of Japan Airlines, after seeing a representation of it in a gallery of samurai crests.

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.