recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Kyrgyzstan

## Information

**Kyrgyzstan**, officially the **Kyrgyz Republic**, is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia. Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the south, and China to the east.

Its capital and largest city is Bishkek. Ethnic Kyrgyz make up the majority of the country's six million people, followed by significant minorities of Uzbeks and Russians. *Text and image from Wikipedia*.

## Country Stamps Gallery

*Additional Reference : Country stamps listing - SlowlyStamps.blogspot*
Mayon Volcano

**Mayon Volcano** is a location stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit the **Philippines**.

## Information

"***The Mayon Volcano***, also known as **Mount Mayon** (Spanish: *Monte Mayón*), is a sacred and active stratovolcano in the province of Albay in Bicol Region, on the large island of Luzon in the Philippines. A popular tourist spot, it is renowned for its "perfect cone" because of its symmetric conical shape.

The volcano with its surrounding landscape was declared a national park on July 20, 1938, the first in the nation. It was reclassified as a Natural Park and renamed as the *Mayon Volcano Natural Park* in 2000.[6] It is the centerpiece of the Albay Biosphere Reserve, declared by UNESCO in 2016,[7] and is currently being nominated as a World Heritage Site.
It is the most active volcano in the Philippines. "

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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.
Nane Nane Day

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

## Information

**Nane Nane Day** on 8 August celebrates to recognize the important contribution of farmers to the national Tanzanian economy. Nane Nane means "eight eight" in Swahili, the national language of Tanzania (and of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, the two countries whose union created the United Republic of Tanzania in 1964).

Nane Nane also may refer to the Agricultural Exhibition, a one-week fair that takes place every year around this date [8/8] in varying locations of Tanzania. In the Nane Nane Agricultural Exhibition, farmers and other agricultural stakeholders (e.g., universities and research institutes, input suppliers or fertilizer producing industries) showcase new technologies, ideas, discoveries and alternative solutions concerning the agricultural sector. Nane Nane is a fair where government and private firms present their services and activities to the public.

Every year the national Nane Nane show takes place in different locations, for example in Ngongo, Lindi Region (2014), while there are also regional Nane Nane shows held in seven zones, namely in Arusha for Northern Zone; Eastern in Morogoro; Lake in Mwanza and Simiyu; Highlands in Mbeya; Southern in Lindi, Mtwara or Songea; Western in Tabora; and Central in Dodoma.

Text from wikipedia. image from facebook

## 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.
Portugal

## Information

**Portugal**, officially the **Portuguese Republic** (Portuguese: *República Portuguesa*), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula, in Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira. It features the westernmost point in mainland Europe and its Iberian portion is bordered to the west and south by the Atlantic Ocean and to the north and east by Spain, the sole country to have a land border with Portugal.

Its two archipelagos form two autonomous regions with their own regional governments. The official and national language is Portuguese. Lisbon is the capital and largest city. *Text and image from Wikipedia*.

## Country Stamps Gallery

*Additional Reference : Country stamps listing - SlowlyStamps.blogspot*
Nur-Astana Mosque

**Nur-Astana Mosque** is a location stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit **Kazakhstan**.

## Information

"***The Nur-Astana Mosque*** (Kazakh: Nur-Astana meshiti), is a mosque in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. It is third largest mosque in Central Asia. The 40-meter (131-foot) height symbolizes the age of the Prophet Muhammad of when he received the revelations, and the height of the minarets are 63 meters (207 foot), the age Muhammad was when he died.

The mosque designed by Charles Hadife, an architect based in Beirut Lebanon is located at the left riverbank in the city of Nur-Sultan, construction first started in March 2005.

The mosque was a gift in accordance with the agreement of the Kazakhstan President, Nursultan Nazarbayev and the Emir of Qatar, Hamad bin Khalifa. It has a capacity of 5,000 worshippers inside the mosque, including 2,000 for worshippers outside the mosque. The structure is made of glass, concrete, granite and alucobond measures. "

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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.
Hungarian Inventors' Day

**Hungarian Inventors' Day** is a Limited edition stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit Hungary during this special day.

## Information

**Hungarian Inventors' Day** (Magyar Feltalálók Napja) is celebrated on 13 June in memoriam of Albert Szent-Györgyi who registered his national patent about the synthesized Vitamin C in 1941. It is celebrated by the Association of Hungarian Inventors (MAFE) since 2009.

**Albert Imre Szent-Györgyi** de Nagyrápolt (Hungarian: *nagyrápolti Szent-Györgyi Albert Imre*; September 16, 1893 – October 22, 1986) was a Hungarian biochemist who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1937. He is credited with first isolating vitamin C and discovering the components and reactions of the citric acid cycle. He was also active in the Hungarian Resistance during World War II, and entered Hungarian politics after the war.

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.
Día de la Pupusa

**Dia de la Pupusa** is a Limited edition stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit El Salvador during this special day .

## Information

A **pupusa** is a thick griddle cake or flatbread from El Salvador and Honduras, made with cornmeal or rice flour, similar to the Venezuelan and Colombian arepa. In El Salvador, it has been declared the national dish and has a specific day to celebrate it. It is usually stuffed with one or more ingredients, which may include cheese (such as *quesillo* or cheese with *loroco* buds), *chicharrón*, squash, or refried beans. It is typically accompanied by *curtido* (a spicy fermented cabbage slaw) and tomato salsa, and is traditionally eaten by hand.

Pupusas are also found in neighboring Central American countries. Honduran versions use the local *quesillo* type of cheese for the filling. In Costa Rica, both "Salvadoran pupusas" and "pupusas" are available, the latter being a local version. There, they are a staple of the food stalls at regional carnivals known as fiestas.

A similar Mexican dish is called a *gordita* (literally, "little fatty"), but gorditas are usually open at one end. In Venezuela, they make arepas (where the dough is cooked first, and then sliced in half and stuffed somewhat like a hamburger). Colombia has its own recipe for arepas, but, unlike Venezuelan arepas, Colombian arepas are usually eaten without filling, or the filling is placed inside the dough before cooking."
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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.
Paella

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

## Information

**Paella** is a rice dish originally from Valencia. While it is commonly viewed by non-Spaniards as Spain's national dish, Spaniards almost unanimously consider it to be a dish from the Valencian region. Valencians, in turn, regard *paella* as one of their identifying symbols. It is one of the best-known dishes in Spanish cuisine.

The dish takes its name from the wide, shallow traditional pan used to cook the dish on an open fire, *paella* being the word for a frying pan in Valencia's regional language. As a dish, it may have ancient roots, but in its modern form it is traced back to the mid-19th century, in the rural area around the Albufera lagoon adjacent to the city of Valencia, on the Mediterranean coast of Spain.
***Paella valenciana*** is the traditional paella of the Valencia region, believed to be the original recipe, and consists of round grain rice, *bajoqueta* and *tavella* (varieties of *green beans*), peas, rabbit, chicken, sometimes duck and *garrofó* (a variety of lima or butter bean) cooked in olive oil and chicken broth. The dish is (sometimes) seasoned with whole rosemary branches. Traditionally, the yellow color comes from saffron, but turmeric and *calendula* can be used as substitutes. Artichoke hearts and stems may be used as seasonal ingredients. Most paella cooks use bomba rice, but Valencians tend to use a cultivar known as *senia*.

***Paella de marisco*** (seafood *paella*) replaces meat with seafood and omits beans and green vegetables, while ***paella mixta*** (mixed *paella*) combines meat from livestock, seafood, vegetables, and sometimes beans, with the traditional rice.
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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.
Panagbenga

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

## Information

**Panagbenga Festival**, (transl. Flower Festival) is a month-long annual flower occasion in Baguio, the Philippines. The term is of Kankanaey origin, meaning "season of blooming". The festival, held in February, was created as a tribute to the city's flowers and as a way to rise up from the devastation of the 1990 Luzon earthquake.

The festival includes floats that are covered mostly with flowers not unlike those used in Pasadena's Rose Parade. The festival also includes street dancing, presented by dancers clad in flower-inspired costumes, that is inspired by the Bendian, an Ibaloi dance of celebration that came from the Cordilleras.

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.
Hummingbird

**Hummingbird** is a location stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit **Jamaica**.

## Information

"***The red-billed streamertail*** (Trochilus polytmus), also known as the doctor bird, scissor-tail or scissors tail hummingbird, is indigenous to Jamaica, where it is the most abundant and widespread member of the hummingbird family. While most authorities now consider it a separate species, some (including the American Ornithologists' Union) continue to consider it conspecific with the black-billed streamertail.

The red-billed streamertail is the national bird of Jamaica. "

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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.
Lion of Judah

**Lion of Judah**  is a location stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit **Ethiopia**.

## Information

"***The Monument to the Lion of Judah*** is a statue of the Lion of Judah, symbol of Ethiopian Emperors and Ethiopia is located in Addis Ababa.

The sculpture of the Lion of Judah, in gilded bronze, is placed on a black granite pedestal decorated with relief portraits of Menelik II, Haile Selassie I, Zewditu, and ras Makonnen Wolde Mikael. The work was made by the French sculptor Georges Gardet in 1930, on the occasion of the coronation of Emperor Hailé Selassié on November 2,1930.

After the 1974 revolution, the Derg regime thought of removing the monument, symbol of the monarchy, but an association of Arbegnoch veterans claimed that it was a memory of Ethiopian antifascist resistance and a symbol of Ethiopia. So, the regime agreed to leave the monument, which is still in front of the Addis Ababa central station.

In 1954 a new monument was commissioned by Emperor Hailè Selassiè from sculptor Maurice Calka."

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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.
Martyrs Shrine

**Martyrs Shrine** is a location stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit **Uganda**.

## Information

"***The Uganda Martyrs*** are a group of 23 Anglican and 22 Catholic converts to Christianity in the historical kingdom of Buganda, now part of Uganda, who were executed between 31 January 1885 and 27 January 1887.

They were killed on orders of Mwanga II, the Kabaka (King) of Buganda. The deaths took place at a time when there was a three-way religious struggle for political influence at the Buganda royal court.

The episode also occurred against the backdrop of the "Scramble for Africa" – the invasion, occupation, division, colonization and annexation of African territory by European powers. A few years after, the English Church Missionary Society used the deaths to enlist wider public support for the British acquisition of Uganda for the Empire.

The Catholic Church beatified the 22 Catholic martyrs of its faith in 1920 and canonized them in 1964. "

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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.
Norway

## Information

**Norway**, officially the **Kingdom of Norway**, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard also form part of Norway.

Bouvet Island, located in the Subantarctic, is a dependency of Norway; it also lays claims to the Antarctic territories of Peter I Island and Queen Maud Land. The capital and largest city in Norway is Oslo. *Text and image from Wikipedia*.

## Country Stamps Gallery

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

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

## Information

**Knabenschiessen** is a traditional target shooting competition in Zürich, held on the second weekend of September each year. The festival, officially held for the first time in 1889, is one of the oldest in Switzerland, dating back to the 17th century.

The competition is open to 13- to 17-year-olds who either reside or are enrolled in a school in the canton of Zürich. Originally reserved for boys (*Knaben*), the competition has been open to female participants since 1991. The shooting is with the Swiss Army ordnance rifle, SIG SG 550. The competition is held in the shooting range at *Albisgütli* to the south-west of the city center, on the slope of Uetliberg. It is surrounded by a large fair.

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.
Kingdom Centre Tower

**Kingdom Centre Tower** is a location stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit **Saudi Arabia**.

## Information

"***The Kingdom Centre Tower*** (Arabic: مركز المملكة‎) is a 99-story, 302.3 m (992 ft) skyscraper in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. When completed in 2002, it overtook the 267-meter Faisaliyah Tower as the tallest tower in Saudi Arabia. It has since been surpassed and is now the fifth-tallest skyscraper in the country, whose tallest two buildings are the Abraj Al Bait Towers and the Capital Market Authority Tower. It is the world's third-tallest building with a hole after the Shanghai World Financial Center and the 85 Sky Tower in Taiwan.

The upper third of the tower features an inverted parabolic arch topped by a public sky bridge.[9] The sky bridge is a 300-ton steel structure, taking the form of an enclosed corridor with windows on both sides. After paying the admission fees, visitors take two elevators to reach that level. "

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.
Polka

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

## Information

**Polka** is a dance and genre of dance music originating in nineteenth-century Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic. Though associated with Czech and Polish culture, polka is popular throughout Europe and the Americas.

The polka's origin story first appears in the periodical *Bohemia* in 1844, in which it was attributed to a young Bohemian woman named Anna Slezáková (born Anna Chadimová). As told by Čeněk Zíbrt, the music teacher Josef Neruda noticed her dancing in an unusual way to accompany a local folk song called "*Strýček Nimra koupil šimla*", or "Uncle Nimra Bought a White Horse" in 1830. The dance was further propagated by Neruda, who put the tune to paper and taught other young men to dance it. Some versions of this origin story placed the first polka as being danced in Hradec Kralove, while others claimed it occurred in the village of Labska Tynica. Historians believe the polka evolved as a quicker version of the waltz, and associate the rapid bourgeoning in popularity of the polka across Europe in the mid-1800s with the spread of the Romantic movement, which emphasized an idealized version of peasant culture.

By 1835, this dance had spread to the ballrooms of Prague. From there, it spread to classical music hub Vienna by 1839, and in 1840 was introduced in Paris by Johaan Raab, a Prague dance instructor. It was so well received in Paris that its popularity was referred to as "polkamania." The dance soon spread to London in 1844, where it was considered highly fashionable, and was also introduced to America. It remained a popular ballroom dance in America, especially with growing Central, Northern, and Eastern European immigrant groups until the late 19th century.

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.
Malaysia

## Information

**Malaysia**, is a country in Southeast Asia. The federal constitutional monarchy consists of thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two regions, Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo's East Malaysia. Peninsular Malaysia shares a land and maritime border with Thailand and maritime borders with Singapore, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

East Malaysia shares land and maritime borders with Brunei and Indonesia and a maritime border with the Philippines and Vietnam. Kuala Lumpur is the national capital, largest city and the seat of the legislative branch of the federal government. *Text and image from Wikipedia*.

## Country Stamps Gallery

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

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

## Information

**Jāņi** is an annual Latvian festival celebrating the summer solstice. Although astronomically the solstice falls on 21 or 22 June, the public holidays—Līgo Day and Jāņi Day—are on 23 and 24 June. The day before Jāņi is known as Līgosvētki.

On Jāņi, people travel from the city into the countryside to gather and eat, drink, sing and celebrate the solstice by observing the ancient folk traditions relating to renewal and fertility.
During Jāņi, foliage of rowan, oak, linden and birch trees is collected and hung to decorate homes, barns and granaries, as well as tied to gates, doors and cars. Thorns, thistles and nettles are hung to repel evil spirits and witches. In past times, herbaceous plants were dried and fed to cows shortly after calving during winter and spring. On Zāļu Day, herbs were used to make a tea which was given to sick people and livestock. On Jāņi Day, rowan twigs were tied together, dried and used for child's fumigation, to treat sickness, anxiety, or where a child was afflicted by an evil eye.

*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.
Mexico

## Information

**Mexico**, officially the **United Mexican States**, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and to the east by the Gulf of Mexico. Mexico covers 1,972,550 square kilometers (761,610 sq mi), making it the world's 13th-largest country by area; with approximately 126,014,024 inhabitants, it is the 10th-most-populous country and has the most Spanish-speakers.

Mexico is organized as a federation comprising 31 states and Mexico City, its capital and largest metropolis. Other major urban areas include Guadalajara, Monterrey, Puebla, Toluca, Tijuana, Ciudad Juárez, and León. *Text and image from Wikipedia*.

## Country Stamps Gallery

The Antojito set was issued and ***discontinued*** due to local user complaints in short order; it was available for purchase for a short time only so it's a rare stamp set. See details of it on this Blog post.

*Additional Reference : Country stamps listing - SlowlyStamps.blogspot*
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

**Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum** is a location stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit **Vietnam**.

## Information

"***The President Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum*** (Vietnamese: Lăng Chủ tịch Hồ Chí Minh) is a mausoleum which serves as the resting place of Vietnamese Revolutionary leader and President Ho Chi Minh in Hanoi, Vietnam.

It is a large building located in the center of Ba Dinh Square, where Ho, Chairman of the Workers' Party of Vietnam from 1951 until his death in 1969, read the Declaration of Independence on 2 September 1945, establishing the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. It is open to the public."

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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.
Muay Thai

**Muay Thai** is an exclusive single stamp in SLOWLY. This can be purchased in the shop when you visit Thailand.

## Information

**Muay Thai**, sometimes referred to as "**Thai boxing**", is a martial art and combat sport that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. This discipline is known as the "art of eight limbs" as it is characterised by the combined use of fists, elbows, knees and shins. Muay Thai became widespread internationally in the late-20th to 21st century, when Westernised practitioners from Thailand began competing in kickboxing and mixed-rules matches as well as matches under Muay Thai rules around the world. The professional league is governed by The Professional Boxing Association of Thailand (P.A.T), sanctioned by The Sports Authority of Thailand (S.A.T.).

Muay Thai is related to other martial art styles such as Musti-yuddha, Muay Chaiya, Muay boran, Muay Lao, Lethwei, Pradal Serey and Tomoi. Muay Thai developed from the traditional Muay Boran. A practitioner of Muay Thai is known as a *nak muay*. Western practitioners in Thailand are sometimes called *nak muay farang*, meaning 'foreign boxer'.
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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.
Midsommar

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

## Information

**Midsummer** is the period of time in the middle of the summer. The exact dates vary among different cultures, but is primarily held close to the summer solstice. The celebration predates Christianity, and has existed under different names and traditions around the world.

The undivided Christian Church designated June 24 as the feast day of the early Christian martyr St John the Baptist, and the observance of St John's Day begins the evening before, known as Saint John's Eve. These are commemorated by many Christian denominations, such as the Roman Catholic Church, Lutheran Churches, and Anglican Communion, as well as by freemasonry. In Sweden, the Midsummer is such an important festivity that there have been proposals to make the Midsummer's Eve the National Day of Sweden, instead of June 6.

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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.
North Korea

## Information

**North Korea**, officially the **Democratic People's Republic of Korea** (**DPRK**), is a country in East Asia, constituting the northern part of the Korean Peninsula. It borders China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu (Amnok) and Tumen rivers, and South Korea to the south at the Korean Demilitarized Zone. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eastern border is defined by the Sea of Japan. North Korea, like its southern counterpart, claims to be the legitimate government of the entire peninsula and adjacent islands. Pyongyang is the country's capital and largest city.

In 1910, Korea was annexed by the Empire of Japan. In 1945, after the Japanese surrender at the end of World War II, Korea was divided into two zones along the 38th parallel, with the north occupied by the Soviet Union and the south occupied by the United States. Negotiations on reunification failed, and in 1948, separate governments were formed: the socialist DPRK in the north, and the capitalist Republic of Korea in the south. The Korean War began in 1950, with an invasion by North Korea, and lasted to 1953. The Korean Armistice Agreement brought about a ceasefire and established a demilitarized zone (DMZ), but no formal peace treaty was ever signed. *Text and image from Wikipedia*.

## Country Stamps Gallery

*Additional Reference : Country stamps listing - SlowlyStamps.blogspot*
People's Day Festival

**人日の節句** is an exclusive single stamp in SLOWLY. This can be purchased in the shop when you visit Japan.

## Information

The **Festival of Seven Herbs** or **Nanakusa no sekku** (Japanese: 七草の節句) is the long-standing Japanese custom of eating seven-herb rice porridge (七草粥, *nanakusa-gayu*, lit. "7 Herbs Rice-Congee") on January 7 (*Jinjitsu*); one of the *Gosekku*.

The seventh of the first month has been an important Japanese festival since ancient times. Jingchu Suishiji, written in the Six Dynasties China, recorded the Southern Chinese custom of eating a hot soup that contains seven vegetables to bring longevity and health and ward off evil on the 7th day of the first month of the Chinese calendar. Since there is little green at that time of the year, the young green herbs bring color to the table and eating them suits the spirit of the New Year. The custom was present in Taiwan until the mid-Qing Dynasty, and is still present in parts of rural Guangdong province.

On the morning of January 7, or the night before, people place the *nanakusa*, rice scoop, and/or wooden pestle on the cutting board and, facing the good-luck direction, chant "Before the birds of the continent (China) fly to Japan, let's get nanakusa" while cutting the herbs into pieces. The chant may vary from place to place.

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.
Northern Ireland

## Information

**Northern Ireland** is a part of the United Kingdom that is variously described as a country, province, territory or region. Located in the northeast of the island of Ireland, Northern Ireland shares a border to the south and west with the Republic of Ireland. In 2011, its population was 1,810,863, constituting about 30% of the island's population and about 3% of the UK's population. The Northern Ireland Assembly (colloquially referred to as Stormont after its location), established by the Northern Ireland Act 1998, holds responsibility for a range of devolved policy matters, while other areas are reserved for the British government. Northern Ireland co-operates with the Republic of Ireland in several areas.

Northern Ireland was created in 1921, when Ireland was partitioned by the Government of Ireland Act 1920, creating a devolved government for the six northeastern counties. The majority of Northern Ireland's population were unionists, who wanted to remain within the United Kingdom. They were generally the Protestant descendants of colonists from Great Britain.

Meanwhile, the majority in Southern Ireland (which became the Irish Free State in 1922), and a significant minority in Northern Ireland, were Irish nationalists and Catholics who wanted a united independent Ireland. Today, the former generally see themselves as British and the latter generally see themselves as Irish, while a Northern Irish or Ulster identity is claimed by a large minority from all backgrounds. *Text and image from Wikipedia*.

## Country Stamps Gallery

Please see also the **United Kingdom Country Gallery**, as Northern Ireland residents receive all the stamps available in the UK at large.

*Additional Reference : Country stamps listing - SlowlyStamps.blogspot*
North Macedonia

## Information

**North Macedonia** (**Macedonia** before February 2019), officially the **Republic of North Macedonia**, is a country in Southeast Europe. It gained independence in 1991 as one of the successor states of Yugoslavia. North Macedonia is a landlocked country bordering with Kosovo to the northwest, Serbia to the north, Bulgaria to the east, Greece to the south, and Albania to the west. It constitutes approximately the northern third of the larger geographical region of Macedonia. Skopje, the capital and largest city, is home to a quarter of the country's 1.83 million population. The majority of the residents are ethnic Macedonians, a South Slavic people. Albanians form a significant minority at around 25%, followed by Turks, Romani, Serbs, Bosniaks, Aromanians and a few other minorities. *Text and image from Wikipedia*.

## Country Stamps Gallery

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

## Information

**Italy**, officially the **Italian Republic** (Italian: *Repubblica Italiana*, is a country consisting of a peninsula delimited by the Alps and several islands surrounding it, whose territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical region. Italy is located in the centre of the Mediterranean Sea, in Southern Europe, and is also considered part of Western Europe.

A unitary parliamentary republic with Rome as its capital and largest city, the country covers a total area of 301,340 km2 (116,350 sq mi) and shares land borders with France, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, and the enclaved microstates of Vatican City and San Marino. *Text and image from Wikipedia*.

## Country Stamps Gallery

*Additional Reference : Country stamps listing - SlowlyStamps.blogspot*
Jacaranda Festival

**Jacaranda Festival** is a Limited edition stamp in SLOWLY. This can be unlocked when you visit Australia or South Africa during this special day .

## Information

**The Jacaranda Festival** happens from 20 October to 10 November each Spring, more than 1,700 Jacaranda trees explode into bloom in Grafton, New South Wales, Australia, as nature showcases her annual display of colour.

it’s all thanks to one Mr Volkers who started planting hundreds of Jacaranda trees as far back as 1879. Since then, people from near and far have fallen in love with their glorious colour. The Grafton Jacaranda Festival is the longest running floral festival in Australia.

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Text and image from My Clarence Valley.

## 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.
Hari Batik

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

## Information

**Batik Day (Hari Batik Nasional)** is an Indonesian cultural day for celebrating batik – the traditional cloth of Indonesia. It is celebrated on October 2 and marks the anniversary of when UNESCO recognized batik as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2009. At the day, in Jakarta, the map of Indonesian batik diversity by Hokky Situngkir was opened for public for the first time by the Indonesian Ministry of Research and Technology. The Indonesian government strongly encourage Indonesian people (especially government officials, employees of state-owned enterprises, and students) to wear batik annually on the holiday and on Fridays to commemorate the day. Wearing batik every Friday has also been encouraged in private companies.

Batik is a traditional Indonesian cloth that has roots in the country's historical artwork. In celebration of their culture, Indonesians dress head-to-toe in batik for the holiday. Now, Batik Day is celebrated across a number of platforms all over the world. Particularly, in Indonesian organizations ranging from universities, church groups, and communities all around the world. These Indonesian organizations usually celebrate Batik Day as well in order to create awareness of Indonesia's traditional fabric to other cultures.

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.
Liechtenstein

## Information

**Liechtenstein**, officially the **Principality of Liechtenstein** (German: *Fürstentum Liechtenstein*), is a German-speaking microstate located in the Alps between Austria and Switzerland. Liechtenstein is a semi-constitutional monarchy headed by the Prince of Liechtenstein; the Prince's extensive powers are equivalent to those of a President in a semi-presidential system like France.

Liechtenstein is bordered by Switzerland to the west and south and Austria to the east and north. It is Europe's fourth-smallest country, with an area of just over 160 square kilometres (62 square miles) and a population of 38,749 (in 2019). *Text and image from Wikipedia*.

## Country Stamps Gallery

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

**Swerve** gives a single hex of movement that also ignores threatened areas allowing for free breakaways. Almost any character can use this card on almost any turn, so be careful not to use it too freely. Otherwise you might be wanting it when it is critical in later turns.

Also remember that characters who are  can use this to move a hex since displacement does not spend movement points.

## Synergies

* 8-Ball can use swerve while using Be Water Dude to further extend the distance he will place his enemy target.
Marianne

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

## Information

**Marianne** has been the national personification of the French Republic since the French Revolution, as a personification of liberty, equality, fraternity and reason, as well as a portrayal of the Goddess of Liberty.

Marianne is displayed in many places in France and holds a place of honour in town halls and law courts. She is depicted in the *Triumph of the Republic*, a bronze sculpture overlooking the Place de la Nation in Paris, as well as represented with another Parisian statue on the Place de la République. Her profile stands out on the official government logo of the country, appears on French euro coins and on French postage stamps. It was also featured on the former franc currency. Marianne, one of the most prominent symbols of the French Republic, is officially used on most government documents.

Marianne is a significant republican symbol; her French monarchist equivalent is often Joan of Arc. As a national icon Marianne represents opposition to monarchy and the championship of freedom and democracy against all forms of oppression. Other national symbols of Republican France include the tricolor flag, the national motto *Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité*, the national anthem "La Marseillaise", the coat of arms, and the official Great Seal of France. Marianne also wore a Cockade and a red cap that symbolised Liberty.

The origin of the name are uncertain. A recent discovery establishes that the first written mention of the name of Marianne to designate the Republic appeared in October 1792 in Puylaurens in the Tarn *département* near Toulouse. At that time people used to sing a song in the Provençal dialect of Occitan by the poet Guillaume Lavabre: "*La garisou de Marianno*" . Some believe that the name came from the name of the Spanish Jesuit Juan de Mariana, the 16th century Monarchomach, a theoretician of tyrannicide. Others think it was the image of the wife of the politician Jean Reubell.

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.
Hockey

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

## Information

**Ice hockey** is a contact winter team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It is one of the fastest team sports on ice belonging to a small group of four ice skating team sports, irrespective of their associated variants, which now includes bandy, ringette, and rinkball. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hockey sticks to control, advance and shoot a closed, vulcanized, rubber disc called a "puck" into the other team's goal. Each goal is worth one point. The team which scores the most goals is declared the winner. In a formal game, each team has six skaters on the ice at a time, barring any penalties, one of whom is the goaltender.

In North America and some European countries the sport is known simply as "hockey" in common parlance, however in many countries, "hockey" usually refers to field hockey, except in some Northern areas of Russia where bandy is still referred to as "Russian hockey" or "hockey with a ball". The sport of lacrosse was considered the national sport of Canada until 1994 but is now considered the country's official national summer sport while ice hockey is considered its official national winter sport.

The contemporary sport of ice hockey was developed in Canada, most notably in Montreal, where the first indoor game was played on March 3, 1875. Some characteristics of that game, such as the length of the ice rink and the use of a puck, have been retained to this day. Amateur ice hockey leagues began in the 1880s, and professional ice hockey originated around 1900. The Stanley Cup, emblematic of ice hockey club supremacy, was first awarded in 1893 to recognize the Canadian amateur champion and later became the championship trophy of the NHL. In the early 1900s, the Canadian rules were adopted by the Ligue Internationale de Hockey Sur Glace, the precursor of the IIHF, and the sport was played for the first time at the Olympics during the 1920 Summer Olympics. Despite women having played since the beginnings of the game, women's hockey was not professionally organised until much later, the first IIHF Women's World Championship being held in 1990 and being introduced into the Olympics in 1998.

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.
Osaka Castle

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

## Information

"***The Osaka Castle*** (大坂城 or 大阪城,, Ōsaka-jō) is a Japanese castle in Chūō-ku, Osaka, Japan. The castle is one of Japan's most famous landmarks and it played a major role in the unification of Japan during the sixteenth century of the Azuchi-Momoyama period.

The main tower of Osaka Castle is situated on a plot of land roughly one square kilometer. It is built on two raised platforms of landfill supported by sheer walls of cut rock, using a technique called Burdock piling, each overlooking a moat. The central castle building is five stories on the outside and eight stories on the inside, and built atop a tall stone foundation to protect its occupants from attackers.

The castle grounds, which cover approximately 61,000 square meters (15 acres), contain thirteen structures that have been designated as important cultural assets by the Japanese government. "

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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.
Martisor

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

## Information

**Mărțișor** is the Romanian name of a tradition celebrated at the beginning of spring, in the month of March, and the name of the associated object made from two intertwined red and white strings with hanging tassel in Romania and Moldova, very similar to Martenitsa tradition in Bulgaria and *Martinka* in North Macedonia and traditions of other populations from Southeastern Europe.

The word *Mărțișor* is the diminutive of *marț*, the old folk name for March (*martie*, in modern Romanian), and literally means "little March".

Modern tradition involves wearing the small object on the chest like a brooch or a lapel pin, during the first part of the month, starting from 1 March. Some older traditions held it should be worn from the first new moon of March until next significant holiday for the local community, which could be anywhere between 9 March and 1 May, or until first tree flowers blossomed, depending on the area. It was also more commonly worn tied around the wrist or like a necklace.

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.
Knowledge Day

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

## Information

**Knowledge Day** (Russian: День Знаний), often simply called 1 September, is the day when the school year traditionally starts in Russia and many other former Soviet republics as well as other countries in the former Eastern Bloc.
Knowledge Day originated in the USSR, where it had been established by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of 15 June 1984. An important role in the approval of the new holiday date was played by the honored school teacher, director of the Krasnodar school, Bryukhovetsky Fedor Fedorovich. This day also marks the end of summer and the beginning of autumn. It has special significance for the incoming class of first graders who come to school for the first time and often participate in a celebratory assembly on this date. The day also involves the First Bell (Первый Звонок). Students in other grades may begin studies on September 1 or a few days later, usually without any special festivities.

1 September has an iconic cultural status in the Russian-speaking world and is immediately recognized there primarily in connection with the beginning of the school year.
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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.