Fiji II

Bula, the Fijian word for "hello". A multiview card from that country, landing in my mailbox just a few days after my first card from Fiji. Almost like when I added Uzbekistan to my collection with three cards from three different people that all arrived on the same day; the more the merrier, I say! My many thanks and vinaka to David from "Postcards: A World Travelogue" for taking some time out of the palm trees to send this to me.

Stamp on the left is from 2003 (I think) and features tagimoucia, Medinilla waterhousei, a flowering vine endemic to Fiji and the country's national flower. Stamp on the right from a 2012 set of four on renewable energy in Fiji, commemorating the United Nations 2012 International Year of Sustainable Energy for All. It features biomass, plant material which generates energy directly by being burnt or once it is transformed into biofuel.

Fiji

Postcard of Levuka, the first colonial capital of Fiji, settled in 1820 and formally ceded to the British in 1874. The historical beachfront buildings sit amongst coconut and mango trees and form a rare, well-preserved example of nineteenth century European Pacific port settlements. Preservation was possible because the capital was moved to Suva on the main island of Viti Levu in 1882 as Levuku's townsite is ringed by cliffs, making growth difficult. Levuka Historical Port Town was added to the World Heritage List at this year's World Heritage Committee meeting in Phnom Penh, Fiji's first site to be inscribed.

Many thanks to Ben for helping me get my first card from Fiji! Vinaka vaka levu!

Stamp from a 1995 definitive set of eight on Fijian land birds showing a mangrove heron (Butorides striata), a common wetland bird across the Old World. Mangrove herons sit still for very long periods waiting for its prey to approach and then striking quickly. Stamp was overprinted with a new rate in 2006 (I think).