"Traveller's palm" from Martinique!

This postcard with the view of Martinique I received from France. A charming sender, Patricia, has been living in this place since 11 years and she loves it! She likes to share the beauty of her country throughout the world.

So, what do we know about Martinique? Martinique is a special territory in North America. The capital is Fort-de-France. The population is about 432,900 habitants. Official languages are French and Creole patois. This country in the Caribbean combines a distinctly French air with West Indian warmth. The island is dominated by Mount Pelee. In the South of the island, there are many beautiful beaches, in the North, the rain forests and the black sand beaches are spectacular. Sights include La Pagerie, birthplace of Napoleon's Empress Josephine, and Diamond Rock, a 600-foot pinnacle, once registered as a British warship.

The anthem is here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZ-ptcdxYOg

The tree, depicted in the postcard, is called Ravenala madagascariensis, or traveller's tree or traveller's palm. It is called "traveller's palm" (though it is not a real palm) because the sheaths of the stems hold rainwater, which supposedly could be used as an emergency drinking supply for travellers. Another possible reason for its name is that the fan tends to grow on an east-west line, providing a crude compass.

And the stamps depict gourgeous flowers by my favourite French impressionists - Gustave Caillebotte and Edouard Manet!

Thank you so much for the beauty, you shared with me, Particia!

A postcard with Guiana from France!

French Guiana is an overseas department and region of France in South America. The population is about 195,506 habitants. The capital is Cayenne. Official language is French. Arawak Indians and Caribs were the first inhabitants of French Guiana. The first French settlers arrived in French Guiana in 1604. Other settlers included the British, Dutch, Spanish and Portuguese. Except the coastal regions, most of French Guiana is a dense, tropical rain forest, including the Guiana Amazonian Park. Its biodiversity is astonishing. Some parts of the parks are also inhabited by native tribes, while other areas are kept completely untouched. The beaches of French Guiana are often used as turtle nesting sites, notably as one of the largest worldwide for the Leatherback turtle. The famous Devil's Island, one of the Iles du Salut, was part of the French penal colony in South America. Due to the fusion of nations, the arts are also a mixture of the different art traditions of the tribes. Some pieces done by woodcarving, painting, and weaving have Creole tastes, while others belong to the traditional French class. The other major attraction for visitors is the Ariane Space Station, Europe’s satellite launch centre. From the small coastal city of Kourou you can visit the centre, and watch rocket launches.

Here is the anthem:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVeyIvVgLzM

The stamps shows Jazz in Marciac (JIM), which is a jazz festival that takes place over a period of three weeks, usually from late July to mid-August in Marciac in France. The second stamp is the birth of a flower.

Thanks a lot for the postcard, Rélitza!