Hot Air Balloon Over Lahore

I have been collecting stamps since long, but recently I came across a unique FDC that I was not at all aware of . The FDC shared on Face Book by Lahore - City of Gardens is a unique 2 Paisa valued stamp with stamp mark of  issued on the eve of National Horse and Cattle Show held in Lahore from 4-9 March 1964. 

FDC First Flight Balloon, Lahore / National Horse and Cattle Show, Lahore 4-9 March 1964 [FDC Courtesy:  Project Lahore]

The FDC on its left has a drawing of Badshahi Mosque of Lahore with a hot air balloon flying over the mosque domes. There are three stamps on the FDC:

1) On board of Freeballoon Oxygenium - Pilot: Nini Boseman

2) National Horse and Cattle Show - Lahore 4-9 Mar.1964

3) First Flight by Balloon, Lahore 8-3-64.

The FDC takes me back to 1964, when I attended this particular Horse and Cattle Show too and saw the Tattoo Show performed by the troops of Pakistan Army. A few days later on 23 March 1964, I was again at Lahore Fortress Stadium to witness the Pakistan Day Parade, which used to be a regular feature of those day and continued till as late as 2000s, where I for the first time in my life had seen F-104 Starfigher roaring over our heads as a special appearance for the Lahoreites and perhaps its first public appearance since their accquisition from the USA through Jordan. I shared my memories about the display in a separate post at Jaho Jalal awhile ago.

Originally posted at: My Philatelic World