Here are the postcards!
I’ve been collecting postcards since 2008. Since then, I’ve sent and received over 1800 postcards from all over the US and dozens of countries. I respond to every postcard I receive, so I’m always open for private swaps.
My origin story: Back when I was a young boy, I got the idea to write a letter to several world leaders, but I only ever ended up writing the US president and the Queen of England. I was so tickled to receive responses from President Bush and then Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II! Well, they weren’t directly from the world leaders, but rather from their staff members. President Bush sent me an autographed photograph (which I lost later in a show-and-tell accident).
One of the Queen’s ladies-in-waiting sent me a very detailed letter, typed on Buckingham Palace stationery, answering all of my questions about the Queen’s horses and her corgis and her favorite foods. I marveled at the strangely-sized paper, the texture of the embossed coat of arms centered at the top of the page, and the stamps on the envelope. A real person had spent time reading my letter, responding to it, folding it and placing it in an envelope, and then more real human beings had taken the time and effort to transport it from London to some mail distribution center, to an airport in England, to an airport in the US, and back through the various USPS chains until it arrived in a plastic mailbox at the foot of my driveway in southeast Michigan.
I’m still fascinated by this process today, and all for less than the price of some chocolate! So I maintain correspondence with about a dozen penpals across the world, and send and receive postcards. At last count, I have a little under 2,000 postcards that I’ve received. Keep scrolling to see the most recent postcards that have arrived in my mailbox.
bunny bakery (Russia)
What a charming little drawing this postcard is! Alexey in Russia sent this in early October just as the winter weather was coming in.
Guggenheim, Bilbao (Spain)
Eleven cards and counting! Julian and Salvo’s gifts from Spain continue to roll in, and this one is no small addition to the group! Look at that terrific dog! Good boy!
Life is the best teacher (Poland)
Maybe it’s because I invite people to tell me about their favorite teacher, but Kasie from Poland sent this beautiful, calligraphic postcard to me. I agree!
Firewalkers (Fiji)
I’m not sure where I thought firewalking came from if not Fiji, but this postcard confirms its origins in Polynesia. The back of this postcard says “The art of firewalking or walking on red-hot embers or stones emanates from the tiny island of Beqa, off the southern coast of Viti Levu. Many young men from this island participate in firewalking shows at the tourist resorts.” Thanks to Matty for sending me this highly culturally relevant postcard.
Ukrainian alphabet
I must admit that I was surprised to find that a Ukrainian postcard had actually made it! The news out of Ukraine has been so dire, I wasn’t sure if the post were even running. I’m very glad then to receive this postcard from someone named Victoria; it’s printed on delightfully heavy cardstock!
hello, sailor (British Columbia)
In fact there’s nothing about sailing in this image, but it reminds me of a funny quote that would sometimes show up in old cartoons when someone sees an attractive man “Well, hello there, sailor!” I’m not sure what the origin is, but it seems applicable here. This postcard comes with Fall wishes from my penpal Ray. Thanks, friend!
Des Étrangers Grand Hotel (Italy)
Hot on the theme of fine hotels arrives this beautiful postcard sent by Julian and Salvo at the very beginning of their grand European tour starting in the end of August! They sent it with a non-postal service which allows tracking the postcard, but I think the system didn’t work as intended as it still shows the postcard undelivered.
the Seward (Michigan)
I wonder whether I’ve been to the bookshop where she’s getting all these terrific vintage postcards of Detroit, but I’m certainly not mad about receiving them! Our niece Emily sent this postcard, saying it reminds her of the Shinola Hotel where she used to work. I wonder what ever became of the Seward, Detroit’s Leading Uptown Hotel?
ice kachang (Singapore)
This dessert from Singapore reminds me a lot of 礤冰, a dessert that my husband talks a lot about from his childhood visits to Taiwan. The basic shape of the dessert is the same but the toppings vary quite a bit from place to place in Taiwan, so certainly they would from country to country!
Kieler Förde (Germany)
One of the best parts about PostCrossing is that you sit down to write some postcards and send them off, and then days or weeks later, you get a surprise postcard in the mail. It’s all about the delayed gratification; this postcard is no different!
Donostiako Badia (Spain)
Tempted though I was to write this postcard is from Euskadi, I decided not to inflame any political tensions. Instead, I’ll just admire the beauty of the San Sebastián Bay. Julian and Salvo enjoyed the food and sights and people, including the “xonfuzing language”! Ha!
watercolor Portland (Oregon)
Whenever I’m in Portland looking for postcards, I always see this one and love it. What a treat to receive it from my dear friend Linda!
it stinks! (United Kingdom)
Among the very many weird remnants of colonialism is Gibraltar, the southern tip of the Iberian peninsula where the United Kingdom has a strange holdout. At this point, it’s little more than a military airport and a rookery for monkeys. Julian and Salvo visited it and wrote simply on the back: “It Stinks!” I can only imagine!
Milan rainbow (Italy)
My penpal Lino was visiting Milan because his daughter graduated from university; I have been to Milan once and unfortunately the Duomo was in scaffolding at the time so the photos weren’t nearly as nice as this!
Alhambra (Spain)
Typically, I don’t prefer multiview postcards, but this one is a beautiful exemplar of what the genre should be: bite-sized views of the same locale that don’t crop out too much and feature the main sight prominently, with a unifying theme and center. To make this even better, it’s not even a rectangular (or square) postcard! It’s cut out along the scalloped edges as you see. Thanks, Julian and Salvo, for sending such a great postcard.
La Sainte-Chapelle de Dijon (France)
Celle-ci est une carte envoyée par mon ami Dominique qui écrit que Dijon est visité facilement par TGV (un rêve ça, d’avoir une système de chemin de fer si utile et facile!). Comme le capital de Bourgogne, on y goût des vins délicieux, et on voit aussi de l’architecture aussi belle qu’en Paris.
Granada (Spain)
I remember learning about azulejos in Spanish class way back in middle school, and ever since I’ve found the symmetrical geometry of them just gorgeous. Here’s a watercolor that captures that style perfectly, sent by our inimitable friends Julian and Salvo from their grand tour of Spain.
Hawai’ian Islands
Robynn and Oliver were in Hawai’i visiting family and writing, and they took the time to send this beautiful postcard! It’s printed on two pieces of koa wood veneer, each just .005 cm thick! What a beautiful piece of Hawai’i to receive in the mail!
Franklin Cider Mill (Michigan)
Our friends Kimee and Michael were visiting family in Michigan earlier this month, where Michael introduced Kimee to the tradition of visiting cider mills in the Fall. How I miss this tradition! The hot, fresh cider from the apples and holding your cup under the spout to get it as fresh as humanly possible… the hot, cinnamon-sugar doughnuts… the caramel apples… the hay rides and pumpkin patches. I don’t regret living in San Francisco, but the Bay Area cannot compete with Michigan when it comes to Fall activities!