
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.
la ville de Québec (Canada)
Our friends Lauren and Jon visited Quebec City recently and even stayed at the Château Frontenac! I’ve never been to Quebec City, although I’ve visited Montreal twice. Someday!
la tarte aux mirabelles (France)
Même si j’aimerais bien essayer de récréer cette recette, je crains qu’il ne soit pas possible car les mirabelles ne sont pas disponibles ici aux États-Unis (ben, que je sache moi). Quandmême, quand je serais en France le temps correct, je la mangerais sûrement.
Melbourne Street Art (Australia)
My penpal Matty was in Melbourne for a work trip training a new coworker and didn’t have much time to do sightseeing, but somehow found the time to send me this great, panoramic postcard!
JetPunk (Finland)
My penpal Jussi sends this postcard from Finland out of love for his favorite quizzing website. I have yet to join it out of fear I’ll lose whole weekends to it. There was a time I was spending some serious time on Sporcle. I certainly credit to learning all 192 countries of the world and all the capitals of Europe and South America. I lost steam trying to learn the African capitals and should try to pick them up again!
Trinkhalle (Germany)
Here is a postcard from my penpal Dominique who was visiting Germany and picked up this postcard about “Trinkhalle” which means literally “Drink Hall.” It’s part of a hot springs/spa complex in Baden-Baden (itself literally “Baths-Baths”).
the Cabazon Dinosaurs (Oregon)
The Cabazon Dinosaurs are actually in California, but this postcard comes to me from Oregon where Linda continually finds great ones! She writes about her baking adventures, which is another of the reasons we’re such good friends.
Girona (Spain)
Aunque mi amigo Dominique me ha enviado más de cien tarjetas postales de francia y docenas de alemania, ésta es la primera de españa. Está pasando sus vacaciones en españa para viajar pero también para practicar su español (no sabía que habla el castellano). ¡Enhorabuena!
Elk Rapids (Michigan)
Our five nieces all traveled to Elk Rapids for a weekend away with their Nana (my mom) and all of them, including Mom, signed the back of this gorgeous, oversized postcard of a sunset over Lake Michigan. We were just there earlier this month and I already miss a gorgeous Michigan summer.
Sky Lantern Festival (Taiwan)
I assume this postcard comes from our friends Kay and Pei who visited family in Taiwan this summer. I’ve never been to the Sky Lantern Festival but I would love to see it! All of those beautiful, candle-powered lanterns floating gently into the sky? What a sight!
tree witches (Oklahoma)
Our friend Laura is in Oklahoma for work and sent this delightful postcard! I’m not sure it depicts tree witches, but I like to think it does. Maybe they’re forest nymphs?
Bloomington (Indiana)
Another stand-out postcard from Nozomi in Indiana! This one she almost walked right by until she noticed it was a postcard. I’m so glad she did!
Englert Theater (Indiana)
I think I’ve written before about my love of later-postcards (postcards bought and possibly written or even stamped and then delayed for some reason before finally being sent days, weeks, months, or even years later). This is one such postcard received from Nozomi who sent it from Indiana even though she bought it in Iowa City when she was visiting for a friends’ wedding. I really love the historic aspect of this!
60 jahre Goethe-Institute in 12 postkarten (France)
Même si cette carte postale s’agit d’Allemagne et l’Institute Goethe, je l’ai reçue de mon ami Dominique en France (ben, en Alsace qui a une rélation spéciale avec l’Allemagne). On voit ici des étudiants de l’Institute Goethe; je ne sais pas beaucoup d’autre sur cette image car je ne parle pas l’allemain. Je réproduis le texte ici en cas où quelqu’un de mes lecteurs sache le traduire:
Sichtlich Spass habe die Schülerinnen beim Deutschunterricht in Apia. Von Samoa bis Island, Jakarta bis Rio betreut das Goethe-Institut im Rahmen eines grossangelegten Partnerschulprojekts des Auswärtigen Amtes über 500 speziell aus [illegible à cause de la poste]. Mit Interstutzung bei Aufstatong, Lehrmittein, Stipendien und Austauschprogrammen erfährt der Deutrsch-unterricht eine besondere Aufwertung und sichert Deutschland die Sympathie der Entscheider Innen von morgen.
Göttingen (Germany)
My friend and colleague Jo was in Göttingen for a work exchange with her university in Bordeaux and sent me this lovely postcard. Apparently, the “Gänseliesel” (Goose Girl) in the middle is the most kissed girl in Germany and it’s a tradition to give her a kiss if you have earned a doctorate from the University of Göttingen?! So strange!
Taiwan map (New Hampshire)
Our dear friends Kay and Pei were in Taiwan this summer visiting family and eating delicious food; they picked up this postcard of a historical map of Taiwan showing the old capital, Tainan.
Toni Morrison on books (Oregon)
Earlier, I wrote about an uncanny ability to choose terrific postcards - this absolutely applies to Linda! What a great and true quote.
LA Farmers Market (California)
After San Diego, Hunter and Alyssa took a bus tour through LA, stopping at a variety of places including Griffith Observatory. What a great opportunity to si(g)t(e) see!
San Diego Zoo (California)
Color me envious! Our niblings Hunter and Alyssa traveled to SoCal for a family member’s wedding and had time for a side trip to the SD Zoo. I’ve always wanted to visit but haven’t been, yet. They both wrote about how expansive the zoo was!
Café Campagne (Washington)
After spending a terrific afternoon tasting wine with our friend’s dear and charming mother, I was delighted to receive this postcard from her later travel to Washington state! Thanks, Kath!
There is always time for tea (Canada)
I guess I’m starting a tea postcard collection! How can I not with this great postcard from my penpal Ray in BC, Canada?