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.
watercolor pool (Canada)
Ray always sends the best postcards and this one is no exception! There are some terrific stickers on the back, too!
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Jiufen (Taiwan)
A former student of mine went back to Taiwan this winter break to vote in the national elections that we read so much about. While there, she took the time and effort to send me this beautiful postcard of Jiufen, a very famous tourist spot in Taiwan. I haven’t been, but I’ve always wanted to go. We’ll go on our next trip back to Taiwan, I’m sure!
Blick auf das Terrassenufer (Germany)
Our friends Tobias and Philipp were back in Germany for the holidays and took the time to send this great postcard from their stay in Dresden. I appreciate the winter-theme of the postcard sent during winter, more so because Winter in California is a bit drab and rainy without any pretty snow (I don’t miss living in the snow, but I do miss seeing it from time to time).
“Die Schlucht” (Germany)
Here’s a postcard coming from a sender in Germany. The colors are really something! It’s a painting called “Die Schlucht” by Rik Wouters (1882 - 1916).
seaside painting (Oregon)
Cindy sent this beautiful postcard from her place in western Oregon, not far from the seaside.
virgin piña colada (California)
Dima sends this recipe for an alcohol-free (or “virgin”) piña colada. What perfect timing for Dry January!
mountain man (California)
Hillary writes that this postcards depicts a family member, who “was a great mountain man of [her] town.” What a great feature to have a family member on a postcard!
wood ibis and whooping crane (Michigan)
Unfortunately, these birds are not native to Michigan as the title of this post may imply. Rather, they live in Florida, but the postcard was sent by my niece and her boyfriend who live in Detroit! She sends memories of our fantastic New Year's celebration last year!
watercolor sea lion (California)
People often confuse sea lions and seals. San Francisco is lucky to boast both kinds of sea mammals in its water, but the ones that most people think of with SF are sealions, which have colonized part of Fisherman’s Wharf for a few decades now. Small wonder that a local stationer should stock watercolor postcards of such an emblematic animal! Thanks to Kimee for sending this great reminder.
Aquarium of the Pacific (Pennsylvania)
My good friend and former colleague Lauren took a quick trip to Anaheim to see her favorite college band’s reunion tour (Something Corporate). A former boyfriend of mine was a big fan of them, too! While there, she visited the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach and highly recommends it!
San Francisco MeetUp
I didn’t make it to this past San Francisco PostCrossing MeetUp but judging from the great stamps on the back, it was a great gathering! Thanks, Sylvia!
Surprise! (Germany)
The sender of this postcard opens simply with “Surprise :-)”
And how! The Germans have come through today and yesterday with the great postcards.
Nudes (Germany)
On my PostCrossing profile, I’ve requested - among other things - postcards featuring beautiful men. You’ll see today and tomorrow that the Germans have come through with flying colors on this request! This one is from a person who has visited SF several times, but not since seven years ago. They left me with a great quote: “Die with memories, not with dreams!”
This postcard comes from the LWL - Museum für Kunst und Kultur, in Münster.
extreme later-card (Oregon)
I know I’ve written here about how much I enjoy later-cards (postcards bought with the intent to send them but then which don’t get sent for some reason until much later). I love them because they’re a kind of time capsule from previously. This postcard comes from the inimitable Linda in Portland, however the key part is that she bought it when she was in Japan thirty years ago! I love it so much, and I’m so honored to receive it. What a one-of-a-kind postcard!
Singapore canal
I don’t get many postcards from Singapore, so it’s always a delight to receive one from so far away. This one comes from a sender who chose this postcard and the lovely stamp to accompany it.
Diocletian’s Palace (New Jersey)
Sadly, Diocletian’s Palace is not in New Jersey, but the sender of this postcard is! He works in conservation for the National Parks Service, which is just terrific given how excellent our NPS is!
Willy Brandt Places (Germany)
Encore une très jolie carte postale de mon ami Dominique, qui me l’a envoyé de l’Allemagne. Les élèves de l’École Willy Brandt ont dessiné des places où l’ancien chancellor de l’Allemagne avait vécu.
Wigwam Motel (California)
While I can’t say I love the idea of fetishizing indigenous architecture, I do love the kitsch of this and how unabashedly these folks appropriated the cultural heritage of others. It’s really quite something!
On a theme, Michael writes that perhaps he shouldn’t have been surprised that Malibu wasn’t for him but he enjoyed the pier’s selection of postcards (and of course the Rose Bowl he attended in Pasadena).
so many beans (Massachusetts)
What a delightful card! I could see it also including coffee beans, which are incredibly important to me, too!