I've been a member of Postcrossing since May 2013. When I started, it was because I had inherited a lot of unused, but still usable, stamps from my dad (who died in 2011); and I arrived at the conclusion that the most fun I could have with them was to send them out into the world on postcards - and get interesting postcards from strangers all over the globe in return. In Postcrossing, you don't get to choose to whom you send your own card (you just get an adress allotted to you), and it is also not an exchange in the sense that you get a card back from the same person that you send yours to. But the system does keep count, and you do get a card back for every card you send. (Unless the postal services happen to lose it somewhere on the way... That does occur, but not often.)
Over the past decade, postage has kept going up, up, up, though - and having run out of old "free" stamps of usable value, in later years it has instead become quite an expensive hobby. Besides, my collection of received cards has also grown - and requires a lot more space than the old stamps ever did! So, I've gradually been cutting down a lot on my participation, compared to the early years. I still send (and receive) perhaps one per month or so, though.
Last week I received two. The one above, with the unicorn and the postbox, comes from Poland, and the sender writes: "This is a postcard from last year's [Postcrossing] meeting* in Lodz. 'Unicorn' was theme of it because in Lodz is big monument of unicorn."
* A Postcrossing Meeting is when postcrossers in the same city/country get together in real life and write and send a lot of cards at the same time. Often they also have a special card printed for the occasion. I have received a number of such cards from various countries over the years. If actually written at the meeting, also usually signed by lots of people.
.jpg) |
| Photo by "Zorro 20212" (Wikimedia Commons) |
A tourist website from Lodz gives further background on the unicorn statue:
"We all believe in
unicorns. Yes, we do. In the centre of Lodz, at the intersection of
Piotrkowska and Mickiewicza streets, a large, pastel-coloured,
optimistic tram shelter catches the eye of passers-by. Because of its
colourful canopy and unique visual qualities, the locals call it -
applause for imagination - the Unicorn Stable. The name quickly caught
on and has stuck to the building ever since. --- Thanks to the
popularity of the Unicorn Stable, the Unicorn Monument by Japanese
artist Tomohiro Inaba was erected nearby in 2019. It depicts the unicorn
in dynamic motion, giving the impression that it is dematerialising in
front of our eyes. Right next to the monument is one of the most popular
selfie spots in Lodz."
From Taiwan I received this card about "bubble tea".
The sender writes: "... the most popular drink in
Taiwan, Bubble Tea. It's invented in the 1980s. We put milk tea and
tapioca pearls together o make bubble tea."
I
love tea, but have never come across "bubble" tea. As
for tapioca, I don't really know what that is either, even if I've heard/seen the word...
Google AI to the rescue! Tapioca is "a
starch extracted from the root of the cassava plant, a shrub native to
South America. It's a versatile ingredient used in various cuisines,
often as a thickener in both sweet and savory dishes. Tapioca is
naturally gluten-free and can be found in different forms, including
pearls, flakes, and flour" - BUT... "Tapioca starch has a high glycemic index, which means it can cause a rapid increase in blood sugar levels".
As I prefer my tea without both milk and sugar, I don't think bubble tea is really my kind of drink. But both these
postcards were reminders that Postcrossing (just like blogs) can be quite educational! :)
.jpg)
