Like a Phoenix rising out of the flames, erm…. like a pigeon rising from the street, I am am finally sending my first Postcrossing cards since September 25, 2017. I never received a single card from that last (big) batch of cards I sent out and I lost interest for a while; I did a few direct swaps last year but it’s been a while since I’ve done much with postcards. I bought a few new cards this past week and requested five addresses this afternoon (starting slowly). I even created a new spreadsheet in order to keep track of the cards.
This first 2019 batch of postcards are now traveling to Serbia (I believe my first with that country as a destination), Russia, the United States, Germany, and the Republic of China (Taiwan).
The card pictured above is heading to a Postcrosser in Russia who indicated interests in birds, beautiful architecture, colors, and post-impressionist art. I think it’s a match for those topics all on one card. However, I always assumed — peering at this particular piece of street art from street level — that it portrays a phoenix, the long-lived bird that obtains new life by rising from the ashes of its predecessor. However, the caption on the card claims it is just another pigeon on an island infested with them.
All of the cards I mailed today are sold under the moniker Ko Kim Postcards, Kim being the nickname of the photographer Chawakarn Tharasirioj. The majority of his cards picture scenes from in and around the center of Phuket’s Old Town district, all within a 10-minute or so walk from my home. They are my favorite of the locally-produced postcards and I usually buy several when during the Sunday evening Walking Street events along the main road of Old Town. I believe it’s Kim’s grandmother that takes my cash while Kim himself bags the cards. Their shop on Thalang Road is open during the day as well, but it’s always extremely packed with Chinese and Russian tourists whenever I pass by when walking home from work.
I hope this batch of cards reach their destinations quickly so that I can start receiving more in return. It feels good to have taken the first step to begin the process once again. I think I’ll continue by setting up a few swaps on Facebook this weekend as well.
Postcards to Phuket 