Distance Is Not a Problem for a Letter

«Behin, amari gutun bat idazteko eskatu nion, eta idatzi zuen. Biak batera joan ginen Konakryko geltokira eta han beste norbaiti eman genion herrixkaraino eraman zezan. Ez dakit bizikletaz joan zen edo autobusean, baina badakit iritsi zela. Distantzia ez da arazoa gutun batentzat.»

Amets Arzallus Antia & Ibrahima Balde, Miñan

Are You Buying Letters?

A few years ago, when letter subscriptions started popping up here and there, I tried a couple out of curiosity. The first one never really got off the ground, for sad reasons. I received six letters from the second one, but I did not renew the subscription afterwards.

I cannot say the letters disappointed me (although the fact they did not choose better stamps was a bit of a letdown). I just discovered that buying letters is not my thing. Not because of the letters themselves, but because faking the connection is, quite simply, impossible. If buying things gives you any pleasure, it cannot compete with the experience of having something —however brief—sent specifically to you.

Before reading this blog post, perhaps because I do not use Instagram, I had not realised that letter subscriptions were so popular. And I had never thought they could turn into a sort of addiction!

What do you think? Have you tried these services? Would you do it?

Gartenzwerg

Little garden gnomes are a fun tradition in Germany. The classical ones remind us of medieval mine workers, and they are a symbol of hard work and reliability. 

Julia (Germany) sent this postcard trough the Postcrossing site. The stamp seems a place where the gnome could live...

Sunday Stamps | Sweet Canada

Butter tart and Nanaimo bar are Canadian traditional deserts. As stamps, they belong to the series Sweet Canada, issued in 2019. 

Go to Sunday Stamps to see more Food on stamps!

Postbox Saturday | Freshly Painted

Freshly painted. Do not touch

I know you were really eager to hear about the latest adventures of my mailbox. Well, this week it got a new outfit. Does not it look great?

Women on Postcards | M Is for Matryoshka

Сергиев Посад or Sergiyev Posad is the Orthodox capital of Russia and the birthplace of the matryoshka dolls during the 1890s, which have become one of the symbols of the country. Matryoshka is a diminutive form of Matryosha (Матрёша), in turn an affectionate form of the Russian female first name Matryona (Матрёна)

The postcard was sent by Eduard (Russia), and included on the back two matching stamps: more matryoshka dolls, and the coat of arms of the city. 

 

The shape of the postmark is very curious!

[Women on Postcards 2026]

Thursday Postcard Hunt | Water & Moon

The Water and Moon Guanyin Bodhisativa (Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, USA). Received from China through the Postcrossing site.

Thursday Postcard Hunt is dedicated to Sculptures or statues this week. You are welcome to share your postcards!

There Is Nothing Better Than a Typewritten Letter

This is one of the typewriters I own, and the one I use more often for my letters (actually, this photo is taken from here and shows the same model and colour; mine is a bit more worn). It has been in use for over 60 years.

Olivetti Lettera 44

Typewriters have always fascinated me. I just love the sound of the keys and how they allow me to fous solely in writing. Today I came across (old) article about Ten Ways a Typewriter Will Improve Your Writing, with most of which I agree.

Do you use a typewriter? And, in any case, do you like receiving typewritten letters, or do you prefer handwritten ones?

Is Your Mailbox This Rusty?

Herberto Smith, from the exhibition Interferências. Culturas Urbanas Emergentes ('Interferences. Emerging Urban Cultures') in the MAAT (Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology), Lisboa.

Postcard sent by Pedro (Portugal).

Send It Anyway

«Sometimes we hesitate to write because we think we do not have enough to say. Write anyway. Sometimes we think a birthday card is too ordinary. Send it anyway. Sometimes we think a short note hardly counts as correspondence. It counts. The card you almost did not send might remain on someone’s nightstand for months. The note you wrote quickly at the kitchen table may become something someone reads several times.»

Renee Palting, "Writing Letters With My Mom"

Sunday Stamps | Birds in Motion

Today's theme in Sunday Stamps is Birds.

Autumn Flowers

Autumn Flowers wallpaper by William Morris, 1888. Sent by Laura (the UK).

Women on Postcards | I Is for Illustrated Magazine

Postcard sent by Bryon (the USA). I like the mise en abyme technique.

[Women on Postcards - 2026]

Thursday Postcard Hunt | Giants

Processional giants are costumed figures in European folklore, particularly present in Belgian, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Catalan, Italian and English folkloric processions. The main feature of these figures is typically their wooden, papier maché or -more recently- synthetic resin head, whilst bodies are covered in clothing matching the costume's theme.

Several such processions are recognised by UNESCO as forms of intangible cultural heritage, including Belgian and French processional giants listed as Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity and Catalonia's Patum de Berga.

On this postcard sent by Imma (PC), you can see the giants of Olot, existing from the 15th century (the current giants are from the 19th century).

This week's theme in Thursday Postcard Hunt is UNESCO. Everyone is welcome to share their postcards!

The First Letter Café in Europe

Café Pli is a coffeeshop (two addresses, in fact) located in the center of Paris. They offer drinks and pastries, but also a letter writing experience:

Over a pastry or a drink, write a letter to your future self. Confide in yourself with an open heart, encourage yourself, wish yourself certain successes or describe a memory... and receive your letter in 1 year, 5 years or 20 years. You can also write to a loved one for an important day to come: surprise him on a specific day in the future, with a card written by your 10 fingers especially for her/him.

They offer different packages. For instance Pli & Drink:

It includes:

• 1 drink of your choice
• 1 card
• 1 envelope & wax seal
• 1 stamp
• 1 tracking number

Storing your letter, to be sent in the future... Prices vary depending on the timing of the fold:

• To be sent within one year : €15
• To be sent in 5 years : €25
• To be sent in 20 years : €45

Additional charge for international shipping: +€4

Have you ever been to a letter café? Would you use the "letters to the future" service?