Postcard Wars

You’re incredible! Postcard Wars has passed the 50 postcard mark since setting up shop just over a year ago in Washington, DC!

Thanks! Cheers! Ta! Danke! Merci! Dekuji! Gracias! Grazi!

Let’s look at the numbers so far:

19 – Number of countries represented. Even more than US states!

Those countries are: Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, England, Estonia, Germany, Iraq, Japan, Mexico, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, USA.

17 — Number of US states represented.

Those states are: Alaska, Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Maine, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wyoming.

2 — Postcards received featuring only women in bikinis (Hawaii and New Jersey). Bonus points here.

2 — Postcards received from people I have NEVER MET.

1 — Postcards received from territories or semi-states (Cyprus).

1 — Postcards received from countries at war (Iraq). Bonus points, big-time.

Most represented state, in postcard volume — Trick question. Delaware is in first place with 5, but they all came from the same person on the same day. The real first-place states are California and Oregon, with 2 postcards each.

Most represented foreign country, in postcard volume — 7 (The Netherlands). I wonder why, Oliver? Second place here is Germany, with 4.

Just outside Memphis, Tennessee.

This one’s from Holland. The Caucasian author claims it’s him and his wife after a recent vacation in “sunny Spain.” This author is a prolific sender of amusing postcards and is at the top of the polls for Best Worst Postcard of the Year. Not only with this contribution, mind you, but also with Windmill/Cheesegirl or perhaps Human Flesh. (Scroll down to see Human Flesh.)

What’s the headline here mean, by the way? Is it “Do you want to click too?” (“Wollt Ihr auch ein Klick?”)

The world-famous Iowa State Fair, of course! Postcard Wars hails its first addition from America’s Midwest. Don’t let anyone say the Midwest is just The Flyover. Have you seen this cow? Well done on this card.

In Ashland, Oregon, William Shakespeare is watching.

And even William Shakespeare thinks Strong Joe is full of crap in claiming that the mystery photo is actually of Cornwall.

Whatever, Lewis.

Atlanta, Georgia, well-represented here by Lewis.

Thanks, Lewis.

What are you doing these days?

CNN in Atlanta: Commercial News Network

Hartsfield Airport — one of the world’s busiest! I like it. I’m not afraid to say that. I like sitting there and eating at the Atlanta Sandwich Works (is that what it’s called?) and watching planes take off from parallel runways every few seconds. Then again, O’Hare has the underground neon walkway. JFK, I don’t think, is in the running here.

That postcard IS from England, apparently. It’s from Cornwall, according to the blacked-out but still barely-legible print on the back. Honk if you don’t believe.

Honk.

Honk.

Occasionally a postcard arrives that changes the rules of the game — alters the dimensions, if you will. Strong Joe, our Bristol-loving correspondent who does quite a bit of traveling, sometimes for months at a time without losing his job, has just upped the ante at Postcard Wars.

Be sure to check out his submission — The Mystery Postcard — and try to guess where the card came from. He has blacked out the origin on the back of the card so I am as clueless as you. The only advantage I have, knowing Strong Joe, is that I know a few of the places he’s been in the past year or so. But, generally speaking, this card could be from anywhere, at any time, and he just happened to send it from the UK a few weeks ago.

Cheers to another new contributor to Postcard Wars who is enjoying a well-deserved European tour before moving to North Carolina for a master’s degree at the often-controversial Duke University. Our traveling correspondent hit quite a few places on this tour, according to the postcard, which is from Bratislava, Slovakia:

Rotterdam, Paris, Switzerland, Munich, Salzburg, Vienna, Budapest, Bratislava, Prague, Lohr — very impressive! I remember hiking up the castle hill in Bratislava in the winter of 2003. Not as pleasant when everything is frozen. Also, the police don’t like it so much when you sleep in the train station at 5 in the morning, apparently. The officer kept tapping me on the forehead to make sure I didn’t nod off. Very socialist indeed.

Bratislava, you’ve been added to the tally.