When I was flying around Europe a lot in the 90s, Lufthansa was the airline of choice. And, as I recall, they had postcards in the seat pockets, free for the taking. This was great, because at the time I was sending postcards not only to myself and my kids, but also to all my nieces and nephews and the children of several friends. I must have been sending cards to 20 or more individuals with the singular goal of making them all smarter about geography.
In order to make this happen, I had pre-printed address labels, and when I was on a long flight, would address, stamp, and write a short message on several rounds of postcards at once, often mailing them when I got home. Stamps and postmarks were not important. The back of the card shown above is a perfect example: where I was flying (Frankfurt to New York City), but mailed from San Francisco, to myself, in San Francisco.
I found these postcards in the search for something to contribute to the Festival of Postcards. This month's theme is "white", with the deadline for submission being December 20.
[Random segue alert!]: The title made me think of a song I always loved: White Bird, by It's a Beautiful Day, from 1968. Here are the lyrics, which dovetail the white theme quite well:
White Bird
White Bird
In a golden cage
On a winter's day
In the rain
White Bird
In a golden cage
Alone
The leaves blow
Cross the long black road
To the darkened skies
In its rage
But the white bird
Just sits in her cage
Unknown.
White bird must fly
Or she will die
White bird
Dreams of the aspen Tree
With their dying leaves
Turning Gold
But the white bird
Just sits in her cage
Growing old.
White bird must fly
Or she will die
White bird must fly
Or she will die
The sunsets come
The sunsets go
The clouds Float by
And The Earth Turns slow
And the Young Bird's Eyes
Do always Glow
And She must fly
She must fly
She must fly
White bird
In a golden cage
On a winter's day
In the rain
White bird
In a golden cage
Alone
White bird must fly
Or she will die
White bird must fly
Or she will die
White bird must fly
Or she will die
White bird must fly
White Bird
In a golden cage
On a winter's day
In the rain
White Bird
In a golden cage
Alone
The leaves blow
Cross the long black road
To the darkened skies
In its rage
But the white bird
Just sits in her cage
Unknown.
White bird must fly
Or she will die
White bird
Dreams of the aspen Tree
With their dying leaves
Turning Gold
But the white bird
Just sits in her cage
Growing old.
White bird must fly
Or she will die
White bird must fly
Or she will die
The sunsets come
The sunsets go
The clouds Float by
And The Earth Turns slow
And the Young Bird's Eyes
Do always Glow
And She must fly
She must fly
She must fly
White bird
In a golden cage
On a winter's day
In the rain
White bird
In a golden cage
Alone
White bird must fly
Or she will die
White bird must fly
Or she will die
White bird must fly
Or she will die
White bird must fly
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I think Lufthansa still gives out those wonderful cards, well similar ones anyway. It's such a great way for them to advertise; I don't understand why all airlines don't do it.
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