Envelopes from Xijiao State Guest Hotel, Shanghai

Apologies in advance for this post having nothing to do with a post office. Anyway(s), I was at Xijiao State Guest Hotel last night, and found in my room’s drawers some envelopes preprinted with the hotel’s name, address and logo. Such envelopes, specifically designed for major institutions and other “units (danwei)” — an umbrella term …

South Shaanxi Rd. Post Office, Shanghai (上海 陕西南路邮政所)

For time and proportionality’s sake my excursion to South Shaanxi Rd. Post Office was a short one. For time’s, because I went there after lunch on a workday — my internship is at a firm not too far off, but still, spending any more time at the post office would mean less time at the …

Shanghai Mart Post Office, Shanghai (上海 世贸大厦邮政所)

I happened upon another post office earlier today while visiting Shanghai Mart, which in its proper Chinese name should be known as the World Trade Building or the World Trade Shopping Center (“世贸商城”). Built in 1999, presumably in anticipation of China’s accession to the World Trade Organization and its subsequent opening-up, the complex still retains …

Tianshan Rd. Post Office, Shanghai (上海 天山路邮政支局)

Featuring: Postal vans, postal electric bicycles, EMS logistics and stamps. As promised, a second go at Shanghai’s postal facilities the day after my first, this time the postal branch office (“支局”) on Tianshan Rd. Being a “branch” and not a “station,” it is visibly more spacious than its Zhongshan Rd. West counterpart, equipped, other than …

West Zhongshan Rd. Post Office, Shanghai (上海 中山西路邮政所)

Well well well, to duly follow up on my earlier post introducing some of Shanghai’s more idiosyncratic postal facilities, today I went to one that is decidedly commonplace — a postal station (albeit titled still as a “post office”) on the section of Changning Rd between West Zhongshan Rd. and Kaixun Rd., which is entirely …

Postal Facilities of Shanghai — A Very Basic Introduction

Any habitual reader of my blog (a species that I suspect does not exist) must know of my interest in things postal, as my quests to several DC post offices hopefully have made clear. However, since this interest grew out of my visit to the National Postal Museum, ever since when I have yet to …

The Privilege of Receiving a Nixie

*Originally published on another blog of mine, Miscellaneous Notes, now republished here with slight edits and modifications* Two days ago I finally received in my mailbox the letter sent from Union Station nearly a month ago on Dec. 18. Turns out it was not lost in the system, or stolen in transit, but was deemed …

Failure Meets Success, Part Two (DC)

*Originally published on another blog of mine, Miscellaneous Notes, now republished here with slight edits and modifications* FEATURING — L’Enfant Plaza; USPS Headquarters L’Enfant Plaza Station I’ve been to L’Enfant Plaza several times before and was well aware of its awkward topography. There are tunnels, train tracks, overpasses, weird ramps and underground shopping centers, which …

Failure Meets Success, Part One (DC)

*Originally published on another blog of mine, Miscellaneous Notes, now republished here with slight edits and modifications* FEATURING — Department of Agriculture; Bureau of Engraving and Printing Today is the first business day of 2024, so I set out to visit two more post offices and two more postal (or at least postally relevant) facilities. …

First Stamps of the Year — Constantinople to Danzig to China

*Originally published on another blog of mine, Miscellaneous Notes, now republished here with slight edits and modifications* Alas, while the USPS and its army of postal workers take a well-deserved break on Jan. 1, a postal tourist knows no reprieve, and — as not one of DC’s post offices is open — went back to …