As it turned out my postcards from Sarajevo to Germany arrived after 2 weeks, while it took only 2 days for Austria. The delivery to the USA took 3 weeks. Here a photo of the main post office I used for sending the postcards to you.
General Post Office Building in Sarajevo, 2014
Like many other buildings from Austro-Hungarian period, also Sarajevo's General Post Office was designed by the famous architect Josip Vancas (1859-1932). The building was completed and officially opened in 1913.
'The author of numerous architectural achievements in Sarajevo, Vancaš took its example from the Viennese Post saving bank, remaining consistent with the classical spatial concept. He divides the facades into joints by pilaster systems and window openings, decorating them with sezession floral motifs. The most precise part of the palace was the window auditorium that was distinguished by its proportions and rich architectural plastics.'
Source
The building was completely burnt in May 2nd of 1992 during the Siege of Sarajevo. It was reconstructed by Ferhad Mulabegovic in 2001.
Source (Pictures of the Central Post Office in 1915 & the interior of Central Post Office in Sarajevo today)
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I arrived at the post office counter in Sarajevo and handed over my postcards to the clerk. She stuck the stamps on the cards and then started to stamp them. The noise of the stamping sounded through the large bright main hall and was deafening. She did it with a remarkable energy. The sound had its own rhythm and felt somehow prehistoric.
I should have recorded it, instead I stared like mesmerized at the motion sequences between the stamp-pad and the postcards.
When I stepped into the post office in Bangkok I felt that maybe it would be nice to provide you with some local post office soundscape.
::: D e u t s c h / G e r m a n ::::
In der Hauptpost von Sarajevo händigte ich der Beamtin meine Postkarten aus. Sie klebte die Briefmarken auf, um sie dann mit dem Stempel zu versehen.
Das Geräusch des Stempelns, für das sie viel Kraft aufwendete, ertönte durch die grosse, lichtdurchflutete Halle, und schien den Raum für eine Weile zu dominieren.
Es hatte seinen ganz eigenen Rhythmus, und (wenn man so will) einen prähistorischen Klang.
Leider habe ich versäumt diese Geräuschkulisse aufzunehmen, aber bei der nächstbesten Gelegenheit hole ich es nach.
Hier der Sound vom Postamt in Bangkok
(Kleine Anmerkung am Rande: 2 Minuten und 9 Sekunden können sich wie eine Ewigkeit anfühlen, dennoch fiel es mir schwer, die eine oder andere Tonsequenz zu löschen, bei genauem Hinhören, macht jede Sekunde für mich Sinn, aber für den interessierten Zuhörer kann sie schon eine Sekunde zuviel sein.
Insgeheim hoffe ich, dass man es durchhält ohne verrückt zu werden. Ich verrate schon mal, einen Höhepunkt gibt es hier nicht, aber das Ende hat es in sich, und ist nicht arrangiert.)
So, here it is: