Fun Project!

March 11, 2021: Our intrepid investigator, Tomas, has located and we made contact with the reporters! They believe our postcard idea “sounds great” and Mr. Martinez “would appreciate it!” Yeah!

They are in process of contacting him and will be confirming the best address. Of course, if Mr. Martinez declines, we will respect it, but I sure hope he doesn’t!

Keep you posted! ~ all puns intended ; -)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

March 7, 2021: Another quick update… My Assistant Detective, Tomas, is hot on the trail through social media of the reporters who wrote the article about Mr. Luiz Martinez!

I have the address for a bus station in Trinidad, Cuba now ~ but am hoping for verification before we all send out our postcards. So, with any luck, not too much longer now…

Thank you to everyone for your patience ~ I just got so excited that I didn’t think a few logistics through.

Postcards at the ready?!?! I have mine!!! Be in touch soon ~ can’t wait to send!!! : )

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

February 26, 2021: Hi all! Quick Update…

Putting on my Sherlock Hat, I believe I located most of the address. The Post Office tried to help today, but their system was down, so they promise the info on Monday.

I did learn a 1oz letter or postcard to Cuba will cost $1.20 and 20 cents extra per oz. I believe it is a 3.5oz limit. Larger items will require a customs form in triplicate.

Looking forward to Monday! Can’t wait to send the postcards… !!! Some fun, eh?!?!?

Btw, the totally obvious escaped me and my US centrist brain! I have no idea what language Mr. Martinez speaks! (eye roll at self here) I am assuming Spanish and will translate… but am guessing, no matter the language, he will enjoy the cards… : )

Will report in on Monday! Have a wonderful weekend!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

While learning to run 2 independent Blogs on the same site, I beg your patience until I can do so…. For now, I will post directly here and I start with something I consider a very special kindness…

February 24, 2021: “A Very Merry Unbirthday!” Treat

I have a special request for everyone… I don’t know if it will work, but in the spirit of good will, I am going to give it a try and I invite you to join in…

I saw this news report about a man in Trinidad, Cuba ~ Luiz Martinez… he has never traveled anywhere, yet has written over 3000 poems as if he had ~ all inspired from talking to tourists and pouring over old atlases. He says he isn’t as healthy as he used to be, but he continues to meet folks and write.

Due to the pandemic, I am guessing there aren’t as many tourists to talk with and I am under the impression Mr. Martinez will never travel from his island. So, my heart was impelled to help bring the world to him by sending him postcards or letters from abroad. It seemed like a fun surprise!

Since Mr. Martinez is a porter (20 years now) at the bus station nestled next to (in?) a Unesco World Heritage Sight. I thought it best to send them there as they will know who he is. I am considering putting his photo on the envelope of what I send.

So what I am asking of you, would you join me in bringing the world to Mr. Martinez? If you have a postcard laying around or maybe write a letter about a sight to see in your town; maybe add an extra photo you have…. and send it to him.

I am in no way asking you to do anything that would risk your health during this pandemic. Just if you have something at home or see something while you are already out.

It looks like packages & greeting cards to Cuba are complicated (often thieved), but basic postcards and letters should be fine. I will confirm mailing details from the US tomorrow, but it appears $1.20 for a basic 1oz letter/postcard. Max size is 3.5 oz.

Original Article ~ it truly touched my heart!

http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20210114-the-bus-porter-who-travelled-the-world

Photo to left clipped from above article.

Copyright for photo belongs to BBC.

Doesn’t Mr. Martinez have the best smile!

Please feel free to share this post with anyone you think would like to join in. Some fun, eh?!?!

Feel free to remain anonymous, but wouldn’t it be fun if you shared what city you sent your postcard/letter from?!?!? We could start a list in the reply section below! : )

See you tomorrow with updates… address, postage costs from US, etc… : )

One thought on “Fun Project!

Leave a reply to blogofmaggie Cancel reply