This as not about Spain, or travel, or anything important really. Just about letter boxes: my neighbourhood’s letterboxes.

I have just spent the last two hours walking the streets putting invitation cards into peoples’ letterboxes. Small, pretty, well designed cards inviting the neighbourhood to a community event at the local Community Center. A group of local artists are exhibiting their work; a variety of artworks – paintings, sketches, ceramics, sculptures. There is a glass of champagne on arrival, music performances, and you can even have your portrait done. There is lots to look at and enjoy.

Well it’s a lovely sunny beginning of winter day and I’m happy to be out and about. I walk quickly from letterbox to letterbox and drop in the invites. Sometimes I have to squeeze it past the accumulated newspapers or letters blocking the opening. That’s alright.

But what does surprise me a little is the quantity and diversity of messages which clearly indicate a reluctance to engage. Bald instructions are stuck, sometimes glued, to the front of boxes :

No Junk Mail. Thank you. Is the most common, in a variety of sizes, scripts and skill.

Actually there is not a wide range of language. Sometimes the No junk mail , has an addition of No newspapers or circulars or No Advertising material.

Towards the end of the morning I am confronted by multi-layered letterboxes lined up at the back of apartment blocks. All with the labels. Decisions, decisions, do I put cards in them or not. I decide not.

I know some people will disagree) what constitutes junk mail? What is rubbish/junk for some may be of value for others. I wonder, too how much extraneous stuff or junk we all have within our walls and lives.

It is very quiet, almost deserted, few people walking or children playing and no one chatting to me or to anyone else over the fence. Small square houses take up the entire block interspersed with large apartment blocks with small balconies facing a green, silent landscape. So different from my last few weeks in Spain, no small shops or bars underneath here, and it’s difficult to hold a conversation with people passing by.

Anyway, it was interesting to see the variety of letterboxes from the ones making a stand out statement to the simple, easy to spot, one’s that didn’t catch my fingers or need two hands to operate. If you come I hope you enjoy the Art Exhibition .