This Travel Bug is part of a Travel Bug race where all travel bugs have to have a connection with a typical form of decorative pavement in Portugal, the "calçada portuguesa". The Marreta TB intends to be a replica of one of the tools needed to create this decorative pavement.
The calçada portuguesa is a decorative pavement made of several small cubic stones, some black (usually basalt) and some white (usually limestone) that make up a pattern or drawing on the pavement. It is widely used as both simple and more elaborate pavements in many areas of Portugal, and through the Portuguese maritime expansion, it made its way to as far away places as Rio de Janeiro or Macau.
The calçada is a artform that often goes unoticed as you walk around the towns of Portugal. It is also very often forgotten, abused, mistreated and poorly taken care of. So if you are in cities like Lisbon, it will be helpful if you notice the ground you're stepping and a try to appreciate its beauty.
The Winner of the race will be the TB with the most miles covered after a year (ending in June 10th, 2006) so take this Travel Bug as far as possible! More about this race here.
This Travel Bug also has a secondary mission. The owner spent some holidays when he was younger in a Summer School in Kent, England called West Heath near the town of Sevenoaks. If possible this TB should travel to the closest cache to West Heath. Currently that cache is GC2AAF - Oh!Deer
