Great story, Michael! It reads like a wonderful experience despite the damned mosquitoes. By the way, that effing cherub instantly made me think of Chucky and there’s no way I could have slept in that room with him looking down on me. 😊
It sounds like out of a movie with all the things that go wrong! Your scoring system sounded a little too high but it is highly subjective so the last night made the experience one to remember. We always do remember what goes awry and have a story to tell. Ours was an art history professor’s house in Madrid. The water started leaking through the walls from upstairs to downstairs when we took a shower. The plaster started to bubble and crack on the ceiling. By the end of a week the water was running down columns within the house. We called his son who was our contact and he acted like it was all news to him. However walking around Madrid we noticed pipes running outside the walls so obviously indoor pipes had leaked in many old homes. But there were so many great art books to read!
Um...no. Just no to that creepy af cherub. Can we even call it a cherub? Aren't cherubs supposed to be angels? Demon carving is what that is!
And the thing about the bedroom door having cracks reminded me of a time we stayed at a B&B--an old house owned by Vernon, a retired psychologist. Our bedroom ended up being on the first floor near the kitchen, and we could hear EVERYTHING on the other side of the wall. So we knew if we could hear them, well....let's just say it killed the mood. We later discovered that we were sleeping in Vernon's bedroom. He rented it out when all the other rooms were full. It explained the men's clothes we found in the wardrobe, but it felt weird.
Oooh, I hate sleeping in owner's bedrooms. Very odd. One guy came buy to pick up some of his stuff one day. And in Armenia we stayed in a place where the family moved out of their bedrooms and slept on the couches downstairs! I had no idea until I got up the next morning and came downstairs to find them...
I started laughing at the first mention of the mosquitoes. 😂 Honestly, what you were missing was servants. Houses like these were built with staff in mind. You needed that Italian grandma in the kitchen, the hunky groundskeeper dealing with the mosquito hatchery, the works. But you did everyone a great service yourselves, by reminding us that the worst travel experiences make the best stories. (And Michael, Norman Bates the Angel would have freaked me out, too)
Oooh, naming the angel! I like that! As for servants, well, they'd be employees with a really good pension and I wouldn't even expect them to call me Lord Grantham or anything!
I don't speak Italian and I'm not yet a grandma, but pay me enough and I'm there! 😂 You know, Chucky is a better name for the angel now I think of it...
Great story, Michael! It reads like a wonderful experience despite the damned mosquitoes. By the way, that effing cherub instantly made me think of Chucky and there’s no way I could have slept in that room with him looking down on me. 😊
It was pretty wonderful and I'm glad it never occurred to me name that cherub because then I might never have slept!
1 cup of olive oil in the fountain and problem solved. Vitamin DDT saves lives.
"Because…Italy!" - A month ago I wouldn't have appreciated that comment, but after the last few weeks spent in Italy I sooooo get it now 😁
I love it here, but....
It sounds like out of a movie with all the things that go wrong! Your scoring system sounded a little too high but it is highly subjective so the last night made the experience one to remember. We always do remember what goes awry and have a story to tell. Ours was an art history professor’s house in Madrid. The water started leaking through the walls from upstairs to downstairs when we took a shower. The plaster started to bubble and crack on the ceiling. By the end of a week the water was running down columns within the house. We called his son who was our contact and he acted like it was all news to him. However walking around Madrid we noticed pipes running outside the walls so obviously indoor pipes had leaked in many old homes. But there were so many great art books to read!
And now you have a great story to tell! Haven't been to Madrid yet, but very much want to go!
Loved this, and particularly loved the scoring system.
My main thoughts were: they really never do put mosquitoes in the films, and that cherub on the wardrobe? I'm with you - no no no and no again.
Glad you enjoyed it so much! Can you imagine watching Julia Roberts and George Clooney slapping mosquitoes for an entire movie? LOL.
As for the cherub, yeah...
I WANT to see that movie!
Um...no. Just no to that creepy af cherub. Can we even call it a cherub? Aren't cherubs supposed to be angels? Demon carving is what that is!
And the thing about the bedroom door having cracks reminded me of a time we stayed at a B&B--an old house owned by Vernon, a retired psychologist. Our bedroom ended up being on the first floor near the kitchen, and we could hear EVERYTHING on the other side of the wall. So we knew if we could hear them, well....let's just say it killed the mood. We later discovered that we were sleeping in Vernon's bedroom. He rented it out when all the other rooms were full. It explained the men's clothes we found in the wardrobe, but it felt weird.
Oooh, I hate sleeping in owner's bedrooms. Very odd. One guy came buy to pick up some of his stuff one day. And in Armenia we stayed in a place where the family moved out of their bedrooms and slept on the couches downstairs! I had no idea until I got up the next morning and came downstairs to find them...
I started laughing at the first mention of the mosquitoes. 😂 Honestly, what you were missing was servants. Houses like these were built with staff in mind. You needed that Italian grandma in the kitchen, the hunky groundskeeper dealing with the mosquito hatchery, the works. But you did everyone a great service yourselves, by reminding us that the worst travel experiences make the best stories. (And Michael, Norman Bates the Angel would have freaked me out, too)
Oooh, naming the angel! I like that! As for servants, well, they'd be employees with a really good pension and I wouldn't even expect them to call me Lord Grantham or anything!
I don't speak Italian and I'm not yet a grandma, but pay me enough and I'm there! 😂 You know, Chucky is a better name for the angel now I think of it...
How about the Baby Norman Bates....
Interesting....