“There are tents outside our windows…and they’re for shopping!” That was the first words that we heard Friday morning, because Friday is market day in downtown. Thankfully, we all woke up late and well rested, just in time to grab some breakfast at the hotel café venture through the market and meet Jen for our next housing appointment. Although we had already decided on a house, we had 2 appointments and didn’t have any way to cancel them. The first house was nice and had very beautiful antique furniture but only one bathroom and no garden. After the showing we went to lunch and back to the hotel to get ready to move to the new digs, Hotel Antica Corte.
While the boys rested I moved bags and then Lauren and Jen road bikes to the second appointment…which was not at all what we wanted. And in the process we had arranged to meet the landlords of our new house to pick out some new kitchen stuff.
Now, you may ask why we need a new kitchen, well in Italy when someone moves they literally take the kitchen sink and install it in their next house. One of the housing office ladies has had the same kitchen for 10 years…and moved 3 times. So, we went to the house, and the landlords wanted us to go to their kitchen guys place with them…but there was only room for maybe one person, so Lauren decided to go and I walked back to the hotel with the boys. The couple was very nice and wanted to get something both they and Lauren could agree on. But one strange thing is that they don’t do traditional “Tuscan villa Italian kitchens” even in 16th century houses like ours. So all the kitchens were very modern…like shiny red and chrome, but they were able to settle on a less gaudy cream set up with new oven and sink. While they were waiting for the paperwork to be done Lauren and the wife were talking about how different decor was in America and was explaining how kitchens are wood or painted wood and the women (who owns the entire building in Ferrara and also lives in Rome) was surprised then said “oh yes, I’ve seen these, in films.”
While the boys rested I moved bags and then Lauren and Jen road bikes to the second appointment…which was not at all what we wanted. And in the process we had arranged to meet the landlords of our new house to pick out some new kitchen stuff.
Now, you may ask why we need a new kitchen, well in Italy when someone moves they literally take the kitchen sink and install it in their next house. One of the housing office ladies has had the same kitchen for 10 years…and moved 3 times. So, we went to the house, and the landlords wanted us to go to their kitchen guys place with them…but there was only room for maybe one person, so Lauren decided to go and I walked back to the hotel with the boys. The couple was very nice and wanted to get something both they and Lauren could agree on. But one strange thing is that they don’t do traditional “Tuscan villa Italian kitchens” even in 16th century houses like ours. So all the kitchens were very modern…like shiny red and chrome, but they were able to settle on a less gaudy cream set up with new oven and sink. While they were waiting for the paperwork to be done Lauren and the wife were talking about how different decor was in America and was explaining how kitchens are wood or painted wood and the women (who owns the entire building in Ferrara and also lives in Rome) was surprised then said “oh yes, I’ve seen these, in films.”
