Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Onward to Italy and our New (very old) Casa in Guardia

(Continued from previous post - post 2 of 3 of Ireland/Italy trip)

The Adventure Continues...We're back in Italy!

We touch down in Rome, Italy around 11:00 am and after getting our luggage, renting a car, getting slightly lost on our way to the beach (yes, Rome has beaches - cool, right?), we find a place to grab some lunch in Ostia Lido beach area (it's almost 2pm now).  We planned to enjoy the sand and surf for an hour or so and get back on the road to Guardia Sanframondi, which is approximately a 2 or 3 hour drive from Rome.  As luck would have it, we got lost again in Telese (Guardia's neighboring town), but thanks to some helpful young Italian guys who were closing up their garage for the night, they drove and we followed them to the correct road leading up to Guardia.  It was easier to just show us than to try to explain it to us confused Americanas - thanks guys!  It was almost 9:30pm before we made it to the Tana dell'Orso B&B, where our friends, Pasquale, Ana & Luigi were waiting and relieved to see us (not as much as we were to see them!).   Off to bed - plenty of work tomorrow!







Christine had the seafood ravoli
Courtney had the seafood dumplings
Mom had the seafood medley risotto - interesting



While waiting for our food-I stepped out for a look-see



Mom's was the most interesting meal of all - shrimp, mussels, octopus, scallops, and we couldn't figure out if the big guy was a crawfish or baby lobster, or maybe a squid - but she ate them all and they were good!


Aaah - the Mediterranean Sea (Google says Tyrrhenian Sea)











We're just gonna call it the Mediterranean Sea - beautiful, no?








We have now arrived in Beautiful Italia!








Here are the BEFORE pictures of our casa in Guardia taken back in November 2014:






Come in, come in




The castle crest above our doorway












5 steps to bathroom level, 7 more steps to main floor














Peering into master bedroom






Peering into Courtney's bedroom








Courtney's room needs lots of work


Kitchen needs a lot of work , too








Doorway leading to master bedroom & here are the balcony doors






Master bedroom balcony doors/window
Thank you Roberto Adamo for finding our casa!
I have a true water closet in my bedroom!

Back to ground level-let's look at cantina




Roomy cantina(basement) - lots of potential






Okay, we're back in Guardia, have the key to our new casa (Thanks Roberto!), bought all of our cleaning supplies, and now it's time to get busy cleaning, removing old appliances, Courtney's door, etc.  But wait, there's no water.  Courtney is on water-fetching duty, by one bucket at a time, from the nearest fountain.


Old appliances removed!







View from the window above kitchen sink



Courtney loves our tile






What time is it in Italy and Florida?


Look who followed us home from Angela's market






Lunch for our new friend, and lunch for us.




New appliances installed - Thanks Benny!












Mom plucked some pretty weeds that were growing out of rock - let's hope they make it.








Courtney is hard at work removing wallpaper and spackling.








Yes!  We have water, we have gas, Mom cooks our first hot meal! Delicious!














Relaxing on the main floor balcony, dinner sure smells good!


















Hard at it again this morning (lost track how many days we've been at it - the days are starting to run together now)!












We've figured out how to run the washing machine!


Scraping off the old paint from the main floor balcony railing




Views from the main floor balcony




Maybe add a little table & chairs to this tiny courtyard?



Views from around the neighborhood



































La Meridiana has great pizza & pasta!











Our friends at the local and friendly B&B - 




Thanks Pasquale for all of your help!














A gift from Ana - how sweet
Fiat Panda we drove from Rome







Friends from South Africa, Luigi & Me

Luigi... and Ana's beautiful smile!
Last time, no pics of Pasquale - got plenty this trip!

Last nite's celebration before we leave
New Americana friends - playing "Scopa" card game!











Must've walked by this 30 times on way back from Angela's market - beautiful!






Taken the morning we left - we'll miss you Guardia & friends!
















Benny at another project, but thanks for all your help with OUR project!























More AFTER photos (it's not fancy yet, but it is functional-yeah!):

Thanks Betty Britt for these lovely housewarming gift rugs!


















Master bedroom balcony












In the future, can we make that window bigger? Has the best view!








We will let you know if the weed flowers survive - we'll be back soon! (we hope!!)



NEXT POST:  Reversing our trip....Back to Rome and flight back to Dublin...and then home to Florida USA