After years of effort we are finally having to give up the dream of completing the villa, so it's up for sale. Most of the boring bits have been completed, it's the fun, pretty stuff left to do to make it habitable.
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A friend and I recently traveled to my place in Scurtabo where we managed, with only a crowbar at our disposal, to remove all the revolting old ceilings.
Thu, 05/10/2012 - 07:50
I've just posted a full set of internal photos of our wreck of a villa so you can see the full extent of the job ahead of us. I'm sure some of you have been through this stage of things.
Wed, 03/07/2012 - 09:08
I've just posted a full set of internal photos of our wreck of a villa so you can see the full extent of the job ahead of us. I'm sure some of you have been through this stage of things.
Wed, 03/07/2012 - 09:08
http://wp.me/p1TZTg-4i Spaghetti Westerns: A post about the weird attraction of American-style rodeos in Italy.
Thu, 02/09/2012 - 17:59
A short blog entry about learning to live at an Italian pace; it seemed popular with other expats so I post it here for your entertainment! http://wp.me/p1TZTg-3z
Tue, 01/17/2012 - 23:07
http://www.warmboard.com/warmboard-explained/ I came across this product, which looks like a good alternative for infloor heating in all-wood floor construction (such as ou
Sun, 01/01/2012 - 13:45
A short blurb on a pretty amazing manifestation of Ligurian ingenuity; back in the 1980's, as their town was dying, the government of Varese Ligure had the bright idea to develop an entire organic territory, resulting in being the first valley to
Thu, 12/29/2011 - 15:07
Our first garden sculpture: the remains of our old roof! Added a piece of Rebar and an alms cup from a scrap of copper gutter and now we have an Angel http://wp.me/p1TZTg-1P
Mon, 12/12/2011 - 20:40
Visited the apartment we keep near Varese Ligure after a closure of several months (including most of summer) and found dozens of huge wasps, now dead from the cold. No sign of the nest. Chimney maybe? Anyone have experience with this?
Fri, 11/25/2011 - 18:26
Comments posted
That's why I thought their inclusion of a metal film within the sandwich, to conduct the heat better, was clever - but I don't know anyone who's actually tried this floor. I've been in other homes in Italy where they're floor heated, but usually it's tile on concrete.
One of our kids used to run around Milan in winter with her coat perpetually open, which never did her a lick of harm, but drove the nonne crazy with fretting and clucking at my bad parenting. In turn I was baffled when mothers and nonne at the playground admonished their children for climbing too high, running too fast or daring to remove their scarf, only to toss the kids in the back seat of the car afterwards without seat belts, then light up a cigarette for good measure. We all have different ideas about health risks I guess!
Count yourself lucky! As a Canadian my licence couldn't be recognized and I had to go through the whole tortuous Italian system along with the 18 year olds - driving school, exams, driving tests. It was kind of hilarious looking back; lots of good stories! But arduous and expensive.
We were living in Milan when we started looking in Liguria so it was easier for us, but I can't imagine trying to do this online - as per Tartuffa's comments, many places don't show up there. Even Italians don't use it! I have an Italian friend in Milan looking for an apartment downtown, and she checks the weekly reports in the newspaper. But really the best thing, as has been mentioned, is to go to the places where you're thinking of buying, and talk with local agents. Be prepared to see a lot of crap before you find the one you love...just like spouses!
Welcome! We're Canadians too, lived in Milan and bought a dilapidated villa in the Ligurian countryside. Now trying to renovate while living back in Canada. Challenging! You can check out the blog at www.godzillavilla.com if you're interested. A wealth of good advice available on this site.
My camera wasn't great but I think they are large wasps. We lit the stufa and the draw was not great; some smoke leaking in to the kitchen, so it could be the nest is in there although it was always a little leaky. When they wake up in the spring hopefully the source will be obvious. Thanks!
Hi Maria - I was a newbie in Italy once too, with two little kids, no language capability and a husband who was flying all over the world so rarely with us! We were in Milan at the time. Survived the first few months, grew to love the country, and stayed 7 years. Now we're back in Canada but have a house we're rebuilding in Liguria (extremely slowly). La Dolce vita is not always dolce while you're adapting, but it's worth the effort! If you want to take a look at our house project it's at godzillavilla.com. Any questions about settling in to Italy, just ask!
Is it resolved yet? Have you spoken to your neighbour? We have a potential issue at Godzillavilla in that our water comes from a sorgente and we plug into it at a neighbour's hillside, by agreement passed on through generations and then to us by dint of purchasing the land to which this agreement is attached. Nothing in writing, of course! The water cannot be owned, but the access where it first emerges from the earth (and is therefore potable, before it starts running down the stream) can be. Because I don't know the actual owner of the water (he's never there) I've made a point of befriending everyone else involved, including the previous owner of the rights (who now runs the local bar and who kept his cows on the property for year after selling it to us, at our request). Personal associations make the world turn 'round where we are. Don't know if yours works the same way.
That's a great site, thanks for bringing it to my attention. It's true this blogging thing is a lot of work, but I'm enjoying it.
What knowledge??? Really were making this up as we go along - but are fortunate to have a great bunch of local people to rely on. Mostly we just try to have a very flexible view of our expectations on everything. Thanks for your support.