Making Hotel Reservations Brings More Surprises...

So, I am moving ahead now with making reservations in the towns where I will be staying while I am in Italy in October. I have selected my hotel in Rome, my hotel in Lamezia Terme, and my hotel in Curinga.

I called the Hotel Golden in Curinga just the other day to make my reservations. I successfully made myself clear in Italian, and I proceeded to ask the receptionist if he could email me a confirmation. He promptly responded and I felt assured by his confirmation.

It took me a few days to respond to his email which said:

"Spett. jennifer Rafferty le comunico che abbiamo ricevuto la sua richiesta di prenotazione per il periodo 08/10/09 al 19/10/09 per una camera singola. in attesa della sua conferma le mando cordiali saluti."

After I gave some thought to the conversation we had, I realized that I might like to specify a "room with a view". So, I sent him an email indicating that I would like a room with a window overlooking the city, if possible.

A few days later, I received another response from him:

"Spett. signora jennifer rafferty navigando in internet ho trovato una pagina web in cui cerca carmelo orlando mia madre si chiama orlando e spero che le possa essere d’aiuto domani le chiederò se ricorda qualcosa e le faro sapere al più presto."

So, in case you need a little assistance with the Italian: The man who helped me make my reservations at Hotel Golden, his mother's last name is Orlando. Yes, that's right. It seems as if the owners of the Hotel Golden in Curinga might just be distant relatives of my grandfather, Carmelo Orlando.

Is this not the most surreal thing you have ever heard? I choose one of two hotels in the city of Curinga, and that hotel happens to be owned by someone with the last name of my grandfather. Possibly my distant relatives.

This is no small coincidence.

This was supposed to happen.