When you read real estate postings in California, they always brag about their garages: 3bed/2bath attached 2-car garage for example. When you look at real estate listings in Germany, they show their energy sufficiency, A is very good, well insulated, low usage of heating oil/gas/whatever. F is considered horrible, kind of like if you have your heater on high with all the doors and windows wide open! Here in Naples, they brag about something else: their balconies! 3 bedrooms, 2 baths and 5 balconies. Or 6 rooms and 7 balconies, etc

And no wonder, there are balconies everywhere, in all sizes, shapes and materials. They have potted plants, furniture and/or laundry. Especially laundry! One of the things I remember from my first trip to Napoli – I was 16 – were those laundry lines stretching from one house on the right to the other house on the left, filled with laundry. Bed linens, bras, baby outfits, mens underwear, everything hanging right above my head and playing with the wind…