omg, I'm laughing - I'm right there with you! Which is why, despite the convenience of walking to the bar and stores for fresh fruit and veggies and everything else, I did not want to buy in town. I stayed in enough places to know I could not share walls with other people. Like you, I am very sensitive to noise, and to scents and light as well.
Saw a tshirt recently that said, "I'm not yelling, I'm Italian" :)
I’m too much of a hermit to isolate myself even further in the countryside; I think it’d be unhealthy for me. Plus, scorpions, snakes, etc. (not that scorpions aren’t here too, but so far I’ve been lucky). Choices!
It's funny, because you think places in the Italian countryside will be tranquil and peaceful (which they largely are) and quiet (which is a completely different thing). Friends of ours in Le Marche were living right in the small town near our home-- a town that makes Perugia seem like a metropolis. But they couldn't get a decent night's sleep all summer long. From the Monday market night to the Quintana to the concert festival and carnival- there was something every night. Maybe you need to go for hibernation: one long, deep sleep from November to March to set you up for a restless summer.
yep, i hear ya. for me, after a year living in manhattan and suffering sleep loss due to relentless inexplicable explosions, i was desperate. back to the tiny little 6 pack earplug offerings. well, the mind-numbing talk shows do help.
My neighborhood is relatively quiet out here in the country outside of all the dogs but.....i get the 'don't you ever sleep' thing! I take my dogs out around 10ish every night for their last bagno and my neighbors (one of which is 87) are out on the porch and inviting me for coffee and ice cream! I'm thinking of heading straight to bed! Which leaves me feeling guilty as being 'so american'! And they are all up at the crack of dawn doing farm chores. Don't they ever sleep?!!!!
too funny. i thought i was the only one requiring air movement, always in the car. i even sleep with overhead fan on in winter. re noise: perhaps mini fan on nightstand and white noise and/or radio talk show...in any language; i use both and they help. but...after a year in NYC with earplugs and the rest and no help...i gave up and moved back to the left coast.
Nooooo! I can't stand white noise (though I've learned to tolerate a fan at night during the summer—not easy!), and no way I could tune out a talk show.
Oh my goodness, I think Spain is a close second to Italy in the noise department! It seems like everyone (parent, toddlers, teenagers, grandparents, babies) are all out at 10:30 every night enjoying loud family dinners at nearby (across the street from my apartment ) restaurants. But, you have not lived until you have suffered through the two-week festival of Hogares every June! Nonstop loud explosive fireworks, more like bombs, and overhead fireworks every single night for hours on end. My dog and I just take cover and try to comfort each other. Oh, and it is hot as hell here in southeastern Spain in summer but I cannot live without all my windows wide open and the fans on full blast in every room. But, I love Spain and saying daily prayers that I will learn to adapt to both the heat and the noise.
I remember those days in centro when it seems the dominant sounds were suitcases rolling over the pavers and the students attached to those suitcases talking and laughing. But one night there was a party across the street at the social center. Lots of students, but an oddly retro soundtrack that almost made me hate The Who and reinforced my nonownership of Pink Floyd albums. Jesus, kids, I remember thinking, your parents were kids when those albums came out. Anyway, they had a great stereo system and I hated them for it. We're in the country now and hear the occasional rifle shot. I hear there are a lot of friendly fire hunting accidents. Let it be so, just serious enough for a cast and being cut out of this hunting season.
Oh, don’t even mention those blasted suitcases! The sound of wheels is now triggering--rolling suitcase = dread. May your nearby hunters all be indisposed just enough!
I'm absolutely with you on this Cheryl. When I bought my apartment, the only thing I was concerned about was to get decent aircon installed. I'll leave the poor water pressure and orange water colour to when I have more money. I often need to close the windows to stave off the incessant noise. But I wouldn't trade Italy for anywhere else!
My house is a registered historic building, so I can’t install splits because I can’t have external units (due to visibility). I’m going to look into options, but as of now I don’t need ac in the bedroom and would actually hate it. I hope your water issues get solved soon. What part of Italy are you in?
We, too, are in a very busy area, albeit small village in Molise. Friends found this apt for us and it's nice but soooo noisy. Traffic in front. Traffic in back. Booming music from bars. Dogs barking constantly. ( do they EVER sleep?) And doors slamming and slamming and slamming. I awaken when my cat purrs or bathes herself, so yes, a light sleeper. Close window= suffocate. Sometimes I'll just drift off and the bar across dumps all their empty bottles in the can out front. First time I heard that I though we were under attack!
I love Italy and am not sorry we came but oh my, what I wouldn't do fir some real restful 😴.
Yes, unfortunately small village doesn't necessarily mean quiet. The barking dogs would drive me wild; I'm glad not to have that problem (at least not now, but that could change). Living across from (or above, or anywhere near) a bar is tough! Wishing you some nice quiet winter nights!
I feel your pain, cousin. My torture comes in the form of motorcyclists who have decided that our road is the perfect place to zoom down at 80 mph , usually around two in the morning. Couple that with a dog on Prednisone who has to go out to pee between one and four in the morning and the fact I never learned how to nap and Presto!!! Walking zombie. :)
Oh dear! Friends of mine here have a similar problem with motorcycles, which goes on for hours on weekend nights. That's weird about the prednisone—my dog was on it for almost her whole life and frequent urination wasn't a problem until she developed Cushing's syndrome, which makes you drink a lot. Your dog shouldn't have developed Cushing's so quickly, but maybe talk to your vet.
Living in the centro de Porto we have been lucky that it was pretty quiet until this past May when the drug dealers and miscreants decided our corner would be their outdoor office and party HQ at all hours. I too am sound sensitive. Oy! We are now best (?) buds with the Cedofeita police. The neighborhood was fine until these mo-fos moved in! Much like the US there is not much they can do. At least they are nice about it. They say, keep calling. The problem is that by the time the police get here the loosers are usually gone.
And thanks to global warming, this had been the hottest summer we have experienced in our five years in Porto.
Our 16 yr old dog had dementia and trouble with going in the house too. Sadly he died in July :( And we are bereft now, needless to say. It was a loose/loose.
It has been one thing after another so our apt is for sale.
At our age we are thinking a quieter place to live would be a good idea. We are going to Aveiro next week to check it out. Thanks for the heads up about university towns. We will look outside of the U of A neighborhood!
It is funny that I was a professional musician for many years in the states (harpista) but I do not care for live music much any more unless it is classical in a concert hall. Again, too loud usually. And we have sworn off going to the cinema as well, way too loud!
So, I certainly do feel your pain. Loop earplugs are my best friend!
Here´s to the rain that is to start on Friday with temps in the 70s. Graças a Deus!
Lisa, I'm so sorry about your dog. And that's awful that the noise is so bad that you want to move. I hope you find the right place, with quiet corners and a lovely cooling breeze at all hours of the day. Good luck!
Onward and upward. As I said to a relative who said, I hope it all works out, It will, failure is not an option! In a few months we will be better off.
omg, I'm laughing - I'm right there with you! Which is why, despite the convenience of walking to the bar and stores for fresh fruit and veggies and everything else, I did not want to buy in town. I stayed in enough places to know I could not share walls with other people. Like you, I am very sensitive to noise, and to scents and light as well.
Saw a tshirt recently that said, "I'm not yelling, I'm Italian" :)
I’m too much of a hermit to isolate myself even further in the countryside; I think it’d be unhealthy for me. Plus, scorpions, snakes, etc. (not that scorpions aren’t here too, but so far I’ve been lucky). Choices!
Ah yes, I understand that. It’s a trade off. Luckily I haven’t seen anything worse than geckos. 🦎 lots and lots of geckos 🦎🦎🦎
Yeah, about that. A gecko here and there, fine. I’ve had a few come visit. But in the numbers you’ve had, no way!
😆😂 maybe they’re keeping the scorpions away! 🤷🏻♀️
In that case, bring 'em on!
😆
It's funny, because you think places in the Italian countryside will be tranquil and peaceful (which they largely are) and quiet (which is a completely different thing). Friends of ours in Le Marche were living right in the small town near our home-- a town that makes Perugia seem like a metropolis. But they couldn't get a decent night's sleep all summer long. From the Monday market night to the Quintana to the concert festival and carnival- there was something every night. Maybe you need to go for hibernation: one long, deep sleep from November to March to set you up for a restless summer.
Hibernation! Why didn’t I think of that? Wonder if my dog will go for it. 🤔😂
yep, i hear ya. for me, after a year living in manhattan and suffering sleep loss due to relentless inexplicable explosions, i was desperate. back to the tiny little 6 pack earplug offerings. well, the mind-numbing talk shows do help.
My neighborhood is relatively quiet out here in the country outside of all the dogs but.....i get the 'don't you ever sleep' thing! I take my dogs out around 10ish every night for their last bagno and my neighbors (one of which is 87) are out on the porch and inviting me for coffee and ice cream! I'm thinking of heading straight to bed! Which leaves me feeling guilty as being 'so american'! And they are all up at the crack of dawn doing farm chores. Don't they ever sleep?!!!!
Oh sure, coffee at 10:30pm. No problem! Maybe that's the secret to their boundless energy—coffee at every hour!
too funny. i thought i was the only one requiring air movement, always in the car. i even sleep with overhead fan on in winter. re noise: perhaps mini fan on nightstand and white noise and/or radio talk show...in any language; i use both and they help. but...after a year in NYC with earplugs and the rest and no help...i gave up and moved back to the left coast.
Nooooo! I can't stand white noise (though I've learned to tolerate a fan at night during the summer—not easy!), and no way I could tune out a talk show.
Oh my goodness, I think Spain is a close second to Italy in the noise department! It seems like everyone (parent, toddlers, teenagers, grandparents, babies) are all out at 10:30 every night enjoying loud family dinners at nearby (across the street from my apartment ) restaurants. But, you have not lived until you have suffered through the two-week festival of Hogares every June! Nonstop loud explosive fireworks, more like bombs, and overhead fireworks every single night for hours on end. My dog and I just take cover and try to comfort each other. Oh, and it is hot as hell here in southeastern Spain in summer but I cannot live without all my windows wide open and the fans on full blast in every room. But, I love Spain and saying daily prayers that I will learn to adapt to both the heat and the noise.
Fireworks every night for two weeks?! My dog would survive it. You “win” the hideous noise contest (sorry)!
^ wouldn’t survive
I remember those days in centro when it seems the dominant sounds were suitcases rolling over the pavers and the students attached to those suitcases talking and laughing. But one night there was a party across the street at the social center. Lots of students, but an oddly retro soundtrack that almost made me hate The Who and reinforced my nonownership of Pink Floyd albums. Jesus, kids, I remember thinking, your parents were kids when those albums came out. Anyway, they had a great stereo system and I hated them for it. We're in the country now and hear the occasional rifle shot. I hear there are a lot of friendly fire hunting accidents. Let it be so, just serious enough for a cast and being cut out of this hunting season.
Oh, don’t even mention those blasted suitcases! The sound of wheels is now triggering--rolling suitcase = dread. May your nearby hunters all be indisposed just enough!
I'm absolutely with you on this Cheryl. When I bought my apartment, the only thing I was concerned about was to get decent aircon installed. I'll leave the poor water pressure and orange water colour to when I have more money. I often need to close the windows to stave off the incessant noise. But I wouldn't trade Italy for anywhere else!
My house is a registered historic building, so I can’t install splits because I can’t have external units (due to visibility). I’m going to look into options, but as of now I don’t need ac in the bedroom and would actually hate it. I hope your water issues get solved soon. What part of Italy are you in?
I'm in Liguria ... Sanremo.
Nice!
We, too, are in a very busy area, albeit small village in Molise. Friends found this apt for us and it's nice but soooo noisy. Traffic in front. Traffic in back. Booming music from bars. Dogs barking constantly. ( do they EVER sleep?) And doors slamming and slamming and slamming. I awaken when my cat purrs or bathes herself, so yes, a light sleeper. Close window= suffocate. Sometimes I'll just drift off and the bar across dumps all their empty bottles in the can out front. First time I heard that I though we were under attack!
I love Italy and am not sorry we came but oh my, what I wouldn't do fir some real restful 😴.
Yes, unfortunately small village doesn't necessarily mean quiet. The barking dogs would drive me wild; I'm glad not to have that problem (at least not now, but that could change). Living across from (or above, or anywhere near) a bar is tough! Wishing you some nice quiet winter nights!
I feel your pain, cousin. My torture comes in the form of motorcyclists who have decided that our road is the perfect place to zoom down at 80 mph , usually around two in the morning. Couple that with a dog on Prednisone who has to go out to pee between one and four in the morning and the fact I never learned how to nap and Presto!!! Walking zombie. :)
Oh dear! Friends of mine here have a similar problem with motorcycles, which goes on for hours on weekend nights. That's weird about the prednisone—my dog was on it for almost her whole life and frequent urination wasn't a problem until she developed Cushing's syndrome, which makes you drink a lot. Your dog shouldn't have developed Cushing's so quickly, but maybe talk to your vet.
Ah Cheryl, I hear ya! lol.
Living in the centro de Porto we have been lucky that it was pretty quiet until this past May when the drug dealers and miscreants decided our corner would be their outdoor office and party HQ at all hours. I too am sound sensitive. Oy! We are now best (?) buds with the Cedofeita police. The neighborhood was fine until these mo-fos moved in! Much like the US there is not much they can do. At least they are nice about it. They say, keep calling. The problem is that by the time the police get here the loosers are usually gone.
And thanks to global warming, this had been the hottest summer we have experienced in our five years in Porto.
Our 16 yr old dog had dementia and trouble with going in the house too. Sadly he died in July :( And we are bereft now, needless to say. It was a loose/loose.
It has been one thing after another so our apt is for sale.
At our age we are thinking a quieter place to live would be a good idea. We are going to Aveiro next week to check it out. Thanks for the heads up about university towns. We will look outside of the U of A neighborhood!
It is funny that I was a professional musician for many years in the states (harpista) but I do not care for live music much any more unless it is classical in a concert hall. Again, too loud usually. And we have sworn off going to the cinema as well, way too loud!
So, I certainly do feel your pain. Loop earplugs are my best friend!
Here´s to the rain that is to start on Friday with temps in the 70s. Graças a Deus!
Take care, stay well and hope you get some sleep!
Lisa, I'm so sorry about your dog. And that's awful that the noise is so bad that you want to move. I hope you find the right place, with quiet corners and a lovely cooling breeze at all hours of the day. Good luck!
Thanks Cheryl, still in tears half the time. :(
Onward and upward. As I said to a relative who said, I hope it all works out, It will, failure is not an option! In a few months we will be better off.
Thanks for the kind words and good thoughts.
Best to you too.
With that positive attitude I'm sure you'll succeed!