When I first went to the room the window shades were up, the room was well lit, everything was bathed in white. As the door closed behind me I began to look around. The bathroom was huge, but dark. So I turned on the light switch and ... nothing! I walked around the room and tried every switch... nothing!
As I mentioned yesterday, the hotel welcomed Peregrinos with a complimentary tray of fruit and a large bottle of water.
Knowing that room service was coming relieved me of having to call the front desk. Good thing because the phone did not automatically connect to the front desk like it does at Motel 6 (and THEY leave the light on for you)! The phone also didn't respond to dialing "O" for operator, so I had already exhausted my troubleshooting abilities.
When the "bellboy" arrived I allowed him in with the tray. As he walked across the room and set it down I started to tell him that I had no electricity. He nodded knowingly and kept on moving until he was back at the door, stepping into the hallway, still completely oblivious to the dark nature of my problem. He turned to start down the hallway and I frantically gestured and said "no, no, no", waving him back into the room. I walked to the bathroom light switch and demonstrated for him that nothing worked. Then led him around the room, pointing to the lamp, the lights overhead, the lights on each night stand, the TV, saying, "no" as I pointed. He turned to me with a puzzled look and said "five minutes", then ducked out the door. Rather unusual, but I guessed he was going to get an electrician.
In ten minutes he returned with a plastic room key card. Stepping just inside the door he turned to his right and placed it in a small plastic "box", or pocket, on the wall. The bathroom light came on! He walked over and turned everything else on. He then went back and removed his card, and all went black again! He gestured to me for my room card and we inserted it. Viola! Let there be light! Now the question is: why did their employee not know this?
Either the hotel got tired of paying the large electrical bill or they've been forced to "go green". Now, whenever any guest leaves the room all the electricity is automatically shut off when they take the key card with them. Unfortunately, the outlets also shut off so you can not charge electrical devices if you are not in the room! Apparently someone figured out that it wasn't very efficient for hundreds of guests to leave the TV on when they were out, as a deterrent to room break-ins.
I've become accustomed to the new toilets that have two chrome buttons on top, one within the other, to flush for number one or number two. This toilet had a round ball on top. When I saw no handle to flush I suspected the ball. I tried pushing, then turning, then sliding the ball without success. Then I pulled it straight up - success!
Staying in the bathroom, there were white towels everywhere. But not a single wash cloth! Apparently upper crust Europeans not only believe that their "stuff" don't stink, but it doesn't need to be scrubbed either. Ah, but there WAS a bidet!
I got dressed after my shower and went down to the restaurant which was a little unusual. There were a number of tables randomly placed in a large area at the top of the grand stairway. Apparently they use this as their restaurant. I say "apparently" because they were closed - at 7 p.m.! I thought it a little strange that they would close so early, so I inquired at the front desk. Turned out they OPEN AT 8 p.m.! They did tell me also that room service opens at 8 p.m. I don't know if it was as a convenience that they mentioned this or because they didn't want me appearing in their restaurant. They further explained that the room service menu was in my room.
I went back to the room and searched for a menu. I found nothing on any of the night stands. It then dawned on me that the room had two double beds that sat side by side (side note: what is the Spanish word for menage-a-trois?), with a "runner" over the end of both. On this runner was a large bi-folded piece of heavy brown paper that said "room service" on it. It was standing open like a Boy Scout tent. Could it be? Yes it was.
I got comfortable, then at the preordained hour, called room service. Room service did not speak any English and basically hung up on me!
You say you are hungry enough to eat a horse?
None of these things were explained anywhere that I could see, so I'm wondering if I'm not high class enough to stay here?
So I am left with the conclusion that paraphrases Will Rogers. If you are smart enough to stay here you would have already done so!
Oh yes...the trials and tribulations of foreign travel! Jerry, your blogs always leave me entertained and laughing. So I think when you return and have caught up on rest, maybe you should consider writing a book or travelogue. You are such an excellent writer and it would certainly provide insight to potential peregrinos. Just a thought.
ReplyDeleteImagine taking the key and being gone for the day, only to return to a freezing cold or sweltering hot room because the HVAC is also hooked up to this system. We outsmarted the, though... we left one key in the room with the heater running, a “no service” sign on the door so the house keeper wouldn’t take away our lifeline, and just used the second key to come and go from the hotel.
ReplyDeleteWhat with Jerry's troubleshooting and intuiting skills, and the inventiveness skills revealed in readers' comments, I'd say there's great hope for international peace. Fascinating contrast with folks who travel by taking their fully familiar "house" with them!
ReplyDeleteI am having fun reading these blog entries with a fond remembrance of the privations and trials Jerry and I had on the Idaho Centennial Trail. Getting lost was an hourly occurrence in those days, as Scott alluded to in another comment. Alburgues and room service indeed... =]
ReplyDeleteI have had horse- it’s a local delicacy in Verona... kinda sweet
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