Last week, Villa Silvestri felt particularly alive.
For the Udine Oriental Fair, a group of Thai exhibitors booked all our rooms and, for a few days, the house became their home.
They arrived with luggage, boxes, work to do — and, above all, with a wonderful sense of cheerfulness and friendliness.
Mornings began together in the garden, around the table, sharing breakfast before leaving for another busy day at the fair. There was conversation, laughter and that particular energy that appears when people who have travelled a long way suddenly feel comfortable in a new place.
For us, this is one of the pleasures of opening Villa Silvestri to guests.
A house changes when people inhabit it. Different languages are heard around the table, unfamiliar foods appear, stories are exchanged, and for a few days people who had never met become part of the same small world.
Our Thai guests brought a little of their world to Friuli, while discovering a little of ours.
And then, almost as quickly as they arrived, it was time to pack the van, load the suitcases and continue their journey.
There were smiles and waves before leaving — and the feeling that Villa Silvestri had been more than simply a place to sleep between days at the fair.
This is how we like to imagine the villa: a house where people arrive as guests, share a little piece of their lives with us, and leave behind a memory.
Thank you for bringing a little bit of Thailand to Villa Silvestri. We hope to see you again.
