We loved staying in the Kalsa section of Palermo. Once the Arab quarter, it has been gentrified after decades of failing to repair the heavy damage the neighborhood suffered during WWII. With narrow streets and twisting alleys, Kalsa is a maze that offers enchanting surprises just around the next turn. Bars, restaurants, funky shops, live music, outdoor markets, they are all in Kalsa.

The apartment is very modern, attractive and clean.

We were puzzled by Deborah's attitude. After volunteering to meet us at the train station, which is about a 15-minute walk from the apartment, she cancelled at the last minute because she had a painful mosquito bite on her thigh. She later showed us the bite, which looked ordinary. We later received a message from her directing us to take out the trash and place it in a specific garbage container somewhere in the neighborhood. I have never before been told by an Airbnb host that I was responsible for trash removal, and it was very presumptuous to expect me to find the garbage can in a charming but confusing neighborhood. We were left wondering who was the customer here.