For our first trip to America, we booke airbnb first because of price, but also because we wanted to meet people, to talk to them and to see how they live in real life.
During our trip, we met a variety of hosts. Some take airbnb seriously as an indispensible source of income, others just do it for fun. Some treat guest with strictly the miminum, others provide warmer experience. It happened to us that after our departure, a host wrote to me to apologise for treating us a bit coldly. Well, My wife and I are simple people, we have had ups and downs in our life and now we live a simple life back home. Life is difficult for all, we don't ask much. As long as there is a roof and hot shower, we are content and we give five stars without exception. No host needs to say sorry for whatsoever.
Now I wrote so much because only with such background and mentality can readers understand how we were thrilled and happily surprised and honored to be hosted by Cathy and her husband Joe! The house itself is great just as described. What I would like to outline is the human aspect of things. In China, we had a poet 1300 years ago who said a house reflected its master's personal quality. That couldn't fit better with Cathy. She is easy-going, intelligent and warm. She is unlike any Afro-American I have ever seen. She talks with perfect English. We stayed there for two nights. Every time I came across her, we couldn't stop chatting. The last night I talked to her late into night about contempory America and China, Afro-American history and present situation, and so on. I felt priviledged to be able to discuss such a wide range of topics with her, and she, like all smart people, is really open-minded. I appreciated the cider, by the way, I finished the bottle.
Her husand, Joe, is a nice man too. He showed us around the house while Cathy was absent.
To conclude, LA was the last stop of our American trip and staying with Cathy has been a crowning experience. We didn't ask so much, but we had it to the full. Thank you, Cathy, thank you so much!
Last but not least, Cathy keeps a guestbook. She sends cards to all the guests she has had at Christmas. I am certainly expecting mine :-)