Real Property Maintenance

Do you wonder how much it cost to maintain a very big property? I mean, you pay real estate taxes annually, the electricity and gas bills ( or air conditioner if it's in warm countries), the ground maintenance (cutting of the grass, maintaining the gardens, etc... etc...). No wonder very rich people in the Philippines who have vast tracts of land and big, palatial mansions can have more than 40 servants (it is a lot but it is true,i.e. the Madrigals, etc..). Really, money is nothing for them and to have 40 or 50 servants are nothing for they made a really vast income unimaginable!

When i took a look at castles, like this one recently --- the Castle Fraser in Inverurie, Scotland,(you know how silly i think sometimes) i am thinking how many servants had they got before? How many gardeners maintaining the over 300 hectares of farmland and open woodland, including a walled garden and two forest trails. And the castle itself, realizing that there is no elevator or lift to bring the servants to and fro the high stairs, it is a tough job(but i am sure it was enjoyable. No wonder the governess of the castle was really so thin in her photograph!).

But anyway, take a look at the huge estate. I just love the big, big, green lawn and the tall, multicolored trees that abound the area. The place is really a great scenery. Castle Fraser has recently been used as a backdrop for some of the scenes shot in the BAFTA, Golden Globe and Academy Award winning film "The Queen", starring Helen Mirren.

I took these photos at the very top of the tower. What a very breathtaking view out there. I can still feel my "conquering spirit" after the climb!