Alone with Rome
Rome is still asleep. The morning air tastes different, untainted as of yet by pizza and tobacco. A few workmen amble along the fountain, sharing a cigarette and a joke. Their laughter bounces against the old discolored stones and dies off in a musical echo. In the background Neptune stands tall, his muscles perfect, held in tension and plaster. His entourage hangs around him, playing it up in the fresh morning light. I follow their every curve, dent and detail in quick greedy movements.
In an hour everything will change: floating sunflowers, umbrellas and backpacks will push me to a corner. Tacky souvenirs will push the fountain in a corner. Vendors will set up their knock offs under the eye of a concerned Madonna. Somewhere in the crowd a wallet will be misplaced; and Rome will be lost in a swirl of clichés.
Aren’t the early mornings perfect for catching private glimpses of a place? Love it.
It’s a completely different place during the mornings!
beautiful!
Thanks Lola!
I’m always left awestruck at how you capture the ordinary and make it seem so rare…i guess its your words
aww thanks Jen!
This is beautiful Neha. I love early mornings abroad. You captured Rome perfectly, especiialy in your second sentence!
Thanks Nancy. I loved Rome so much, cliches and all!
Strangely it is the cliches that give a place, and its people a character that is distinct. And any discovery to the contrary makes travel worthwhile
Anil, I get where you’re at but at big tourist destination the cliches tend to be plastic in make-up. Sometimes they shadow over the character of the city.
Again, loved the post. Just wanted to let you know too that I left you a little love on my blog http://www.nancythegnomette.com
Thanks Nancy! Am working on my tag right now
that was very beautiful. i’ve been to rome (though it feels like it was a previous lifetime) and this post brought back fond memories.
keep writing
Thanks Radhika! Glad you dropped by
I love the way you have captured this moment in your writing…lovely prose!!
Thanks Catherine!