I take a seat on a wooden bench out of the suns reach with a sigh of relief. A thin film of sweat had formed on my skin as I had been walking for what felt like forever, enchanted by one discovery after another, one small destination after another in the August sun. A shop window, a beautiful fountain, majestic and striking ancient ruins, old book stores, the tantalizing smell of a bakery, the dusty colors of the buildings, at every corner I turned there was something new to capture my senses and pull me in. And I let it. I let every curiosity drag me through what felt like the entire city, through throngs of tourists, crowded buses on just one hot August day. I knew I hadn’t even made a dent. I knew that I could live here for years and still get this feeling of being completely overwhelmed and in love at the same time. In the piazza near by, pigeons picked at remnants of what remained of the open market that had been bustling early that morning. The displays had held the most wonderful displays of fresh vegetables, spices, and fish; more beautiful to me then some of the priceless art that was protected in museums around the city. The city was loud and chaotic, it had seen emperors, dictators, democracy, and everything in between, but the people did their own thing as they always had. They were at the doorways of their shops, sitting in the cafes, gossiping with neighbors and friends, laughing, yelling, gesturing their hands. Whatever the issue, the topic of their conversation, they were passionate about it. But I had found a quiet little square down an ally off a main piazza. It was 4 o’clock, about the time that the stores would begin to re-open, and I soaked in the peace and the energy of this moment, an energy I could feel was ancient. It had been around since this city was the head of an empire and it was a beautiful, intoxicating energy, eternal energy. Perhaps it was what drew them here in the first place.
Rome, Italy
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