Momentary Blindness 2


While sitting on the edge of the Fontana del Nettuno, I first began to listen to the noises of the Piazza.  Immediately I began to notice the sound of gushing water, not only the sound of water flowing but also the sound of water hitting a surface of more water.  Almost like a waterfall, but not nearly as intense.  I soon began to hear birds ca-cawing, as well as the sound of birds fluttering within my proximity.  While the sounds of an accordion filled my ears, I tried to listen closely to the people around me; I listened to men arguing about a picture, to salesmen trying to push their object onto tourists like me, to small children yelling and laughing.  The space was filled with countless languages, I could make out the obvious, Italian, and the occasional English, with just a little touch of French.  The constant clicking of camera's for some reason struck me.  Then I decided to focus on what I could feel.  A light breeze brushed against my neck and through my hair, spraying water across my skin.  I couldn't help but smile as a ray of sunlight brought warmth to my partially damp skin.  The smell of fresh pizza filled my nostrils, I could tell that this heavenly smell was coming from a nearby restaurant with a brick oven.  As I began to stand up, to end my momentary blindness, I noticed just how much my feet were aching from walking on the cobblestoned streets of Rome.  But this ache was nothing compared to the immense happiness I felt while sitting in the Piazza Navona.     
(Piazza Navona, May 21, 2019)

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