Piazza di Spagna

这是我04年写的一篇英文回忆录。。。

Several weeks ago I went to a contemporary photo and painting gallery store in Palo Alto. While my eyes were lost amongst the jungle of frames of pictures and paintings in the warehouse, suddenly, I felt my heart calmed, and my eyes were set at poster on the wall. It was a panoramic view of Piazza di Spagna ( Spanish Square ) of Rome in a quiet evening where dim yellowish street lights at Scalla di Spagna (Spanish Steps) cast on the colorful walls of historic buildings, shined on the cobble stones of the square, and lit the floating water of Fontana della Barcaccia, the fountain of the leaking boat.

My mind traveled back to Rome, where I spent six weeks there last summer, and almost every day I strolled by the square.

The square situates in the old town area of Rome , where narrow streets paved with cobble stones wind between old walls of aged buildings, suddenly emerge into an open area. In the middle lays an oval pool made by white marble stone, and four streams of water come out of the front and back of an elegantly carved marble boat in the center. The main fountain comes out in the middle, quietly fills a flower bowl, then floats down to the boat, fills it up again, then quietly leaks out of the edge of the boat into the main pool. The water streams are so soft and gentle, as if the entire fountain is floated with love.

Not only the boat is filled with love, so does the air in Piazza di Spagna, and the marble steps lead to the platform above, and the balcony on top.

From the twin tower of Trinita ’ Dei Monti looking down, at any time of the day, you can see people cascade down the stairs to the pool. Some stands by the balcony, others sit on the stairs like in an outdoor theater. Many of them come in pairs, casually holding each other’s hand, or sit very close to each other, talking and smiling to in voices that only themselves can listen to, and others can only feel the murmurs of love. And there are more, always more, who stand in the pool, let their hands and feet be washed by the cool spring water, to feel the float of love while breathing the romantic air, and kisses his or her love. At night, when the air start to cool down, and the light condition becomes more romantic, the scene of love will intensify, that many people who went there without a lover, would enjoy standing or sitting there alone, to feel the love in the square and the steps.

That’s why when I looked at this poster, the night scene of Piazza di Spagna, without a single person, I still feel the love floated in the leaking boat fountain, cast in the yellowish street lights on the old wall, and spread in the air above the white marble stairs, and as if the twin towers of Trinita’ Dei Monti is saying, yes, you are looking at Piazza di Spagna.

“This is an illusion”, I said to myself. “Yes, with all the people are gone, it gives me this peaceful feeling of love”, said by the lady who I just noticed her presence stood next to me. From her way of staring at this poster, I knew, she has been to Piazza di Spagna.