Immediately upon entering, I heard several small birds chirping and felt the cool breeze as I inhaled the sweet scent of the orange trees throughout the area. From the top of the hill the smells of people, food, cars and sewers seemed to be miles and miles away.There were sounds of several visitors walking and riding their bikes throughout the paths with the small pebbles crunching beneath their feet. Murmurs of various languages ranging from English, French, Spanish, Chinese and, of course, Italian, could also be heard from all sides as I sat down on a cool, porous stone bench. I put both my soiled, heavy feet up, allowing weight to be relieved while enjoying the cooling sensation of the stone’s surface against my legs. After sitting down to enjoy the breeze, I continued on to wander the space spending time in both areas of sunlight and sections shaded off by the blowing trees above. As I neared the lookout, the street sounds of sirens, horns, and pedestrians became more prevalent as the bird chirping was drowned out. Dissatisfied with this interruption of serenity, I ventured back, over the crunching pebbles, to the central seating area I had left behind. Not only did this area provide relief to my tired body, aching after a day of walking in the sun, it also allowed me to sooth my senses and take in, once again, the serenity composed of the breeze, fresh air, chirping birds and orange aroma that made me forget that I was, in fact, in a major city (Orange Grove, Aventine Hill, 28.5.2015).
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ElyssaStudent studying Rome with Skidmore College |