And now I have achieved my goal. The legendary fountain was right in front of my eyes. I found an empty seat near the fountain and come closer. I took out a coins, squeezed it tightly in my palm hand and made my cherished wish. I threw my coin into the fountain and watched as it slowly sank in the clear blue water and finally reached the very bottom.
«How I want that my wish will come true!» – I said once again in my mind and at that moment a tanned man’s hand touched my hand. I saw a rather tall man next to me. He was dressed in an elegant white suit that fit him perfectly. The rays of the February sun played in his black curly hair with a slight noble gray. I couldn’t see his face because the stranger, like me, was wearing a white Venetian mask.
– Good afternoon! – the stranger said. – «Is this your first time here?».
«I was at this fountain a few years ago, but this is the first time I threw a coin», – I replied.
– How long have you been in Rome? – the stranger asked.
«I arrived just a few hours ago and I have only three days in Rome to feel the charm of this city again», – I said.
– If you don’t mind, I’ll keep you company, and we’ll walk through the most beautiful places together? – said the stranger.
Through the mask, I saw his brown shining eyes and said: «Yes».
We walked away from the fountain and decided to take a walk towards the Colosseum. The stranger offered me his hand so as not to get lost in the crowd. I took his hand and felt my heart beat faster in my chest. Some of the passers turned around and took pictures of us. We turned out to be a very beautiful and harmonious couple.
And so we got to the Colosseum it was already getting dark. The Colosseum is the most famous landmark of Rome and all of Italy. The Colosseum is one of the seven New Wonders of the World and it is the largest amphitheater in the world.
Fig. 14. Colosseum.
We were fabulously lucky, because the «Il Divo» concert was supposed to take place at the Colosseum today. «Il Divo» is an international quartet of pop performers with conservative training and operatic voices, listed in the Guinness Book of Records in 2006. We bought tickets and took the best seats. The incredible atmosphere of the Colosseum and the simply divine voices of the performers flew to my soul. And when the song «Hallelujah» sounded in their performance, tears appeared in my eyes. My companion at that moment tightened his grip on my hand, and I felt incredibly happy.
After the concert we walked down the street lit by the lights from the lanterns and from the many stars shining like diamonds in the black sky. My companion did not let go of my hand. So we reached the Spanish Steps. A stranger suggested that I go up to the Imago restaurant, which is located in the Hassler hotel, where I was staying. Just today he had a table booked at the Imago restaurant.
«This is my favorite restaurant in Rome», – the stranger said. – «I always have dinner in it when I come to Rome. This is one of the best restaurants in Rome».
We sat down at a table by the window. A magnificent panorama of evening Rome opened before our eyes.
I was hungry and ordered «SPAGHETTI AI CETRIOLI DI MARE, VONGOLE E POMODORINI GIALLI» and for dessert «TARTE TATIN DI MELE E CAMOMILLA».
We still haven’t taken off our masks. We saw only the smile and the glow of each other’s eyes. But for some reason we seemed so close to each other.
Dinner was great.
It was a fabulous day. And I didn’t want to part with a stranger. Maybe he read my thoughts and said: «I invite you to my room for a cup of evening tea. I was just staying at the Hassler hotel».
I said: «Yes».
We took the elevator to the same floor where my room was located. I didn’t say a word. We walked down the corridor and stopped at the door to the room that was next to my room.
The stranger opened the door and said: «Welcome, Princess!».
I stopped in the middle of an elegant living room. My stranger came so close to me that I could feel his breath. And at that moment, the hands on the clock that was in the room showed midnight. The stranger brought his hands to my face to remove the mask. And at that moment I touched his curly soft hair to find the strings from his mask. We took off each other’s masks at the same time. And I saw the dear features of my beautiful Prince Nael. At that moment our lips merged in a sweet kiss that made my head spin. Nael took my hand and led me to his bedroom.
That night I didn’t go to my room, but fell asleep hugging my charming prince. I was incredibly happy and thanked God that he fulfilled my wish.
The second day in Rome.
I woke up when the rays of the February sun began to penetrate into the room through the tightly drawn curtains. I opened my eyes and smiled. My charming prince was near. I lay and admired his curly hair, his eyelashes on his closed eyelids. I was happy!
I touched his soft hair and he woke up. I kissed him on the lips and said: «Good morning, my beautiful stranger!».
«Today is your last full day in Rome, my beautiful stranger, and we won’t waste a minute», – he said smiling. – «I already ordered breakfast in the room yesterday. After breakfast we will go for a new walk around Rome».
We drank black tea with milk and honey, I ate a couple of crunchy croissants and went to change into my room.
Today I no longer began to wear a carnival costume, but put on an elegant cream-colored silk dress. I threw a white mink coat over my shoulders and left the room. My charming prince was waiting for me in the lobby. Today he was wearing an elegant black suit.
«How elegant and beautiful he is», – I thought and went up to Nael, took his arm and we went for a walk around Rome.
We reached the Pantheon, and then headed towards Piazza Navona, which is the most beautiful of all the squares in Rome. The whole square is decorated in Baroque style and here you can see the creations of the great Roman architects Bernini and Borromini. The main attractions of the square are three magnificent fountains in the center. After we decided to go to one of the most colorful areas of the city called Trastevere. In Trastevere every street is imbued with the spirit of Italy and there are many places where you can eat delicious and inexpensive real Italian cuisine. We crossed one of the bridges to the other bank of the Tiber river, went to Santa Maria in Trastevere (one of the oldest churches in Rome dedicated to the Virgin Mary) and then stopped for lunch at the Glass Hostaria restaurant. The dinner was wonderful, but the most beautiful thing about this dinner was that my charming prince was next to me.
Fig. 15. Fountain of Neptune.
Fig. 16. Navona Square.
Fig. 17. Navona Square.
After lunch we decided to take a walk to St. Peter’s Cathedral in the Vatican. I really wanted to see Michelangelo’s beautiful Pieta again, whose works I simply adore.
Fig. 18. Pieta. Michelangelo.
We spent this day enjoying the Rome and enjoying communicating with each other. After a long walk we went for dinner to La Pergola restaurant,