Rick Steves’ Europe: A romantic breeze in Rome
Rome, don’t be foolish tonight.
Give me the sweet wind to let her say yes.
Turn on all the stars that you have . . . the brightest ones.
Give me a small flash of the moon, only for us.
Let her feel that springtime is arriving.
Give me your very best crickets to sing to her.
Give me the Ponentino.
Be a partner with me.
Paola translates for me. In verse two, the woman answers: “Rome, give me a helping hand to tell him no,” and so on. But, in the final verse, of course, they get together, creating the love triangle: a man, a woman . . . and Rome.
With the room still singing, the elegant older couple at the next table look over at us. Seeming pleased that the three of us — a generation behind hers — are enjoying this traditional Roman moment, the woman says, “Bella.”
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(Rick Steves (www.ricksteves.com) writes European guidebooks, hosts travel shows on public TV and radio, and organizes European tours. This article was adapted from his new book, For the Love of Europe. You can email Rick at rick@ricksteves.com and follow his blog on Facebook.)
©2021 Rick Steves. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
(c)2021 RICK STEVES DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.
