The Campo de’ Fiori snuck up on me, or it did the first time I went to see it. I wasn’t sure exactly where I was going; all I knew was that I was walking along winding streets in the right general direction of the piazza. Then, as if out of nowhere, the small streets opened up, and in front of me were a series of markets selling fruit and food and clothes. It was loud and busy, filled to the brim with people. The fruit stalls came first, mixed in with a little dry fruit and household item booths. Following that came vegetables and trinket stalls, more fruit and two pasta booths. A couple of clothing sellers were dispersed throughout. A little off from the main market, leaving enough room for cars to drive through, are two stalls selling flowers. Restaurants and food shops surround the markets.
The day was so hot, it made the fruit look too good to pass up. You could buy fruit cups for a quick snack, or package some up yourself to take home (or eat out of a box, your choice). I got a fruit cup after searching each fruit stall for the one I thought looked the best. The markets are covered by tents, providing shade and making the space seem as if enclosed. The vendors yell out as you pass, shouting things like “T-shirts, T-shirts, cheap”, “Pasta! Preggo! Pasta” and “look, look”. Walking through, I felt like I could get lost in all the hustle and bustle. I loved it.
Even though I live in New York City, and have experienced things like the farmer’s market, there is something different about the markets at the Campo de’ Fiori. I’m not really sure as to what it is; perhaps it is the tightness of it, the loud mix of languages, the diversity of what is being sold. Perhaps it is all of these things and more. Either way, I found the markets endearing. I was in Rome, really in Rome, not anywhere else.
At one end of the piazza, the one opposite I entered from, there is a fountain. It is not small, but compared to some of the other fountains I’ve seen in Rome, it is not big, either (and it is nothing compared to the Trevi). It is shaped like an oval, and has a smaller oval rising out of it. I begin eating my fruit while taking a break near it. I see a man come and wash his hands. I wonder if even the water in all the fountains is fit for drinking? From the fountain, I am able to see a statue standing above the markets in the middle of the piazza. I am shocked that I didn't notice it before! I must have been too caught up in the markets looking at the wares. The statue is of a man named Giordano Bruno. I later found out that he was a philosopher who was burned alive for believing things that countered the beliefs of the church. The story is rather morose, yet it doesn’t damper the feel for the markets as it currently stands.
I want to see the Camp de’ Fiori at night, when the markets are gone and there is just a large empty space. I wonder if it will be as magical then. I wonder if Giordano Bruno will then be able to shine. I really love the Campo de’ Fiori, with its vibrancy of color and constant movement of people and food.
No comments:
Post a Comment