This was supposed to be posted Friday

After having such an amazing birthday complete with more than 80 people writing on my Facebook wall, people giving me a play by play recount of the party and the show I apparently was, even now still catching flack for stuff I did, rarely this week have I found myself without a smile on my face. Even now I am still in shock that people would actually do something like that for me. It has to be one of the most generous things anyone has ever done for me in my entire life and these guys have known me not even a month! It was a strong message and it was certainly well received since I don’t think I have ever had to work harder at holding back tears. The next day was the Festival of the Republic which is a national holiday for Italy and meant no work or class for anyone. Perfect timing if you ask me. After two days of rain the morning came with fair skies, strong winds and the most wild flowers I have seen in one place maybe ever. It was a wonderful way to wake up and greet the day.
Skipping ahead a couple of a days, I spent yesterday (Thursday) afternoon walking around Piazza Spagna (Spanish Steps) doing some intent people watching. I think a whole new flood of college kids must have shown up this week because I have not heard so much English spoken in one place since I got here. It was interesting but as the sun grew higher in the sky, I retreated back to Villa Borghese under some nice tree cover and decided to read by the temple monument at the pond for a while. This was when maybe the most magical thing happened. There were not too many people out and about in this area, just a few lovers on benches near me, one or two boats out on the pond of course filled with more lovers, the sound of children’s laughter from the nearby open lawn that usually is filled with games of soccer and my head filled with thoughts of Avalon. I was reading about yet another traditional Pentecost feast that Arthur was throwing in his court and they of course asked Morgaine to play and sing at her harp as Kevin (the Merlin of Britain) was not in attendance. No sooner had I read Arthur’s plea for Morgaine to play that I suddenly heard faint music in my own world. It was hard to make out as it was quite far off. I looked up as if seeing in the distance would actually help my hearing. Sending out as much of my hearing as possible I tried to block out the rest of the sounds around me. Then the song reached the climax and I suddenly realized that I was listening to a very far off and therefore very haunting “Nessun Dorma” sung but none other than Pavarotti. So put yourself in my shoes. I am sitting under a weeping willow tree with sunlight pouring through the branches in front of a pond in Rome. It was so overwhelming that despite the couple that was taking pictures of each other right in front of me I could do nothing but let the tears that had been held in since Monday night break away from my eyes and slide silently down my cheeks and I listened with all my might to the clear tones of maybe the greatest aria ever written. It ended and even in the distance I could hear a great cry of joyous excitement rise up above the trees from the crowd I could not see. Pure magic.
Today I head out for Napoli. Pray that I make it back not only with all my things, but alive and with no knife wounds.