The Blue Hour in Rome (Premium)
00:00 Hi, Thomas here. You're listening to a preview episode. You can enjoy the entire story tonight by subscribing to our supporters' feed. There you'll get access to the entire back catalogue, bonus episodes, and more, and it's all completely ad-free. Click the link below to learn more and thank you so so much. Me and the team really appreciate your support. You're sitting in a cafe in the historic centre of Rome. It's late afternoon in early summer. Although you're inside the cafe, in a way, your outdoor was too. The tour window opens right onto the street and your table touches the grey cobbles of the piata. This small square is one of the most beautiful in the city.
01:21 It's tucked away in the heart of the ancient quarter and it feels like a tranquil refuge from the hustle and bustle of the nearby shopping streets. In the middle of the piata is a gorgeousons fountain. As you sit in the cafe, slowly sipping a cool drink, you admire the details. You notice how the fading sunlight sparkles on the flowing water and illuminates the limbs of the bronze boys, four smiling statues that decorate the fountain. Each boy has an arm raised with a hand reaching out to capture bronze turtle falling from a basin above. The boys rest their feet on a dolphin, which pours water into a shell, and then into the wide basin below. It's such an unusual, imaginative fountain, a true work of art.
02:45 Your gaze drifts from the sculptures to the smiling faces of the passes by who have stopped to admire it. For tourists and locals alike, this is a special place. You take another sip of your drink, relishing each refreshing mouthful and glance down at your guidebook on the table. There's a short section on the fountain and the intriguing Roman legend about its origins. According to the story, a young man fell in love with the daughter of a wealthy older man who lived in this square. The young couple wanted to marry, but first the man had to convince his potential father-in-law. It was a good idea. So in the middle of the night, the young man arranged for the turtle fountain to be constructed
03:57 at the center opened the shutters of his bedroom window the next morning and looked out, he was astonished to see it had appeared overnight. He was so impressed that he allowed the wedding to go ahead. The young couple soon got married and 500 years later, this bronze symbol of love and imagination is still standing and capturing the hearts of passes by. Looking up from the book, you see the fountain in front of you with a renewed appreciation. Although the legend is probably no more than a fantasy, it's still inspiring. If nothing else, it's the sign of the monument's importance in the neighborhood. The locals were so moved by its beauty that they dreamed up a story to explain its appearance.
05:18 Sitting here, listening to the trickling water is so relaxing that you could happily stay for the rest of the day. But glancing around the square, you notice the light fading, slowly softening. It's the beginning of the blue hour, the perfect time for a stroll around the streets of Rome. you
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