Villa Rotunda in the Snow – 10.3.2010

Driving in snow to the Villa Rotunda was quiet. We were dropped off at a gas station bar place and had to walk in the snow down a cobblestone road with ivy and moss growing on a brick wall hiding the Villa. We enter through a small wooden door way next to a large iron gate. I walked up some snow covered pebbles bordered by rose bushes. The site was well worth to frozen fingers and cold body because how many people get to see the Villa Rotunda, a summer villa, in the snow with their own eyes. It was so symmetrical we had trouble figuring out where the original main entrance was. The view out was amazing. I can only imagine it in the spring long ago with out tons of buildings below and off in a distance. Inside matched the symmetrical exterior. The proportions of the spaces was a dead give away it was Palladian. Standing in the middle of the Rotunda was my favorite spot surrounded by paintings of Roman gods to look like reliefs and statues protruding out of the wall. I began to day dream with Carol’s voice in the background slowly fading into the distance as soft string music began to play. I was standing in the exact same spot with the sun shining down on me through the windows above in the dome warming my toes in leather sandals as the wind passed straight through the open doors slowing down only to cool me down and caress my skin as while my white cotton dress wavered with movement absorbing it’s sweet smell. What a summer vacation home. The cold wet wind woke me up as we started to head back outside. One of the fun girls in our group got the smart idea start a snowball fight. What a unique experience we all had.