*These events took place in September 2025.*
*This post is very long, so if it is cut off, be sure to click “View Entire Message” at the end.
“Good friends are like stars. You don’t always see them, but you know they’re always there.” Unknown
Along with Ingeborg, my friend from England flew to Rome to celebrate the end of my Cammino and enjoy a bit of Italian wandering. I mean…who doesn’t love traveling around Italy in the Fall?
Meet James – the annoying little brother (by nine months) I never had and never wanted…yet somehow ended up with anyway. I do love him, though, and I think he feels the same about me. Our relationship could best be described as “annoyed but affectionate.”
James is, without question, the most grounded, organized, structured, meticulously planned, and cautiously prepared friend I have. He’s a Virgo and could not be more opposite of me – or Ingeborg, for that matter. (We’re both Sagittarians, operating entirely moment to moment.) A full month before our trip, James texted our WhatsApp group chat – The Roman Empire – a three-page Google document outlining a detailed, to-the-hour itinerary – he should be a tour guide. Ingeborg promptly messaged me privately: “Who is this guy?”
But here’s the thing: without James, we probably wouldn’t have had tickets for half the things he wanted to see and do – or we would’ve paid a lot more money for them. Advanced planning has its perks. Bravo, James!
Given our vast differences, it’s a delicate balance navigating life together without wanting to kill each other with a hiking stick or casually push one another off a cliff. We drive each other absolutely crazy, yet there’s something so lovable about the other that we simply can’t not be friends.
James and I met in March 2024 while hiking the W Trek in Patagonia. Click here to read about our first (and funny) encounter. Click the links below to read about the additional days on the trail: Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, and Logistics & Resources, should you want to hike it.
Here is an excerpt from Day 1:
James: “Where is your bag?”
Me in a sassy tone: “You’re looking at it, Babe.”
Him with his British accent: “Right. So, this is my first multiday hike and I’m looking for a hiking partner. You appear to be knowledgeable. Would you like to hike together?”
Me: “Yeah, sure. Just don’t annoy me.”
And that was that. We’ve been bickering at each other ever since. And he’s only “accidentally” stabbed me once with a trekking pole.
In addition to hiking the W Trek together in Chile, we’ve traveled through Argentina, hiking mountains, visiting a salt flat and a glacier, having not one, but two encounters with the police (Days 1 & 4), and nearly dying (Day 3) on a road trip down the famous highway Ruta 40.
It bonded us for life – whether we like it or not.
Fun fact: Hertz Rental Car now has a new policy about traveling on Ruta 40 because of us (We’re famous! Or more likely infamous) – drivers are not allowed to drive their rental cars between Salinas Grandes and Cachi…all because of us. Two clueless travelers – a Brit and an American – wildly out of their depth on Argentina’s most unforgiving roads. You can read about each chaotic day of that trip in the archives: click the links to read: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, and Day 5.
The morning before James arrived in Rome, Ingeborg and I wandered Trastevere, a charming and very trendy neighborhood just outside the city center. We stopped for breakfast at T’Ever Food&Drink because they advertised an “American Breakfast,” and obviously, I had to investigate. Verdict? Not bad. Depending on the scale: 7/10, or four out of five stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
Since Ingeborg and James don’t know each other (except by our Roman Empire group chat) and James arrived late from his flight (those pesky airline delays are annoying), we spent the evening chatting and letting them get to know each other. We stayed in, ordered delivery pizza, drank wine, and ate potato chips like teenagers at a sleepover. I also taught them how to play Machiavelli – my new favorite card game – and then we had a pillow fight.
Kidding.
The next morning, we were up semi-early to meet Martina, our friend from Rome. James traveled extensively with her in South America, and I met her on a day trip to see Perito Moreno Glacier in El Calafate, Argentina. This photo is from the day we met – and until now, the only time I’ve seen her. Martina is on the far right.
We’ve stayed in touch over the years, and earlier this year (2025), I even helped Martina, her mother, and her sisters plan a trip to NYC.
Naturally, as a true Roman, Martina became our unofficial local tour guide for the day. She was so good, we really should have tipped her.
First stop, Piazza del Popolo.
Here are some fun facts pulled from the internet.
-
Rome’s ancient “welcome mat.”
For centuries, this was the first place pilgrims and travelers saw when entering Rome from the north via the Via Flaminia. -
Twin churches… but not really twins
The two churches you see—Santa Maria dei Miracoli and Santa Maria in Montesanto—look identical, but they’re actually different shapes. One is oval, the other circular, a clever architectural illusion to balance the space. -
An Egyptian obelisk older than Rome itself
The central obelisk dates back to the 13th century BC in Egypt, making it one of the oldest monuments in Rome—it predates the Roman Empire by over a thousand years. -
Executions once took place here
In medieval times, the piazza was also a site for public executions, including that of the painter Caravaggio’s rival, Ranuccio Tomassoni.
We visited Basilica Parrocchiale di Santa Maria del Popolo to see two paintings by Caravaggio. Make sure you or someone with you has a €2 coin to turn on the lights to see the paintings (I’ll save my rant about the Catholic Church nickel-and-diming visitors for another post).
Below are my photos, along with descriptions from the Internet. I don’t want to misinterpret his art.
“Crucifixion of Saint Peter” (Crocifissione di san Pietro, 1601) is the artwork that delineates the martyrdom of St. Peter by crucifixion— Peter asked to rearrange his cross for not to copy his God, Jesus Christ. Consequently, he is portrayed upside down.
“The Conversion on the Way to Damascus” (Conversione di San Paolo, 1601) portrays the moment described in Chapter 9 of Acts of the Apostles when Saul, soon to be the apostle Paul, fell straight toward Damascus. Instead, he heard the Lord say, “I am Jesus, whom you persecute, arise and go into the city.” The Golden Legend, a gathering of medieval translations of biblical events, may have framed the occasion for Caravaggio. This scene demonstrates the specific moment Paul is overcome with the spirit of Jesus Christ and is flung off his pony.
From there, we made our way to the Spanish Steps so James could see the area and hike to the top, just as Ingeborg and I had done the day before.
Randomly, James ran into one of his previous travel companions, Moe from Staten Island, at the airport when his delayed flight landed. Moe joined our group for the afternoon.
We ate a lot of food today – first stopping for a mid-morning snack at the ultra famous L’Antico Forno Di Fontana Di Trevi for a delicious porchetta di ariccia panino (pork sandwich) to share.
…and we made another stop by the Trevi Fountain. This is my fourth trip to see the fountain in three days – but I love it so much that I’d go every day.
Next, a return visit to my favorite church, Chiesa di Sant’Ignazio di Loyola, to admire the ceiling again. If you want to see a video of the ceiling and learn more about this beautiful church, click here to read yesterday’s post.
For lunch, we waited in a very long line to try some Roscioli Salumeria con Cucina pizza. This place is a hot spot in Rome – people rave about the straight-up tomato sauce pizza. Was it worth the wait? Absolutely. Delish.
Of course, we had to stop for gelato – you simply cannot visit Italy and not eat ice cream. That would be illegal. Straight to jail. It was my first time at Giolitti, and I’m happy to report it lived up to the hype. If you find yourself in Rome, do yourself a favor and stop by. Get the gelato. Eat it standing on the street like everyone else. Try not to get it on your clothes (I failed). Zero regrets.
To cap off another fantastic day in Rome, Martina took us to a fun wine bar to relax and chat. She is studying to be a sommelier, so we tested her skills (I know next to nothing about wine beyond red or white and yes, please), and she did not disappoint. She selected an excellent bottle for all of us to share. Good company, good conversation, and even better wine…hard to ask for more.
Salute! 🥂
We have much more to explore in Rome in the next few days…so stay tuned. 🇮🇹
Much love & gratitude. Namaste 🙏
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