How often have we sung that song? And remember La Dolce Vita. Well, Roma still carries a flame in history – still reaps our souls with its basilicas and churches and ancient walls and half-there buildings of crumbling brick and stone that are being restored, preserved, and enhanced. There is something about solidity and faith that impresses and awakens one’s own spirit by the being there, much as one might feel in Jerusalem.

Roma can be tedious for the narrow one lane streets with mini cars lined up (a row that would be for 6 cars in Memphis, would hold probably 9 cars in Roma) and, then, aye yi, the motorcycles – not quite the full Harley Davidson size, nor the small moped style, but motor transported that is most popular in these parts – and they are lined up like horses, butt to sidewalk, on street, after street, after street. It is over whelming.

But the Coliseum still stands like the king of the ancient world, and the Pantheon, and of course what dominates the whole city is the Vatican with St. Peter’s Basilica and Square. And there are tourist shops where you can buy everything religious you might come up with, and everything a church or clergy might need in a lifetime. New Saint Mother Teresa was the most popular topic of the moment. And what makes the city charming are the many many restaurants in the streets, literally, whether cobblestone or pavement, where one can get an expresso or a vino or gelato and watch what everyone else is doing. Although I would not like to stay there very long, being there was a boost to my faith, my soul, and that is what a pilgrimage is about.

On the last day, we did what I called a spot check of the places we didn’t have time for the other days – and with our wonderful driver, we hit these points: The Santa Maria della Vittoria which is to me the most incredible church in the world, a Roman Catholic titular church, dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It houses my very favorite work of art, Bernini’s Ecstasy of Saint Teresa, a marble and gold event with the angle stabbing the heart of St. Teresa de Avila with golden rays of the sun behind her. On the opposite side is a similar work with St. Joseph in the place of St. Teresa. This small and art-packed chapel is also setting for Angels and Demons, Dan Brown’s novel, where there is a murder by the Hassassin in the church. So it has become a popular site for tourist. True there are angels all over the art in this place and the intimacy of the chapel leads one to pray for peace and heaven.

From here we squeezed into the tight, congested, over-crowded, pick-pocket haven of the Fountain of Trevoli which has been completely cleaned and is bulging with brilliance as thousands try to get to the fence of the water’s edge to toss a coin over their head into the waters, hoping to have a romantic coup in their lives. We had to weave through something like football crowds, no one wanting to give an inch, and finally stumbled down to the bottom layer, quickly took the photograph, and were out of there ASAP. Not as simple and fun as it was back in 1958 when I went on that young girl’s adventure.

We also stopped at the impressive San Pietro in Vincoli (St. Peter in Chains) Roman Catholic church and minor basilica, to pay homage to another of my favorites, Michelangelo’s marble statue of Moses, which was completely under construction. I could see Moses, but the other characters were not very visible due to the scaffolding. At least in Roma, there is concern with upkeep of the great monuments and churches. But also in this church are the chains that once held St. Peter against the thick prison walls, and they are worshiped under the altar, if you wish.

And finally, we stopped by a friendly clergy shop where I had purchased a stole to remember my visit, and where the women who ran the place were so enthusiastic to help a woman priest, which I found nowhere else. Most of the other shops where men were in charge, did their best to ignore my questions.I had the hardest time finding a small healing oil pix. Such is life in this catholic city. After this we headed to a corner near the Vatican to await photos from my audience with the miraculous Pope Francis, and enjoyed gelato at one of the street side restaurants with our spectacular guide and friend Eva. Because of her and our driver, I was able to get all this done in an hour and a half. Hallelujah.