For most of my pre-teen years, I was the only girl among four brothers. I always wished for a sister, but thought it would never come true. Then, in May of 1963, my mom gave birth to another daughter. I was beyond excited and ran through our neighborhood shouting that I now had a sister! Mom named her Patrice after our father, Patrick. Thus, our adventure began.
With nearly a 12-year age difference, we didn’t share friends, schools, or activities. However, we did share a tiny room that housed a crib and a twin bed until we eventually moved to a bigger home.
What did I know about having a baby sleeping in my room? Patrice was diagnosed with asthma and severe allergies, and her breathing while she slept frightened me. I often struggled to sleep, fearing for her life. I vividly recall picking her up and holding her close while sitting upright in my bed, leaning against the wall, drifting in and out of sleep. This marked the beginning of my sleep troubles and a strong, almost maternal bond with my sister.
As time passed, we moved into a larger home with a bigger room. However, by the time I graduated high school, Patrice was just finishing kindergarten. Our lives started to diverge. I still loved her dearly, but we began to lead separate lives.
As we both entered adulthood, we began to share experiences, secrets, and ultimately developed a strong friendship.
Patrice at age 1, Marilyn at age 13
During the winter of 2023-2024, my sister called to share that her partner had purchased a round-trip ticket for her to visit Italy. What a thoughtful gesture! She asked me to help plan her trip and travel with her, and I couldn’t have been more excited about exploring together. After asking her to send me her ticket details, I found out she would be flying to and from Rome. We had two weeks to plan, and I was ready for any adventure. I encouraged my sister to look into activities she wanted to try, while I took care of finding places to stay and organizing our itinerary.
Patrice and her partner had toured Italy in 2022, and we wanted to explore different sites this time—especially places Patrice missed during her first visit, like the Pantheon and Piazza Navona. Most importantly, she was eager to meet some of our cousins in Rome.
We checked into our guesthouse in the late afternoon, where we had rented an apartment with two beds and a kitchen, complete with breakfast. I brought some food with me when I traveled to Rome, and we enjoyed it for dinner while soaking in the ambiance of the Monti district.
Each morning at the guesthouse, we received a basket of breakfast goodies along with fruit juice to accompany our daily espresso. After devouring that carbohydrate feast, we took a taxi to the Vatican and the Basilica. Patrice was tasked with purchasing holy water blessed by the Pope. In the drizzling rain, we selected bottles and a rosary for our dad, who would be turning 100 in July. From there, we explored the area on foot.
Evening views from the Monti District.
Wet cobblestones as we strolled.
Walking from the Vatican. Do you recognize where we are?
This turned out to be a day full of “my legs are killing me” moments. As we moved away from Vatican City, we marveled at ancient structures from various eras. Our next destination was Piazza Navona. My sister, a fast walker even in the rain, needed a bit of reining in. I explained that Romans tend to stroll leisurely, just like me. She chuckled and made an effort to slow down.
Of course, we veered off the main path and crossed paths with fellow explorers. Luckily, we arrived at Piazza Navona just as the rain finally eased.
Piazza Navona and Bernini’s Fountain of the Four Rivers.
The fountain above is one of three located within this rectangular piazza, which was once the site of Domitian’s Stadium in the first century A.D., where various games were held. Today, it’s surrounded by beautiful Baroque architecture, a church, and more. While we were visiting the piazza, our stomachs began to rumble, but I cautioned my sister that dining at the lovely restaurants might break our budget. We pressed on.
As we wandered through the streets of Rome in search of the Pantheon, we encountered fellow travelers. Patrice is far more outgoing than I am, and we chatted with some strangers along the way. I cherished these little interactions my sister encouraged me to have. I often get too wrapped up in the destination and miss out on the journey itself, and meeting others. Plus, I love how she stops to pet every dog she sees!
By the time we reached the piazza in front of the Pantheon, we were famished. We decided to rest our tired feet at a nearby restaurant. The waitstaff were friendly, and the meal was satisfying.
However, the Pantheon area was teeming with tourists.
Outside the Pantheon.
This year, Rome implemented a 5 Euro entry fee for the Pantheon, which has contributed to the overly crowded piazza. We discovered that we needed to purchase a tour ticket to even gain entry, as all the 5 Euro tickets had sold out long before our arrival.
We decided to save our visit to the Pantheon for the next day since we had additional plans later. My sister was set to meet some of our cousins for dinner—her first time meeting them!
After all that walking, we managed to return to our hotel before our family dinner, racking up over 10,000 steps!
Though Patrice only knows a word or two of Italian, she was understandably nervous. I reassured her that our younger cousin, Martina, spoke fluent English and I could help with translation as I understand more Italian than I can speak.
Our cousins, Adelina and Daniele, picked us up at the metro station near their home. Patrice’s cheerful smile left a lasting impression on our cousins, and Daniele spoke a few words of English as we headed to their mother, Celeste’s, apartment. Upon arrival, we were greeted with hugs and a flurry of Italian conversation. Martina was running late, so I found myself tasked with translating for my sister. My cousins have often claimed I speak better Italian after having a glass of wine, so the pouring began as we watched Celeste roll out the gnocchi dough.
Translating for someone when you’re not fully fluent in the language is no easy feat. But, with wine flowing, my cousins’ hand gestures, and big smiles, I managed to communicate more in Italian. At one point, Patrice laughed and said, “Marilyn, you’re speaking to me in Italian!” and we all burst into laughter.
Patrice noticed that she began to understand more just by watching the hand gestures, especially those of Daniele, who is incredibly expressive. Eventually, as the gnocchi was ready to serve, Martina and her boyfriend arrived, and we enjoyed more English conversation, though I still translated for Celeste who doesn’t speak any English.
Above is our family matriarch, Celeste, at her table with our first course of homemade gnocchi.
After Patrice finished her gnocchi, she still had some left on her plate. I leaned in and whispered that we needed to eat every last bite or it would be disrespectful to Celeste. Patrice’s eyes widened, but she obliged!
What I didn’t prepare her for was the next course that followed. Once the empty gnocchi bowls were cleared away, out came the second course of meat and vegetables! Patrice was stunned, so I suggested she take a small serving. She wasn’t keen on the vegetables or salad that followed, but everyone else was perfectly fine with that. We continued laughing and chatting together.
When we were near the Pantheon, we bought about 20 small pastries from a wonderful bakery. That was the only contribution we brought to dinner. After enjoying those sweets, Adelina emerged from the kitchen with homemade Tiramisu. Although we were stuffed, the Ricci girls could never pass up Tiramisu! We finally finished eating around 10:00 PM.
Adelina and Daniele with me.
Following a lengthy goodbye and another farewell to Martina’s dog, we shuffled back to the car, with Daniele and Adelina driving us back to our lodgings in Centro Storico. At the guesthouse, we collapsed into Patrice’s bed, recounting the evening’s adventures and laughing. Finally, I made my way to my own room and slept like I was in a coma—a food coma, filled with love.
The next morning, over a delightful basket of pastries and coffee, Patrice reflected on how our cousins reminded her of our grandmothers and great-grandmother who had been part of our lives in Minnesota. She became teary but content, which mirrored what I felt in their presence. We are family, connected by bonds of acceptance and love. The tranquility of that feeling is a blessing, and I was thrilled to see it resonating with Patrice as well.
On our third day in Rome, Patrice was set to meet another cousin, a Del Fiacco. This branch of our family is also from our mother’s side. The Buzzelli family descends from my great-grandmother, while the Del Fiaccos come from my great-grandfather. They all hail from the town of Paterno Di Avezzano but aren’t related.
Carla is a wonderful woman who has split her life between the USA and Italy. She was born in Italy but has moved back and forth over the years. Our connection has grown over recent years, and now Patrice has the chance to meet her. Since Carla hasn’t been feeling well lately, we decided to meet at a local mall to minimize walking, plus it has an amazing Neapolitan restaurant.
Carla picked us up at our guesthouse and drove us to the mall. Her English is excellent, which helped Patrice relax. However, the hectic driving in central Rome made Patrice anxious. As a motorcycle rider in the US, she was taken aback by the swarming scooters and Vespas navigating in and out of traffic.
Patrice and Carla after enjoying pizza
We had a fantastic time laughing and chatting with Carla, but we lingered longer than expected—she needed to pick up her adorable little dog from Doggie Daycare, and we tagged along. Patrice was at the back when the little dog jumped in excitedly.
My sister and doggies always get along.
Saying goodbye to Carla was difficult. She’s a brilliant, funny, and kind soul. I hope to see her again soon.
To wrap up the day, we revisited the Pantheon and enjoyed a late dinner. This time, we wandered around the exterior, pausing to listen to a street performer and tipping him while basking in the sunshine.
We took a taxi home from the Pantheon, soaking up the atmosphere in the Monti district before packing up to depart for Florence the next morning.
Patrice on her second birthday.
Ci Vediamo Presto! See You Soon!
A dopo!
