by Carlos C & Maya C. Buongiorno from Roma! Unfortunately this post is being written on our last day here in Rome. These last few days have been a blur, filled with ruins, museums, shopping, and, of course, gelato. Our first couple days here saw us visiting some of the most well known spots in and around Rome. We walked through the Pantheon and passed it almost daily (oddly enough, each time a separate protest seemed to be underway). As with many of the iconic buildings in Rome, the inside of the Pantheon sported incredibly high ceilings and beautifully painted walls. 
We also stopped at the Colosseum and The Forum. Pictures don’t do justice to the enormity of either of these places. Craning your head to look up at the Colosseum and crumbling temples in the Forum, helps you realize the incredible scale on which the ancient Romans built. These monstrosities are easily contrasted with the ruined city of Pompeii – another stop on our grand tour. The surprisingly large city seemed a complete wasteland upon first glance, but closer inspection provided insight into the lifestyle and architecture. We saw shops and restaurants and the famed marketplace. The residences were small and cramped, and the doorways tiny. The level of preservation, even after a massive volcano eruption and thousands of years, was astounding. 
The last couple stops on the agenda were the Spanish steps and Trevi fountain. We started with the fountain, only to find it completely under construction. No water was running, and large plexiglass walls surrounded the marble statues. The tallest statues even had scaffolding around them. We ended up throwing coins into a little cordoned-off area, which was wholly disappointing. Our trek then took us to the Spanish steps, and we hoped they’d make up for the disappointment at the Trevi fountain. But alas, we found ourselves slighted again. The steps had construction going on at the base, as well as towering scaffolding at the top. Still, a good time was had at the high balcony, and we enjoyed our trip out.
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