Foreign Business Excursion: ROME!

Before I could complete my MBA I had to go on a trip. Apparently, they don't let you graduate unless you abandon your family for two weeks and leave the country. At least the try and make it sound boring by calling it the "Foreign Business Excursion". The options for the trip were: Europe, Asia, or the Middle East.  I chose Europe and have no regrets. While my other classmates got to ride on elephants and enjoy the odd masochism of a Turkish bath I got to see Vatican City, Roman ruins, the Mona Lisa, and the Tower of London.  Our first stop on the trip was ROME and it was better then I could have imagined. 

On our first day we went to the Vatican museum. It was gallery upon gallery of ancient Roman sculptures, Renaissance art and Medieval tapestries.           

Above is the Parthenon.  It was a Roman temple to all the Gods. I learned that any Roman buildings that survived only survived if they had been converted into Christian churches. That's the case with the Parthenon.  On the outside it is an ancient Pagan temple.  On the inside its a Roman Catholic chapel.

The day after I got back from the trip "Angels and Demons" was on tv.  It was pretty cool to recognize the scenes in the Parthenon and throughout Rome.

The Colosseum was far bigger than I imagined.  I knew it was big but it rivals most college football stadiums today.  It could seat 60,000 and had a retractable awning to create shade.

BYU stadium seats 67,000 but has no awning - if you're in the east stands you're blinded for 1/2 the game.

Another thing I didn't know before visiting the Colosseum - it's oval.  For gladiator matches they would fill the field with sand. The Latin word for sand is ARENA which is why we call the center of sports stadium the arena.  Gladiator matches are very expensive so when Rome fell, nobody could pay to maintain the Colosseum.  During the middle ages it was stripped down for building supplies.  During the Renaissance a pope dedicated as a memorial to all the Christian martyrs who did in the arena which really saved it from total destruction.

To commemorate their victories the Romans built huge arches throughout the city. Only 3 are left. This one commemorates the victory of Emperor Titus over the Jerusalem.  In the close up picture you can see a depiction of the Jews being forced to carry the Menorah from the temple through Rome.

To commemorate their victories the Romans built huge arches throughout the city. Only 3 are left. This one commemorates the victory of Emperor Titus over the Jerusalem.  In the close up picture you can see a depiction of the Jews being forced to carry the Menorah from the temple through Rome.

1.  After seeing the sites of Rome we were able to go back to Vatican City and see St. Peter's Basilica.  We opted to take the stairs to the top of the dome and it was an adventure. As you get higher and higher in the Dome the hallway gets narrower and narrower.  The picture on the left is of a rope in a spiral staircase. The staircase was too narrow and steep for a handrail so they hung a rope.

This is on the top of St Peter's below the dome. This isn't even the top - we went back in and went even higher.  The view from the top of the dome was unbelievable.  You could see all across Rome.  

Hiking to the top of the dome took awhile.  And of course I had to make my way back down too. I hurried out of the church to catch up with my group when I realized I hadn't seen the "Pieta".  You can't go to Vatican City and miss Michelangelo's greatest sculpture!  I rushed back in and snapped a couple of pictures. If I ever get back to Rome I definitely want to take my time and enjoy the Pieta.