Taylor Family Vacation - May 14, 1998

	Touring Around Rome
Click on the small picture to see a larger one.	May 14, 1998
Click on the small picture to see a larger one.	Home Page Daily Log

	This is the inside of the Coliseum. We're looking at the stones that held up the wood floor, which was covered with sand. Before this flooring, they flooded the place with water twice and had sea battles for entertainment.
	Some local gladiators attempted to convince this "volunteer" that he should join their team. However, we talked him into sticking with us for the rest of the vacation.
	Sara stands in front of an Ionic column. The Coliseum had all three column styles (Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian) in it's architecture, on the first, second and third exterior levels.
	St. Peter's Square. This picture emphasizes the many columns in the surrounding architecture and the obelisk in the middle. It is one of 12 in Rome that have transitioned from Egyptian to Roman to Christian monuments over the years.
	The artistic highlight today was visiting the Sistine Chapel and viewing the paintings. They don't allow cameras, so here's a poor representation of Michelangelo's "The Last Judgment." Suggestion: Rent "The Agony and the Ecstasy."
	A grove of olive trees in the countryside. The olive tree has been a very important part of history (cooking, fuel for lamps). A book was recently published which documents over 1,000 uses for the olive tree and it's fruit.
	The biggest surprise today was our visit to the Tivoli Gardens, an incredible series of fountains in a resort built in the 1600s. These fountains operate by gravity only! The water cascades through the grounds and produces results like this.
	Michael learned to play a new instrument, a Trinka Bella, keeping time with the Italian singers that entertained our group over a very nice dinner.