Civitavecchia, Italy: Uniformed police the world around carry multiple pieces of gear, typically on what amounts to a tool belt. These likely include a holstered handgun plus extra ammunition often preloaded in clips, Mace or pepper spray, holstered handcuffs, a baton or nightstick, a holstered radio, maybe a flashlight.
In the States the police gear belt and holsters are most often black or maybe brown. In Italy they are often white, or were white when new. Worn over a two tone blue uniform this makes Italian police look like Disney cops, or casino security, probably an erroneous impression.
We took a morning excursion to Lake Bracciano north of Rome. The pretty lake provides drinking water for Rome and is exceptionally clear.
There were swans swimming in the lake; they tip forward to feed, with their feathery butts pointed straight up and their heads out of sight. It is hard for a bird with so much innate dignity to look silly, but a feeding swan accomplishes it.
There is an old resort village beside the lake, Anguletti by name. It is highly picturesque with the exception that every ancient building is festooned with TV antennas and satellite dishes, a strange juxtaposition. It looks like a fine place to relax and veg out.
Later we tasted better wines at a place that will sell you a bottle of table white for €1,50, if you bring your own bottle and cork. Red costs €1,70 per bottle. They could compete with the famous Two Buck Chuck.
Note that Europeans exchange the use of the comma and period in their arithmetic. Here comma designates decimal point while period separates hundreds from thousands, etc. We, of course, do the opposite.
As we noted before this region of Italy looks very like coastal California south of Monterey, so easy on our eyes.
