Lots of guns but no Americans

If glamorous female soldiers with massive guns are your thing, Rome is where you need to be right now. And there are other good reasons to be here too, including a lack of crowds. Interestingly, there is also an absence of American accents.

We landed four days ago on a flight that proves Alitalia has truly captured the glory of the golden age of air travel - the 1970s. Prior to the flight the steward allowed three-year-old Ben into the cockpit and smiled as the toddler climbed into the pilot’s seat and spent several minutes twiddling every knob he could reach. 

Incredibly, the decrepit Airbus still made it to its intended destination from Heathrow. As soon as it touched down, as it was still taxiing to the apron, the passengers leapt up and began removing their gear from overhead lockers. The crew didn’t give a stuff, which is a theme we’re coming across quite regularly in Italy.

Puffy and friends in the Colosseum

As we came through Customs the officer stamped our passports without ever taking his eyes off his mobile phone. Our driver swerved along the motorways from the airport at speeds rarely seen outside a German autobahn, never once using his indicators. Then three police officers on large, heavy motorcycles blasted past us, one of them popping a wild, high-speed wheelie to impress his uniformed mates.

And all the while the world still turned.

Holding up the ancient walls of the Colosseum

This love of life and lack of obsession around rules is, Jenny and I think, the reason we return again and again to Rome. Then there’s the bread, wine and cheese. This is our fifth visit and the city is as spellbinding as ever.

But this time, as mentioned, Rome is not as crowded. Shop owners tell us it is because of the recent attacks in Paris. Many holiday-makers cancelled their trips after that awful event. Americans in particular decided it was far safer to spend Christmas in their own country, where there is a complete lack of gun crime…

The city of Rome’s response has been to place police and heavily armed soldiers in popular and high-threat areas.

The boys in the Forum

There are three different levels of lawmakers in Rome right now. The Roma Municipal Police seem to be the lowest on the ladder - they have toy guns, bad suits and no cars. Then there are the Carabinieri who carry large pistols, are dressed like fashion models, share the same chiselled facial features and who drive gorgeous Italian automobiles. Finally there are the soldiers who wear camouflage gear (so you can’t see them when they’re standing near a pot plant), drive heavily armoured Hummers with roof-mounted gun pods and who pack large machine guns. They’re the ones we love the most. 

Benny buggers up another auto-timer pic

During our last few trips to Rome we couldn’t help but notice how glamorous the city’s female street sweepers were, as if they all visited a hair and make-up artist before reporting to work. Now, it appears, they have been drafted in to the Army and have exchanged their brooms for high-powered weapons. Their intention is to clean up the streets in a different way.

At the Trevi Fountain after making a wish

We’re loving Italian life as much as ever. And after a surprise invite we’re even looking forward to a two-night sojourn at the Umbrian country house of Pietro, the very charming landlord of the Roman apartment that we regularly rent.

Rome is the same as ever, as brilliant as always. And it still doesn’t give a stuff.