Bikini Alert Be careful where you wear your bikini

[Hyacinth Bucket]

No sandcastles please, you’re in Italy
Country's mayors issue bizarre bylaws to enhance ‘public decorum’
Reuters
updated 11:35 a.m. ET, Mon., Aug. 18, 2008

ROME - When in Capri, don’t wander off the beach in a bikini. If you go to the sea in Eraclea, near Venice, remember that building sandcastles is forbidden. And don’t even think about mowing your lawn at the weekend in Forte dei Marmi.

Emboldened by a nationwide crackdown on crime and a government decree giving them extra law-and-order powers, Italian mayors have issued a string of often bizarre bylaws to enhance “public decorum.”

Public displays of affection in a car can earn you a fine of up to 500 euros ($745) in Eboli, feeding pigeons is off-limits in the center of Lucca while in Novara groups of more than two people are forbidden from lounging around in parks at night.

Italian newspapers have dubbed this year’s holiday season ”the summer of bans.” But this week one town hall was forced to acknowledge things may have gone too far.

Rodrigo Piccoli, 33, called national radio to protest after he was fined 50 euros for lying down in a park in the northern city of Vicenza to read a book. The mayor has since promised to drop the ban

HB

[784caroline]

HB
Ou posting reminded me of a funny story when we were in Italy a number of years ago. We were staying at a nice hotel in Pisa andwhile at the beach I decided to take a walk. What an eye opener...what bikini's I think Italian pasta does wonders for italian women and most go topless at the beach and are WELL endowed!@ AS far as the men it was just like the "Godfather" with the back slapping, skimpy spedo bathing suits and the older you were the more you rolled up the top to amke it breifer and all ages participaed in beach activity of some sort.
So over the years maybe the Mayors of Italian cities have changed their attitudes...but I certaily would vote for what I experienced in the past...even today!!

[Sidney Lanier]

Sophia Loren may not be conventionally 'beautiful,' but she is a gorgeous, striking, impressive woman who was once quoted as say, with her hands spread across her chest, 'Everything I have, I owe to pasta!' Ah....

[njgranny]

That's interesting. We were in Oviedo, Spain, in the late 70's. On the beach, people were almost naked (no topless), and would change with a towel wrapped around them. Boys of about 10 changed right on the beach, no towel. BUT, you couldn't step one foot on the sidewalk in a bathing suit, or you would be in trouble. I still think about that and wonder what difference a few inches makes to those lawmakers. :)