Italy is one of my least favorite countries in Europe. It has some architectural marvels, sure, but the crowds! The traffic! The hetero-romance!
But at least I know enough Italian to be able to decipher where some of the club di nuota, squadra di nuota, and giocatori di pallanuoto are from.
1. Bologna, not exactly a small-town, with almost a million people, but severely lacking in tourist attractions, except for these swimmers with six-pack abs.
2. Cremona, in Lombardy, population 70,000, known for its violin museum, and for the crazy mascot for its water polo team.
3. AS Acquachiara, a water polo club from Naples, in the south. I like the sleazy look of the coach, or sugar daddy, or whatever he is.
4. Valtiberina, a region of Tuscany associated with mountains, St. Francis of Assisi, and semis.
5. Lido degli Estensi (Estensi Beach), true to its name, has beaches on both sides of town. I like the astronomy-themed trunks, and the eyeglassed guy in the back row.
6. Bolzano, in Tyrol, features an archaeological museum with Otzi, the mummified body of a man who died in the Tyrolean Alps around 3400 BC.
It makes you wonder what future archaeologists are going to do with our remains.
7. Pietralata is the 21st district of Rome, a far eastern suburb, about an hour from Vatican City by subway. But worth the trip for these three buffed suburban swimmers.
8. Piombino, on the Ligurian Sea south of Livorno, is a good starting place for a visit to Corsica. These athletes in muticolored swimsuits have rather dopey faces but nice bulges.
9. This one just said "campiones," champions. I can see why.
10. I don't know where in Italy these guys are from, but I love the hair. Especiallythe one on the right, with the colorful speedos.
