From Ian
Well I was first off to Yuroop as Kermit would call it so I thought I better contribute something as everybody has done so keenly.

Here is a fill-in on what happened after we visited the Trevi Fountain.

I picked a route home off the map, and we followed the Via dei Lucchesi / Via della Dataria uphill, and got to what we found was the Quirinal Palace, which is the residence and offices of the Italian President. If you open Google maps and put this location 1.899306,12.487053 in the search bar, then open the street view, you will see the location we were seeing. We saw a couple of police vehicles and police standing around and Diane said "something must be going to happen because a couple look like senior officers and they're all dressed up" so we waited a little while and soon heard a military band playing, which marched uphill from where we had come ourselves. It was followed by a colour party, two soldiers carrying flags with a few close escorts with rifles and fixed bayonets.

    Then came a company of about 75 soldiers also with rifles and bayonets, and officers with swords. They marched onto the Piazza del Quirinale and halted there. I am a complete sucker for this military ceremonial stuff so I knew I was in for a treat. They got themaselves (now that is a typo but it looks Italian so I will let it stand) all aligned and so forth then the band struck up again and another group of 75 marched out of the Palace and halted in line with the others, getting all beautifully aligned as before. They were in blue uniforms and I take it from the anchor badges that it was the Marina Militare (Navy).

    I was enjoying this so much, I didn't want to be looking thru my camera, besides the sun was low behind the subject so they would not have been much good. Then the officers of each guard inspected the other, while I could take in the details like the colour escort were wearing slouch hats right over on the side of their heads. The hats had a huge bunch of glossy rooster feathers. Sad for the roosters but great spectacle.

    The band started up again and we assumed this was the National Anthem, because after a few bars, the soldiers and sailors all burst into song. It really looked and sounded wonderful they even looked sincere. I can imagine the drill instructors telling them to look sincere or they'd be on a charge.

    Then a little group of soldiers left the others and marched over to the sentry boxes at the gate, where the new sentries took the places of the old. This involves much stamping, swaggering, saluting, presenting arms and all things dear to the hearts of military buffs world wide. They managed without yelling a lot of orders however. Every nation has its own military quirks and one Italian one I perceived was that when marching ceremoniously, they lift the left foot a bit higher, and place it down with a certain emphasis, on every fourth pace. I wonder if this leads to hypertrophy of the left leg?

    We went on our way after this unexpected bonus display, which was made even better by the presence of a few chick soldiers in the ranks.