Boris Johnson was criticised by many, including a number of colleagues, and, in a personal letter by Sir David Norgrove, head of the UK Statistics Authority, over misleading £350m per week towards NHS after Brexit claim in his newspaper article. Boris gave a detailed reply, claiming afterwards that Norgrove agreed that the text of his article was OK. This lead to the UK Statistics Authority making an icy public statement that Sir David Norgrove does not believe the issues lie solely with the headlines. He has not changed the conclusion set out in his letter to the foreign secretary.
We visited the Villa Romana e Antiquarium in Desenzano this morning, another of the great 4th century houses built out in the country, over and extending an initial 1st century AD complex. The site still has many of the mosaics within several of the former rooms visible, at least in part. We spent most of our time admiring the different designs and photographing them. Jane was struck by the use of two hexagonal rooms in the major building and the use of tubuli, hollow bricks in the walls to provide heating in addition to the hypocaust floors.
My attention was caught by a display of clay oil-lamps. Some were labelled 'African lamps' and had little motifs or emblems on them. I later found out on Google that during the Roman period, Tunisia and Carthage were producers of oil lamps. Our next walk was along the west coast from Desenzano, around the headland to Lido Di Lonato, the next shingle beach. Despite forecast thundery rain, the sky remained blue and we enjoyed a small picnic by the lake before we wandered back again.
Stopping at the western public beach back in Desenzano to cool our feet in the water, we sat again as our feet dried, watching the small grebe catch minnows within a few feet of us, or cheekily pecking the behind of the swan encroaching on its territory.
This evening, we dined at the Alla Stella Ristorante, as the thunderstorm finally arrived, crashing over our heads and drowning out conversation, with torrential rain battering the perspex roof above us. By the time dessert had been consumed, the storm had past and we walked home in a slight drizzle.
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