Boris Johnson wrote an article in the Telegraph, promising a golden future for the UK and 350 million euros a week for the NHS. This has been seen as a threat to Prime Minister Theresa May, or testing waters for a future leadership bid. Others see the article as poorly timed, as the UK deals with the aftermath of yesterday's train bombing. Hidden amongst news items is LibDem leader Vince Cable's call for a fight to stay in Europe and a referendum on an 'Exit from Brexit' after negotiations complete and options presented to parliament.
Today we took the regional train to Brescia, a Lombard city ~35km west of Desenzano. It initially looked bedraggled and obscured by the morning market. But as the sun broke through and the piazzas were cleared, it regained it's beauty. The older Piazzas Loggia and Paulo VI were our favourites, with the more monolithic Piazza Vittoria, dating from early 20th century, less so.
We also visited the Temple remains of the Vespasian forum and nearly left without a real knowledge of its true extent and importance. As we walked back up the Via Musei, an older gentleman waved us into what appeared to be a small museum, run by the Touring Club Italiano, luring us with a friendly smile and the magical words 'It's free!'
We entered more out of politeness and slight curiosity and were rewarded with an excavation under the Martinengo Palace, that covered finds and signs of occupation on the site from iron age Celts to Romans, to early mediaeval. All this within a small area and several metres depth. The piece de resistance was an excellent film projection showing the development and considerable size of the Vespasian forum, with the temple at one end and administration buildings opposite, linked by two colonnades of shops on either size. After the incursion of the Huns, the forum stone was robbed for buildings and over the centuries it disappeared from view.
The museum is run by helpful volunteers and well worth a visit and friendly tour. Also look out for the garden sculpture of a Kraken swallowing a Venetian gondola! After a light lunch, we climbed the hill that was the Castle complex. It to had been a site of occupation for millennia. Visible were the nearly intact 14th to 16th century Martello tower, drawbridge and extensive walls. At each level of the castle, you gained higher and different views of the city below. A 1906 steam locomotive stood, somewhat incongruously, on the major shaded lawn of the castle.
On our way back down and into town, we stopped at the Piazza della Loggia, to admire the beautiful 16 the century clock and wait for the 5 pm chimes, struck by two figures on top of the building, called the "Macc dè lé ure, translated, The Hourly Dafties". Then it was back to Desenzano by train.
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