A Short Break.

The last week in May is a time to put away my toys and celebrate my Wedding anniversary. This year was no different so I was off to Northern Italy for a week, which is a great way to stop me painting and playing with my toys. Usually I try to find somewhere that has at least some connection to military history.
However Lake Garda was my wife's choice, so I didn't expect to find any history to poke around. I was wrong as the Garda area was the final retreat of Mussolini and his fascists after he was rescued by Szrkorsky. It was the headquarters of the SS, and a lot of undesirable types attempting to halt the advance of the allies from the South of Italy.
 We were lucky enough to have a guide who was able to point out a lot buildings and areas where Mussolini and his Germans protectors took shelter from the partisans. Also if our guide was to be believed it was an area where a lot of Germans settled in after the war, when they couldnt return home, ie hardened Nazis.
 It probably explained why the whole lake area, all 54km. was inundated by Germans and Austrians who seemed to be settled in every hamlet and nice house around the lake. But then the Austrain border is also only a few miles away. I can understand why they settled there as it is very very beautiful, and I assume looks a bit like Bavaria and Austria.
 Anyway, I tried to stick to a safer subject and pottered around the four renaissance castles, and two Austrian forts built in the early 1700's. Oh and not forgetting the Venetians who grabbed the area, and the city of Verona, which was very beautiful, and very hot. So to be honest I still managed to get in some research regarding the hobby and enjoy some great food and drink. Recommended.
 So a win win situation.