Normandy..

My birthday!!  Balloons, a card from the ship and dining at the Crown Grill tonight made it special.  Time was tight as we forgot when making the reservations that a long tour day was planned for today. 

 

I felt it was important to take the time to visit this most important historical site today.  We’ve seen movies and heard stories of the D-day invasion  but to see the beach and the craters left by the bombs, to  walk in the German bunkers was moving.  The story of the Mayberry brake walls and docks installed for the invasion was fascinating and something we didn’t know about.  Called Arromanches here in Normandy, the museum about the project was so interesting to visit that I am surprised we don’t hear more about it in history class.  What an engineering masterpiece!

 

We visited Pointe du Hoc, where the German bunkers were stout and difficult to destroy.  The team was led by a Ranger Hawke which finally captured this key point.  There is a monument to their bravery and the name lives on.

 

Omaha beach was vast and open with monuments to the landing of US troops there and the many casualties.  From there we visited the cemetery filled with white crosses  of those who were buried here in France.  It represented only about 40% of the dead from the battles but looked overwhelming to see…thousands of graves.  We honor their service.

 

On an otherwise somber day, we had a lovely lunch at a French “farm”  more like3 a country estate with beautiful stone buildings and manicured grounds.  The antique filled dining room was set for our arrival with glasses of kir, bottles of wine and we proceeded to have a lovely lunch.  It was enjoyable with more new friends from Oregon on a long journey of their own. 

 

Arriving back at the ship we flew to freshen up and get to the restaurant for dinner.  My favorite steak!!   And they brought a lovely chocolate dessert cake which we tasted then had sent to our stateroom.       Pooped, we went for pjs and an early bedtime.   Not exactly party people are we!!

 

Now two relaxing sea days.  We have spent this one just doing what we want when we want.  Played some cards, ate and are now sitting in the piazza listing to violins and cellos drinking wine.  Lovely!!