On the road (2) – beaches, castles and chateaux COMPLETED IN THIS FORUM - Page 9 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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Your dinner looked delicious Cheryl. Your room looks really nice too. What a wonderful first dayy you and Mark had and the sights are beautiful. More please.
Sunday 6 June – part one: will I ever be in a fit state to walk?
I was up early – around 6.30 – so set to work on finishing up writing up the trip report from last night. Once that was done, I had some time to catch up on the boards and finally get all the photos from yesterday on to CD. My lovely laptop had decided yesterday that it didn’t want to play, when it came to burning CDs, which was not what I needed.
We got going very slowly, mainly because I was like an old woman this woman. I woke up and my back was killing me, to the point where I was walking around crooked over. I could not straighten up at all! : I had commented to Mark yesterday as we got to Sword Beach that my back was hurting, but it did seem to improve later in the day. I guess not after all. I took some painkillers and put some muscle gel on my back, which luckily I’d bought with me, just in case I had any problems with my ankle.
For those who don’t know, I have a weak ankle from a couple of incidents a few years ago, where I strained my Achilles. About two weeks before this trip, I fell coming out of a Tube station in London and the ankle gave way, so I was hyper-sensitive about anything happening to it again during this trip, to the muscle gel, pain killers and even my crutch came with me. Just as well.
Finally, I got to the stage where everything was starting to work and was having an impact and I could just about straighten up, so we got ready to head out.
Once we got going, we checked out and headed out of Port en Bessin. It had been a beautiful place to stay and I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone.
A van outside our hotel
We decided to head to Omaha Beach, as we hadn’t made it there yesterday. I had just been far too tired.
We tried to programme the American Military Cemetery into Tim on the way, but he was having none of it. Fortunately, it was on our way and easy enough to find, so in we went. It turned out to be the best possible decision we could have made.
As well as taking us through the cemetery, you get to see the beach below and, from here, you could appreciate how hard it must’ve been for the men to get up from the beach below, as you look down from where the Germans would have been watching and waiting. As you walk in, there are some very good tributes in stone.
Then you pass the visitor centre. I was immediately put off going in there by all the security checks. I guess it’s understandable enough, but even so, I didn’t want to go all through that. :
We walked instead down towards the cemetery and got some views of the beach.
It was so quiet out there today, not like all the beaches that we saw yesterday, packed with people. Somehow, it seemed very appropriate on D-Day itself that they were now empty.
We heard the familiar sounds of the American national anthem and then the Last Post from a ceremony taking place at the main memorial. At first, we didn’t want to intrude, but so many other people were going in there that we joined them. I was pleasantly surprised by to find that it wasn’t all Americans there, with a number of French as well.
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So sorry to hear you were achy that day Cheryl. I hope you feel
better. It looks like you picked the perfect time and day to see Omaha Beach. Wonderful pictures as usual. More please.
Sunday 6 June – part two: some sobering and very moving sights
The ceremony was just coming to an end and, as we took some photos of the cemetery laid out before us, there was suddenly a sea of people heading towards us. We let the crowds clear and then got some photos. It was such a perfect day to be there, as we got to see veterans (admittedly swamped with people) and all the wreaths that had just been laid. Many of them were from the French and some were from the British as well.
It was very moving, but I must admit not as moving as if it had been a British cemetery. I immediately decided there and then that we should go to one of the British ones later in the day to pay our respects to those from our country who had given up their lives in this war.
We walked through some of the graves and you just couldn’t begin to comprehend even from these photos, just how many there were. The rows seemed to go on forever and it was a very sobering sight. Perhaps the saddest I felt were those that were unknown. It must’ve been even more heartbreaking for those families left behind at home to never know what happened to their loved ones.
We headed back down towards the beach again and watched some of the veterans that we had seen earlier going down to the beach with flags in hand. It was a really moving sight.
I would have liked to have stayed longer, but my back was really starting to play up by now, so Mark kindly took command of my camera to ease the load on my back.
From there, it was back to the car and then off towards Bayeux. As we got to the car park, we knew that we had done the right thing, coming here so early. The place really was packed now.
On the way out, we saw some parading soldiers....
... and I stopped to get some photos of some cows nearby:
Cheryl, you captured it so beautifully. I got chills and tears in my eyes looking at the pictures. Just amazing.
Your next topic says " a real taste of France" and I laughed because I was thinking maybe that's what one of those cows were thinking as you snapped his picture ( the second to last picture).
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Just getting to start your TR Chezp (oil spill duty and everything) - but did anyone else see this little bit of Disney Magic on the first day of your trip? Mickey's on the floor!!
Completely understand the Baltic cruise costs - I had wanted to do the Baltic, but ended up on the transatlantic instead due to the costs. I think the estimate I had just for the cruise was 15,000 before plane rides, excursions, etc. And that was just not doable for this group. Enjoying your TR (as always).
Again - amazing pictures. You always make me feel as though I'm there and since this is one of the places I would love to see in person, I appreciate it
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Why do these kids look so pathetic?
Find out in: A New Grade, A New House, and A Surprise!Final Thoughts 01/30
Cheryl, you captured it so beautifully. I got chills and tears in my eyes looking at the pictures. Just amazing.
Your next topic says " a real taste of France" and I laughed because I was thinking maybe that's what one of those cows were thinking as you snapped his picture ( the second to last picture).
Looking forward to more.
I know - I actually wondered if he'd been sampling some French wine, by the look on his face!
Just getting to start your TR Chezp (oil spill duty and everything) - but did anyone else see this little bit of Disney Magic on the first day of your trip? Mickey's on the floor!!
Completely understand the Baltic cruise costs - I had wanted to do the Baltic, but ended up on the transatlantic instead due to the costs. I think the estimate I had just for the cruise was 15,000 before plane rides, excursions, etc. And that was just not doable for this group. Enjoying your TR (as always).
I love the little Disney touches - and I was wondering if anyone would notice that. They do sell Disneyland Paris very heavily at the Eurotunnel terminal.
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What moving installments for your visits to Omaha, Juno, Sword beaches. Brought tears to my eyes thinking of the ultimate sacrifices made by those men (some where boys) - and your photos of the cemetery were wonderful. Thank you for reminding us of significance of that day - so few in this country acknowledge it any more.
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: I had commented to Mark yesterday as we got to Sword Beach that my back was hurting, but it did seem to improve later in the day. I guess not after all. 
Melanie
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Katie's graduation
They do sell Disneyland Paris very heavily at the Eurotunnel terminal. 
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