Tuesday, November 9, 2010

The Beaches of Normandy

We rented a car this morning and drove out to Normandy.  We wanted to see the D-Day beach front and get a little bit of the sense of it all.

We went first to Omaha Beach and worked our way back to Juno Beach.  Darkness ended our visitation, as there were still a lot to see.  We visited the US Cemetery, a couple of World War II museums (there are dozens here), watched a few documentary movies and looked at some of the relics still on the beach, including remnants of the artificial harbor the Allies needed to build to establish a logistical support presence “behind the line” in France.

There is an overwhelming sense of peace here now.  It is hard to imagine the beach on June 6, 1944.  There is very little physical evidence of what happened.  It is now back to a sleepy part of the world, as it was before World War II. 

We are overnighting in Honfleur, which is a spectacular little Medieval fishing village.  We went out to one of the restaurants on the harbor and had an excellent meal.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

It seems fitting that I should be viewing this blog on Veteran's Day,the eleventh day of the eleventh month. The images you have created through your words as well as the image seen through the lens of your camera, leave me with a sense of sadness as well as gratitude for the lives that have been sacrificed in war. Thanks for that commemoration.

On a brighter note, the evening photograph of the Medieval fishing village is stunning. Certainly worthy of postcard status.