D-Day Weekend

This past weekend we traveled to Normandy with the Shafers for D-Day. We filled up the car trunk with eight 5-gallon containers of gas and drove off.


Photo courtesy of Jonathan Kimball Mortensen--future professional photographer.

(To those of you concerned about gas prices, Europeans pay about double what we do!)

On the way to our B & B in Bocage, France, we stopped in Rouen, the place where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake.



There we also saw the city's Notre Dame. Each major city in France has a Notre Dame Cathedral. After that, we hopped back into our car and headed for Bocage. When we arrived we were greeted by the loveliest English woman and her French husband. They had a four course dinner prepared for us. It was so delicious! Fruit and veggies for starters, beef, mashed potatoes, and carrots for the main dish, a variety of cheeses (of course) and creme brulee for dessert. It's a great B&B to stay at especially with kids. They have lots of different animals, an enclosed playground, and toys in the living room.



The next morning we headed to Bayeaux. We took a mini train around the historical city and saw many WWII veterans dressed in uniforms visiting the memorials. Before we left, we decided to visit a museum with a 210 ft long tapestry telling the story of William the Conquerer. It was really interesting view a piece of history woven onto a tapestry.

Afterwards we headed to Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery there. We then headed to Sainte-Mere-Eglise where the American paratroopers landed.



On Saturday we stopped by Mon Saint Michel before returning home. Mon Saint Michel is an amazing fortress built on a massive rock on a ocean flood plain. It was a monastery, fortress, prison and national symbol.