Normandy

On Friday night after Hayes and I got back from exploring castles, we met Sean for dinner at a place called Courtepaille by his work.  It was pretty good.  We then drove to Paris and we were staying in a part of Paris called La Defense.  It is a place in Paris that is like swiss cheese with all the tunnels and levels and craziness.  We drove around that area for oh, probably an hour and a half and we were within yards of our hotel the whole time but we couldn't get to it.  Most of the time we could see our hotel but it was so tunnel-ly, even our gps lady was completely confused.  It was exasperating to say the least!  When we finally got there, we were talking to the concierge and he said that people often arrive at the hotel crying because they've been driving around for 4 hours.  It was crazy!  But we got to our room, it was beautiful and our luggage was there!  Every piece of it.  

On Saturday we got up early and headed out to Normandy.  It was about a 2 1/2 drive from Paris but we figured it was well worth it.  Sean had always wanted to see this area of France that was such a huge part of World War II history.  The drive at first was mostly freeway and then once we got off the freeway it was so beautiful.  You could still see the hedgerows everywhere in that part of France.  There were farms with very old barns and it was so neat to think that they were probably there when the battles were going on.  We headed straight to the D-Day Museum in Caen. 

This wedding dress was made from parachute silk.  It was beautiful!

We then drove to Omaha Beach.  Words can't even describe the feeling that is here.  It is unreal.  The first impression was how incredibly huge it is.  It is really flat and the beach part of it goes on and on.  We were practically the only ones there and maybe that added to the feeling.  When I stood there and thought of what happened there, and all the young boys that gave their life for my country, my family, me, so that we can have the things that we enjoy today, I just started crying.  Boys and men who were somebody's Cy and Hayes, died on this beach and gave their life for their country.  I hope I never forget the feeling that was there and I hope I can always be grateful. 

When we were done at Omaha Beach, we drove over to the US Military Cemetery there.  It was a little after 5:00 and when we got there, we were so sad to see that we had just missed the closing time.  There was an American employee there and Sean talked to him and asked him if there was any way if he could go inside and just look really quick.  He told them we had drove from Paris and we had to drive back there that night and he was a pretty big jerk.  He told Sean there was no way he could let him in unless he had a relative buried there and that we should have looked online to see when they closed and plan accordingly and why were we driving back to Paris tonight?  We must be gluttons for punishment.  Sean told him that he would probably never get there again in his whole life and it's been a dream of his to see.  He said that if he let us in, he'd have to let everyone in.  We headed back to the car and Sean was so sad.  We were sitting there wondering where we should go next when there was a tap on the window.  It was our fellow American and he told Sean that Hayes and I would have to stay but to grab his camera and go with him.  They hopped on a golf cart and Sean got a private tour of the cemetery!  He also had his own personal photographer.  Sean was so happy and I was so glad it worked out for him to see the cemetery. 

By Teddy Roosevelt Jr's grave

Sean and his buddy.

Our sweet little ride.

We then headed to Pointe Du Hoc where the Germans had built these huge concrete pill boxes.  Pointe Du Hoc sits on top of 100 foot cliffs.  The US landed at the base of these cliffs and then scaled them to find and destroy huge German guns.  By the time we got there, it was getting dark and it's quite a hike to see the cliffs so Sean went by himself and got some pretty cool pictures.  You can still see the craters left from bombs.  Pretty cool.  When I think of these young soldiers scaling these cliffs, all while being fired on and not knowing what to expect when they got to the top, I am in awe of their bravery.  All of this made me so proud to be an American and so grateful for the men and women who sacrificed for all of us.  We truly are, "The home of the free because of the brave."

The pill boxes

The cliffs

You can still see the craters from over 70 years ago. 

I loved this area of France and if I were to ever go again, I would plan on staying several days to just take it all in.  The driving on the little country roads in this area was so charming and on one of the cutest little roads, a big chestnut colored, fluffy bunny crossed in front of our car.  It was like it was out of a story book.  I would have loved to go to Mont Saint Michel which is in this area but we ran out of time.  Some day...