Normandy

Believe it or not, my computer did not crash last week. I have no clue how the week went by so quickly, but before I knew it, I was on a 7 hour bus ride to Normandy on Friday evening. My apologies for the lack of blogging last week.

After 7 hours on a bus, we made it to Bayeux, FR around 1:30 AM on Saturday. I normally despise car rides and annoy the driver with the "are we there yet?" and "can we stop to for a potty break?" questions every half hour. Surprisingly, I found this trip quite pleasant and really enjoyed the 7 hours of stillness. On Saturday morning we went to the Bayeux Tapestry, an embroidery that tells to story of 1062-1066, culminating with the Norman invasion of England and the Battle of Hastings in 1066. We studied these years in great depth in History of England in the spring, reading several interpretations of the invasion. Thus, I probably appreciated this museum more than many of my peers. We also visited a cathedral in Bayeux before visiting Normandy and the German and American cemeteries.

Normandy was really cool, beyond anything I imagined. The cliffs overlooking the Channel were so steep that picturing soldiers wading through the water, scaling the cliffs, then finally reaching the top to begin the real attack was just unreal. Yesterday was a beautiful day, ideal for sightseeing. However, part of me wished that it we visited Normandy on a rainy and cold day because it was difficult to imagine the darkness, the destruction, and the blood stained water and grass on scenery so picturesque. Sixty years later, the grass has grown, the sea is clear, and yet the war's thumbprint remains. German forts, at least remnants of forts, scatter across the beach, surrounded by craters left by bombings.

The American cemetery was also very moving. There is a huge statue of a man reaching up toward heaven with an olive tree on the right and the left to symbolize peace (see pictures in photo album). After a long day of touring, we had free time last night to explore Bayeux. After dinner I decided to read in the hotel lobby before bed. It sounds silly, but I love to read and people watch and hotels are great places to do both. I spent most of the night greeting other guests as they came in the hotel and talking to a sweet couple from California.

This morning we drove to Caen (I think) to go to a WWII museum. Being the nerd that I am, I loved that museum. Walking the beaches, then seeing pictures of the destruction, and reading soldiers letters really makes the war a reality. Seven hours later, we arrived back in Brussels.

October 1 marks the beginning of my 7th week in Brussels! Time flies...