After Omaha Beach, it was back to the bus for a quick roll over to the American cemetery.
The quiet, park like atmosphere and well manicured trees reminded me of the magician's island in Voyage of the Dawn Treader.
You can see the ocean from the cemetery. This labeled the beaches and indicated which allied forces came ashore at what points.
You really can't convey the magnitude of row after row of crosses in every direction.
Many of those boys were just like mine.
Our guide shared a few noteworthy stories, including one of Theodore Roosevelt's sons who was moved to this cemetery (he perished in WW1) to be interred by his brother.
Also, the grave of the captain whose story inspired the film Saving Private Ryan.
Altogether another somber and reflective place to visit. Much like Pearl Harbor.
After our walk through the cemetery, we were herded back onto our bus.
I noticed several of these billboards with the Big Red One on them, so I'm assuming there's some sort of local historical memorial walk you can take that gives more information about other local points.
We call military equipment displayed outside "sprinkles." As in, many bases have tanks, planes, large guns, etc. sprinkled about as décor. Seems that's a thing in France, too.
Okay, so here's another thing I learned: Those lumps in the ocean out there? Yeah, those are part of the harbor that we
brought with us when we invaded. Can you imagine that conversation? "We can't land there; there's no harbor." "No worries, mate, we'll make one and pack it along."
We were let loose in another little town for lunch. I spotted Big Red One stuff in the tourist shops. I did buy a tiny little 1 pin.
Me to tour guide: "Hey, what are the flags with the lions?"
Guide, indignant: "Those aren't lions; those are leopards. That's the flag of Normandy."
Odd that leopards have manes, but okay.
Another picture I took for Jack. The downside of traveling carry on only: can't take any of this home on a plane.
More beach. More flags. European Union, Normandy, looks like #3 might be Canada, USA, France...
If these rocks could talk, oh the tales they could tell.
I had fish & chips for lunch, then it was back to the bus and off to Bayeux!
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