Wow - 2 posts in about 24 hours LOL -- if you missed the first part of Normandy please make sure you read that post. We woke up refreshed and with good humor and found that our hotel was even cuter in the daylight!
We were determined to backtrack to finish the coverage of Normandy. Now I must take a minute to also explain that I am taking pictures of many more memorials than you see on the blog as each little French town has one to both WWI and WWII and some to Algeria as well and I am often stopping suddenly and getting a photo.
In our little town of Ouisterham the French Forces landed on June 6 to help liberate their nation and they have constructed a quite beautiful memorial right on the beach which includes the graves of some of the brave French paratroopers who died here.
As we headed back toward the Omaha beach area I turned off the road to photograph a small British/Commonwealth cemetery in the area. As usual, the grounds were immaculate and the cemetery was so restful. British cemeteries just have a unique quality to them that creates a sense of peace and that you could stay unlike any of the other nationalities and the work involved is tremendous. British cemeteries are scattered all across France, many just in farmer's fields and they are often small but all always appear freshly mowed and the flowers are gorgeous. This one was no different. You feel welcomed and as if you could stay and that is really the point, since the British are not brought home; they lay to rest with their fellow soldiers wherever they fall.
We pushed on to Colleyville-su-Mer and the large US military cemetery that overlooks Omaha beach. The place is so regal and beautiful and just tugs at your heartstrings. All that we would see today and the next few days just makes you stop and think about all the lives lost in 2 world wars -- lives stopped short and how that affected the future of the world. This cemetery has the standard US requirements of the large memorial near the front with a garden and sculptured maps and dialogue explaining the local fighting that cost so many lives. Then the rows and rows of crosses are laid out and in this location with the sea as the backdrop. Again there were many flowers and flags left on grave sites and there were quite a few visitors as well. 
And as always I easily find a grave site of a Texan; some other Texans had definitely been this way recently as many of them had these tiny Texas flags placed upon them -- and I had to have a photograph of it. I have many photos of this site and just chose these two to try and convey the beauty.Now I will also tell you that the weather had turned colder this day with many dark clouds and a chance of rain. The backdrop this created for pictures reflected the solemnity of the place, however, the sprinkles began to fall and so we headed to the car to keep moving. Rain would skirt around us all day but we managed to avoid it, although the winds would begin to pick up.
We next headed to 2 more Commonwealth cemeteries. The first was very small with only about 20 graves but I wanted to find it because it also contained the burial site of a single Czechoslovak soldier. We found the place on a small road and I pulled over into the small turnout (most of the sites along roads no matter how small do have a turnout and I just slam on the breaks and pull in - Suzanne became an expert at finding the handle in the car and hanging on. We also both became familiar with the signs for monuments and the outlines of British cemeteries as after a while they become obvious.) 
The second cemetery was just Canadians who had landed on June 6 and died in the fighting nearby. I wanted the headstones with the Maple Leaf so we made a quick swing by this one as it was on our way. 
The second cemetery was just Canadians who had landed on June 6 and died in the fighting nearby. I wanted the headstones with the Maple Leaf so we made a quick swing by this one as it was on our way. 
From here we headed into the town of Bayeux and the home of the famous Bayeux tapestry depicting the Norman invasion of England in 1066 -- a war memorial of a different type. The town was packed with tourists but quite beautiful as was the enormous cathedral; finally managed to find a parking place and not in a parallel space. I could not photograph the tapestry as it is in an enclosed case with subdued lighting. You walk along with an audio guide that explains each scene in the tapestry. 
Went into the cathedral as well for photos and then back on the road! We were now headed for Arras via Amiens and we had a long drive ahead of us; longer because we did not yet realize our little GPS man liked the small back roads EVERYTIME!
Went into the cathedral as well for photos and then back on the road! We were now headed for Arras via Amiens and we had a long drive ahead of us; longer because we did not yet realize our little GPS man liked the small back roads EVERYTIME! We tried to find some of the sites in Caen but most were in a museum area with almost no parking and the traffic was horrible and as we had managed to drive by the British beaches the night before we decided we need to start heading north. We managed to pull into Amiens and photograph the famous cathedral although it was closed. The town is quite quaint but the church is enormous although not as large as Reims which we would see in a few days. 
As we were now quite hungry and it was getting later, we pulled into a touristy place to eat -- I actually had bbq ribs and they were pretty good LOL! Only bad thing about stopping to eat is that the wait staff are horribly slow! Finally made it back on the road to Arras and found our first toll road. Always interesting trying to read the signs in French and figure out how to pay and stuff. As we approached the toll booths, there was only one other car on the whole road! And there were no attendants. Had to get out of the car to reach the payment machine and then bravely stuck in my credit card and voila! It worked and the gate opened. So onward to Arras and our hotel. We found the hotel about 11pm in the dark and it was located directly across from the train station. Had to unload the bags, then go park in a nearby underground parking lot after a little difficulty figuring out the parking card electronic key - believe me there was no way you could have guessed it without the little attendant's help. So finally made it to our room about 11:30. Then had to change rooms as they had us in one that was not what I had requested and paid for. New room was a suite -- very nice but very few plugins and all on the baseboards near floor! So another long day but mission accomplished.
As we were now quite hungry and it was getting later, we pulled into a touristy place to eat -- I actually had bbq ribs and they were pretty good LOL! Only bad thing about stopping to eat is that the wait staff are horribly slow! Finally made it back on the road to Arras and found our first toll road. Always interesting trying to read the signs in French and figure out how to pay and stuff. As we approached the toll booths, there was only one other car on the whole road! And there were no attendants. Had to get out of the car to reach the payment machine and then bravely stuck in my credit card and voila! It worked and the gate opened. So onward to Arras and our hotel. We found the hotel about 11pm in the dark and it was located directly across from the train station. Had to unload the bags, then go park in a nearby underground parking lot after a little difficulty figuring out the parking card electronic key - believe me there was no way you could have guessed it without the little attendant's help. So finally made it to our room about 11:30. Then had to change rooms as they had us in one that was not what I had requested and paid for. New room was a suite -- very nice but very few plugins and all on the baseboards near floor! So another long day but mission accomplished.
