We took a taxi to the Budget rent a car place. Once we got there it seemed to take forever to get the paperwork filled out and get our car pulled out. While we were waiting, another american couple pulled up and they realized what we were doing when we asked the rent car clerk if she had a map or directions to get where we were going (which, by the way, she DID not have a map--what kind of rental car place doesn't have a local map??)
Well, they asked if they could join us and split the cost, so being the thrifty ones we said sure. So we headed out and found our way to Normandy. It was a great day. We first went to Caen to see a museum of D-Day and a documentary. From there, we went to Arromanches, where the Allies built an artificial harbor after D-Day that still has portions in place. A very impressive engineering feat!
We then went to the American cemetary in St. Laurant and it was a very sobering experience. They have 9386 graves there, all with tombstones laid out in perfect rows. Something about the symmetry and neatness of the graves is in stark contrast to how they died.
On the way back, we visited the gun batteries at Longues sur Mer. These are 4 huge artillery gun placements that were in operation on D-Day for a while before they were put out of action by Naval shelling. The concrete around the gun placements is still fairly intact. They were pretty stout bunkers.
While we were at Longues sur Mer, a D-Day veteran was in the parking lot. He was a 19 year old British soldier on D-Day and had befriended two French girls while they were liberating their town and had stayed friends ever since. He visits every year and we were fortunate enough to meet him, shake his hand and get a picture of him.
After seing the beaches, the movies and what they had to go through, the price was high. I was so glad to meet a veteran and thank him in person. If you know one, go thank them as well!
That is all for today. We have two straight days on board so no new posts for a couple of days. We will try to post some pics soon.
Later!
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