The Beaches of Normanday: The Fifth Day

Seeing as it is Memorial Day Weekend, this post seems fitting. The fifth day of the trip to France was all about WWII. We were able to visit most of the beaches stormed by Allied forces. Throughout the entire day I thought about my grandfather who participated in D-Day on June 6, 1944. The morning was cast in a gray fog which seemed ominous and appropriate.

As we approach the cliff walls, I started noticing large craters in the earth, and the realization soon came over me that they were create by bombs seventy years ago. The entire ground floor was covered in them. The lingering shrapnel, bunkers and barbed wire added to the eerie, ominousness of this hallowed ground.

We were able to go inside some of the German bunker that were not destroyed in the war.

We then drove down the coast a little and we were able to walk on Omaha Beach. This was a sacred moment for me because this is the very beach upon which my grandfather so bravely fought. I've always been proud to be able to say he was a part of D-Day on Omaha Beach. Going there was a tribute to my grandfather in my heart.

We continued to drive down the coast visiting other cliff sides, beaches and bunkers. The picture below of the beautiful field of yellow flowers was taken atop of a German bunker.

We also visited a WWII  museum and and cemetery were thousands of American soldiers were laid to rest. It was an emotionally darning day, but highly interesting and humbling.