Kevin finally came over to visit this year. The trip was a bit 'overambitious' but this was because we needed to include a trip to Omaha Beach to sprinkle the remainder of my son Patrick's ashes.
London for first 2 days, then again on days 7 and 8 before heading to Scotland. Days 3-7 in France via a 4 hour ferry across the channel.
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Normandy, France (1 night Dieppe, 3 nights Caen)
The purpose of staying in Normandy was to sprinkle the remainder of my son Patrick's ashes on Omaha Beach. He was a serious WWII buff and would have LOVED to visit Omaha Beach. He visited a D Day museum in the south of England back in 1999 and was fascinated. So I knew there was no other choice but Omaha Beach and he would have felt the same.
The Omaha Beach museum was fascinating. They are still finding items that were left on D Day by digging up the beach. All around Omaha Beach many homes and other buildings were flying American flags next to the French ones.
We spent some time in Rouen before heading to out hotel in Caen. Charming old city. We just happened to be here during the Joan of Arc holiday - the anniversary of when she was executed. Lots of medieval costumes.
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We spent 3 nights at a hotel in a perfect location in the old city of Caen, right below the castle. Parking is difficult in Caen and fortunately I found a parking garage that charges a reasonable rate for 24 hours at a time. And it was close to our hotel. We had no rain while were were there so sat outside at the pubs and restaurants. We did get tired of having only croissants and pain au chocolat for breakfast.
Pretty sure this elevator was not here when the castle was built in the 11th century!
Omaha Beach where the Americans lost the most soldiers on D Day - 6 Jun 1944. Omaha Beach Museum nearby.
American Soldier Cemetery in Normandy - The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial is a World War II cemetery and memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer, Normandy, France, that honors American troops who died in Europe during World War II.
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