Two days in Paris

Two days in Paris is just not enough. We stayed in a lovely hotel in the 9th Ard. close to the Opera House. We got to Paris via train from Caen which was a very civilized way to travel the 1 1/2 hours. After arriving at our hotel we headed off on an open air bus tour which took us past many of the great sights. We decided that we would tour the city first then decide for day 2 where we wanted to visit. Later in the day we returned to the hotel (via a trip into the Opera House) to recharge our batteries then wandered north up the steep streets to Sacre Couer for a good look at the city from the north. Dinner was at a great Italian restaurant in the Montmartre district.

On day 2 we had a nice sleep in (first in days) then headed off. We grabbed a great breakfast of pain chocolat and bagette then made our way down the La Louvre. We have discovered that this city is where all the tourists have been. It is so crowded. There was no way we would get into the museum so we wandered the Tuilieries gardens (picture of Susan and Iain)up to Place de la Concorde, across the bridge and just before the rains hit, made it to La Musee D'Orsay. After the Musee we had a great lunch on the Left Bank and walked over to the old city to visit Saint Chapelle. The line was long for it as well but I insisted that we stick it out and it was so worth it (see windows...). We headed home again and later went out for our last dinner at a fabulous restaurant recommended by the hotel and full of locals. It was, we all agreed, the best meal of the trip.

We are in the airport now (Sunday am.) on our way home via Frankfurt.

Omaha too!

I insisted that we drive further west and visit Omaha beach. Boy was it a good call. The drive from Juno was about 45 minutes but it was through some of the most amazing little Norman towns that were so quaint I could barely keep my eyes on the road. Chateaus here and there behind these most fantasticly old walls. It was a completely different place around every turn.

We arrived in Omaha and I admit that I expected that there would be a fancy museum and memorial commemorating the American's involvement. Quite to the contrary. This beach is set down low (and here there were actually people swimming believe it or not), there is a high hill that the American's had to get up after getting across their beach (making it more treacherous than the Canadian beaches at Juno which were relatively flat). The site is spectacular from above and again, the Germans had nicely fortified themselves with bunkers and lookouts, which you can still go into (the picture is from within one of their bunkers looking down at the beach and channel).

At the top of the rise above the beach is an understated and lovely monument to the approximately 680 Americans that died on that beach (twice as many as at Juno). The American cemetery is located here as well but we didn't go and visit it, having decided that we have seen enough cemeteries on this trip.

From Omaha we made the relatively quick trip back in to Caen where we are staying tonight. We leave by train at 9 am. tomorrow for Paris. A demain...

Bernieres sur Mer

It was amazing to visit the beach that we feel like we know so well. It is one small town east of Courcelles sur Mer and together they made up code name Juno Beach, Canada's part of Operation Overlord.

The famous house in Grampa's picture still stands right where it was. It is now known as the Queens Own house and there are Canada flags and Queen's Own Rifle regimental flags hanging from the balcony. Outside, along the wall are at least 2 or 3 other of Grampa's photos. As we arrived the owners of the house were just pulling out to leave.

Had I been smarter and quicker I would have gone up and introduced myself to them. They are apparently very fond of Canadians and every year hold a June 6th ceremony at their home attended by Canadians and members of the Queen's Own who come over. They say that this was the first French house liberated on June 6th by the Allies. Pretty amazing. Otherwise the beach is a peaceful place, with sunbathing huts along a sort of boardwalk - how people can actually play on the beach is hard for us to fathom. Not only is the weather so miserable (and it seems to change by the minute) but there is way too much history on that beach for us to imagine being able to relax and play on it.

The internet connection tonight is very sketchy so I can't post pictures but you can be sure I have tons!

Grampa's Photograph

Upon entering the Juno Beach Centre we saw Grampa's photo hanging right outside the doors to the museum. There was a plaque under the photo which gives credit to Grampa. There are postcards and many versions his photograph on books and other things. The guides (all Canadian students like at Beaumont-Hamel and Vimy) were very interested to know that it was taken by my grandfather. They thought he was with the Queens Own Rifles and didn't know that he was a naval photographer.

Inside the museum there was a camera that had been donated by another naval photographer who was at Bernieres sur Mer (must have been on another ship from Grampa). I am sure he would have known him. I think his name was Guy Goulet. We'll have to see if there is any mention of him in Grampa's book.

Juno Beach

We had a very efficient (for us!) drive right from Amiens to Juno Beach - just over 3 hours. En route we passed by Le Havre the huge port on the English Channel at the mouth of the Sienne. The bridge over the Sienne was magnificent, despite the rain.

We arrived at Caen our base for the night and decided to go straight north to the beaches. It was easy to locate the Canadian Centre at Juno set right on the beach at Courcelles sur Mer, one beach west of the beach that Grampa photographed from. Here we were able to visit the museum which was really informative and took yet another amazing tour around the beach area. This included a trip down into a German bunker, still very much as it was back in the 40s. The Germans had fortified the beach so well, having been in the area since the early 40s. It is truly amazing that the Allies got through.

These are a few pictures from Juno Beach (Courcelles sur Mer), Iain going down to the beach, the lovely sculpture they have placed there, and Susan down in the German bunker.

Tomorrow its WWII

Tomorrow we will leave Amiens early for the 3 hour trek south west out to the Normandy beaches. We will be based in Caen for our last night out here and plan to visit the Canada WWII museum in Caen and then of course the landing beaches. We had a delicious dinner in our room tonight, purchased from a little bakery across the street (no more fancy French restaurants!) Its only 7:50 and Iain is already asleep. Seems we have been keeping him busy!

Great Grampa George Gray

Our final stop of the day was the Duisans British Cemetery where we had to look for a while to find Great Grandfather's/Great Grampa's resting place. He has the most lovely grave with many flowers planted at his headstone and a beautiful purple flowering bush cascading over from behind.

It was incredibly moving to be there and to think that if it wasn't for him, neither Iain nor I would exist. So sad that he never got to know his baby Nana and her family. He is resting close to many other Canadians and lots of Brits in a beautifully kept cemetery. The flowers here were truly magnificent and the gardeners were about weeding and mowing. We thanked them for keeping it so special.

As we were leaving Iain and I took a couple of poppies growing on the side of the road right outside the cemetery, in the hopes that we could bring them home. They are so fragile and beautiful. They won't survive the trip home I don't think but Iain got the most amazing picture of his, from right outside his Great Great Grampa's resting place.