Baby Shower

One of the hardest things about having a baby abroad is the inability to celebrate with family. Having just started a new job in July, taking time off to go home for a celebration was impossible. Consequently, my friends in the UK pulled a great shower together for me. It was special, special, and a lot fun. 

Armistice Day Dinner

Every year the doctors and surgeons practicing in Bury St. Edmunds have a formal event on Armistice Day (the British version of Memorial Day). The event is to commemorate the working relationship between the two groups during World War I during which the two covered for each other while all eligible young men were fighting. The doctors and the surgeons alternate hosting. This year the surgeons hosted and all of the American military surgeons who practice in Bury St. Edmunds within the National Health Service were invited to participate. It was held at Ickworth House, a beautiful manor house that is now a museum bringing to life the times of Downton Abbey. The food was great and the company fun. Ian Lavender, the gentleman who played the youngest private in the popular TV series "Dad's Army" (first aired in the late 60s and 70s) spoke. He was hilarious and deliciously inappropriate making a formal evening at 8 months pregnant pretty dang great. And a special thanks to my dinner partner (whose name I cannot remember) for keeping my wine glass full all night.

Aspen (the pup, not the city)

We often dog sit for another Golden Retriever named Aspen. Although she is a bit smaller than Tanka, they look like they could be siblings.

Calais

On our way home from Brugge, Etretat, and our D-day adventures, we stopped in Calais before boarding the ferry home to Dover.

Calais City Hall

Rodin Sculpture capturing the suffering of the French under English rule

Garden

Wedding Room in City Hall

WWII Museum was having an outdoor exhibition

Many of the artifacts were American

D-Day

Perhaps the main reason we ventured into Normandy was to see the Beaches of Normandy and to experience the D-Day memorials/sites. I want to say something poetic about experiencing such beauty in places where such horrific things happened, but it's hard to say something like that without feeling as if I'm dishonouring the thousands of young men who gave their lives, in such a selfless way, to protect democracy and freedom. I suppose I'll just let the pictures speak for themselves.

MARIE ST. EGLISE
The town where many of the 82nd American Airborne Division landed, miles away from the beaches.

One parachutist, John Steele, ended up hanging from the steeple of the church. Today a statue is permanently fixed on the steeple as a reminder.

UTAH BEACH

OMAHA BEACH 

Sculpture called "Les Braves"



6 months pregnant 

PONT DU HOC

 AMERICAN CEMETERY

PEGASUS

The Pegasus Bridge Cafe that honors all Allied Forces who fought to liberate France.

The original Pegasus Bridge.

The current Bridge.

Mont St. Michel

One of the most popular pilgrimage spots for centuries, Mont St. Michel is a gorgeous Gothic style church, built on a rocky island surrounded by water and, when the tide is out, quick sand. The church is built at the apex of the pointy rock, with a town built around it's base. The town is still bustling today, filled with restaurants and tourist shops. It is easy to see why it is considered one of the wonders of the west.

From a distance

 

The tide is out, and the quick sand easily accessible.



Tourists can walk the sand-- as long as they have a tour guide with them to avoid the quicksand.

 

 

The Streets of the town surrounding the Abbey

 

Our Tour Guide

St. Michael

The Altar

The Monks' Dining Hall

The Knight's Dining Hall

 

One of the crypts

The wheel used to operate a pully. And the wheel were prisoners, when the Abbey was used as a prison, were put to work off their time. Nothing like a life sized hamster wheel.

Arts in the Garden

Sometimes (but only sometimes) it is worth dedicating a post to accommodation. This is one of those posts. We stayed in a B&B during our time in Normandy called the Arts in the Garden. It was a great stay. Located in Morigny, our host Krisha was more than welcoming. After long days out we got a chance to have an aperitif with the other guests. For future reference: if we stay here again in the future, book a dinner with Krisha. We were too busy to be back in time, but her cooking is famed. Don't miss it next time.