Up and at ’em early once again in Caen.  Today’s agenda included the Normandy American Cemetery and Mont St-Michel.  And a lot of driving.

The Cemetery is hard to describe.  It struck me from both ends of a spectrum – the huge number of American lives lost during the invasion, and the singular, individual stories that were highlighted as part of the exhibits.  The amazing stories of individual courage and heart create such PERSONAL connections to the soldiers in question; then your understanding suddenly and rapidly expands – like a Jiffy-Pop of realization – to consider that every single cross and Star of David in that Cemetery represents a STORY, a LIFE that was unique in the way it was lived and then sacrificed.  And it becomes overwhelming.  9, 387 individual stories, personalities.  9,387 groups of loved ones who mourned.  And how to impress the gravity of that on your children?  I decided not to attempt it.  We let the experience speak for itself as we toured the exhibits and then the Cemetery itself in a steady rain. Truth is, we were ALL moved; the kids loved reading every story.

My FB post from those days:

“I’ve been deeply moved by two days spent at Omaha Beach, Pointe du Hoc, and the Normandy American Cemetery. Words fail, yet a few come to mind. Courage. Persistence. Heart. Leadership from both Leaders and the led. These characteristics are not exclusively American, but they have made our country great, and were demonstrated in ABUNDANCE on those days 70 years ago, and in the weeks and months that followed. I am humbled, heartened, GRATEFUL.”

We then pulled ourselves together and drove 1.5 hours to Mont St. Michel.  So incredible!  This ancient abbey and village sit on a tidal island.  Ever since a brief visit in high school, I’ve been desperate to get back and have a full tour.  It was a lot of climbing, but it was worth it!  The first monastery was established here in the 8th century.  The abbey itself, for the most part, was built in the 12th century.  The lower parts of the island comprise a small village, now solely focused on tourists.  And the monastery is still active, housing I-don’t-remember-how-many monks; we actually saw a few of them praying in the chapel.  They pray up to eight hours a day.

We had a wonderful dinner at one of the restaurants in the village, with a view back over the low-tide marsh to the mainland, before a very tired car-ride back to Caen; it was like driving a hearse!

Beginning of the indoor exhibits at the Normandy American Cemetery.

Just one of the many individual stories highlighted in the exhibits, making the experience so PERSONAL.

Exiting the exhibits building and making our way to the Cemetery.

Mont St.-Michel appearing out of the mist as we approached!

Entering the village.

Touring the abbey; we love audio-guides!

This ancient hamster-wheel inside the abbey is attached to a sled system that would be used to haul supplies up to the monastery.  The pallet would be loaded up in the village, then monks would get in the wheel and start walking, pulling the pallet up to the abbey.  Genius!

Praying monks.  Probably wasn’t supposed to take this picture…..

Dinner in the village.  I had the famous local mussels, and only GEORGIA was interested in sharing them!

The E-Bug Smolder.

Back-seat scene during our drive back to Caen…..