Today, the group got up to another lovely breakfast in Pontorson. The hotel offers a nice buffet with croissants, cake, fruit, coffee, and much more. Everyone was well-fed when we got on the bus at 9:00 to go to the landing beaches in Normandy. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and managed to talk for the entire of the two hour bus ride while hardly taking a breath. She began with the history of Normandy and the Vikings and ended with the close of World War II. I think I agree with Jarin's statement that she may have included a few too many details, but we were all incredibly interested, and it was a nice review for history class.
Our first stop this morning was at Pointe du Hoc, the landing beach for special forces of the United States' Army. The bunkers and crators were left in the ground for visitors to experience and explore. Several people made their way down through the crevices. We all ventured down into the bomb-proof bunkers to see the rooms, the viewpoint toward the ocean, and the barbed wire. We were informed by our guide that the bunkers that had been destroyed by bombs were sabotaged by French builders who had put salt in the cement, helping with the resistance.
Next, we went to Omaha beach, where there was a nice memorial for the 60th anniversary of D-Day. We learned that Omaha beach had the most casualties on D-Day. After a sit-down lunch by the beach, we went to the beach to collect sand and to imagine the struggles and deaths that took place right where we stood. It was hard to imagine on such a lovely day that this placid ocean had been terribly stormy on the morning of June 6, 1944 when the American troops landed on Omaha beach.
Our final stop of the day was at the visitors' center and cemetery. In the visitors' center, we watched a short film about the sacrifice of those who died in the battle of Normandy and those who chose to have their loved ones buried in the Normandy American Cemetery in France. It reminded those visiting the cemetery how somber the site was and how the French people still appreciate their liberators to this day. Out at the cemetery, all was silent. We saw the graves of unknown and known soldiers alike. The cemetery was marked by crosses and Jewish stars and dates that all read 1944. We saw the graves of the brave Theodore Roosevelt Jr., who fought even though he was old and in poor health and next to him his brother Quiten, who is the only soldier in the cemetery to die in World War I.
Over all, we learned a lot today and were very touched. We got back to the hotel at 6:00, very exhausted, and we enjoyed a nice dinner of quiche, eggs, beef, and a delicious whipped cream, chocolate ice cream, and caramel dessert. It was a truly lovely day, but we all regret that tomorrow will be our last day in France.
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