As a so called traveler with a deep interest and knowledge of WWII this trip was well overdue to see the beaches of Normandy.
6 Countries
11 Days
1,900 Rental car miles
30 Restaurants
19 Bakeries
12 Gelato/Ice Cream Shops
1 Chocolate shop
Friday, June 29th, 2018
O’Hare
Saturday, June 30th, 2018
6 hours to Reykjavik, Iceland. 3 hours to Brussels, Belgium.
We made haste to get the rental to get into Brussels. I was hoping for a German sedan, as I've been used to driving for 3 decades. But we got a Spanish built Opel (GM's European division) Mokka crossover. At least it was a manual.
Even after walking countless pedestrian streets around the globe I never tire of them.
Place de l’Agora is one of the many wonderful squares in this vibrant city.
Galeries Royales Saint Hubert is a shopping arcade completed in 1847.
Rue des Bouchers is one of the main pedestrian streets.
Frites...when in...
Someone may be saying, "Why aren't they covered in mayo like Belgium Frites are supposed to?" Aimee prefers fromage.
You never forget first walking into Grand Place.
These buildings date back to the 14th century.
Sunday, July 1st, 2018
Back to Grand Place to awe at its intracity, given a magical glow in the rising sun.
Maison Dandoy has been doing Belgian Waffles for 180 years. Absolutely superb with a slight crispy and oh so airy.
le Funambule is known for Liege Waffles, which I usually prefer, but we both agreed Maison handily won with their Belgian Waffles.
With the heavy traffic on the meandering ancient streets it took an hour to get out of Brussels.
We headed north to Ghent starting with their main square, Vrijdagmarkt.
The Belfort was started in 1313.
Poeljemarkt. What a delightful town to explore with a delightful lady!
Grasalei runs along the main canal.
Gently curving pedestrian streets.
10th century Gravensteen castle. That’s pretty old. Like even before dial-up.
Sint Veerleplein is the heart of Ghent.
Another quick ride north to another captivating town of canals and pedestrian streets- Bruges.
The first of many gelato stops! When gelato made its way to the U.S. it was priced at 3 or 4 bucks a scoop. Throughout Europe it is typically a Euro a scoop. (And much better.)
Bruges' main square is simply named Markt.
It dates back to 958.
Now the beautiful facades are fronted by cafes.
We are in Belgium!
We headed northwest out of Bruges to the French coast.
Dunkirk is infamous in World War II lore as the location for the 1940 British evacuation as their troops were overrun by the Germans.
Monday, July 2nd, 2018
As we headed south out of Calais the rolling autoroute yielded tremendous views of the French countryside.
Throughout early 1944 the Allies started amassing material, armament and soldiers throughout England for Operation Overlord.
156,115 troops
5,000 ships
1,100 planes
54,186 vehicles
There were to be 5 beachheads attacked by the allies who saw horrendous counteroffensive by the heavily fortified Germans.
This plan to invade German occupied western Europe was thwarted by bad weather in June. When General Eisenhower was told there was a forecasted break in the weather he made the order to commence the D-Day invasion on June 6th.
After a couple hours of driving we arrived on the Normandy coast. The first emotional reminder of the horrors this region saw in June 1944 were at the Canadian War Cemetery near Juno Beach.
Continuing west on narrow winding lanes the green countryside was interrupted by achingly enchanting towns almost unchanged in centuries.
Recalling the dozens of books read brought to life picturing troops marching through this area, now so quaint and innocent.
Arromanches-Les-Bains is the site of the mulberries. These floating docks were engineering marvels built in England and towed across the channel. They were used for 6 months to bring ashore tanks, trucks, supplies and soliders.
Some half sunken mulberries can be seen in the lower right of this picture. In the upper right is one of several breakwaters still left.
The town is home to tourism and...
...Musee du Debarquement.
This small museum has excellent dioramas showing the ingenuity of those mulberries.
We continued west on the narrow lanes taking in the French countryside interrupted by small villages. At a crossroads is Colleville-sur-Mer
They have some large pictures showing the state of this town after the invasion.
The French sunbathing and frolicking in the waves of Omaha Beach. To imagine the horrors, and bravery, on this stretch of sand on 6 June 1944.
Normandy American Cemetery.
Row after row of crosses and stars of David. The tears flowed with this visual impact of the sacrifices our boys made.
9,385.
172.5 acres
Before the sun rose on June 6th, 225 U.S. Rangers scaled the cliffs of Pointe du Hoc to take out German bunkers that had site lines to Utah and Omaha beaches.
Today this area is full of craters by our shelling.
On June 6th, 1984 President Reagan stood on this spot, “These are the boys of Pointe du Hoc. These are the men who took the cliffs. These are the champions who helped free a continent. These are the heroes who helped win a war.”
Walking among the bunkers ones sees how heavily fortified the Atlantic Wall was.
We continued west and then north up the Cotentin Peninsula passing through Sainte Marie-du-Mont.
At a rural crossroads between St Marie and Utah Beach it was an honor to pay respect to Major Dick Winters of Easy Company.
Utah Beach. Now an idyllic ribbon of sand. Once strewn with the horrors of war and lifted by the men who did what Americans do to preserve liberty.
Between D+6 and 11 Carentan was liberated by the 101st Airborne.
Caen is the capital of Lower Normandy. Most of the 11th century beginnings were destroyed by WWII fires.
Tuesday, July 3rd, 2018
Before a 2 hour drive we ducked into a supermarche for some supplies. I for produce and bakery, she for chips.
Mont-St-Michel is the third most visited site in France following Eiffel Tower and The Louve.
Estranged by the mainland by tides makes rocky island topped with an Abbey built from 1044 to 1521 mystical.
This area will be underwater after the tide comes in. That tide can vary up to 46 feet.
Inside the city walls.
Told you there are a lot of tourists!
Next up was touring the Abbey, after climbing a lot of stairs.
The origins of the Abbey go back to the 9th century.
Le Mere Poulard was opened in 1879.
Their signature menu item are omelets with the eggs whipped in copper bowls and then cooked over a wood fire.
How much for the omelet and salad? $60. The omelet is $40 are you are not allowed to order one item to split.
Italy and France have the best gas stations. We were back on the Autoroute heading east to our accommodations in Roeun.
Wednesday, July 4th, 2018
Starting the morning ambling the medieval streets of Rouen.
And it was this healthy treat for breakfast!
Cathedrale Notre-Dame is the highest in France with the spires reaching 490 feet.
So beautiful.
Amiens is a non-touristy burg full of outside dining and charm.
We joined those al fresco diners. This kebab crepe was the best food of the trip.
Amiens Cathedral opened in 1270.
Cathedrale Notre-Dame Reims is only 800 years old.
This Gothic masterpiece’s history includes Joan of Arc, King Charles VII and Clovis.
Reims main thoroughfare is intersected by a tram.
Ardennes is the site of the bloody Battle of the Bulge 12/16/44 to 1/25/45.
Another emotional impact of war. A Great War cemetery. Before they knew there would be a World War II.
Taking kilometers of narrow twisting country roads northeast of Verdun to the battlefield where in 1916 700,000 lives were lost.
Heading to Thionville we had the interspersion of rustic villages and country views.
Thursday, July 5th, 2018
A run through Thionville after an overnight shower.
Headed north from Thionville, France to a Luxembourg City, Luxembourg.
Yes, that is a Pizza Hut and Chi-Chi’s.
This is one of three cities (with Brussels and Strasbourg) to be a capital for the EU.
The palace, to my left, was built in 1572.
Their Notre-Dame. As Aimee strolled taking in the beauty I sat to soak it in and say a prayer.
Since Luxembourg is smaller than Rhode Island it wasn't a long drive north to the other end of this wealthy country.
Chateau de Vianden was built between the 11th and 14th centuries.
Leaving the Chateau we carefully navigated the narrow streets through charismatic villages in the valleys through eastern Luxembroug.
Echternach before crossing into Germany. I’ve done 1,800 miles throughout Germany so this foray was for Aimee adding a country to her list.
Trier, Germany.
Trier’s history goes back to Roman times.
More enjoying the weather and people watching during lunch.
Cathedral of Trier is the oldest in Germany, 1270.
Leaving Trier we traversed undulating country roads that flowed over countryside and through towns.
With the reward being Cochem; arranged on the Moselle River crowned by a castle.
Back on the Autobahn and a couple hours north to Cologne. Having more gelato on a street I had strolled in 2015.
Bathed in a spiritual light, Cologne Cathedral.
2015 and 2018. You never know when you're going to cross your own path. And end up with a pretty girl. ;)
Friday, July 6th, 2018
Leaving Cologne we jumped back on the Autobahn heading west to Aachen.
Marktplatz am Rathaus is encircled by their Rathaus (town hall) and cafés.
We happily chugged along the pedestrian streets.
This is the last thing I remember before passing out.
Aachen Dom was commission by emperor Charlemagne in 796.
The interior is jaw dropping dazzling.
We entered The Netherlands from its unique southern peninsula surrounded by Belgium and Germany and headed to Maastricht.
What a wonderful introduction into this charming country.
We had lunch outside in a local’s neighborhood at a local’s café.
We shared Gazpacho and for entrees she had Insalata Caprese and I enjoyed Zoervleis (horse meat stew).
I mean, really, it’s like a movie set.
Bisschopsmolen mills their own flour from a waterwheel in the canal behind it.
What child of the 80s wouldn’t pick The Breakfast Club gelato?
This is the more touristy area. Blech.
Continuing north and seeing all the water we got a visual of how this half of the current country used to be underwater. Through the centuries they've used dykes, tidal plains, damns and windmills to take back the land.
Ultratecht’s modern skyline...
...and medieval core.
Aimee happily sampled Dutch staples at this Alitmatiek.
Saturday, July 7th, 2018
Boy, I’ve driven all over the place without being phased. Amsterdam though...like a gazillion bikes and then there are the trams. One has to be paying attention as the bikes have the right away and pay no attention to what is around them.
We started our exploration of Amsterdam at Centraal Station.
This is but a smidgen of the bikes parked at Centraal Station.
From the station we headed down Damrak, the main thoroughfare.
This is Amsterdam so we went through a, um, certain kind of museum. (It was kinda lame.)
Continued down Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal.
Anne Frank
With My Main Squeeze.
At de Dam in front of Koninklijik Paleis and De Nieuwe Kerk looking back down Damrak.
Another pedestrian street chock full of tourists.
Café Luxembourg, center, is one of the great European cafes.
We took a table with prime people watching.
She had Croque Monsieur, I Salad Nicoise.
Bloemenmarkt has been in the same place since 1862.
Vlaams Friteshuis Vleminckx has vied for best frites for 57 years.
Stroopwafel.
The infamous Red Light District.
Venice or Amsterdam?
We took an hour boat tour of the canals.
Aimee wanted Dutch Pancakes.
Got the car out of the car park and drove to the western and NO TOURIST area of Amsterdam to Foodhallen.
This bustling food market has stalls covering all ethnicities and genres.
Sunday, July 8th, 2018
Delve past The Hague's modern skyline..
...into the tangle of ancient pedestrian streets.
Is there a better setting for brunch?
Binnehof is a 13th century complex of buildings housing States General and Parliament.
Craft fair at De Haagse Antiek en Boekenmarkt.
And then we came across a Farmers’ Market.
She got a sugar crepe and I got, well duh.
This is the inner courtyard of Binnenhof.
Hibiscus Donut.
Imagine a walled city of medieval streets bypassed with canals and accessorized by flowers. Welcome to Delft.
One of each please at Stadsbakkerij de Diamantenring.
Markt.
I selected Black Hawaiian gelato wondering what it would be and why it was black. It was coconut.
Good bye Delft!
Rotterdam is sprawling city.
Blaak Markt is a huge street market on the NE part of town.
Markthal is a complex of food market, apartments and car park.
She was mirroring my poses.
Euromast is a 1960s architectural monstrosity.
The views make up for the architectural obnoxiousness.
Those views highlight how much water is around Rotterdam.
We continued south and back into Belgium.
I actually gasped walking into Antwerp’s Grote Markt.
We headed out of Grote Markt into those fantastic pedestrian streets.
Onze-Lieve Vrouwekathedraal is the largest cathedral in Belgium.
Oh, there was food. Aimee got frites from shop dating back to 1842. I got one of my faves, doner kebab. And then Griekse Yoghurt.
Monday, July 9th, 2018
3 hour flight from Brussels, Belgium to Keflavik, Iceland
And then a 45 minute bus ride over barren landscape to Reykjavik.
200,000 of Iceland’s 330,000 residents live in Reykjavik.
51 degrees felt MUCH colder with the super strong wing and steady drizzle. Helly Hansen (from nearby Norway) kept me dry.
This striking glass building perched on the Harbour is Harpa and houses a hall for concerts, opera and rock.
Laugavegur is the main pedestrian street.
Yeah, had to get bakery. Expensive bakery.
We escaped the weather for soup. She had shellfish and I had lamb. Total for this? $33.
Back on the bus.
6 hours back to Chicago.
Tuesday, July 10, 2018
Home at 2AM.