Normandy D-Day weekend

A four day weekend coming up??  Husband going back to the states for a job possibility??  I smell an impromptu weekend trip with a co-worker :-)

Normandy, France has been on my "must see" list since we arrived in Europe and with less than two months left here I had yet to visit it.

We decided to drive to Normandy as the train would have cost quite a bit and then we would have had to purchase a tour to drive us to all the sites . . . oh! did I mention we also took the dogs??  Yes, Mika and Milo went on a road trip to France . . . I wasn't too thrilled after the last road trip (see previous post) but I also had no dog sitter for them.  The drive was a good 8.5 hours getting there as my lovely GPS routed us through downtown Paris to escape from the traffic.  Instead of traffic we were stuck in a horrible nightmare of one lane roads, cars that drive way to close to one another and white knuckles.  At long last we arrive at our destination in time for a late meal (they allowed the pups to join us inside the restaurant . . under the table . . inside!!!) and then hit the hay.

The next day was jam packed with monuments, history and beautiful scenery!  The Normandy region is absolutely beautiful!  I was extremely surprised by the peacefulness that I found . . . I guess I expected such a war ravaged part of the country to be a little less appealing . . . it was lovely!  Our fist stop took us to the Overlord museum on the way to the American Cemetery.  The museum was packed full of helpful information as well as just about every type of tank, vehicle and war machine used during WWII by both the Allies and the Germans alike.  We then continued on to the
American cemetery which I found was much like the American cemetery in Luxembourg only with more monuments and a peaceful ocean breeze.  It was arranged in much the same way with the white stone crosses marking each burial site and a wall full of names for the lost soldiers.  We took a path straight from the cemetery down to Omaha Beach were most of the fighting took place on D-Day.  It was, again, very peaceful.  Nothing remained that would hint to the devastation that took place on this beach where over 2,400 American soldiers met their death. 


Mika and Milo had a hay day on the beach as we set them free of their leashes . . . the joy was written all over their cute and fuzzy faces.  Oh, the jumping!  Oh, the barking! Such pure bliss!

We then continued down the road to Pointe Du Hoc, a place I had only heard about from a previous co-worker and WWII history buff.  Honestly, I wasn't really expecting much but boy was I surprised!  It turned out to be my favorite stop during the trip! Pointe Du Hoc is a promontory with a 100 foot cliff that stood in between Omaha and Utah beaches.  The area was fortified by the German gun pits and concrete casements and was an important stronghold as they could threaten the Allied landings on both beaches.  On D-Day the American Rangers scaled the cliffs on rope ladders to overtake the Germans and destroy the guns.  The area was peppered with large craters from the repeated bombings, some 30 feet deep by 30 feet wide!  Several of the heavy gun housings were still intact and the bunker was surprisingly large.  To add to all of the fantastic remains of a not so distant war, the area was stunning in beauty!  The turquoise water against the steep cliff face took my breath away . . . if it had not been for the gusts of wind paired with a short, light weight skirt I could have stayed there for hours.

  

Our next stops took us to Utah Beach, Sainte-Mere-Eglise and a short drive through Caratan.  At Utah Beach the pups once again enjoyed their freedom!  They even took a picture with one of the memorials set up to honor the US Navy.  The beach had quite a bit more seashells than Omaha and the sand wasn't quite so soft. Sainte-Mere-Eglise was a small town near Utah beach which was famous as the landing spot of many of the paratroopers on D-Day and resulted in heavy casualties.  Many were caught up in utility poles and shot before they could cut themselves down.  A well known incident involved a paratrooper named John Steele who was caught up on the steeple of the town church.  Unable to do little else he hung from the spire for two hours pretending to be dead before the Germans took him prisoner.  He later escaped from the German camp and rejoined his division.  In memory of the event there is a paratrooper hanging from the spire to this day . . . of course this one is not real.

 

We stayed overnight two nights in Bayeux, France and I wish we had some more time to enjoy this quaint little town.  We were able to enjoy a traditional French dinner and visit the wonderful cathedral in town.  Bayeux is most famous for the Bayeux Tapestry made to commemorate the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.  Unfortunately we ran out of time and did not get a chance to see the tapestry.  I could have spent two days wandering the cobble stone streets, nibbling on eclairs and visiting the local boutiques that town had to offer . . . but alas . . . maybe next time?? Who knows . . if you are going on a Normandy trip, Bayeux is definitely worth the visit.

Chania, Crete

Our last destination on this fabulous journey over sea was in Crete.  No excursions were scheduled for this day (except for dad . . . he took his excursion under sea) and we meandered through the streets of the city.  

 We also found our way down to the coast and it was just a relaxing as it was a little creepy.  This part of the city was deserted . . . shops were boarded up, graffiti surrounded us, no human interaction . . . it was sad.

 

We headed back to the "market place" and things picked up quite a bit.  There was shopping a' plenty with booths set up consisting of leather bags, sandals, ceramics, olives, spices and interesting food items.

It was a nice stop . . . sunny and bright . . . even it was a big uneventful.  Sometimes one needs a day of soaking in a culture and "experiencing" rather than just "seeing".

Ancient Ephesus, Turkey

Our stop in Kusadasi, Turkey was an eventful one and definitely one of the highlights of our cruise!  We decided to take one of the cruise ships excursions for this stop and were assigned to Bus #20 . . . our guide never did let us forget our bus number, exclaiming "Bus numba 20" in the most annoying voice constantly throughout the day.

Bus #20!!

 

The Basilica of St. John was our first stop of the day.  The building was built in the 6th century and is now mostly in ruins.  The highlight of this stop was to see the believed burial spot of the apostle John located within the ruined basilica.  After it's completion, the basilica was regarded as one of the holiest churches of it's time.  It was here that dad was lured aside under some ruins by a local and offered to have him purchase some "ancient coins" he had dug up at the site.  Dad was excited, but nervous as he did not know if he would get in trouble.  After all . . .they were coins that were thousands of years old and he could get them for $300!!  He became slightly suspicious when the local then dropped the price to $150 as he was walking away.  Mom was also hassled by these same locals as we were leaving the basilica and had to get somewhat violent with them.  LOL!  Our guide informed us that this is a great way for the locals to obtain easy money . . fake coins are made to look old and then sold to unsuspecting tourists who are wanting a keepsake of ancient times.  Luckily dad kept his money safe in his pocket.  They emerged unscathed!

Tomb of St. John in the background

Baptismal

It was extremely windy this day making it hard to breath or talk through the sand that swirled about our faces.  The landscape was grey and gave a solemn feeling to our surroundings.  In the distance we were able to see what little was left of the ancient temple to Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.  It was destroyed in 401 and only the foundation and sculptural fragments remain at the original location.

From here we continued on to see the ancient city of Ephesus. . . as did the rest of the cruise ship.  It was packed! We could barely turn around without bumping into someone!  Ephesus was amazing! Although the city was in ruins, with a little imagination one could almost see the city as it would have been in it's prime.  We walked along the main street admiring the ruins of baths, temples and the great houses of the day.  The Library of Celsus was the highlight.  This three storied Library was completed in 135 AD and was built to hold over 12,000 scrolls as well as serve as a monumental tomb to Celsus.  The interior of the library, along with it's scrolls, was destroyed by earthquake in 262 and only the façade survived.  The façade survived only to be destroyed at a later date by another earthquake that shook the city.  Restoration began in the 1960's and 1970's to restore the façade of this great library.

 

Original Mosaic floors above and original restrooms below

Library of Celsus

We then stopped for a "biblical lunch" in which we were served food in the manner of biblical times.  We were offered bread and oil, fish, dates, nuts, some sort of rice mixture, honey and yogurt.  It was interesting, if not very filling.

Our excursion then took us to what is believed to be the House of the Virgin Mary.  It is a Catholic and Muslim shrine located a short distance from the ancient city and is believed by some to be the last dwelling place of the Virgin Mary before her assumption.  Although the Catholic church has never pronounced in favor or against the authenticity of the house it remains a popular pilgrimage destination.  It is a small stone house consisting of two rooms, one is believed to be the sleeping place of the Virgin Mary.  We then visited a well outside of the house which is believed to have special miraculous powers of healing and fertility.  We were given a small ceramic jar with which to collect some of this "holy water" . . . unfortunately our "holy water" was gone in a matter of two days . . leaking all over clothes and other belongings.  We were able to be present in a special mass that took place on the site before our departure.

Our "holy (and leaky) water"

Our next place of business. . . a Turkish rug gallery!  Here we were given a demonstration of the collection of threads from the silk worms, how they were dyed and eventually woven into these magnificent pieces of art.  They were indeed beautiful!  We were "buttered" up with some delicious Turkish tea and then set free to explore on our own (so we thought!).  I made the mistake of entering one of the many side rooms and was promptly cornered by a sales associate.  I made it clear that I was not interested in purchasing a rug at this time.  He insisted on showing me some.  I picked out a couple that were not your ordinary Turkish rugs but were a patchwork rug of older rugs pieced together.  I really did love them!!  (but not for $800-$3000!)  My mother and husband watched with smirks on their faces as I tried time and again to inform my persistent friend that I had no interest in purchasing the rug . . oh the deals he made me!  He could ship it for me. . . . he could wad it up in a small ball so I could take it with me. . . . he could give me 5% off. . . he even brought the manager in.  Agghhh!!  And then they had the nerve to be upset when I finally did leave for good without purchasing the precious piece.  Sigh. . . I guess it was a fun experience :-)

On the road once again . . stop number three. . Vatican City!

Our third stop in our Italian road trip was back up again to Rome.  This day we spent most of our time in the Vatican City, mainily St. Peter's Basilica.  It seems to me as if I have used the words awesome, incredible, beautiful, amazing, etc. way too many times during my posts already so I am a little at a loss for a new word.  St. Peter's Basilica was all of these things and more!  My only regret was that we were not able to visit the Sistine Chaple (most famous of all Vatican City buildings for the painted ceiling done by Michelangelo . . . think "creation of adam") on this visit.  We had run out of time and would only be able to see one of the two . . St. Peter's Basilica or the Sistine Chaple.  Seeing as I have seen both in previous years I left the decision up to my fellow travelers.  We stuck to the basilica.  Think of the most ornate builing you have ever seen . . . add incredible paintings and sculptures. . . then add in the tomb of St. Peter . . . add some more gold to that . . . then multiply by ten. . . you have St. Peter's Basilica!!  St. Peter's is of Renaissance architecture and time period and is one of the largest churchs in the world.  St. Peter's is regarded as one of the holiest Catholic sites. It has been described as "holding a unique position in the Christian world" and as "the greatest of all churches of Christendom".  I have included some video footage so you can see for yourself the magnificence of this structure!  After spending several hours in the Vatican we then headed off northbound for our adventures to Pisa and the Cinque Terre!
 
 

 

Road Tripping through Italy . . . Stop 1

 . . . Pompeii!!  As a child. . . I think it was 5th or 6th grade . . . we learned about Pompeii in history class and even saw a documentary of senarios that could have possibly played out when Mt. Vesuvius erupted.  I was enthralled!  Ever since that time I have dreamed of visiting this horrific place. . . of walking the same streets that were entombed almost two thousand years ago . . . and I finally did :-)

 

My parents, husband, and I touched down in Rome, Italy to spend three or four days of traveling through Italy before starting off on our Mediterranean cruise.  We had a rough itinerary in our heads but were open to changes and ideas . . . it was a good thing we were open to changes!  When we landed in Rome, it was raining . . . raining hard.  We decided it would not be a great day to visit the Colosseum or the Vatican . . . where else could we go?  I suggested Pompeii!!  We had a rental car and Pompeii was several hours to the south, we could make it in plenty of time!  About half way there we stopped for a bathroom/coffee break.  It was quite amusing.  Dad had ordered an espresso coffee to go . . of course there was the language barrier and all . . he was given his espresso in a used, glass juice bottle with a Dixie cup on the top.  It was a very interesting way to serve a beverage to go.  ha!

When we arrived in Pompeii we decided to reserve our hotel first, freshen up and have a late lunch.  We then proceeded to the excavated grounds of this ancient, haunted city.  A little history of Pompeii before we begin our journey . . the city is believed to have been founded around the seventh or sixth century BC and was taken over by the romans in 80 BC.  At the time of it's destruction it was a thriving metropolis with approximately 20,000 inhabitants, a port, gymnasium, complex water system and amphitheater.  The disadvantage to this community was the looming mount of Vesuvius which was located approximately 5 miles away.  In 79 AD Vesuvius erupted, raining down on the inhabitants of Pompeii for 6 hours straight.  The city was buried under13-20 feet of ash and pumice and had been preserved for thousands of years due to the lack of air and moisture.  Pompeii was a lost city for about 1500 years until it was rediscovered in 1599.  Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with approximately 2.5 million visitors annually.  What makes it such a unique find from the rest of the ancient sites is that, according to Wikipedia, "It is the only ancient town of which the whole topographic structure is known precisely as it was, with no later modifications or additions."  After reading the brief history of this ancient city, are you not intrigued as well??

Pompeii was bigger than I had imaged . . a LOT bigger!!  It was also preserved more than any other ancient city I had visited to this point.  The cobblestone streets showed evidence of carriage wheels but deep groves that were cut into the stone . . . there was a complex water system containing drains, aqueduct for over 25 street fountains, swimming pool and at least four public baths.  We were given a map when we entered the complex however the titles were all in Italian.  We also had Rick Steve's Italy 2006 traveling book to keep us company.  The original frescos on many of the structures were amazing! The detail and multiple colors were beautiful, if not at times somewhat disturbing.  We also found some pretty awesome mosaic tile floors which were surprisingly intricate.  There were a plethora of original pottery with a few casts of human beings which were entombed in the ash.  They were pretty creepy, yet fascinating.

(one of the few human "casts" made from the ash and pumice)

 

 

 

 

(many colorful frescos on the walls of the gymnasium)

 

Overall it was an amazing experience to share with some of the people I love most in this world!  And to top it off. . . we met Rick Steves!  How absolutely crazy is that??  We were there in Pompeii touring the archeological sites and using HIS book as our reference!  He was there finding more information for his next book, Italy 2014.  We were attempting to take a family picture with Mount Vesuvius in the background when dad says "Hey, I just saw what's-his-name!!  The guy that wrote the book!"  We were too busy trying to get the perfect picture that we didn't pay too much attention.  After the picture was obtained, he states again "I saw the guy that wrote your book. . .what's his name?? oh yeah, Rick Steves!"  I couldn't believe it!  Clayton and I took off at a run in an attempt to catch up with him, he was gone!  I was saddened at the missed opportunity . . . when, about five minutes later, dad states "There he is!!"  We cut him off and obtained an introduction, picture and a signature on my out of date and "old" book, as he put it.  What an adventure!