D-Day Beaches

Bayeux, Normandie France

Two days ago, I took a train up to Bayeux near the beaches where the D-Day invasion occured during WWII. I stayed in a friendly little hostel there called, "Family Home." I met a couple fellow American travellers and they invited me to hang out with them. They were using a website called Couchsurfing.com and had arranged for a local French woman to hang out that night and then drive them around to the beaches the following day. So the woman, Natalie, invited me along to go with them to the beaches. After a feast of a breakfast provided by the hostel, we three travellers, ventured off to the local supermarket where I bought some apples, a baguette, water, and fresh sausage and cheese for lunch. Natalie picked us up and we were off. I was very fortunate to have met them and Natalie, because I didn't want to take a tour for fear it would have been too rushed... I had thought I would walk which I later realized would not have worked because of the great distances.
The whole experience was very emotional. The beaches, the cemetary, the giant cannons occasionally located here and there (near museums usually), it was very sad. Even just writing this now, I am getting teary-eyed. If it wasn't for Steven Spielberg and "Saving Private Ryan," I don't think I would have gone to those places and had that experience. The whole area was beautiful, so lush with trees and grass. At one cliff, there were even wild blackberries growing and I ate one. It was delicious. It was a beautiful day and a meaningful experience.