Normandy Trip - Part 2: Beaches + American Cemetery and Memorial

This is so long overdue, but I guess thats alright since I haven't been visiting many new attractions.. I think. Time passes so fast here that its kind of hard to keep up.

Just had a wonderful weekend with Jovian and Germaine coming in for a short visit :) More about that next time! Its nice to revisit attractions again with friends. Even though i've seen them its a different experience when there are others around!

Okay, back to my Normandy Trip. Here are the photos of the D-day beaches that we visited :)

The walk up to Pointe du Hoc

The guide was telling us how this was one of the guns/launchers used during WW2, and this little guy, probably 5 years old went: "THATS A GUN?!" to his mum and repeated the question twice because he didnt believe his mother's "yes it is". Adorable.

German soldiers would hide/take cover here during the war, or like use it to store ammunition or something.

Pointe du Hoc over looked the English Channel. It was such a view. Plus the historic events that was attached to this place, after watching videos/looking at images from the war memorial, its as though you could picture the warships coming towards the shore.

This was Omaha Beach

This area is so unoccupied, and its probably just me, but it was nice to see beauty and flowers grow in places that bombs used to be dropped, where there were holds in the ground formed by the the shells of the bombs.

The Pointe du Hoc

Place where the german soldiers went to watch/guard the area. From that high up, you could literally see any military ship coming in from MILES away.

More places where soldiers would take cover.

The area was so open and vast, that if bombs were dropped, there were just so few places soldiers could hide, hence the insane death toll numbers.

Country side houses on our way to Juno Beach

Flags mounted along the walkway near Juno beach in remembrance of the people, the lives that were lost, and the events that took place here.

Juno Beach

On this structure names of those who sacrificed their lives were carved, and at the foot of it you can see how their relatives(?) people in general left things in remembrance of them.

TOURIST DOING THEIR THINGS. LOL. This is one of the tanks that were used during the war.

We also visited the American Cemetery and Memorial. That place was just so serene, so peaceful. The grass were perfectly cut, the trees were as green as can be. Everything was so neatly lined up and well maintained.

This is known as The Spirit of American Youth Rising from the Waves 

Behind the statue, it was this huge area with 150 000 names of the soldiers whose bodies were never found

Their names and rank were carved in alphabetical order on the walls around the perimeter of the area.

Flowers at the foot of some of the panels.

The most heart breaking part was seeing the words: 

"COMRADES IN ARMS WHOSE RESTING PLACE IS KNOWN ONLY TO GOD" 

and 

"HERE ARE RECORDED OF AMERICANS WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE SERVICE OF THEIR COUNTRY AND WHO SLEEP IN UNKNOWN GRAVES"

Carved above the 150k names. The average age of the soldiers was 19/20. Same age, different era, different place, such different lives.

A map showing how the ships came in from the different beaches and the military's route of attack

Those whose bodies were found were burried on this plot of land with white crosses lined up in PERFECTLY straight rows. It was such a surreal sight. It actually felt a little uncomfortable and disruptive/disrespectful to walk on the grass and take pictures.

The tour guide said there there were a few brothers that fought the war together and were buried side by side on this plot of land. And a 6 sided Star of David  in place of a cross were given to the Jewish-American Soldiers.

There were three recipients of the Medal of Honor. Those crosses, like the one belonging to Theodore Roosevelt Jr. were carved in gold lettering. I didn't walk through all the crosses to find them, but here is a picture of it on wiki.

Overlooking the Omaha Beach

A high point on Juno Beach where soldiers could watch if there were military boats coming in

It was nice being in the country side. Nice to take a little trip to experience another sight of France and to indulge a little in its history. 

Canadian flags lined up seen from afar.

Juno Memorial

More names of the soldiers who sacrificed their lives

And that ends of the D-day Landing themed trip to Normandy. Historic trips always make me appreciate life alot more. I remember I used to hear stories about Japanese Occupations from my grandfather, and the things they did to survive through the period.

Seeing the suffering and events that took place in France (Europe) you realise how damaging and scarring that period was, and how this place is such a sacred ground for the Americans, Canadians, French etc.

While I was just reflecting alone about how hard life used to be during world war 2, and how much torture and hatred there was during that time, it just hit me, that these things that we see at memorials, the pictures of the wars, these images are some peoples' reality. The unrest going on especially in the middle east, ukraine, and other parts of the world... It was just a heartbreaking thought.

I'm not one to be very vocal about such things, plus I'm pretty ignorant about politics and world events. But at times like these, you slowly realise that people are only humans, finite, and broken.

On a more personal note, it was nice to meet the people on the trip. The average age group of the people on this trip was probably 40. And I think there were 3asians, including myself out of the group of 50 people. It was nice to talk to these older couples, hear what they've done in Paris, tell them about my life, school, and what I'm doing at work. Their ideal traveling includes having a great meal, taking things slow, enjoying the moments, so unlike us young people - we pretty much rush through everything just to SEE IT ALL.

Another thing, growing up in Asia, its always about working hard and doing what you're suppose to do, what will make your parents proud, what would get you the best CV, the best grades etc. 

Meeting people from The States and Canada, it was nice to hear things like "Your course gives you a wonderful opportunity!" as much as I have almost no expectations/faith in what is promised in my future by REP, hearing somebody from across the world say that, somehow seems to validate (just a little) the hardwork and struggles/uncertainty.
They also told me to "Enjoy when you're young", "Keep chasing your dreams" and "Study hard!"
It was nice especially when they said to me  "good luck in everything and keep chasing your dreams" its probably the first time somebody has ever told me to chase my dreams.

Even though at this point, I still think i'm probably going to live the life I'm SUPPOSED to live for the rest of my life, its nice to have hope that one day i'll have a dream, and that I could actually chase after it. Its never too late to have new dreams isn't it? Or have we lost the opportunities? Have we already gone down the wrong path and there is no turning back? I'd like to believe not. I'd like to believe I still have the ability to dream.
Technically, living in Paris IS living my dream. My dream when I was a young teenager: To live alone in another country, to visit Paris, NYC, London, all the great cities. I sort of let that dream die the moment I stepped into college. After certain failures/setbacks. Thinking that i'll just do what gets me decent grades and live the typical life.
I guess being in REP, though has brought me a lot of agony and dragged my confidence down to the pits, right now, it has just made my dreams come true. Sure living in Paris is not like what my 13 (even 15 or 18) year old self would imagine, but its great. Its wonderful. Its really an enriching experience, to be out of my comfort zone AND in a different country. This is a chance to decide how my life will go in the future, learn to accept myself (i think this is going well!) and learn to love myself/be proud of myself.

It isn't about pleasing everyone, it isn't about getting the first class honours to make your parents proud, it isn't about getting straight A's so your siblings will think you're a good example. Its about being proud of yourself, and being happy with your own achievements. Because that can never be taken away from you.