Blogs from Caen, Lower Normandy, France, Europe - page 3

November 7 – Caen – Sword Beach – I got up early and tried to line up a hotel room using my computer but ran into some problems because some of the hotels wouldn’t let me use my Visa Debit to book a room, they wanted a regular credit card. So I used the book on Caen I had gotten from the tourist bureau and wrote down the hotel names, street addresses etc., while determining to do it the old fashioned way and walk over to the hotels to check them out. As I was checking out of the La Fontaine I asked them if they could recommend a hotel nearby. They said they knew of one and could call them for me. I said that was great since I didn’t know enough French to call ... read more

A long, long time ago there was a famous man who went by the name of William the Conqueror. Perhaps you have heard of him? Well this William the Conqueror, William I, or some liked to call William the Bastard, decided that he should build himself a beautiful castle. I often think I should do the same, but I don't have an empire so it would seem a little silly to have one. Where to build? Because he was the ruler of such a vast territory, he had many options. I can see him walking around pondering this question just a few years short of a thousand years ago, "On the sea, in the forrest, in the mountains? How about Caen!" Caen, Really Bill? To avoid all confusion, due to the multiple names that he goes ... read more

After a week I Nantes, I was finally settling in and getting a grasp on the day-to-day routine of the locals...Just kidding. I still have no clue what is going on around me half the time. Everyday is an adventure. Life would be so simple if the locals spoke English and the signs were readable, but that is the beauty of it. I have to figure it all out. It is like trying to understand a new concept, a new way of life. While on my daily adventures I have missed trains, gotten yelled at, gone the wrong direction on trains, and probably said inappropriate things in French to the locals. Best/worst of all, I have definitely walked more this past week, then I have during my whole life. My grandest of all walks was last ... read more

Bonjour mon Amis! I am in France today after arriving via the overnight ferry from Portsmouth, England. I've been in France for only half a day now and I freaking love it. I am staying in a cute hotel near the main city center. Today I set out on foot to see what William the conqueror, and others, have done to leave their mark on the city.The city is fairly easy to around, with the enormous church and castle serving as good travel markers. I ran into a faRmers market where snails and oysters sat along an array of beautiful breads, olives and crepe vendors, among others. The streets are clean and on this Sunday, absolutely everything is closedexcept for a handful of restaurants. A parade walked past my hotel,celebrating what, I'm not sure, today's Pentecost, ... read more

Today we left our hotel earlier since it was Sunday thinking that the WWII sites around the beaches of Normandy might be busy. It was a very interesting day today. We first went to Pointe du Hoc where the US Rangers silenced the German gun battery by climbing a 100 ft. high cliff in the face of German machine gun fire. Of the 225 soldiers that assaulted the cliff only 90 were fit to fight after 1 ½ days. They still managed to keep control and push the Germans inland. The landscape was what you might think the moon would look, with big craters caused by bombs from planes and artillery fire from ships. Even with the pictures I took it is hard to imagine the devastation there. There were still bunkers and barbed wire there ... read more