December 2013 - Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! Fröhliche Weihnachten! Alles Gute in neuen Jahr!

Dear Family and Friends,

 Reflecting on 2013 brings a smile to my face.  I realize that each year I talk about how wonderful our lives are, but it is really true.  The blessings and opportunities just never stop coming.  So, while we have not had as many visitors from the states in the way of family and friends, we have certainly made up for that by making many new friends. We are so fortunate to have increased our circle of friends around the world.  The saddest part is the initial goodbye to friends who have been like family to us – Jill and Stewart left this summer and now Colleen and Benny just before Christmas.  We know that the military family is small and we will see each other again, it is just hard to not be as frequently as we like. 

a soldier in transport on the plane - why we are here

If you remember from last year, in October Russell Fleming came to stay with us while his mother (Mayland’s 1^st cousin) Tasha had a stem cell transplant to cure her of Leukemia.  In January we sent Russell home to his recovering mother with lots of stories to tell of Florence, Rome, Paris, and Germany. It took us a couple of weeks to get back in the rhythm of school, work, and volunteerism after our Florence Christmas trip.  We really loved Rome (only spent 1 day there) so this year we went back to spend 6 days in Rome over Christmas. But more in Rome in the December part -I’ll try to keep the letter under 12 pages J.

 January started off with a lot of activity – Russell heading home and Sean to Ft. Bragg to cover their ICU for 2 weeks, straight.  The work schedule left no time for him to spend time with friends or family.  Clark and MJ filled their days with school and afternoons with Taekwondo (Clark earning yellow belt green stripe) and MJ taking cooking classes (she can make some great eggs, muffins, mac & cheese – not Kraft and many other meals now.  Mayland continued to volunteer at the hospital and with the chapel on the praise team. The praise team has turned into a major blessing for Sean and Mayland because we have found another amazing set of friends in Mindy and Sven.  In the dark and very gloomy days of Jan and Feb we would plan Sunday lunches with Benny, Colleen, Mindy and Sven – they brought so much sunshine into our lives, truly friends who kept (and keep) us going.  January ended with Sean being home and February came and went with the days getting longer.  Mayland took the kids and a resident to the Velvet caves in the Netherlands.  While these are steeped in history, the most relevant was the use of the caves by WWII US soldiers as a place of refuge; their profiles and signatures are still preserved on the walls. 

Mont-Saint-Michel

March was a much-anticipated month with Grandma and Papa coming to visit.  We had wanted to go to the beaches of Normandy and decided there was no better time, so we hopped on the train to Paris, spent the night where Sean and Mayland got away for a grown-up dinner with Giselle and Francise.  Next morning we took the train out to Rouen, rented a car and started our adventures.  A French historian with a passion for WWII showed us the beaches, told us the stories of American and French men and woman who made it through those difficult days.  He also showed us how the French of used so much of what we left behind (great at recycling).  While the tour was the best part of the trip for history, Mont-Saint-Michel was definitely the highlight sight and the kids loved St. Malo (a formerly independent pirate city).  The only part of the trip that didn’t go as planned was hitting the deer, fortunately the car was still drivable and we hope the deer was not too badly injured; he didn’t stick around for an examination.  After 7 days in the Normandy region (and still a long list of things we wanted to see) we headed back to Paris so that Cindy and Rich could see Notre Dame, St. Chappelle and the Eifel tower.  

In Paris

 Notre Dame on Good Friday has a line about 2 miles long as people line up to venerate three holy items encased in glass (part of the crown of thorns, piece of the cross, and a nail driven into Christ, don’t know which body part).  We returned home just in time to get Mom and Dad home and the kids back to school.  April we started back on tennis, that does mean the Taekwondo stopped for Clark, he decided he would rather do 3-4 days/week of tennis.  In May Mayland took a 1 day trip (left in the AM and returned that night) to have lunch in London with a friend from over 25 years ago – Howard Hess.  How many people can say, I flew to London for lunch?  

  

St. Malo with the pirate ships

 A couple of weeks later we took a long weekend trip to Prague.  The art and architecture was amazing, the downside was that it rained so much that it made the news for the river flooding.  Prague is not as cheap as it used to be as they are trying to join the EU on the economic side and are still trying to climb out of the hole that communism created.  Only city where we were charged for soggy potato chips that no one ate - $7.  I counted that as their tip.  Fortunately, that was only 1 restaurant and we managed to find good ones for every other meal. We are very grateful for the 2 ½ week breaks during the school year as it allows for more travel time, so when June rolled around and all of the American kids were out of school, my two were still fully occupied with science trips and overnights at their schools.  We also filled every minute of time we could with Jill and Stewart before they headed back to the states.  Another very, very hard farewell; yet, with farewells, there are also hellos, so, while all of these other things were happening, Sean and Mayland were getting to know the new Navy Neurosurgeon  (here for 6 mos.) who was quickly becoming a very close friend.  We had dinner together often and he spent many hours talking about his family and how excited he was that they could come to visit, after meeting Clark and MJ it was decided that his kids would spend a couple of days hanging our with ours to just have some downtime before his wife took them off for some crazy European adventures.  I met Sam and felt like I had met a long lost friend – she is wonderful with a beautiful smile and gentle way about her.  Their three children couldn’t be more fun and delightful, Kristen (12), Alex (9) and Elliot (4).  Sam and the kids stayed with us while Kendall worked and between their trips.  We also spent a long weekend in Munich together. 

Playing in bubbles on a lake in Munich

I know those kids loved Munich and will remember playing on the lake in the big balls for a lifetime.  Our summer break was full – Munich, soccer camp, week of relaxation (playing with the Lee kids), tennis camp for the whole family with a side trip to Salzburg, then tennis camp for the kids here in Landstuhl (with an overnight camping component).  The best treat for Mayland was that one of her two very best friends, Tod Winston, from Westtown was able to visit, even if it was just for a couple of days.  They made a day trip to Luxemburg, where Tod was able to introduce MJ to the love of bird watching.  It is amazing how quickly we pickup with our best friends even when time is limited. Before the kids had a chance to utter the words “I’m bored” school started. (6 weeks goes very quickly). 

The first week back at school the kids actually missed a day as we went on a retreat with the chapel.  While there Clark was exposed to Hebrew, so when he came back from there he decided to join the Hebrew club at school and start another language (bilingual in German – both kids); French (3^rd year); Latin (2^nd year) and Hebrew for fun.  August and September were calm – tennis, school, volunteering and work.  During that time Mayland found out that Kendall (Neurosurgeon from before) was actually getting ready to leave and had not had much opportunity to travel … he had 2 weeks and the kids had a 2+ week fall break coming up in October, so off they went – Venice and Paris. 

Inside the mirror room that DaVinci used to
paint himself

Venice was amazing and we decided that for our 25^th wedding anniversaries would reconvene and redo this trip only as 2 couples.  The 4 of them walked all over Venice – took a 3 hour walking tour with a local who pointed out everything you never thought was possible, how the city was built on water was fascinating.  We didn’t actually go into any of the major tourist sights, but we ate amazing food, drank lots of wine and walked about 10 miles a day just enjoying the beauty of the city.  In Paris we saw the Pantheon, tomb of Napoléon and had a great night out with Giselle and Francise at the Moulin Rouge (yeah for teens who can babysit!).    We laid plenty of plans and schemes for that 25^th anniversary trip that will include Sam and Sean!  24 hours after getting home from Paris, we said good-bye to Kendall and took off for Neuberg on the Danube to stay at the Haynes’ apartment (right on the river).  Sean had worked for 3+ weeks straight and Mayland decided he needed to get away – we spent the weekend hiking and Sean became a kid playing Mice and Mystics (think D&D for middle school).  They had a blast.  After our return from Neuberg, Grandmother Crosson came to stay for two weeks.  She provided childcare while Mayland and Sean took off for their much-anticipated Halloween adventure in Romania.  Romania is another country still struggling to recover from the economic difficulties imposed by dictators who tried to make communism work from the top down.  We saw the castle that Vlad the Impaler was born in (Dracula).  We had a great time dressing up and getting to know Scott and Nanette, new friends – also Navy doctors.  The trip was wonderful for Sean and

Pirate Sean

Mayland to just connect and be a couple without worrying about the parenting part, thank you Grandmother for that much needed break.  Upon our return we took one extra day to explore Frankfurt before returning to the reality of work.  Indoor tennis started in November and the only thing we did was head to see Circ-de-Soil with Sean Dooley.  It was a magical evening!  If you have not seen a Circ, you should definitely go.  Our Thanksgiving was very low key as the kids still have school so we ate at the dining facility (where they do an amazing meal) and then had a small one with friends on Sunday.  We definitely needed a few weeks of quiet before December hit … Christmas markets (only 3 this year), the Landstuhl Holiday Ball and a new leather jacket were my presents from Sean, MJ’s birthday – we made American cupcakes to take to school, the kids love them but can’t eat them all because they are too super sweet.  MJ also planned a birthday party for the following Saturday evening – sent out the invitations and then remembered to tell Mom 2 days before.  Despite the late notice, it went off very well, but then a Rockband birthday party how can that go wrong?  The following week we packed up and took for Rome with 3 tours booked – the Bourghese museum on Sean’s birthday, Vatican on Christmas Eve and Pompeii on Clark’s Birthday.  I’ll write about it on the blog, in the interest of space.  Our last day of vacation was spent at the Munich museum of Man and Nature – the kids translated everything to us and it was awesome!!  It is amazing to see how much they have learned in 2.5 years.  Dec. 29 Sean headed back into work and our last piece of news … you have until July 2016 to come and visit – yes, we are staying an extra 2 years.  So, there are more long Christmas letters in your future.

Peace, Love, and Happiness,

   Sean, Mayland, Clark, and MJ

Fall Break 2013 - Venice

After 6+ weeks of being in school, it was time for another break for the kids.  This time just a little over 2 weeks.  I had been contemplating and planning a trip to Rhodes Greece with the kids for a week

Friend Kendall

when our friend Kendall told us he was going crazy with 2 weeks of leave time and nothing he could do with other people.  Given that Sean was on service in the ICU for 4 weeks straight I knew that we would not be able to travel with Dad, so I suggested to Kendall that he join us for our fall break travels.  It worked out perfectly. We ended up spending 4 days in Venice then home for 2 days then 4 days in Paris.  It gave the kids a few days to just chill out at the house while I pulled everything together and when traveling with friends 4-day stretches are perfect.  I found an ultra cheap fare to Venice - 4 people for under $200 by plane and then an apartment 1 block from the Rialto bridge - that would be the center of everything!
I can honestly recommend taking the train into Venice.  While the bus from the Treviso airport was easy and highly recommended, I had decided that due to the late hour of our arrival into Italy (10pm) it would be best to not try to meet our hostess in Venice at midnight as then is when we would have arrived, but rather to book a hotel in the small town there and then take a train the next morning.  It was perfect.  Our hotel was a 10 minute walk to the train station and we were able to sip a cappuccino before taking off.  The train was les than $10 for the 4 of us, and when we got to the train station in Venice we were greeted by the grand canal.  Clark and MJ were so excited to realize that the only way to get around was by foot and BOAT!  They were in heaven.  I was like a little kid in a candy store and Kendall was just as excited.  We talked to everyone asking tons of questions and just being so excited to experience something so wonderful.

After meeting Sabina, our fabulous hostess, and settling in we walked to the restaurant she highly recommended and were treated to a great fish meal.  After lunch we decided it was time to start exploring, unfortunately, it was raining - not hard, but just enough that we were using our umbrellas.  Well, we who had them, MJ had brought her rain coat so no umbrella.  As we walked the streets the waiter from the restaurant where we had lunch walked by and gave us a great smile.  About 10 seconds later, he was standing in front of MJ and handing her is beautiful umbrella.  We were all stunned by his generosity and MJ was thrilled that someone thought so kindly of her as to give her a their umbrella when that was obviously the only one they had with them at the time.  For MJ that was truly the highlight of the trip.

MJ with her umbrella

For Kendall and I the highlight would come the following day with our tour guide Nadia.  What a gem!!  She didn't take us to the tourist spots, she took us to Venice.  Our day started with her welcoming us to her city with a breakfast that treated us to at her favorite coffee shop.  She ordered the kids the most delicious hot chocolate - it is called Densa  for dense and you can get dark or white.  Well, if you remember our experience in Florence, this hot chocolate is like drinking freshly made pudding.  The Densa here in Venice at this particular shop was just so full of flavor - luscious!!  During that time she gave us the history of the city - people came from India who would settle there.  That men and women were equals because it took everyone working together to make build the city.  The incredible wealth from the trade and the naval defense for thousands of years provided to peoples all around them.  She explained how they built they houses and dropped the wood and stone into the water to make it solid and then we walked through the streets for the next 3 hours with her showing us the debtors prisons, frescoes in the ceilings of the open air markets, protection from soldiers or thieves hiding to accost innocents, the view and decorations of a 7 star hotel, the most incredible book store with steps made from books that had been damaged in a flood, she introduced us to a gondolier oar maker and master paper mache mask maker.  Originally, we had planned an hour boat ride, but couldn't do it due to the wet weather.  Her parting gift was to drop us off at one of her favorite restaurants for lunch, a little place in a back alley.  As we she left and I went to pay her, she insisted that since we didn't see any of the "big" sites that her fee was 150 Euro less than what we had agreed upon.  I literally had to force her to accept at least an additional 50 Euro.  It was one of the best tours I have ever had and I now feel like Venice is more than just a city to be visited but more like a second home.  Truly one one of the best decisions I have ever made.
That afternoon, once the rain let up we noticed that the Gondoliers were out and decided that since we had no idea where we were in relation to our apartment, it would be wise to hire a boat and have them navigate us back "home".
I think I failed to mention that on our flight to Venice we had met with friends from Landstuhl who were also spending the weekend in Venice.  So, we ended up connecting with them to get some dinner.  After dinner we made our way to San Marco square for a concerto and some dessert.
Our final day there was spent shopping and visiting San Marco Square to actually see the sites there. We didn't have time to do everything there, but enough to get the flavor and know that we want to come back.
Photos from the trip can be found through our Picasa Web Album, I hope.

Fall Break - Paris

Living here in Germany has definitely turned me into a "take the train" snob. While it was convenient to get to Venice in under 2 hours by plane, it was much more comfortable to take the train to Paris.

Tomb at Invalides

Thanks to my bahncard it was the same price to travel in 1st class with a special fare as it was in 2nd at the regular price. We ended up in a family area, these are small rooms with a table and seating for 8. Our companion was an IT professional from the UK. It was a fascinating trip and a great reminder that those who live here in Europe just don't understand the US being adverse to everyone having health care - they find us to be very uncivilized in that regard. The gentleman then related his health issues story to Kendall, completely unaware that he is a physician, and how grateful he was for the health care provided by the UK as he happened to be between jobs and having his supplementary private insurance, but still having the catastrophic and preventative medicine plan that is provided to all UK citizens. It was a very eye-opening conversation and one that dispelled many of the myths reported by the US media as to how terrible the health care is for UK citizens.

After our fascinating conversation, we were off to stay in the French Military Hotel near the Pantheon. While the rooms were not lavish, they were large (by French standards), clean and had everything we needed for ... (if you have been to Paris you will be impressed) 78 Euro/night. Ok, for those of you not having been to Paris think getting a Holiday Inn room in New York City or San Fran, in the heart of the city with one of the best addresses. Yup! Military paid off that time ;)

Pantheon

Day 1 we headed to the Church to St. Genevieve - the saint that Guinivere sings to in Camelot. She is Germanus of Auxerre and Lupus of Troyes and dedicated herself to a Christian life. In 451 she led a "prayer marathon" that was said to have saved Paris by diverting Attila's Huns away from the city. When Childeric I besieged the city in 464 and conquered it, she acted as an intermediary between the city and its conqueror, collecting food and convincing Childeric to release his prisoners.She died in Paris around 512. After admiring her church and tomb, we went next door to the Pantheon. This has beautiful frescoes and a monster crypt. A great way to start enjoying Paris! Next it was time for dinner and there is nothing better than a dinner of crepes, well, at least according to MJ there is nothing better. So, we found the best creperie in the area and enjoyed the savory side.  That evening we walked all over Paris, enjoying the lights and just simple beauty that can only be found there.

Pantheon Frescos

recognized as having saved Paris. She was born in Nanterre ~422 and moved to Paris after encountering

The next day we spent our time shopping, eating, drinking, shopping some more then a little more drinking ... MJ came away with a stunning pair of boots that Mommy paid entirely too much for, but she was so happy with them and they were so comfortable, plus I was reminded that Clark had gotten Italian boots just the week before.  Not being one to feel left out, I also got myself a new pair of boots - Italian leather in Paris, is there anything more decadent?  Yup, wear those boots and a new Cashmere sweater to dinner at a 4star restaurant with some of your best friends and then head to the Moulin Rouge for champagne and a show.  I am so thankful that Giselle has a 16 year old who can responsibly watch the kids and a 12 year old who is one of MJ's dear friends, wishing they could go to Westtown together and be roomies, and then Raphael, now 5 who loves to play with Clark.  So, while they had a great time playing and being kids, we had a great time playing and being adults.  The show was amazing and that is not the bottle of wine and 2 bottles of champagne we polished off that is doing the talking.

MJ in her new boots and sweater

The show is a throw-back to the variety show style.  It has lots of line dancing with scantily clad ladies (not so much the men until the end) and then in between are acts - 2-3 acrobat (amazing) groups, ventriloquist, and a lady who swims with snakes.  Of course they did the traditional can-can about 3/4 of the way through the show.  It was an evening with lots of smiles and total enjoyment.  

Afterward, Kendall and I made the 3 mile walk back to our hotel stopping to talk to different groups of Parisians out on the streets.  I honestly can't think of another city where I feel so safe.

Sunday was spent with Giselle and her family, enjoying a French lunch.  A French lunch lasts for 3-4 hours, has at least 4 courses and is a time well spent with friends or family.  I definitely want to bring these home to the US, so family and friends watch out ... if I invite you to a French lunch expect to eat, drink, talk and even take a little walk between the courses just so you can enjoy the next one that much more.

Giselle and Francise at the Moulin Rouge

Our last day we finally made it to Invalides - the tomb of Napolean and the military history museum.  While the French army was pretty much decimated as a result of WWI; in prior years it was a military might.  The museum gives great insight to the constant technological improvements made by the French up to and including WWI and then also how the people were war weary and they just didn't believe that there would be another one, so they allowed their equipment to remain stagnant unaware that next door Germany was stockpiling completely against the terms and agreements of the Treaty of Versailles.

While so many people come to rush through the sights of Paris, the city is most truly enjoyed when you slow down, enjoy the food, drinks, smells and people with a few sights sprinkled in.  Anything else is just short changing yourself and this magnificent city.  

Summer 2013 - Munich and Tennis Camp

I have come to really enjoy the shortened summer break of only 6 weeks. We were able to plan a week of activities balanced out by a week of downtime at home. Just as we start to run out of things for the kids to keep them busy, school starts up again and I never hear I'm bored.

A favorite photo of MJ

This summer we made a new family friend - the Lee's from Minnesota. Dr.Kendall Lee was assigned to Landstuhl as his deployment for 6 months. He is a Neurosurgeon who felt called to serve his country in the Navy  despite being one of the most successful neurosurgeons in the world. After being here for a few months his family decided they missed him a little too much and came over to spend 2 months seeing Europe, oh and Dad too. His wife Sam and three children: Kristen, Alex and Elliot were immediately welcomed into our close circle of friends. The two oldest are 12 and 9; while the youngest is 4. Sam, his wife, has all of the joy and energy that one could ask for in a friend with a kind and gentle manner only surpassed by her amazing smile.
After an evening of BBQ, we decided that we needed to travel together and would all meet in Munich as soon as our Clark and MJ finished school.
As it turned out we were able to get to Munich a few days early, sort of get to know the city and

crown jewels

identify the best spots for kids.  Much to my delight we got to Munich just in time to spend the evening with our great friends Benny and Colleen. The next day the kids and I took the train out to the  Olympic Park from the 1972 olympics and were amazed by all of the open space and seeing the main events areas still being utilized.  Even with the main stadium and swimming hall, the two biggest hits were the aquarium and the bubbles that floated on the lake - with them inside. We knew we were going to be bringing the Lee kids here when they arrived!
Our next day we spent exploring Munich and seeing the Munich Residenz (Münchner Residenz) is the former royal palace of the Bavarian monarchs in the centre of the city of Munich, Germany. This has the most amazing and extensive collection of crown jewels, and we have seen a lot of crown jewels. The palace is expansive and done in a Rococo style, a little too much for our taste. That afternoon we headed to the train station and met Sean and then that evening we headed over to the train station one last time to pick-up the Lee's. The rest of our trip was spent wandering around the city, going to BMW world and Sean "shopping" for cars, kids playing in the bubbles on the lake, enjoying the view from the Olympic tower and then seeing the Cathedral that was home to Pope Benedict, the one who decided to retire. The neat thing about the cathedral is that supposedly the devil tried to set foot into it and was vaporized only leaving his footprint behind.
I can't imagine the city at Oktoberfest, it was full and fun in the summer, great food and drinks. It is a very easy city to navigate and the kids really enjoyed it. Best part is that the train ride is relatively short from our place, so we can return. A couple of other observations about Munich is that it has more bicycles than cars, so if you love to cycle, come here!!! There are bike trails everywhere. There is also an amazing museum dedicated to technology and we even went into a area where they showed us how lightening is produced and the different types of lightening, plus the noise lightening makes. I'm so glad that we can't normally hear it - we'd all be deaf.

The next week we spent at home, the kids ended up playing together almost every day, nothing better than having a house full of children laughing and playing!!

The next week Clark and MJ improved their soccer skills with a day skills camp.  It is a great way to have them stay busy, but not overdo it plus continuously improve their skills
The following weeks we took off for our family vacation in the south of Germany, about 20 minutes from Salzburg - tennis camp on a lake.  We played twice a day.  MJ has gone from thinking we are crazy to wanting to play as much as the rest of us.  Sean finally learned how to serve and I got a back-hand.  Clark, improved overall and this year he will be taking lessons three times a week understanding better the amount of time it really takes to get better.  Each day we spent time either swimming in the lake, taking walks, or going into Salzburg where they have outdoor concerts all summer.  So, each summer they have their music festivals and they record them.  Anyone who wants to see the performance live, must pay and get all dressed up, but if you are there on a lark from tennis camp then you can sit outside and enjoy a recorded performance from years gone by.
We also took the kids to see a "Sound of Salzburg" production with songs that are from "The Sound of Music" but also real Austrian folk songs.  While the food was not anything really enjoyable, the music and performers were wonderful.  It has put Salzburg on the must return list and we will have to do it in conjunction with Vienna.
Upon our return to Landstuhl the kids had a week of tennis camp at our local tennis club with lunches and an overnight camping session included. Then back to school.  What a great summer!

Normandy Itinerary

One of the things I am always looking for is how to travel at a reasonable cost, this is to fund my very strong travel addiction.

So, after spending hours trolling the web this is what we ended up doing.

First, we live in Germany along the high-speed train line, so it is easy for us to use the train systems.
A high speed train to Paris
Stayed at the Holiday Inn at Paris Est - military rate - ~100 Euro / Rm (needed 2)
Next day we headed to the trains Paris Saint Lazare to Rouen Rive Droite - 6 people tickets purchased in advance 172.50 Euro (this included our return trip) made on: VOYAGES-SNCF.COM

We picked up the Hertz rental car after seeing some of the sites in Rouen (this is where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake) unlimited milage (you must be a US Hertz member to get the unlimited milage) that could seat 6 for 350 Euro (our insurance covered us because we are stationed in Germany; plan to not be covered for rentals in Europe if you are just traveling here)
We thought we were going to need to rent a GPS, but our car actually had one in it and with the help of google translate we were able to change it to English (returned the Hertz never lost system).

We stayed in Bayeux for 4 days and decided on Hotel Le Bayeux - location is excellent, service and breakfast are wonderful.  We only paid for breakfast on the days we really needed it (the bakeries are just so much better).  So, I don't recommend actually paying for breakfast in advance.  Make sure you get it on a Sunday AM (everything is closed) and then if you schedule a tour get it that day too, so you are ready to go.  They also informed us that if you call them directly and quote the amount found on the internet they will beat that price, this is true for most hotels.  They do have english speakers there.  The rooms were comfortable, not luxurious, but for the 9 hours/day we spent in the rooms they were perfect.  Could walk to everything in town easily from here also.

Our tour guide, full day, was American D-Day private tour with Bertrand Sanders (he is French) and he has loved WWII history forever and gave us an incredible tour with all of the little touches. He drove our car and saved us a couple of hundred Euro.  He worked well with the kids (12 and 9) too.

Our next stop would be Au Bon Accueil <brittanybnb@free.fr>in St. Marcan close to Mont-Saint-Michel, but we were lucky, they steered us to St. Malo.  Ok, where do I begin to rave ... firs they are British, so we were greeted with warm welcomes and promptly given hot tea.  Then the maps, tour books, and well just love and enthusiasm for the area was pouring out in every direction.  When asked why they bought this place, they said, we love to vacation in France, so why not?  I think that Jane and I are somehow related.  By the end of our stay I felt like I was leaving my sister behind, but fortunately, she will welcome me back anytime.  We LOVED it there and I think their love of the area was so infectious that it was definitely our favorite stop.  Oh, and contact them directly too, after looking up their listing on booking.com, because while our first night was the booking.com price, they added a 2nd night at their you emailed me price.  A little less.  It is cash only!

Because we don't ever ask our kids to sit in a car for more than 6 hours (8 if there is bad traffic) we planned a stop in Lisieux for the trip back to Rouen and it was a great decision.  We stayed on the outskirts (Ibis Budget)  The kids loved the rooms - a double bed on the bottom and a bunk over top for them to sleep on.  A triple for under 75 Euro - with an ok breakfast.  Great!  The Basilica of Sainte-Thérèse de Lisieux was fabulous and worth the walk.  St. Therese is not Mother Theresa.  This is not a busy town, but the food and shopping and sites to be seen were worth the day spent there.

Finally back to Rouen.  We didn't explore the city as we had originally planned, but that is ok, because we can get there by train on another day.

Train back to Paris and we stayed in the gem of a hotel - Hotel de la Herse d'Or in the Bastille area.  If you go to Facebook page and make your reservations there - best rate and in a great location!  http://www.facebook.com/Hotelhersedorparis
Again, this is not a hotel where you are there for the hotel, this is a place where you are there to sleep and shower.  The rooms are small and clean.  Some of a bathroom en suite while others share the bathrooms.  Given that we just sleep in our rooms that is all we are looking for and it has been great!

Hope that this helps someone, some time have a great vacation in France: Paris, Normandy and Bretten.

Spring Break Part 2 - D-Day tour

Some places affect our minds because they create curiosity and others affect our souls because they evoke strong emotions.  

On 22MAR2013 we took a tour of the D-day sights with Bert a young French gentleman, includes the accent, who became fascinated by the events of June 6, 1944 at a young age.  His knowledge and eagerness to share was contagious and exciting.  If I could take every person I know on this tour ... I would!  It is through men like Bert that assure me the relationship between France and America will remain forever one of friendship and mutual admiration.

Our day started by seeing tanks, including one of only a few German tanks still actually in France and an American Sherman tank.   Some things that we learned (I'll try to keep this brief)

German tanks were built low to the ground so they could make their way through the hedgerows (hedgerows are thick growths around fields) making it easy to conquer their European neighbors.  The tanks were also expensive to build and were built to last.  Germany didn't have the means to mass produce these as the US did with the Sherman tanks through the "lend-lease" program.  The US would make more than 40,000 Sherman tanks alone (they didn't start any real production until after Dec. 7) and would distribute them to all fronts; while, the Germans only made 25,762.  I think that tanks set a good example of why the US joining the fight would be the difference maker.  The Sherman tank was not designed for making it through the hedgerows of Europe.  Actually, the narrow roads kept the tanks from making any progress and made them targets for antitank rockets.  When a tank tried to go over the berms it exposed the unarmored underbelly.  Curtis Cullin, of the 102nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, invented rhinoceros horns. He had salvaged two scrap-metal bars from the German obstacles on Omaha Beach and welded them onto the front of his Sherman tank so they stuck out in front, like horns.  The horns dug into the berm and kept the tank from climbing. Instead, the tank's engine powered all that weight straight ahead, punching through the berm. Gen. Bradley was so impressed that he ordered combat engineers to strip Omaha of all of its scrap metal and rush it forward to tank units. Soon, three out of every five Shermans became a rhino.  I love that story of American ingenuity being demonstrated on the go.

Even though you were the enemy, 

you had family and friends we now 

honor you by laying this wreath with respect 

as we fully understand

Our next stop was the German cemetery, La Cambe.  One of the things that I have noticed is that Germany doesn't have many memorials (some churches list the sons lost) to those who fought in WWI or WWII.  While these seems appropriate in one way, they were in the wrong for starting these wars and caused much unnecessary death and destruction, I wanted to still get a feeling of the losses that our host country did endure.  Observations and lessons learned at La Cambe - many of the German soldiers who were occupying France were either very old (over 50) or young (under 17).  Many of them weren't actually German - they had been captured by the German army (a lot from Korea) and instead of putting them into POW camps, they put them into German uniforms and sent them off to occupy other countries far from home.  Because they used non-German soldiers to be soldiers there are no good numbers of how many were killed, wounded and missing.  Estimates are from D-Day to 14 August, 210,000 - 450,000 men.  We know that 200,000 were taken POW by Allied troops. The La Cambe cemetery has more than 21,000 men interned who were identified in some way, identified means that they knew they were a German soldier, and then an additional 200+ bodies that couldn't be identified in any way.  This is not a place of peace, it is a place of great sadness and loss.  The dark colors, design of the memorials, just everything - it evokes no feelings of rest and peace.  There is nothing good that comes from their loss of life.  Up until approaching the central mound Clark was just playing with MJ and running around.  As there were no other visitors I didn't stop them.   After he had seen the wreath at the mound a very sad young man came over to me with a few tears running down his face.  For the rest of the day D-Day meant something to him - men of all ages had died, they had given up on futures, families, and all of the joy that life is supposed to bring.  It didn't matter at that moment who was right and who was wrong, it only mattered that this unthinkable thing had happened.  Kids like him would not be there because of this war.
He doesn't yet understand why men serve, but he finally understands the consequences.  It was amazing, I'm crying as I write this, to watch my son grow up a little more on that day.  

Our next stop is the famous Ste. Mere-Eglise - the first town liberated on D-Day.  If you have not watched "The Longest Day" I recommend doing so.  It is Hollywood's attempt at a dramatic documentary of the events of that day.  It is long (over 3 hours), but it is not as grizzly as some of the later movies on WWII.  I have labeled the photos from here with the story, so that it makes a little sense.  The church of the town, (built between the 11th-15th centuries) does play a central role in the story.  First there are some main "players" that you need to be aware of - 1st are the Pathfinders - they were sent in gliders prior to the paratroopers to identify the locations for the paratroopers to be dropped and 2nd are the 82nd Airborne Division paratroopers.

While it is not in the history books, there are locals who swear that they saw their first American running around about 23.00 (11pm) on 5 June identifying locations.  We do know that the pathfinders were sent in gliders in advance of the paratroopers.  The official times for all activities related to the events of D-Day is 00.00 6 June and forward.  It would make sense if a pathfinder was there, as I mentioned, they were sent in to mark targets (lights on sticks).  The area had also been heavily bombed in the previous weeks, making sure that the German's would be unaware of the upcoming invasion.
On the night of 5 June, during the bombing raids, it is believed that a house caught fire as a result of the

Pathfinder's flare sticks.  The German occupiers along with the  local inhabitants came out of their houses and proceeded to form a human bucket brigade that originated from the hand pump next to the church in order to put out the fire.  A little later, about 1:40am a planeload of troopers from the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division floated down.   The German's were able to shoot them as they floated down (Clark asked the question about just shooting on their way down and we were told that their guns were in pieces and needed to be assembled upon landing).  Some landed in trees and were shot before they could free themselves. At least one landed directly in the fire.  Two men had their chutes catch on the corners of the church steeple as a Sergeant Ray landed in the square below. A German soldier shot Ray in the stomach before he could remove his chute and then turned to fire at the men caught above him. However, Ray drew his 45 pistol and shot the German soldier in the head. Ray did not survive, but did save the lives of two fellow soldiers.  One of the men hanging from the church was able to free himself. The other, John Steele, played dead for hours. (The paratrooper manikin you see in the photo).  There is a great telling of the story by a tour guide available:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-_EirbzYoc

As we left the town of Ste. Mere-Eglise we passed memorials and churches to those who didn't make it.   Like the memorial to a downed C-47 with no survivors.  
Our next stop was Utah beach.  This was the most successful of the 2 American beaches and it was the farthest west.  It was about 3 miles wide and the least well fortified by the Germans, because the land behind the beach was flooded.  So, the Germans weren't as concerned with an attack because they assumed they could stop invaders with the flooded fields.  Another advantage for the Americans is that due to bad weather they actually landed south of their original point by almost 2km.  In the photos you will see a house on the right side, the original landing intended for the house to be to the left (the house is where the commander of the German forces was actually sleeping when they landed).  It was here that the only 1 star general landed in the first wave: Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt of the 4th Inf Div., he realized that they had landed in the wrong place and is quoted as saying "We’ll start the war from here!" then began the task of organizing the advance.  He would win the Medal of Honor for his leadership and exposure to enemy fire.  The losses at Utah beach were only 300 men.  

An animated map showing the beach locations.

This shows all of the materials we used to build, it also
shows Omaha Beach after the great storm
Ships, boats, and pontoons in a jumbled mass

Bert, our guide showed us many interesting little tidbits on our way to Point du Hoc.  He was definitely most proud of the fact that the French had recycled almost everything we had brought with us.  After years of going without, the French were very overwhelmed by everything that the Americans had including food, chocolate and kits to make roads and airstrips.  We actually carried with us metal fence work to lay down on the sand so that our trucks could come off the boats and drive up into the lanes and roads.  After we abandon those roads the French went in and took every last piece; turned it into fences, braces, and every possible building piece that you can imagine; especially with the damage done to their homes from the bombing.  

Our next stop was Point du Hoc, this is the very famous story of the Rangers who climbed the cliffs with grappling hooks, ladders and knives only to find that the German's had disguised the place to look like there were huge guns there by laying telephone poles across the area under camouflage.  The reason that is given for the moving of the guns is that the area endured heavy air attacks as the allies prepared for the invasion.  Just like Utah beach the Rangers of Point du Hoc were also plagued  by the bad weather blowing the ships off course.  They lost one ship and all but one on board. They lost another ship full of supplies and they were delayed by almost 40 minutes along with losing all elements of surprise.  So the fact that they were able to get to the top of the cliff is just amazing.  The ships

provided cover for them, but still many German soldiers sent grenades and shot at them as they climbed up.  After climbing to the top, securing the area, and realizing that the guns were missing a small group went off in search and found 5 of the 6 artillery battery that they had been expecting to see on the top of the hill.  This links to a great audio / visual of the battle at Point du Hoc.


In the meantime on Omaha beach the losses were heavy, and the morning was grim.  Utah was a success and ultimately the Rangers destroyed their targets, but the men at Omaha beach were being slaughtered.  It was also the end of the day for us, we were so cold (it had only climbed up to 40 degrees, fortunately it was not super windy) and hungry - our attention was starting to slip a little.  What I do remember most clearly was that when we looked up into the hills we couldn't see where the German's had their guns, as the bunkers were very well hidden and at strange angles so that they could not be viewed from the ocean.  The sea wall was very well constructed and still stands today, unlike the one at Utah beach.  We were also there at high tide, so it was harder to imagine the hundreds of obstacles that lined the beaches stopping the Allies from landing.  Very little went as planned, as difficulties with navigation caused most of the landing craft to miss their targets. The defenses were unexpectedly strong, and inflicted heavy casualties. Under heavy fire, engineers struggled to clear the beach obstacles, and later landings got caught in the few channels that were cleared. The surviving troops could not clear the heavily defended exits off the beach. Causing more problems and delays for later landings. Small penetrations were eventually achieved by groups of survivors making improvised assaults, scaling the bluffs between the most heavily defended points. By the end of the day, two small isolated footholds had been won, which were subsequently exploited against weaker defenses further inland.   

We headed back to the hotel after that very long and informative day.  All of us thinking about the history we had just learned.  It also was the perfect prelude to our plans for Saturday which was visiting the American Cemetery in Normandy.  While the German cemetery was full of sadness and defeat, the American cemetery was designed to remind us of the strength and hope we have.  That these young men sacrificed for something bigger than themselves and provided a new way for our countries to move forward.  

The 156 photos are here ... please let me know if you can't see them because google wants you to join.  I'll find another place to put them.

  
We do have the numbers for the Allies:
From D-Day to 21 August, the Allies landed 2,052,299 men in northern France
209,672 Allied casualties
153,475 wounded
36,976 killed
19,221 missing