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Normandy – An Unexpected Discovery

In France, as in many other European countries I’ve visited, the sound of church bells is a regular part of any community. Whether they’re marking the passing of time or ringing out to summon the faithful to a church service, the sound of church bells is certainly part of the audio memory I have for …

Normandy-A Contradiction in Terms

It was the sense of tranquility and beauty that struck me most on our visits to Juno and Omaha beaches in Normandy. Which feels slightly unbelievable considering that these were both beaches that thousands of Allied and German soldiers met their deaths during the D Day landings on 6 June 1944, during WWII. If you’ve …

Normandy-The Normandy Airborne Museum

I’ve never enjoyed going to museums. Actually, I should rather say that I’ve never been a fan of old-style museums. You know, the type that hides the exhibits away behind glass. And I think you‘ll understand when you consider what that might be like for a visually impaired person for whom sight isn’t an option. …

Normandy: Food Markets Galore!

One of the things I love about travelling in Europe is the abundance of local food and produce markets. I was looking forward to discovering some while in Bayeux. And I was by no means disappointed. There was a large market every Saturday with a vast range of locally grown produce, meats and cheeses. And …

Normandy: A 950-Year-Old Tapestry

Having said that my primary interest in going to Normandy was to discover a little of the history of the area at the time of William the Conqueror, who successfully invaded England in 1066, the Bayeux Tapestry seemed a good place for me to start. The Tapestry is a 70-metre-long embroidery depicting the story of …

Why Visit Normandy?

So, now that we’ve arrived in Normandy, I guess the next important question is what we’re going to do while we’re there? For my husband Craig, the obvious answer was to visit the sites of the WWII Normandy landings – not just the beaches themselves, although Omaha and Utah were easily within driving distance from …

A Fear of Train Stations

After a week in Paris our next destination was a town called Bayeux, in Normandy. Before I tell you all about it, I’d like to tell you a little about how we got there. By far the most logical way to make the journey was by train. Except, you see, I’m terrified of train travel. …

Deciding on a Destination

Craig and I have a tradition. When we travel to a new country, we buy a small flag of whatever country we’ve been to. These flags are displayed in our indoor braai room –barbeque, for those who aren’t South African. So far, we’ve collected around 20 flags. This begs the question of why our recent …

Shh! Don’t Tell Anyone…

I’m going to let you into a secret – right now I’m sitting in a small town in the middle of Normandy in France. Yes, I’m actually taking a break from what has turned out to be a wonderfully busy and exciting year. I’ve been in France for more than a week already and have …