Normandy

We went to Normandy this weekend (well, two days and one night) and saw pretty much everything related to D-Day as possible. So, although most of the history went straight over my head, I still enjoyed myself. Of course, it wasn't encouraging when I woke up on the way over and it was snowing... But when the teacher explained that we went through Bayeux on the way over, I almost jumped out of my seat (it's the resting place of the Bayeux tapestry, one of the most important pieces in English history, of the Norman conquest of 1066, around the same time Old English disappeared from the records). Anyway, here's that snow:


Next we went to Arromanches, where the Allied forces built an artificial port following the D-Day disembarkment (Debarquement in French):

Here's some of my friends enjoying their crepes on the way back to the bus (from the left, Lisa, Supraja, and Lauren S):


Here's me and Lauren S at the American cemetery in Normandy for the Americans killed as a result of D-Day:


Next is the "palate cleanser" from our French meal. It's ice cream floating in a very strong brandy popular in Normandy between courses of very long meals:

Finally, we arrive at Mont St. Michel, one of the most beautiful sights you'll see in France. If you get the chance to go, please do. It's on an island surrounded by the English Channel, where tides change dramatically (8 meters), and quicksand, which a couple kids on our trip decided to go running in. It might be hard to get to, but it's an amazing place:


And finally, our tourguide of the abby on the mountain. He was very interesting and engaging, and I found myself hanging onto every word despite the fact it was all in French. We even learned that the word "bibliotheque " (library) came about because the first places where students were taught were in monestaries and the root is the same as "bible". The Sorbonne, arguably the most famous university in France, actually came from "soeur bonne", which means "good sister" or "good nun", another link to the abby.


That was the end of our trip, and the end of my important pictures thus far. This Thursday I am off to Barcelona for a week, followed by Porto and Lisbon in Portugal, and Amsterdam the following week (where I'll be on the look out for the famed 3-wheeled cars). A bientot!