Return to Normandy

My favourite time of year to go on holiday is October half term. Partly because I love all things autumnal and partly because it is the time when I feel I need it the most. This year we made a return visit to my beloved Normandy, where I spent a summer working in a Christian Guest House, la Maison Evangelique, when I was studying French at university. Since then I have accompanied a few History trips with school, as the resident linguist and have had three lovely family holidays there. This time we went with Ann and Jon and the kids. We paid a visit to the American military cemetery, where the opening and closing scenes of Saving Private Ryan were filmed. I love the fact that 66 years on someone is still lovingly remembered and honoured with a single red rose.

We then went to Omaha Beach. Strange when you watch epics such as Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers and see the mayhem on this beach and then to visit it and see it so tranquil and picture perfect.

We stayed in the little harbour town of Port en Bessin. Ann, Anni and I went for a mooch around the market on our first morning there, while the men recovered from the long drive. Nobody makes baguettes so perfect in any other part of the world, no matter how they try. It was a lovely week and I enjoyed showing Ann and Jon some of my favourite places. Sadly Peter's car developed an engine fault, namely a blockage in the diesel particulate filter. (Try explaining that in French!). The man at the Audi garage told me he couldn't fit us in, but that it didn't mean the car was going to break down and it should right itself. It didn't! Hence we were short of engine power and our plans to visit Honfleur (my all time fave place) had to be shelved.