Normandy - D-Day Beaches

The next day we took a tour of the D-Day invasion beaches. Three beaches, Sword, Juno and Gold, were invaded by British and Commonwealth forces and two beaches, Utah and Omaha, were taken on by the Americans. We walked along Juno beach, and though there was an old German bunker there, the beach is a peaceful and idyllic marina for folks on holiday. It was hard to imagine what it must have been like in June 1944. The imagining would become easier the further west we traveled on the invasion beaches. Though great battles happened on these beaches over 60 years ago, little evidence remains of the war. We also visited Arromanches where the Allied forces literally built a harbor to take in the invasion forces and supplies. While in Arromances we visited a museum focusing on the construction of the harbor, but inside we were overwhelmed by Normandy's second invasion from the sea, a huge Holland America tour group. Still, taking the time to reflect on the events that occurred in this region of France 60 years ago was valuable. The museums, the films and the scenery helped bring a deeper appreciation and understanding for what occurred to the soldiers and the French people.