This last weekend was my third time visiting the WWII landing beaches of Normandy and I have to say every time I touch that sand and see all of those white crosses lined up so close to each other there's a feeling that comes over me, a feeling of sadness and unbelievable gratitude.
It really is crazy to imagine that not even 100 years ago so much blood was washed up onto shore and so many soldier's lives were taken on this amazingly beautiful place that stands today.
We started our weekend excursion with a trip to Caen to visit the Memorial Museum dedicated to the soldiers that lost their lives in WWII. The movie had the most impact on me, it showed real footage of real soldiers that didn't even have a fighting chance arriving at Omaha Beach. It was very moving.
When the US stepped in to help France fight Nazi Germany, the ties between France and the U.S. grew and created history with the allies fighting for humanity and freedom. That 6th of June when the American troops landed on Omaha beach and Utah showed the determination and unbelievable strength and braveness those soldiers had to fight something so unexpected.
Looking at the setting of those bloody battles just takes your breathe away. How can something so beautiful, calm, and serene now represent something so awful and bloody in the past. Having stepped on American soil in the American cemetery, I thought of my significant other involved in the military forces.
I definitely noticed a difference in attitude in the way we were treated in that region of France. The people in Normandy and in Brittany catered more to our needs and were more helpful even if were in big groups speaking loudly and in English. I got the impression that the memory of the war still lingers but now the memory is not one of sadness but gratitude and peace.
I had an amazing weekend, even if it was my third time visiting the region, every time I return I enjoy the sites, the people and the food. Overall the remembrance of the past events brings a feeling of endless gratitude and thankfulness because without those men who gave up their lives to fight I wouldn't be experiencing France.
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