Normandy France

September 9-10, 2019

This year is the 75th Anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy. It is a thought-provoking area. Today the beaches are peaceful and beautiful, but not so 75 years ago. There are 5 beaches that were the landing sites for the WWII invasion - Sword, Juno, Gold, Omaha, and Utah. All have memorials, museums, and cemeteries.

Map showing the D-Day landing sites.

Juno Beach - landing site for the Canadian Infantry.

Statue outside the Junu Beach Centre.

An Inuksuk

Juno Beach

"Les Braves" sculpture by Anilore Banon located on Omaha Beach.

Outside the new American Visitors Center at Omaha Beach.

Garden of the Missing at Normandy American Cemetery 

The cemetery contains 9,387 headstones for soldiers who died in combat.

Utah Beach

Utah Beach

B26 bomber in the Utah Beach D-Day Landing Museum

Display in the museum

Statue of soldiers landing on the beach

Utah beach

Paris

November 10 - 12, 2018

We are enjoying Paris. We have been visiting areas that we have not been to before, avoiding the lines of the popular tourist spots. The weather hasn't been perfect, but has not stopped us from doing and seeing what we want to do.

We took a free walking tour in Marais. The guides get paid by tips only, so we have never had a bad tour. The guides are always knowledgeable and enthusiastic.

Place des Vosges

Covered walkway filled with shops and restaurants.

Typical street in Paris.

A couple of very old buildings in Marais.

Frankenstein creation by Invader - a street artist that uses ceramic tiles for his creations all over the world.

Concert inside St. Paul Cathedral

Inside St. Paul Cathedral

 Our free walking tour ended near the Louvre. This was the perfect time to visit the area, at dusk when the lights are on.

Fountain near the entrance to the Louvre.

The Louvre

Entrance pyramid for the Louvre.

We went back to the Montmartre district. We toured a church and the Dali Exhibit. The exhibit was very good.

St Jean de Montmartre Catholic Church 

Inside St Jean de Montmartre church

Sculpture by Dali

Another Dali sculpture

Furniture designed by Dali

Street scenes around Paris

You see macaroons in store windows in all flavors everywhere.

Flower market

More flowers for sale

Fresh cut bouquets for sale

You are constantly coming across lovely small hidden parks. 

The larger city parks have these chairs scattered everywhere. I imagination a sunny day it would be hard to find an empty one.

Fountain ready for winter. The water is drained.

Fall color in a park.

Arc de Triomphe at rush hour.

Christmas decorations going up on the Louis Vuitton store.

Christmas tree hanging under the dome in Galleria Lafayette.

Christmas tree in Galleria Lafayette.

La Defense

November 9, 2018

La Denfense is a modern major business district located just outside Paris city limits. It is packed with glass covered skyscrapers. The building designs are wonderful and all the reflective glass on the exteriors make for fabulous ever changing views.

View up the Esplanade to La Grande Arche.

La Grande Arche

Another view of La Grande Arche

The steps of La Grande Arche are a popular lunch spot on a sunny day.

Interesting skyline

Interesting building with fall color

40 foot high brass thumb by Cesar Baldaccini

Nice sky reflections on the building

The skyscrapers are all different shapes and materials.

Nice reflections

Bridge pathway between buildings

Yet another interesting building

Modern design office building

Apartment complex 

Modern sculpture

One of the reflective pools in La Defense.

View down the Esplanade to the Arc de Triomphe.

 

The Eiffle Tower.