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Day 35

As luck would have it I did not recover my money from KLM today. I needed to bring my baggage claim stickers and my ticket to verify my claim. Oh well, next time I guess. It was clearly written on my instructions. I just did not take the time to read them. Now I must write a letter to explain what has happened and hope for a refund.

Again I am writing on a train. I am sick of trains. When i got off in Prague I was under the impression that I could get back on the next train to Ostrava free of charge. I was wrong. I had to pay an extra forty krowns to extend my ticket to Ostrava from Prague. To make my trip worse I was sharing a car with a child that had a sinus cold. He was drooling all over the place. He was probably four years old.

He rests now. I finished my book Lighting in record time for me. I read it cover to cover in seven days! I really read it in three days since I did not read it much while sight seeing. After I finished Dean Koontz book, I started to read The Guide to the Beaches and Battles of Normandy by David Evans. It is a very detailed book. I like it a lot. One problem: when I read some of the passages I sometimes begin to cry. I don't mind though. I would rather cry than not feel anything at all.

I will arrive in Ostrava twenty-four hours after I embarked from Paris. I haven't ate since 2 P.M. and I am not very hungry. My appetite has diminished dramatically from the beginning of my stay in the Czech Republic. I now only need two rolls and tea to get me full or at least feel full. If I could only find a pan or dish to purchase in a store, I would have it made! We have a hot plate in our room and cooking would be a breeze.

Now I'm back in Ostrava. What a trip! I'm exhausted. just a minute ago I went out for a Coke because I was getting thirsty. On my way to the cafe I found the campus dance club/bar. Not a bad atmosphere, but I need to speak the language a lot better before I go in there again. On my way back from the store, I ran across a group of three freshman boys and a freshman girl. They were all VERY drunk. I have noticed that the Czech population consumes an enormous amount of beer. I can't believe it. Everyone I see in a grocery store has some kind of alcohol in their basket, usually Radagast.

Being in the dance hall reminded me of the Outback in Maryville. One similarity, the black lights were everywhere. My white sweatshirt made me look like an angel or ghost. I felt awkward. I looked the part, too. Thoughts of my freshman year come to me. The first time in the Outback was with Jennifer Brandt. The whites of her eyes glowed from the black lights. We played Foosball for a while and then danced.

Sorry for the tangent, but I had to write that down for me to remember later. I received mail today: two letters from mom. I guess I should write her back soon.

Recap of the trip:

Friday September 9th I left for Paris. I thin took a train from Paris to Caen. The hostel was unfriendly. I walked around the town.

September 11th. Went to Dwight D. Eisenhower museum and was locked in the Peace Garden.

September 12th. Went to Bayeux and toured Omaha Beach, American cemetery, Point du Hoc, Archomaches, and bunkers. That night I missed my train back to Caen and stayed in a family's home. It turned out to be the best mistake I have ever made.

September 13th. I traveled to Paris and visited the Notre Dame at night. The lights of the Eiffel Tower were excellent. Also saw the Hotel De ville.

September 14th. Toured Paris on my own. I went to the Louve. I viewed the Mona Lisa. There were people all around trying to see it. It rained most of the day. I ate some expensive food and then I ran into Lauree Crozier while walking on the streets of Paris.

September 15th. Went to Versailles with Lauree in full pack -- both bags about killed me, but you would never have known by the pace I kept. With a smile on my face I continued. I wanted to stay as long as possible with Lauree. Company is nice when you are all alone for days. I know that sounds corny, but it is true. That night at 7:55 I boarded a train to Prague. At 2:00 AM on September 16th it arrived. I went to KLM's office without success. I finished my ride to Ostrava with a $2.00 ticket extension.

As I sit in my empty room I think about home. My parents don't get choked up when I talk to them on the phone. I guess that was to be expected. I miss them. Thoughts of Jenny Barber passed through my head. I wonder how she is doing. I wonder if she still thinks about me.

I hope that when I look at my pictures of Omaha and the cemetery I always get a tear in my eye and remember the young men that rest on that hilltop overlooking the English Channel. Their lives were cut short too early. May their sacrifice always remind me that freedom does not come for free.

I will always have my rock from Omaha Beach. The same rock which men ran across in search of cover from oppressive enemy fire. I now hold it with respect and remembrance. I ran across the beach for only a short distance. It was difficult to get any traction on the smooth surface of the rocks. Imagine how difficult it would have been to try to run, walk or crawl with 100 pounds of equipment tired to your back. No wonder the pace of the advance was slow. They would not go any faster without falling flat and being an easy target. The dunes were also treacherous to navigate. I must remind myself that the beach obstacles have all been removed. What would the beach have been like that day?

Day 34

I'm on my way (not home, home is Randolph and my family), back to Ostrava. I had a nice time. I enjoy visiting with people in the hostels. Especially in Bayeaux. I met the nicest people. I believe I have already written about the husband and wife which first appeared at the tour office. They repeatedly showed up during the day. I also met a guy from Canada. I did not met him in the hostel, but in the town of Caen. He was a nice guy and someone nice to talk to and help me get around the town of Caen. Just someone to talk to.

When I also met two veterans in the Dwight D. Eisenhower museum, again in Bayeaux. Back in the hostel I met one woman from Key West, Florida. She was not a knockout, but again someone to share the experience of Normandy. We discussed history and the Normandy landings. I was surprised to find out how much she did not know about the largest invasion in history. But we had a nice discussion about home, family, what to see and do in town. I will never see her again after today, any of them in fact, but I at least knew them today.

In my last day in Paris I talked with an older lady who (from what I gathered from my limited knowledge of French) her daughter is going to Berkly in California. Again I told her that i was from Omaha, Nebraska. We smiled and laughed at our conversation. I felt good to talk to her.

Om my train from Caen to Paris, I had a similar conversation with a mother and daughter who live in the Riviera. We exchanged phone numbers and I was invited to stay with them for FREE! Mental note: When a hot 24 year old woman asks you to stay with her in the French Riviera, GO FOR IT!.

In my last day I went to Versailles with Lauree. That Palace is enormous. The magnitude of the rooms. The massive rooms. Every ceiling is painted with a scene from mythology or war. Mirrors were everywhere. I was told that most of the furniture was stolen through the years. They have only recovered 5% of the furniture. As I can tell, most of the rooms were full.

I must say it was hard to leave Lauree in Paris. it felt so good to be with someone to share an experience with someone. You know a common thread to share.

Now I roll back to Prague in hopes of recovering $150 from KLM. Good luck!

I miss Nicole and Danna. I can't believe how much I miss them today.

Day 33

Got up early and went sight seeing today: Louver, Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower and the Arc De Triumph. Oh, I also ran into Lauree, too! Just one more strange coincidence that I keep experiencing while on this trip. While I was in Bayeux, I kept running into this one older couple. They were very helpful. Then, when I was on my way back from viewing the Bayeux tapestry, I saw the two men which I toured with earlier that day. They were the guys that explained it was FDR's sons were his escorts when he met with Winston Churchill on the Pegasus. Strange how when you need to see a familiar face or receive a word of encouragement, it somehow finds you.

Now I have seen Lauree in a chance encounter. She is even staying close to me (one street away). Tonight I will see how much a train to Versailles will cost. After Versailles, I will got to Dresden and Prague on Saturday.

On a bad note, I am down to $600. The piggy bank is almost dry.

Meeting Lauree was a complete accident. I happened to recognize her boots while walking on the sidewalks of Paris. It was really raining hard today. Everyone had their umbrellas open and walked with their heads down to keep the rain out of their eyes. As I turned the corner to walk towards the street Champs-Elysee (pronounced chanz - ay - lee - zay), I noticed a very familiar pair of boots. The umbrella looked familiar as well. In an instant I called out Lauree!. Lauree stopped and turned around. She looked as surprised and happy to see me as I was to see her. We must have stood in the rain for 20 minutes talking about where we had been and seen.

Lauree was not suppose to be in Paris until later this week. She went to Amsterdam and cut her trip short. I stayed in Bayeux a day longer than expected. I guess it was fate that we met on that street in Paris. It is another example of being in the right place at the right time.

That is enough for now. I'll write more tomororw. I have a busy day planned.

Day 32

On the train to Paris and I have one small problem. I must have left my photocopies of some of the sites I want to see in Paris in my other bag.

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No, no luck. I have lost it.

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I got a hostel to stay in Paris. It is located a little bit outside the heart of the city, but it will do. I should be thankful since I did not have reservations.

I had a moment to reflect about Normandy and the landing beaches today while on the train. In the lull of the English Channel I could imagine the echos of cannons and screams of men. As I walked in the cemetery, the sound of Taps played in my head. It was only in my mind, but the thoughts were appropriate for the time. I wish that I had signed the guest book at the U.S. cemetery. I thought I would have time to sign it after I went down to the beach.

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Today I am in Paris. As I explained, I have a hostel already. I went for a walk tonight around the city. I returned after 10:00 and I am now sitting in the main gathering area of the hostel where all of the "people" are at. I quoted "people" because they come from all walks of life. I am from a small town in Iowa. There are Canadians, English, Japanese as well as other Americans.

I saw the Bastille monument today. I have crossed one site off my list of things I "must see". I found it after riding the metro for an hour looking for my hostel. I later went up to the Republic monument and down to the Notre Dame. From Notre Dame I got a glimpse of the Eiffel Tower. It was illuminated -- fantastic sight. I even ate an ice cream cone and a crape. Not bad for trying French culture.

Day 31

I am sitting in the train station to change my day of departure to Paris from the 13th to the 14th. I will then stay 2 nights in Paris until the 16th. At that time I will travel back to Ostrava on the 17th. That will put me back in the CZ on Saturday. I will eliminate the stopover in Frankfurt, but I can always go back to Germany. It is a long trip to get all the way out to Omaha beach. I still feel that some force or someone has called me to be here. Until I understand that reason, I will stay.

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1st Tank, Churchill Crocodile, Grand Bretagne 1944.
2nd Tank, Destroyer M-10, US Army 1943.
3rd Tank, Sherman M-4 A1, "Given to honor the sacrifices of the past that have provided hope for the future.", HQ VII Corps, US Army.

Bulldozer, landed on Omaha beach June 6th, 1944. Lent to the Canadian forces to clear Caen. Remained in active service until 1954.

Here is a copy of the orders of the day that I read in the museum.



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I write with still a heavy heart. After traveling the coast of Normandy, I went to Omaha beach and the U.S. cemetery that is located on the bluff that these young men fought and died to establish a beachhead. There are so many white crosses and stars of David. So many men, so brave they were to talk straight into Hell on Earth. While standing on the beach looking up at the bluff, I asked myself, "Could I have done this? Would I have been able to survive the first wave? Could I lay down my life so that others would not have to die?"

I am overcome by emotions. I brought with me knowledge, I am leaving with memories. The beaches looked so different today. Peaceful. The shells have all fallen silent. The scarred earth is all that remains to tell the story of the epic battle that raged on this beach on June 6th, 1944. The bunkers are slowly decaying. Bomb craters will, in time, fill with soil. All history will someday be covered as Longfellow wrote in Blades of Grass. The craters will be gone. The concrete will deteriorate. All that will be left will be the written word and photographs. Many of the veterans have already died. Their families will be the only connection to this place. (A church bell rings in the distance).

Yes, the men of D-Day will never be forgotten. At least not in my heart. I weep again. I see their faces in photographs. How young and worry free.... That face changes while looking at pictures of men while in the LST. The gaze is fixed - focused. The picture that sums it up for me is a picture of a rifleman on his way into Omaha beach that morning. He has a stubbled face and is chewing his gum nervously. If I had been there, I hope I would have acted like that man: God and Country. I thank them all for their sacrifice.

Years do not Darken
Nor shawdows dim
The beautiful memories
We have of him.

Author Unknown.

Well, I have one disappointing anecdote to a very emotional day, I missed my train to Caen tonight. I had to purchase another room in Bayeux tonight. It is a very nice place to stay with a gentle atmosphere. I am staying with some of the people I toured with today. The house mother has fixed a wonderful dinner. After dinner, a bottle of wine was opened and we all shared stories about our adventures. After a day like today, maybe it was a good thing that I missed my train to Caen.

Day 30

I am here in Caen! I arrived yesterday shortly after 4:00 in the afternoon. I roomed with a man from Holland, Mike. I just saw my first memorial to the D-Day invasion of Normandy. The site of an American flag almost brought tears to my eyes. I never knew how much I missed and loved America.

While I have a minute (waiting for the shops and museums to open for Sunday business) I will explain my journey. I left from Ostrava -- no problem. I paid Olga back her 400 crowns, plus 100 crowns for her generosity. On the tram, I train I read a lot. I have finished over half of my book on the train ride from Ostrava to Paris. I did not know that I needed to transfer stations from the East station to the West station in Paris. No one told me... Therefore, I had to take a taxi from one end of town to the other. I was in a hurry and I paid handsomely for it. The taxi driver ripped me off. The taxi meeter read 35 Franks, but he charged me an extra 15 Franks for gas! Whatever...

Last night I walked around Caen. it is a nice town, but tomorrow I will take a taxi to St. Lo and walk and bus across the landing beaches. I hope to buy a book or two while I am here that have detailed accounts of the invasion. I am really looking forward to finding a map of the Overlord landings. I also hope that the books are in English.

As I walked around Caen, I see a lot of signs thanking the Liberators. This is mostly the Canadians. They were the force that freed Caen. The U.S. freed St. Lo. Utah and Omaha were the American beaches. Juno, Gold and Sword were the British and Canadian beaches.

The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you.

General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Orders to his troops for D-Day, June 6, 1944.

When I read this passage I had tears in my eyes and a knot in my throat -- so many men died. So many men died for my freedom.

We must maintain the offensive against the evil in all its forms. We must work, and we must fight to ensure that our children shall have and shall enjoy in peace the inalienable rights to freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom from want and freedom from fear. Only on those bold terms can this total war result in total victory.

Franklin D. Roosevelt.

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I have wept several times today. The most recent was when I was at the United States Armed Forces Garden. It is behind the Dwight D. Eisenhower Museum in Caen. There are several plaques from each State from the U.S. Each plaque thanks those that gave their lives for our freedom. The waterfall gently falls in the foreground creating a continuous veil of water, as tears, for the memory of those who died. Most of the states are represented: Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri. The quote on the plaque from Nebraska states:

All Hell Can't Stop Us!

Jay Nixon
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I have seen hours of history -- almost to much to remember. This place is centered on history -- not just the invasion. It traced the events of Europe from 1900 through WWI, the global depression in the late 1920's and finally the rise and fall of fascism and finally the fall of communism with the Berlin wall coming down. This museum has shown me more than just the invasion of Normandy by the Allies. It has taught me how each event was tied to another event in history. It showed me how all of these events, taken individually would not be that significant, led to global war. I feel as I did after returning from Auschwitz. I am emotionally exhausted, but hungry to learn more.

From the heart of our land flows the blood of our youth given to you in the name of freedom.

Author Unknown.