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Cloud WWII cruise Lisbon to Dover

Emtbsam

By Emtbsam,
in Silversea

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Beanjar

Beanjar

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Posted

Hello Emtbsam,

 

As a Guernseyman, I am delighted to hear that you enjoyed your short visit to my island.

 

My wife was the tourist guide leading the Culture tour and attended the reception afterwards. She said it was wonderful to meet you all and she hopes that everyone found our WW11 history interesting.

My parents were here during the 5 years of German occupation and life was not pleasant under foreign military rule.

Say Hi to Duct Tape and also to David Lawton

 

Beanjar

PS We join the Wind at the end if the month

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duct tape

duct tape

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Another point of interest I have been told is that the lecturers are not all speaking from the same perspective. There is the German perspective, a fellow who specializes in paratroopers and one who is all about the airwar, I think. If not, emtbsam will let us know. Bean jar, thanx for the greetings. Sure wish I was there. My other half reports the same level of tiredness and hyper organization, but loving every minute!

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Emtbsam

Emtbsam

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There have been so many surprises on this trip. Little did I realize the D-Day (Jour J) is a time when all the WWII re-enactors come out of the woodwork. More about that in a bit.

 

We arrived in Caen during the night and are docked in a not very attractive industrial area. Yesterday, our tour was to the Utah Beach area. We started at the La Fiere Bridge in the rain. It was a bit strange to see WWII vehicles and people in uniform, but that paled in comparison to the carnival type atmosphere at Ste. Mere Eglise. We went to a private reception at the museum and then had time to wander through the museum and the town. There were hundreds of WWII vehicles - after a while they almost seemed the norm - and many people in U.S. Army uniforms. What was interesting is that the people in U.S. Army uniforms were from all over - French mostly, but some from Belgium Croatia and even Germany. Everyone was in high spirits, but it was a very well behaved crowd despite the traffic. Those people who are not in WWII vehicles are in Class C RV's parked all over the place. We had time to go in the church in Ste. Mere Eglise and heard a nun playing the harp and the flute. That is the church where the paratroopers hung by their chutes from the steeple before being freed. They have a dummy paratrooper (at least I hope he's not real) hanging from a parachute on one of the points of the steeple.

 

I neglected to mention the flags. There are American flags all over the place. Every time you see a French flag you will see an American flag at a minimum.

 

Next stop was the Chateau de Bernaville for lunch. They had set up an enormous tent outside where we were treated to a lovely three course lunch. A friend of the owner of the Chateau arrived in his private helicopter since the traffic was more than he felt like dealing with. One of the D-Day vets who was not on the ship came to the luncheon and was greeted with great applause. His comment was "Well everybody's got to be somewhere!" Tom Brokaw spoke for a while as did several other people. One of the high points was the awarding of the Legion d'Honneur to one of the vets. He had traveled alone on the cruise and was surprised to find that his family had flown in for the occasion. It was a very moving event.

 

We had a few minutes to explore the Chateau which the Museum is thinking of purchasing for a permanent WWII educational facility in Europe before departing to Utah Beach. Of course there were huge numbers of WWII vehicles and camps for the soldiers.

 

Had it not been for the events of 1944, Utah Beach would have condos and resort hotels all over it since the location is so spectacular. We were able to walk on the beach which is only separated from the rest of the area by a fairly low dune. Then were was another reception at the museum where the vets received additional medals.

 

We got back to the ship at 8 pm and had to rush to get ready for our evening in Le Champagne. Aziz the maitre d' from Lyon was in charge of the room, and we had a wonderful meal. The ship had given us a bottle of Les Terrasses that we brought to dinner. It was served with much fanfare which we felt it merited. Bob had mostly lobster while I had the rack of lamb for the main course. In fact, they brought him a second lobster thermidore which he managed to consume as well. One thing we did was ask for the foie gras to be well done. I'm not a big fan of it when it is rare, and we both felt this prep was much more to our liking. We got up from the table at 11 pm and waddled back to the cabin.

 

Today, the tour left the ship around 7:45. First stop was in the Gold area where we looked at German bunkers and admired many motorcycles from the period. Then we were taken to the bluff near Arromanches where we had a picnic lunch sitting on the grass. One thing that has struck me is how well behaved everyone is and how little interference there is from the police. It resembles a county fair in a very rural area without the ferris wheel but with thousands more people. We then watched the film about the landing in the circular theater which is a very striking way to experience it. It is so hard to imagine what the local people went through with everything around them destroyed yet they were happy to see the GI's. The town of Arromanches is down at beach level and was crowded with the usual assortment of WWII and current day military. They were setting up for some kind of an event this evening which will no doubt involve fireworks.

 

We opted not to go to the museum and reception in Caen since I am fighting off the "kennel cough" that always seems to be present on vacation.

 

Tomorrow is D-Day and we will be leaving the ship at 6 am!

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RachelG "Live from...." Rare

RachelG

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One of the things that has impressed me when travelling in France is that the French people, at least of the older generation, still remember and appreciate the help given by the US in WWII. I am happy to see that that is still going on.

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UKCruiseJeff

UKCruiseJeff

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The wake up call is set for 4:30 am. I'm not looking forward to that, but if the 90 year old veterans can do it, so can I.

 

Thanks for all your kind comments.

 

 

You enjoy the day.:D

 

There will be so few of these in the future where it would be possible to mingle with those that were actually there.

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Emtbsam

Emtbsam

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We got up at 4 am and the only thing that kept me from feeling sorry for myself was knowing that the crew had gotten up even earlier so that we could all have breakfast and be off the ship by 5:30. I think there were 8 buses of passengers going to the ceremony. We had been warned that security would be very tight and that we could expect a TSA-type exam before entering the cemetery. We also had to bring our passports (even though they were never examined).

 

The first stage was in Caen where there was a huge parking lot filled with buses. Some were empty which seemed strange and others were full. We sat in line until some time after 7 when we inched forward and were finally sniffed by the dogs. They went in and out of the compartments of the bus and apparently found nothing. The organization of this process, or lack thereof, did little to improve our mood. We were boarded and accompanied by an Army Captain whose role was to make sure nothing went wrong on the drive to the cemetery since the bus had been cleared. He is in the airborne and will be participating in the parachute jump on Sunday evening.

 

The roads in Normandy are narrow and no matter how you look at it, with large tour buses, the traffic was horrible. They had closed down the highways and main roads to the cemetery for all vehicles except those that had passed inspection. After arriving at the cemetery, we did have to pass through a TSA type of inspection which was handled very efficiently. I forget what time we arrived, but we were seated some time around 9. Fortunately they had video screens placed strategically throughout the audience or we would not have been able to see anything.

 

The weather was perfect and we sat in full sun for several hours. The setting is on a bluff above Omaha Beach, and as I remarked the other day, in another location would be full of golf courses and hotels. Instead, it is a very peaceful and solemn place filled with grave markers. The grounds are kept beautifully and there were French and American flags at each marker. We were told that there were 10,000 people in attendance. I'm not good a judging crowds, but that number did not surprise me.

 

Before the ceremony, there were lots of aircraft arriving including helicopters and the planes that can take off vertically. Sorry I don't know the name of them. Marine One and several look alikes came with much noise and attention. The bi-national ceremony started around 11 am with the singing of national anthems. We had spent the last several months learning La Marseillaise in French and sang loud and clear with the French people. That was followed by the Star Spangled Banner. Then Francois Hollande gave a speech emphasizing the close ties between France and the US and how much they appreciate what we did for them 70 years ago and in the intervening years. President Obama spoke for a longer time about war veterans and named a few whom he had met. I should interject that all the veterans were seated behind the speakers. I don't know how many there were, but 75 or so is a good guess.

 

After the President's speech, there was a prayer, a 21 cannon salute and the playing of Taps. This was followed by a fly over. I took video of the ceremony and hope it turns out.

 

There were many US service men and women in attendance, and we commented on how polite and impressive they all were. I guess it was a perk to have the opportunity to go and only the best were selected. It was heartwarming to see some of them speaking with the veterans. The news media had a field day with those shots.

 

The ceremony was over some time before noon, and we were told we would have to wait until the dignitaries had left before we could go. Some time around 1:30 we were led out of the cemetery by the National WWII Museum staff and we went to the parking lot to wait for our buses. Unfortunately, it was a madhouse and there were no buses at all. We waited in the parking lot with little shade and no place to sit for way too long before we got any explanation of what was going on. Apparently, the buses were parked 15 km away and there was a huge traffic jam. None of the French gendarme seemed to know what was going on and didn't seem to care a whole lot that there were elderly people standing in the sun with no water. I am a diehard Francophile, but this did nothing to improved my view on their ability to organize such an event! The Museum staff did everything they could, but their hands were tied. We finally found a block of concrete in the shade and perched there for a while.

Our bus came around 3 pm and we were able to sit in air conditioning and have something to eat.

 

The trip back to the ship was relatively easy since most of the roads were closed and the gendarme were everywhere including on the over passes over the highway. At one point, they insisted that we exit the highway and get right back on. Not a clue why. As I sit here complaining, I just noticed that the last of our buses got back at 4:45 - I hope it was due to traffic and not because they had to wait an extra 45 minutes in the parking lot.

 

The logistics of the day were more difficult than I anticipated and since I am fighting some kind of bug, I was not a happy camper until one of the vets on our bus said that last time they waited 4 hours for the bus!

 

I usually ask myself "would I do it again" as a means to evaluate an event. The answer is no. I'm very glad I did it once, and I could see returning to the cemeteries on a non-holiday as I did in 1965, but the ceremony can be enjoyed on TV almost as much as in person. I have been thrilled to get to know a number of vets on the ship, and in many ways that is more meaningful to me than the big ceremony. Others may disagree.

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Herman The Cat

Herman The Cat

Posted
Posted (edited)

Thank you so much for taking the time to "take us along" on this memorable trip. As DuctTape said, "I am getting the goosebumps" just reading the posts. But really, thank you so much for devoting the time to do this, especially in light of the rigorous schedule, activities, the "kennel cough," lack of time/sleep etc. I know you don't have a lot of free time on this voyage and it is very kind of you to share it with us. Hope to see you both on a future cruise!

Edited by Herman The Cat
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UKCruiseJeff

UKCruiseJeff

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They still appear on mine ..... and is below.

 

Jeff

 

We got up at 4 am and the only thing that kept me from feeling sorry for myself was knowing that the crew had gotten up even earlier so that we could all have breakfast and be off the ship by 5:30. I think there were 8 buses of passengers going to the ceremony. We had been warned that security would be very tight and that we could expect a TSA-type exam before entering the cemetery. We also had to bring our passports (even though they were never examined).

 

The first stage was in Caen where there was a huge parking lot filled with buses. Some were empty which seemed strange and others were full. We sat in line until some time after 7 when we inched forward and were finally sniffed by the dogs. They went in and out of the compartments of the bus and apparently found nothing. The organization of this process, or lack thereof, did little to improve our mood. We were boarded and accompanied by an Army Captain whose role was to make sure nothing went wrong on the drive to the cemetery since the bus had been cleared. He is in the airborne and will be participating in the parachute jump on Sunday evening.

 

The roads in Normandy are narrow and no matter how you look at it, with large tour buses, the traffic was horrible. They had closed down the highways and main roads to the cemetery for all vehicles except those that had passed inspection. After arriving at the cemetery, we did have to pass through a TSA type of inspection which was handled very efficiently. I forget what time we arrived, but we were seated some time around 9. Fortunately they had video screens placed strategically throughout the audience or we would not have been able to see anything.

 

The weather was perfect and we sat in full sun for several hours. The setting is on a bluff above Omaha Beach, and as I remarked the other day, in another location would be full of golf courses and hotels. Instead, it is a very peaceful and solemn place filled with grave markers. The grounds are kept beautifully and there were French and American flags at each marker. We were told that there were 10,000 people in attendance. I'm not good a judging crowds, but that number did not surprise me.

 

Before the ceremony, there were lots of aircraft arriving including helicopters and the planes that can take off vertically. Sorry I don't know the name of them. Marine One and several look alikes came with much noise and attention. The bi-national ceremony started around 11 am with the singing of national anthems. We had spent the last several months learning La Marseillaise in French and sang loud and clear with the French people. That was followed by the Star Spangled Banner. Then Francois Hollande gave a speech emphasizing the close ties between France and the US and how much they appreciate what we did for them 70 years ago and in the intervening years. President Obama spoke for a longer time about war veterans and named a few whom he had met. I should interject that all the veterans were seated behind the speakers. I don't know how many there were, but 75 or so is a good guess.

 

After the President's speech, there was a prayer, a 21 cannon salute and the playing of Taps. This was followed by a fly over. I took video of the ceremony and hope it turns out.

 

There were many US service men and women in attendance, and we commented on how polite and impressive they all were. I guess it was a perk to have the opportunity to go and only the best were selected. It was heartwarming to see some of them speaking with the veterans. The news media had a field day with those shots.

 

The ceremony was over some time before noon, and we were told we would have to wait until the dignitaries had left before we could go. Some time around 1:30 we were led out of the cemetery by the National WWII Museum staff and we went to the parking lot to wait for our buses. Unfortunately, it was a madhouse and there were no buses at all. We waited in the parking lot with little shade and no place to sit for way too long before we got any explanation of what was going on. Apparently, the buses were parked 15 km away and there was a huge traffic jam. None of the French gendarme seemed to know what was going on and didn't seem to care a whole lot that there were elderly people standing in the sun with no water. I am a diehard Francophile, but this did nothing to improved my view on their ability to organize such an event! The Museum staff did everything they could, but their hands were tied. We finally found a block of concrete in the shade and perched there for a while.

Our bus came around 3 pm and we were able to sit in air conditioning and have something to eat.

 

The trip back to the ship was relatively easy since most of the roads were closed and the gendarme were everywhere including on the over passes over the highway. At one point, they insisted that we exit the highway and get right back on. Not a clue why. As I sit here complaining, I just noticed that the last of our buses got back at 4:45 - I hope it was due to traffic and not because they had to wait an extra 45 minutes in the parking lot.

 

The logistics of the day were more difficult than I anticipated and since I am fighting some kind of bug, I was not a happy camper until one of the vets on our bus said that last time they waited 4 hours for the bus!

 

I usually ask myself "would I do it again" as a means to evaluate an event. The answer is no. I'm very glad I did it once, and I could see returning to the cemeteries on a non-holiday as I did in 1965, but the ceremony can be enjoyed on TV almost as much as in person. I have been thrilled to get to know a number of vets on the ship, and in many ways that is more meaningful to me than the big ceremony. Others may disagree.

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RachelG "Live from...." Rare

RachelG

Posted
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Really loving your description of the day. It sounds long and tiring, and while it would have been absolutely amazing to be at the ceremony, the getting back and forth were very trying. But you can say you did it!

And don't need to do it again, though a visit at another less crazy time would probably be great.

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spinnaker2 "Live from...." Rare

spinnaker2

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I read your narrative aloud to my husband he was enthralled and had so many questions

He kept stopping me to ask

Of course I could not answer these questions

 

But what this evinces is how much you made this come alive for the reader

 

Thank you

 

And when you see Larry

If ever again , he will have lots of questions

 

Again thanks for sharing your perspective on this momentous remembrance and this cruise

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

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Emtbsam

Emtbsam

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I read your narrative aloud to my husband he was enthralled and had so many questions

He kept stopping me to ask

Of course I could not answer these questions

 

But what this evinces is how much you made this come alive for the reader

 

Thank you

 

And when you see Larry

If ever again , he will have lots of questions

 

Again thanks for sharing your perspective on this momentous remembrance and this cruise

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

Aren't you and Larry on this year's TA on the Spirit? We board in Rome and continue on to Ft. Lauderdale.

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Emtbsam

Emtbsam

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I missed last evening's panel discussion with Tom Brokaw and several vets including one General. Bob said that it was very interesting to see how lucid the comments from the General were after all these years.

 

Today, we have opted not to take the 7 am tour back to Omaha Beach although I would have loved to see it again. Instead, we are going to the Vierville-sur-Mer, Les Moulins and Pointe du Hoc. After that, we are scheduled for a special reception with the Mayor of Caen at the Abbey de Caen and a discussion between Richard Adkerson and Nick Mueller about "Phoenixes Rising: The Connection between Caen & New Orleans".

 

By the way, when we return home, I hope to post a few photos from the trip, but that will take some time to get all 4000+ of them sorted out!

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