In the UK I have frequently traveled by holding out a sign with the destination and in short order find a lift so I didn’t expect any issue doing that today. The goal was Omaha Beach and, more importantly, the American Cemetery where 9,387 US troops are buried. I have made WWII one of my reading concentrations and am fairly well versed on Operation Overlord and the 5000 to 7000 vessels, 1200 aircraft and 160,000 troops involved in the invasion of the Normandy Beaches and felt that a visit there was more important to me than seeing Paris. Since I was feeling pretty good, I took my dry-erase board and hit the road. As I have said, my French is inexistant, but I figured everyone would recognize the words “Omaha Beach” & “Please”. The D514 coast road is classic French countryside with little, old villages and housing clusters and as the weather was d’accord, I was enjoying myself.
When, 7 miles or 11 kilometers later the wander had become a slog, I was full of “Merci beaucoups” when a young couple stopped to give me succor, I had long past the point where I found the wander enjoyable.
Let me say this about the Cemetery, if an American makes the effort to pilgrimage to this historic site and does not find tears streaming down the face, they should stop calling themselves American.
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