History and culinary ventures

I know it's been a few days since I wrote but I've been too tired. But that means now I have more to talk about! Two days ago, we visited Pointe du Hoc, which was a strategic point for the Germans until an American company took it on D-Day. The ground was full of craters from artillery shells. We also saw pits where guns must have been kept, afterward we went to Omaha beach. At the museum we saw a film and tableaus from the war. Following this, we went to a chocolatier and museum. I didn't go in, but mom and Emma came out with a variety of assorted specialty chocolates for dessert. Yesterday morning, we toured a working caramel factory and came out with two gift boxes of assorted caramels, two bags of assorted soft caramels, original caramels, carmel cookies, caramel filled chocolates, and caramel spreads which we will use ourselves. Next we went to try and find the Chateau de Balleroy, which also had a museum of hot air ballooning, all owned by Malcolm Forbes.  

Today featured the little town of Arromanches which unassuming as it may be played a crucial role in the Allied victory.  The Allies knew they needed a harbor to get around the Germans but all the ports had been fortified.  With ingenuity and creativity, they built two temporary harbors which they code named Mulberry A and B.  While Mulberry A was destroyed early in its existence, Mulberry B also called Port Winston, managed to serve its purpose and the remnants of it remain as a memorial.

After this experience, we went for lunch.  You may think I am going to bore you with food, but just wait.  Yes the meal was very good, but the highlight of it was nothing you could taste or feel.  I had noticed for some time, that the elderly man at the next table, sitting alone, was watching me.  I wasn't sure what this was at first but he called to the waiter and said he would like to pay for two desserts for Emma and I. Of course we accepted, this was true, unimpeded altruism.  He only spoke French, but was open to talking.  He told us how he was 84 years old and how he had spent two years in a hospital and had had operations on his feet, legs, and knees! He told us how his wife had passed in that time and that he still felt her loss.  He told us how he had lived here for twenty years after commuting to Paris from St Germaine.  He also remarked on how I must always love life and some other heart felt sentiment besides. Finally he told me I was very nice and wished all of us good-luck.

After lunch we visited Juno Beach and the fairly new museum there.  It was the best museum we had seen.  It had various little films and tidbits about Canada through the war and through-out its history. 

Tomorrow will be the end of our stay in Port en Bessin.  On Saturday we will be traveling to Rouen and staying near the historic center.