contest

i don't know if you all remember about the starbucks contest, well, last night i spotted the FIRST starbucks ofParis, well, i don't know if it was the first one, its just hte first one we have seen. so, katie had to buy mine...but, it was CLOSED! at 9:30pm...unbelieveable! STRANGE HOURS IN EUROPE! so, i guess we will have to go back today, or tomorrow before our train out of town or something...hehe.

yes, yesterday was a GREAT day! we woke up at an ungodly hour....5:30. IT wouldn't be so bad, except we kinda had late night the night before. But, we made it to the train station to catch our train to Normandy. We were a little early, so Katie and I bought breakfast, pastries and coffee. i didn't have coffee though. the train ride was uneventful. The sky looked a little grey at sometimes, but it turned out to be a beatuful day in Normandy. We started our all day tour at the Museum. It was a great museum of WWII, giving plenty of background information about WWI and The Hollocost, etc. It realy was quite distressing at some times. Any time you hear about one man having such a deviasting effect on SO MANY people is daunting. True, he was a genius, but he used it in such an evil way. We had a bout 2 and half hours inthe museum, then ate lunch in the cafeteria. WE ate with our tour guide, who is facinated with WWII and everything connected with it. HE was the best tour guid we have had, because his knowledge was so deep, and he was so respectful about it all. (on a side note: he gave us advise on authentic, affordable food for dinner tonight, so we are excited.) there are even gardens at the museum dedicated, one to British, one to Canadian, and one to American soldiers who fought in the war, especially D-DAY. At 2 we began our journey to 5 of the D-Day landing sites on the Beeches of Normandy. That was beautiful! We were 8 in a van, with the same tour guide. He had answeres for every question anyone had. HE had seen every movie about D-Day, and knew what was real and where it was filmed, and who the actors were...etc. He knows his stuff. i will post pictures of the day. it started raining while we were at hte memorial to the American Soldiers who died in the War. There are over 9 thouand crosses above the soldiers barried there. and there is a grave for over 3 thousand for those MIA. That is only 40 percent of hte soldiers who died in the war, the rest were barried in there homeland. We visited the grave of Theadore Rosevelt, the presendent's son, who recieved the medal of honor for risking his life and disobeying orders, which resulted in a great victory. It was all very incredible.

WE got stuck in some rain...I got pretty wet, again. So, when we arrived on our last landing site, i could not resist stepping into the ocean. It was all sand, and so beautiful, in between thunderstorms! I think KAtie has pictures of it...but they are not on my camera right now, so i can't post them. i do have some of hte beaches though. I did not want to take my camera out in the rain, and i didnt have a poncho...o well.

Katie was bit by a bug on the van, and bled. i screamed when it flew around...we almost crashed the van. not really, but it was a bit crazy for a second. the guy behind me said, "it's not like it has guns and its shooting!" i just thought i would give you all a funny thought...maybe you can laugh as much as i did about it, but i doubt it. ;)

the tour ended at 7 pm...so it was an all day thing.

there is someone who needs the computer, and i told him ten mins. so i better do some pics now.