My 2004 Spring Break trip was another trip to France.  During the first part of the trip we drove to Normandy.
  

The French Counryside was as beautiful as it is rumored to be.



We had two nights already booked at this small castle in Muieron.  The rooms had names, and were really nice.  In the morning the owner of the place woke up to serve us breakfeast with croissants, fresh jam, and milk from the neighboring farms.


In the morning, we ventured to an ancient island city of Mont Saint-Micheal


Now, as usual, I'm not to good on the specifics, but this place is where French Monks once worshiped.  Parts of the church (the building that dominated the island) is over 1,300 years old.


After another night at the castle we drove to the beaches of Normandy.  Its been almost 60 years since D-Day.


"Here Rests in Honored Glory, A Comrade in Arms, Known but to God"


Next we visited a once strong German fort, that was capable of hitting Omeha and Utah Beach and seafront with heavy artillery.  It's name is Pont du Hoc.  The massive holes in the ground are from Allied bombing before D-Day.  On D-Day, 120 of 210 Rangers lost their lives scaling the massive cliffs and finishing what the Allied bombs had left untouched.


   


Next we visited the once "Bloody Omeha," where over 3000 US soldiers died storming Omeha Beach on the dawn of D-Day.
  


Surrounding the area are many both French and American cemetaries.  French cemetraies are filled with stones with dates "1943" and "1944' on them.


...And the American ones had dates all later than June 6, 1944.