JerrysJourneys

Disembarkation.  We have been gone from home 3 weeks.  Football season is upon us and Auburn needs our help.  Texas Tech needs Larry and Pat.  We will get home tonight and jet lag or not, we will be in the stadium tomorrow night.  There is not a lot I can say about this trip that would be better than what Linda posted....so here is Linda.... We have returned from a fantastic trip to Germany and France. The people were warm, welcoming, and friendly. There were people who stopped to offer help when we were checking our map. We were offered seats on crowded buses and trains. We were thanked especially in France for traveling to their country and supporting them. The tourist industry has been hurt and people will certainly lose jobs. Bad things have happened over there, but bad things are happening here. I never felt unsafe anywhere over there. I'm so glad that we went and I will treasure the memories we made. We have enjoyed the trip and I hope you have enjoyed this trip report.  Unti...

Things are winding down on this trip.  We have seen a lot, done a lot, ate a lot, made new friends, walked through history, and had a great time.  Today is our final touring day.  Chateau de Maimaison awaits us.  Napoleon Bonaparte married Josephine in 1796.  Josephine bought the manor in 1797 while Napoleon was away fighting the Egyptian Campaign.  The house cost a fortune to purchase and a fortune for renovations,  Josephine was just thinking of her husband.  She just wanted a nice place for him to live in when he would take a break from fighting the Napoleonic Wars.  How nice.  Later on, when they divorced, she got the house.  Things have not changed much today.  Napoleon had to find another castle to live in.  Josephine lived there until her death in 1814.  After her death and his defeat at Battle of Waterloo (1815), Napoleon took residence there before his exile to the island of Saint Helena.  A very nice place, by any standard, but I thought the bedrooms were rather small.  After...

After a leisurely morning cruise through several locks, we arrived in Les Andelys. This village was developed during the construction of Gaillard Castle under Richard the Lionheart.  Construction began in 1197 and was completed in 1198.  Over 6,000 workers and craftsmen worked tirelessly to achieve such a feat.  The construction crews were not slave labor, but received a wage for their work.  Our visit took us on the footsteps of King Richard.  Richard spent a huge amount of the taxpayers money on this castle.  The fortress was meant to impress King Philip Augustus of France and prevent him from invading Normandy.  King Richard saw his castle completed, but died a year later when he attacked the castle Chalus, near Limoges.  He was wounded in the shoulder by a crossbow and died 13 days later.  Three years later, King Augustus launched the French conquest of Normandy.  After a 7 month blockade, Castle Gaillard was stormed and taken. Those of you who may not be all that familiar with Kin...

Normandy derives its name from the Vikings (Northmen) who settled this area from the 9th century, onward. Throughout the 100 years war, the control of Normandy seesawed back and forth between French and English rule.  Normandy was also a Protestant stronghold and was the scene of much fighting between the Catholics and the Hugenots in the 16th century.  Today it is firmly in the hands of the French. On our tour today we will enjoy Rouen, the historical capital of Normandy.  We will visit the square where Joan de Arc was martyred and learn about her life.  A walk through the streets of Rouen is a walk through history.  Rouen  was founded on the site of the Roman settlement of Rotomagus and has had a turbulent history.  The city was heavily damaged (approximately 45% destruction) during WWII, but in the last 65 years has been largely restored.  Rouen is also the site of a recent terror attack on July 26, 2016, when ISIS militants stormed a local church, during morning mass.  They murdere...

The AmaAlegro stayed at anchorage overnight in Caudebec in order to give the on board travelers an opportunity to spend a full day touring.  Pam, Roy, Sandy, John, Pat and Larry toured the D-Day beach at Omaha, the U.S. Cemetery and Arromanches.  Sue, Manny, Linda and I toured the countryside and villages of Pays D'Auge. June 6, 1944 is a day certainly ingrained in the memory of our parents. Many of our fathers and mothers took an active part in the U.S. efforts in WWII.  Omaha Beach was the focal point of what was to become the largest amphibious invasion in world history.  The Battle of Normandy lasted 76 days.  Allied losses were 210,000 casualties including 37,000 KIA.  German casualties were estimated at 200,000 with another 200,000 taken prisoner.  As a side note, many of these German prisoners ended up in Aliceville, Alabama.  A POW camp was constructed in west Alabama that housed over 6,000 Germans.  While touring the cemetery, Larry was selected to assist in a wreath layin...