Tomorrow

We go to a WWII Museum tomorrow and then we board the Sea Cloud!  Not sure when I'll get to post tomorrow.  I can't believe we are getting to do all this.  It is honestly the trip of a lifetime!  God is so good!
Marie and Kurt, Tiff; and Lindz wish you were here with us!

Also, had to post a picture of the hair dryer in our room!  It looks like a big vacuum!  It also plays music!

Mont St Michel!

Today we visited Mont St Michel which is built on an island on basically a huge rock.  It is an abbey that was first built in the 11th Century.  Awesome!  Here are some pictures from the day.  Also we want to wish Marie and Kurt Happy 3rd Anniversary tomorrow!!

Normandy

Today we visited Saint Mere Eglise, the first town liberated in France by the US.  Then we went to the beachheads of Utah, The Point, and Omaha.  We also went to the Normandy American Cemetary where over 8000 US troops are buried.  Very moving day.  We have a wonderful French guide Mathias who knew so much history about the Beachhead invasion on D Day.  Tiff, you would have learned a lot!

I made it!

Well, I made it to Paris and I'm our first Hotel Imis.  The keyboards here are different so it is taking me longer to write this than it should!  All my flights were fine and I arrived basically on time in Paris.  I don't feel like I was really in Paris because I never saw outside of the terminal!  Getting my baggage was interesting because at first it appeared that one of my bags made it and one didn't.  But as about 10 of us were in line to talk to a representative, someone showed up with the rest of our bags!  What was great about this airport was the luggage carriers were free!  I did not have to lug around 2 heavy bags while I waited to be picked up; and I waited awhile!  I was told to meet the group at Terminal 1, Arrivals.  Well, Arrivals is not where you get picked up except by a taxi.  I did have at least 10 taxi drivers ask me if I needed a taxi, and a few asked me multiple times!  After waiting 20 minutes past my pickup time, I had to find a pay phone to call the only # I had.  They were looking for me and I was looking for them but we could not find each other.  I finally talked to a nice security guy who told me I had to go to Departures to be picked up!  Well go figure:  arrivals are picked up at departures!!  I finally ventured out the right door and someone spotted me!  Wew, not a great way to start to get lost from the group!!
So then we had a 3 hour bus ride to the hotels.  Our driver was on his cell phone and going 30 miles under the speed limit the first hour!  Then he had to take an hour break by law!  So we stopped at a little roadway rest stop that had a few snack shops and sandwich shops.  Finally we were back on the road and 2 more hours to our destination.  I tried to look out the window when I was not sleeping!  A few of us are staying at a different hotel than the rest of the group.  I took a few pictures.  The hotel is right in front of a  large fishing area.  This area is famous for the scallops here, but we just missed the fresh season which goes thru March.  Crock is not here yet.  He had to fly to Paris, then take a train, and eventually a taxi to meet up with us.  I'll be glad when he makes it here!  We are here for 3 days and then we board the yacht!

The Trip!

Hey everyone,
So, a few weeks ago Crock and I were presented with an invitation we could not refuse:  A trip to Europe to sail with YL on the Sea Cloud.  I mean we were at a loss for words on this one!  All expenses paid except for travel!  And Crock was already going to Ireland (golf trip with HS and college buddies, most turning 50 this year) that had been planned for a year!  We also thought, impossible since I was about to be working officially for UNC.  But, God is SOOOOO good!  He worked out the work situation (thanks Martina for being soooo understanding!) and we were able to work out the plane flights for me and Crock.  So, I fly to Paris on Friday, May 27 to meet up with Crock coming from Ireland and then we meet up with the YL group.  I have no idea how often I'll be able to be at a computer to post but I'll try to post every few days!  I'll try to post pictures as well.  This is all new to me, so I may not do a great job at it. but a friend suggested I do this, so I'll give it a go!
We start in Normandy, France and then we board the Sea Cloud (www.firstcenturyvoyages.com) and tour the beaches of France for 7 days.  We end up in Spain where we catch a plane to fly home.