June 18, 2014, Last day on tour - Berlin

We started the day with a trip on the subway to the central part of the city and a short walking tour that included a trip to checkpoint Charlie of Cold War Fame

 

We would have lunch in the area before starting a bus tour of Berlin.

  

Our first stop was at the Holocaust Memorial 

  

From the Holocaust Memorial it was a short walk to the Brandenburg Gate

 Then it was back on the bus to the longest remaining section of the Berlin wall before dinner.

After dinner we took the subway back to our hotel for an early evening before starting our trip back tomorrow morning. The bus leaves at 6:00 AM :-0

June 17, 2014 - Belgium to Cologne and finally Berlin.

 Our first stop was at the Ardennes American Memorial Cemetery in Belgium.

We arrived in Cologne, Germany for a quick walking tour, lunch and some shopping time. We would take a group shot at a Roman Gate near the cathedral. The gate would date back to the 1st or 2nd century, they have really old stuff in Europe. :-)

 Taking the train from Cologne to Berlin.

Our arrival in Berlin at about 9:15 pm local time

June 16, 2014, to Bastogne, Belgium

Started the day with a bus ride to Belgium. We stopped in Bastogne and had lunch picked up our guide Henri, a 82-84 year old man who was nine when the Germans came into Bastogne. He took us to the Monument of the Battle there and on to the actual battle field. If you've seen the movie "Band of Brothers" you will remember the 101st Airborne who fought there and we saw the fox holes that they dug in the battle as they overlooked the village of Foy.

                                                   Group shot at the Bastogne Memorial

                                                   From thee forest looking across to Foy.

                                               German grave markers, 6 men per marker.

                                                   German flags flying over the cemetery

June 15, 2014 - Paris day 2

We spent the morning touring Paris via bus then went to Versailles for a tour of the Palace and the gardens there  . . . wow! From there back to Paris and dinner, walking and a river cruise of the Seine River, very  nice.  See photos below:

 

Versailles

                                                              The gardens at Versailles

                                                        Montmarte overlooking Paris

                                                         

                                                        Eiffel Tower from the Seine.

                                                       Notre Dame from the Seine

Rouen & Paris - June 14, 2014

We left the Normandy region and stopped in Rouen for a quick walking tour and lunch before heading in to Paris where we would stop by to see Notre Dame Cathedral and have dinner before a trip up the Eiffel Tower.

                                                                           Rouen

                                                                      Paris Metro ride

 

Dinner in Paris

                                                         Group shot after our visit on the tower

June 13, 2014 Portsmouth crossing 

After a late breakfast and late start we took our coach (bus) to Portsmouth to catch a ferry from there to Caen.

 A shot from the ferry as we are leaving Portsmouth of the Spinnaker

  

In addition to the large group from Mississippi there is a group from Longmont, Colorado.

 

For years out of a sense of precaution I've packed some of my clothes and all of my liquids and jells in a separate zip lock bag. This evening all that caution payed off. I'd packed my shaving cream in a bag and a disaster was diverted see above, a bag of shaving cream. Yes I'll continue to use it as long as the bubbles don't fizz out! :-)

June 14, 2014 Normandy Beaches and the American Cemetery 

 This is a shot of the German gun emplacements along Omaha Beach at Normandy. These guns were intended to take out any ships carrying men and supplies to support the invasion, good news they were taken out on day 1 of the attack.

 Linda and Annalise and Andrew.

 Each traveler from Oklahoma was given an Oklahoma Rose stone to place on the headstone of Oklahoman's killed in the first 10 days of the invasion.

 Your fearless Tour Leader and Linda sitting on the wall in the American Cemetery at Omaha Beach.

 

Listening to our tour guide for the day on the beach.

 The memorial at Omaha Beach

 A group shot on the beach at Normandy.

 A shot while we listen to our guide talk about the Pont du Hoc

 The German view from the gun at Pont du Hoc

 Dinner in Caen, beef, rice and vegetables.

 Andy & Crystal leaders of the large group from Mississippi. We're lucky to have a great group to travel with this summer!  :-)

London June 11, 2014

Our first stop of the day was London Bridge and you should note the Tower Bridge in the background.

 

 

 

After a stop at St. Paul's Cathedral we were off to Buckingham Palace to see the changing of the guard. We would return to St. Paul's later and better photos resulted so see those below.

 

After leaving Buckingham we walked along the edge of St. Jame's Park on our way to a late lunch of fish and chips near Big Bin.

Some in the group wanted to make a phone call but couldn't handle the long distance charges!

 Fish and chips were a must have meal while in London and these guys split their meal.

 After lunch we stopped by Westminster Abby for a trip to the gift shop during a busy afternoon on our way to dinner.

 Some folks were a little tired as we waited for all of the groups to meet us for dinner at Wagamamma's, an Asian noodle fusion eatery in London. see below.

 After dinner some of the group went on a walking tour for Harry Potter and we hit a number of stops that those who are into that recognized from the movies/books.

 One of the stops on the walking tour was back at St. Paul's and a much better photo opp offered itself.

 I'd explain what this is but I'm NOT  Harry Potter expert but it was one of our stops.