29 Apr 2022
A Normandy visit has been on my bucket list for years. Doru, our guide (hope I correctly spelled your name, Doru!) was great- easy to talk to, INCREDIBLY knowledgeable not only about D-Day but European history, economics, culture, politics... his passion for the topics was palpable. Our tour just so happened to also be my birthday, and Doru insisted on buying me a birthday beer at lunch. :) Doru's photographer Stella also happened to join us this particular day, and was wonderful.
We saw Utah beach+ museum, Point du Hoc + museum, Omaha beach, and Cemetery plus cemetery museum. At the day's very end, at the cemetery, my family was ready to depart for the drive back to Paris, but both Doru and Stella suggested we hang on 10 more minutes for the daily 5pm flag lowering ceremony. It was very powerful and highly worth it.
The day was long with so many things to see plus the drive to/from Paris, but it met every expectation. Even my wife, who is not one to embrace this much driving on a vacation day, and who is not a history buff like me, said Normandy was a highlight of her week in France.
Thank you very much, Doru and Stella!