2023 European adventure - day 26 (26 September)

Elizabeth's cold is very slowly showing signs of improvement but this morning she wasn't feeling too bright at all so we delayed leaving u til after 11. Once we got moving the paper-based navigation notes proved pretty good so we didn't have much trouble at all finding our way. At about14 k we found the ld by German gun batteries overlooking Omaha Beach mostly in tact apart from one which had a massive internal explosion. They were taken out by British navy guns on D Day. Next stop was Arrowmanches on Gold Beach - famous newsreel photos of the soldiers disembarking with the little French cottages right in front of them. They appear to have been restored and still there. This was also the site of the massive artificial harbour built by sinking huge steel stŕuctures around the beach, Quite moving to see pictures of British army war heroes mounted on all the lamp posts com I g into town with the words "never forget" beautiful tide in the Normandie countryside today. Just beautiful. Treated ourselves to the first full on French meal tonight - the first in a out 5 gears!