laissez-moi de vous émerveiller

hier

Yesterday i spent Memorial Day at Omaha and Utah beaches in Normandy. It was a surreal experience to be at the site where history changed on the day where we remember the sacrifices of those men who accomplished that change. i should've realized that the day was going to be rough when i began crying in line to get our tickets. To be honest, it all started when i saw the English channel for the first time. Luckily, I have great friends who understand my quirky obsession with England and helped to calm me down.

 I spent the afternoon wandering around the beach and American Cemetery and cried a few more times. The coast there is so calm and so peaceful right now that it is hard to imagine that it was once the site of a huge battle. But that touched me almost more than anything, the cycle of renewal.

aujourd'hui

Mont Saint Michel was magical. i realize that i use that word a lot to describe France. But really, it does it the most justice. France isn't just beautiful or wonderful or impressive. It is all of those things but has an element of magic to it that words can't describe. Mont Saint Michel might be the most beautiful place i've ever experienced in my life. Darian and i put poppies in our hair and sang "Castle on a Cloud" from Les Mis. We lost track of time frolicking in the fields so that we nearly missed our tour, but luckily we made it. The whole time it was difficult to keep from quoting Harry Potter and Ever After.

When we finally made it to the top of the village, several nuns and monks were singing in the chapel at the top and i got shivers. The city is so ancient and so out of a story book. i loved running my hands over the walls and imagining the millions of people who have done likewise.

After, we left Normandie for the coast of Bretagne. Et voila! The English Channel! All to myself! i ran as fast as i could down the foggy beach, ran up to my knees in the water, and put my face straight in to kiss it. i was so happy that i was laughing uncontrollably...and some people call me crazy.