Ieper, Belgium

Explored World War I sites yesterday including British and German cemeteries. The countryside is so peaceful today so it is hard to visualize the devastation from 100 years ago. The town of Ieper (Ypres) was virtually bombed to rubble but has been rebuilt to look as original as possible. Every evening at 8 the town holds a memorial service at the Menen Gate to honor the 90,000 soldiers who died and whose bodies were never recovered. Thousands more are buried all across the area in beautiful cemeteries that are meticulously groomed. Workers were on their knees tending the flowers beside each headstone, carefully pulling weeds one at a time. Today we drove south through beautiful farmland in France, had a brief stop in the seaside town of Honfleur and meandered through several quaint villages on the way to our cozy accommodations in an apple orchard in the Calvados region of Normandy. I would love to just sit here for a day, reading and relaxing and listening to the birds but more sightseeing awaits! We will be home in a week😚!Read more