Respect…..

In this time of negative comments such as Trump, May, Corbyn and Brexit, I thought it was appropriate to remember this week that it is the 75th anniversary of the D day landings.  I am not a political person at all, but do have huge respect for those who fought giving us freedom as we know today.

If you think back on the start of the film Saving Private Ryan, and the landings on the beach. What they were thinking of at that time? So now we fast forward and all this week we have celebrations, as well as an awful lot of remembering those that have fallen.

I think it is wonderful that the Royal British Legion has chartered the Fred Olsen ship, Boudicca for all those veterans to go over to France. It would be even better to think they did not pay for it!!  I also read that Sir Rod Stewart was also on board, giving a couple of shows and singing his famous song, Sailing (of course!)

The Normandy beaches now are full of tourists, press, dignitaries and the like but once this has all died down it will go back to normal.  For me, that is the time I want to visit and remember those fallen.  When you are on a ship which will dock in Northern France you can of course visit.  You can also see some of the cemeteries of which they are many. Royal Caribbean, Princess, Viking, NCL,  to name just a few will offer this for you. You can also visit some of the many observation posts which are scattered around.

If this is perhaps a little morbid for you, then you can visit Le Havre which although heavily bombed in world war 2, is now a UNESCO world heritage site. Well worth a look around.

So, if you are doing a Northern France cruise which stops in the proximity, have a look around or like me go to see these places. It is so important in this day and age that we really do not forget.

Till next time x