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France

Fromelles Military Cemetery and Memorial Park

We stopped at the Fromelles Memorial Park to see the Australian monument. The memorial park is situated on the German defensive line which was attacked on 19 July 1916 by the Australian forces at the Battle of Fromelles.

Cobbers Sculpture at the Formelles Memorial monument

The sculpture of two soldiers in the center of the memorial park is dedicated to the men who fought and fell in the Battle of Fromelles on 19 and 20 July 1916.

There were also remains of German machine gun bunkers at the memorial park.

Remains of a German machine gun bunker

After visiting the Australian Memorial Park, we stopped at the Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery which was only a short distance from the Australian Memorial Park. This cemetery is a significant memorial for Australia.

Fromelles Pheasant Wood Cemetery

We walked through the cemetery looking at the gravestones of both British and Australian soldiers. The history of this cemetery is unique because it was constructed between 2009 and 2010. It is the first new Commonwealth War Graves cemetery for more than 50 years.

Australian Gravestone at the Pheasant Wood Cemetery

We were surprised by the amount of Australians that were involved in the first world war. There were over 416,000 Australians that enlisted for WW I and over 60,000 died over the period of the war.

Pheasant Wood Cemetery

The Pheasant Wood Cemetery contains the graves of 250 British and Australian soldiers who died on 19 July 1916 in the Battle of Fromelles. The cemetery is located on a section of the front line during the battle of Fromelles. Their bodies were discovered following research by a retired teacher,  that also included analysis of aerial photographs. They discovered mass graves on the edge of Pheasant Wood, just outside the village of Fromelles.

Formelles Pheasant Wood Cemetery

There were Australians on our tour and they were able to locate a relative which was buried at the cemetery. It was a moving experience for them and reminded everyone just how far-reaching the impact of the war was.

“Au revoir et passez une bonne journée”

France

The Trenches and Tunnels of Vimy Ridge

We went to see the trenches and tunnels at the Vimy Memorial Park. Each year the Canadian Government hires Canadian university students as guides for the Memorial Park.

Canadian University Student providing a tour of the tunnels at Vimy Ridge.

We had a very informative Canadian University student from Waterloo. Our guide explained the tunnels and how they were used to move troops and supplies to the front lines during the battles. We went down a set of stairs that led into an area of the tunnels which have been opened to the public.

Stairs leading to the tunnels of Vimy Ridge

The tunnels which were built to move troops and supplies was built with the help of British Tunneling companies. The Canadian military used these tunnels before the Battle of Vimy Ridge as a way to protect soldiers as they moved to the front line.

Tunnel used during the battle of Vimy Ridge by Canadian Soldiers

The tunnels were crucial for the movement of Canadian Soldiers because the Germans were able to see any above ground movements for several miles.

We walked through the tunnel imagining what it must have been like. The soldiers stayed underground and literally lived underground for days at a time.

Tunnels at Vimy Ridge

Some of the tunnels were over a kilometer long. We walked through the tunnels and could see different things carved into the walls.

Carving in the stone in Vimy Ridge Tunnel

We came across a section of the tunnel that was enlarged where troops would gather. There was also remnants of equipment that was left in the tunnels.

Old hand pump that was used to pump water out of the trenches

The tunnels were damp with low ceilings and a dirt floor. The conditions during the war must have been horrific for the Canadian soldiers. After viewing the tunnels we headed to see the trenches.

Trenches of Vimy Ridge

There is a short section of the German and Allied trenches that have been preserved and open to the public. This was the position of the two front lines on this part of Vimy Ridge at the time of the launch of the Allied offensive in April and May 1917. We walked into the trenches and tried to imagine how it must have been.

Trenches at Vimy Ridge in France

The trenches had different lookouts and corners every so often.

In the Trenches of Vimy Ridge

The trenches were not all straight and there were many corners. This was because if an enemy managed to get into the trenches you could hide around a corner and defend yourself.

One of the many corners in the trenches.

We walked through the trenches and looked through the lookouts. The enemy line was very close approximately three meters away. The distance between the German and Allied trenches was known as no-mans land.

Lookout in one of the trenches at Vimy Ridge

On the other side of the trenches were remnants of shell craters from the battle of Vimy Ridge.

Shell craters from the battle of Vimy Ridge

There were areas off-limits, with electric fences, because there still are active landmines and explosives buried in the ground.

The trenches and tunnels were quite interesting and a moving experience for us. Walking through this site was a surreal experience that will stay with us for ever.

“Au revoir et passez une bonne journée”

France

Vimy Ridge

We went to see the Vimy Ridge Canadian Memorial, in France. As we approached the memorial we could see the outline and the massive size of the memorial.

Canadian Memorial Vimy Ridge

We arrived at the parking lot and could see the monument in the distance. We walked slowly along the path towards the monument and imagined what it was like at the battle of Vimy.

The view of Vimy Ridge Monument from the parking lot

Along the path towards the Monument, we saw a metal line which ran across the pathway and divided the landscape. It signified the Canadian front line during the battle of Vimy Ridge.

Line showing the front line of the battle of Vimy Ridge

The monument itself was very large and impressive with a beautiful white stone. It is made with limestone from an ancient Roman quarry located near Seget, Croatia.

Path leading to the Vimy Ridge Memorial

When we reached the base of the monument we could see the details in the statues carved in the limestone. The monument was carved from a single block of stone weighing 30-tonne. The massive height of the monument which is approximately 110 meters makes it an impressive sight. The two pillars of 27 meters ( 88.5 Feet ) looms high above the Douai Plain to the east.

Base of the two pillars of the Vimy Ridge monument

We walked around the monument looking at the carvings and statues. The colour of the limestone was a beautiful white and almost looked like marble. The statues were also carved in the white limestone which was beautiful. There were wreaths and flowers laid at different points of the monument.

Wreaths and flowers at the base of the Vimy Ridge Monument
Canadian flags and photos of soldiers of WW I on base of Vimy Ridge Monument
Statue on the Vimy Ridge monument

It was a humbling feeling to be able to physically touch the monument.

Ray, Shelley, Anne, and Jim at the base of the Vimy Ridge Monument

The feelings and emotions we felt while walking around the monument was a mix of pride and of sadness. It was a surreal experience for us to be at the Vimy Ridge Monument and a memory that will stay with us forever.

“Au revoir et bonne journée”

France

The Palace of Versailles

While we were in France we decided to go and visit the Palace of Versailles. We arrived early and joined the large crowd of people already in line to enter the palace.

People lined up to enter the Palace of Versailles

We had a tour guide which made it easier for us to get into the Palace. We went into the Palace and were immediately impressed by the ornate decorations and the size of the building.

The inside of the entrance into the Palace of Versailles

Hanging from the ceiling in the entrance was a beautiful Gabriel crystal chandelier. It was designed by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec this stunning chandelier is 12 meters in height and weighs  1000 pounds.

Gabriel Crystal chandelier in Versailles Palace

We walked through the palace admiring all the stunning architecture and art on display.

Ray in the Palace of Versailles

There were ceilings with beautiful hand painted scenes which were stunning to see.

Painting on the ceiling in the Palace of Versailles
Paintings in the Palace of Versailles

The Palace was massive and we walked through the palace for over two hours looking at the different rooms.

Shelley and Ray in the Palace of Versailles

The history of the Palace was interesting. The Palace was first built by Louis XIII in 1623 as a hunting lodge and over the years different wings and phases were added to the palace.

Different wing of the Palace of Versailles

We could see the changes in the building architecture as we traveled through the palace. It was a very interesting place to visit. There were sculptures and artifacts from the 16th century and up through the centuries.

Statues and sculptures along the hallways in the Palace of Versailles
One of the marble statues at the Palace of Versailles

There were full-size statues of the different Monarchy of France over the centuries.

Statue of Henry IV king of France from 1572 to 1610

After exploring the Palace for over two hours, we went outside and walked through the palace gardens. It was a very hot day and there was very little shade in the garden. We walked around looking at the different shrubberies and flowers.

Flowers and shrubs in the Palace of Versailles Gardens

There were some different features and statues scattered throughout the palace gardens.

The Palace was an amazing place. There are so many paintings and ornate decorations it is hard to describe the massive beauty of the building. The Palace gardens were also very enjoyable with many water features, statues, and beautiful flowers. We enjoyed our time visiting the Palace of Versailles, it was a very memorable experience.

“Au revoir et bonne journée”

Spain

Flotilla of the Virgin del Carmen

We were fortunate to have friends with a sailboat and they learned about a flotilla event at the marina.  The flotilla is a traditional maritime procession in honor of the “Virgen del Carmen”, the patron saint of sailors. We headed down to the marina to meet Mike and Liz and then go and check it out.

View from the harbor Mike and Liz Sailboat

We headed out on the boat and went towards the exit of the harbor to be ready for the flotilla. On the way out of the harbor, we came across a unique luxury cruise ship.

Star Clipper luxury cruise ship docked at the harbor in Alicante

The luxury cruise ship is 134 meters long and is considered the largest sailing ship in the world.

We found a good location at the mouth of the harbor along with other boaters to wait for the flotilla to start.

At the mouth of the Harbor ready to start the flotilla, with Shelley, Ray, Mike, and Liz.

Once the flotilla procession started, there were even, more boats that joined in.

Some of the boats in the flotilla

We navigated out of the harbor following along side the main boat of the flotilla.

Main boat in the flotilla which carries the Statue of Virgin del Carmen

On the main boat, was a statue of the Virgin del Carmen proudly displayed on the roof of the cabin. The boat also was also playing a song over loudspeakers. The boaters would sound their air horns from time to time. The whole experience was very interesting and enjoyable.

Statue of Virgin Del Carmen, the patron saint of Sailors.

We followed the flotilla for about an hour along the coastline of the Mediterranean before the flotilla stopped. At that point, the lead boat cited two prayers. The first prayer was for the protection of sailors and fisherman who are dependant on the sea for their living.  The second prayer was for the lost souls who died in the sea.

When the prayers were finished, the flotilla headed back to the harbor. It was a very interesting and enjoyable experience.

“Adios y que tenga un grand dia”