Back from my holiday in Normandy.

I've been back from Normandy for just over a week now, so I thought I'd put something up here. 

I've posted photos of this M4A1(76)W HVSS tank before, but this is the old warhorse with a nice shiny new paint job and a fair amount of remedial work. I have to say that it was long overdue, seeing as the first time I visited Utah Beach was back in 1989.

So, I've now got a hat trick of anniversary visits to Normandy, having visited in 2004, 2014 and 2024.

I've finally also got some decent photos of Omaha Beach, due to the sun being out this time. I know that there is a lot of foreground in the first photo, but it does show how the exit from the beach was a lot steeper than on the other beaches in 1944.

I really like the modern sculpture memorial above. It certainly seems popular with visitors who often walk around it and stand touching it in contemplation. 

We visited a few other D Day sites on our travel, but I'll keep those for other posts. I'm going to post non-wargaming stuff for a week or so, because my arthritic flare up I mentioned previously hasn't gone away, and I am not painting until the pains go away.

It's been a while since my last post

...But what can I say in mitigation? Well, I've been painting stuff but not completing things. I've also been on holiday in Normandy for an extended week, which was lovely. Here are some bronze Americans, exiting a Higgins boat to liberate the Le Roosevelt bar and restaurant just across the road behind me.

Here are our two Westies, Dora (furthest away) and Ralph examining Utah beach in detail.

And for those of you who like this sort of thing (I know that I do), here is a close-up of HVSS suspension on a M4A1(76)W HVSS (followed by a photo of the whole vehicle).

Of course, we did lots of other things in Normandy that didn't involve D Day, mainly because we have been there more than once in the past, but I shall have to leave a photo of the famous Café Gondrée at Pegasus Bridge.

And another of some colourful baskets in the weekly market in Sainte-Mère-Église, where we bought some terrific Calvados from the producer and pork sausages from the farmer who raised the pigs.

Normandy is well worth visiting. There is so much to see, do, eat and drink, even if you aren't interested in D Day.