March 7, 2005 - page 2

We decided to be true backpackers and forego the €30 bus tour in favor of biking to the beaches. Granted, we didn’t realize just how far, how windy, or how rural that the trek to Arromanche Beach would be, but the destination was well worth our efforts. We were among only a small handful of visitors and the howl of the wind and surf blocked out any other signs of civilization.

The most striking moment was perhaps seeing the plowed fields directly along the cliffs of the beach. It made me think about the old cliché about the rise and fall of civilizations, but more importantly it seemed to symbolize that life moves on in the face of all human tragedies.