Memorial day issue

This holiday weekend millions of Americans will be celebrating with backyard bar-b-ques, swimming, hiking and neighborhood get-togethers.

We are so fortunate to have this three day weekend to kick off summer.  This makes it even more important to remember the reason of this holiday weekend.  Please consider taking time to remember those that made the ultimate sacrifice so that we are able to enjoy the freedoms of living in the United States.  

Below we will explore two places in Europe that honor the impact that American soldiers had on their countries.  Their selfless actions made life better for all.

I think of the American cemetery in Belgium - Henri La Chapelle - which generations of Belgians have helped to keep up to honor our soldiers.  They haven't forgotten and we mustn't either. 
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- Cindy -​

Destination of the week
Bastogne, Belgium

Bastogne is a town in southern Belgium’s Wallonia region. In central Place McAuliffe, a U.S. Sherman tank and a statue of General McAuliffe are reminders of Bastogne’s role during WWII’s Battle of the Bulge. Outside of town, the star-shaped Mardasson Memorial honors the U.S. soldiers who fought in that battle. The nearby Bastogne War Museum traces the events of WWII through interactive displays and reconstructions. 

The Bastogne War Museum follows four people throughout the the Battle of the Bulge.  A 101 Airborne soldier, a German soldier, a member of the Belgian Resistance and a young boy.  You are able to see the story unfold through their eyes.  The museum is filled with memorabilia and is well worth the trip.
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Also available in Bastogne are visits to the battlefields, barracks and the war rooms.  
https://www.bastognewarmuseum.be/musees/

normandy beaches

Nearly 3,000 Allied servicemen, mostly soldiers, lost their lives on D-Day. Every year, millions come to see where and how the conflict took place. The D-Day Landing Beaches have since become a symbol of the price of peace across the world. Our fully comprehensive D-Day map below will help you work out which remembrance sites – museums, beaches, cemeteries and memorials – to visit during your stay.
Normandy bears the marks of the passing of this battle in the form of the many cemeteries across the region where the memory of those who fell is kept alive:  British, Americans, Canadians, Poles, Australians, New Zealanders, French, Belgians. The Norwegians, Dutch, and other Allies who fought alongside them are also honored in the many ceremonies held each summer. The suffering of the local population in Normandy should not be forgotten either as the fighting and bombing produced civilian death and destruction on a huge scale.  
https://en.normandie-tourisme.fr/discover/history/d-day-and-the-battle-of-normandy/

travel tip of the week
normandy has adorable villages along the coastline.

​Perhaps it’s because the English Channel is a bit more choppy and cold than the Mediterranean, but the seaside villages along the coast here are simply not as touristed as down south – and even then, it’s mostly French. But that doesn’t make them any less adorable. If you’d like a quick weekend out of Paris by the sea with little to no tourism and roughly half the cost of the Riviera, head to Normandy’s shores.

virtual vacation of the week

​This video gives an overview of all to be seen in this comprehensive museum of the Battle of the Bulge.
Video by Bastogne War Museum and found on YouTube

​what's next on your bucket list?
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Neenah, WI 54956, USA