We arrived in Normandy after traveling for about 27 hours. The flight from LAX to Heathrow was 3 hours late leaving L.A. (6:30 p.m. rather than 3:30) so all the rest of our connections were similarly delayed. In some ways it was OK because the delay let us go to sleep on the plane at about the same time as we would have at home. The British Airways First class accommodations were just that. We arrived at our Chateau at 9 PM, ate a light supper, unpacked, and went to bed.

We should be closer to human beings by tomorrow.

Our Normandy "home" is Chateau la Cheneviere which was once a private estate. Rural, rustic, and very French. The old manor houses have been around for hundreds of years and many survived what appears to be an endless succession of wars, including WWII.

We started our sightseeing in the little town of Bessin which is on the English Channel in the middle of the numerous beaches used during the World War II Normandy Invasion. Bessin is an active fishing village and like other places around the world, it experiences dramatic high and low tide changes, leaving the boats sitting in the mud at low tide. More on tides tomorrow.

The nearby village of Bayeux is about the same size as Solana Beach but appears a lot more urban. Virtually all of the older houses (some are 400+ years old) and other buildings are constructed of stone. The highlight of the tour was the Bayeux Tapestry, actually a 230–foot long embroidery celebrating the conquest of England by the Normans (William the Conquerer at the Battle of Hastings in 1066). Did you know Normandy is called Normandy because it was conquered by the Northmen – the Vikings? And the area of France right next to it, Brittany, has a strong Irish/Gaelic heritage.

All-in-all a good beginning to the trip. The attached is a map of our itinerary. We′re currently at the upper left corner of the red "cup" shape on the map.