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France 2012 - Bayeux (Part 2 - The Town)

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le 5 novembre


Enfin! Le petit déjeuner sur place!  This morning, Habibi and I finally had breakfast at our hotel.  Don't get me wrong; we've certainly eaten very well on this trip.  Where else -besides France- can you have a delicious, multi-course meal complete with a fancy calvados digéstif, all while listening to a Greatest Hits album of The Police?  (Nowhere, is the correct answer to that question.)  Truthfully though, brekkie in European hotels is often pricey...and not included with your stay.

Our run-of-the-mill hotel in Bayeux, however, offered a reasonably priced petit déjeuner, so we took advantage!  Despite the fact that it was all carbs and sugar (malheureusement, pas de yaourt nature pour Anouchka) it was decent enough.

After our baguettes with Nutella and confiture, we headed first to the Musée Mémorial de la Bataille de Normandie where we continued our WWII education.


The exterior of the museum

Cameras are not permitted inside the museum, so we took a few exterior snapshots.

Museum entrance

An authentic WWII tank, outside the museum

Once again, we found ourselves in awe of the allied troops from various nations.  And, I ask you, what better way to celebrate that than a new pair of ankle boots?
My new duds, next to Habibi's boats

Thank goodness, the French counterpart to our DSW was located down the street from the museum, and my tootsies were more than grateful to regain sensation in a warmer pair of shoes.  Once I was properly dressed, we stopped at a Carrefour (French grocery store chain) to grab lunch.  We dined on pre-packaged sammies and salads with the ambiance that only a laverie (laundromat) can provide.  Fortunately, we were still inside when the hail hit; good thing we'd already been to the beaches!

 After lunch and laundry, we checked out the Tapisserie de Bayeux, the embroidered depiction of Guillaume le Conquérant and the Battle of Hastings in 1066.  (Just like at the WWII museum, cameras were not permitted.  WAAAAAA!!!)  A Medieval history nerd, I found myself enthralled -once again- by this story.

Finally, we strolled the cobblestone streets of town (with umbrellas, bien sûr!) in search of treasures to take home.  


The canal by day...

...and by night

Again by day...

...and again by night

The cathedral by day...

...and by night

A closer look at Bayeux's picturesque cathedral by night

Habibi's appetizer of huitres, or oysters on the half shell, that he seemed to enjoy
I'm no food critique, but BARF!!!!

Now that's more like it!  Miam!
(Habibi's kebab/gyro pizza, Anouchka's margherita pizza)

Tomorrow, we leave for another Norman town -Rouen- but I now am starving so you must stop bothering me with your questions.

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