A year on

It's been a year now. A year since the life of a young man changed forever. A young man who only wanted a better life for himself and tried to get to England. But he died crossing the motorway in northern France. He might have thought I drove a lorry. That he had enough time to get to the other side. I drove a coach. He wasn't fast enough. I saw him too late. And in an instant his life was over. 

I was in shock that day. The adrenalin kept me going. I didn't know what to think or feel, I just knew I had to answer the police's questions truthfully and correctly. Submit to alcohol and drugtests. Allow them to take all the paperwork I had on me. 

By 4pm (over 12 hours after the accident) I was told no charges were filed against me. It had been an accident. I was free to go home, come back to France if I wanted. Free. I was collected by one of the bosses at the company who took me home to my parents. Where I explained the whole thing again. The next day I visited my parents' gp. She told me I was good to go. Blood pressure and heart rate both normal. It took another day and a half before I felt like I was me again. Sort of. 

I got psychological help. I told people about what had happened. The first time I drove on my own again I noticed everything coming out of the shadows. It lessened fortunately. I became more confident again. 

Then I moved to Norway. Started a new life. Forgot about it. A bit. Because it will always be there. In the back of my head. Tucked away. Knowing that whilst I started a new life, he didn't. Couldn't. Because man is no match for a coach.  

'Reflection'

As soon as I read the prompt I knew exactly which photo I wanted to show. Or at least the subject of the photo. Because as it turned out, I did have the subject several times, but the best of the lot came without reflection! Grumble. 

Anyway, three years ago my parentals invited their three children, one in-law and three grandchildren to spend a week with them near Paris. We were able to go to Disney and to Paris itself. Which we of course did. I loved the Louvre, although only from the outside, neither me nor my sister wanted to go in and see all this old art (some other day). Two men were in the middle of cleaning off the pyramid of glass that has become so iconic of the Louvre. So when we took our photos it was shining and really pretty. 

The top photo shows the reflection in the glass of the actual museum building. The second photo is just showing off!

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'Fancy'

After seeing an episode of Doctor Who about Madame de Pompadour a few years ago, I so wanted to visit the Chateau de Versailles. Just over two years ago I got that chance when my parents had invited us all to spend a week with them near Paris. Me and my sister then went to Paris and to Versailles. And it didn't disappoint!

The one room that was completely over the top, was also the one room that was very very crowded. It was a shame really, but I guess they probably thought I was clogging up the space as much as I was thinking it about them! However, I still loved that room, perhaps because it was so over the top. It was of course the Hall of Mirrors. It was 'fancy' squared! Mind you, the whole place was over-fancy and it all screamed 'look at us having all the money'. And in some parts a bit amusement parky before its time!

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J is for...

John Steele

John Steele was an American paratrooper who fought in Europe during the second world war. He was with the 82nd Airborne Division and was dropped from a plane on D-Day over the small French village of Ste-Mère-Église in Normandy. As bad luck would have it, that evening a fire had broken out in one of the bigger houses in the center and the Germans and the French were busy putting out that fire. So, when all of a sudden a lot of men come falling from the sky, the were quickly noticed and the firing started.

Some of the men landed in the countryside, others in the village, some were shot and some survived. John Steele? He got caught on the church steeple smack bang in the middle of the village. He got shot in the foot and decided his best chance of survival was playing dead and he hung on the steeple until the Germans got him down. Upon realising he was still alive, he became a prisoner of war and was locked up. However, he managed to escape and rejoin his division.

John Steele survived the war and passed away in 1969 of throat cancer, just a few weeks short of the 25th anniversary of D-Day.

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Photo taken in March 2012 in Ste-Mère-Église, France

Funny

Flesland Airport, Bergen

It has been over three weeks since the 'thing' happened and I am coming to grips with it. Through the help of family, friends, colleagues and a social worker and of course through time. However, it wasn't all bad what happened that day and I want to tell you of a little thing.

The police station was old and dirty and these were the actual words of the front desk policeman! Well, he said them in French, but you know what I mean. Anyway, old and dirty and some things just weren't working any more. There were two toilets: a proper sit-down one and one that was just the old French favourite: a hole in the ground. One was out of order and fortunately it was the hole in the ground.

During that day I had to visit the toilet on several occasions, water and stress just have that result you know. And then on one of my visits I saw a sign on the door: 'As by order of the commanding officer (I guess), this toilet is reserved for Mrs J' (again in French of course). That was me! But, the other toilet was not working!

Schotstue, Bryggen, Bergen

When my boss and colleague arrived from the Netherlands, they needed to go too and they were then told: go outside! By the police!! They didn't really know where to look or what to think and actually thought the police were joking! Which they weren't, since I had the toilet all to myself! And my boss and colleague ànd the police themselves, needed to find an alternative place.

I would have liked a photo of that sign, since I do collect those, but in the end I decided I wouldn't. Not worth the hassle!

In the dark

A market stand. In Bergen, Norway!

I was a bit nervous on Saturday morning while I was waiting for my colleague to pick me up. It was very early in the morning (and I mean very early) and it was still dark out. It would be my first day back at work and it would start and finish in the dark.

First of all we had to drive (I was in the driving seat) to where the coaches were: about an hour away, there we would pick up our coaches and a third (local) driver and start the job. By that time morning had broken and it became lighter and lighter outside. I got all my people on board and when the other two also had their people we left: three coaches in a row with me in the middle.

An old iron heater from Bergen.

We were going all the way to the north of France, to Lille to be precise, to drop the people off at a massive jumble, junk and antiques market. This market is an annual event and takes place all over Lille! I only saw two streets of the whole thing and was exhausted by the amount of junk people were trying to sell. There were a lot of little food stands as well, selling everything from chicken to sausages to corn on the cob to cakes. We didn't partake in any of that though, partly because it didn't all look that enticing, partly because we didn't always trust it (although I saw fridges at many stands, I guess the French don't want a massive salmonella outbreak either).

Trolls and vikings in Bergen

We left long before the market finished, but that was fairly easy: the market would go on through the night and then the Sunday as well! When we left however, dusk was starting to set in and while driving through Belgium, it became properly dark again.

My verdict of the day? Well, the people on the bus thought I was a good driver and felt I had done a pretty good job. Me? I thought it went really well, also thanks to my two colleagues. Tomorrow however I will have to do it on my own. Another dark start.

Guess what? Norway!

I am back at work!

What if...

Dangerous. That's what 'what if' questions are. Especially if you are asking yourself 'what if I had done something different'? But for some reason they are the hardest questions to avoid. They keep popping up at the weirdest moments, catching you unawares and sending you back to a moment in time that you would rather forget.

As some of you know, I had an incident in France at the beginning of this week, which left me thoroughly shaken. And even though everybody has told me since that I was not to blame, I had done the right thing, the what ifs are still there. Because that is what humans do: trying to find blame where there isn't.

Apart from the what ifs though, I am doing fine. I have driven already and that went really good. I have talked to a professional about it all and she handed me a few things to replace the what ifs with. I have had colleagues call, email or just chat to me. My family and friends have been very supportive and my parents have looked after me as if I was a little girl: asking me what I wanted to eat, listening to me when I wanted to talk, comforting me when I finally shed some tears.

I came back home on Thursday and have been doing fine so far. Next week I will be going away to Norway, a change of scenery, a chance to leave the what ifs behind.

But I just wanted to say to everybody: thank you for thinking of me, for your prayers and your thoughts. They have done me the world of good. What if I hadn't had any friends like you??

E is for...

Eiffel Tower

This iron tower was erected as a the entrance arch to the 1889 World Fair held in Paris. The original design came from Maurice Koechlin and Émile Nouguier, both senior engineers for Gustave Eiffel's company. At first Eiffel himself didn't really like the proposed tower, but in the end he was won over. After proposing the idea to the people behind the World Fair and winning over all the other entries, the tower was built. 

The tower was only supposed to be there for a limited amount of time: the duration of the World Fair plus some twenty years after. It was always the idea that it would be torn down again. However, by the time it was due to be torn down again, it was already quite famous and the radio had made a big entrance. The tower could now serve a dual purpose: be a tourist attraction and a huge radio antenna.

It is now (not counting the antennae on top) the second highest man-made structure in France, after the Millau viaduct and measures 320 meters (an awful lot of feet). I have never climbed it yet, but one day...

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He was cute!

A little known tower built by Monsieur Eiffel

What a weekend! Like last year I had to pick up Iranians and their families/friends to take to Paris. Unlike last year I left on time and almost only had women on board. I did get stuck in some traffic, but not nearly as bad as last year. So, I got to my hotel reasonably early and had enough time to actually have a hot dinner.

On day two I took my people to the manifestation area, and then started the long wait for my colleagues. Due to the large amounts of coaches coming in, it took absolutely ages. Plus we had been told there was really heavy traffic towards our hotel. In the end we left at about one. And the heavy traffic proved to be there. It was awful! A trip of 35 km took us over two hours! But we did make it in the end and we were shown our rooms.* However, sleeping during the day when you've already slept reasonably well during the night is not easy, so we went for some food first.

Day-hotel

After our meal I went back to my room and tried to sleep a bit. Unfortunately I didn't really manage it, but I did take advantage of the nice large shower. So, I was completely refreshed when the receptionist came to get me: one of the other drivers had phoned the ambulance service. His direct colleague had excrutiating back pain and was in tears! Since I was the only one who spoke both French and Dutch, I stayed with him until he was loaded into the sarcophagus-stretcher (basically a plastic stretcher that is then inflated using a bicycle pump, until the patient fits very snuggly) and then onto the waiting ambulance.

His colleague then went to work to make sure his passengers were taken care of (which he managed) and after that the patient phoned to ask to be collected. I went along as well and by 9.30pm we had the patient stuffed in a taxi (probably some renal problems, he needs to see the doctor in the Netherlands) on our way back to the hotel where the coach was already waiting to go back to the manifestation area.

The return trip to the Netherlands was quite uneventful. Empty motorway all the way to the Netherlands where the floodgates opened and it poured all the way home. I cleaned the coach, picked up my own coach, drove back home and went straight to bed.

The signature is upside down!

Now, of course you are reading this because of the title and you are probably wondering who the 'he' in the title is. One of the other drivers? The patient? No, it was the guy from the ambulance. We needed to know to what hospital the patient would be delivered and since I didn't have a piece of paper handy, he wrote it on my arm. He even signed (*sigh), but he didn't leave his phone number! I tried!!

*European driving laws state that you can only do shifts of 13 hours or under, which can be stretched to 15 hours on occasion. So, if you start at 9am, you can't work until 9.30am the next morning, unless you take a break of at least nine hours. Now, if you have to drive during the night it is wise to actually get a so-called day-hotel. Some people are better at sleeping at all hours of the day then others.

On to the beaches!

Pointe du Hoc

On the same day we visited the small village of Ste Mère Église, we also visited the German military cemetery (see post of two days ago) and in the afternoon we went to Pointe du Hoc. Here the Germans had dug in, built bunkers and put up a lot of anti-aircraft guns, canons and what have you.

The look-out bunker. At the bottom of the photo is the look-out bit

And they must have been incredibly surprised when all of a sudden they see all these boats coming out of the storm right up to the beach (D-Day wasn't a nice day, it was very stormy and a lot of the allied forces were very sick on the crossing). Of course they immediately started firing and killing the 'enemy', but the Americans still managed to get themselves on top and in the end they succeeded in conquering the Germans in that area.

View from the look-out bunker. Imagine the surprise!

When you look at the area from above you can actually see all the holes in the ground made by canons and guns and tanks and so forth. (We saw a film a few days later that actually had some footage from above) Several of the bunkers still more or less stood and we were able to go inside and see where the Germans tried to get rid of those pesky Americans. There was one bunker right overlooking the ocean, where the wooden ceiling had been burnt, which must have been quite frightening for the men. Other bunkers were severely damaged by bullets and grenades and stuff.

Some tank or other would have been here

The area was quite large and the boys and girls on board of the bus didn't have nearly enough time to see all. Only a few managed to find a way down to the beach again and if they would have had another hour or two they wouldn't have minded one bit! Which definitely made a difference to the museums we saw: ten to thirty minutes. Tops!

The memorial to the American Rangers

Did I have fun?

Newfoundland Memorial Park
the trenches are in a zig-zag formation.

I got that very same question on Thursday, as I was leaving the American cemetery. Quite a strange question really, since cemeteries are not really big on the 'fun' front. Awe, yes. Overwhelmed, yes. Sadness, yes. Fun, no! So, I set him straight: no it wasn't fun, but it was very impressive to see. As were all the other graves and cemeteries we saw and passed during the week. Some in the area where WWI raged (around the river Somme), some in Normandy for WWII. I think we must have passed about 100 cemeteries big and small, both German and allied.

We visited two cemeteries and a memorial (which also had some graves, but I didn't see them). The cemeteries were German and American and the memorial was Newfoundland Canadian. The memorial was in the Somme area and had been preserved with trenches more or less intact: not completely, but the outline and some of the depth were retained. The German and American cemeteries were in Normandy and were both impressive. The German because of the stark and dark colours they used: antracite grey. It didn't look that big, but since there were two to five people to a gravestone it held over 21,000 men! Most of them between 18 and 22! Not nazis, just ordinary boys and men who had been ordered to fight for something they might not even have believed in. Of course there were also some higher ranking men who definitely were nazis.

The American cemetery didn't show the ages of the men, only their state of origin and their religion. Most Christian, some Jewish. And because they used larger white crosses (or stars of David) and only one person to a grave, it looked absolutely massive. I don't think I even saw a quarter of what there was. And the overwhelming thought was definitely: Why? As one of the teachers said later on the bus: one group of men from oversees come to a beach and fight with the people on the beach to get on. Another group of men from Germany are on a beach and fight with the people trying to get on to keep them off. Ridiculous!



Deutsches Soldatenfriedhof La Cambe
The flat stones are gravemarkers. Under each marker are 2 men



However, I did have some fun though. The kids were really nice and friendly and I talked to several of them over the course of the week. And because I was the only one speaking French, I had to help out several times in ordering drinks, because the serving staff at the first hotel barely spoke English. Especially if they wanted something more specific. The teachers were nice too and one of them had done the whole trip a few weeks earlier which was a great help as he knew where I could park etc. I had looked it all up though and I think I had to ask him once!

I had been hoping I would have a day off today, but alas, in just over an hour I am to leave for a small day-trip. So, I will tell more tomorrow!

Off to see the world

First of all I have to start with Wuppie of course. Well, his ear is now as big as it can get and filled with blood again. According to everything I read and what the vet said, it's a matter of letting it go its course, ie: the blood has to drain away naturally again. I think it is bothering him somewhat, since it's blocking his hearing a bit. But then again, he has never been one for listening attentively to me...

Linette deserves a mention of course as well. She is doing fine. She has found a new place to sleep: on my shoulder! That way, I can move about a bit and she will still be comfy. *Sigh*

War cemetery near Ypres (Belgium)

But of course talking about my monsters doesn't explain the title of this post. On Thursday I was told (not asked, told), that I will go to France on Monday morning. For five days. Normandy to be exact. So, I spent all day today (well, about three hours) looking at the routes and at where we're going. As long as I know the word for cemetery (cimétière) I will go a long way I think, because we will be visiting museums and cemeteries and Omaha beach. Most of it to do with WW2, some with WW1. Even though the destinations are pretty grim, I am looking forward to it, since I have never been to Normandy before and have wanted to for quite some time.

So, if my posts are a bit non-existent next week: it has all to do with my trip. I will be gone for five days and I will take my camera so I can show you all. Au revoir!

V is for...

Chateau de Versailles

This is the back of the beautiful palace of Versailles. And isn't it imposing? The front is equally imposing, but renovation work meant scaffolding and the amount of people wanting to visit equals no nice photo!

The palace didn't start out like this, it was first a much smaller royal hunting lodge, just outside of Paris. Louis XIV wanted to make it his home though and started expanding almost the minute he arrived. From 1661 onwards, the palace was extended several times until in 1789 (with still more plans to extend and improve), the French revolution took place, all the royals were forced back to Paris and all plans were put on hold. 

During the next few years several things were suggested about the palace, but in the end it was settled that it would become a museum and it has been the museum of France ever since. Nowadays it is a fantastic place to visit, not only the palace itself, but the gardens, the stables and everything else is fantastic as well. You could easily spend a whole day there and not have seen even half! 

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S is for...

Basilique du Sacré Coeur (Sacred Heart Basilica)

This basilica was built in honour of 58,000 French dead in the Franco-Prussian war (France-Germany) of 1870/1871. It was built on top of Montmartre, whose name was originally used for the village on top of the hill, but is now also used for the quarter below. The build lasted from 1876 to 1914, but the church wasn't consecrated until 1919, due to World War I.

The area of Montmartre in Paris used to be somewhat of an artists' quarter. Many (now) famous artists lived and worked there: Toulouse Lautrec, Pisarro, Van Gogh and Picasso, to name but a few. Some of those artists would have lived there while the build of this beautiful church was going on! If you stand in front of the Sacré Coeur, you have a wonderful view over Montmartre and the rest of Paris (although the Eiffel Tower was hidden behind the trees).

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Random

Well, almost random...

This is one of the windows in the castle of Sleeping Beauty in Disneyland and depicts the three fairies Flora, Fauna and Merriweather. The original story had thirteen fairies and because the King only had twelve golden plates, only twelve fairies were invited, leaving the most evil one out. Which of course caused a massive rise in imported yarn. I do understand Disney though, thinking of names for all those fairies would have been some task!

Paris 3

Hall of Mirrors at the Chateau de Versailles

On Thursday we handed our open tour tickets to my brother and sister-in-law, since we were planning to go to Versailles. I wanted to visit the chateau there. It took us over two hours to get there by train so by the time we were in Versailles it was lunchtime. After our nuggets we headed towards the Chateau de Versailles. The room I most wanted to see was the Hall of Mirrors and I was not dissappointed. It was absolutely stunning. Now, if it had only been empty... But after we had seen opulent room after more opulent room we decided it was enough and went outside to visit the gardens. We took a tractor-trainride towards the Hamlet of Marie-Antoinette and I guess that was the highlight of the day. Those royals definitely had more money than sense, but that Hamlet (Hameau) was really pretty! Little houses and even a small 'farm', none of which had anything to do with real life.

One of the cottages in the 'Hameau de Marie-Antoinette'

On Friday my brother and his family went home again. The cold, the lack of playthings on the campsite and the fact my youngest niece (1 1/2) was feeling a bit under the weather all contributed. My parents, my sister and I went back to Disneyland. We had only seen about half the things on Monday! However, the first thing my sister and I headed to was 'It's a small world' and my sister graciously allowed me to go twice in a row! (Isn't she the best?) We were haunted in the phantom house, we nearly got pirated by Captain Hook and we saw the parade again. This time from a perfect spot though, so no waving hands on the photos!

Snow White and her prince during the Parade

After another long day we had our first proper French meal. My sister and I had stuck to burgers and ribs all week and my parents had cooked pasta several times. The restaurant wasn't of Michelin star quality, but the people were friendly, the food was plenty and good and French! We had salade aux crevettes et asperges (shrimp and asparagus salad), agneau (lamb), canard (duck), brie and crème brulées. Yum yum!

I love 'barbe à papa' (cotton candy)

Saturday saw us all cleaning the caravan again. Packing our suitcases and my dad packing everything in the car. We would take my sister to the airport first, so it was a bit tight for the first hour. We dropped her at Charles de Gaulle about six hours before her flight was due, but she had a book with her! The traffic was easy on our way back home and just after five in the afternoon I dropped my parents off at their home. I then drove home myself (my parents are leaving on another holiday in a few days and I am allowed to use their car in the mean time).

I had a great time and have taken a lot of photos. I took about 1,000 but deleted about half of those and ended up with 482! I am however also very glad to be home again. With my own stuff, enough blankets and with my own little felines!

Paris 2

The old signs for the underground stations in Paris

On Tuesday my sister and I made our way to the trainstation to catch the train to Paris. We missed the first one due to the line in front of the ticket machine (nobody understood what to do), but we finally managed to get a ticket each and we caught the next train. On arrival in Paris, we grabbed some lunch and then made our way to the metro station. The system is similar to the London system, but I still found it confusing. It was a good thing my sister was with me! We finally alighted properly at the Louvre and from there we took one of those open double decker buses. It was a two hour + ride through Paris and the temperatures weren't much better than the day before: at the end we both were freezing yet again! But Paris is loaded with souvenir shops and I managed to find a nice fitting sweater.

Photo taken from the Trocadero, the highest natural point from which to see the Eiffel Tower

After our dinner we walked back to the Louvre for some more photos, then we walked to the Place de la Concorde, where we took another metro. This time we were heading towards the Trocadero so we could get some great photos of the Eiffeltower! There were loads of people there, including lots and lots of African souvenir sellers. They were a bit in your face, but ignoring them worked well enough. After that it was back home again.

Some of the graves in 'La Cimétière Montmartre'

The next day we went back to Paris. This time to visit Montmartre. However we were already feeling three days of walking (remember I am a busdriver: I don't walk, I drive) and our pace had slowed down considerably! Especially in hilly surroundings. But we managed to get to the Sacré Coeur and even went inside. After our Starbucks coffees we visited a massive cemetery in Montmartre. I had never seen anything like that before. There were several famous people buried there as well, but we only saw one of them: Alexandre Dumas (the Three Musketeers). After a shortened trip on the River Seine (it might have been better at night with all the lights twinkling away) we headed towards the Hard Rock Café where we had our dinner.

To be continued...

Paris 1

Our Caravan

It was cold on most days (see photo in last post), it was tiring every day, but most of all: it was fantastic! My parents and I arrived early afternoon on the campsite that we would call home for a week. Half an hour later my brother and his family arrived as well. And a few hours later I picked my sister up from the airport and the whole family was complete. We tried to unpack our suitcases, but our rooms were fairly small so it was easier leaving it in the suitcase and taking the stuff out when needed. We made our beds, ate pizza and the first day was over.

The European Wild Cat did not like my niece. It's a good thing there was glass between them...

On Saturday we had gotten some leaflets of the things to do (apart from Disney and Paris) and we found one of a feline park not far away. I was a bit worried it would be one of those papa and mama parks with two lions and a tiger in small cages, but my worries were completely unfounded! Nearly every feline under the sun had found a place in that park and the only cages we saw were big enough to hold several animals easily and sometimes you really had to search for the cat! If you're ever in Paris and cannot be bothered to visit that Eiffeltower yet again, go and visit this park! A great hit, also with my nephew and niece (who are 5 1/2 and 3 1/2).

Dutch Girl sitting on a tulip in 'It's a small world'

But, kitty parks are great, but the main reason to camp down close to Paris was to visit Paris and Disneyland, so on Monday we packed up both cars with adults (6) and children (3) alike and headed off to Disneyland. Well, anyone who has ever been to any of the Disney parks around the world will know: it's a truly magical place! Everywhere you looked there was more magic. An occasional glance of a princess or Winnie the Pooh, Captain Hook or King Louis, I loved it. My sister and I decided to do the park together, after we had lost the rest of the family. We saw Snow White, Peter Pan and my absolute favourite: 'It's a small world'. I wanted to go again, but my sister said no (we went twice more on Friday, don't worry). We saw a fantastic car show as well, but by then even my liver was cold! We managed to catch the parade and after that we met up with my parents again and went back home. All very very cold...

To be continued...

Update

This post was supposed to show up on Thursday! It obviously didn't!! Tomorrow there will be more photos and stories...

Well, we were promised WiFi, but that means taking your notebook to reception, buying a very expensive ticket and going online! In other words, very annoying!

But apart from the annoying, I wonder whether I would have had the time to go online at all. Spending time with my family, going to a kitty park, Disneyland and Paris and still more of that to come! Now, if the temperatures would be any good, it would be even better, because on Monday especially I knew exactly how an icicle must have felt this winter: FREEZING!!!

However, we are a brave family and with a pair of socks at night and a new swanky Paris sweater, we will survive even this cold! A few photos until Saturday or Sunday (when I get home) will have to serve you until then.

H is for...

Hotel de Ville

Did you hear about the two (insert dumb nation of your choice here)? They went to France and couldn't find a place to sleep. But lo, what is that? A hotel? Yes, it's the town's hotel! Yippie, we will sleep tonight!

Well, not quite, since Hotel de Ville means Town hall! And unless you want to sleep on the filing cabinets (if you're allowed), no luck in the bed department here!

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