France in Pictures

After two weeks in Italy, we took another week and flew from Florence to Paris, France - caught an Olympic event, then took a train to Bayeux to visit Normandy with Gayla's extended family.

at the Louvre, the world's largest museum

the Louvre

the Louvre - don't know who this belonged to but I bet he got to wear it at the dinner table

The Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci - behind bullet-proof glass ...kept at a constant 43°F and 50% humidity. Yet it was the most chaotic and disorganized management of people lines I've seen - about 70 of us wedged in front of the painting after pushing and shoving. But yeah, first-world problems. It is an amazing painting.

caught an Olympic volleyball match in Paris - U.S. defeated Serbia // Huskers asst. coach Jordan Larson played.

a Bayeux church

Bayeux, one of the most laid-back and peaceful towns I've been in

entering our Normandy tour

on Omaha beach: our bus driver and tour guide describes the invasion

Omaha Beach

Omaha Beach: yellow buoys mark where the beach started at low tide in 1944 and where troops landed

American cemetery at Colleville-sur-mer

The American cemetery has 9,387 grave markers for the men who gave their lives to free Europe.

from the cemetery, looking out

American cemetery

Pointe du Hoc - between Omaha & Utah beaches. Army rangers scaled this 100-foot cliff and seized German artillery.

cliffs around Pointe du Hoc

the famous paratroopers who landed at Sainte-Mere-Eglise

Utah Beach memorial

dried blood on pew of church where paratrooper brothers took care of victims. Amazing stories took place here. Hoping a movie is forthcoming.

Gold Beach area

20-mile bike ride tour: picnic near Gold Beach

bunkers above the beach

Giverny - at Claude Monet's water lilly pond

Giverny - water lilly pond

Eiffel Tower

Notre Dame cathedral

cruise on the Seine River

Eiffel Tower - Olympic lights