Point of Normandie

After Belgium, we visited Normandy, France. We went to Omaha, and Utah beaches and Pointe du Hoc. It was so amazing to see all that history. It's one place we'll never forget!

These are pictures of the bridge you drive over as you enter the Port of Normadie.

Mussels in Brussels

Here's Les chowing down on a bowl of Mussles. We had to have some Belgium waffles also, and they were delicious:)

There's Nathan eating his chocolate covered waffle.

Legend of the Holy Blood

Sveral drops of Christ's blood, washed from his lifeless body by Joseph of Arimathea, were preserved in a crystal phial in Jerusalem. In 1150, the patriarch of Jerusalem gave the blood to a Flemish soldier, Derrick of Alsace, as thanks for rescuing his city from the Muslims during the Second Crusade. Derrick returned home and donated it to the city. The old, dried blood suddenly turned to liquid, a miracle repeated every Friday for the next two centuries, and verified by thousands of pilgrims from around Europe who flocked here to adore it. The blood dried up for good in 1325.
Basilica of the Holy Blood

The gleaming gold knights and ladies on the church's gray facade remind us that the double decker church was built by a brave Crusader to house the drops of Christ's blood he brought back from Jerusalem.
We went inside the church and it was amazing. To respect the church and worshippers inside, no pictures were allowed to be taken. We also got to view the relic of christ's blood which was cased inside a crystal phial and protected by a glass case. The was someone there guarding it the whole time and each time someone walks by and touches the glass, she wipes it off with a sterile cloth...after every touch.

The building on the left is the City Hall and the Basilica is on the right.

A view of the bell tower.

The Old Recorder's House...

This statue depicts two friends Jan Breidel and Pieter de Coninc, cluthing sword and shield and looking toward France during their 1302 people's uprising against the French king. This is the center of Market Square.

The Post Office...


This is another view of the Old Recorder's House (left) and City Hall (middle).

Bell Tower or Belfort

Most of this bell tower has stood over Market Square since 1300. The octagonal lantern was added in 1486, making it 290 fee high. Climb the 366 steps to reach the top. The bells ring every quarter hour.

Some more great views

You can see all the way to the North Sea coast,

What a view!

Nathan making a face coming up the steps

Another rest stop on the way up,

This view is from the first stop also, just on the other side,

here's some of the bells that make the music.


Les going up, up, up...

view of Market Square...

this is a close up of one of the buildings across from the bell tower,

from this view, the second building on the left is the one that has the clock from the above picture.

you can see most of this side of Bruge from this picture.

Items from inside the bell tower

this is an old chest that was inside the bell tower...i forgot how old it was:(

an old bell from 1742 as it shows in the picture below...


the steps were so skinny going up and the further you go up, the skinnier they get...

here's the view from the first level where you get to take a break from climbing...

this is a little shop where you sign up to take the boat rides on the canal.

had to get a close up of the American shoe of course...

It was so funny to see a pizza hut in Belguim

this is the top of the bell tower...

Church of Our Lady Photos

Church of Our Lady

Les in front of Hotel Notre Dame...

This is the entrance to the Church of Our Lady...

One side of the church,

another side,