Hello from Portsmouth!

What a fantastic day!

We woke up in London to a 8:30 breakfast and leisurely 10:00 AM checkout time. Then we boarded the bus and headed south on a 2 hour drive to Portsmouth on England's southern coast. On the way, we saw the "white cliffs" of chalk the area is famous for and Tom (our tour director) entertained us with stories of exploding corpses (Henry VIII and William the Conqueror) and explained some handy tips about gestures in Europe, including which ones are rude. Of course, a good portion of the group also slept through much of the trip, so it will be interesting to see who actually remembers any of that when they return home.

We arrived in Portsmouth around 12:30 and had some free time to eat and explore the shops near the shore. Some of our adventurous eaters tried local exotic specialties (like eel!) while others stuck with familiar favorites (hot dogs, panini).

At 2:00 we visited the D-Day Museum, located here because this is the port from which the bulk of the invasion force was launched. We viewed the Overlord Embroidery, for which the museum is best known: a 30+ panel tapestry commissioned to memorialize the buildup and action in Operation Overlord D-Day). We also watched a short, but moving, film about the operation, which I think everyone found emotionally effective (it was, of course, quite sad). It was a great reminder of the importance of this trip, and I think as a result many of the group were very contemplative as they viewed the rest of the museum's exhibits. Of course, some of us snapped photos of ourselves in a personnel landing craft while wearing authentic-looking helmets, too!

Some of the group also explored Southsea Castle behind the museum.

We then had some free time before dinner, which we elected to spend at Gunwarf Quays, a more modern shopping center. Some explored the nearby shipyards, and others ascended the Spinakker Tower, this area's major landmark, built for the millenium celebration.

We ate a great dinner (either pasta or sausages & mash, depending on preference) at a restaurant in the area called Tiger Tiger. Following that, we traveled to the ferry terminal to prepare for our voyage across the English Channel to France. In fact, as I write this, we are getting ready to gather the group to begin boarding for the night. Tomorrow, we'll wake up in Normandy and explore the cemetery and beaches. Tonight's route traces the movement of Allied troops across the Channel, so it's a very appropriate journey. I expect a moving and impressive day again tomorrow!