dover to dunkirk

[eleanor2]

my brother in law and sister are coming to France with us.he wants to go and visit the somme.i am not really interested.but we are going to take him.we have decided to stay in a hotel for the night and visit the somme the next day.we might actually be staying at a farmhouse hotel.it has an original trench.underground cellar that was used by the underground.it says interesting people from round the world stop here.anyone know anything about the somme.i am looking forward to dunkirk.mainly to see what it is like after watching that film.starring kiera knightly .i cant remember the title .

[franbee]

We've been to the Somme, driven round bits of the 'poppy route'. Also been to the British Memorial at Thiepval. Mum had a cousin killed in WW1, his name is there, we knew where to look before we went. All the cemeteries are beautiful, peaceful places, quite moving. Not been to Dunkirk, but have camped at Abbeville, and there is a lot of lovely countryside around there, wetlands and such. I'll look out my cuttings for you.

[eleanor2]

thanks fran.it is my brother in law.he just has this desire to go and walk around and take in the atmosphere.we did stop at a lovely cafe near the somme last time .it had a bird sanctuary and nature reserve.i am looking forward to staying in a nice authentic french hotel or the farmhouse.we are waiting to hear back from then.now dunkerque i will look forward to seeing.the film i am thinking of is atonement.quite a bit was filmed in dunkerque on the beach and town near by.

[jazzactivist]

I think that it is a bit strange that people still want to go to visit war sites like the Somme, especially old veterans who actually fought in the war/s. You would think that everyone would want to forget it. However, people do want to go and remember old friends and family, so we took OH's uncle to Dunkirk quite a few years ago. It was an anniversary of some kind and there was a re-enactment going on. As passivists we weren't keen, but OH's uncle loved it all and seemed to really enjoy looking at all the names and graves. He still remembers that trip and always thanks us for it, so it must have meant a lot to him.

[eleanor2]

jazz it is a strange thing to me too.i really dont know how i will feel.i would imagine if you lost your best friend in battle or a family member is buried there it must be quite touching.it looks like we might be staying in a farmhouse that was used during all the fighting by the soldiers.i am quite interested in the history of it as i really dont know much about the somme or dunkirk really.

[eleanor2]

i am counting down.........11

[eleanor2]

10....... my case will be coming down to start packing any day now.

[eleanor2]

9 i have done a countdown chart for grandson.so he can tick each week off.how do you explain to a 5 year old....9 weeks to go

[souter girl]

Do you mean "Birdsong" (book by Sebastian Faulks) or was it "Charlotte Gray"?

[eleanor2]

wow 4

[eleanor2]

i am reading a book about the somme.i didnt realise how gruesome it really was.i will feel a bit emotional going to stay in a farm house right on the somme.it was used as a field hospital.now i realise just how horrific the suffering was in these field hospitals.my brother in law wants to visit the graves.not sure i do.

[eleanor2]

three...........

[eleanor2]

not long now.je suis practicing to parlez francaise.not doing to well.know quite a few single words but not good at making sentances.i did remmber sunfowers are called turnesol and daughter had forgotten.it means turn to the sun.good eh.she just sent me some photos of the lads in fields full of giant sunflowers.they even have that thing called sunshine over in France.