The two people in the photo with John are Jean-Paul DeVries and his wife. They run a small WWI museum in Romagne. You can visit their website at ... http://www.romagne14-18.com/ ... check it out.
Today we pack up our belongings and head for the Meuse Argonne area where we will spend three days exploring this portion of Martins experience. As we leave, I ask Anna for the bill for our room. She disappears and returns with the bill for three nights lodging. But there is no item for the dinner she prepared for us the evening before. I mention this and she replies in French. Seeing the puzzled look on my face she simply states ... "In English it's called a gift". What a marvelous treat. This place is truly awesome! As Napoleon once said ... "I shall return!"
Not to disappoint Little Feller we head for the St Mihiel cemetary. The person in charge gave us a tour and promised to stay in touch. The morning was very foggy which gave the cemetery an ominous feel. The sun coming through the clouds cast shadows of the crosses which were lined up like soldiers in formation. It was a very somber visit.
Not to disappoint Little Feller we head for the St Mihiel cemetary. The person in charge gave us a tour and promised to stay in touch. The morning was very foggy which gave the cemetery an ominous feel. The sun coming through the clouds cast shadows of the crosses which were lined up like soldiers in formation. It was a very somber visit.
We load up the car and head west. On the outskirts of Verdun we load up with some provisions and items for a luncheon. Cora and Lidl are our choices for provisions. We continue in the car and arrive in Varennes for lunch in the church yard. It's a beautiful day and we enjoy our repast.
Onward we press towards Romagne and have a reunion with Jean-Paul DeVries and his wife. We discuss plans and he has already arranged with the mayor of several small villages to OK our passing through farmlands and fields. We have ourselves a spot of tea and head for the bunker locations. We are successful and find two bunkers. Photographs are taken and we find an unexploded ordnance laying at the opening of the second bunker. The authorities have not kept up with requests for ordnance disposal and many of the finds are left for future disposal.
We finish up our bunker exploration and head for a spot where a West Michigan native took an embattled hill with only seven others helping him. John has actually contacted his son who lives in Rockford. Harvey has stopped by to say hello and we are visiting the location where his father earned a medal for his bravery. We have come to visit, take pictures and locate any sort of momento that we can deliver to Rockford on our return.
The sun is beginning to sink and we turn our car in the direction of LesIslettes where we have arranged for a b&b for 3 nights. We arrive, it appears noone is home but after some persistence we manage to gain entrance. The house is an 18th century home and we are staying on the 3rd floor in what used to be an attic. The space has been wonderfully finished off into two bedrooms ... large and primo bathroom facilities.
WE finish unloading and head for St Menehold where we plan to eat at the Cheval Blanc. John of course orders steak frites. Marlene and I order two different pastas which are delicious. Mary orders slumguleon and thouroughly enjoys every bite.
We finish ours meals and head back to the ranch for a good nights sleep.
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