Day 6 everyone. Yep, no smart@ss remarks this morning. Tired. Very tired. Too tired to think of clever adjectives or metaphors to describe the tired. I feel, and probably look, like an extra from the walking dead. Why you ask? I think I was still feeling the effects from yesterday’s ordeal in the sun, which has left me with nice burns around my neck (from the camera strap) and right behind my knees (the direct result of going in shorts yesterday). My roommate, who shall remain nameless, can also rouse said undead from miles away with their snoring. Oops, sorry, almost fell asleep trying to write the next sentence.

Alright, so we’re now on the bus toward Albert and rendezvous with the Basilica for mass. It’s about an hour away, so it gives me some time to reflect on our day yesterday. After sleeping on it, I still feel that there was more of a festive feel to Vimy 100. To me, I would equate it to Canada Day than to Remembrance Day. I think that the solemnity was somewhat missing, but that is going to happen with big events such as this. However, there was some semblance of what occurred at Vimy. We were sitting beside a group from Halifax and had a chance to chat with them. There were so many Canadians from all over the country, it was a real representation of the spirit of Vimy.

We’re back on the bus after mass at Notre Dame des Brebieres. What a beautiful church. The parish priest was very friendly and appreciative of our visit. Unfortunately he did not speak good English, so we had to put some of our French Immersion students to work. The mass was quaint even though many of us could only vaguely follow along. St. Ignatius students Madison and Brooklyn, along with our student Braeden, helped with the readings. Afterwards, the priest thanked us for coming to mass and we were able to grab photos of the church. On my way out, I had a interesting conversation with a few French ladies in my broken French. My Italian instincts kept kicking in and instead of “oui,” I kept answering “si.” Oh well, I think they got the idea.

Notre Dame des Brebieres, April 2017.

Notre Dame des Brebieres, April 2017.

A short drive later, we were at the Beaumont Hamel National Monument. It honours the sacrifice of the Newfoundland Regiment on July 1, 1916, the opening day of the Battle of the Somme. Their contribution to the battle lasted mere minutes, with the unit suffering 85% casualties in an attempt to capture the German trenches. After the war, it was decided to preserve a portion of the battlefield in honour of the Newfoundlanders contribution to the war. One can walk through parts of the trenches, see other trench remains, visit a number of cemeteries and take in the memorial. Even though there were quite a number of groups at the site, it gave our students a much more intimate tour of a battlefield.

Newfoundland Memorial, April 2017.

Newfoundland fallen, Paril 2017.

We’re on our way back to the hotel in Lille after spending quite a bit of time in Arras. What a gorgeous city! The kids had several hours to walk around the city centre, shop and grab some food. I really enjoyed the architecture; I sent photos to my brother, who is an architect, as I thought he would appreciate the designs of the various buildings. Afterwards, we walked a short distance to the Artois Expo, which was run by EF. They had all kinds of displays and interactive booths for travellers to explore regarding WWI. It was a well put together exhibit. Kudos to EF!

Arras City Centre, April 2017.

After dinner, which was in the hotel again, we decided to take a little walk into downtown Lille. It was a nice way to end the day and keep the kids busy. Our Tour Director Jason indicated to us that Lille would be different from places like Ypres and Arras, much more cosmopolitan. It certainly was, but also had much of that old European cultural charm. We were able to see some great architecture and a bit of the nightlife of the city. I think everyone enjoyed the evening out.

Lille City Centre, April 2017.

Well, I think it’s time to retire for the evening. We have another busy day tomorrow. The bus leaves early as we are making our way to the Normandy region, which is about 4 hours away. We will visit Arromanches on the coast and then the Bretteville-sur-Laize Cemetery. I better turn it before it gets too late-back tomorrow. Until then…

http://www.worldwar1.com/heritage/leaningv.htm