A full day.

To keep you in the picture, when I say we on this trip it is just Magda and I. Marmalade couldn't be bothered with a second European road trip in twelve months and Harry cried off after she said no I get the impression he was worried about his reputation. 

I was in Bayeux cathedral before 9am this morning and the only other person there was the cleaning lady, it was it was quite spiritual and I value the experience. It is hard to grasp that this beautiful magic place was built nearly a thousand years ago and in less than 30 years without all the machines and expertise that we have today. Why is Gaudi's masterpiece taking so long and Liverpool's Anglican cathedral took nearly a hundred years to finish. I lit a Remembrance candle for Jan, I know she would have liked that.

My next stop was the Bayeux Tapestry, again I was early so I avoided the crowds. The entrance fee includes an audio guide which I think is there to hurry you through the tour as there is no way of pausing it but I just took my time. The tapestry itself I found to be quite naive in places and it obviously tells the tale from the Norman point of view but there were some parts of it that I certainly was not taught in school.

From there I went to the Bayeux Battle of Normandy Memorial Museum which is great for setting the scene and following through the 100 days after the invasion. The Bayeux British cemetery is next door and the 4000 graves there is a sobering experience.

The French have the right attitude, at lunchtime most businesses and all government buildings close for lunch (even the pay car parks are free from noon until 2pm) I ate my apple and went up to Utah beach one of the American landing beaches, after that I went to the other beach, Omaha. By then it was 6pm so time for a pint.

A friend recently told me that there is nothing less attractive than a skinny old man and after my recent weight loss I was beginning to fit that description but after two wonderful nights of plat du jour at my hotel I am in danger of becoming the skinny old man with a paunch. I have had the plat du jour at lunch time before and it has been good but not brilliant, in this hotel it is what French food is supposed to be, the tenderest beef I have ever tasted, fish that even I enjoyed and the steamed vegetables includes celeriac and chestnuts - amazing, I suppose that is why all the other restaurants in town are empty and this one is full of locals.