Breakfast starts at 08:00 and is a very peaceful affair in a lovely room that doubles as a bar in the evening and also a lounge with lots of books along the walls. All very comfortable with a lovely atmosphere. I would stay here again.
The breakfast is a cold buffet that is constantly being topped up by the waitress who is also the receptionist on a Sunday morning.
I ask if she could call me a taxi (it is about a 20 minute walk but have my case and laptop to carry!) and she replies it will be unlikely to find a taxi now! She calls her boss who in turn calls a couple of taxi companies but to no avail, it seems Ypres taxi's don't operate on a Sunday morning! And it is raining!
I brave it and walk to the bus!
I cleaned it yesterday so just jump in fire her up and off I go.
I thought 09:00 may be a bit early and we would be waiting a while but these Alton boys are made of hardy stuff! They are all ready and some didn't even get in until the very early hours!
I ask Ray if he had a good evening and he thinks so but can't quite remember!
Our first visit today is to one of the three cemeteries in the small town of Voormezele where a young soldier is buried who was the childhood friend of J M Barry and the basis of his character Peter Pan.
I find this whole experience fascinating and although there are hundreds of cemeteries each one has its own story to tell.
From here we visit Hill 60. This is a small area of elevated land in an otherwise flat countryside and therefore very important to both the Allies and the Germans.
This is Phil's favourite battlefield site and you can tell by the way he tells us of the battles fought here and the four VC's won here, all by different but fantastically brave men.
If Phil ever reads this I don't want to sound patronising but he is a very good orator who brings the soldiers and battles alive. I could listen all day.
From here we go to the Passendale Museum in the village of Zonnebeke, very close to the village of Passendale itself. I don't go in here but everyone seems to enjoy it and some even say they preferred this museum to the one in Ypres yesterday.
Close by to here is the commonwealth's largest cemetery, Tyne Cot.
I have been here often but not for a few years and the change is great. Before we had to drop off at the entrance in a small lay-by, find somewhere to turn around and then contend with many cars for a parking space. Now they have dedicated parking for coaches and a new visitor centre that has an outside speaker constantly naming the 12,000 dead buried here and there is also the memorial to the 35,000 men not known but buried here. A truly moving place that I think everyone should be made to visit. I worry about buses breaking down, or Chelsea losing a match, or missing Friday night at the pub! It really doesn't matter does it.
While here Phil lays a small cross at the grave of Private W T Kenward, an Alton man buried here. He has also brought some Alton soil to put on the grave. Simple but moving.
On our way home we drive to the French town of Bailleul where one of the group, the giant that is Stuart, has an uncle buried. I have to stay on the bus but Stuart seems physically moved when talking about his personal pilgrimage.
From here we drive straight to Calais for our shuttle home. We are booked on the 19:20 but arrive early and change to the 17:50 that leaves at 17:35. A right result!
We drive non stop back to Alton and arrive at the Railway by 19;10. They all get off here in anticipation of a pint in their local while I bid my farewell and go off to spend a couple of hours cleaning the coach! I really don't want to be doing this cleaning lark but the bus is going to Torquay tomorrow and it needs to be done. Bum!
I have really enjoyed the last couple of days and hopefully will have other chances to take Bills boys away again.
1 comment:
Always good to read about your trips, but this one in particular sounds like an interesting and moving weekend. Glad to hear that people are still remembering and honouring our soldiers past and present!
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