Last of three, and the one that surprised me. I went to Utah expecting the American story and came away with a French one, and I didn’t work that out until I got the pictures on a screen and started reading the writing on things. Two armies, two months apart, same sand.
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Forty minutes up the road from Pointe du Hoc, and a completely different kind of remembering. At Pointe du Hoc it’s in the ground. Here it’s on the houses, on the church, in the street names — and on a black plaque outside somebody’s front door that took me a while to properly read.
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Back to Normandy after seven years, and this time west into the Manche. I got out of the car at Pointe du Hoc at twenty to four and back into it at Utah just after seven. This is the first of three posts from that one afternoon — craters, concrete, and about six hundred thousand other visitors a year.
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Two trips, seven years apart, and I only worked out this week that they were ever the same project. Sixteen photographs between Pegasus Bridge and Utah Beach, all in black and white now, all live in the shop.
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I went to the Merville Battery in August 2019, between Pegasus Bridge in the morning and the war cemetery at Ranville in the afternoon. I wrote about both of those and never wrote about this, and the photographs sat on a disk for seven years. This is the part of that day I had let go of.
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A day trip to Paris with my daughter Kate in July 2020 — the Louvre, the Pyramide Inversée, and more steps than anticipated. Shot on Fujifilm XT2. Republished six years on.
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A heartfelt father’s day in Edinburgh during festival season—magic shows, St. Giles Cathedral, Greyfriars Bobby, and a geek bar surprise. Northburiian Summer, Part IV blends travel, faith, family, and memory in a moving personal essay about parenting, loyalty, and the quiet magic of being present with your children.
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The UK Chronicles series comes to an end with a journey through rural Northumberland. The day involves a leisurely drive, a visit to Rothbury, and an unexpected incident at Edlingham church. Despite the mishap, the day ends peacefully, leaving the narrator feeling content and at peace.
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The Chesters Roman Fort, situated at the edge of the Roman Empire, is a testament to ancient engineering and lifestyle. Hadrian’s Wall, built to fend off the Picts and Scots, remains an impressive feat. Despite initial skepticism, a visit unveils advanced Roman amenities and a thriving community. The visit ends with a well-deserved tea and an amusing discourse at the gift shop.
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The trip to Otterburn stirred memories of the past, but the reality didn’t live up to expectations. The once magical mill had ceased production, and the area’s economic decline was evident. Disappointed by the lackluster offerings, the day took a turn when the idea of visiting Hadrian’s Wall brought renewed excitement.
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The author reflects on visiting Bamburgh, a place with deep personal significance. Exploring the castle and beach with family, they cherish passing down experiences to the next generation. Despite physical limitations, they celebrate the day with photography and a pub lunch, ending with reflections on their photography challenges and the essence of Bamburgh.
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The website Paris 1972 – Versailles 2003 features diverse and intriguing articles on subjects such as Bretagne, Paris, Versailles, and Spain. It complements the film archive article about the standing stones in Carnac. The site is run by a friend with a prolific output of articles.
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