“Iceland? Why Iceland?,” we all asked after my mother announced that she wanted to take us there for our family reunion. What’s there besides the Northern Lights (which only appear during the winter months) and active volcanos that disrupt air travel? Somehow all 17 of us, ranging in age from 8 to 80, managed to be available during the same week last summer and agreed to explore this mysterious location together. Even after doing the research to build our private tour, I was still surprised by what I learned while touring Iceland.
Reflections from Point du Hoc
Our time spent at Point du Hoc produced the most vivid exposure to the realities of D-Day. The unchanged landscapes gave a stunning snapshot of the destruction of war, as craters shaped from artillery barrages and damaged bunkers lined the cliffs. When you look down at how small the beachheads are below the cliffs, you begin to realize that what historians tell you of the gargantuan task the U.S. Rangers faced was even more impossible than anything you could have imagined.