Day 2 started early after we slept for a full 10 hours last night and surprisingly I felt really good and that I’m adjusting to the time difference pretty quickly. We started out for Bastogne at around 8:30am and made it there by 10:30am and made our way to the Bastogne Barracks which is the main attraction in the city. Bastogne was an important site during the Battle of the Bulge as it served as the American 101st Airborne HQ. In fact, when Bastogne was surrounded by the Germans they proceeded to ask the Americans for their unconditional surrender and Brigadier General Anthony McAuliffe’s famous one-word reply “Nuts!”, which symbolized American resolve, has become one of the most iconic quotes of World War II.

In fact, as we entered the museum there we were confronted by a large Nuts sign in the entry. Such a cool first impression.

In the parking lot, they had an M-10 tank and a half track which were both in great condition. Part of this is that the museum has a vehicle restoration facility on site and they do such a great job keeping these antiques looking good.

The museum has some great static displays including arms and uniforms in great shape and also had several interactive displays with maps and audio and video. In fact, they have restored the basement of the barracks to its condition at the time when the HQ was located in the basement as they were being shelled daily by the Germans.

The best part of the museum though was the many vehicles they had on site. 3 whole buildings filled with fully restored tanks, jeeps, trucks and artillery.

Alexander was a kid in a candy store and I love how he just immediately knows what the vehicles are. He says it is because he built tons of models as a kid and also lived near a tank museum in England.

We finished up here and then went to the downtown of Bastogne for lunch and to see the church there that appeared in Band of Brothers called Saint-Pierre-Église.

We then made our way to the Bastogne War Museum which was a very well done affair. We also saw the memorial they built in 2014 to the fighting men of the US armed forces.

After this we made our way over to Bois Jacques or “Jack’s Wood,” which is a historic forest near Bastogne, Belgium, famous for the “foxholes” dug by American soldiers during the Bulge. It gained particular fame as a setting for the HBO series Band of Brothers. We were able to walk the trails to see the preserved foxholes there.

We were very sobered by the site and the gravity of this situation as the 101st was surrounded, under supplied and freezing without proper winter gear but they had the resolve to hold the line.

At the edge of the site, we could see down to the village of Foy where there was fierce fighting in the town. If you remember Band of Brothers, this was the fight where Sgt. Spears ran through the open field drawing enemy fire to advance on their positions.

I loved going into Foy as they had several interesting things such as a restored church with some markers, a building with lots of bullet holes in its facade and a picture of a Panzer parked outside a building on the building in the picture.

We then left Bastogne and Belgium and made our way to Sedan where we found a Franco-Prussian memorial in the town square. This memorial is called Monument Guerre Franco-Prussienne and commemorates the residents of the Ardennes, who gave their lives in the Franco-Prussian War from 1870-1871.

There also was a beautiful Chateau in the town and we got a quick look at its walls and courtyard.

We arrived in Reims for the evening around 6:30pm and checked into our hotel, ate a fantastic dinner at a local restaurant where we both enjoyed Beef Bourguignon, and made our way to see the Reims Cathedral.

The Reims French Gothic cathedral is renowned for being the coronation site of French kings for centuries and for its magnificent architecture. Construction of the current structure began in the 13th century, replacing an earlier church, and it is known for its high vaults, pointed arches, numerous statues, and intricate stained glass windows. It is an important symbol of France, survived damage in World War I, and continues to be a significant pilgrimage site and tourist attraction

And it is very impressive and beautiful!

We are not quite as beautiful though!

Tomorrow, we are traveling to Paris where we will stop at Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe.

Check back in tomorrow to see our experience.

-Grant