Our Pilgrim band set out at dawn
To sail to France one Friday morn.
'Bout 40 of us planned to spend
In Normandie a long weekend.
Our driver John parked at the Port,
When on the ferry our first thought
Was coffee - strong, and thus revived
The six hour crossing we survived.
We reached Bayeux and toured the town
In search of dinner, up and down
The streets, and menus there surveyed,
Translations checked, decisions made.
We dined "next door" our group of eight
At Hotel Luxenbourg - till late.
On fish and pasta, chicken, veal,
Though not much veg, (the French I feel
Unlike us English, as a nation
Consider veg mere decoration!)
Then cheesey fondue, sweet, and then -
We'd managed very well - but when
We ordered 'café' we forgot
It comes in small cups - "not a lot!"
And, an error fundamental
"Sans lait" - and very continental!
Group Photograph taken at the Normandy Beeches
SATURDAY
Next morning we all went to see
The famous Bayeux Tapestry.
(I haven't written this in full
For you can read Bill's article).
Then found a nearby small café
That's called in French - Salon de té,
Ate spotty buns, drank chocolat
And ate and drank and talked and sat.
And later we all went to see
The beaches used on D-Day, we
Were taken to a cinema
Where images of warfare are
Projected onto screens all round
Together with most graphic sound.
A guide showed us the Mulberry piers
(What's left after 'bout 60 years),
And models and a picture show
Taught everything we'd need to know.
And later at a bar quite near
We had a rest - and had a beer!
That evening met in the Hotel
And wined and dined extremely well,
Delicious tarte au camembert,
Then sorbet, meat or fish, and there
Was wine both white and red, and then
We started on the cheese again.
Dessert was something apricot
And no this time I ne'er forgot
And when the coffee cups appeared
Small cups, no milk, as I had feared
I asked a waitress passing by,
"Café au lait?" in French, said I.
At least 'twas something of that ilk
'Cos in the end I got my milk!
Street leading to Bayeux Cathedral
SUNDAY
We found that Bayeux Cathedral
In winter is not used at all.
So found instead a church nearby
And had our service there, and I
Felt sure there was a peaceful calm
Within that church of Notre Dame.
Quite early in the afternoon
Our coach left Bayeux and too soon
We were back home again, but we
All said our trip to Normandie
Had been a lovely way to spend
A really great Parish Weekend.
JANET JOHNSON
Although the poem refers to Bill Hutchings' article for information on the Bayeux Tapestry, this poetic omission is, in fact, going to be addressed next month with some more verse specifically about the Bayeux Tapestry story.
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