The A — Z of My Favourite Travel Destinations — J is for Juno Beach

Paying respects to those who sacrificed for an ideal called Freedom.

We caught an early bus to the Juno Beach centre in Courseulles-Sur Mer. The site has preserved so much of our Canadian history from the second world war. We wandered into various bunkers that had been manned with German troops who had mowed down so many Canadian soldiers on June 6, 1944.

The sky was overcast as we solemnly wandered through the site — along the beach, through the grassy dunes, and heard echoes of the horror that had been lived 75 years ago.

I saw an artillery gun and an anti-aircraft gun and remembered that my father manned one of those big guns in the Korean War as he was too young to be in WWII. But more powerful than any of these war scenes were the Canadian flags flying from so many places along Juno Beach, from Courseulles to Bernieres.

We got to see two different Inuksuk, one in Courseulles and another in Bernieres. And, we got to see a Red River Cart and a memorial to First Nations soldiers. We walked the whole length of the beach between these two towns knowing that it was this same beach where thousands of young Canadian men died.

Once we arrived in Bernieres, we stopped at Canada Place and the site of the first house that was liberated from the Germans, a place now known as Canada House. Along the main streets of both Courseulles and Berniere, the Royal Canadian Legion banners depicting many of the fallen were proudly displayed.

We see this same style of banners flying in our hometown in Saskatchewan. Like here along the way of Juno Beach, the banners of fallen soldiers line form a perimeter around most of the Memorial monument. This was a message hammered home — we shall not forget.

We walked 18 kilometres that day. We walked on sacred ground. This was as much a pilgrimage as one to the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.

Now, to turn your eyes to other writers at Globetrotters, here are some great reads from around the world.

Aarti Tailor talks to us about a change of attitude and perspective as she resumes travelling.

Jacques Dexteri solves the mystery about travelling to other countries without leaving his home country in France. And no, it isn’t a visit to the embassy.

Elvie Lins tells a poignant story about trying to recreate photo opportunities due to a stolen camera.

Barb Dalton has her own story about a return to travelling following three years of Covid isolation.

Ronald Smit talks to us about South Africa and the gratitude he has for the privilege of travel.