Trip to Normandy Day 3

 We ended our trip at Mont Saint-Michel.  According to legend, the Archangel Michael appeared to St. Aubert in 708 and told him to build a church on the rocky islet.  St. Aubert repeatedly ignored the angel's instructions until Michael burned a hole in the bishop's skull with his finger.  I guess that would get you to change your mind.

Our bus driver stopped at this spot a few miles away so we could get pictures.

Everyone getting pictures.

Getting closer (look between our heads).  This is on the mainland near the hotel.

Hanging out in the hotel.
We were watching Friends in French with French subtitles.
This is the girls room.  The hotel didn't have any rooms big enough for our large
American family so we split up.

We heard the castle from Disney's Tangled was modeled after Mont Saint-Michel.  So we watched Tangled when we got back from the trip.

In the afternoon we did a little exploring on the island.  We found a staircase that led to a path around the upper level of the town.

Coming into the town.

Upper level overlooking the town.

Overlooking the English Channel.

Looking up to the abbey.

This conversation started with "why did we even
come to Paris . . . there is nothing fun to do . . .
everything is old and boring. . . etc. etc."

...and ended with this.

After dinner we took the shuttle to the edge of the island to get a few pictures at night.
It was pouring rain so we took the pictures and caught the next shuttle back to the hotel.

In the morning we took the shuttle back to the island to spend the day exploring the abbey.

A chapel within the abbey.

A cloister where the monks could walk and meditate.
We had to use Nacho Libre to explain what monks were to the kids.

A little more sight seeing around the town.

Today's tantrum started with not getting a pencil at the gift shop.

...and ended with this.

Local cemetery

Finally we checked out the beach.  We had heard about the perils of quicksand at the Bayeux Tapestry museum.  But even with that deadly tale and this sign (below) we still took our chances.  Yet another good parenting moment.

We came across this group of tourists who were trying to get caught in the quicksand.  Their tour guide got in to his thighs.

View from above a little church.

Same church from below.

Luke and Libby at the church.  Victory!

Coming down from the church.

My old enemy...stairs!

It was a quiet bus ride home.