Miserable Saturday!!!

Hello family and friends and fellow bloggers....I don't know how am I going to start to tell you my weekend because until now I’m still upset and really pissed off for what happened to me last Saturday. It was American holiday (Memorial Day) and my husband and my daughter has 3 day weekend means Saturday thru Monday, they are off. I want to go to Passau but my husband is not in a mood to drive 6 hours. It was beautiful and sunny day last Saturday so I told my husband “let’s go to Luxembourg!” since he doesn’t want to drive 6 hours in Passau.
From our place (Ramstein) to Luxembourg city is 140 km and it took us an hour and 45 minutes to drive there with some detour, it supposed to be an hour and 10 minutes only. This is our first time to go and see Luxembourg. But before we went to Luxembourg, I searched on internet what to see and do in Luxembourg. I found some places that I want to go and most of all I really want to see an American cemetery. I haven’t seen any American cemetery for soldiers who died in wars even back in states or back home (Philippines.) so I said to myself this is wonderful! I will finally see the American cemetery that is close or nearby where we live. We were in Metz, France last February but we didn’t have a chance to see the largest American cemetery in Europe. When we got to the city of Luxembourg, I took a lot of photos; we walked a lot from up hill to the ground. The city was too small; you can see the whole city by walking without taking any bus or the hop on hop off bus (sightseeing bus). For my experience and for what I saw, I didn’t like the Luxembourg, Trier is better than Luxembourg. After we have seen almost everything in the city of Luxembourg for 3 hours, we decided to see the American cemetery. We don’t have the exact address, so we asked people there but no one knew. We have the navigon system but the GPS won’t tell us where exactly the cemetery is. We’ve been driving thru city to outskirt but we couldn’t find the sign of cemetery. My husband and I are getting frustrated so we decided to go home. On the way home, at the Autobahn or highway, we saw the sign of American cemetery so we took that road and finally saw the cemetery but it was closed. Another disappointment journey but there is a good news though, there is an American family who have been camping in that area and told us that we can see the cemetery except the main office or other facility like restroom is closed. We told the lady that we don’t mind if the office or restroom is close as long we can see the cemetery. She took us at the back road, the long way to see the cemetery. I was so happy to see it. We started to take photos, read some histories and looked some names on the grave. There are too many, there’s some Jews and no names on their grave. We also saw the famous General during WWII, General George Patton Jr. After 1 hour walking on the sites, we decided to leave before the sun down.
On the way home, I was having trouble with my camera so I started to browsing and I accidentally press something and it got deleted all the photos I took. I was calm at first because I thought I cloud retrieve some photos when I get home but I was wrong. I tried to download it in my computer but no images showed. I started to panicked and mentioned to my husband and told me to read the manual how to retrieve photos when you did something unfamiliar. So that’s what I did, I read the manual and found that if I did what I did, it will erase everything. I was screaming and cursing and crying. I was upset to myself and most of all, I was mad at my camera. I kept crying for an hour until my husband calm me down and told me that I can’t do anything anymore or nobody can! Another reason why I kept crying is because I don’t really want to go back in Luxembourg, nothing special and it’s boring!!! He also said that it’s only photos but I told him that I’m finally gone to Luxembourg with no proof. He said that I bought some post cards, shot glass and magnet for proofs, what else I’m looking for? It’s better to have photos to remember things. I know I have some memories in my head but my memories won’t last forever…He convinced me that he will take me there again on Monday since he is off and he did! We went back at Luxembourg, we drove to the American cemetery first and then we went to the city of Luxembourg. We spent more time in cemetery than the city. It was amazing experience and I’ve learned more on the cemetery than the city. There’s more history in cemetery than the city itself. I felt a bit better than last Saturday. I have more to tell about our trip last Monday from cemetery to the city but I have to stop right now. I will tell you more on my next blog.

Have a wonderful and sunny day to y’all……

Memorial Day

The American Battle Monuments Commission Luxembourg American Cemetery

The American Battle Monuments Commission(ABMC), established by law in 1923, is an independent agaency of the Executive Branch of the US Government. The Commission is responsible for commemorating the services and achievements of United States Armed Forces where they have served since April 6,1917 (the date of US entry into World War I) through the erection of suitable memorial shrines; for designing, constructing, operating and maintaining permanent US military cemeteries and memorials in foreign countries by other US citizens and organizations, both public and private; and encouraging the maintenance of such monuments and markers by their sponsors.
This cemetery, 50.5 acres un extent, is situated in a glade enframed by spruce, beech, oak, and other trees. It is one of fourteen permanent World Was II cemeteries erected on foreign soil. The site was liberates by the U.S. 5th Armored Division on 10 September 1944 and a temporary military burial ground was established here on 29 December 1944. Free use as a permanent burial ground was granted by the Grand Ducal government in perpetuity without charge or taxation. Later, the Grand Ducal government developed a parking area for the cemetery.

The graves area contains the remains of 5,076 American military Dead, including a woman Army Nurse, who lost their lives in the service of their country. These honored Dead came from the 50 states and the District of Columbia. In 22 instances, two brothers rest side-by-side in adjacent graves. One hundred and one headstones mark the graves of "Unknowns" whose remains could not be positively identified. White marble shafts surmounted by a Star of David mark the graves of 118 of the Jewish faith, white marble crosses mark the others.

The headstones are set in nine plots of fine grass. Separating the plots are two malls radiating from the memorial and two transverse paths. Two flagpoles overlook the graves area in front of the memorial. Between the flagpoles is the grave of General George S. Patton, Jr.

Each radial mall contains two fountains consisting of a pylon of Valore stone overlooking three jet pools on descending levels. High on the obverse side of the pylon is a bronze sea shell from which water flows into the pools. Bronze dolphins and turtles decorate the pools symbolizing, respectively, Resurrection and Everlasting Life.

The Pylons inscribed on the outer faces of the two rectangular pylons on the terrace are the name, rank, organization and state of entry into the militayr service of 371 Missing in Action of the United States Army and Army Air Forces. These men, whose remains were either never recovered or positively identified, came from 42 states and the District of Columbia. An asterisk sets out those sussequently identified. Above the names on each pylon is the inscription: HERE ARE RECORDED THE NAMES OF AMERICANS WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE SERVICE OF THEIR COUNTRY AND WHO SLEEP IN UNKNOWN GRAVES.

A large operations map, carved and fitted together from slabs of several types of granite, is set into the inner face of each pylon. The west pylon contains a map of military operations in western Europe from the landings in Normandy to the end of the war. The east pylon contains a map of the Ardennes and Rhineland campaigns to include the "Battle of the Bulge," subsequently fighting to clear the west bank of the Rhine, and the crossing of the Rhine River at Oppenheim. Flanking the maps are explanatory inscriptions in English and French.

All Saints Day

Hello everyone….today we celebrate the “All Saints Day” or Araw ng mga Patay”. I remember back in the Philippines when I was a kid, every November 1st, we go to the cemetery to visit our love ones who past away. We travelled from Manila to our province of Pangasinan, to visit my great grandmother’s and great grandfather’s tombs. We light the candles and put some flowers to their grave. We even prayed for their souls. After we were done praying, we (my brother & sister) went to the other grave and collected some melted candles. It was our hobby and we used the candles for regular use. I also remember when I was a kid, that if we don’t go or visit our love ones in cemetery, we just light the candles in front of our house and pray. Now, people do the same thing every November 1st. And it’s been over 17 years I haven’t visit my great grandparent’s graves. Besides my great grandparents, my father and brother are also past away and they buried in Caloocan (Manila). I’m maybe far from their grave but I’m always thinking of them and I’m pretty sure that my mother always visits my father and brother’s grave, especially now.

Have a Nice Weekend to ya’all….

All Souls Day is getting closer...

In the Philippines, people are getting ready or preparing before the holiday of "Undas" or "All Souls Day". They are going to the cemetery to start cleaning up the tombs of their love ones and some are painting it new. Some people already bought their candles before the “Undas” while the price is still cheap. People are being practical now a days for buying artificial or fake flowers to put it on the tombs because not only they are cheap, they are also convenient. It’s convenient because they don’t have to clean up the mess and they can also use it all over again. During the “Undas”, people go to the cemetery to give respects to their love ones and a sign that they never forget them and always remember them. They bring candles and flowers and they pray. Some people bring food as a sign of offering to the deaths. For those who can not go to the cemetery, they light candles on front of their house and they pray. Some kids are collecting the melted candles or wax so that they could use it for regular use. That’s how they celebrate the “Undas” or “All Souls Day” in the Philippines.

Have A Nice Day to y'all......