One of the boys recommended the Caen Peace Memorial and it was a rainy day, perfect for an inside visit. We finished breakfast and headed into Caen taking the Peripherique and following signs to the Peace Memorial. It's quite spectacular from the outside with all the flags flying in the breeze.

We started down a curving ramp . . . descending into the horrors of war symbolically. It starts with the ending of World War I, the Great Depression and "The Failure of Peace." There are many photos and drawings with explanations in French, German and English.

You progress through "France in the Dark Years" including both collaboration and resistance. There is a stirring film on the Battle of Britain. This is followed by "World War–Total War" including a film on the siege of Stalingrad.

By this time, emotionally drained, tired and hungry, we decided to break for lunch. There was a nice salad buffet. We both chose the fish entrée and the apple sorbet with Calvados for dessert. Service was excellent and the reprieve from war was refreshing. I had coffee and we reentered the exhibit area.

My husband kept an eye on his watch and ten minutes before the next showing (as instructed), we lined up at the theater for "The Battle of Normandy." The huge screen is split with Allied footage on the left and Axis footage on the right . . . mostly archival films from the war. We were all herded on to another theater for a film about D Day and then returned to the exhibits.

The Hall of Peace is next and had exhibits from many different cultures defining peace. This included a philosophical dialogue in several languages. Somehow after viewing the previous exhibits and having watched the evening news too often, peace didn’t seem imminent.

We proceeded next to "The World and the Cold War" which was accurate and interesting but did truly demonize the USA and USSR. I have no argument with it; however, it did seem a bit self-serving to ignore 2000 years of European battles and (their words) one upmanship. Let’s face it . . . we’re all guilty and we all need to eschew violence.

Having survived the Cold War, an atom bomb drill and the downing of the Berlin Wall, we walked outside to a sunny late afternoon, through the garden and to the Nobel Peace Prize Gallery in the former WWII bunker of German General Richter.

We had time for a quick visit to the gift shop before closing. Spent eight hours and didn’t see it all! It was very moving although somewhat depressing. We were glad to return home and enjoy Richard's huge beet carved and made into a lovely salad.