"My frozen toes were totally worth the pride I felt when I heard the Star Spangled Banner being played."

Weather-wise, yesterday was like every other day here in Alsace, very cold and snowy. What made yesterday special was that it was the 65th anniversary of the liberation of Colmar, a small city south of Strasbourg. As part of the celebration, the city had a formal ceremony to unveil a stone plaque honoring the American soldiers who gave their lives fighting to liberate Colmar. Peter was asked to participate in the event as a representative of the US military. This was a special honor for him because both of his grandfathers fought in WWII.

Peter made his formal entrance with all the other military and civilian VIPs.........Peter is the one closest to the camera. I was so proud.



I felt like I was at home when I saw the American Flag:


The entire square was lined with representatives from each of the French military branches:


My favorite moment is when the band played "The Star Spangled Banner," and everyone on stage saluted. I hadn't realized how I have missed hearing it since we have lived in France. During those two minutes, I reflected on how proud I am to be an American, and also how grateful I am for the opportunity to experience the rich and beautiful French culture.


After the ceremony, we gave our toes an opportunity to thaw out during a traditional mass in Colmar's magnificent cathedral.


Then, we ended the festivities with what the French know best, food and wine, as we spent a couple of hours enjoying a lunch reception that included Peter's favorite: foie gras served several ways and my favorite: a large assortment of pastries. The American pride even spilled over into the reception decorations:


Overall, it was a memorable day in which we both felt extremely honored to participate. In the manner that we have come to expect from Alsatians, we were welcomed and treated with such patience and friendliness. The Deputy Mayor even gave us a ride to the train station after the reception. :)

We will be leaving this weekend to pick up our new car, so photos from Scandinavia and Berlin will be coming soon!