Meeting my Waterloo

Nice stop at Waterloo, it was a bit short, but we were at least able to walk the ground where the Scots brigade stopped the main German attack, as well as the point on the ridge where the French cavalry attack was stopped and later the Old Guard. The battlefields of the horse and musket era are fantastic. What struck me most of all was that in an area so small you had as many men fighting as Eisenhower landed on D-Day, and Wellington could see it all from the back of his horse. Amazing when you think about it, also amazing was the effect this one battle had on the course of European and American history. Gave my plans for a tour of Napoleon's 100 Days a much needed boost.

From Waterloo it was off to Eben Emael, which for those of you who have travelled with me before, remember as the place were the whole airborne concept got off the ground. If that attack had failed, the consequences for the future of the Allied airborne could have been severe. In addition to the undergrond tour, which I had done before, this time i got to spend time on the top with a knowledgable guide who pointed out some of the details of the German attack. It is really easy to see where the British got the inspiration for Pegasus Bridge.

From there we were back to Eindhoven, which is beginning to feel like home-Steph says hello to everyone. Today it was offf to Amsterdam and the Anne Frank house-impressive and moving as always and some shopping for M. Tomorrow back to visit our good friends on the island and to spend some time covering old ground, as well as the area of the Polish and British drops.
It has been great so far, and what continues to amaze me is that each and every time I come back I see and learn something new.

Hope all is well with each of you.
Chris