As Clare said, we went on a cycle. What we found quite simply fascinated me. (I think I dragged everyone else along for the ride). In a slightly run down area of Bordeaux there are two little harbours. In the first is this overpowering concrete edifice. There is no museum, no tourist information, no place to officially go and see this thing, but if you have seen Das Boot, then all you need to think about is the u-Boat port in La Rochelle that they visit, then that is what you need to think about. See the photos below. Quite an amazing thing to see. One picture includes Clare on her bike for scale purposes!
All in all, even though it wasn't an amazing exhibition of a thing, it was a haunting and chillingly atmospheric place due to the scale and magnitude of it.
HOMEWORK
So homework people. If you have got the film Das Boot, watch it again. If you have never seen it, then do a cheap buy on Amazon, and watch it in German, with English subtitles. You might need to do it over a few nights though. All those that manage to do this, add a comment below to say so. I bet no more than 5 of you do it!!! I give you a month for the Das Boot homework to be completed.
Ed
Adam watched Das Boot long ago so that's this household clear on the homework front!
ReplyDeleteWell done to the McElroy family, first to get their homework done. In fact so efficient, they did it before I even asked!
DeleteReal facts about the Bordeaux submarine base as provided by Mum!
ReplyDeleteBuilt between 1940-43 for and by BETASOM Italian Royal Navy, subs were harboured there during the Battle of the Atlantic. Admiral Donitz and his 12th U-boat Flotilla (Germans) also used it. There is room for 30 subs + dry docks. It has proved impractical to demolish it as it is too reinforced. Parts of it are now a a cultural and exhibition centre. There you go.