Bastogne

Weʻre prepping for the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge at the embassy. There are a lot of commemoration events coming up both in Luxembourg and in Belgium. The U.S. is very well regarding here and the Luxembourg people still express gratitude and appreciation for Americaʻs role in liberating them from German occupation during World War II.

I traveled to Belgium twice this week - once to meet my consular colleagues at the embassy in Brussels, and once to visit various commemoration sites. By far the most haunting site was the Ardennes forest where the Battle of the Bulge was fought. A fog was present throughout the day - it never dissipated - and that added to the somber, melancholy feeling that I couldnʻt shake.

A foxhole in the foreground.