In 2008, I made another trip to Europe, spending the bulk of the trip traveling through France. It was my aim to get to the Normandy region – specifically, the Normandy American Cemetery, a memorial dedicated to those who lost their lives in World War II. This is also the resting place my great uncle, who was among the fallen.

This photo is of the pathway to Omaha Beach, one of the five drop-off points during the Allied invasion in 1944. It was eerie to be in such a peaceful place to know what had occurred so many years before. If one didn’t know the history of the area, it would simply appear as just another beach.

The slithering snake was an added bonus.