War Memorial opening

I'm glad I made the trek today to witness the historic opening of  the NZ War Memorial Park on this Centenary Year of the First World War.  The Obelisk itself was opened in 1932 but it has taken 83 years to finish the War Memorial Park and War Museum which was in part, masterminded by Sir Peter Jackson. His Weta Cinema Works at Miramar has been instrumental in building the larger than lifesize replicas of the First War War soldiers in their   trenches, and today was the first day open to the public.

Light show last night at the Obelisk

Flag debate heating up...

What Kiwis did for Peter Jackson in 2003

Another unsolved murder with crooked cops...

An Aussie Memorial in red stone..

On Monday the Aussie contribution to the Memorial, which is fifteen sandstone columns, each six metres high in the colour of the Red Centre of OZ, will be opened separately. It is placed impressively at the base of the Obelisk, but at some distance to give gravitas and some moment to the two separate monuments. 

It is going to be an epic week of remembrance starting from today. The Prime Minister, and Governor General were both there and speaking this morning, and a stirring rendition of the NZ National anthem was sung, in both languages of course, as we are indeed a bi-cultural nation in NZ. It is an impressive War Memorial and I shall soon see the inside of the Museum which houses this exciting and apparently very moving exhibition. Also there is another exhibition on at Te Papa, so at the moment we are saturated with World War One Memorabilia.