Today is ANZAC day

[crazycanuck]

Down here in the Southern Hemisphere it's ANZAC day. Dawn services have been held to commemorate the Gallipoli landings plus remember all the Diggers/New Zealanders that fought in WW2, Vietnam & up to today. Australians are constantly reminded of Gallipoli, the Kokoda Trail, Hellfire pass, Long Tan and on. I'm slowly gaining knowledge of the "down under" contributions.

As i was cycling through Kings Park yesterday I finally noticed what some of the little plaques were by the trees. I cycle there almost every week doing hill repeats but never took the time to look. Each plaque had an Australian flag & a flower placed on it. It was then that I realized each tree had been planted for a service person that had passed during WW1. More specifically the Gallipoli landings.

If you can spare a moment today to perhaps remember someone that's serving at home or overseas, thanks. To the wives of servicemen/women overseas, may your loved one return home safely.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574...016619,00.html

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/ar...ectid=10568620

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/nickbryant/

[kiwi girl]

well said cc.

I've just got back from a week in Central Otago (cycling the rail trail both ways) and the only regret I have from the whole trip is forgetting to set the alarm to go to the dawn parade in Ranfurly

[crazycanuck]

Hey Kiwigirl,

How was the rail trail? Is it good mtn biking or too easy at least in NZ terms.

Take any pics?

[kiwi girl]

I really enjoyed the holiday.

It is very easy riding - by any standards - a gravel surface, and the gradient limited by what trains could handle. Lots of people do it who haven't been on a bike for decades. Its 150 km and we took 3 days in one direction and 4 days coming back so only about 30 - 55 km a day. But the scenery and the history are really great.


Having trouble with getting some photos up - I'll try a few more things

[kiwi girl]

I'll see if this link to my facebook album works

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pi...&id=1036140320

no that only shows one photo - not the album

[boy in a kilt]

A bit late and a dollar short, but here were my experiences on ANZAC day.

My Brigade (41st Infantry) developed close ties to the ANZACs out of shared experiences during WWII. Even though the ties don't go back to Gallipoli, it has been tradition to celebrate (or at least acknowledge) ANZAC day since.

This year, were were down in Camp Roberts, CA training up for our deployment to Iraq on ANZAC day and decided to have a proper celebration.

The entire Brigade (about 2600 people) got up early (0400) and arranged ourselves on top of a hill over looking Camp Roberts. At Sunrise, we came over the top of the hill more or less in unison with an assembled group of dignitaries including WWII vets from our unit, military and diplomatic representative from the US, Australia and New Zealand.

Then, the New Zealand, Australian and US flags were raised simultaneously and the National Anthems were played (in that order, I think) followed by a cannon salute from 105mm howitzers.

I imagine the whole process looked much more impressive from their perspective. We were too busy trying not to trip over things as we walked down the hill. One of the Ambassadors seemed a bit choked up by things though.