Armistice Day

Today is Armistice Day: 90 years ago, on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, when the "war to end all wars" or known as the World War One in Europe ended. 18,000 New Zealanders died.

Many New Zealand soldiers fought and died in the European soil. There is a ceremony at the Auckland Museum or the Auckland War Memorial. I was there with my sister Rose on ANZAC Day when we remembered the Australian and New Zealand soldiers.

Twenty years ago, when my oldest daughter D was little, I used to go to the Auckland Domain and visit the War Memorial. D's favourite was an old stuffed elephant. Entry to this marvelous building was free then.

Not anymore, they found that it was too expensive maintain or sustain as is the current popular word. They ask people to make a donation. Outside, an old soldier hollers with a loud speaker to boycott the donation. He argues that the War Memorial Building belongs to the soldiers and their families and the people of Auckland who fund the building from their rates.