Lest We Forget

Yesterday was arguably the most important date on the Australian calendar. Every year on Anzac Day, dawn services are held at war memorials all over the country. This year people stood on their driveways to hear the last post. Young and old held candles. Anzac Day commemorates the Battle of Gallipoli in 1915 when there was a huge loss of life on the beaches of Turkey.

Today is another anniversary: the destruction of Guernica in the Basque country of Northern Spain in 1937. The Luftwaffe systematically bombed the civilian population for several hours, deliberately selecting market day in the small town to maximise the number of casualties. Picasso’s enormous black and white painting is a moving reminder of the event. I’ve seen the painting in Madrid, where it covers an entire wall of the art gallery. 

I can also recommend the book by Dave Boling. Fiction illuminates history:

This year I was planning to visit Guernica on the Camino del Norte till Covid19 put paid to all my travel plans.

In other news, it’s exactly 5 weeks since I ordered some wool from Loveknitting in the UK. Australia Post cannot cope with the increased volume of parcels as a result of online shopping. My wool is on its way, but where is it?