Easter

With Easter coming up I was reflecting on a two night stay I had a few years ago on Easter Island. I was returning from a wondrous trip to Antarctica. The island was discovered by the Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveenis on Sunday, April 5, 1722 — which just happened to be Easter that year on the Christian calendar. The island covers 63 square miles and is the most isolated in the world being 2,150 miles west of South America and 1,300 miles east of Pitcairn Island - its nearest inhabited neighbor.

I don't have any of my own pictures on digital so here are some photos of the extraordinary moai which dot the island. They range in height from 4 to 33 feet and in weight to more than 80 tons

Standing proud and tall over the centuries

A treeless island - with moai guarding the entire island

Showing no disrespect, it also made me reflect on the life of our our former Prime Minister - the late Malcolm Fraser who was often depicted by cartoonists as resembling a moai. I watched his funeral with a friend last Friday and was reminded of the statesman he was. Without his involvement in allowing so many Vietnamese boat-people into the country - our society would be a less multi-cultural one. (what a pity we now don't welcome those fleeing atrocities to our shores) And his work with our indigenous people and with Care Australia - just to name a few.   The funeral was touching and very personal - as close to a family farewell as a former Prime Minister can have. In the cartoon below - created many years ago - it somehow seems fitting that it should have a tear in the eye.

Malcolm Fraser - by the cartoonist Prior

Vale Malcolm Fraser - a true statesman 'of the world' - smh.com.au

So after rambling across the globe I wish you a safe and happy Easter break. Don't eat too many chocolates and spare a thought for the chocolate bunnies as you munch through them!

Pardon?! (wooinfo.com)

And getting older this is what we're all up against!!