Tag Archives: National Day

Our SG50 Jubilee Weekend

Happy birthday, Singapore!

Happy birthday, Singapore!

We kept ourselves rather busy over the National Day weekend! On Friday, we headed to Gardens by the Bay East to catch the RSAF Black Knights in action. We didn’t have a very good view there and also got soaked in the rain! In hindsight, we weren’t very prepared for this little outing.

soaked!

soaked!

On Sunday, we tried again but this time we made reservations at Stewords Riverboat and had a fantastic view of the Black Knights before heading inside for lunch. It’s so amazing how the planes seemed to fly so close to us!

crowds at Marina South Pier

crowds at Marina South Pier

Black Knights in action

Black Knights in action

Adam thought it was too loud

Adam thought it was too loud

so did Anya

so did Anya

great view from the Riverboat

great view from the Riverboat

fully booked for lunch

fully booked for lunch

all decked out in red and white

all decked out in red and white

In the evening, Anya went to the Floating Platform with our friends who had an extra ticket while Adrian, Adam and I slummed it near the Esplanade Outdoor Theatre. We didn’t have a great view of the screen or the sky or the fireworks but we had access to proper toilets and to decent food! The three of us had a blast soaking in the atmosphere with the crowds.

Anya at the floating platform

Anya at the floating platform

happy that he found a bubble floating around

happy that he found a bubble floating around

eating pad thai from Thai Express

eating pad thai from Thai Express

Adam and me

Adam and me

Sam Willows!

Sam Willows!

Black Knights again

Black Knights again

this is our flag

this is our flag

21-gun salute

21-gun salute

not every one appreciates it

not every one appreciates it

loved the aerial display!

loved the aerial display!

slightly blocked view of fireworks

slightly blocked view of fireworks

walking back to where our car was parked

walking back to where our car was parked

Happy 50th birthday, Singapore! I don’t know if I’ll be around for SG100 but you really know how to throw a birthday party!

National Day 2014

It’s Singapore’s 49th National Day next week and the kids managed to catch one of the rehearsal parades with my aunts. One of my aunts got the tickets from her colleague. I have never successfully balloted for tickets in my life and I really wonder how some people get to go year after year without fail!  It’s been ages since I attended a parade and I’m not particularly keen to go but it’s really for the kids.

The photos are taken by my aunt and I think the kids had fun even though Adam was scared of the fireworks. Just one thing: why are there people not dressed in red & white? It’s National Day, for goodness sake, people should make some effort to dress appropriately! My kids even had red & white Rainbow Loom bracelets. Those who show up in anything other than red and/ or white should be banned from future National Day Parades!

at Marina Square

at Marina Square

with one of the cheerleaders

with one of the cheerleaders

waiting for the parade to start

waiting for the parade to start

sea of red & white

sea of red & white

very excited kiddo

very excited kiddo

waving her flag

waving her flag

evening

evening

singing and dancing along

singing and dancing along

the flag

the flag

fireworks!

fireworks!

Anya’s first National Day Parade

Anya went to watch the NDP Preview on Saturday with my mum and aunts, or according to her, with “two 姨婆s and one 阿嬤”. It was her first ever NDP so I was worried that she’d be hot and irritated but she had a blast! She was happily cheering, dancing and waving her flag. She was frightened by the noise when the fireworks started but I think she really enjoyed herself. Every time the ad for the NDP comes on TV, she would ask my mum, “Remember the fireworks?”

my mum and Anya at the entrance

practising her flag-waving before the crowd arrives

cheering

watching the skydiving team

one of the parachute people

during the 21-gun salute

dancing with grandma

still waving that flag

finale

fireworks

National Day Parade 1995: Marching Contingent

The National Day Parade 1995 was held at the Padang. I was in the combined BB/GB marching contingent along with several other girls from my company. We started training in February and all our weekends from then till August were burnt! We had tan lines on our foreheads from standing in the sun with our caps on. I remember that we were served the same food every weekend for those 7 months: it was either soggy KFC or some other chicken thing. Maybe my aversion to chicken developed then. Of course, I was very proud that I got to march in the NDP but if I had to do it all over again, I don’t think I would because 7 months is a long time and I really don’t like chicken.

The photos below are from PICAS (Pictures Archives Singapore) which is by the National Archives of Singapore.  I’m thinking of getting some of the pictures printed for old times’ sake. :)

NDP 1995 at the Padang

I’m behind the guy with the red sash

back view

Anya celebrates National Day

Anya celebrated National Day by going all over Singapore! 7 Aug – Went over to BLSS to celebrate National Day and then out with the grandparents. 8 Aug – Breakfast at Spruce, a stroll and lunch at Ion Orchard, dinner at Vivocity. 9 Aug – Breakfast at Jurong Point, lunch back home, dinner at Auntie Deb’s. 10 Aug – Breakfast at Jones the Grocer, lunch at Auntie Juan’s and dinner back home.

Anya in her various red and white outfits: