The Golden Jubilee long weekend is finally over. What an exciting four days it has been – at least for me! It’s also the last few days before school resumes and life goes back to normal – I’ve really been relaxing too much these weeks!
SG50 Public Holiday – Black Knights / NUSSU Rag and Flag
On the special public holiday, I spent the first half of the day with my family because we wanted to catch the Republic of Singapore Air Force Black Knights aerial acrobatics team, which had planned a special acrobatic display for Singapore’s 50th birthday. After dropping my brother off at the Padang – and admiring the Padang site – my dad dropped us off at Gardens by the Bay where we slowly walked to the Marina Barrage.
The weather was not looking too good as 12pm (the start time) approached, and it started to rain just before 12pm. The start time was pushed back, then we were informed that it will be a partial show. Turns out it really wasn’t a very sophisticated show, just some flybys and simple tricks. Better than nothing though, but nothing like the actual planned performance.
In the afternoon and evening I spent an incredible 7 hours at the Float at Marina Bay for NUSSU Rag and Flag Day, thanks Heather and Ben for the last-minute ticket. It’s really the biggest rag day ever, with the floating platform nearly full (that’s around 20,000 people!). I remember the last time NUSSU had the rag and flag day outside was in 2010, at the Promontory. I thought it was a good idea to do it outside because that’s the whole point of rag day – to show appreciation to the public who have donated during flag day. If you have it in campus, the outreach is limited. Of course, cost concerns make it a lot more viable to have it in school as part of orientation.
But it’s a nice break thanks to (what I think) a huge budget increase due to NUS’s 110th anniversary, added on to SG50 celebrations. Good show, but just a bit long. Really enjoyed the Biz (i’m biased) and Medicine performances, they were superb. And these two performances got gold yet again – really the gold standard in this competition. Just feels like the bar is getting higher and higher every year.
After that, there were performances by Gentle Bones, The Sam Willows and Christina Grimmie. I know the first two, I don’t know who Christina Grimmie was (unbelievable right?). They were all good. Of course Christina is supposed to be better or something but I really think they are around the same in terms of goodness. (I think our local talent is up there too!)
We left slightly early ‘cos it was dragging way too long, we didn’t have proper dinner, and I think I’m getting a bit too old for this freshman stuff.
HAHAHA.
National Day Eve – Botanic Gardens
8 Aug would have been a typical Saturday. Met Letts and Sheng Kang in the afternoon for a long awaited catch-up. Following that, on a whim, decided to bring my mum and my youngest sister out to the Botanic Gardens for the SG50 concert. I heard that it was the Singapore Symphonic Orchestra performing so it would be nice to catch them out. Plus there will be The Sam Willows again!
Turns out we didn’t see either of those. What we did see (‘cos we didn’t stay there for too long) was quite a nice performance by the Singapore Lyric Opera and a whole bunch of people. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the Botanic Gardens so crowded before. The palm valley surrounding the Shaw Foundation stage was FULL of families, many dressed in red, with picnic mats. Very glad to see many young kids too – and they are not playing with any of the fancy iGadgets.
Must say I was very impressed with the performance put up by Lyric Opera. I don’t listen to this genre at all (opera music leh, I’m how old only). It was a nice evening, not too hot, with gentle breezes here and there. It was particularly nice after the sun went down so it was just great weather and great music. 🙂
National Day – Black Knights again + Many hours in Marina Bay
All the $$ spent since Aug 10 last year to commemorate SG50 will finally lead to its conclusion on 9 Aug. After breakfast with my family and dropping my bro at the Padang, we heard the Proclamation by LKY in the car over radio. I got goosebumps and felt a lump in my throat when the familiar – yet not so familiar – voice declared that Singapore shall forever be an independent and sovereign nation. Forever – it’s a scary word to use especially considering the circumstances surrounding separation. 50 years later, forever still rings true.
Spent the rest of the day with Chels. We took the free public transport to Bayfront and followed the sea of red towards Marina Barrage. Weather looks better today, and the Black Knights really, really delivered. Made the wait for them to strut their F16s worth it. They were just as good, if not better (probably better) than when I last saw them in the 2011 Singapore Airshow (those NS days…).
The most touching one was definitely the tribute flypast, and the scariest one was… well, there’s more than one. I found those manoeuvres that brought the planes close to each other particularly scary.
We then spent our time slowly moving to lunch (in Peach Garden noodle house in Gardens by the Bay), then slowly moving to MBS, slowly having coffee, and then slowly finding a spot to watch the parade. Slowly because everywhere was full of people. It’s quite scary. The number of people everywhere really reminds you of how dense Singapore is. A very good number also decked in red and white – it was as though the entire nation was going to watch the show at Padang. But of course, National Day is more than just for those lucky peeps who get tickets to watch the parade.
We ultimately got a spot (helped by nice Singaporeans who gave me some space while I waited for Chels from the toilet) that had a good view of the LED screen but a partially blocked view of fireworks. For me it was a bit of a pity but I would rather have watched the parade and the show. The mood was superb – everyone watching the show around us were really enthusiastic. Clapped, sang, waved the flags, etc. In ways the mood of the people around us is better than the NDP Chels and I caught back in 2013.
Other than the sombre LKY tribute, the rest of the parade and show was received with loud applause and cheers from the crowd. Every chapter of the show. During the 2 national anthems everyone sung with gusto. Likewise for the pledge. It’s a nice, heartwarming feeling.
Until the fireworks start, of course. Then we were presented with our blocked view.
Zzz. (But it’s okay)
After the fireworks Chels and I decided to take our time to go back because we can imagine how crowded public transport would be. We initially wanted to head to Marina Bay MRT but turns out I wasn’t the only one with that idea. So we decided to eat at SGEatWithUs right at the Bay, before heading back. Slowly.
It was so glorious to see Marina Bay in red and white, both in the day and in night. Truly a national day to remember.
The Day After – Sentosa
Today is the last day of the 4-day-long weekend. Tomorrow school would start. People who have went off to enjoy the long weekend overseas would come back, holiday over.
My family had decided to check out the sand sculptures at Sentosa’s Siloso Beach, especially since the exhibition is only on for the jubilee weekend. Enjoyed the sculptures a lot, very detailed work by the sculptors.
Then we checked out Fort Siloso through its new skywalk – great view. It was my first time ever at Fort Siloso because last time it was a paid attraction. Recently it was made free so my family took a look at it. Quite a cool and very historic location. Made me think about life during the war. It’s crazy how things change.
A Thought
Today there was a special edition of the Straits Times on the 50th National Day (obviously). What caught my attention was this article by Rachel Chang, who’s around my age (a few years older). I agreed with the article, which reflected some thoughts from this Gen Y-er on expectations for the next 50 years.
But the success story of SG50 was unearned by my generation. We Instagrammed all the best moments from the long weekend, but understood only theoretically the journey that led to here.
We were born into a fast-moving current, buoyed along by the waves others made.
It will be SG100 that’s our tale to tell. And when I am 79, the story I hope my grandchildren will hear won’t be just one of success, of going from Third World to First.
It will also be about how we held together when things seemed to go backwards, if ever they do. About how our identity and resilience as a people were not contingent on growth and constant addition, but were able to withstand scarcity and subtraction – and strengthen through those periods.
So true, so true.
That’s exactly how I felt about celebrating this year’s golden jubilee as a young adult, just about to be thrust into the working world. Jubilant, proud, but feeling somewhat unworthy. Excited, yet nervous, to see how the future will unfold when we are the ones directly contributing to the Singapore story.
Swee Life 