Didn't get that spectacular view of the platform from where you were seated during the parade? Here are the resplendent pictures (as viewed from above) capturing some great masterpieces of the parade. It's all thanks to the hard work and coordination of the performers and backstage crew. So do enjoy and be awe-struck!
Fitting the pieces together, do you see the Singapore story?
(This scene was on land reclamation, "Fast Forward". haha.)
The Singaporea Heartbeat.
Iridescence
Brilliant red hues?
Or tinctures of sapphire and cerulean blue?
Vermilion red, brimming with life and vitality.
Sang Nila Utama amidst the turbulent waters.
The immaculate formations.
The Singapore flag flies higher than the bird!
The little red ants go marching on and on..
Haha, the bird must be thinking what contingents are these? Well, they're certainly not as nice as those marching in uniform.
Come Together
Our little red dot's inextricably connected to places around the globe.
A breathtaking view of the floating platform.
And so the bird has to fly higher so as not to get caught in the fireworks.
And ahhh, surrealism!
Well folks, here's what our Prime Minister has to say to all of us this National Day. You can find the full message in the four languages here. Haha, it somehow reminds me of the times in school where the principal gets to talk to the entire cohort on various issues concerning the school and education. Just that I realise this message is addressing the entire nation, You, Me and every Singaporean. So here's a short summary of what he wants to tell us and some useful insights.
In a nutshell, 3 main points reverberate throughout his message:
-We have been striving hard in dismal economic times this year and have responded "resolutely and cohesively" to overcome the hardships. We are now less vulnerable and "in a stronger position".
- To always look to the future and prepare for a rainy day. The "outlook remains clouded". We should always aim to turn trials and tribulations into opportunities, difficulties into challenges, adversity into prosperity.
- We have, we will, and will always need to Come Together as we unite to succeed in our Singaporean endeavours. "Let us stand shoulder-to-shoulder, so that whether it rains or shines, we can work together and achieve the best results for Singapore".
Well, looks like we have a busy year ahead of us as we surface from the quagmire we've been mired in for a while. Hmm, this year's theme song's lyrics do ring true. What do we see in the coming years for Singapore? Believe that we will survive the odds together and achieve our hopes and dreams. "Cos the sky's the only limit, when you're not afraid to dream".
PM Lee has been talking a lot about making use of opportunities, seeking improvement and to always reach out to others such that no Singaporean is left alone, share the opportunities and endowments we have. In the midst of painstakingly trying to support our families or to earn a stable income, lets not get too caught up in the vortex of a fast-paced life. Yes, we are standing up for Singapore by doing so, but lets do it with a smile. Pause occasionally to relish what's great about our lives and the place we call home.
Perhaps it's an inexorable trend that we will overcome the odds? From our forefathers who used every ounce of energy they had to support the family in those turbulent times, to our people rallying together to fight for independence, to Singaporeans coming together to overcome crisis such as the Asian Economic Crisis, 9/11 attacks and SARS. As PM Lee said, "Each time our people have rallied and prevailed". We have yet another "adventure" to take on now with this crisis, so lets do what we should, and head "UP"!
But lets not get complacent. (Actually, we hardly ever do so cos we're kinda kiasu haha, it's our culture and style.) We gotta open our eyes and explore new and innovative avenues to improve ourselves and what's around us. After all, "We are not just pursuing economic growth, strengthening our society, or remaking our city, but creating a new Singapore".
Ahhh, there are no boundaries. With every step we climb another mountain. With every breath it may seem harder to believe that we may achieve. The road may seem to be going nowhere. But if we do it together as we've seen and heard before, we'll make it through the pain and weather the hurricanes to get to our goals. There are no boundaries. haha, courtesy of the song "No Boundaries"..Was listening to the song earlier on and found it somewhat relevant. I fancy it's a little similar to our our theme song..haha.
So Singaporeans, it's up to you, What Do You See? =)
Singapore, an island with limited resources - how did we survive? Credits goes to our amazingly efficient port operators dealing with exports and imports 24/7, meeting Singapore's needs via trade :)
Port of S'pore Authority (PSA) international, handling about a fifth of the world's total container throughput, should deserve more than just a word of praise or mere acknowledgement by our fellow Singaporeans :P
Let's hav a peek into the intricate PSA Singapore Terminals, flagship of PSA international. Discover the Human-Touches that made our port worked so successfully!
Container Equipment Specialist - "my office.. is the yard-crane"
Senior Mechanical Engineer - "our mission's to keep PSA's port-cranes working - containers after containers.."
Operations Executive - "..make sure that the operations in our ports ran smoothly"
Senior Systems Engineer - "..computers are now a major part of our lives, here at the port.. is no different"
Each and every individual plays a role! Not just restricted to biz but to life in general. So what is yours?
Now that National Day's over, we're having some bittersweet feelings - relief that we've accomplished what we set out to, joy to be part of the nation's celebrations and, of course, a certain amount of sadness that this is going to be the inevitable end of a long journey.
Anyway, many of you have the funpacks safely in your homes already. Did you enjoy the goodies? Have you used the discount vouchers? And did you see the yellow tab?
All of them have their stories... Do listen to them with your heart.
930pm update
The show has just ended!! It was amazing and I hope everyone enjoyed the parade this year. The year has been tough for everyone. With the economic crisis looming over everyone, some wonder why so much money is spent on the parade. As Chairman NDP' 09 has said, NDP is not only about NDP. For all Singaporeans, this is the time for us to reaffirm our own beliefs of why we are Singaporeans. Behind the lights and sounds, what do you see? What do you feel? Let the pictures do the talking and enjoy!!
610 pm update
Our journey ended abruptly with the sign below. x.x'''
Poor me, had to sit outside the toilet while the laptop's charging. All the sacrifice for this blog... you better appreciate this!