Singapore’s 50th

Armed with just my mobile phone, a Sony Xperia Z3 Compact, and a few other accoutrements, I set off to attend my first proper National Day Parade (NDP). Although my ticket was for the Marina Bay Float and not the Padang where the main performance takes place, I was thrilled to have been presented with the opportunity to attend the jubilee celebration and was excited beyond words.

I just wished my mobile phone had a better camera. Make no mistake. It already has a very good camera, but it is not capable enough for big events like this. The overcast weather, although cooling and windy for us (good), was not suitable for photographs (bad), casting a grey pallor over most of my photos. Every time I take a shot the back of my mind reprimanded me for not bringing my digital camera instead. There is a reason why I left my digital camera at home. I did not want the focus to be on taking pictures. I do not want it to hamper my experience. I want MY focus to be on the parade itself. But ah well, the temptation to take photos were just too great to ignore so there goes my mobile phone snapping away.

This dilemma has been a dilemma ever since I started to attend concerts. I was always torn between the need to take photos as keepsakes (and to post on social media) and the want to enjoy the concert without worrying about capturing pictures. Anyhow, I never bring my digital camera to concerts (not allowed) and phone cameras are lousy as shit in dim lighting (bad photos = no photos). Therefore, the dilemma wasn’t really bothersome.

Not in the case of this NDP. There were so many things I want to capture as memories. The awesome aerial display (the “50” formation was perfect)! The jaw-dropping fireworks! The moving tribute to the late Lee Kuan Yew! The kaleidoscopic Singapore cityscape at dusk! I love how the skyscrapers’ own lightshows adds a different kind of flourish to the parade. The wonderful sing-alongs of old National Day songs that we actually like (but NOTHING could beat “Home”, which I sang whole-heartedly and tears just welled in my eyes)! It was a pity the Red Lions could not jump due to weather conditions.

Truth be told, ever since my adolescence, I had lost interest in NDPs. I never balloted for tickets and I stopped watching them on television. I was bored. The parades seemed repetitive. The new National Day songs were unappealing (this year’s one is not bad, I quite liked it). So I have stopped watching the parade for years.

Of course, this year is different. This year is special, it is Singapore’s 50^th! The whole year is one massive celebration! This is the year in which the nation celebrates its independence and hard-earned success, remembers its humble beginnings, gives thanks to its pioneers, learns not to take things for granted, and works towards a brighter future.

As the national anthem boldly declares, “Majulah Singapura”!

Here my photos, processed using a certain famous photo-editing software to look marginally decent: