This year, ushering in the new year was different from the previous years.
2008/2009- I spent it in another country, this time in Singapore. There's no excuse in spending a boring new year countdown here- there's heaps of countdown events going on simultaneously everywhere around this small island I've been calling home for almost 2 months now.
Being (slightly too) ambitious, I'd wanted to try out my camera capturing beautiful fireworks displays. Sadly for me, I began my hunt for a tripod (I left mine among one of the many packed boxes somewhere in Dunedin) too late in the afternoon yesterday. Only managed to look around at Orchard Road and resigned to NOT having a tripod after being told they were sold out. *sniff* Which means there's no way of getting good photos of the fireworks without blurring issues.
So Ron and I went to the countdown show at Marina Bay quite early; I wanted to scope for the best spots there. Gosh there were already so many people crowded around the Esplanade Drive and along the bay by 7pm-ish. Many people even brought picnic mats and secured a nice spot for fireworks-watching by then.
Not wanting to be squished among the hundreds upon thousands of people later during the night, we opted to buy the tickets to watch the (quoted from the website): "star-studded countdown show at The Float @ Marina Bay, where they will be able to enjoy 'live' performances by popular MediaCorp Channel 5 celebrities, such as Fiona Xie, Michelle Chia, Gurmit Singh, Adrian Pang, Taufik Batisah, Hady Mirza and many more. Tickets for the show are available at $18 and $25 through authorised SISTIC agents. Performances start from 9pm onwards, all the way till 12.15am".
The countdown show was BLEH. Poor emcees trying to hype up the atmosphere, which I thought was lacklustre enough except for the times after each tv commercial break (the countdown was aired live) when I could hear the occassional shouts and cheers. I have to give them props for making us do the "Marina Bay wave" (copyrighted from the Kallang/Mexican wave) many times, from the left to right, from front to back...). No outside food/drink was allowed inside, and the queue to buy food and to go to the toilets were soooooo long. According to the emcees, there were more than 10,000 people who bought tickets to see the full show, and more than 250000 in total @ Marina Bay.
The one thing I'd remember the most is probably the loud quarrel between an angry wife with her poor husband sitting one row behind us. It started off with the husband handing the camera over to another guy to take a photo of them. Then "PLUNK" went the camera, onto the ground the lens looking irreparable.
A few seconds later, we were greeted with the angry screams of the wife: "LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE!!!! It's MY camera you know!!! It's a good camera, you know! I spent so much money buying it you know! I want you to buy it right now! How am I supposed to take photo of the fireworks!!!" I pity the husband (who didn't raise his voice at all), looking so downcast and has probably muttered more than 100 sorries the whole night, who knows how many more when they got home.
He very patiently took in more screams and demands for the next hour or so, until an exasperated couple behind them spoke up. I know it's Asian culture to mind our own business, but obviously it's been going on for far TOO long and no one else dared to interfere.
The young lady who spoke up (TYLWSU), with tattoos and all, said "EH everyone is here to celebrate, so can you take your quarreling outside?"
Angry very pissed wife (AVPW): Who are YOOOOOOU to tell me what to do?! You don't even know what happened!!!!!
TYLWSU: I don't CARE what happened. WHAT you think that your voice very loud so more big shot is it?
AVPW: (clenching her fists) (can't remember what she said except the B**** word)
By then, everyone around was looking at them. TYLWSU's boyfriend/husband was already rolling up his sleeves and looking menacingly at AVPW and her husband. TYLWSU took a few steps forward after hearing the B word, looking ready to punch AVPW. I've got to salute AVPW's super patient husband for apologizing to TYLWSU and bf so many times, while his wife just stared them down.
After countless apologies, TYLWSU and bf went back to their seats. AVPW was finally quiet, while her poor husband kept saying he'd buy her a better camera the next day.
"Don't want! It's a good camera, YOU KNOW!"
"OKOK I'll buy you the EXACT same camera tomorrow"
"DON'T WANT I want a new one TONIGHT!"
"How to go tonight...?"
"I don't care HOW!!!! I want to take photos of the fireworks tonight!!!"
P.S. It was dark, I didn't get a good look at the camera, but it's no dslr, just a compact cam. And during one point, AVPW even demanded the husband to take out his mobile phone, and she deliberately threw it away! Poor husband went to pick it up (not sure if it was damaged) with so many people watching the drama.
Somehow AVPW didn't force the poor husband to buy one that very night during new year's eve. Emotional abuse! So funny right after that Ron suddenly said he didn't want to buy a camera anymore =P And we were guessing how long it took for people who sat right in front of AVPW to move to other seats. Some of them didn't even last for 20 seconds.
What a sad way for them to spend New Year's day. While PDA was going on in front of us, they sat in silence after the fight, not sure if they even wished each other happy new year.
ANYWAY besides that, the fireworks display was AWESOME!
just before sunset, the skyscrapers overlooking the clear blue skies.
those floating balloon-like things are part of the "wishing sphere project"
dusk. such a gorgeous view
the view from the "floating platforms" where we sat
different coloured lights illuminated the wishing spheres: blue, orange, etc.
one of the noisy rock bands performing. local, I think.
the lead singer even climbed one of the poles once- crazy stunt
can you spot the celebrity? =P
unidentified singer & dancers
Phua Chu Kang (PCK) and guy in blue suit (can't remember his stage name) with Barbarella Posh Beckham (girl with PRC accent/infatuated with VJ Utt)
another singer
Gurmit Singh, Adrian Pang (if I'm not mistaken), and VJ Utt (left - right)
PCK: I never changed so fast in my life! haha!
the whole cast of performers towards the end of the show just before midnight. managed to get home by 1am, thanks to the trains extending operation till 2am
last but not least, a short video showing the last part of the fireworks display
be prepared to say WOW
2008/2009- I spent it in another country, this time in Singapore. There's no excuse in spending a boring new year countdown here- there's heaps of countdown events going on simultaneously everywhere around this small island I've been calling home for almost 2 months now.
Being (slightly too) ambitious, I'd wanted to try out my camera capturing beautiful fireworks displays. Sadly for me, I began my hunt for a tripod (I left mine among one of the many packed boxes somewhere in Dunedin) too late in the afternoon yesterday. Only managed to look around at Orchard Road and resigned to NOT having a tripod after being told they were sold out. *sniff* Which means there's no way of getting good photos of the fireworks without blurring issues.
So Ron and I went to the countdown show at Marina Bay quite early; I wanted to scope for the best spots there. Gosh there were already so many people crowded around the Esplanade Drive and along the bay by 7pm-ish. Many people even brought picnic mats and secured a nice spot for fireworks-watching by then.
Not wanting to be squished among the hundreds upon thousands of people later during the night, we opted to buy the tickets to watch the (quoted from the website): "star-studded countdown show at The Float @ Marina Bay, where they will be able to enjoy 'live' performances by popular MediaCorp Channel 5 celebrities, such as Fiona Xie, Michelle Chia, Gurmit Singh, Adrian Pang, Taufik Batisah, Hady Mirza and many more. Tickets for the show are available at $18 and $25 through authorised SISTIC agents. Performances start from 9pm onwards, all the way till 12.15am".
The countdown show was BLEH. Poor emcees trying to hype up the atmosphere, which I thought was lacklustre enough except for the times after each tv commercial break (the countdown was aired live) when I could hear the occassional shouts and cheers. I have to give them props for making us do the "Marina Bay wave" (copyrighted from the Kallang/Mexican wave) many times, from the left to right, from front to back...). No outside food/drink was allowed inside, and the queue to buy food and to go to the toilets were soooooo long. According to the emcees, there were more than 10,000 people who bought tickets to see the full show, and more than 250000 in total @ Marina Bay.
The one thing I'd remember the most is probably the loud quarrel between an angry wife with her poor husband sitting one row behind us. It started off with the husband handing the camera over to another guy to take a photo of them. Then "PLUNK" went the camera, onto the ground the lens looking irreparable.
A few seconds later, we were greeted with the angry screams of the wife: "LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE!!!! It's MY camera you know!!! It's a good camera, you know! I spent so much money buying it you know! I want you to buy it right now! How am I supposed to take photo of the fireworks!!!" I pity the husband (who didn't raise his voice at all), looking so downcast and has probably muttered more than 100 sorries the whole night, who knows how many more when they got home.
He very patiently took in more screams and demands for the next hour or so, until an exasperated couple behind them spoke up. I know it's Asian culture to mind our own business, but obviously it's been going on for far TOO long and no one else dared to interfere.
The young lady who spoke up (TYLWSU), with tattoos and all, said "EH everyone is here to celebrate, so can you take your quarreling outside?"
Angry very pissed wife (AVPW): Who are YOOOOOOU to tell me what to do?! You don't even know what happened!!!!!
TYLWSU: I don't CARE what happened. WHAT you think that your voice very loud so more big shot is it?
AVPW: (clenching her fists) (can't remember what she said except the B**** word)
By then, everyone around was looking at them. TYLWSU's boyfriend/husband was already rolling up his sleeves and looking menacingly at AVPW and her husband. TYLWSU took a few steps forward after hearing the B word, looking ready to punch AVPW. I've got to salute AVPW's super patient husband for apologizing to TYLWSU and bf so many times, while his wife just stared them down.
After countless apologies, TYLWSU and bf went back to their seats. AVPW was finally quiet, while her poor husband kept saying he'd buy her a better camera the next day.
"Don't want! It's a good camera, YOU KNOW!"
"OKOK I'll buy you the EXACT same camera tomorrow"
"DON'T WANT I want a new one TONIGHT!"
"How to go tonight...?"
"I don't care HOW!!!! I want to take photos of the fireworks tonight!!!"
P.S. It was dark, I didn't get a good look at the camera, but it's no dslr, just a compact cam. And during one point, AVPW even demanded the husband to take out his mobile phone, and she deliberately threw it away! Poor husband went to pick it up (not sure if it was damaged) with so many people watching the drama.
Somehow AVPW didn't force the poor husband to buy one that very night during new year's eve. Emotional abuse! So funny right after that Ron suddenly said he didn't want to buy a camera anymore =P And we were guessing how long it took for people who sat right in front of AVPW to move to other seats. Some of them didn't even last for 20 seconds.
What a sad way for them to spend New Year's day. While PDA was going on in front of us, they sat in silence after the fight, not sure if they even wished each other happy new year.
ANYWAY besides that, the fireworks display was AWESOME!
just before sunset, the skyscrapers overlooking the clear blue skies.those floating balloon-like things are part of the "wishing sphere project"
The Wishing Sphere Project is a significant component of the Marina Bay SINGAPORE Countdown. Members of the community are all invited to join in the project by penning their wish for the New Year on a wishing sphere. Each wishing sphere represents a hope, a belief that the New Year will bring new possibilities and the promise of a brighter tomorrow.
dusk. such a gorgeous view
the view from the "floating platforms" where we satdifferent coloured lights illuminated the wishing spheres: blue, orange, etc.
one of the noisy rock bands performing. local, I think.the lead singer even climbed one of the poles once- crazy stunt
can you spot the celebrity? =P
unidentified singer & dancers
Phua Chu Kang (PCK) and guy in blue suit (can't remember his stage name) with Barbarella Posh Beckham (girl with PRC accent/infatuated with VJ Utt)
another singer
Gurmit Singh, Adrian Pang (if I'm not mistaken), and VJ Utt (left - right)PCK: I never changed so fast in my life! haha!
the whole cast of performers towards the end of the show just before midnight. managed to get home by 1am, thanks to the trains extending operation till 2amlast but not least, a short video showing the last part of the fireworks display
be prepared to say WOW
I'd wanted to blog on NY eve but didn't have the chance to. Anyway, to all my friends & family- no matter where you are =D I treasure and miss you all SO MUCH, really wished we could all celebrate new year's day together. Much love to all you SHINERS
Have a HAPPY and fruitful 2009 =)
Have a HAPPY and fruitful 2009 =)
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