NDP 2008. It's finally over.
For the first time in God-knows-how-many years, it rained during NDP. Thankfully, spirits were not dampened.
I watched everyone around me digging for ponchos from their fun packs and could have kicked myself. I hadn't bothered to queue up for the fun pack because I already have two sitting at home from previous rehearsals.
And, of all the days, it had to rain then. -_-"
What else could I do but whip out my newly-bought Marks & Spencers brolly, which is completely black. I had to be thick-skinned enough to hold it up, thus sticking out like a sore thumb in the sea of red. If you had seen a black umbrella on TV or the big screen, that was probably me. HAH. Hopefully, the viewers were distracted by other things on the screen. ;p
It was difficult trying to snap pictures and holding the brolly up at the same time. There were times when the drizzle got lighter, so I retracted the brolly and happily clicked away. When the drizzle got heavier, up went my brolly again. This went on for a good hour until it finally stopped drizzling just before the arrival of President SR Nathan. I think the people sitting around me must have felt terribly irritated to have the umbrella poking at their faces, blocking their view. For that, I'm truly sorry. -_-
Overall, I think the pictures I took cannot give justice to the wonderful show I saw. Quite a number of my photographs are blurry due to the smoke and dust particles from all the blasting of canons, fire sparks and fireworks. The wind just wasn't strong enough to blow them away. The drizzle during the first hour made it worse. I was pretty disappointed with the results honestly. I was so ready to capture the entire performance that I'd actually waited until Friday night to charge BOTH my camera batteries. Out of the 400-odd pictures I took, I think only 30% or even less are good. ;(
Anyway, as usual, I'll just post the better ones (that is, the less awful ones) in this entry. This time round, I managed to capture more of our Quest Choir participants on the big screen! Ha! =D
Before the show commenced, grey clouds were already looming over our heads.
The Combined Schools' Choir geting ready
Michelle Chong making her entrance
Jean Danker waving to the crowd
The picture is blur, I know, but can you make out the hordes of people?
Here's Adrian Pang singing as he made his entrance
A clearer picture of the view I had of the crowd at Fullerton
I managed to snap this which appeared on the big screen.
Huilin and Joyce Lim were on it!
The cha cha dancers
The Choir doing the cha cha, too, with their maracas
On the big screen: Meimei and Jiawei in the 1st row;
Marvin was blocked by Mr Lennie... OOPS!
The line-dancers performing together with the Choir
The Choir and the cheerleaders
Nathan Hartono singing Where I Belong
Sparks from the jets
More sparks!
Why was everyone waving their flags?
Here's why: the Red Lions!
Giant air balloons tumbling over us
Performing precision drills and making music in the heavy drizzle
Sparks from the bikes
The star formation with sparks
The NDP 08 formation
The NDP 08 formation with the colours party and guards-of-honour
On the big screen while performing for Veedu: Shanice & Charlene in the 5th row, Deborah, Eunice, Melisa (slightly blocked) & Julia in the 4th, Rachel & Kaili in the 3rd!
Arrival of MM Lee & SM Goh
Don't they look good? =D
On the big screen: Meimei, Jiawei & Marvin (blocked again... oops!) in 1st row;
Huiying in 2nd row behind Meimei
On screen again: Melisa & Julia (partially blocked by her green prop) in the centre;
Rachel & Kaili in front of Julia
Deborah, Eunice & Melisa once again! (;
Final pose for Tiada Lain Bagiku Melainkan Di Sini
PM Lee looking serious
Jacintha singing We Are Singapore
On screen yet again: Peiying, Mandi & Shanice! =D
The sky started clearing up a little! Woots! About time!
Arrival of President SR Nathan
Arrival of state flag
MAJULAH SINGAPURA!
The Black Knights saluting the nation
Helicopter view - literally - captured on the big screen
I did not take pictures of the march pass. It was rather difficult from where I was sitting to get good shots. :(
The Black Knights zooming over us again
The sky finally cleared up!
More water from the fountains, however. Heh.
A shot of the Singapore Flyer
Sparks again!
Colurful displays of lights
This was the part where I started snapping my camera furiously - non-stop. HAHA.
As I left the floating platform, I took this shot.
The merlion looked a little creepy in my humble opinion. ;p
Back in school at the foyer, the kids getting ready to thank Terrance who was initially on the phone, oblivious of their intention! Haha!
Well, it was a very trying three months, but I think I enjoyed myself for the most parts of it. Even though my marking, lesson preparation and delivery, health and meet-ups with friends suffered big-time, things somehow always worked out miraculously in the end. Praise and thanks be to the Lord for always being there to look out for me! =)
As much as I'd complained about several of my precious Saturdays being burnt up in smoke, I will miss being part of the NDP - the crazy schedule, the ever-changing roster for teachers, the last minute requests from CCAB, Terrance and even pupils, the NDP Media Brief 2, watching the pupils dance and sing over and over again, watching the full rehearsals practically every Saturday, crapping with fellow Choir teachers from other schools. The list goes on. I will miss it all, as crazy as it sounds. (Read my heartfelt thanks at Quest Choir Blog.)
Here's the group photo we took with Terrance. There's a second photograph floating somewhere out there. I shall ask around for it. x)
Here's wishing Singapore a very happy 43rd birthday!
May the Lord continue to pour His blessings upon our homeland. 