Across the road from the previous assault (see "Gobsmacked Part 1") of colour, a pause to be awed by the skyline ---- buildings and land that didn't exist 10 or 12 years ago! Once again the illusion of a durian-in-a-roofline. And then plunged back into OMG colours and crowds. For over 40 years Singapore has celebrated the New Year with the Chingay Parade, hundreds of floats with thousands of performers close enough to return your smile. Lucky us to fall into the thick of it.
True to Singapore's legendary discipline, each group had 5 minutes to dance, sing, and strut their stuff. Five hundred tu-tu'd little girls danced Swan Lake! Malays, Indonesians, Indians, Phillipinos, Thais, and uncountable Chinese. World Music in the truest sense.There was even a group of flag-throwing Italians! The costumes glistened in the light, the floats dazzled like supercharged rainbows. Best in Show for me were the giant puppets glad-handing the crowd. And they must have been expecting Pat ---- the last float was "Passion Home Gardening"!
I have been to the monster Carnaval in Rio and other places around the
world. I have been to several Mardi Gras, Superbowls, Caribana, and many
Olympic Opening and Closing Ceremonies. None of them matched the sheer
variety, exuberance, and drop-dead full-out energy of this. And just
when your eyes are aching for a break, they throw in a towering inferno
of fireworks. Wish you were here.
True to Singapore's legendary discipline, each group had 5 minutes to dance, sing, and strut their stuff. Five hundred tu-tu'd little girls danced Swan Lake! Malays, Indonesians, Indians, Phillipinos, Thais, and uncountable Chinese. World Music in the truest sense.There was even a group of flag-throwing Italians! The costumes glistened in the light, the floats dazzled like supercharged rainbows. Best in Show for me were the giant puppets glad-handing the crowd. And they must have been expecting Pat ---- the last float was "Passion Home Gardening"!
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