NDP 2009 family day

NDP.

National Day Parade.

A day which took almost a year to organise, involve thousands of people, SAF, school kids, working personnal, in fact, involves people from all walks of life, be it in marching contingents, dancing participants, ushers, marshallers, traffic control, crowd control, temperature screenings, and of course, the back stage crew, who put up all the props, the wiring, the audio, the lightings...

In fact, to me, the most work (physically) are actually the back stage crew, who put in so much effort, but got the least recognition, and the SAF personnal, who did lots back stage work, without any recognition.

All for the our nation's birthday celebration.

I went for the last CR (combine rehersal) and was impressed with all the displays.

All along, the only part that interest me during NDPs is only the Parade segment. And coming out of the Marina Bay are yesterday night, i was impressed. The show segment was impressive. In fact, the whole celebration was very nice, except for the marina bay wave part where a car and motorcycle was involved.


The pre parade display, with the 5 hosts

(mediacorp celebrities) was a bit dull, with not much spectators co-operation to heat up the event. Perhaps, the NE show with full of hyeractive screaming primary school kids will be more interesting to watch.

And personnally, i like the "terrorist incident" segement, the sea display. Too bad, there's ain't a air show segment only whereby the chinook chopper flew close to the bay area and the 2 AH64 Apacha Choppers.

The freefall was the same every year, but it never fails to bring out much screamings from the spectators. Imagine jumping out of a perfectly working aircraft. They got guts... (Salute them).

Next come the parade.

The same every year, with 2 exceptions. 3 F-16 bomb bursts with full afterburners.

And the firing of the 21 gun salute. It's done on the bay instead of hard solid ground.. Impressive.

And the parade wise, well, even thought it's the same every year, the smartness of the guard of honor contingents and all the other supporting contingents, the uniformed groups, other civilian contingents, the SAF and Police bands, all make the march past an interesting part to watch.

Imagine the hours they had put in trainings.

Okie... I shall end here on the part I of the NDP 2009. I shall come to the show segment soon (hopefully).

Stay tuned.