Dorcas Ling
Flames over the Esplanade?
If you were one of the thousands at the Esplanade for the Marina Bay Countdown (MBC), or perched precariously on the stairs of Marina Square, you’d have braved the sudden downpour, which lasted all of 15 minutes, to welcome 2007 with a final light show and bursts of fireworks.
However, you may also have been slightly disappointed as the rain meant that scheduled performances at the Outdoor Theatre, such as the one by local singer Kaira Gong, were cancelled. It also sent thousands scuttling for shelter wherever possible – in walkways, under staircases, and of course, any remaining space within the mall.
Despite the shower of blessing, the enthusiasm continued to burn bright, and spirits remained high throughout the night as everyone waited patiently for the rain to let up. It must be the trademark Singapore discipline that resulted in the sea of people managing to form neat rows wherever they sat or stood. This reporter mingled with both young and old, and did not hear a single grumble about the unfortunate change of events; instead, most still raved about the positive vibe.
Stephen Monash, 36, a manager, said, “This is my first countdown in Singapore and it’s really great. The people are so excited, it really rubs off on me. The light-up of the wishing spheres is also a very interesting and heart-warming concept. I got to write on one!”
The audience was rewarded for their patience when the finale unfolded. 5,000 wishing spheres, lit in a gorgeous array of colours, set the bay aglow. As the colours hit and then glided across the water, the spheres looked like gigantic pearls bobbing to original music of noted composer Iskandar Ismail.15
Needless to say, the highlight of the entire celebration came in the form of fire in the sky. For 8 precious minutes, the vast expanse was lit by brilliant fireworks. As 160,000 pairs of eyes were dazzled by showers of glorious gold, fiery red and electrifying green, time seemed to come to a standstill. No one moved as a wave of awe blanketed all, and each time a spectacular sight exploded in the air, unified gasps and cheering filled the air. With fireworks patterned and timed to colour and design the sky, those who had braved the elements and the bodily crush were definitely not disappointed.
After the surreal experience, we snapped back to reality. Crowds moved like in a slow stampede, consuming cars, buses, motorbikes and all else in their way. The blaring of horns and endless flow of people, squashed body to body, lasted close to an hour and a half, after which people continued to loiter and hang out on the streets till the wee hours of morning.
Teacher Melanie Goh, 28, echoed the dominant mood of the party in upbeat tones. “The vibe’s great, the people are enthusiastic, and although the rain’s cancelled some potentially rocking performances, the band “Dancing Nancy” whose performance I caught, is really good. Their music is funky and fun!”