Singapore

Sent by Daphne of Singapore.

Singapore - Singapore Cable Car

SINGAPORE CABLE CAR
Opened since 1974. The 1.75km cableway linking Mt Faber to the resort island of Sentosa has carried more than 11 million visitors. It offers a breathtaking view of the world's busiest port and the Singapore City skyline. SIMPLY BREATHTAKING.

Sent by Vivien, a postcrosser from Singapore.

The Singapore Cable Car provides an aerial link from Mount Faber on the main island of Singapore to the resort island of Sentosa across the Keppel Harbour. Opened on 15 February 1974, it was the first aerial ropeway system in the world to span a harbour. However, it is not the first aerial ropeway system to span the sea. For instance, Awashima Kaijō Ropeway in Japan, built in 1964, goes over a short strait to an island. Although referred to by its operators as a cable car, the listed system is in fact a bi-cable gondola lift and not an aerial tramway. A round-trip ticket currently costs SGD 29 for adult, SGD 18 for child. (read further)

Singapore - Geylang Serai Malay Village

The Geylang Serai Malay Village - It is brightly decorated for Hari Raya Puasa.

Sent by Eileen, a postcrosser from Singapore.

This is from Wikipedia :  The Malay Village (Malay: Kampung Melayu) is a museum in Geylang, Singapore where they showcases the life of the Malays who used to live in the area before redevelopment in the 1960s.

In the 1960s, Geylang was being redeveloped with the completion of many Housing Development Board (HDB) flats, light industrial estates and complexes. Majlis Pusat, the umbrella body for Malay cultural groups proposed an idea of a Malay village in the 1970s. The purpose is to showcase Malay culture to visitors and to provide a place for selling Malay souvenirs. The suggested location is Pasir Panjang. In August 1980, Ahmad Mattar, the Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, announced plans for the village which the then Minister for National Development, Teh Cheang Wan, gives approval in principle in November 1981. The official approval was given by the Government in February 1984 with Geylang as the chosen site.

The construction of the village began in 1986 and completed in 1989 and it costs the HDB $10 million. In September 1991, the Ananda group of companies, run by Hong Kong businessman Clarence Cheung, won the tender with a bid of $3.8 million to run the Malay Village. Plans were proposed to build a $10 million high-tech Islamic cultural museum in the village which did not materialise. Tender for the shops were open in 1992 but only eight shops out of 70 were open with seven out of 45 successful bidders pull out. An advisory panel was also formed.

In 2006, a new management, Malay Village Pte Ltd, took over the village and makes a police report with regards to the Malay Village's accounts. However the village has already a six-digit debt with insufficient funds to pay it. In 2008, Malay Village Pte Ltd announces plans to revive the place. However, Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), in the same year, announced plans to demolish the Malay Village after its lease ends in 2011 and to build a suburban commercial hub which includes a civic centre, a 2,000 sq m open plaza space, commercial developments and a new road. Appeals to the URA by shop tenants, management and Marine Parade GRC's Member of Parliament, Fatimah Lateef, were rejected.

On 17 Nov 2010, a Eid al-Adha ritual, organised by the Inter-racial and religious confidence circle of Kampong Ubi Kembangan and Geylang Serai, was held at the Malay Village. It was the first time the ritual was performed there. The Malay Village was chosen as it was the operation centre of Mini Environment Service, the Government's appointed korban vendor.

Singapore - Singacat

Singacat by Sakchai Pengprakon.

Sent by Madeline, a postcrosser from Singapore.

Singapore - Sands Skypark

Sands Skypark (Marina Bay Sands), Singapore.

Sent by nsn, a postcrosser from Singapore.

This is from Wikipedia : Marina Bay Sands is an integrated resort fronting Marina Bay in Singapore. Developed by Las Vegas Sands, it is billed as the world's most expensive standalone casino property at S$8 billion, including cost of the prime land.

With the casino complete, the resort features a 2,561-room hotel, a 1,300,000 square foot convention-exhibition centre, the 800,000 square foot The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands mall, an iconic ArtScience museum, two large theatres, seven "celebrity chef" restaurants, two floating Crystal Pavilions, an ice skating rink, and the world's largest atrium casino with 500 tables and 1,600 slot machines. The complex is topped by a 340m-long SkyPark with a capacity of 3,900 people and a 150m infinity swimming pool, set on top of the world's largest public cantilevered platform, which overhangs the north tower by 67m. The 20-hectare resort was designed by Moshe Safdie Architects. The local architect of record was Aedas Singapore, and engineering was provided by Arup and Parsons Brinkerhoff (MEP). The main contractor was SsangYong Engineering and Construction.

Originally set to open in 2009, Las Vegas Sands faced delays caused by escalating costs of material and labour shortages from the onset. The severe global financial crisis also pressured the company to delay its projects elsewhere to complete the integrated resort. Although Marina Bay Sands has been compared on scale and development costs to MGM's CityCenter, the latter is a mixed-use development, with condominium properties - comprising three of the seven main structures, being sold off.

The resort was officially opened with a two-day celebration on 23 June 2010 at 3.18 pm, after a partial opening (which included the casino) on 27 April 2010. The SkyPark opened a day later on 24 June 2010. The theatres were completed in time for the first performance by Riverdance on 30 November 2010. The floating pavilions are still being built and are expected to be fully completed by 2011. The indoor skating rink, which uses artificial ice, opened to a performance by Michelle Kwan on 18 December 2010. The ArtScience Museum opened to the public and the debut of a 13-minute light, laser and water spectacle called Wonder Full on 19 February 2011 marked the full completion of the entire Integrated Resort.

The grand opening of Marina Bay Sands was held on 17 February 2011. It also marked the opening of the seven celebrity chef restaurants. The highly-anticipated Broadway musical The Lion King debuted on 3 March 2011.

Singapore - Beautiful Orchid

Beautiful Orchid seen in the famous National Orchid Garden.

Sent by Loh, a postcrosser from Singapore.

"The National Orchid Garden, opened on 20 October 1995 by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, is located on the highest hill in the Singapore Botanic Gardens. Three hectares of carefully landscaped slopes provide a setting for over 1,000 species and 2,000 hybrids, with about 600 species and hybrids on display.

The distinctive feature of the National Orchid Garden is its design concept which presents the display of plants in four separate colour zones over most of its areas :the "spring" zone with its prevailing colours of bright and lively shades of gold, yellow and creams; the "summer" zone with its major tones of strong reds and pinks; the "autumn" zone of matured shades; and the "winter" zone of whites and cool blues. The colour zonation is achieved by a careful blend of selected trees, shrubs, herbs and orchids (mostly hybrids) with matching foliage and floral colours.

The garden offers free admission for students during the first week of every school term holidays in March, June, Sept and Nov."(Source)

Singapore - National Day Parade 2010

Sent by Valerie from Singapore.

This is from Wikipedia : The Singapore National Day Parade (Abbreviation: NDP, Chinese: 国庆庆典, Malay: Perbarisan Hari Kebangsaan, Tamil: தேசிய தின அணிவகுப்பு) is a national ceremony in Singapore that, as its name implies, includes a parade on Singapore's National Day on August 9, in commemoration of Singapore's independence that is usually held at the National Stadium, the Padang or The Float@Marina Bay. The most recent parade, NDP 2010, was held in the Padang, continuing the practice of holding the Parade there every 5 years.

Singapore celebrated its first National Day in 1966, one year after Singapore's independence from Malaysia on 9 August 1965.

The first National Day Parade started in the morning at 9:00 A.M. People came as early as 7:00 A.M. in order to get good vantage points. Singapore's first President, Mr Yusof bin Ishak and Singapore's first Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, were seated with members of the government at the grandstand on the steps of City Hall. When the parade began, 6 military contingents (including the Singapore Infantry Regiment, SPDF and the Republic of Singapore Police), a mobile column from the SIR, and various schools and civil contingents marched past City Hall and then into the city streets. Of course, 3 military bands accompanied the parade inspection and later the march past with military music. The Singapore Fire Brigade also took part in this first parade with its firetrucks included in the mobile column.

By next year, the contingents increased to 76, including those of the then established Singapore Armed Forces, the RSP and more cultural groups. The reason is partly due to the introduction of the National Service program in the military and police forces, and later extended to the Fire Brigade, later called the Singapore Fire Services in the 1970's.

The 1968 parade, infamous for being the first NDP to be held in the rain, also witness the first parade presentations on the Padang, made by various groups and organizations to complement the civil-military parade.

On the August 9, 1970 NDP edition, the Flypast of the State Flag and the Republic of Singapore Air Force Flypast debuted. Helicopters carrying and escorting the Flag of Singapore fly past the Padang in an iconic salute to Singapore's independence. The next year's NDP would be the first time that mobile parade floats, future regular parade participants debuted.

By 1973, the parade were now held from the afternoon to early evening. The next year, color broadcasts of the parade on television began.

The 1975 parades, held to celebrate Singapore's 10th year, were for the first time decentralized into 13 parade venues for more public participation. Almost all of them lasted for an hour and all of them even had route marches on the streets.

By the time the NDP was held at the National Stadium (for the first time) in 1976, the NDP Guard of Honour, composed of officers and personnel of the SAF and the Singapore Police Force made its first appearance, followed after the parade proper by the very first evening presentations by various groups, a prelude to future evening NDPs in 1980 and from 1985 onward.

1981's NDP was the very first parade appearance of the then SPF Civil Defense Command, presently the Singapore Civil Defense Force, later combined with the SFS in 1989. (The SCDF of today showed itself for the first time in the 1982 NDP held in the Padang.) They were held in two decentralized venues, Jurong and Queenstown Sports Stadiums for further increase public attendance and participation in the celebrations.

The 1984 NDP edition, the parade also celebrating Singapore's Silver Jubillee of self-governance was one of the most awaited parades ever staged at the Padang. It included a much more bigger Mobile Column.

Over the years, the Parade has become the biggest national event in Singapore. What is perhaps most memorable at each celebration is the fireworks display marking the climax of the parade; the sky would be bursting with the wonderful colours of the visual vista, dazzling it as well as the hearts of fellow Singaporeans. On this very special occasion, most Singaporeans would be decked out in patriotic colours - namely, red and white.

The Parade has gained enormous popularity and support from the people that it is not unusual to find massive number of citizens trying to get their hands on a ticket, which is released free-of-charge. In the past, it has been known that people would arrive hours before the ticket booths even open, such as the one in 1998, where some arrived as early as 36 hours before the actual release of tickets.

This proved to be problematic for obvious reasons and as such, the government set up the e-balloting ticketing system in 2003, in order to tackle the problem of overcrowding and possible problems that might result. Such ticketing system enables citizens to stand a chance at winning the tickets by registering their e-mail addresses or mobile numbers at the NDP website or phonelines.