Surprise NDP Preview Is Different This Year, But More Beautiful Than Ever
Year on year, one thing that remains constant when end-July comes around, is the hum of low-flying aircrafts & drone of the engines amid our heartland estates.
The ritual, for residents near airbases, signifies the start of National Day Parade (NDP) preparations — endless rehearsals for NDP preview shows to get us hyped for Singapore’s birthday.
This year’s celebrations, however, will probably be a tad muted since large-scale gatherings at the Padang or otherwise are still not advisable.
But that didn’t stop a few eagle-eyed netizens from getting into the spirit of things, with all the comforts of home.
Sneak NDP preview of state flag flypast
An excited Punggol resident managed to capture a stunning flypast on Saturday (18 Jul), at around 11am this morning.
Image courtesy of an MS News reader
The image of a steady trio of Chinooks carrying our state flag through the wispy clouds is enough to invoke stirrings of patriotic notions within us.
Image courtesy of an MS News reader
Now pair that with the rousing chorus of Home, timed perfectly on your television speakers on 9 Aug itself for maximum effect.
V-formation fighter jet displays
In late-June, a netizen posted an exciting shot of our fighter jets in fluid motion, soaring across clear blue skies.
We’re not sure if coloured jets of smoke will be used to create aerial displays this year, but we thank our pilots for their service, regardless.
FYI, don’t forget to collect your NDP funpacks at these locations, or check out a preview of what’s in them here.
A muted but beautiful 55th birthday
Covid-19 may have robbed the fam of that overseas holiday trip come December, but the Singapore spirit will remain intact, if we are resilient as a nation.
In the face of the challenges to come – and those we have endured – let’s not allow this global pandemic to wrest anything else away from 2020.
Without an iconic live parade – a tradition over 50 years in the making – our 55th birthday won’t be the same, for sure.
But we can choose to adorn our flats with splashes of red & white this August — smol but powerful symbols of hope for a better 2021.
Featured image adapted from MS News reader.
