SINGAPORE: Singapore marked its 46th birthday on Tuesday with tens of thousands gathered at the downtown Marina Bay area to soak in the celebrations.
Early birds streamed in a good three to four hours before the start of the show, braving the heat to get their choice seats.
This year's National Day Parade makes its comeback at the Floating Platform at Marina Bay, with the completed Marina Bay skyline, as a stunning backdrop.
The show started at 6pm sharp, followed by the arrival of new Members of Parliament (MPs) and the Cabinet, fresh from the country's General Election in May.
Spectators were entertained in the pre-parade segment by the Red Lions - free-fallers from the Singapore Armed Forces.
The action went a notch up, with the Dynamic Defence Display, featuring the country's new military hardware and capabilities.
The parade also featured the first woman regimental commander, 45-year-old Master Warrant Officer Jennifer Tan, who ensured the contingents executed their drills with precision.
President SR Nathan -- in his final appearance as President at the NDP before retiring as Head of State at the end of the month -- inspected the parade contingent.
To bring the parade closer to more people, the contingents took a two-kilometre march along the Bay Front before finally assembling at the Helix Bridge and Marina Bay Sands Waterfront Boardwalk.
A new element -- the Onward March, where selected parade contingents will march past and into the 27,000-strong crowd -- was introduced this year.
By sun-down, more than 3,000 performers put up a spectacular show weaving in the theme - "Majulah (Onward)! The Singapore Spirit", urging everyone to reflect on what the Singapore Spirit means to them.
And at about 8.10pm, Singapore stood still for the Pledge Moment, in a quiet moment of reflection.
The parade culminated in a four-minute fireworks display -- another crowd favourite.
Ref:CNA/wk - Posted using BlogPress from my 4GiPhone
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