Singapore GardenTech 2009

Singapore GardenTech 2009

This biennale event is a one-stop trade fair that showcases a wide selection of the latest and most innovative gardening products from more than 100 local and overseas suppliers. GardenTech 2009 features the best in the horticultural industry in Singapore and South-East Asia.

If you are looking for the newest plant for your condo or garden accessory for your outdoor flowers, GardenTech 2009 is the gardening place to visit to check out the latest and the best in the industry.

Many exciting live products demonstrations and plants will be showcased at GardenTech 2009 and visitors avail themselves to guided tours of HortPark’s Butterfly Garden, gardening and nature talks, product talks and demonstrations, competitions, stage and carnival games.

Those familiar with the horticultural industry can look forward to Networking Night (14 Aug), Opening Ceremony (15 Aug), Green Thumbs 2009 (15 Aug), talks by industry specialists, "Green Booth" section showcasing the latest in eco-friendly innovations besides the usual exhibition booths.



Singapore GardenTech 2009 Event Details:

Date:
14 - 18 Aug 2009 (Fri - Tues)

Venue:
Hortpark
33 Hyderabad Road
(off Alexandra Road)

Opening Hours:
10am - 8pm

Admission Fee:
Free
A FREE potted plant will be given to each visitor (while stocks last)

GardenTech 2009 website: GardenTech 2009

Did you visit the previous edition of GArdenTech in 2007? Do you plan to visit GardenTech 2009 this time round?

See more places. Live more life.

Seen This Scene That

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Garden Places To Play With Sand

Garden Places To Play With Sand

Blackfield (2008) is an art installation that reminds me of garden places to play with sand. Inside City Hall during the Singapore Biennale, you can see ten thousand plants made of metal rise from a floor-bed of sand that recreates the feel of garden places with lots of sand to play with.

This visual garden installation looks like a botanic creation that one may attempt to reproduce in the parks and garden places of Singapore. Stick multiple cutouts of synthetic flowers into a bed of sand measuring 100-square-metres in size. Paint one surface in different bright colours and keep the other surface black. Call yourself an artist and invite visitors to play with sand at your garden cum art museum.

Created by artist Zadok Ben-David who was born in a place called Yemen and works in another place called the United Kingdom, his playful plot of fine white sand has been converted into a delightful bed of flowers. Instead of flowering plants that require sunlight, fertilizer, soil and places with water, this garden plot of sand contains bionic cut-out plants that stand upright on metallic stems with painted metal as petals.

If our authorities set it up in a housing estate, this unusual garden of sand for residents to play in would stand out from other neighbourhood garden places. Passers-by and resident park visitors would likely produce plenty of oohs and aahs as they wander around this garden. I am sure children would love to play at such garden places and plant their footprints across the sand. Your housing estate would be endowed with more places that support the visual arts with this beautiful garden.

On closer inspection, the plants in this garden demonstrated very intricate patterns in their structures. As I moved from one place in the garden installation to another, the shifting play of colour and perspective was visually mesmerizing. With a garden theme that sits well with Seen This Scene That, I was inspired to place this article here for my art and nature loving readers.

Read more about art gardens to play in:
1. Singapore Biennale (SB2008)
2. Art Places inside City Hall at SB2008

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Singapore International Photography Festival (SIPF)

Singapore International Photography Festival (SIPF)

The inaugural Singapore International Photography Festival (SIPF) will be the first ever photography festival that includes exhibitions, workshops, talks and forums on contemporary photography.

To be held in Singapore, The Singapore International Photography Festival will showcase more than 800 carefully selected photographs by 66 regional and international artists around the world.

The Singapore International Photography Festival aims to discover, nurture and propel new Southeast Asian talent to prominence and on to the international stage. It also aims to promote audience development through a slew of outreach programmes that will take photography to the man on the street.

You can catch the biennale Singapore International Photography Festival (SIPF) at six different locations across Singapore. They are: 2902 Gallery, the National Museum of Singapore, Asian Civilizations Museum, Singapore Art Museum, The Arts House, Singapore Management University, Lasalle College of the Arts and the Heeren Shops.

Events of the Singapore International Photography Festival start on 8 October 2008 and will end on 31 October 2008. Besides exhibitions, there will also be a wide range of programmes for both professional photographers and the public alike in the Singapore International Photography Festival. These include hands-on workshops for youths, master class workshops by internationally acclaimed photographers, curators and festival directors, evening lectures, and various other satellite programs.

One of the main highlights of the festival will be the Singapore International Photography Festival Party on the evening of October 10th, which promises to be a fun-filled night of photography to remember.

Ticketing For Singapore International Photography Festival:
Admission to the exhibition is free.

Singapore International Photography Festival Workshop Highlights:



SIPF TALKING POINTS: EXPERIENCING THE PRE & POST IRAQ WAR
Date: Saturday, 11 Oct 2008
Time: 2pm -3:30pm
Venue: LASALLE College of the Arts

SIPF EVENING PRESENTATION: A PICTURE IS WORTH MORE THAN A THOUSAND WORDS
Date: Tuesday, 14 Oct 2008
Time: 7pm – 8pm
Venue: Seminar Room, National Museum of Singapore

SIPF TALKING POINT: 21ST CENTURY AND BEYOND: IMAGES TRANSCENDING CULTURE
Date: Wednesday, 15 Oct 2008
Time: 8pm – 9pm
Venue: Seminar Room, National Museum of Singapore

SIPF PUBLIC TALKS: CROSSCURRENTS OF FASHION AND FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY 1920-2000
Date: Saturday, 25 Oct 2008
Time: 2pm – 3:30pm
Venue: Seminar Room, National Museum of Singapore

Office of Singapore International Photography Festival:
Official SIPF website: http://www.sipf.com.sg/

Old School
11 Mount Sophia Road
11B #B02-09
Singapore 228426

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Google Earth Satellite Map of Singapore

Photograph: Google Earth satellite map of Singapore inside City Hall.

Google Earth Satellite Map of Singapore

While you would be familiar with the sight of Google Earth satellite maps of Singapore on your LCD screen, have you wondered how a similar map of Singapore would appear under your feet when it has been enlarged to fill a cavernous chamber hall of City Hall?


View Larger Map

Map: Google Earth satellite map of Singapore.

In this art installation entitled Singapore 2008, a huge Google Earth satellite map of Singapore is laid on the floor of the Chamber insdie City Hall. One can pretend to be Godzilla and trample the streets and parks of Singapore. You can also jump over tall buildings on a Google Map in a single bound to reach your own residential address. If you like F1 racing, you can race over the Marina Bay street circuit faster than Fernando Alonso.

Once done with a bit of circus fun, paste a paper label to mark your home in Singapore and ponder the significance of your presence as a blip on this map of Singapore in the larger scheme of things.

Wit Pimkanchanapong from Thailand created this Google satellite map of Singapore artwork to encourage people to come forward and have some fun with the large-scale map of Singapore. As more people place tags on the map face of Singapore, it will mess up the expanded Google map.

The idea behind the Singapore map artwork according to Wit Pimkanchanapong is to use it as a "metaphor for nation building where individuals contribute and add meaning and understanding to a new land as they live and work in it."

"Singapore 2008" is one of the less abstract Singapore Biennale artwork that generated a bit of fun for me. The super-cool air-conditioning in the chamber is also one of the better Singapore Biennale venue to hide from the oppressive afternoon heat.

Read up on what the Singapore Biennale 2008 is about here.

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Visual Arts Exhibition Singapore Biennale 2008

Visual Arts Exhibition Singapore Biennale 2008

Singapore Biennale 2008 is a contemporary visual arts exhibition with more than 130 artworks by more than 60 artists from Singapore and 36 other countries and regions around the world. The National Arts Council is organizing this exhibition that carries the theme of “Wonder”. The artistic director of the Singapore Biennale is Fumio Nanjo who will be assisted by curators Joselina Cruz and Matthew Ngui.

Photo of Singapore Biennale 2008: Maggots overrun City Hall.

Who's the alien among us all? Is this the end for Singapore?

Three venues were chosen to showcase their visual arts creativities. City Hall, South Beach Development and Marina Bay’s Central Promontory are the places to examine the bulk of artworks in the visual arts exhibition of the Singapore Biennale 2008.

In the words of the Singapore Biennale guidebook, “to experience wonder is to open one’s mind, to face reality and be amazed by the marvels of reality – the beauty of this world, the emotional sensations caused by it and the discovery of new truths.”

The official Singapore Biennale guide continues to extol the virtues of art, like this: “Art is becoming an important tool for a modern and well-rounded society. Public art becomes an amenity for everyday life.” Yet at the same time it tries to moderate Singaporean’s expectations: “Art has always been the platform for ideas without necessarily having a pragmatic purpose.”

So is this a useless and aimless visual arts exhibition? Should time-pressed individuals who need to multitask a hundred and one things in their lives visit the Singapore Biennale? Is this exhibition meant to show foreigners how wonderfully cultured we are in the field of the arts?

I have seen selected exhibition works at the Singapore Biennale 2008 and will share my thoughts on the art pieces later. Seen This Scene That has always been on the lookout for places of interest. The Singapore Biennale 2008 visual arts exhibition is one of those that fit my criteria.

But please do not wait for my review. Go see it for yourself to determine whether these visuals at the Singapore Biennale 2008 generate sufficient wonder for you. After all, only you can allow your own emotions to respond to the beauty of these visual exhibits.


Details on Singapore Biennale 2008

Singapore Biennale Exhibition Date:

11 September to 16 November 2008.


Singapore Biennale Exhibition Hours:
Weekdays: 11 am to 8 pm.
Closed on Mondays.
Catalogue, tickets, short guides, merchandise, information available from City Hall and South Beach Development.

Singapore Biennale Admission Charges:
Single Entry Pass $10
Each entry pass allows entry to City Hall and South Beach Development. Entry to Marina Bay site including Containart Pavilion at Central Promontory is free.

Singapore Biennale Discounts:
30% for Passion Card holders,
50% discount for Citizens above 60 and
students with valid ID

Singapore Biennale website:
www.singaporebiennale.org

Singapore Biennale Scheduled guided tours:
Conducted at City Hall and South Beach Development.

Singapore Biennale SB2008 Audio Guide by Bloomberg:
Can be downloaded as MP3s for free.
Free MP3 players with pre-loaded audio tours
available free at information counter and ticketing counters.

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Kids' Day Out: Singapore Biennale Treasure Hunt For White Rabbits

Kids’ Day Out: Singapore Biennale Treasure Hunt for White Rabbits

Photo: Treasure hunt clues may be found in South Beach Development exhibits like this one on Kids Day Out.

Parents may be wary of bringing young children to the Singapore Biennale 2008, the nation’s largest contemporary visual art exhibition. With a wide range of provocative art works by renowned visual artists from all over the world on show, parents may rightly believe that the Singapore Biennale’s art pieces are too esoteric or abstract for children to appreciate.

To handle this concern, the Singapore Biennale has rolled out a Kids’ Day Out programme just for these parents and their children. This excellent opportunity will offer families with kids to appreciate new art forms, enjoy fun games and learn about the trendiest global talents in the field of visual art. Hopefully at the end of this Kids' Day Out programme, parents' misconceptions about the Singapore Biennale may be corrected.

On 4 October 2008 from 11am to 4pm, a family-friendly Treasure Hunt for white rabbits with a host of Kids’ Day Out activities have been planned at South Beach Development, one of three venues for the Singapore Biennale 2008.

Kids get free entry on Kids’ Day Out into the Singapore Biennale exhibition site while the $10 admission fees apply for accompanying adults. There will be free lessons on windmill making and balloon sculpting for all kids. Popcorn, candy floss and Anderson’s ice-cream will be handled out free to kids only on Kids’ Day Out.

In the Singapore Biennale treasure hunt for white rabbits, happy families on a day out with their kids will explore the buildings and spaces at South Beach Development looking for clues to solve an on-the-spot puzzle game.

Once done, drop your answer sheets into the ballot box, leave the Kids Day Out programme and unwind at home or proceed to the other two venues of the Singapore Biennale. Winners of the treasure hunt will be drawn from correctly answered entries and announced later on the Singapore Biennale website.

For a special Kids Day Out for parents and their children, this Singapore Biennale event is certainly worth considering.

See more places. Live more life.

Read more:
1. Singapore Biennale Kids’ Day Out Treasure Hunt
2. South Beach Development

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Singapore Orchid Show 2008

Singapore Orchid Show 2008

above: Singapore Orchid Show exhibits

For lovers of all things related to Orchids, the Singapore Orchid Show 2008 is a must-see exhibition that true-blue hobbyists should not miss. For others like my family of five who do not possess above-average affinity to Orchids, the Singapore Orchid Show is still a fun learning excursion.

Within the cavernous Level 4 hall of Suntec City Convention Centre are many hundreds of Orchids that enthusiasts from Singapore and around the world have assembled to showcase their pride and joy. The Singapore Orchid Show starts on 25 July 2008 and ends on 1 August 2008.

I visited the Singapore Orchid Show 2008 on the opening day evening with my family in tow. Within this huge Suntec City Convention Centre exhibition hall was a labyrinth of stalls, stage, showcase structures and even a giant cage. Besides the Singapore Orchid Show, there were exhibits with themes ranging from Garden Fiesta, Vibrant Marketplace and Clarins Learning Garden.

At the Garden Fiesta, educational, recreational and entertainment activities awaited families, serious gardeners and hobbyists. We saw fresh local vegetables and spices in full bloom (like spinach, kang kong, mint and even corn plants) for visitors to learn about them. These vegetables and spices stood tall in boxed containers with leaves and roots, unlike those sanitized versions sold in wet markets.

The Vibrant MarketPlace was a collection of stalls minded by traders who were offering a wide array of plants, gardening and landscape products and services, and arts & craft under the same roof.

I had trouble looking for the Clarins Learning Garden that was parked in a far corner to the right of the entrance just behind a ceremonial stage. I wanted to bring my children here to learn about eco-living and how to reduce their carbon footprint on this planet.

Although no official guides were around to hand out games at the time of our visit, we still managed to learn a little. Posters hung across the Clarins Learning Garden explained in simple terms the concepts and the details of eco-living. Slogans like reuse, reduce and recycle were prominently highlighted.

As I am not a hobbyist specializing in Orchids, the complex scientific names of Orchids were a bunch of letters that held little meaning to me. Yet the ability to enjoy colourful flowers and delightful floral arrangements is a gut-level skill that visitors to the Singapore Orchid Show, regardless of age or knowledge, should possess.

Free your mind from any preconceived ideas with regards to how Orchids should look like and you’ll be amazed at the impressive range at Singapore Orchid Show 2008. Keep an open mind to better appreciate the beauty of nature’s creation (with the help of enthusiastic Orchid cultivators). Let your heart’s inner eye choose those Orchids and flowers that appeal and savour the experience like we did at the Singapore Orchid Show.

A visit to the Singapore Orchid Show, as part of the Singapore Garden Festival, is a pleasant yet educational way for a family with kids to spend an otherwise routine evening, away from the rigors of homework, revision and learning ‘spelling’.

More details:
1. Official site of Singapore Garden Festival
2. Map of Singapore Orchid Show
3. Link to Suntec City Convention Centre

You can read more of my post on Singapore Garden Festival:
1. Singapore Garden Festival 2008: Fantasy Gardens
2. Subscribe to read Seen This Scene That.

See more places. Live more life.

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Singapore Garden Festival 2008: Fantasy, Assembly, Greenery and Beauty

Singapore Garden Festival 2008: Fantasy, Assembly, Greenery and Beauty

Today I stepped into a wonderful world of flowers and plants, transformed into unbelievable landscapes that enthralled visitors at the Singapore Garden Festival 2008. For the best in whimsical garden designs, implemented by the most capable horticultural partners, look no further than the Fantasy Gardens exhibition at Level 6 of Suntec Convention Centre.

The crème-de-la-crème of garden designers in Singapore and around the world has put together an amazing collection of concepts to wow visitors from 25 July 2008 to 1 August 2008.


Top of the standout list is ‘Seeking Shangri-La’, designed by Singaporean Peter Cheok who won the Best of Show and a Gold Medal at the 2006 edition of the Singapore Garden Festival. His Shangri-La is portrayed in a not-too-distant future like an underwater world where sea levels have risen beyond mountain peaks. Plant-life still managed to thrive in this post apocalyptic scenario and we can see this picturesque subterranean paradise under shifting ice sheets.

In ‘Memories of a Water Village’, Sing Xiaogu from China has created a carbon copy paradise of Jiangnan’s hills and lakes. I liked the beautiful scene of a lake that ripples with each wriggle of carps under a water boat approaching a colourful flowering shore. The message in this creation emphasizes the need to conserve natural heritage amidst human progress.

David Davidson from South Africa, in his ‘Imbizo yase Afrika’ creation, has transported major elements from Africa’s native land into Singapore. His garden is aptly named an Imbizo, as its meaning in African Zulu refers to a gathering. At center stage in his garden is a structure with a dome shaped roof that represents the best of Zulu dwelling, with two giraffes taking shelter inside it. Layered around this structure are native plants from the Cape Floristic Region.

The ‘Rose of Glendalough’ by John Cullen of USA appears to be a crowd puller with the splendour of shifting light casting rich tones on a replica of an old Irish chapel. The garden flowers and plants seem to glow and grow; embracing the stone architecture until the whole scene appears as one delightful natural retreat.


The ModGod Garden by Ng Sek San of Malaysia harks back to the days of temple gardens when priests and kings once ruled the world. Given a modern twist, this garden made of vertical walls filled with colourful plants that reveal the identities of two modern day personalities who are worshipped and admired with almost similar religious fervour. Can you spot one of them in this picture?

There are five more plots of fantasy gardens at the Singapore Garden Festival that are worth checking out. I will keep them secret so as not to spoil your fun when you visit them later.

In fact there are fourteen Floral Windows to the World that showcase flower power in various forms. Another eight Landscape Gardens, well worth seeing, also beckon at Suntec City Convention. If you love Orchids, there is an entire floor at Level 4 devoted to the many mouth-watering hybrids, with many award-winning entries placed next to their trophies.

Children can also study about eco-living and the various ways to reduce mankind’s carbon footprint at the Learning Centre.

Singapore Garden Festival 2008, a well-presented exhibition of the best works from around the world, has something to touch the heart of every visitor. I highly recommend Singapore Garden Festival for all to see, from unconvinced readers to niche hobbyists who expect the best and nothing less.

See more places. Live more life.

Links to help you find your way to Singapore Garden Festival:

Link for Singapore Garden Festival online tickets

Link for Singapore Garden Festival official website

Link for map of Suntec City Convention Centre

Link for Suntec City Convention Centre

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Singapore Garden Festival 2008: 25 July to 1 August

Singapore Garden Festival 2008: 25 July to 1 August 2008

The Singapore Garden Festival 2008 will be held from 25 July 2008 to 1 August 2008 at Suntec Convention Centre, Singapore from 10am to 10 pm daily.

Billed as the first garden show in the tropics to house the world’s top garden and floral designers that began in 2006, the inaugural Singapore Garden Festival received many accolades from industry experts, horticulturists and garden hobbyists to put it as one of the top international garden show in the tropics.

Some 200,000 visitors thronged that first show in 2006 and I expect more visitors to the Singapore Garden Festival 2008 this time round. If you can get tickets to visit during the 3-day trade show, you will find more space and time for yourself to enjoy the various beautiful garden and flower exhibits.

The Singapore Garden Festival exhibition will occupy several floors at Suntec Convention Centre. According to its website, these are:

Level 6
Landscape and Fantasy Gardens
Featuring creations by local designers and top award-winning garden designers from around the world including Australia, Germany, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Sweden, South Africa, Thailand, United Kingdom and United States of America.

Floral Windows to the World
Featuring colourful and vibrant cut-flower displays and floral masterpieces with stunning set design and lighting by floral designers from Belgium, France, India, Norway, Macau and more.

Level 4
Singapore Orchid Show
Showcasing Southeast Asia’s rich and diverse heritage of orchids with a display of the most diverse botanical family and the most important plant group in the international floriculture industry.

Garden Fiesta
Offering educational, recreational and entertainment activities catering to the public, families, serious gardeners as well as hobbyists.

Vibrant MarketPlace
Offering a wide array of plants, gardening and landscape products and services, and arts & craft – all under one roof.

Clarins Learning Garden
Here, children will get to learn through fun and games to love and respect Nature by being more aware of and making every effort to reduce their carbon footprint.

Level 2 (For trade visitors only)
Singapore Garden Festival Expo
This is the new highlight of the Festival. The three-day international trade exhibition and conference will feature internationally renowned horticulture and landscape experts who will come together to showcase and share industry best practices.

For details, go to the Singapore Garden Festival official website.

More write-up on other gardens in Singapore:

1. Singapore Botanical Gardens

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Spending Leisure Time At Singapore Airshow 2008

Singapore Airshow 2008: Spending Leisure Time

Swooping low across the sky over Changi Exhibition Centre four days ago, I witnessed an incredible aerial display of the Black Knights, Singapore’s elite squadron of F16 flying heroes. The crowd of enthusiastic spectators, who had waited since the Singapore Airshow 2008 opened at 9.30am, clapped and cheered as a thunderous aftershock raised hairs down my spine.

Aerospace Exhibits
Earlier that morning, my wife and I walked the outdoor display area to scrutinize static displays of commercial and military aircrafts from all over the world. Joining thousands of curious families with infants in prams to grandparents with walking aids, we peered at cockpits and cabins under the festive spell of the largest aerospace exhibition in Asia. In a cavernous hangar-like exhibition hall, rows of information booths and counters featuring engines, radar equipment, missiles and rockets jostled for attention. As a place of interest, there was certainly plenty to experience. Exhibits of worthy mention included the BAE Hawk Mk 128 supersonic jet, the Bell 412 EP helicopter, the Eurocopter EC 135 chopper, a C130 flight simulator, M16 rifle and other caliber weapons. The dominant feature on the ground was undoubtedly the Airbus A380, a massive sentinel guarding the entire airfield.

Why attend?
To spend leisure time at the Singapore Airshow 2008 was an easy decision for me. While I am not a die-hard aerospace hobbyist, the thrill of cozying up to these magnificent machines was an enticing proposition. Further more, a week of media hype on TV and the newspapers featuring this biennial event also played a role. In addition, I treated this exhibition as a place of interest worthy of exploration, like visiting a new art gallery. The aerial acrobatics was akin to a visit to a theatre for live performances. I believe in expanding one’s comfort zone to a wider cultural and artistic field.

What’s next?
Over in the sky, the Fighting Falcons drew amazing formations with their plumes of white smoke and played hide and seek as I squinted in the noonday sun. As the pilots and their magnificent flying machines took their leave from the sky, I could not stop wondering where they would head to in order to spend their leisure time, after another day at work.

You have a choice to determine what you want to enjoy. What do you do in your leisure time?

Take care and be happy.

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Seven Ways To Improve Singapore Airshow 2008 Visitor Experience

Seven Ways To Improve Singapore Airshow 2008 Visitor Experience

In my earlier post on SceneThisSceneThat, a blog to chronicle my experiment to get more out of life, I highlighted the positive factors on my visit to the Singapore Airshow 2008. Today, I shall discuss seven ways to improve visitor experience from the perspective of a member of the public.

1)Clear bottlenecks
Imagine 50,000 people at the National Stadium, all trying to enter and leave through only one entry/exit points. Such was the case at Singapore Airshow 2008 when people moved to get onto shuttle buses and taxis. The period just after the aerial performance by the Black Knights and other teams witnessed such bottlenecks, when movement of people through those choke points was at its peak.

2)Reduce overcrowding
To reduce overcrowding, limit visitor numbers to a manageable level each day. Extend visitor days for the public to spread the load to a comfortable size. I can understand the priority of organizers to allow more days for trade visitors to clinch their deals. However, the public deserved to be treated with more respect than squeezing 90,000 visitors into a weekend.

3)Hot Weather
With the sun at peak oppression during the aerial displays, I was not surprised to learn from the Straits Times that 7 visitors had fainted that day. While I understand that preserving an unblocked view of the show was paramount, more tents and other forms of shelter would have helped to alleviate the heated situation.

4)Cabin Tours
The Airbus beckoned at the Airshow but only selected VIPs were allowed to take an on-board tour inside the Airbus. It was a pity that the $20 entrance fee excluded the opportunity to wander around the interior of the world’s largest commercial airliner.

5) Scenic flights
My other wish was to secure a seat for scenic flights on a helicopter, a fighter-jet or even the Airbus, which was sadly unavailable. Such fantastic opportunities for public visitors would be a once-in-lifetime dream.

6)Guides
More guides should be stationed around to help with directions as this was an exhibition center opened for the first time to the public. Guides who can bring groups of visitors around selected sites would prove popular by my reckoning.

7)Public access
Transportation for the public could be improved with more buses, marshals and police presence for crowd control at the pick-up points. This would have reduced flared ups over queue cutting, thereby lessen “ugly Singaporean” scenes.

To raise the joy factor for public visitors is the responsibility of participants and management. Besides billion dollar sales targets, ordinary residents’ welfare should also feature highly in the corporate assessment of any air show’s success.

These are just some of own observations. I am sure you have more to share. Do you have any to share?

Take care and stay happy.

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Seven Reasons Why I Enjoyed Singapore Airshow 2008

Seven Reasons Why I Enjoyed Singapore Airshow 2008

The inaugural Singapore Airshow 2008 completed its run yesterday after a one-week line-up of programmes. I was one among the 50,000-crowd who thronged the Singapore Exhibition Centre, situated at the end of 9 Aviation Park Road.

Here are seven reasons why I enjoyed the Singapore Airshow 2008:-

1) Largest aerospace exhibition in Asia
Using this tag seems like a lame excuse. But just take a look at the Guinness Book of World records to see how much traction this kind of boast has.

2) Aerial performance by the Black Nights and others
No doubt the Black Nights, with their tight team formations, were stars of the aerial dogfight. Other aircrafts took pride of place among the clouds were the USAF F/A-18, the Korean T-50, the RAAF Pilatus PC-9 and the surprise appearance of an Airbus A380.

Above: Apache AH-64

3) Combined Arms Display of Singapore Armed Forces
The Airforce sent the Apache AH-64, Armour chose the Leopard 2A4 Main Battle Tank and Artillery deployed Pegasus, its heli-portable 155mm Howitzer gun.

4) Airbus A380
You do not have to be a member of any frequent flyer club to enjoy close-up views of the world’s biggest commercial airliner here. You would also know that the world’s first A380 was pressed into service in Singapore on 25 October 2007.

5) B1-b Lancer Stealth Bomber
This sleek-looking supersonic jet hides a lethal payload in its hull during cross-country missions that can out-fly other bombers without being detected on radar.

6) Spacious area
The Changi Exhibition Centre, sprawled over 40 hectares allowed plenty of elbow room to wander at leisure. The 100,000 sq m of outdoor display area easily took in all the exhibits with plenty of leftover space for even more planes.

7) Air-conditioned Comfort
While the tarmac felt like a bakery oven on fire, the 40,000 sq m exhibition hall was designed for personal comfort with a cavernous interior ventilated with cold air.

Perhaps there’ll be more to look forward to in February 2010 when the next airshow comes around.

Do you always have things to look forward to?

Take care, stay happy.

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Taking Off Into The Future

Singapore Airshow 2008
As the Singapore Airshow 2008 flies into Changi North tomorrow, I will have a chance to glide into something new. Over the next 6 days, more than 900 companies from 42 nations will show off their trendiest flying toys with the newest paraphernalia.

Winged Wonders
To be part of the largest aerospace event in Asia, even as a mere visitor without the millions to ever own such luxurious playthings, is an enticing prospect. With a towering Airbus A380 airliner and uber-class Legacy 600 business jets lined up amongst the mouth-watering aviation collection, coupled with childhood dreams of "men and their flying machine" make-belief, the decision to participate is a no-brainer.

Take Off Into The Future
On a higher plane of existence, I am using this event at Changi Exhibition Centre to do something uncharacteristic and different from the usual surf-the-net/TV/movie weekend routine. For this coming weekend, I am preparing for a trip to the Singapore Airshow 2008, to take-off into the future. Perhaps this will spur me on to attempt new endeavours.

Take care and be happy.

Update:

The road to Singapore Airshow 2008 is currently blocked by police personnel as shown in the photo above. I could not catch a glimpse of the winged wonders but this has only served to whet my appetite. Will need to recce a little more and surf the net for transport arrangements on those days when it's open to the public.

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