Metropolis

I was browsing through these fireworks photographs that were taken in 2007 and 2008 respectively during the Singapore Fireworks Celebration event. And for reasons I do not know of, Mr Lee Kuan Yew's quote from his speech in 1965 appeared in my mind. In 1965, Mr Lee said in one of his speeches that "This country belongs to all of us. We made this country from nothing, from mud-flats... Over 100 years ago, this was a mud-flat, swamp. Today, this is a modern city. Ten years from now, this will be a metropolis. Never fear!".

I think it must have been the typical comparison one makes when browsing through photographs of the cityscape from the past and of the present that struck the quote in my mind. Although I was born more than 20 years later since he made that speech, I do have the privilege to be living in this metropolis and observing how it further progresses through the years. And with images from the past, an even greater difference could be identified.

We have indeed come a long way since 1965 and I believe many would agree that this metropolis we enjoy today did not happen by coincidence. And many of us would further agree that it is Mr Lee and his team who laid the foundations which resulted in this metropolis we see and live in today.

I think this was taken during one of the National Day rehearsals in 2007. That year, fireworks were also released from the roofs of a few buildings in addition to the usual ones from the waters of Marina Bay. Other than this photograph, the remaining were taken during the Singapore Fireworks Celebration.

View it bigger: Click on images
Month taken: July/August 2007/2008
Time taken: Night
Photo size above: 640 pixels - Longer side