When my appetite gets overwhelmed by all the Chinese New Year feasts and snacking, I would attempt to burn off a couple of calories by heading to the annual River Hongbao carnival. Parked on the Floating Platform at Marina Bay, the carnival's gregarious lights always added a climax to the aftermath of an exhilarating and chaotic squeeze in the fortnight leading up to CNY at Chinatown.
Over the years, visiting River Hongbao has become somewhat of a personal ritual during the festive period. I'm not there for the pop-up amusement park rides (too old), or the food (too expensive), or cultural performances (too far from the stage), but to check out the year's lantern decorations and photo opportunities.
While one year's decoration became harder to differentiate from the previous years', the dress up for the Horse Zodiac was one of the most impressive. The lanterns were bigger and the settings seemed more elaborate. But gone were the really thrilling amusement rides such as the swing carousel and Top Gun which were a harvest for interesting motion shots.
The rides were no longer so I pointed my phone camera at the year's massive lantern decorations instead...
 |
| An imperial gateway marks to the entrance to River Hongbao, This photo was taken at a low angle to wish everybody good fortune all the way! 168!!! |
 |
| Saw a Kellog's Tiger at one of the carnival booths and decided that it's a sign for me to 'slap horse ass' (拍马屁) to get ahead this year. LOL! |
 |
| I'm born in the Year of the Tiger. Fortune forecast is that all's going grrrrrrrrreat this year... like every other year! |
 |
| My ho peng you (BFF)!!! May the god of fortune be mine and your kang qiu (Hokkien for life partner) to prosper all that we touch and do! |
 |
| My BFF framed by colourful lanterns to light up our lives! |
 |
| Good fortune phone home. |
 |
| Stallion leaping over the sun setting behind Singapore's CDB power buildings. |
 |
| While the day rests, the lanterns come alive... |
 |
| ... with a party palace! |
 |
| 财源滚滚来！Money come rolling in! The God of Wealth framed against the Singapore Flyer as a borrowed halo. |
 |
| May all good things come full circle... 团圆美满！Here's wishing you and your love ones a bountiful year of health and wealth. Huat ah! |
Just like to say I really like your photos! Not that I'd know the first thing about photography but I just like them for no reason that I can articulate. :)
ReplyDelete