It’s a wrap!

Posted by vivianeee under Explore Singapore 2008, Explore Singapore!, Reflections
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You know the saying, “Save the best for the last,” – the folks at the National Heritage Board and their partners have done it once again – with a thunderous applause marking the end of Explore Singapore!

It was absolutely perfect weather to be outdoors, snacking on Asian desserts (think: ondeh ondeh, steamed tapioca with coconut milk etc.), listening to an acoustic duo, watching a magic show, and ending the afternoon with a brilliant world-class performance by Nanta. Feel the heat? For just $2, I retreated into serenity, much-needed air-conditioning and a great tour of the museum. Asian Civilisations Museum is a gem in my eyes – due to its comprehensive collection of everything Asian put together like the Chinese, Indian, Malay, Thai and more.

Lounge in comfort as you tune in to the museum’s audio guides.

And hereby I confess: prior to Explore Singapore! 2008 I was never a museum goer in Singapore; I had visited The Louvre in Paris, Barcelona’s great d’Art Catalunya and the great history of Rome, but had only the faintest recollection of the National Museum and the Peranakan Museum in my little Singapore repertoire. Asian Civlisations Museum took my breath away – the towering statues of Indian deities, grand Chinese scrolls, relics and artefacts as good as new.

Acoustic duo Jack and Rai sent me to vocal heaven (I am a confessed acoustic fan)with their harmonious renditions of more popular numbers, Korean group Nanta blew all of us away with their humorous kitchen act and rock-and-roll finale. If you haven’t heard of Nanta, do yourself a favour and go find them on YouTube – surely there’ll be a tinge of regret for missing them out this round!

Nantaaaaa!

On a more sombre note, I liked how Explore Singapore! brought the museums to Singapore’s citizens. Gaining an insight into the lives of our ancestral roots gets easy when presented with the museum’s collection of artefacts and summarised information onto wall plaques, interactive touch-screen interfaces and if one is lucky, a guided tour. It sure beats sieving through throngs of information available online with endless lines to read!

Oh oh oh! I did not manage to get myself the Subaru Forester (the grand prize in Explore Singapore!’s lucky draw), but Ms Jacquieline Han certainly had Lady Luck showering her with blessings! The bubbly 32-year-old enthusiastically shared that she currently possesses no driving license but is spurred to get one starting end-December. She gave a thumbs-up to Explore Singapore! and participating museums and declared she’ll certainly change her mind about visiting museums – especially with upcoming international displays that will be going on in 2009. We wish you all the best and great fun in driving, Jacq!

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