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| Festival for kids |
I wasn't a parent when I was in Singapore so my reality was not attuned and my awareness of kids stuff was very limited. So I wasn't too sure if things like that were common in Singapore. Why don't you tell me?
Festivals or events like the above are very common here in Perth to an extent, I suspect, some parents are secretly jealous that they are no longer kids. There wasn't many events focused on kids during my time. Even when they was, my mother would hesitate to bring us there because we would not be able to afford the spending. As a parent now, I understand one of the worse feeling is disappointing your kids. So my parents took the less painful decision - by keeping us at home instead of bringing us to a candy house and telling us we would touch no candies.
Fortunately for pissed-poor folks like me, festivals like that are free to attend. Neither was there an admission fee nor a 'registration fee.' So we went. Wow, it proved to be popular. It appeared to be a horde before us when we reached our destination. Unlike in Singapore, parking on the turf or kerb is a common practice and people simply go for it without any fuss. Just stop for a second and imagine if an event in Singapore allows free-for-all parking - how would the level of chaos be?
Crowded it may be, just look at how the Aussies parked their cars. All without ushers, instructions, cones or demarcation lines. Singaporeans often boast about how organise and efficient our society is without realising that is achieved largely due to the staunchly regulated nature of our daily lives. If you don't understand what I mean, just attempt to do a U-turn on highway, you will realise there is no such option. Living under an environment where a shocking amount of options are taken out of our lives, what will happen when we are returned the options taken from us one day. Guess what, we can't handle that. That's why Singaporeans in general struggle like hell when they try living in another country whereas our Malaysian counterparts, similar in culture and language, appear to adapt seamlessly in comparison.
Anyway, it was a proper festival, with live music sang and performed by children on stage, a patrolling band with 'make-shift' musical equipment and adults dressing up like fairies.
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| An overview but I wasn't able to capture the life of the event unfortunately |
Most of the stations are free-of-charge. Such as the circular ride that Albany was put on by Jen. She was the outstanding toddler of the ride because everyone was smiling except her. She was expressionless, almost sulking, throughout the ride, much to my amusement. When I finally rescued her from her ordeal, I realised she had her eyes on the roller coastal next door. Jen didn't read the signs earlier and put her on the wrong ride. I was assigned to go on the roller coaster with toddler Albany. It was a much rougher ride than I thought. Guessed I was too old for these. Albany on the other hand, appealed for a second ride after that but it was rejected.
There was a station giving away free fruits and a water tank providing free drinking water. All sponsored by merchants of the city I supposed. How nice if Old Chang Kee or Bread Talk provide their products free in kids events in Singapore. I supposed it hasn't been that merchants are so stingy that they will not do that in exchange for free advertisement. Perhaps in such a situation, we will end up having event go-ers killing the spirit of the festival and form up the mother of all queues at the free food stalls instead. That, in a country where cooked food was supposed to be much cheaper than a place like Australia, is a sad society. I am not putting down my own country and people. I'm just stating the facts. Just because I am making my living elsewhere doesn't make me less Singaporean than you but I'm not blind to the facts. If you think the Singapore way is perfect as it is and there is nothing better elsewhere, I apologise for hurting your feelings.
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| Free rides on carts |
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| Some Aussie women were tall |
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| Windmills all around, under trees and along hedges |
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| Some fairies defy aerodynamics |
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| From a gamer's perspective, that's a lot of AOE to avoid |
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| Animal petting station |
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| This creature bleated pitifully at me as I pat it. It was big up close. |
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| Children skipping around little lambs and chicken |
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| Fortunately little Albany didn't receive a peck |
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| Peppa pig was there |
To be honest, I was secretly delighted when I touched a piglet for the first time in my life. Its fur was fine and spiky and its curling tail was stiffer than I thought. It squealed and ran away when I tried catching it. I wouldn't mind that for a pet. Screw dogs, let's have pig.
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| My ex-colleague in NParks are going to love these |
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