After the rain at Marina Bay, the buildings appeared to be covered and floated with clear, bright protective clouds above the skyscrapers in the waterfront.

The Digital Clock Countdown at The Fullerton Hotel

The New Year Countdown 2016 on 31 December, 2015 displayed on the big digital clock on the wall of the Fullerton Hotel in Singapore.

A Countdown Extravaganza at The Float @ Marina Bay

At the dot of 12:00 midnight on New Year Day on 1 January, 2016, the colorful and the spectacular fireworks lit up the sky.  The loud sound of fireworks was accompanied with the joyful choreographed music on the stage at the Marina Bay floating platform.

For as long as I could remember as a child, I have not watched the “live” close-up display of fireworks in my life.  This is a lifetime experience to remember.

When I was 5-years-old in 1953, my mother brought me to Clifford Pier one night to watch the fireworks at the waterfront.  My mother and I joined the spectators and jostled with the crowd for the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation celebrations in 1953.

Over the recent years, I stayed at home in comfort to watch the “live” broadcast on TV for the new year countdown and display of fireworks in Singapore.

New Year 2016 Countdown at Marina Bay

This year is special at the end of the year in 2015 to wrap-up the “Golden Jubilee Birthday of Nationhood” for Singaporean and the events and activities for pioneer generation Singaporeans have completed successfully.

There is no better way to travel to Marina Bay for the new year celebration than using the MRT.

Overheard a fellow commuter on the train, “Oh, I’m not planning anything, just going with the flow, see what happens …”

I also joined the crowd passing by the Marina Bay Sands Casino and other places on the way to the Promenade.  I did not stop-over at the casino because I did not have $100 to pay for the entrance fees for Singaporeans 🙂

At the Marina Bay Waterfront Promenade

Umbrellas galore!  It was drizzling on a wet night at Marina Bay Promenade when I arrived at about 9:00pm.  There were thousands of Singaporeans and peoples from all over the world to join the New Year 2016 countdown and the “talk-of-the-town” fireworks display, the main attraction for the celebrations.

The venue was very crowded and everyone were waiting for the rain to stop when the event starts.

Despite intermittent rain at about 7:00 pm, the grey overcast sky cleared just in time for the magic hour.

Thankfully, the rain stopped about 30 minutes before midnight and the umbrellas were closed to save the views.

There were places to “squat” in front of the sea when I arrived at the “best view” location which I found.  Fortunately, I met a friendly young Singaporean teenager with her sister and boyfriend who told me that they are from Woodlands.  They kindly squeezed their spaces to offer me a place to squat among the crowd.

There were no reserved spaces for the pioneer generation guys and people who need it more …

Its a blessing to meet nice strangers to offer and share the place with me.  Sorry did not ask for their names.  Appreciate their kindness.  Thank you.

Countdown from Fullerton Hotel

A light projection show on the facade of the Fullerton Hotel wall facing the sea.

The Fullerton Hotel illuminated in a myriad of colors when its facade transformed into a spectacular light show as part of the Marina Bay Singapore Countdown 2016.

The 8-minute Fireworks Display

When the fireworks started and from the location where I seated, the display at close-up right in front of my eyes and just above my head, I was stunned for a moment. Awesome!

The bright lights from the fireworks “smacked” onto my face so closely.

These were the few moments of the fireworks captured on my non-professional camera.  With the camera aimed above my head, I snapped and pressed at the button aimlessly and did not have time to think.  Really, I did not know what I was actually shooting the camera at 🙂

A great experience to capture the photos this way.  Its fun to choose the presentable ones and to throw away the rubbish of the photos I have taken in the camera.

PM Lee’s New Year 2016 Message

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong delivered his New Year Message for 2016, in which recounted his four most memorable moments of 2015 as shown on Channel News Asia here .

Personal New Year Day Blogs

I do not have a New Year Day message to the nation 🙂

However, I have the messages to myself on the blog at the end of the year to share here and here .

Happy & Blessed New Year 2016!