Determined to get some decent shots, I decided to head down to the Marina Barrage *yes…yawn inducing* This was only cos I realized my camera may have a max range in taking fast action shots (so the skatepark was out). So we work within our means right. Besides the looming economic crisis, I’m news illiterate and had no freaking idea it was the opening…yes that’s how oblivious I am….
Volunteers asked us to gather at one side for them to bring us to the shuttle bus area ---wic was bout 200-300m away (if u believe my great estimation and numerical sense). I whipped out my camera and bumbled on in line with the other eager beavers to check out this spectacle of a water facility. We were left by the side of a road surrounded by construction sites, dust, dust and more dust. The volunteers vanished man….
Waited in line while the freaking line grew longer and longer by the minute with no bus in sight. Families with children, uncles and aunties (90% of the place was filled with our senior citizens man….the govt shouldn’t worry the senior’s are very active…im like wth…everywhere I turn I tell you~).
Btw, I get talked to a lot by random strangers - mostly they ask me directions, wic I gladly oblige. So this was a new experience. I figure its my congenial face, either that or I have “Please direct your verbal diarrhea to me” stamped all over my face, when I can’t be bothered to engage in small talk even. So it goes (in short):
Auntie: *upon seeing me snap away* Are you from the press?
Me: No I’m not. Just shooting for fun.
Auntie: U take picture many many good. Can put in the newspapers. We wait for 30mins oredi, all the buses full. Terrible I tell you. You see the line grow longer. Take picture then can complain in the papers about the organizers. The organizers terrible I tell you.
Me: Oh isit.
Suddenly, Auntie #2 standing on my right turned around, obviously couldn’t help hearing the outburst of Auntie#1 goes:
Auntie#2: Ya lor…so long leh we wait…you see queue so long…
Auntie#1: take picture, take picture!
Another man and two uncles in front of me start to talk to me to complain as well!!
Auntie #1: *still relentless in wanting to satiate her constipated complaints* Are you working? (….wth….now where is this going) Are you a teacher?
Me: Yes, I’m working. No I’m not a teacher.
Auntie#1: Wah lau….the govt say S’pore clean and green…Where got…see all the dust and toxic fumes from all these trucks…Someone should complain ah….den fine all these trucks…
Me: ……ah……
Volunteers asked us to gather at one side for them to bring us to the shuttle bus area ---wic was bout 200-300m away (if u believe my great estimation and numerical sense). I whipped out my camera and bumbled on in line with the other eager beavers to check out this spectacle of a water facility. We were left by the side of a road surrounded by construction sites, dust, dust and more dust. The volunteers vanished man….
Waited in line while the freaking line grew longer and longer by the minute with no bus in sight. Families with children, uncles and aunties (90% of the place was filled with our senior citizens man….the govt shouldn’t worry the senior’s are very active…im like wth…everywhere I turn I tell you~).
Btw, I get talked to a lot by random strangers - mostly they ask me directions, wic I gladly oblige. So this was a new experience. I figure its my congenial face, either that or I have “Please direct your verbal diarrhea to me” stamped all over my face, when I can’t be bothered to engage in small talk even. So it goes (in short):
Auntie: *upon seeing me snap away* Are you from the press?
Me: No I’m not. Just shooting for fun.
Auntie: U take picture many many good. Can put in the newspapers. We wait for 30mins oredi, all the buses full. Terrible I tell you. You see the line grow longer. Take picture then can complain in the papers about the organizers. The organizers terrible I tell you.
Me: Oh isit.
Suddenly, Auntie #2 standing on my right turned around, obviously couldn’t help hearing the outburst of Auntie#1 goes:
Auntie#2: Ya lor…so long leh we wait…you see queue so long…
Auntie#1: take picture, take picture!
Another man and two uncles in front of me start to talk to me to complain as well!!
Auntie #1: *still relentless in wanting to satiate her constipated complaints* Are you working? (….wth….now where is this going) Are you a teacher?
Me: Yes, I’m working. No I’m not a teacher.
Auntie#1: Wah lau….the govt say S’pore clean and green…Where got…see all the dust and toxic fumes from all these trucks…Someone should complain ah….den fine all these trucks…
Me: ……ah……
Auntie#2: *mumbling on and on abt sumthing i couldnt be bothered to hear or rather Auntie#1 more loudspeaker*
Auntie#1: So you teacher? *OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ground Hog Day can!!!* U freelance photographer ah?
Auntie#1: So you teacher? *OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ground Hog Day can!!!* U freelance photographer ah?
Me: ......No......so u ley u working? You freelance complainer ah...?
Auntie#1: ya ya i walk walk around then complain.....freelance walker....What you study in school?
Me: I did sociology….
Auntie#1: Oh goood! So you can write to the papers and complain about the organizers. Take picture, take picture!
At this point I was getting agitated *understatement* and claustrophobic, being sandwiched between Aunties and Uncles who understandably were pissed, hot and irritable. I decided to ditch the line, took a public bus and escape the litany of senior citizen “spit-fire” gibberish. Started shooting away at people (I love zoom lens!)…a group of Malay uncles saw me snapping and shouted:
Pakciks: Oii….where you from? Berita Minggu? Berita Harian? Yay….take picture take picture!
Me: *I just smiled and ignored them for a while but realize photo op is a photo op. They want picture, I take* Oh no….from….*wat other freaking Mly papers are there*…..from Sensasi (a cable channel, wic I dun even subscribe to)
Pakciks: Wah……Sensasi…..take picture!
So they actually posed for me….haha….they were dead bored I guess guarding the humongous hills of red goodie-bags under the sweltering heat.
The place was a buzzing hive of activity (throngs of senior citizens and families) and littered with photo enthusiasts. Nice shots of water, and kids portraits (they are very cute I tell you). Should go back there with a tripod (sadly I dun have one yet) cos the city skyline at night is a beauty.
Transport back to the mrt really sucked. Queues for free shuttle buses were loooong, not enough public buses were plying and some gave up and walked more than 2km to the mrt. Was soo pissed that the cab I called didn’t know how to get to d ulu place, the bus finally came after an hour and had to force two-bus loads of people waiting at the bus-stop (super pissed - I didn’t pay the fare).
So good luck to the Corp Comms depts. of NEA, SMRT and LTA (wat freaking rule isit dat taxis can only stop b4 or after bustop...u check ah siao!)….The auntie mafia will skin u alive…
Signing off,
Me: I did sociology….
Auntie#1: Oh goood! So you can write to the papers and complain about the organizers. Take picture, take picture!
At this point I was getting agitated *understatement* and claustrophobic, being sandwiched between Aunties and Uncles who understandably were pissed, hot and irritable. I decided to ditch the line, took a public bus and escape the litany of senior citizen “spit-fire” gibberish. Started shooting away at people (I love zoom lens!)…a group of Malay uncles saw me snapping and shouted:
Pakciks: Oii….where you from? Berita Minggu? Berita Harian? Yay….take picture take picture!
Me: *I just smiled and ignored them for a while but realize photo op is a photo op. They want picture, I take* Oh no….from….*wat other freaking Mly papers are there*…..from Sensasi (a cable channel, wic I dun even subscribe to)
Pakciks: Wah……Sensasi…..take picture!
So they actually posed for me….haha….they were dead bored I guess guarding the humongous hills of red goodie-bags under the sweltering heat.
The place was a buzzing hive of activity (throngs of senior citizens and families) and littered with photo enthusiasts. Nice shots of water, and kids portraits (they are very cute I tell you). Should go back there with a tripod (sadly I dun have one yet) cos the city skyline at night is a beauty.
Transport back to the mrt really sucked. Queues for free shuttle buses were loooong, not enough public buses were plying and some gave up and walked more than 2km to the mrt. Was soo pissed that the cab I called didn’t know how to get to d ulu place, the bus finally came after an hour and had to force two-bus loads of people waiting at the bus-stop (super pissed - I didn’t pay the fare).
So good luck to the Corp Comms depts. of NEA, SMRT and LTA (wat freaking rule isit dat taxis can only stop b4 or after bustop...u check ah siao!)….The auntie mafia will skin u alive…
Signing off,
Unofficially appointed mouthpiece of Auntie Mafia
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