This is the story of... ↓ Repost @saviobriion ・・・ Today I went with my family and my friend Myst to the Bicentennial Experience, a brilliant multimedia exhibition of Singapore's history. I was very impressed. Firstly, unlike the history syllabus and the general political narrative, it didn't focus overmuch on glorifying our colonial rulers and the post-independence PAP. Instead, it actually did provide a comprehensive overview of our history. It looked at Singapore within the wider medieval Southeast Asian context, with the Srivijaya, Majapahit and Ayutthaya Empires all fighting over the maritime routes of the region. It looked at Sang Nila Utama and the Golden Age of Singapore, when the Five Kings ruled us, as said in the Sejarah Melayu, and analysed the tangled narratives of Parameswara and Iskandar Shah. It covered the struggle between the Portuguese and the Dutch as well as Aceh and the burning of Singapura. There was the requisite 1819 moment of Raffles' discovery and deal with the Johor Sultanate, but instead of obsessing over Raffles, it also looked at Farquhar's contributions and the administration of Singapore, with a greater focus on all the immigrants from Asia and the Middle East who made substantial contributions to early Singapore - it was a really good sequence. It also examined what life was like then - both the glamour and the diseased underbelly. We huddled in a bunker while listening to audio from the Japanese Occupation, and watched a video of one of the Sook Ching massacres and the dramatisation of a survivor's narrative. And then there was post-war Singapore. Near the end we were given umbrellas and walked into a chamber where it was 'raining', to reflect the heavy rains during some key moments like our independence day; we huddled under umbrellas in the rain just like the Singaporeans in the historical video on the floor-to-ceiling wraparound screens and it was a really powerful moment. It's a brilliant, very well done exhibition, and if you haven't seen it, try to book a slot ASAP! Also, the last two photos are the same selfie cut in half. 😅 #bicentennialexperience #singapore #singaporebicentennial #fortcanning #singapo

When I find myself focusing overmuch on the anticipated future happiness of arriving at a certain goal, I remind myself to 'Enjoy now'. If I can enjoy the present, I don't need to count on the happiness that is (or isn't) waiting for me in the future. - Gretchen Rubin #latergram // Oolong and Pink Lemonade @softsrve date with @huei_yee 👯🍦👅