King Kong Trumps Fireworks Celebrating the 4th of July Outside of the USA

It was a different kind of 4th of July. No hot dogs or hamburgers. No singing of the National Anthem. No fireworks. I didn’t see one American flag waving or hear one mention of independence from the British. We didn’t receive any invitations for a cook out, and the only parties we were invited to, we later discovered had occurred a few days before the fourth. And so, the 4th of July came around and we discovered that we were Americans in a foreign country without plans to celebrate our independence. 

Still, in each of our own ways, we were determined to celebrate American style. We all mentioned going to McDonalds, and a few did to buy the apple pies we hadn’t had the foresight to bake ourselves. A few others went to Clark Key where they burned sparklers overlooking the waterfront. The rest of us embraced America’s international culture and treated ourselves to seafood prata at The Cheese Prata Shop. Afterwards, we wandered down the street to an Indian restaurant where we ordered Milo King Kongs, perhaps the best dessert I had while in Singapore as it was a large glass of chocolate milk chock full of milo (which is kin to Nesquick only MUCH better) and served with two scoops of chocolate and vanilla ice cream. Delicious!

At the Indian restaurant, enjoying my Milo King Kong.

Milo King Kongs Conquered!

We didn’t get our fireworks until that weekend when we took the metro to Marina Bay Sands to watch one of several rehearsals for Singapore’s 46th Independence Day celebration at the end of July. I’ve never seen more magnificent fireworks. White streamer-like fireworks shot from the tops of buildings and others exploded in star-like formations over the bay, casting red and purple hues over the Sands hotel. The finale ended with a cacophony of colorful explosions and several encores ensued even thirty minutes later. 

Fireworks over Marina Bay Sands during 4th of July Celebration Part 2.

Fireworks shooting off the tops of the buildings.

So, we celebrated the 4th of July Singapore-style (a.k.a. in multiple parts): first with our international rehearsal and then with our fireworks celebrating a different independence.