Category: General

I arrived in HK on Sunday and more on my thoughts on HK when I leave.

But yesterday, I took a day trip to Shenzhen. I left at about 9am and took the MTR to Shenzhen, Luohu. A direct MTR ride that takes about 40 minutes. Cleared HK which was a breeze and then China immigration, which was a bit more of a pain.

Still I was in Shenzhen by 1045.

First I visited the Luohu commercial city, a massive shopping complex just next to the checkpoint. So many things and shops that it is impossible to cover this complex. I made glasses, 4 pairs. Even with my progressive, transition lenses, it took them only less than 2 hours to make them. Amazing. And so well priced.

Then I decided to take a train to MixC, a shopping complex nearby. I took their subway. It was very easy to navigate and their trains are newer than the HK ones.

MixC is an amazing shopping complex. I had japanese lunch, coffee at Cafe Leitz by Leica and a Chinese dinner at Ning. Amazing food everywhere and so fresh and reasonably priced. They also have so many high end shops selling high quality Chinese products and handicrafts. I always wonder why people from China come to Singapore for a visit. Their shopping and dining is just so much better and cheaper.

Then I went back to Luohu commercial city to pick up my glasses and made my way back to HK.

A trip I enjoyed. I heard that Shenzhen is great for electronic products and tech. They have complete buildings just focused on that. Sigh. I would have loved that as I love gadgets.

I must make a trip here again with much time.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1dFiVuZXqH/

Just after coming back from Sri Lanka on Saturday, I attended the Onam celebration at Yew Tee.

I was surprised at the turnout. More than 500 people attended. There was lunch served together with various dance performances, which went on from 1 pm till 6 pm.

Everyone was well dressed and it was clearly a family event with so many young children present.

Didn’t realize that the Malayalee community here is that strong and growing.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BzC3RKdz5/

Friday was my day trip to Colombo. Went on the 910 am flight and returned on the 1250 am.

I would have liked to spend more time there but I just couldn’t.

I had to go there personally to complete the transaction. Selling off Lumi Estates. There were lots of last minute hiccups but it was signed eventually although we couldn’t collect the bank drafts that day.  Anyway knowing Sri Lanka, that was somewhat expected.

But it was also a productive day because I met the DFCC branch manager, the NDB branch manager and Shanil and Shane.

A tiring day but happy to have done it.

Last night’s dinner was with the US Ambassador. Again at his favorite Indian restaurant at Raffles Hotel. As this was the only slot available for both of us, I ended up missing the firms’  50th anniversary dinner.

We spent a good 2 hours eating and chatting. He spoke of his childhood days in Bihar and how he got to know Donald Trump. We also talked about the current state of US politics and the country.

I really like him as a person and am looking forward to our next catch up. And he eats with his hands! Like me.

Davi had suggested a lunch catch up and we managed to find time yesterday for lunch at Otto.

We spoke of so many things for more than 2 hours. Judges, politics, Kl and people we both know.

So good to know that we share so many things and views in common!! Good to have such a friend!

Yesterday morning was an impromptu catch up for our group. Dr Teo asked if we could meet. And we could, except for Crystal.

A simple catch up over breakfast. No topics of significance. The only one I remember is planning a trip by bus to JB for a day trip!!

We knew each other in the NWCDC as strangers and so good that we are still friends after 20 years!!

So yesterday was lunch to celebrate Virginia and Valerie’s birthdays, which was the day before.

I asked Kaling along and he wanted to go to Sophia at St Regis.

Decent Italian food and nice ambience. Of course with the 2 girls, the conversation always takes a different turn. More gossip and talk of high society people, none of whom I know! And they know each other since they were in their teens and so they know much more people in common.

It has become a ritual now that we meet for birthdays. As you get older, rituals and routines become more important!

Had a wonderful lunch at Candlenut yesterday, courtesy of U Zyn.

Good Peranakan food in an Omakase style. Interesting concept. And the restaurant was rather well-patronised for a Monday lunch.

Always good chatting with him as he is so well updated on the latest developments in tech and AI. And he presented me with some items he had printed using his 3 D printer, coasters, tissue box and an image of running horses. Amazing stuff.

This morning I was invited to his studio to view some works.

He is 81 now and is one of the foremost watercolor painters in Singapore. Self taught and a cultural medallion winner.

The place is like a warehouse and the pieces were all over the place. I was met by the son who showed me the pieces.

He has a number of Singapore scenes together with some Nepal and Bali scenes.

I didn’t get attracted to any piece there. But it was an enjoyable hour spent looking at art.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1MiH1JkgPU/

I reposted this with my comments 2 days ago.

For some reason I am getting concerned. First, nothing in the PM’s National Day Rally about a particular community. Then the issue of Air India and Singapore Airlines’ minority stake came up. With Air India’s losses and them asking their shareholders for financial support, multiple negative comments about how Singapore tax payers would be bailing out Air India. Clear racial overtones in many of these comments.

Then 9 Singaporeans went missing in Nepal during the recent mudslide. So many negative comments on whether these 9 are Singaporeans, are they Singaporean sounding names, do they look Singaporeans (whatever that means) if so are they really Singaporeans. A post had been put out by 2 young Singaporean Indian girls seeking their parents who had gone on a pilgrimage and were now missing and so many comments posted wishing them dead. Overtly racial this time.

Mayor Alex Yam put out his post and after he had done so, he informed me that he got blasted online for supporting them.

Then someone explained to me that this is the same kind of movement happening in the US and Europe. Fear, envy and anger at successful migrants. The anger that they are taking away their scarce resources and jobs and as a result they are doing worse. The MAGA support base thinking for Donald Trump is happening here. So anyone who is a new citizen, their families and anyone working here, especially those in higher paying jobs, will become a target soon.

Let’s see where this ends. It is one thing to think that these are a few anonymous and nameless trolls doing it, but I suspect it is a lot more serious. The more such comments surface with no consequences, they will become bolder and unfortunately encourage others to think similarly.