Happy Birthday President Trump

Photo: Paper art by LULO Paper Studio taken at Orchard Library.

We are going to see more of President Trump. He’s coming again in November at the invitation of Our President Halimah for a state visit. 

At this rate, friendship may bloom between our nations. The last time a US President visited was President George W Bush. President Obama came when we hosted APEC but rushed out, not accepting a state visit. We didnt take it personally.

At lunch today, our leaders celebrated President Trump’s birthday ahead of time!

Happy Birthday President Trump and we wish you a fruitful and abundant meeting tomorrow with President Kim at Capella Hotel.

More photos here:
https://www.straitstimes.com/multimedia/photos/in-pictures-pm-lee-has-bilateral-meeting-working-lunch-with-donald-trump

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/us-president-donald-trump-heads-to-istana-for-meeting-with-prime-minister-lee-hsien-loong

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/president-trump-accepts-invitation-state-visit-to-singapore-10419660

Dining With Kim Jong Un

A Russian-made cargo plane, believed to be carrying food items, vehicles, authorised weapons and other supplies for Mr Kim was reported by the Strauts Times to have arrived, with refrigerator trucks destined for St Regis.

Crab beehoon?
Roti Prata?
Michelin star chicken and dim sum?

Initially I thought that the North Koreans were really careful about the food security. Until I realised it was likely that Singapore could not provide the quality he is used to.

Exercepts of interview with his dad’s former chef, it seems caviar, champagne and sushi are on President Kim’s daily menu.

The North Korean may have suzed up that President Trump had more in common with President Kim than any other past US Presidents, or leaders of the free world. What do you make of this historic event?

https://www.cheatsheet.com/culture/dining-with-the-dictator-these-are-some-of-kim-jong-uns-favorite-foods.html/?a=viewall

Busy Day at the F1 Pit Centre

Multi-purpose F1 Pit Centre is the venue for the International Media Centre for the Trump-Kim Meeting.

Journalists are expected to register here.

The area is decked with huge TV screens and lounges.

Despite the reception awaiting the journalists, unlikely any of them will have the time to enjoy as they are probably busy filing reports.

2,500 journalists are coming. Some, in fact, have flown in, without their media pass, but have not been turned away.

Do you think journalists are J or P (MBTI)? I think more P, enjoy the adrenaline rush of the next exciting news but not plan for their security pass. Singapore may not be the best place for them. But seriously how do journalists get past the US/ New York immigration?

Hope you will visit again for the F1 event in September, now that you have checked out the F1 pit.

Our PM has said Singapore will spend US$20 million for this peace effort. Do you think it is worth it?

(President Trump did not get a good reception at the G7 Summit in Canada. Do catch the briefing on TV by President Trump and PM Trudeau. Will he get a good reception in Singapore? With Kim? President Trump will just turn up and make his demands. Looks like how well the meeting will go, will depend on President Kim. Singapore has not left any stones unturned. )

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/hosting-trump-kim-summit-will-give-singapore-publicity-to-cost-s-10415386

Whats a little inconvenience – if it puts an end to North/ South Korea conflict?

Road blocks from 10-14 Jun 2018 – I am affected!  Which means we are going to just huddle in front of the TV during the week and watch the news and avoid the traffic jam.

If it puts an end to the North and South Korean conflict, whats a little inconvenience. Think of the families divided by the war who have not seen each other. ( Businesses may suffer as tourists avoid Sentosa. Its temporary. The journalists will be gone by 14 Jun.)

So party now like there is no tomorrow.

Thank God that while Singapore is small, we are not tiny as Yogi Berra will say.

Where to go to avoid the road blocks:
Stay at home
East Coast park
Hort Park
Raffles Place
Marina Bay Financial Centre
Gardens by the Bay
Jurong – Bird Park, River Safari, Zoo, Night Safari (looks like they are not going there)
Chinatown
Balestier/ Whampoa road
Geylang for durians
Orchard road – take the MRT, dont drive (but avoid Scotts Road)

Affected roads and with road blocks/checks are:

Near Sentosa:

1)    Harbourfront Pl
2)    Harbourfront Ave
3)    Telok Blangah Rd (encompassing the Seah Im Carpark, Seah Im Food Centre, Marang road Carpark)
4)    Marang Road
5)    West Coast Highway

Town:
(Looks like they are at Shangrila Hotel)
6)    Grange Rd
7)    Chatsworth Rd
8)    Chatsworth Ave
9)    Tanglin Rd
10) Ridley Pk
11) Loewen Rd
12) Harding Rd
13) Minden Rd
14) Cluny Rd
15)  Evans Rd
16)  Bukit Timah Rd
17)  Scotts Rd
18)  Paterson Rd
19)  Paterson Hill

Sentosa Island:
1)    Siloso Beach View
2)    Beach View
3)    Siloso Road
4)    Garden Ave
5)    Sentosa Gateway
6)    Entrance of Sentosa Gateway
7)    Sentosa Gateway
8)    Gateway Ave
9)    Artillery Ave
10) Allanbrooke Rd
11) Tanjong Beach Walk
12) Palawan Beach beach front

more info:
http://www.police.gov.sg/news-and-publications/media-releases/20180606_others_Declaration_of_the_summit

Hello Kitty Cafe Staycation

Mr Kim, if you are bringing your family for the Singapore meeting with President Trump, do stop by the Hello Kitty Cafe at Changi Airport Terminal 3. Its conveniently located just after the Arrival Gate.

Restaurant is very empty, there are tables for your entourage. It is so cute with orchids all over. Food is very ordinary but somehow the children love the experience.

Changi and the East Coast is the place to hang out if you want to avoid the road blocks next week for the Summit. Just avoid the airport on 10th June and 14th June.

Hello Kitty Orchid Garden Cafe
65 Airport Boulevard, Singapore Changi Airport, Terminal 3 Arrival Meeting Hall Central, #01-22, 819663
6241 6127
https://g.co/kgs/riqc3G

Top 10 places Kim Jong Un should visit on his first visit to Singapore

Photo taken by me at the GB 5th anniversary celebrations: Gardens by the Bay supertree with the Marina Bay Sands at the back.

President Kim Jong Un wil be visiting Singapore next week, his first visit out of North Korea, as President, in a foreign land (except China).

Where do you think he should visit? I asked several of my Singapore  friends, and the popular votes go to:

1. Gardens by the Bay
2. Marina Bay Sands
3. National Gallery and the civic district
(Top 3 may be the reason why he chose to stay in Fullerton Hotel)
4. President Halimah’s HDB flat
5. Tiger Brewery
6. URA Gallery to look at Singapore’s city planning
7. Jurong bird park, Night Safari and plant a tree at Jurong Lake district.
8. Singapore Botanic Gardens (UNESCO)- likely an orchid be named after him. And the event.
9.
10.

He is afterall in Sentosa for the meeting so that is not listed as a separate destination. Our Foreign Minister is in North Korea this week to arrange the visit.

Ever the shrewd businessman, President Trump had his delegation comment that Singapore should foot the bill for organising the event and the N Korean President’s visit. Our Defense Minister, caught by surprise by the media, graciously accepted the responsibility.

Singapore may be the real reason why President Kim agreed to meet President Trump. Afrerall, Singapore was the nation Chairman Deng Xiaoping modelled China’s economic expansion.

Whether that is true or not? Let us indulge in this illusion of truth since the Singapore tax payers are paying millions in security cost to make this visit happen.

(If President Trump calls off this visit, we will be saving millions of US$. If the visit takes place, we are happy to do our bit for world peace. Singapore by the way, was the largest foreign investor in the USA in 2017.)

So, we hope the international media will be gracious guests.

So where do you suggest President Kim visit on this historic visit?

Our foodcourt and hawker centres? Your apartment?

Real reason Kim is meeting Trump

6th floor of the National Gallery Museum has the best view of the historic padang or Independence Square in SingaPore.

And the arrow points out the Fullerton Hotel, reportedly where North Korean President Kim Jong Un will be staying during the on-off June 12 meeting with US President Donald Trump.

The Fullerton was a post office when I was a kid, known as the General Post Office. As an avid stamp collector, I remember queuing up for stamps. I did not quite appreciate the architecture in its original dark gloomy/exciting reminder of colonial musty air past.

As for me, I will be avoiding all public spaces and doing all my staycation activities this week.

National Gallery Singapore
1 St Andrew’s Rd, Singapore 178957
6271 7000
https://g.co/kgs/mgVrW5

Footnote
As of 10 June 2018, it was reported that President Kim will not be staying at the Fullerton but will be at the St Regis Hotel. President Trump will be at Shangrila Hotel, also in the Orchard Rd area.

Their meeting though, is in the scenic Capella Hotel in Sentosa, a distance from their hotels. Why travel so far for a brief meeting when they are staying so close?