RKS 2025 Travel: Destination Southeast Asia (Short Attention Span Version)

Posted byRobert K Stephen (CSW)Posted inTravelTags:, , , , , ,

Singapore 11October2025: Cultural Enrichment Session on Singapore: Getting the Quietly Obscene Gesture from a Trumpist

Jagged sleep. Nightmare about giving a botched political speech. A portent of political mischief to come momentarily?

Given this is the first day of our tour and our group of 18 are Americans (5) and Canadians recently arrived suffering from 12-15 hours time difference ABC International has no pity in holding a cultural enrichment session at a hotel meeting room at 08:00. Fascinating session when fatigue wasn’t tuning you out. Ethnic composition of Singapore is 75% Chinese, 14% Malay and 9% Indian. A simplistic explanation of Singaporean history given. In a nutshell: Singapore a wealthy country, many expats including Bangladeshi construction workers, a financial centre, paternalistic democracy and no homelessness.

In a question session I asked if President Trump has rattled his sabre at Singapore as he had been doing to Canada calling it the 51st state, insulting Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau and calling Canada the land of the igloo people. I was told one of the 4 Americans on the tour and present in the room gave a polite obscene gesture in my direction after asking my question. I should have worn my sealskin boots are these are what Canadians wear to ward off the cold 365 days a year!

Published by Robert K Stephen (CSW)

Robert K Stephen writes about food ,drink, travel, film, and lifestyle issues. He also has published serialized novels "Life at Megacorp", "Virus # 26, "Reggie the Egyptian Rescue Dog" and "The Penniless Pensioner" Robert was the first associate member of the Wine Writers’ Circle of Canada. He also holds a Mindfulness Certification from the University of Leiden and the University of Toronto. Be it Spanish cured meat, dried fruit, BBQ, or recycled bamboo place mats, Robert endeavours to escape the mundane, which is why he has established this publication. His motto is, "Have Story, Will Write."

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