Rajeev's World: Back To School....

After exploring the treasures of Chinatown yesterday, I got a call from an old friend, a college junior, who is working in Singapore - he contacted me after he saw my checkin at Changi Airport when I landed here earlier this week.

I met him at Costa Coffee at Raffles Place. It was exciting meeting him after nearly 15 years, I guess I met him last at my convocation in Chandigarh. Thereafter, thanks to the much reviled social media, Facebook, we got connected, again, a few years back...

We recounted the exciting times we spent at Chandigarh over a cup of coffee. After spending an exciting hour and a half, it was time to head back - my friend had to head back to Changi, where he lives with his family, two sweet little kids whose photos I had seen on Facebook. I was hoping to get a call from Neeti, who was to get free last night - apparently her classes went on till late, so I headed to her campus this morning.

When I work up this morning, I was quite excited - I was meeting Neeti after over a week, a week that was quite long. While I enjoyed my gallivanting around Singapore over the last few day quite a lot, it wasn't half as fun without her...

Today is the day when we catch up...

The morning skies were overcast - I prayed for no rain today....

Catching up with yesterday's Straits Times which hailed Modi as a reformer.

It appeared Modi created quite an impression in Singapore.

Jokowi, the president-elect of Indonesia somehow bears an uncanny resemblance to Obama - separated at birth, are they?

I stepped out of my hotel to head to Balestier Market for breakfast. The skies had cleared up, and it was a crisp, sunny morning.... just the kinds I love....

Kaya-toast, soft boiled eggs and kopi-c - a nice way to kickstart the day at the kopitiam at Balestier Road....

The bitter sweet nectar that is kopi-c - man, this truly is the elixir of life, errr, early mornings at least...

From the Balestier Market, I walked down to Novena MRT....

Passing by condominiums was interesting - people stepping out for exercise, jogging, grocery shopping...

The national flag was prominently displayed outside many buildings - the National Day was just a few days back...

That's Balestier Road - the road at the T-junction - a place I call "home" in Singapore...

I didn't expect to see this - garbage on the streets on Singapore? Surprising...

The walk to Novena was nice....

I quite liked this building...

I was very upset and ashamed when I saw the Novena Medical Center - this is where our Nirbhaya, India's daughter, was brought for treatment and sadly she passed away...

Hopefully, the Modi government will prioritise the "right"education for our young men to ensure such heinous crimes against women don't take place...

At Novena, I picked up this newspaper which was quite appreciative of Modi's Independence Day speech at the Red Fort...

However, coverage of Modi's speech in the Straits Times was a little more scathing...

It was obvious that Singapore expects a lot more from the new Modi administration... and the island-nation has been watching India very carefully...

But, the Independence Day speech mainly caters to a domestic Indian audience, for whom investor attractiveness means little. Knowing Modi's style, I am sure he does have a few aces up his short kurta sleeves, for investors abroad, including Singapore...