3/21/2026

A few interesting points from my short trip to China

 Two seniors in their 70s went on a free and easy holiday in China, covering Nanjing, Changsha and Guangzhou, total 8N/9D. No rush and moving around by high speed trains, taxis and DiDi and relying on Trips.com, Alipay and Wechat to get around.

The most expensive taxi fair was from Nanjing International Airport to our hotel, 60km and costing 423 Rmb or about S$80. We started to use more DiDi and the fare for 30km, about an hour ride is about 50 Rmb or S$9. Subway travelling was a big surprise. In Changsha, above 65 got to travel free, even for foreigners. This is not the case in Guangzhou, but a day ticket valid for 24 hours costs 20 Rmb or less than S$4. Tickets were booked through Alipay in the comfort of our hotel room using mobile phones. No physical tickets needed. Entry by scanning the passport. Please book at least 4 or 5 days in advanced as they are sold out quite early.

Nanjing Train Station
Changsha Train Station

The two trips in high speed trains from Nanjing to Changsha and Changsha to Guangzhou cost 1,800 Rmb and 1,200 Rmb respectively or about S$300 and S$200 for first class. Second class ticket is half the price. First class seats are very spacious and comfortable. No free food but a bottle of plain water and a box of local snacks. Meal at 50 Rmb was quite good with 3 meat, 1 veg and rice.

Seniors have many privileges. We were able to gain entries to many tourist attractions for free. The famous Hunan Provincial Museum that housed the exhibits from Mawangdui, famed for a 2,000 mummy with very well preserved living tissues was very enlightening and educational. According to reviews online, entry has to be booked one week in advanced. As seniors, we could walk in on the spot with no advanced appointments, and free, just by showing our passports.

Canton Tower

The highly popular Canton Tower, rising to 488m and max 688m if antenna height is added, is also free or at half price. Above 75 years, one could go up to 107 floor, 408m for free. There are 4 more floors to top floor at 111 and accessible by stairs. I climbed to 108 floor and did not want to venture further. There are a few sets of oscillators to manage the swaying movement of the tower caused by strong winds and earth rotation. It was quite steady at 107 floor though one could still feel a light motion under the feet. 70 year old seniors have to pay 150 Rmb to reach 107 floor.

Young Mao and the continuous stream of visitors in a cold rainy day.
Sun Zhongsan's Mausoleum from half way mark, looking up.
Looking down from near the top of the Mausoleum 


Among the places we visited were Mausoleums of first Ming Emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang and Sun Zhongsan, Old Ming Palace, also Palace for Hung Xiuquan of Taiping Revolution and turned KMT Presidential Palace, Mao's Hunan University in Yuelu Moutain, Mao's statue in Orange Island, Wuyi Square and Dufu Pavilion in Changsha. We were at Foshan to visit the old temple that housed items belonging to Huang Feihung and Ip Man. Foshan also has a long history dated to the Song, Ming and Qing Dynasties.

Ming first Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang's Mausoleum, about 200m from the gate

Our best restaurant meals were in Guangzhou and Foshan. At a famous 100 year old Guangzhou Restaurant in Shangxiajiu, we had a fairly large Guihua steam fish for 198 Rmb, about S$30. We had about the best roast goose in a Kejia restaurant in Foshan, better than what we had in Taotaoju in Guangzhou during out last trip. It cost 68 Rmb, the size of a big chicken. Thick and juicy with a good layer of fat, and crispy skin.

The Chinese people are having a good time, with the young out every night dressed in the latest fashion or in traditional dresses of different dynasties and make ups. The seniors formed about 50 percent or more of visitors in tourist spots. In the evening, on weekdays, as early as 4pm, they can be found in the parks playing with their grand children, if they are not in some group activities like dancing.

The Chinese people are living well, eating well, driving the best EVs at very affordable prices. Theere are also many Mercedes, BMWs, Porches etc on the road, but fading fast. The taxi we took to the airport was big, brand new, and the driver/owner paid 110,000 Rmb for it. That is about S$20k!

Trump digs at mamasan on how to start war without declaring war...well what is a mamasan for?

 During the mamasan's visit to the White House, Trump did not give her any face. While answering a question from the media, Trump took a dig at the mamasan ... not with his fingers. Trump told the media that Japan is an expert in starting a war without making any declaration. No one is better at surprises than Japan, insinuating the sneaky attack on Pearl Harbour by Japan. Trump was justifying his undeclared war with Iran by using Japan as a precedent, right in the face of the mamasan and her entourage, to the amusement of the media. What is a mamasan for? Paid to be insulted, abused, humiliated and dig and still put on a smiling face.

This unexpected and unpredictable attack by Trump caught the mamasan with her pants down.  Oops, she was wearing a skirt this time. Just wondering what went though her head when hit by Trump's dark jesting. To laugh or to cry? She pretended not to understand the meaning but here facial expression was uncomfortable. Trump was rubbing her, not physically, reminding her of Japan's sneaky attack on America in front of the media. What a sick joke? Trump did not care how she felt, maybe did not know how she would feel, maybe did not even understand how this would go down to the mamasan and the Japanese delegates.

This is the kind of embarrassment that Trump would throw at his guests, guests that he did not see as an equal. He could bully them and tell sick jokes about them and expect them to swallow it, like it or not, because Trump is the mafia boss, a rogue.

Xi Jinping must take note of this Trump antic and never be caught in the same compromising position in the White House. It would take an articulate and quick thinking native English speaker to take the blow and return it to Trump in grace and eloquence. Xi is not a native English speaker, not used to speaking like slippery Americans in their mother tongue. This is a big handicap. Xi must never be set up in the same kind of position like the mamasan when meeting Trump.

Perhaps Trump might not dare to throw such a punch at Xi, but never be sure. Trump moves his mouth without engaging his brain. Hope Xi or the Chinese foreign ministry are watching this meeting between Trump and the mamasan. Humiliating a mamasan with sick jokes is ok, but not with a respectable head of state like Xi.

PS. I am back from my escapee. Happy Hari Raya Puasa to all.

America no longer able to protect its assets and tankers in the Hormuz Strait

If the USA is now being proven to be incapable of protecting Middle East oil producing countries despite its bloated military might to do so, and with USA military bases all around the Middle East, what does that tell us about their ability to protect allies around the world? And Iran is just the tip of the iceberg sinking the Titanic. Russia and China are no pushovers as well. The world can continue to live with the derelict myth of USA military superiority of the 20th century, but reality has proven otherwise in this 21st century.

The Gulf countries are waking up to the reality that they are not safe under the USA umbrella and military bases, which is why they are wary of retaliating against Iran directly, knowing that if the USA loses its clout in the Middle East, they have to contend with Iran themselves. What is worse for them is to retaliate now, not knowing what the future holds.

There is a perceived realization that Iran is not going to disappear tomorrow, not when it has survived the thousands of years of occupation and conflict, and the Gulf countries are not blind and stupid. The USA and Israel can carry on the merry go round of using threats against weaker Arab and Muslim countries in the Middle East, a threat that is degrading. Israel is not on the side of the Arabs and Muslims, nor able to protect them against Iran going forward.

The Gulf countries are weighing the risk and not taking up the coercion to strike Iran directly. I think there has been a repeated attempt to do that by Israel, possibly using false flags to blame Iran and ignite Arab anger.

The die had been cast and the world is entering uncharted territory of high energy prices, if it is true that getting back production by the Middle East countries is going to take years. Everyone is going to bear the consequences of what the USA and Israel did to Iran. Had that not happened, the world would still be moving smoothly without the energy crisis. Iran did not start the crisis. The USA and Israel started it. Yet countries are blaming the Iranians for striking oil installations. Sergei Lavrov asked those journalist during a session regarding the war against Iran and the bombing of the school in Iran. Has any sensible leader of countries and the MSM condemned the act? I can only remember Russia and China doing the sensible thing of condemning.


Anonymous

Killing Iranians: Trump lying or Netanyahu lying?

Allow me to say something about the war against Iran.

Days ago, Iran's South Pars Gas Field was attacked, and Trump had categorically boasted about having taken out only the military defense factor around the installation, but not the gas facilities. He later gloated more about carrying out further strikes on the gas field 'for fun' if Iran retaliates.

I read the headlines today and what struck me as something sinister regarding Netanyahu's claim, dead or alive, that the attack on the Iranian gas field was solely the work of Israel. Now, that totally runs counter to what Trump said days earlier. Trump categorically and undoubtedly knew about the strike, which he is now trying to deny any knowledge of.

Trump has been caught lying now about not being aware of Israel's strike on the Iranian gas field, which is a complete about turn regarding his remarks about going to bomb that gas field further 'for fun' if needed. Perhaps, under advice and realization now that the strike on the Iranian gas field is going to elicit a retaliation by Iran, which is going to cripple the global economy, including the USA. Trump is attempting to use a lie to cover a previous lie, knowing that such an attack on Iran's energy infrastructure is going to have a catastrophic response. The damage had been done, and Trump is now caught in a trap he cannot extricate himself.

Whether the bombing is done by the USA or Israel does not matter. The Middle East is going up in flames. Now the blame game is starting, and fractures are appearing between USA and Israel. Netanyahu is saying that the USA entered the war not under his coercion, while the whole world and the USA people are saying that Israel forced the USA into the war. None of this is more clearly exposed than by Marco Rubio when he said that the USA had been forced to enter the war after Israel decided to bomb Iran.


Anonymous

3/20/2026

The Truth about United States war on Venezuela and Iran.

Truth about United States war on Venezuela and Iran. The Anglo-Saxon United States has always looked at other countries' rapid progress and development economically and militarily with jaundiced eyes. United States has stated very clearly and arrogantly in its national policy that it will never allow any other country to rise up to become as rich and powerful as the United States. And the moment it sees such signs of a country growing fast to overtake the US either economically or militarily it will smash down and destroy that country. This is really unbridled arrogance and highly extreme vicious bellicose behaviour. 

It is no surprise that China's rapid progress in economy and military as well as in science, technology and high tech has incurred the wrath of American politicians in both the Republican and Democrat parties. India which is following China's footsteps in rapid development is also a target of American wrath. Thus Trump wants to invade and take over control of Venezuela and Iran thinking that in this way America can deprive China of oil resources and contain China's rise and development. 

Also in starting wars everywhere the satanic sycophant and neurotic Trump is trying to to divert attention from his horrible sex maniac activities in Jeffrey Epstein's sex orgies events which took advantage of even very young girls of about ten to fifteen years old. Trump is extremely very evil and so he should be dispatched instantly forthwith to hell for the safety and security of this world. 

 It is the clear intention of the United States to do whatever it takes to stop China and India's development and prevent them from overtaking America and the Western countries in the field of economy, military, science and technology as well as in high tech and cyber. To carry out this dirty and vicious job of undermining China and India's development the God forsaken United States has enlisted the help and cooperation of the despicable Zionist Jewish state of Israel to ensure the success of its plot. 

Below is a self explanatory article permissible by New Eastern Outlook ( NEO ) Israel and Its Staunch Allies: Turning Friends into Bitter Enemies Seth Ferris, March 19, 2026. The global crisis around Israel and Iran reveals deeper processes that are changing the balance of power in the world and calling into question previous ideas about international politics. Israel and Its Staunch Allies: Turning Friends into Bitter Enemies. The Bible says the entire world will turn against Israel at the end of times. It implies that Israel is on God’s side, and anyone opposing Israel is anti-God, so when you are fighting Israel, you are fighting God. What it doesn’t say is, what does Israel do to force everyone to hate it? Unfortunately, we are finding out, in real time, and it is only too obvious, why so many are turning against the modern State of Israel; even Jews are questioning what was never questioned before. 

Future generations will look back and wonder why we didn’t stop Trump and Netanyahu before they started WWIII. There is something else happening in the background, something even greater at work. There are many factors to consider in both the starting and stopping of these stupid attacks, as both attacking sides are greedy and want to cling to power. They are definitely not thinking of the people. 

To the evil Americans, it is becoming all the more obvious that the Iranian state is not the root cause of the war, but China and India are. A concerted effort is being made to slow down and stifle these economies; however, it is not going to plan. Even long time allies in Europe and the Caucasus are being asked to cut off their noses to spite their faces, propping up losing bets in Ukraine and the Levant for the sake of political survival. Proxy Wars of Choice, just stop and reflect. For instance, the damage that other proxy wars of choice, such as the US starting a war in Ukraine back in 2014, inflicted on the European Union is already evident. The sad part is that most European Union countries still want to support the losing side, not out of a principled position but for self-interest and political survival. This can be summed up as clearly a case of cutting off one’s nose to spite your face. 

It is ironic, with the age of AI and easy access to historic information, that few want to look back to reflect on when Iran held its first democratic elections and elected its first democratic government, which was led by Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh back in the early 50s. This was not in the interests of Britain and the US, as within the span of two years they conspired to implement “Operation Ajax,” which overthrew this democratically elected government. The reason was that the Iranians had nationalized the drilling and export of Iranian oil. How dare the Iranians take control of their own resources! 

Targeting China, India, even the EU! Less obvious is that the collective West wants to hurt China and India by disrupting the continuity of supply of oil products and thereby put the brakes on their economic growth, which rate currently far exceeds that of the West. Nobody should be so naïve as to accept the current justifications, lame at best, for an illegal war, as neither the US nor Israel has ever been interested in the democratic freedoms of Iranians. They want Iranians to live under the dictatorship of a US-backed leadership — just as the people of Arab countries across the Middle East suffer today. 

It seems like nobody wants to remember history, as it is too inconvenient and will show who is the most right and who is dead wrong! Even lesser friends are being turned into foes! Even now, in small countries like Georgia, the Embassy of Israel is upset and has started a social media campaign to highlight that Georgia has to garner support for its aggressive and illegal policies against Iran and other neighbors in the Middle East, especially Lebanon. 

The Israeli Embassy in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, expresses concern about Georgian society. According to the embassy, friendship is not measured only by words; it is highlighted in difficult situations — who are on the side of life and who are on the side of violence and terror. They are trying to use the 2600-year historical connection between Georgian and Jewish people for political leverage and describe how it is based on respect and common values. It is these values that define the essence of true friendship: support, solidarity, and moral strength in difficult times, says the statement of the Israeli Embassy in Georgia. 

True friendship between peoples is measured by the ability to distinguish between those who choose the path of life, stability, and cooperation, and those who continue to cultivate terror, extremism, and violence. Such statements, and others, have been repeated on Georgian Public TV and various news sites, as this confirms the need to access Georgia as a staging area for actions from Azerbaijan and perhaps Armenia, two countries already taken under the control of Israel and the United States. It was also pointed out, in response, by Georgian politicians and commentators alike, that during the 2008 war, the Jewish state allegedly provided kill codes to the Russian government that enabled the shutting down of drones the Georgian military had purchased from Israel. So much for friendship, which the Israelis forget is a two-way street! 

Everything that is going on in the world, particularly the Middle East, was planned long before all the recent issues people talk about now. Everything recent is tactical; the strategic goes back much further. It is difficult to understand what is going on even if you have an understanding of where history, religion, markets, and geopolitics intersect. It comes down to the future of American and Western financial dominance and keeping the dollar as the global reserve currency. We can’t have Iran selling oil in other currencies, and the same is true for Venezuela or anyone else. 

When the game ends, many countries, starting with the US, will collapse from their debt and economic decline. It is anybody’s best guess as to what will happen to a lot of the rest of the world as well! I was just looking at the futures markets; they had dropped a lot by closing each Friday, now opening lower and dropping more. I think the financial implications are here. We will have to see how Trump and his team react to that. And there is the issue of possible attacks on desalination plants. Iran was in a serious drought already, and Tehran was running out of water, not sure the Gulf countries are ever out of drought. Things could empty out in a hurry without a safe and constant water supply. 

 It is really akin to the beginning of the end of times, as I see no light at the end of the tunnel. The architects of war and destruction in Tel Aviv and Washington appear blind to the blowback. Even longtime allies in Europe and the Caucasus are being asked to cut off their noses to spite their faces, propping up losing bets in Ukraine and the Levant for the sake of political survival. Future historians will not ask why the world turned against Israel at the supposed “end of times.” They will ask why Israel — and its enablers —worked so relentlessly to make that prophecy self-fulfilling. 

The age of unchallenged Western dominance is ending not with a divine trumpet but with the grinding mechanics of greed, hubris, and overreach. And when the dust finally settles, it may not be God’s judgment the world remembers, but humanity’s long-overdue reckoning with how it could allow all this to happen. Seth Ferris, investigative journalist and political scientist, expert on Middle Eastern affairs. 

 Southernglory1 
 Friday,20th March, 2026