GrapeVine

Easy Peasy

WELCOME TO EDITION 835 of GRAPEVINE  My last three flights on SQ336 to Paris in the last six months, every flight has taken off late resulting in arriving to CDG Airport 45 to 60 minutes late Travel to France for Singaporeans and residents is now practically like in pre-Covid days. Departing on …

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No Water Point at Somerset Skate Park

WELCOME TO EDITION 834 of GRAPEVINE The Draguignan Skatepark Next week, I am back to France where since last Monday, except on public transport, masking is no longer required in- or outdoor. France walks the talk when they said they will live with Covid. Here in Singapore, gridlock seems to have set …

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Back to Normality 

WELCOME TO EDITION 833 of GRAPEVINE Greetings from just back this morning from France where I had visited for six weeks. Life is back to normal at the Singapore Airlines check-in at Roissy Charles de Gaulle Airport Paris. Returning last November from the previous trip — when the VTL between France and Singapore was established the month before — …

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Attacks on Singapore Banking System

WELCOME TO EDITION 832 of GRAPEVINE   Customers have been cheated of more than S$8.5 million in the last three weeks I hope 2022 has gotten off to a good start for you. Unless, of course, you are one of the nearly 500 OCBC – Oversea Chinese Banking Corporation – customers who were cheated out of more …

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Last Chance

WELCOME TO EDITION 831 of GRAPEVINE Singapore returns to five vaccinated people on the same dining table today. As a result Min Jiang Restaurant Goodwood Park is enjoying an increase in demand for this Friday’s Champagne & Wine Dinner Extravaganza 26 November 2021. To ensure you don’t miss out, we recommend you book soonest at https://www.goodwoodparkhotel.com/promotions/min-jiang-wine-champagne-dinner-extravaganza. …

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Mandatory PCR Test

WELCOME TO EDITION 830 of GRAPEVINE Greetings from back in the south of France after completing our inaugural Great Champagne Tour 2021 and our second Great Bordeaux Tour 2021. The participants – as far as I can tell – had a great time. Last week, I discovered not every Singapore Airlines flight from Paris to Changi is …

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A Great “Lousy School”

WELCOME TO EDITION 829 of GRAPEVINE He did not attend “lousy school” Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan (pictured) appears foreign to good manners. Last week, on an open microphone during a parliamentary debate, the electronic gadget picked up his musings. He called another member of parliament “illiterate”. Balakrishnan continued his insult and apparently followed up …

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Better Off With Lone Wolves • No More Ping Pong Please

WELCOME TO EDITION 828 of GRAPEVINE  Why do we embarrass ourselves by “buying” China’s C or D players when their own country no longer needs them? To make matters worse, some of them return to China after representing Singapore, after becoming Singapore citizens. Singapore’s greatest Olympic successes have been in weightlifting and …

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Benjamin Glynn, model prisoner?

WELCOME TO EDITION 827 of GRAPEVINE  Benjamin Glynn – on an MRT train on 7 May 2021 – unmasked himself as a “Sovereign, Living Man” above Singapore law On Wednesday 18 August 2021, Singapore learnt that British national Benjamin Glynn was convicted of all charges against him and sentenced to six week’s jail. The …

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Thank You Very Much

WELCOME TO EDITION 826 of GRAPEVINE As of now, 91 of you have registered and paid to take part in The Tok Kong Tasting • Sunday 28 November 2021. Since we are capping capacity at 700 vaccinated participants, this means there are 609 places remaining. We started registration a week ago on 24 July 2021, and are …

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