Off to Malaysia/Singapore

R

ruel

Joined
Nov 22, 1999
Messages
532
A late note, but I'll be gone to Kuala Lumpur for a linguistics conference. Don't tell my university sponsors, but the conference is only three days (the 16-18th), while I'll be gone from the 11th to the 20th with a side trip to Singapore. (Why go that far and not see anything?) :confused:

I intend to do some serious shopping for Hindu and Chinese gods and kerisses. And who knows? Maybe an old khuk will turn up in the markets.

I'll email you guys from there if I can. Have fun while I'm gone!

ruel
 
If you want to see the Gorkhas in action with Khukuris, go to the American Club in Singapore (off Claymore Drive by Scotts Road and the Orchard Road subway station - all the taxis know where it is). After a group of Al-Queda were busted planning to blow up American targets here, the government deployed the Police Gorkha regiment to protect US targets including the American Club. The main entrance has two Gorkha's with khuks. If they are wearing berets that means that there is a security alert. If they are wearing broadbrimed hats, all is cool (so far).

If you are looking for interesting old stuff, the place for antiques in Singapore is Tanglin Shopping Center (around a 5 block walk from the American Club - again, all the taxis know it - taxis are cheap and efficient here). Lots of antique shops offering some really impressive stuff. But it will be expensive. Just ask for the guys who sell kris' or anything else for that matter. Around here, bargaining is required. Start around 30-50% of their first offer price.

If you are looking for cheaper prices for not so museum quality stuff, try the Holland Village Shopping Center (again the taxis know where to go). Lim's arts and crafts have a lot of old stuff and modern replicas at reasonable prices (you can ask for a discount but there is not the massive bargaining here as in Tanglin). A really good shop is Framing Angie one floor above Lim's. Angie takes a lot of old junk and makes it into really beautiful stuff. Ask here for Kris' or swords (I believe she has two WWI Japanese army watakanas framed (probably replicas)). And if she doesn't have anything there (like a kris') she might be able to source one for you and ship it. Tell Angie that you heard about her from Wayne (the big guy from Hawaii) - she'll give you a good price. Angie is very fair and a good person to deal with.

Have fun. Too bad I'm in the States at the moment otherwise I could say hi in Singapore. :cool:
 
Thanks everyone.

* BK, are you in S'pore right now? I plan to be there on Monday & part of Tuesday, before the conference.

* As for the Buddy Christ, I know exactly the thing to go along with it, and you can find them in the US. Chinese shops are selling a series of new Buddha statues whose right hands are in the gesture (mudra) of restraint and whose lefts are holding various remonstrables, such as alcohol, cigars, dice, knives(!), and naked women. Of course, very few people know the gesture of restraint for what it means, and so they see these as statues of drunk/high/gambling/psycho-killer/philanderer/etc. Buddhas. :eek: Great conversation starters. ;)
 
Sorry, R but I will be in Hawaii then (picking up two BAS - one for me and one for an old boss who was a Vietnam marine vet). Too bad. Would have liked finding out more about what your conference was about. Have a good trip!
 
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