Brunei Darussalam (Brunei, the Abode of Peace)

The Kingdom of Brunei is a tiny country located on the huge island of Borneo. More than 75% of Brunei is still jungle so that should give you some idea about the size of Brunei. Although small in size it is rich because of oil. The supreme ruler is the His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah Ibni Al-Marhum. He has had 3 wives and now has 12 children, the youngest only a month old. He ascended the throne in 1967 at the age of 21. The ship docked in the tiny port city of Muara, but the biggest city and capital is called Bandar Seri Begawan, which is a 45 minute ride from the port. The Royal Family owns everything of any importance or worth. There are many palaces and mosques all decorated with 18 carat gold, mosaic tiles, granite and gems. People not of royal birth have it a little different, although the Sultan provides for their medical care and there are no taxes. Also, gas is really cheap! We saw modest houses and some downright slums along the waterfront called the Water Village. This village, Kampong Ayer, is a city on stilts on the water and is the world’s largest raised town of its kind. It has stores, schools and banks to support the 30,000 people who make the Water Village their permanent home. It looked like a damp way to live but the Water Village has been a part of Brunei for a long time. We had the opportunity to visit their main shopping mall, Kuala Belait in the center of downtown Bandar Seri Begawan. It was an interesting mix of cultures. There was a long line at a place called Fun Donuts, think Dunkin Donuts, where the local people waited patiently for a doughy treat! The mall smelled of donuts and curry from all the Asian/Indian restaurants. It wasn’t unpleasant, just different. Outside we saw street vendors with some of the strangest food I have ever seen. Lots of fish-like things and funny looking eggs. Not sure what they were really and didn’t want to try them. People were nice and most could speak English and they all seemed to highly regard the Sultan. We saw his new palace, his old palace, his polo grounds, the stables of his 300+ polo ponies, the palaces of his relatives and a Disneyland-like park called Jeydoung Park, which he had built. Brunei was clearly all about the Sultan and the family dynasty which began with Sultan Mohammed in 1405AD. I hadn’t heard of it before we left on this cruise, but now I will surely never forget it!