Maura, Brunei Darussalam

Brunei is home to only half a million people with one of them  being the Sultan of Brunei who is one of the richest men in the world.  As we approached Brunei the oil rigs were plentiful giving one the idea where the wealth originates from.   Citizens do not pay income tax and they enjoy free medical care, education and old age pensions.  A third of the people work for the government and they are probably the best paid bureaucrats in the world.   Brunei is a Muslim country with 70% of the residents being such but freedom of religion is allowed with the second largest group being Catholic.  No alcohol or cigarettes are allowed to be sold in the country.  Even though one cannot buy cigarettes smoking is not totally banned though it is very strictly controlled and fines are high and immediate if one smokes in off limit places.  Apparently there are plain clothed smoke patrols so they take it very seriously.

The buildings here, particularly the government ones are quite ostentatious and this country certainly has a different feel than those we visited previously on this trip.  A city tour took us past these over the top buildings on our way to a tour of their water village which was definitely a direct contrast to that on land.  Families have lived in these villages for generations and are reluctant to leave though apparently some now have a town house as well and spend time there as well.  We travelled by boat to the water village and then took a rather rickety walkway to the home we were visiting.  The outside of the home was what we would refer to as ghetto but the inside was over the top ornamental.  It was quite the surprise when one stepped through the door.  We were also treated to some local sweets that the women of the house had made.  Three generations consisting of 25 people lived in this seven room house.  Brunei does not have any nursing homes as generations live together and look after each other.  One is no longer allowed to build a water home in Brunei so when one becomes too delapitated it is torn down and not replaced.

Sailing out of Brunei it was quite the sight to see the rigs all lit up with the glowing flame on top.

Govern buildings were all very beautiful 

Certainly no tight purse strings when building for the state

A visit to the local market is always interesting though it was so hot and humid that we did not want to linger

The mosque sparkled in the sunshine especially with the gold plated domes

Quite a contrast between the mosque and the run down water homes in front

The water village that we visited

Quite gaudy but definitely not what I expected to find inside the water home

A barge decorating the moat surrounding the mosque