Thicko! Sans Rival

I came to Brunei to see the 2 main Mosques which are said to be of the most beautiful in the world. 

Day 1 I saw the first one. Today I headed to the second. The Jame'Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque. 

I could see the minarets from the hotel so knew it wasn’t far. In fact very close and walking in the shade was easy. Until the shade ran out. 

I could see the mosque getting closer and closer. It was magnificent!  I go to grab my phone to take pics. I panic. No phone!  Not only could I not take pics but I could not get a ride home. Oh well. 

Resigned to the fact I kept going. It was too hot to go home again and get back before it closes for the day. 

I arrived and checked in dripping in perspiration. The lovely men there got me a chair and water and made sure I was ok. As we were chatting a guy came along to check in. 

Wouldn’t you know it was- another kiwi. We went through the check in book and there hasn’t been a kiwi here in months and then two in a row. 

My saviour. He offered to drop me off at my hotel as he was leaving. Offer accepted. I love this guy. 

Again this Mosque is quite different to the Middle Eastern ones. Beautifully tiled outside but inside almost entirely white except for gold embellishments. Stark but the undulating surfaces made it feel really welcoming. Vast marble staircases left from one floor to the next and magnificent chandeliers graced the ceilings. I had to take it all in. My only recollection would be google photos. 

Built in 1992 to celebrate the 25th year of the current sultan's reign, Brunei's largest mosque dominates its surroundings. It's impossible to miss the gleaming domes and four terrazzo-tiled minarets as you head towards Gadong. It's certainly an impressive building – since the sultan is his dynasty's 29th ruler, the complex is adorned with 29 golden domes. At night the mosque is lit up like a gold flame.

It was a quick visit. Without my phone I felt lost and knew I couldn’t take in all the beautiful detail - photos thanks to Google. 

My saviour dropped me at my hotel and I raced to my room to grab the phone. Darn!  Not there!  In a panic I searched my bag again. I’m such a dick. Not one phone in my bag but two, neatly placed under my stuff for safety. 

I needed cake so here I am at the Coffee Bean and Tea shop again. My coffee was great but the piece of pistachio cake was sublime. The staff remembered me and welcomed me warmly. How nice after only one visit. 

It is nearly time to leave Brunei. It is too hot to be outside and I have a few hours to kill so here are some thoughts. 

Bandar Seri Begawan is gorgeous. It is green with beautifully manicured gardens and wide smooth roads. It is anything but a tourist city and despite having many signs in English and having Western food readily available it has stuck to its roots beautifully. 

Despite being one of the richest countries in the world, with the exception of the Sultan’s Palace there is no obvious sense of wealth. 

The mosques, by Muslim standards,  are simple but glorious, shops range from western style department stores to basic shops selling everything from jewellery to garden tools. 

The people all have a sense of sameness. Occasionally there is someone that stands out amongst the rest.  There is none of the ‘glamour’ dress of Iran. There are some women in Western style clothes. Maybe they are tourists?? 

Although a Muslim state with strict sharia rule there do not appear to be many Mosques. I only heard the call to prayer a couple of times from a distance. I did not see one person praying on the street or at their place of work. Businesses are open daily but closed either Friday morning or for a few hours on Friday between about 11 and 2 pm. I wont be here on a Friday to see what happens. 

Was it worth coming here?  Absolutely. It’s gorgeous, the people are lovely, the food is great, it is a place that is true to itself and not trying to be anything else. Although not a lot to do tourist wise that is a positive and for me a good place to have time out without feeling I had to do stuff. I would have liked to have ventured out of the city but my sleep in yesterday put paid to that. 

A recommended visit to the Empire Hotel was not done and having looked at the photo’s I’m glad I didn’t go. Opulence gone mad. As bad as Burg Al Arab in Dubai. Ugly and false. I love the wee place I am in and love where it is placed. 

The young lady at the hotel told me there wasn’t much to do at the airport. I ignored her and got here early to find that landside there was a restaurant and a few cafes. The airport is lovely and opens out to a beautiful Mosque. I am going to try and visit. 

It is at the restaurant I am now sitting waiting eagerly for my murtabak. With my coke $10. It’s definitely cheap and especially yummy. 

Did I mention the many warnings received before arriving. Drug trafficking is punishable by death and some other crimes by amputation. 

Through departure and I am welcomed with a colourful arch, a few shops and a choice of Starbucks (that is not a viable choice) or a Coffee Bean Cafe where I spent my last $5 on a strawberry iced tea. The airport is lovely, smallish but spotless and runs like clockwork. I guess it will never be an airport hub so it is perfectly adequate.   
Yet another uneventful flight and I am back in Singapore.