I’m sure you’re already well-versed in the geography, politics, and religious status of the small country of Brunei Darussalam. But in case you’re not, Brunei is located in the north coast of the island of Borneo. Ruled by a sultan, it is one of the last absolute monarchies on earth. Separation of church and state have no place in Brunei; the sultan and his father both funded posh mosques, and in recent years the sultan even officiated a service. Islam rules the land.
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| Outside the sultan's mosque. |
Yet many stereotypes which would normally follow such a description have no place in Brunei. The people we talked to spoke of America with regard and genuine fondness. Many wanted to come visit. One of the university students we met was openly gay, and he did not seem to find much resentment amongst his fellow citizens; in fact, he talked about once dating the sultan’s son. Also, contrary to popular thought, as absolute ruler, the sultan is not hated but loved. Brunians talked expectantly about the sultan’s upcoming 65th birthday, sighing over the fact that we’d come a few weeks too early to enjoy the July celebration which would close down the streets for a month of parades and festivals.
We only visited Brunei for five days, but the memories we made and the friendships we formed will last much longer. I haven’t come across more beautiful hospitality. Everything from fluffy pillows to bedroom shoes to ironing boards were provided in our posh suite-style dorm rooms. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner were also served free of charge. And entertainment came in varying forms every night: dance lessons from a Bruneian dance team; cooking classes from our linguistics professor’s wife who prepared ambuyat, a typical dish; Malay language and Arabic writing lessons where we learned how to write our names in Jawi script; a walking feast through the night stands where we tried everything from sweetened cow’s heart to skewered chicken butt; and an afternoon boat tour to see proboscis monkeys swinging through vines in their natural habitat. (Also on this tour, we got a view of the sultan’s backyard, or rather a very blurred view of the back tip of a golden dome which is a small part of the largest real estate in the world.)
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In anticipation of trying chicken BUTT. Wonderful flavor.
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| On the boat ride to see proboscis monkeys. |
One of the most magical moments of the trip was when we took a detour through Empire Hotel (a SIX star hotel) and snuck onto its private beach where we bathed in the South China Sea and then climbed onto steep rocks to watch the sunset. The sky seemed to split apart and break into a thousand radiant rays of pinks and purples. The waning light cast a golden glow over the water, and a complete stillness coursed through my veins as if life truly made sense even if only for a moment.
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| The Empire Hotel. This is what SIX stars looks like! |
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| Watching the sunset on the South China Sea. |
Upon leaving the beach, I stopped inside the bathroom. After all, I’d toured several five-star hotel restrooms in Singapore, and I wanted to see how a six-star hotel in the richest country per capita in the world could top them. The marble flooring, golden spigots, room-sized bathroom stalls, and fresh roses reflected a thousand times in the wall-length mirrors did not disappoint.
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| Yes, it really was that beautiful. |
Reflecting on my entire trip abroad, I always return to that special night on the South China Sea as one of my most special moments. When I read in the news that six Asian countries, including China, Vietnam, and the Philippines, are currently vying for ownership of the sea, I understand why. Sure, politically, it’s desired for its possible oil and gas revenues, but, personally, I think the politicians just want an excuse to spend the evening as I did, bathing in the warm waters and enjoying the magnificent vistas afforded by jagged rocks and majestic sunsets.
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