Brunei, The Abode Of Peace

Brunei looks absolutely beautiful in this clip taken from the 1968 film, 'Gema Dari Menara'.



My one and only visit to Brunei Darussalam was way back in 2012, when I joined the Brunei Half Marathon (the 10k run) alongside the ntv7 contingent.

We put up at the Radisson, which, I was told, was one of the better hotels in Bandar Seri Begawan — and also the official hotel for the event.


Of course, no trip is complete without a food adventure. We were tipped off about a good food court just around the corner from the hotel, so we braved the blazing sun, walked over, and picked a stall to try some local dishes. I was feeling adventurous… until I ordered Roti John. Classic me. 😅


For dinner, we decided to go all in and try ambuyat, the famed Bruneian delicacy. The lauk pauk that came with it were actually pretty good. 


And then came the star of the show — ambuyat itself.



For the uninitiated, ambuyat is made from the sago palm trunk, with a consistency similar to tapioca starch. Taste-wise? Mild, but okay. The real challenge was trying to twist and flick it onto the plate without flinging it across the table. 😄


We also squeezed in a quick visit to the iconic Kampung Ayer. While standing at the jetty, a bunch of speedboats zoomed by in the dark, mistaking us for passengers. Free entertainment, Brunei-style.


And yes, we did take in the majesty of Masjid Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien. A sight to behold.




As for the half marathon itself — hats off to the organisers. Everything ran smoothly, and the experience was top-notch from start to finish.


Thank you, Brunei! Hope to be back again one day.


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Dapatkan buku 'Kisah Hidup & Budaya Pop Anak Gen-X' di SINI

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