Brunei, the ‘Abode of Peace’ and Autos

March 1, 2018

At the Water Village...

Traveling East, © 2018:

Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, 29th sultan of Brunei, owns five thousand cars, including around 20 Lamborghinis, 160 Porsches, 130 Rolls Royces, 360 Ferraris, 170 Jaguars, 180 BMWs, 360 Bentleys, and 530 Mercedes-Benzes.

Once upon a time, in the 1990s, Brunei’s sultan was heralded as the richest person in the world. No more. As of the other day, that title belongs to Jeff Bezos, who now outranks Bill Gates in wealthiness.

Brunei’s wealth (mostly from gas and oil, its only exports) was evident the minute we got off the ship and into our excursion bus. For contrast: What was a royal palace in Tonga, the abode of King Tupou VI...

... was outdone by some wealthy Bruneian’s private home in Muara.

The sultan’s home has 1,788 rooms (257 bathrooms), making it the world’s largest residential palace. It includes a mosque that holds 1500 people. And a dining room that holds 5000.

Lest you think the sultan’s interior design taste does not match his exterior design taste, this is the inside of one of the colorful Water Village homes, where we were treated to tea and sweets. The village’s first houses were constructed 1300 years ago.

And an exterior, shot from inside our water taxi...

Back in town, the local market offered little packets for steaming rice... dried fish... and a place for a nap. #

Original Post:

https://wordwrite.wixsite.com/passepartoutparttwo/single-post/2018/03/03/Borneo-Twice-Over