Hmmm…what to blog about today? There are so many topics that are just begging for attention, so many interesting and outrageous things going on in the nation and the world. Most of the subjects that are yapping about my heels for attention are what my wife would call “negative” in nature, as indeed she calls my own “nature” as well. I have to admit that maybe I do focus on negative things in many of my blogs. Of course one reason I focus on negative things is that positive things rarely need to be “fixed.” On the other hand, I know that if a person focuses primarily on the negative things in life, the positive things are soon taken for granted.
On the positive side of things, this dry, parched, arid piece of heaven got some much-needed rain last night. No, it was not enough to end the drought, but it certainly was plenty to provide for the needs of lots of birds and animals, and the cacti and mesquite will certainly be a beautiful shade of green for a few days. As for this blog, a positive thing happened when I noticed that one person who honored me very much by visiting my blog had done so from a computer in Brunei!
Now let me note here that I appreciate all my readers equally, but one of the highlights of my blogging experience is seeing where my readers reside. I have made it an ongoing practice to try to learn at least a nutshell bit of knowledge of the states and nations that I know very little about. When I saw that this particular visitor’s location was in Brunei, I was very surprised…and a little ashamed. I confess that I literally had to go to the emap (no globe in the house) and find this tiny nation. As I expected, Brunei is a very exotic (to me, anyway) spot in Southeast Asia. It is a tiny nation of around 400,000 people, and occupies a small portion of the Borneo Island. Brunei is surrounded on three sides by Malaysia, and bordered on the forth side by the South China Sea. This nation is a Muslim nation, and in fact is a sultanate.
Tourists visit Brunei for its beaches, water recreation, and for tours into the remote and pristine rainforests. Probably a very major tourist attraction is the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque located in the village of Kampong Ayer. Both are major landmarks in themselves. The Sultan’s Mosque is a magnificent structure that will definitely inspire awe. But the other attraction is the fact that Kampong Ayer is a city (or village) built entirely over water. It is a self-sufficient village with all the facilities and amenities one would expect in any town. The other major attractions are the nations national parks in the rainforests and mountains. I am personally attracted by one of the national parks in which the government has constructed a walkway at the canopy level of the rainforests. I guess I have added Brunei to my “bucket list.”
There are many sights to see around the world, and even though they require travel outside the nation of Texas, I would love to see them one day. I have had some travels myself, venturing as far north as Chicago, as far west as California, and east to North Carolina. These trips are the extent of my international travels. But I would love to see Scotland, England, Latvia, Belise, and so many other places. And now, I have added Brunei to that list. Incidentally I would like to add one more fun tidbit to the Brunei mystique. The complete name of this nation is Negara Brunei Darrussalam, or, in English, The Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace. The history of this small sultanate belies that name, as attested by the numerous wars, the loss of empire, the Japanese Occupation of World War II, and the years as a protectorate of the United Kingdom. But the nation once again regained its independence in 1984. Perhaps Brunei will be at peace for many years to come, as all members of the United Nations recognize it as a sovereign nation. Who knows? Maybe one day I will send you a post card from Kampong Ayer, Negara Brunei Darussalam.
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