Peacefulness is the operative word in Brunei Darussalam, a.k.a., Abode of Peace translated from the local Melayu language. Tuesday, my first day here after an interminable trip from Seattle via LAX and an unplanned layover in sweltering Singapore, was extremely hot and humid making anything beyond a languid pace impossible. It cooled off considerably after biblical afternoon rain. Culturally similar to Malaysia, a mix of Malay, South Asian, and Chinese, except that religious law is more striclty enforced meaning... NO BEER! Actually, visitors can bring in declared, limited amounts which I learned on the flight. I just managed with coffee, tea and fresh squeezed fruit juices. While walking around the wharf my first day, I was approached by Saleh who had a water taxi and tried to talk me into the mangrove tour, just over an
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