Turquoise and Roses

Yeah, just like that, I have officially joined the Tourism Industry in Brunei.

How will I fare? I guess time will tell.

Is this a goodbye to teaching? I don’t know yet, ask me again in a few months. The answer may be more certain by then.

Click here to watch this video to see the truth behind Chinese fur farms. Nothing but pain and gore. Poor animals.

I can’t believe just how cruel people can be. I pray for those animals.

A week ago, I was emailed by a Miss Tina regarding this blog post I made a long time ago. In that email, one of her questions to me was,

DID YOU KNOW THAT THERE IS STILL NO ANIMAL SHELTER FOR DUMPED/ABANDONED/UNLOVED ANIMALS IN BRUNEI?

However, she redirected me to me to Animal Shelter Brunei, a blog where fellow Bruneians can adopt homeless puppies and kittens, manned by her, and a Kirsteen.

“We do have an animal shelter where volunteers (like me) will take animals into our homes and care for them and then get them adopted”.

That is a selfless thing indeed!

After reading their whole archive, I gathered that basically what happens is that they go all over Brunei, or someplace particularly littered with strays, capture the dogs and then get them neutered and vaccinated in the government vet. This is more humane and ultimately better than poisoning the poor animals: which is what most Bruneians tend to do.

Kesian. With poison, it’s a painful death and they suffer in agony for days before finally giving up. Sometimes the poison is so strong it even stains the road they die on.

Kirsteen asserts that with this method of neutering, the canine population will be controlled and will eventually decrease in a few years time as the dogs die a natural death.

However, they need help! You may be thinking: how can I help? I am a Muslim and I can’t touch these dogs!

In the words of Tina:

We are always in need of donated goods..

• Tinned food for cats n dogs.
• Old towels
• Blankets
• Cat litter
• Kitten formula
• Bottles
• Water bottles

So take a look down at Animal Shelter Brunei. Because they sure need all the help they can get! They’re not perfect but they sure as hell are doing something about the problem.

Yeap. I felt inspired after reading Shasha’s and Dee’s blogs. Specificaly their date tags. Ngah. I AM BLOGGING EVERYDAY.

But, I need a clean slate. See you next post.

“Combination hookah and coffee maker. Also makes julienne fries!”

Hahahahah! Seriously one of the funniest lines in Aladdin the Movie.

Photo by Ahim Rani.

I am sorry. But I find the Bangkatan really funny to look at. I’m scared to call it ugly. As the elders say, MASAP ARI.

The Boyfriend told me once, on his way to Temburong, their boat had to stop to let two Bangkatans swim pass the river. They were using their noses as flotation devices. Yeap, true story!

Anyway, it’s a cruel joke that the Indonesians call this simian, Orang Belanda (literally meaning Dutch Man). Even more cruel is that, people think that this name is appropriate! Hehe.

The small eyes, big nose and pot belly. It’s such an amusingly curious animal to find in the jungle! Shows just how colourful the fauna of Borneo’s lush green forests are. Unfortunately, sightings of the Bangkatan is getting rarer and rarer, and the poor thing is now listed as a species in danger of extinction caused by loss of habitat.

Coincidentally what’s Brunei doing to protect the Bangkatan? (Arguably there’s not much development going on on that side of Brunei where sightings are common but that’s hardly a reason to be complacent no?)

So yes. Bangkatans are funny.

Hi everyone,

A whole load of ads coming your way!

June is a very popular month for weddings in this country, because it issss SUMMER! Best weather for weddings. Take advantage of the discount!

Received this a few nights ago and meant to post it but I kept on forgetting. I hope it’s not too late! For today and tomorrow only. Print out this voucher and get 10% discount off from all food items in Andaman Restaurant! Have a fantastic meal!

(Image cold linked from AnakBrunei. Hehehe. Sorry Reeds!)

Did you miss the part where it said “fabulous dinner” and “luxurious hotel”? If you haven’t, vote today!

That was a great hang out session Budak Hitams

Words of the night:

1. AYAM
2. Liptup
3. Bedukang
4. TUNGKING
5. Tukang sapu

And of course the song of the night, “Kain Jongsarat“.

LEGENDARY!

I bumped into this talented young photographer for the very first time tonight on MSN, advertising his blog to his contact list. He updates rarely so I was expecting the same old post, but lo and behold, our pictures from the Gemilang Sabah XPDC is up! I devoured every single one hungrilly.

It definitely brought memories and I am now officially missing the troops from Gemilang! I never do any namedropping, but here is a whole load of it coming your way!

I especially miss Tango 1’s residents, AYN and MKJ (even Mr Ampierrrgh, who moved to another Tango to become their driver in Limbang). Also Pegasus! And Farah, DJ Zura, the Gemilang YDP (and family), the good doctor (also with family), and all the other Tangoes! I’ve missed all the reunions they organised because they all usually happen on a day I already have plans.

I even miss the 4×4 Land Cruiser I spent a good part of the day and night in during our trip! I used to peep my head out of the sunroof to get good shots for MKJ on his DSLR while he drives and AYN navigates, and I peep out during pit stops, to listen to the boys talk about nonsense outside. I miss the damn sunroof.

I miss the brief R&R stops we used to make every few hours of driving. OH and I miss the neverstopping amateur radio banter during driving! I am still in awe of the spontaneity of all the radio conversations throughout the journey. Very very entertaining.

Finally I miss those group photos under sweltering hot sun during noon just because the lighting is best during that hour. Heh.

Till we meet again, this post is to let you guys know: I miss you all!

Photos stolen and credited to: Hafiz AH

Sorry I’ve been away yet again. I’ve been busy. To make it worse…

Someone is spying on me.

There I’ve said it. It all started when I found these people installing bugs on my phone line, and putting tabs on all my online activities. They thought nobody was home but in actual fact, I was at there taking their pictures.

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Please tell me you did not fall for that.

Fellow Bruneians, GREY POLO SHIRTS means TelBru. Apparently, our phonelines haven’t been working properly because on one rainy and windy day, a rather heavy coconut leaf fell on the cables and damaged them.

It took 3 phonecall tantrums but it’s back now. IT’S BACK!

*hurrah*

Once every few years, I have a routine. A sacred one, where I gather these documents noted below in one bundle.

For the benefit of those who do not read Malay:

1. Birth Certificate (Copy & Original)
2. Identity Card (Copy & Original)
3. 4 portraits measuring 5.2cm x 4 cm
4. Passport (With a copy of the last page where the horrible photo and whatnots are placed)

Then, with these documents safely encased in a plastic sheet, I’d wait my turn to get called, in a box roughly the size of a typical Bruneian living room, watching P. Ramlee movies on a flat screen TV.

But before I sit comfortably on the chairs and laugh at the next P.Ramlee joke with strangers I’ve never met before in my life, I’d first have to get a number from the, well, for the lack of a technical term, the Number Spitting Machine According To Category. Then proceed to fill in only one single form.

Of course, waiting is not called “waiting” if you don’t do so for a long time. If waiting only takes a minute, then it would be called, a pause, or maybe a halt. No, no. Once every few years in my sacred routine, I must wait for at least two hours.

Therefore, I usually clear the whole day of any high tea dates, or any ‘promises to meet at 4pm’, or any of the frivolousness in my life because on this day, it is reserved specifically, for the lengthy process of waiting.

While waiting, and being noticeably idle, I have 13 primary ways to keep busy, namely:

1. I stare at people
2. Watch the P.Ramlee movie until my neck hurts (I was sitting in the front row)
3. Stare at people some more
4. Check repeatedly that I have all the necessary documents
5. Stare at walls
6. Notice every little detail (especially at Counter Number 3) of the room’s structure.
7. Giggle everytime a baby takes a photo.
8. Stare at people even more
9. Oh take pictures (obviously)
10. Get annoyed everytime people forget to photocopy the required documents (an occurence that happens every 3 persons) and forces the counter to close while waiting for the person to go upstairs and photocopy the aforementioned documents.
11. Get annoyed everytime someone who “misses” his/her number in the morning comes back and cuts the queue in the afternoon line, making other people’s turn drag on longer.
12. Stare at annoying people.
13. Annoy people by staring.

Can you figure out what I’m doing yet? YES I’m renewing my passport! It expired last month and in the event where I need to elope to Miri, I obviously need one.

Here are some simple but important tips for all that wants to renew their passports:

- Have all the required documents and their photocopies ready. If you miss out one, you will force the counter to shut down while you retrieve the missing document. Believe me when I say, that will make a lot of people resentful of you.

- This is a very important venue for a lot of people. Practically everyone in Brunei Muara District comes here to make/renew their travel documents. Old people, young people, teenagers, babies, rich, poor, black, white, yellow, fuchscia, orange, indigo, everyone. Therefore, please don’t expect a short waiting time. You’ll have to wait a long time, despite the staff there trying their best. So if you’re easily aggravated by long periods of idling, come early and bring something to keep yourself occupied, like a magazine or a good book, a PSP, a boyfriend/girlfriend/bestfriend or a portable DVD player.

- If you’re making a passport for one of your babies, please bring some toys to grab his/her attention while the photo is being taken.

- A passport is one of those things in Brunei that is not free. For a biometric passport, please bring an exact amount of BND$60.

Unlike the old passports where photos are to be taken in photo studios, biometric passports requires none because photos are taken on site itself. Above is the camera that took my picture. With no flash. Haha.

Then there’s a machine that takes our fingerprints. For those riddled with paranoia, a.k.a. me, get your hand sanitisers ready. Who knows where other people’s hands have been.

If you’ve noticed that the above has no prints of my thumbs, then you have too much time on your hands. Pun intended. Anyway, this is stored forever, somewhere. Incidentally, can someone explain what is this fingerprint archive going to be used for?

When all is done, you’ll be given a receipt, and a guarantee of a finished passport in three days. Heh. Great staff in the Passport department. Friendly, helpful. Will update on how my passport collection comes along.

Until then, have a nice day!

It’s amazing how I’ve never really written about ambuyat, Brunei’s unofficial national dish. Simply made from ambulong and hot water, yet turning it from powder to semi-solid blob is a skill possessed by not many. During the AUN Youth Summit, I mentioned that a man or a woman who can demonstrate flawless expertise in doing so will instantly gain eligibility points, and I stand by that statement.

Enjoyed by many cultures across the nation, unique for its texture, and notorious for the cacah (dip) that accompanies each bite. “Taste like heaven, smells like hell”, as a reader have so eloquently put it. Hot and tangy, strong savoury flavours in each bite. Nothing can go wrong.

But of course, having ambuyat and the cacah alone would barely qualify as a complete meal. Ambuyat is merely the carbohydrate component. Here are the delicious condiments that make the meal unique.

Ulam-ulaman. Loosely translated as salad! This I find important, aside from the obvious benefits from consuming fibre, the cooling properties of cucumber and various greens will balance out the cacah’s fieriness. Of course, it would sometimes seem redundant, as the sambal belachan that comes accompanying the ulam-ulaman would set your tongue back on fire.

Looks familiar? Well, I’ve featured this dish once bubbling in the pot when I had my camera handy during a Sang Jati meal.

It’s a delicious marriage of simple spices, asam for sourness, and fresh fish. The yellow tint is owed to turmeric, added in the beginning.

Ikan rebus, or the hot (in temperature, not taste) fish broth is a healthy condiment compared to what’s coming after this.

Lalap, or beef jerky, marinated for days in various spices of which I’m not sure of. I can see the various jintans, and chilli flakes. It tastes delicious! But many find the texture uneasy, as the beef is extremely dehydrated, it’s very chewy. While some would prefer pais daging (smoked beef), for me, this is a necessary condiment to have during my ambuyat sessions.

Also necessary is this kangkong (water spinach) stir fried in garlic and onion for that extra extra crunch and cooling down factor after gulping down the ambuyat and dip.

I purposely left this condiment to the last because, lets face it, it’s the unhealthiest thing ever. These are fatty arteries extracted from a cow, slow cooked for an inordinate amount of time in a mixture of spices, until all the fats melt to become oil. The arteries become very very very tender and slide in to our throats like chunks of butter. SINFUL, but an absolute must!

And that’s it! I hope this post will inspire you to enjoy a very Bruneian meal for lunch and maybe, when you come back, you might find it in your hearts to vote for the restaurant. Hehe. Tell the folks at that certain ambuyat restaurant I sent you.

Click for more information.

Calling all TESLers from my batch! What can be better than a freaking picnic on a MONDAY morning? I mean, ultimate indulgence! What Monday blues?

Let’s go. NO EXCUSE.