Brunei : paradise in the Southeast Asia

Brunei is a small country in the Southeast Asia with less than half a million people.  The country is ruled by its Sultan who succeeded his founding father from the 16th century.  With its oil and natural gas resources, Brunei chose to remind independent with support of the British.  Nowadays, Brunei still engage an army of well-trained Gurkha to safeguard its oilfields. 

(One of the beautiful mosques built by Sultans for their people)

Brunei is facing the South China Sea in the Tropical area.  The weather is hot with abundant rainfall year round.  There is absence of natural disaster such as typhoon or earthquake. With good income from oil and gas, the Sultan has provided his country free education and health care.  The country is also well served by its airline, the Royal Brunei Airline, connecting the outside world.  The crime rate here is low.  Local people are living happily in this paradise land.

(Happy children of Brunei)

 

(Houses built over the water) 

Other than oil and gas, Brunei does not have much industry.  Most of its coastal marshland and tropical rain forests are largely reminded unexplored.  The absence of tourist crowds make it a good destination to explore the nature and to enjoy its natural beauty.

(Mangrove trees in the marshland provide shelters to seabirds and marine lives)

During our short stay in Brunei, we made an interesting outing to its tropical rain forest in the Temburong National Park.  Our trip first started with an hour ride on speed boat along the narrow waterways among mangrove trees and nipa palms.  Then, a van took us into the national park. We changed to local long boat up the river.  Tall strangling figs on both sides of the river looked like giants guarding the forest from unwanted intruders. 

(Long boat sailing up the river)

(Hanging bridge inside the forest)

After the boat ride, we walked up the hill for half an hour inside the forest.  A few of us climbed up 150 feet to the tree canopy walkway.  This was my first experience up in the tree canopy.  The scenery up there was great.  Many epiphytic plants, wild orchids and inserts were found up there.  You would forget the busy city life and merge yourself into the nature.   

(Tree canopy walkway)

(Epiphytic plant growing on the tree truck)

Romantic medieval towns of Italy : Verona, Assisi and Napoli

Italy is possibly one of the countries that have many United Nations World Heritage Sites.  The Roman Empire first built its presence in the nowadays Rome.  Even after the fall of the Roman Empire, there were many medieval towns came up in the Italian peninsula.  Many romantic stories from these medieval towns are still being told in modern history.  Last fall, my wife and I visited a few of them.

Verona
Many of you remember the story of Romeo and Juliet possibly from the Shakespeare play.  Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet came from the city of Verona.  A quarter of million people still live in this lovely town that has a Roman arena and few medieval piazzas. 

(The Shakespeare play told us that Juliet talked to Romeo from her balcony)

(The Roman Arena is still a popular venue for performances in Verona)

(Center of Piazza Erbe - criminals in medieval time would be chained there) 

Assisi
If you are a Catholic, you must know St. Francis.  Even if you are not a Catholic, you possibly aware of his story or schools that bear his name.  The Francis of Assisi (1182-1226), a rich merchant's son turned a devoted and humble monk, built up the famous Franciscan school in the Catholic world.  His personal example and legend bring many followers even up today.

(Early morning in Assisi)

(The Basilica of St. Francis where the tomb of St. Francis resided)

The city of Assisi was built on a small hill overlooking the surrounding farmlands.  The city looks very much like its medieval form.  Each year, millions of Christians come to this holy place.  This time, we stayed in a nice hotel with many religious paintings.  Its quiet and present atmosphere made our stay even more enjoyable.

(One of the painting in the hotel lobby)

Napoli
You may not recall Napoli but you possibly remember the Italian lyrics - Santa Lucia. The song sings about Santa Lucia, the beautiful coast of Napoli.  We enjoyed the morning walk along Santa Lucia and the warm Mediterranean climate.

(The Norman-found Castle dell'Ovo "Egg Castle" in Santa Luca)

Napoli was first found by the Greek sailors even before Roman time.  It was well situated in the middle of the Italian peninsula and in the Mediterranean Sea.  In the Medieval time, Napoli had been under the Norman control as part of the Sicily Kingdom.  Since then, it was under the French and later the Spanish control.   

(Many cruises called on Napoli so that tourists could visit the famous Pompeii ruin)