The Worst Building Design in Brunei goes to....

Completed several years ago, the New Seria Market in Seria Town, Belait District, is considered to be one of the worst building design in Brunei.... by the public....

The main reason is because the food court was design was built without having any toilets for the 20-30 stalls customers! One would think that since Architects in Brunei are all educated overseas, a simple food court cant even be properly design. ITs crazy!

Th next building which is irrationally design is the Shell petrol station at Kg. Sungai Teraban, Belait District as well. The petrol station's oil pump on the right side was placed so near to the office that when cars passed through - they got stuck along the way as the design of the roadway could not accommodate 2 cars to pass.... one would think that Shell station would be conscious about any health safety issues....

Worst Restaurant This Month Goes To....

The worst Restaurant i went to this month is T___ Restaurant located at Jalan Batu Bersurat, Gadong. I'm sure they know why their food and their service is not that impressive. Furthermore, with prices averaging $6 per plate, I dont think many people would be going back for a 2nd time.

I sure wouldn't..... I rather spend my $$ at CDP Curry House - at least the buttermilk chicken is best!

Improving Brunei's Public Services....

Well, one of the way to make sure the Government is more in tune to the private sector's need is to make sure that "business transaction" can be made more friendlier than it currently is.

One example is one of the licensing body under the Ministry of Development.

By right, all government servants starts work at 7.45am, it is only 8.30am that the counter to take forms opens. By 11am, that section will not entertain any queries or forms submitted. What are those people doing after 11am??? Isn't it the lunch time starts at 12.15noon? If they stop working after 12noon, then its ok but at 11am?.... May the government should start slashing their salary since they also slash the time they work.

After lunch, government offices are suppose to open at 1.30pm, however many counters will tell you to come at 2pm. Better be quick to rush from one building to another to get receipt of payment, or else you can't do anything. Payment counter close at 3pm, again, after 3pm, what do people at the counter do???

After 3pm, the certain unit, would not even entertain people who ask for questions, let alone give you any forms to those who are unfamiliar with the government timing.... the counter people especially the aunties will give you very ugly face if you dare to ask for anything... Is this the right thing to do? What new ideas have been implemented by the people in the certain departments or unit to make it easier for the public to get information fast and not to waste time as they obviously like to do so?

Changing the face of the public service? Still a very long time.... Pension off the uncles and aunties and maybe things would be better....

ps. 10minutes before the closing time at 3pm, when ask still can pay, the aunty at the counter --- ohh the uncle went to the bank already - WAH.... how- like this also can ...... Me think not the Bank but the coffee-shop.......

Almost daily brakefast...

Bee hoon and keowy tiaw goreng using Seria pasar pricing.... Nice been hoon goreng - chicken just cost $2 and with teh-c 50cents

Bee hoon kawin with keow tiaw goreng... mix saja...

Back to Brunei... home sweet home

After two weeks of holiday, it was finally great to be at home... and in just a few days, we were off to one of our latest hobby, fishing... and instead of catching fish, we managed to catch a crab!



We took the crab to home for a while before releasing it several hours later... dunola... just one crab is not enough to feed both of us... hahah

This is how to catch a crab... haha

Bukit Tempayan Pisang ahead

Hi crab...

A plane was flying over the beach, couldnt resist but take a picture of the plane with my new camera

One local Halal restaurant ...

One fo the owners of Qi Ji used to work in Brunei for nearly 20 years before coming back to join the family business.
selling old Malay and halal food

This rice cost $4.20 only...

Back to Singapore again....

Well, we spent about 2 days in KL only, then went back to Singapore for the final shopping before the 5% GST hike to 7% GST hike on 1st July 2007. What bugs me is that, when i claim my 5% GST, they never refund 5% to tourists but less than 4% of the amount you bought.... its not fair to tourists.... No wonder Singaporeans are not really happy with all the taxes, levies, fines, etc introduced by the Government..... Government richer but people getting poorer with higher living standard...

Singapore's Chinatown....

So the message is clear... Jaywalking and jaytalking kills....
the new MRT Circle line... (Yellow in Colour)

Site and Scene of Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur's Chinatown
Petronas Twin Towers - do you know that when you go to the 1st or 2nd floor of the shopping complex, you can actually feel the building shaking? I wonder why... can anyone tell me? I was quite worried and went out after a quick window shopping....
View from our hotel at Pudu... the KL Tower

Scene taken from the LRT station, looking Masjid Jamek

To Genting Highlands...

After reaching singapore from Bangkok, the next day, we used the the night coach from Golden Miles Complex at Beach Road all the way to Genting Highlands for S$39 for each person. We left with the bus at around 10.15pm and reach Genting at about 5am the next day. Sounds long but it wasnt really...

Genting is well-known for not only the casino but its theme park as well.

After spending half a day at Genting, we went down using the bus to KL for about RM7 each person. Man, the ride down the mountain was so terrifying for me because I think the bus driver was driving quite fast for a steep mountain. Reminds me of the road to Mount Kinabalu, which i swear I wouldnt go anymore... but for Genting where the road is bigger and constantly improved, still can go....

Cheaper way to go down to Kuala Lumpur. Would have use the cable car but its out of service until the middle or until next month...

The building available on the Genting Highlands

The First World Hotel... there's a new hotel being built near this hotel...

After flying back to Singapore...

The first thing is to find food :-)

Free dessert
Then have a walk to the park which provides fishing activities to the local...

Bye bye Bangkok...

Tip for those going there first time - well, when getting a taxi, try to insist on the meter but if not, then you have to pay 400baht to go to Bangkok. If they say, oh you pay the toll, just say yes, because when we used the airport taxi, the darn taxi driver only paid 20baht compared to the 300baht that the airport taxi mafias were saying.... I hope the Thai airport authorities would do something about this rigging...

Our trip back, the pilot of the plane was not as informative as the one which flew us in... i was wondering what weather report the pilot would tell us, but i guess they were tired as well...

Advert in Bangkok newspaper to Brunei - Unseen in Asia... hahah.. interesting...
Pie bought at the aiport, this is nicer than Han's - eheheh

The display in the airport

The new aiport in Bangkok, impressive but maybe Thais are still angry with Singapore... why?... we used Tiger Airways to go Bangkok and the plane was parked at the end of the building and when its time to collect our luggages, it was on the complete opposite of the building....

Food in Bangkok

Well, our last night in Bangkok, we went to a tourist-known restaurant called Somboon - over 40 years in business, it serves seafood, not extremely cheap but, ok...lah...

Was too hungry to take more pictures after this... hahha...

Bangkok's China Town

Bangkok's Chinatown is one of busiest area in the city. Many do not know of its existence ... but it is as good as JJ Market as it sell wholesale goods, mostly on women clothes, accessories, textiles, etc... its a place worth exploring.

Site and Scene of Bangkok 3

One of the reveared kings of Thailand who Thais prays to...
It was durian season in Thailand...
Durian chips are famous but expensive here...
Roses for less than $5!!!
Flowers again..

Four Face Buddha - the best religious attraction in Bangkok City

The view from our hotel room... the tallest building in Bangkok...
Rebuilt after it was destroyed by a disturb man early this year, the 4 face Buddha is one of the most reveard monument in Bangkok and tourists like ourselves would offer prayers everytime we go to Bangkok.

This is another 4 face buddha but its not as famous as the one on the top.