On my way home, it was hard to resist stopping by Brunei since I'd already made it to Kota Kinabalu. It's just a stone's throw from there.

Every little eatery you walk into has a portrait of the Brunei Sultan hanging on the wall (just like in Oman). And there are legends about his wealth. His fortune is twice the size of Brunei's entire GDP (not the most accurate comparison, but it gives you a sense of scale). He doesn't trust local Bruneians with his personal security—instead, he officially hires British military personnel for this prestigious job (honestly, it's more of a historical arrangement, and besides personal security, the British also have a military base there).

You can catch a glimpse of some of this wealth at the museum of gifts to the Sultan. It's all very luxurious. But the lives of ordinary people don't seem that different from neighboring Malaysia, despite much higher economic indicators. Well, except the drivers on the roads are much more polite. The contrast with Indonesia really shows this.

PS. I was totally surprised to spot a medovik honey cake in some random café. How did that even end up there?