1. Es Pisang Ijo – Yogyakarta, Indonesia (originates from Sulawesi)

Es Pisang Ijo roughly translates to “green banana ice,” and that is precisely what it is, along with some added goodies.  This mixed bowl of refreshing goodness can only be described as green bananas floating in an icy red syrup with a creamy pudding like substance coating all things and unable to dissolve into the liquid.  Es pisang ijo is a brilliant icy creation and a wonderful dessert in Indonesia.

2. Gula Melaka Baba Cendol – Melaka, Malaysia

Melaka Malaysia’s sweet and popular treat on a tropical heated afternoon is a gula Melaka baba cendol.  The queue sprawls out the door at Jonker 88 and waiters rapidly serve the glorified treat.  The glass bowl starts off with sweet beans, kernels of yellow corn, and green jelly cendol noodles.  Shaved ice is then formed on top and then a masterful combination of condensed milk, sweet coconut cream, and the famous Melaka palm sugar is sloshed over the ice.  The mango version also included candied mangoes and another ultra sweet fruity syrup.

3. Nam Kang Sai – Bangkok, Thailand

Paralell to the extent and customization of the best Thai food specialities, there are also so many options to choose from when exploring nam kang sai or iced mixture dessert in Thailand.  A typical street stand is covered with glass bowls filled with all kinds of colorful and sometimes transparents morsels.  A mixture of chopped ingredients are added to the bottom of the bowl prior to larger chunks are added to the top.  The typical artificial syrup is doused on top generously.

4. Shave Ice – Honolulu, Hawaii

There’s nothing like a famous shave ice cone in the late afternoon after being scorched by the afternoon sun or thrashed around from waves in Hawaii.  Choose a cone or bowl with ice cream or sweet azuki beans, or nothing on the bottom.  Fine shaved ice is packed on top with a choice of flavored syrups poured on.  Some people like a squirt of condensed milk to cap it off.  One of my favorite places for shave ice is Waiola Shave Ice in Honolulu and Matsumoto Shave Ice in Haleiwa.

5. Halo Halo – Manila, Philippines

The local Filipino mixed ice desert usually consists of sweet palm fruit, jack fruit, coconut pulp, sweet mung beans, deep purple yams, and maybe some corn or tapioca pearls.  Shaved ice is then piled on top usually followed by a scoop of creamy ice cream or combination of ice creams.  Halo Halo melts together into a sweet creamy soup that refreshes on the hottest of Filipino days.  Chow King restaurant serves a pretty popular Halo-Halo!

photo courtesy of cjess45

6. Kakigori – Kyoto, Japan

When Japan starts to heat up in the summer months like it’s South East Asian counterparts, Kakigori shaved ice starts to become a necessity.  It’s commonly served pretty simple, shaved ice in small chunks with a choice of syrups and condensed milk.  Some stores also offer ice cream or sweet bean paste.  Gourmet variations with creamy green tea or covered in Japanese black sugar and candied chestnuts are also available.

photo courtesy of Bibil

7. Patbingsoo – Seoul, South Korea

Korea much like Japan heats up in the summer months and nothing refreshes like a patbingsoo.  The Koreans have taken this iced treat to a complex and elegant level.  Along witht the typical shaved ice is a mixture of sweet azuki beans, rice cakes, daintily chopped fruits (like kiwi, banana, and berries), condensed milk, sweet syrups, and sometimes ice cream or frozen yoghurt and whipped cream.  Patbingsoo is a colorful refreshing meal of a dessert!

photo courtesy of Klara Kim

8. Eight Treasure Ice Baobing – Taipei, Taiwan

With a name like “Eight Treasure Ice,” you know right away that this is one treat that should be respected in the hierarchy of icy desserts.  Beginning with a bed of shaved ice, the bowl of treasure is then piled with mounds of red mung beans, green mung beans, taro, yams, peanuts, starch balls, almonds, grass jelly, and other jellies, until reaching the fabulous 8.

photo courtesy of xymox

What’s your favorite iced out dessert on a warm day in South East Asia?

- Migration Mark

Parilla (Mixed Grill) for 3

Location: Montevideo, Uruguay
Restaurant: Estancia Del Puerto Restaurant in Mercado Del Puerto
Address: Mercado Del Puerto, Piedras 237, Montevideo, Uruguay
Cost: 695 UYU (Uruguayan Peso)- ($36.29 USD)

Uruguay is far from having a meat drought, and if you are looking for one of those great times that you just let yourself go and stuff yourself full of meaty protein, Mercado Del Puerto is the place. I would recommend disregarding all repercussions, dropping the money, and worrying about consequences later. The man behind the grill can undoubtedly be fully trusted to handle a slab of protein with expertise.

The parilla grilled platter was stacked high with a range of greasy enthralling treats.  Grilled chicken, tender ribs, fat encased choripan sausage, some kind of pork and provolone cheese roll-up, and juicy steak, were a few of the materials used to construct the nourishing pyramid. It would not have been the same without the divine parsley and garlic powerful chimichurri sauce condiment.

Migration Mark Rating: 8.5/10

I spent about 3 months in Buenos Aires taking a TESOL course.  This is my list of ways to have fun (mostly in order) in Buenos Aires, Argentina.  If you have spent time in BA and know other ways to have a blast in Buenos Aires, I’d love to hear your comments!

1.  Boca Juniors Football Match at La Bombonera

photo courtesy of DhubaX | Eduardo Lacerda

2.  Asados/Parillas…and other Food

The single thought that enters my mind when reflecting on BA is the precious BEEF. There can be absolutely zero human resistance to a kilo of the tenderest “bife de chorizo” smothered in an equally delicious chunk of grilled provoleta (spiced provolone) cheese to create a personal tantalizing fantasy. The unrealistic great quality of beef will actually blow your mind and force you into thinking of nothing else for the first week (set aside the first week just for beef) of being in BA.

I had the privilege of staying in a student house for a month where we would pool our funds together on Sundays and our landlord would create an Asado fit for Royalty.

Beware that an Asado is often not served until dangerous hours of the night around midnight, and one is therefore forced into a deep slumber immediately after swallowing the final bite (Not the healthiest, but inevitable).

Other honorable eats:

• Milanesas
• Empanadas
• Pastas
• Pizzas
• Pastries
• Fresh fruits and vegetables

Check out the top 10 foods to eat in Buenos Aires that are not steak and see the Buenos Aires Foodies blog!

3.  Monday Night La Bomba de Tiempo

On Monday nights a drumming band by the name of La Bomba de Tiempo plays their hearts out at an energetic and highly entertaining percussion show.  The excited crowd flows to the continuous beats and people guzzle brews.  Don’t be embarrassed, all forms of dancing or attempts are embraced and accepted.  The general vibe is Bohemian and people can be found from around the world pulsing to the drums.

Show is held at Konex venue on Monday nights.�
The line can be out of control, so arrive at about 7pm.

4.  Drink Yerba Mate (tea) with Random People or Friends

Letting a day pass while sipping yerba mate from a cow hoof gourd through a metal straw while relaxing in a patch of green grass is high on my list of priorities.  At first the mate may seem stout and bitter, but choose to enjoy it, and soon it will be a daily if not hourly ritual that your life depends upon.

photo courtesy of Rayerza

5.  Nightlife

There are books written about Buenos Aires and it’s teeming nightlife and places to party.  I won’t go in depth as there is an abundance of information out there already.  If you like to listen to thumping techno or reggaeton music, watch massive crowds, drink Fernet, or observe attractive people, you must venture to one of the many nightclubs.  Check out Museo in San Telmo, Mint in Palermo, or Crobar under the railway.  Tons and tons of options.

For more extensive information check out Buenos Aires Nightlife Guide.

6.  San Telmo Sunday market

San Telmo on Sunday is a pleasant place to walk through and observe the market that sprawls for a good couple of kilometers on the cobble stoned street. Purchase Argentine leather goods, antiques, handmade jewelry, clothing, shoes, souvenirs, and other spontaneous trinkets. Admire amateur musicians, aspiring actors, tango dancers, Argentine mimers, Diego Maradona impressionists, artists, and hippies, as they all attempt uniqueness.

For more information check out San Telmo on a Sunday.

7.  Walk around/check out the Obelisk

Don’t miss checking out the central Obelisko from close and far as well as the surrounding town area. The reason I like it is not necessarily because of the monument itself but rather the central confluence of roads that intersect and the traffic and masses that surround.

See the official tourism site of Buenos Aires.

8.  Relax in the Japanese and Botanical Gardens

There are few better ways to relax than to sprawl around a manicured garden with a book and a beverage, and maybe a friend. The Botanical garden is free of charge but the Japanese garden charges a small but worth it fee. Both are equally soothing and can be explored near Palermo.

For more info on the Japanese Gardens check this out.

photo courtesy of RolAdn

9.  Head to Barrio Chino for some Chinese food

Chunks of beef, grilled cheese, creamy pastas, and crusty loaves, are delicious, but growing up with rice in my blood, Chinatown every now and then is a must. Though it is a small area, the buzz, the products, and the smells, are equivalent to those of any Chinatown around the world.

Check out more information about Barrio Chino.

10. Recoleta Cemetery Stroll

The Recoleta cemetery is a neighborhood of famous deceased people who are housed in mansions with chandeliers. The cemetery is a sight to have a brief walk through and check out a place where the very rich or very famous lay rest.

Location: Calle Junin 1790, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Hours: Open daily from 8 am to 6pm
photo courtesy of Stuck in Customs

11. Check Out Some Tango Dancing

I never made it to an official show, but the Tango dancing I saw on the streets of La Boca and San Telmo while stuffing my face with beef, were surely a flavor of the artful and beautiful dance that Tango is.  Even if you are not into organized dancing, the talent is enough to appreciate and be entertained by.

photo courtesy of Lídia Ramalho

12. Palermo Walking and Shopping

The streets of Palermo Viejo, Hollywood, and Soho, are a joy to stroll.  The avenues are lined with boutiques offering dangerous fashion, restaurants serving upscale Italian and fusion gastronomy, and affluent people sipping red wine outside of neo-expressionist art displays.  On the weekends, try to hang out in Plaza Serrano, a decent place to unwind for a pint or bite to munch and chill till sunrise hours.

Tip: Never miss a 6 am hot dog in Palermo square after being up all night.

13. Head To People Watch and Shop on Ave. Florida

Avenida (Avenue) Florida located near the central Obelisk0 is a street to tackle when you have mentally prepared for massive crowds of humanity and solicitation.  Leather products will be offered at the same rate of tuk tuk rides being offered in Cambodia. It is however an easy place to purchase anything from a digital camera to a mate gourd or a football jersey.

photo courtesy of dgflyer

14. Rollerblade In The Huge Bosques de Palermo Park

The atmosphere is parallel to that of Lumphini Park in Bangkok and if someone was going to booty shake for exercise this is exactly where they would do it.  At first I thought rollerblading around the park on a Sunday would be a goofy activity to even entertain.  We arrived at the park, rented the correct size of blades for an hour, and awkwardly roller-ed our way around the park with a choripan (sausage in a bun) in hand.  It proved to be much more entertaining than I had previously thought and I would call it a great way to spend a midday afternoon.

Location: Bosques de Palermo Park, Palermo Viejo at- Avs. Del Libertador, Dorrego and Figueroa Alcorta

15. Puerto Madero, Rio De la Plata Riverfront

The most prestigious neighborhood in Buenos Aires offers baller status accommodation and entertainment.  The area has been and is still being developed into a beautiful and well thought out urban plan. Consider a walk through Puerto Madero, maybe an afternoon coffee, or if you want to splurge, a meal or couple drinks at one of the ultra trendy restaurants or bars.  There are also a number of stalls that sell incredible sandwiches like choripan’s and bondiola‘s near the Ecological Reserve in Puerto Madero.

Don’t get too caught up with a schedule and plan in Buenos Aires.  Walk around, take the metro train and walk everywhere, check things out, and see what happens.  Buenoes Aires is a phenomenal city where you can easily have a blast, even without a plan!

Any other ways to have a blast in Buenos Aires?  Please leave a comment!

-Migration Mark

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Jaow Restaurant

Location: Yaowarat, Chinatown, Bangkok, Thailand
Address: Yaowarat, Soi Plaeng Nam (On the corner of Thanon Charoen Krung and Soi Plaeng Nam) Phone: 24 02 623 0907, Check out the map here!
Price: Dishes are around 50 baht with rice, a buffet feast will cost about 100 baht per stomach

It is my duty as a human and citizen of this world to bring this precious dining establishment to your immediate attention.  While nosy-ing about one day like I often do in Bangkok’s Chinatown (Yaowarat), my subconscious senses lead me directly to an eatery that shocked me.  On the quiet Soi Plaeng Nam (side street) perpendicular to the boisterous Thanon Yaowarat and Thanon Charoen Krung lies this culinary Shangri-La that should be on the food pilgrimage map in Bangkok, Thailand!

The pre-cooked piles of the best Thai-Chinese food neatly displayed will make your jaw drop to the ground with excitement.  The smiling chef in her baby blue apron will chit chat with you and even offer you a few samples of the most enticing dishes.

To list the dishes would take an extensive and mostly unimportant list that fluctuates from day to day, so I won’t.  Rather, my advice is to go there, have a look, maybe taste, and then order whatever looks delicious.

I got my hands dirty with a red curry fish dish, a plate of stir-fried green vegetables (pad yod mala), and a tofu seaweed soup (gang jued).

This black vegetable concoction called “Ga Na Shy” is cooked in a thick oil and is a Yaowarat specialty.  It’s actually quite a lot better tasting than it looks!

Jaow Restaurant is a spectacular display of ready made food.  Though most of the dishes are meant for takeaway order and ballooned up in plastic bags, there are 2 or 3 tables to sit at if you choose to “dine-in.”  Lucky for all of us, the restaurant is easy to spot as the array of delicacies overflows onto the sidewalk on a makeshift table supported by plastic chairs and gas bombs.

This small eatery is an incredible place and I can hardly resist myself from moving into the neighborhood with the sole purpose of Jaow.

-Migration Mark

This picture from Khlong Toey Market in Bangkok, Thailand, showcases the chicken for food hierarchy.  This woman owns live chickens that run around a pen before losing their lives for a family in order to make a meager income.  The income is then wisely spent on food or other livelihood necessities.  On top, the woman nonchalantly eats from a Styrofoam container.  The chickens may not know, but the woman surely knows, that this is the process of life (little does Harry know that he is bound to be next in the Styrofoam container and there’s no redemption).  A little morbid, but such is the Life of a Chicken in Thailand!

For more Thai food check out 100 Best Thai Food!

-Migration Mark

International Volunteering can be an extremely valuable way to travel, make quality friends, learn about a new place and culture, and come away with unparalleled experiences.  Some of my most interesting stories and adventures have been the result of a few spontaneous voluntours I have gotten into.

In the Philippines I had some incredible times volunteering with an organization called Gawad Kalinga.  I helped a family do a little bit of construction in Payatas, checked out a few house building projects, and talked to many caring locals.  The local’s I met were eager to tell me stories, share their culinary delicacies (another reason I travel), and show me an unfamiliar to tourists side of the Philippines.  In Iriga City I was visiting a local community and somehow the local tourism authority heard a white person was in town and came to scoop me up and interview me like a celebrity (I kept playing the part).  Soon I was sipping cafe with the ministry of tourism, but in reality, I had no idea what I was doing or where I was.

While perspiring our way down a random road in Bali, Dwight Turner and I, walked past a sign that said Life House Children’s Home.  We looked at each other and said, “hey, let’s just step in and say hello to the kids, instead of continuing on to the beach,” which was our original plan.  Next we found ourselves at the fish market buying kilos of fresh fish with the Orphanage Dad that turned into an exciting and delicious meal for the entire orphanage.  We also spent time playing football, telling stories, and goofing around with the 20 or so kids.  In Bangkok, Dwight heads-up In Search of Sanuk, and organization dedicated to having fun while helping others!

Even though I’m just an average person who usually just wanders around a random place, I’ve had these and many more awesome adventures by spontaneously bumping into situations where help could be used.

No matter what your interest, skill, or hobby, there is an opportunity for you to be utilized as a willing  volunteer.  If you are a medical doctor, a construction worker, a day laborer, an artist, a joker, or simply an English speaker, you can find your niche.  That being said, volunteer placement and reality can be a daunting task and you might find yourself wading through a bunch of irrelevant information or programs that charge hefty fees.

That is where The Underground Guide to International Volunteering e-guide by Kristy Henderson comes into play, providing valuable resources to make volunteering a reality.  Kristy has been a traveling volunteer with various organizations for many years and she specializes in volunteering with organizations that don’t charge an arm and a leg for their services.  She has experienced a diverse range of volunteer programs, conducted acute research, and formulated this valuable resource.

Is volunteering right for you? Should I pay to volunteer? Is it possible to volunteer for free? What do I do next to start volunteering?  Kristy covers all these topics as well as thinking through a number of variables that you might not consider without prior experience.

There are two main things that strike me as being extremely useful in this e-guide.  First, it covers places to volunteer and gives advice on how to volunteer for FREE or just paying minimum personal living costs.  Next, it provides credible information by exposing honest thoughts and interviews from fellow volunteers in a diverse range of fields.  People that have participated in organized pay to volunteer programs, people who have chased natural disasters, people who have taught English, and others who have done random jobs, all express some of their honest opinions.

Figuring out the right organization to volunteer with can be a stressful task when making plans from an outside country and this guide is a great help.  If you are curious about international volunteering or want to get involved, The Underground Guide to International Volunteering is surely worthwhile.  In an effort to raise $10,000 for Hands on Disaster Relief, Kristy is selling her e-guide for $14.  If you want great advice for international volunteering and possibilities that exist, get a copy of the guide here.

With only positive and building experiences and awesome times I’ve had, volunteering is an awesome thing to consider, even if it’s just for a day or two or for a month or extended period of time!

-Migration Mark

Unless you happen to dwell or grow up on the islands of Papua, the Maluccas, or Borneo, you will certainly hold Sago palm tree starch and the accompanying meal as a brilliant culinary novelty.

In Brunei Darussalam, the sago is a local staple and is known as Ambuyat.  After searching out a traditional location to eat Ambuyat in Bandar Seri Begawan, I joyously ordered the combination meal from a cheerful family serving out of a food court eatery.

As the smiling waiter emerged from the kitchen with Ambuyat in hand, an overwhelming feeling of happiness swept over my being and I knew I was ready to have another great cuisine experience in the far-off and unique Brunei.

Here is a short video of how I managed to eat Ambuyat:

The transparent glue paste (ambuyat) is eaten with a utensil that is a double pronged bamboo stick (Candas), resembling a pair of amateur chopsticks where the two sticks automatically spring back together. The sticks are twirled into the ambuyat to create a bite size peice and dipped into the sauce.

Along with the sago paste, the meal deal came with a fish based soup (Ikan Rebus), a green leaf boiled vegetable (Sayur Bayam), and the craziest tasting sauce in the world (Cacah Binjai).  The cacah binjai sauce is made from the binjai fruit which resembles a mango but has been neglected throughout much of world except in parts of Borneo and is still thriving in Brunei.  The sauce was one of the more intense flavors that I have ever come across in my life.  Try to imagine this; cream of fermented mushroom soup blended with a super shrimp paste, mixed with pickled sour ginger, and doused with a dash of vodka, just enough for a sharp bite.  I was left speachless at the mercy of the powerful cacah binjai and loved every bite of super pungent excitement.

Much like a durian buffet, an ambuyat feast in Brunei is an imperative move for a gourmet guru. 

-Migration Mark

At about 4:30 pm, the threatening clouds would build until the heavens spilled water like a bursting dam.  The rain would downpour in sheets of fury and roads would instantly turn to water canals.  Like clockwork by 5:30 pm the orange ball of fire would burst through the surrendering puffy clouds, taking ultimate supremacy and stealing the show.  The bay would rest as calm as a mattress, the sun would choose it’s brightest colors, and the market would metamorphose into something magical!

Tropical fruit and vegetables would emerge from plastic sheets, charcoal grills full of seafood would reveal themselves, vendors would start rapping rhythmically to promote their goods (see VIDEO at the end!) , women would begin deep fat frying absurdly sweet doughnuts, and boys would shatter the calm water by stripping to their undies and belly flopping into the sea.  The sound of boat motors, the yelps of the kids, and the chatter of thousands, all still seemed to be drowned out by the powerful silence that the natural environment disclosed.

This nightly scene of the wet vegetable, seafood, and ready-made food market in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia, was some sort of a fictitious dream that turned into a glorious reality for 5 nights after climbing Mt. Kinabalu.  The smell of the freshly grilled seafood, the delicately prepared nasi  campur (mixed dishes and rice), and the wok searing mee goreng (fried noodles), all recruited me as a  number 1 fan of this flawless market phenomenon in Kota Kinabalu!

Following are a few pictures that I took to reveal the magic of the Kota Kinabalu market!

-Migration Mark

Japanese Hot Dog (Japadog!)

by Bret Ahmed from TheJetpacker

Location: Japadog
Address: 530 Robson St.  Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada  V6Z2K6
Cost: $3.50 – $6.75 CAN
Website: (beware — Engrish ahead): http://www.japadog.com/en/

Imagine the flavor profile of a hot dog combined with sushi.  Sounds disturbing, doesn’t it?  Yet for a reason that defies all logic, hot dogs topped with Japanese condiments are delicious (albeit confounding).

The Japadog street cart has become so popular in Vancouver that it’s spawned two more street carts and one storefront.  But that hasn’t stopped the long lines.

When we were in Vancouver for the Winter Olympics, we waited for over an hour, which made me hungry (and delusional) enough to try three of their 17 varieties:

Oroshi — a pork bratwurst covered in a sharp-tasting grated radish, sweet and savory “special” soy sauce and chopped green onion.

Ume — a bratwurst drenched in a sweet and tangy plum sauce and garnished with raw red onion.

Okonomi — a kurobuta pork sausage blanketed by fried cabbage, tangy bonito flakes (dried flakes of fish), Japanese mayo and Okonomiyaki sauce (a flavorful sauce that embodies umami: soy sauce, tomato puree, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, sake, ginger and rice vinegar).  Once you get your head around the faint fishy flavor, you realize it compliments the savory hot dog well, like surf ‘n turf.

There is also a spicy cheese terimayo dog (a hot dog topped with thin strands of seaweed, jalapeno cheese and teriyaki sauce), an edamame dog and a Kobe beef dog.  Any of them work well with a squirt of wasabi mayo.

Makes ketchup and mustard seem bland, doesn’t it?

Bret Ahmed is the brains (clearly not the looks) behind The Jetpacker, a fun travel blog that features humorous tales, lists, deals, tips and strange stories from the travel universe. Follow him on Facebook or @Jetpacker and have a blast!

Interested in a short Rule of Engorgement guest post on Migrationology?  Email me: migrationology[at]gmail[dot]com

In my single day stay in the Sultanate of Brunei Darussalam, I walked around Bandar Seri Begawan, sped through Kampong Ayer in a speed boat, gawked at Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, twirled Ambuyat Sago starch, and triumphed at feeling like a Sultan.

I arrived at about 4 pm in the exotic Aladdin feeling city of Bandar Seri Begawan fresh off the ferry from Kota Kinabalu to Brunei.

Where to Stay?

Although there were mixed reviews of the cheapest and only youth hostel in Bandar, after checking-in, I realized it was much nicer than most places I had ever stayed.  The air-cons pushed cold air and the bunk-beds were amazingly stable and comfortable.  If you need highly adequate but not at all fancy accommodation, Pusat Belia Youth Hostel is a good enough place to bunk for $10 Brunei dollars per night.

Kampong Ayer Water Village

Kampong Ayer is a huge village built on stilts above the Brunei River that houses around 39,000 residents.  Where most water villages around the world are home to the poorest of the poor, Bruneian’s who live in Kampong Ayer are actually quite well off.  Many of the stilted homes are outfitted with electricity, satellite televisions, and internet access.  Many inhabitants in this oil driven country even own cars parked ashore.

During our kingly boat cruise, our skipper pointed off into the horizon to a glistening somewhat ostentatious golden dome poking through the tree line on the banks of the river.  “This is the Sultan’s palace,” he proclaimed.  With 1,788 rooms and 257 bathrooms it’s a shame I couldn’t test the quality of the sewage system (Only open for 3 days to the public on Eid al-Fitr).

A speed boat cruise through Kampong Ayer can be arranged by one of the many boat taxi’s eagerly waiting to give you a tour.  The price will be around $20 Brunei Dollars for an hour boat ride tour (don’t expect to really bargain, people are not overly desperate for money in Brunei).  The water village is equipped with schools, hospitals, police and fire stations, Mosques, and the one-of-a-kind Shell petrol station above water on stilts.

Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque

In full daylight, Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque in the center of Bandar Seri Begawan is an audacious and remarkable display of design and construction.  In the late afternoon as the sun crept lower and lower with every second, the mosque became even more fascinating.  The electric colors from the golden dome ricocheted off the marble walls and minarets and I felt like I was a part of some extravagant surreal painting.

Bruneian Cuisine

After an hour of glossy eyed staring at the mosque and the surrounding skies, I realized my stomach was crying out for food.  Luckily, I was able to locate a local Bruneian dish made from the Sago palm, known as Ambuyat.  This sticky glue like substance was a novelty to twirl into bite sized pieces and further dip into the bizarre but awesomely bursting cacah binjai sauce.  If you are in Brunei you would be missing a lot to neglect an authentic Ambuyat feast.

If you have a minute, check out this 1:51 short video to get a  better feel for some of these images!

Though I was only in Brunei for a single evening, I had a luxurious time wandering around and seeing a few of the famous existing sights.  The incredible views from Brunei in such a brief time left me shocked and feeling like I was the Sultan of some exotic fairy tale.

-Migration Mark