Kampong Ayer

We returned via the water village. The biggest water village in the world. The water village is called Kampong Ayer, which stretches about 8 km along the Brunei river. It is a well preserved national heritage site, the largest of its kind in the world with approximately 30,000 residents. The Kampong is over 1,000 years old. The name Venice of the East was coined by Antonio Pigafetta in honor of the water village he encountered at Kota Batu (just east of city's central business district). Pigafetta was on Magellan's voyages in 1521, so we know it has been there a very long time. Kampong Ayer has existed since the 10th century A.D, is actually a cluster of villages, each with their own village leader. The villages are connected by a complex web of walkways and bridges. Kampong Ayer's historical importance lies in the fact that the Sultanate's civilization started here with fishing as one of the main livelihoods of the villages. There was a concentration of skilled craftsmen producing handicrafts from brass, silver and wood, hence granting the water village a status of commercial and social importance. This is a village on stilts. The stilts these days are made of concrete but were originally wood, as were the houses. In the 1980's there was a serious fire and the people of the water village have had to review not only the way they build and repair their water houses but also the fire service, which is now half on land and half in the water. There is full commitment in the water village and they have primary and secondary schools, mosques, shopping etc. All villages are now joined by wooden (and very flimsy) bridges and the houses are also joined by walkways.
However, the nifty water taxis are never out of business, scurrying here, there and everywhere. We stopped for tea and cake at a water house, with a room built especially for tourists. You had to be nifty yourself to get out of the boat and onto the steps, which had no handrails, to get up to the house! Then back down again, of course!! The house belonged to a lady who gave us the refreshments and then showed us the rest of the house. It was very long with a big lounge with bedrooms going off from it. Behind this was the kitchen, again large but with running water and a flush toilet. This is a modern happening as the toilets were normally straight into the river. This doesn't surprise me because the river was filthy, with oil, rubbish and goodness knows what else. The room for visitors was a phenomenon in itself. It was like a regal palace room and the bathroom was the same, toilet, bidet, shower and basin done out in a black, white and gold, very, very posh and privately paid for!! Another phenomenon in this country of no taxes, free healthcare and education.