The new part of Kampong Ayer, a photo from Brunei and Muara, West

Photographer's Note

‘Bandar Seri Begawan - The new part of Kampong Ayer’

Looking at my previous photos of Kampong Ayer, most of us can't imagine that some Bruneians prefer to live in the water village rather than on land.

These three photos taken in the new part of Kampong Ayer probably give a very different impression.
Of course it remains living in a water village where you can only reach your home by boat or via long walkways. But living in these houses is otherwise just as comfortable as on land.

These houses belong to a recent housing project for which there were a lot of candidates to live there.
The inhabitants were mostly not fishermen but people who worked in the capital. I mentioned before that not everyone in Kampong Ayer is poor and lives there out of necessity.

I had read that housing in Brunei was subsidized (just like rice and oil). But I also heard that it had not been obvious for the inhabitants of this neighbourhood to obtain a house here.

I was able to enter one house in this neighbourhood. What I saw of the interior was modern and very comfortable. The living room even seemed quite European (with the TV in a central place as often in Belgium). The house seemed to me better for a family than an apartment in the city.

Together with five other travellers I had made a boat trip on the Brunei River (not really spectacular; we saw one small crocodile and a few long-nosed monkeys in the trees on the shore).
At the end of the trip the guide who recruited us on the street asked if anyone was interested in seeing a home in Kampon Ayer inside.

Of course we all wanted that. Besides, it was at his friend's house and not something commercial.
The friend was absent, but his wife and two children received us warmly.

It was nice and interesting to see one of those houses at the inside. The home of the family did not seem to me to be fundamentally different from our homes.
It is impossible for me to say where this family stood on the social ladder. Certainly not the poorest Bruneians lived in this district. But the neighbourhood was much bigger than you can imagine from these photos and I really admired this large housing project.

Since Brunei earns well from its large petroleum and natural gas fields, this seemed to me a good use of the country's income.

When I revisit my main photo after so much time and abstract from the poles the houses stand on and the water below, the houses seem a bit Scandinavian. I didn't think this on the spot and probably Scandinavians don't think so either. It will probably just be modern Brunei.

pierrefonds, Fis2, csabagaba, ikeharel, pajaran, COSTANTINO, ChrisJ, holmertz, Royaldevon, jhm, ktanska, adramad, mcmtanyel, jean113 ha contrassegnato questa nota come utile

Critiques | Translate

lousat (138521) 2021-08-01 12:48

Hi Paul,in fact I agree with your impressions about these houses, they are very reminiscent of the fishermen's houses in northern Norway, like the ones I saw in Trondheim, even if the colors here are more muted. Three beautiful photos and a worthy conclusion to your disappointing river trip with few animals, I would have liked to see a photo of the inside of the house of your guide's friend, although I may have already understood that it is very reminiscent of our houses and does not offer very interesting. Have a nice evening and thanks,Luciano

pierrefonds (113474) 2021-08-01 12:58

Bonsoir Paul,

Ces maisons ont l'air récentes. La prise de vue permet de voir les détails des maisons. La lumière met en valeur les couleurs de l'image. Bonne journée.

Pierre

Fis2 (169589) 2021-08-01 13:31

Witaj Paul!
Interesting place, the houses make impression.
A very nice set of photos.
I like frames, colors and light.
Well done.
Good night.
Krzysztof

Silvio1953 (220443) 2021-08-01 14:05

Ciao Paul, great view of nice èlace, lovely composition with boat in FG, excellent clarity, splendid light and wonderful colors, very well done, my friend, ciao Silvio

ikeharel (112391) 2021-08-01 21:19

Indeed, Paul, the place looks more modern and new.
Chosen well the POV through the stilts houses and the connecting wooden small bridges, ladders to water level and included the boat.
Have a nice new week,
Ike

ifege (46851) 2021-08-01 22:21

Hi Paul
I can't say I've ever seen such an upmarket water village. A good symmetrical view looking along the gap between the 2 rows.
cheers
Ian

jemaflor (146168) 2021-08-01 22:48

Salut Paul,
Une autre intéressante vue de ce lieu et ces maisons sur pilotis, bon effet de perspective, belle luminosité qui met en valeur les reflets sur l'eau et les teintes des murs. Merci du partage.

COSTANTINO (115407) 2021-08-01 23:12

hello dear Paul and have a nice new week
interesting capture of this place
with the balconies and the wooden
constructions...
thanks for the sharing and your
useful notes in order to understand
better what we see here
regards
Costantino

ChrisJ (171146) 2021-08-01 23:45

Hi Paul

This looks like a nice place to live. Brunei of course is the Norway of South East Asia with its abundant oil supplies and high income. Good colour contrasts between the reddish brown boat and reflected blue skylight. Tfs!

holmertz (101880) 2021-08-02 2:04

Hello Paul,
It's very interesting to see how this traditional kind of dwelling has developed into a decent 21st century standard of living. I would have liked to see an interior too, but maybe they just looked too European to be interesting. Do these houses look Scandinavian? Hmmm, maybe a bit Norwegian.
Best regards,
Gert

Royaldevon (85576) 2021-08-02 4:24

Hello Paul,

These houses are from seeming poor and gave me the same impression that they gave you, quite Scandinavian in style.
You have clearly revealed the differences between these and the fishermen's houses.
This area would be healthier than living in a high rise flat and, if the land is scarce for housing, what a great way to use the water's edge!

Have a good day,
Bev :-)

jhm (211734) 2021-08-02 10:06

Goedenavond Paul,

Wat mij meteen opvalt is de mooie architecture van de gebouwen.
En dit allemaal op palen.
Uw foto is mooi tussen de gebouwen genomen waardoor we de loopbrugjes kan zien weliswaar zonder enige leuning.
Maar de bewoners waren allemaal in ruststand op het ogenblik van het maken van de foto.
Goed fotowerk Paul, bedankt.

Groeten uit Vlaanderen,
John

pajaran (114781) 2021-08-02 11:11

Pozdrav.

Lep pogled, interesantan i dobar tekst ...
Lepe kuce na vodi, dobro pokazane sa lepim bojama, kontrastom i perspektivom.
lepe terase ispred kuca i fotografija.
Dobar rad sa lepim fotografijama u radionici.

Zelim vam sve najbolej u novoj nedelji koja je pocela.
Paja

emka (157280) 2021-08-02 12:58

hello Paul, Very long but very interesting note. Of course, I would love to see it inside. Fantastic that it is modern and traditional at the same time. They look like just "normal" houses but on stilts. it is a certain similarity to Trondheim.
Best regards MAlgo

Tue (91450) 2021-08-02 13:28

Hallo Paul,
Een mooi gezicht over dit small grachtje dat door smalle bruggetjes wordt overspannen. De daken en kleine uitbouwen van de vrij nieuwe huizen vormen een mooi patroon aan beide zijden.
Lars

ktanska (44416) 2021-08-03 10:16

Hi Paul,
These houses are quite a bit bigger than on the previous shot. These have less character but probably nice options for a new home. This is a good angle showing bridges between houses.
Kari

adramad (72524) 2021-08-05 11:57

Hi Paul.
Spectacular composition, with this wonderful perspective where the well-kept houses seem to create a "street" in the water, in other areas of Asia these towns are poor and with a difficult life, but here the owners seem to have a good purchasing power judging by these fantastic houses.
The magnificent photos of the WS confirm the above.
Sharpness, lighting, color, and magnificent composition; they are managed to perfection, in this beautiful image.
Very well chosen framing. I like.
You have a good day.
Very best regards.
Luis.

mcmtanyel (67507) 2021-08-13 16:07

Hello Paul,
I guess this city could be called "Venice on Stilts." What an interesting way to live!
Regards,
MT

mkamionka (73198) 2021-08-18 1:52

Hi Paul,
It is interesting to see quite modern buildings on the poles. There is some contrast some contradiction to it.
Yes, the design of the houses resembles photos from Norway of Iceland which I have seen.

Indeed I took British weather with me to Poland this time but having said that I have also experienced a couple of splendid weather days.

M

jean113 (27585) 2021-09-01 13:23

Hello Paul, your notes are always so interesting and informative, thank you.
Three excellent pictures that show this area so well.
I can see what you mean about a Scandinavian feel to these houses, especially if they were on dry land without the poles.
The houses are so much more substantial than their predecessors.
Thank you for sharing.
Kind regards, Jean.

jmdias (114150) 2021-09-18 11:46

paul

these houses looks modern and well done. excellent this view showing the small boat in evidence too. a curious way of life in modern times, maybe they like to live here because they are united with the seashore.

take care

jorge