The Sultan’s Birthday

The 15th July is an auspicious day in Brunei. The streets and buildings of Bandar Seri Begawan are lavishly decorated in yellow, black and red with pictures of Hassanal Bolkiah, the Sultan of Brunei, at every turn. Officials dressed in traditional attire await the motorcade carrying the royal family for the grand parade around central stadium in Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin square. It’s the King’s 66th birthday and everyone in this small, wealthy country is out to celebrate.