Dalat is Delightful

Brian here. Well we're in delightful Dalat where the weather is great and the town is beautiful. It's about 25 C, blue sky and dry and has been for the past 4 days. The town has many hills with a central market that sells every type of vegetable, fruit and beast. It has a real European feel to it with good coffee, breads, amazing creme brulee (50 cents) and pancakes which all of us have been enjoying. The town is at the top of a mountain and has many other mountains around it. In the countryside around the city, vegetables, fruits, tea, coffee etc grow in terraced fields that climb the hills.

On Wednesday the girls and I went to what is called the Crazy House, built by a Russian educated Vietnamese woman who's father succeeded Ho Chi Minh as president. We actually met her as she sold tickets to enter the house ( 75 cents each). This 4 story structure is made of concrete with 9 different themed rooms (which people can stay at) based on animals and trees. It is a wild concoction of concrete, colour, wild shaped rooms, ladders etc. We will try to post a picture of it because words do not describe it. On thursday we took a cable car that goes high above the pines to a pagoda nestled in the hills. Again a knock out. We promised the girls that we would return to the pagoda - this time with their homework.

Yesterday I rented a motorbike for 8 hours and drove through the mountains to a waterfall and a small family run silk factory. What a beautiful part of Vietnam this is. Of course I drive at half the speed the Viets drive. They are very skilled and sometimes a bit crazy. Drove down a mountain pass and into a valley. Nancy is doing it right now, but for her, she decided to do it with what is called an "Easy Rider" which is Dalat's very own motorbike touring club. She will no doubt give an update on this.

We've found the people in Vietnam very engaging. Of course there are a few scammers and we westerners, with all our toys, stand out. But usually people are very kind and take the time to find out who you are even in the most remotest places. Now that we have been here for a month, we try to eat on the street a lot more. This way you get to sit with people, on their little plastic chairs and drink tea or sip Pho. We have also met many people from other places, especially Australia. We have had the opportunity to spend a good deal of time with them on occasions and this has been great. Last, but not least, we keep bumping into Derek, a 78 yr old English man from Southwest England who travels for 2 months each winter. He has been doing this for the past 18 yrs since he retired. He is in great shape and is a very good historian. We first met him in Hanoi 3 wks ago, then Bac Ha 2 wks ago, then Hanoi again and now Dalat. I'm sure this will continue.

Well, were off to the pagoda via cable car for homework and meditation. Till next time

Brian