Yin
After staying a few days in an oceanside resort in Phan Rang, we boarded a very tiny bus and headed into the mountains for the beautiful city of Dalat. The ride there was quite the experience, including fitting 30 people in a bus built for 20, and at the half-way point, picking up another passenger along with her baskets of produce. Needless to say, riding along the curvy mountain roads with the door wide open, my feet resting in the basket of green leaves while the additional passenger sat on the floor and rested her head on Pierre's leg is one memory I will never forget.
After staying a few days in an oceanside resort in Phan Rang, we boarded a very tiny bus and headed into the mountains for the beautiful city of Dalat. The ride there was quite the experience, including fitting 30 people in a bus built for 20, and at the half-way point, picking up another passenger along with her baskets of produce. Needless to say, riding along the curvy mountain roads with the door wide open, my feet resting in the basket of green leaves while the additional passenger sat on the floor and rested her head on Pierre's leg is one memory I will never forget.
I was really surprised to see so many different varieties of flowers along the road (some wild and some planted) and the multitude of colors are outstanding. It seems that almost anything will grow here, even in higher elevations, including coffee. As it turns out, Vietnam is the second largest exporter of coffee in the world, and the variety and taste is delicious. Iced coffee seems to be the national drink, and it can be found on every restaurant menu in addition to the multitude of cafes that specialize in coffee drinks - a welcome relief from the heat of the day.
As we drove into Dalat, I felt as though we had been transported to a European town with a lovely lake in the middle and verdant gardens filled with flowers as far as the eye could see. The temperature was a little cooler (most days around 25+ C) and still comfortable for us, however local people obviously find it quite chilly and most were dressed in long pants and warm coats.
As we drove into Dalat, I felt as though we had been transported to a European town with a lovely lake in the middle and verdant gardens filled with flowers as far as the eye could see. The temperature was a little cooler (most days around 25+ C) and still comfortable for us, however local people obviously find it quite chilly and most were dressed in long pants and warm coats.
Our stay included a jam-packed tour in which we boarded another little bus and traveled on some crazy, tiny roads further up into the mountains. We began by visiting a flower farm (roses and daisies) grown in large green houses. There are hundreds of green houses around Dalat, and we were told these were necessary in order to protect the plants from the heavy rains.
The next stop was a traditional village for a look at how locals live (most houses are made of board siding and it almost felt like we were travelling through a town in the Old West). Then it was on to a cricket farm in which we saw live bugs that are quite large and are used for cricket fights. The smaller ones however are cooked and eaten with chili sauce. We were offered a sample but I just couldn't bring myself to try this delicacy - apparently it is really good with beer, of which we had none so that is my excuse!
The next stop was a traditional village for a look at how locals live (most houses are made of board siding and it almost felt like we were travelling through a town in the Old West). Then it was on to a cricket farm in which we saw live bugs that are quite large and are used for cricket fights. The smaller ones however are cooked and eaten with chili sauce. We were offered a sample but I just couldn't bring myself to try this delicacy - apparently it is really good with beer, of which we had none so that is my excuse!
Our tour included a visit to a silk farm in which we saw the silk worms and then saw how they process the fine threads, and once again we were offered another local delicacy, cooked larva, and once again, there is not enough beer in the world to bring me to try it. We also visited a coffee plantation and had a delicious cup of coffee, and then it was on to the beautiful Elephant Waterfalls. This was definitely a highlight for me, and Pierre and I ventured down with the guide along the narrow pathway to the base of the Falls. There is also a lovely temple to visit and the largest Buddha I have ever seen. Our final stop was a local restaurant for a delicious lunch, and then it was back on the winding roads to Dalat.
There were lots of other things to do in Dalat, including visiting the City Flower Garden situated at the end of Xuan Huong Lake (highly recommended if you love flowers like I do). We also visit the strange and interesting Crazy House, which is a wild looking structure resembling a gigantic tree house, and also serves as a hotel with elaborate rooms. There is also a lovely French restaurant here, Cafe de la Poste, which we really enjoyed. It was a great three days in this lovely city, and to finish off this blog, some more pictures of flowers!