Getting There

This was an interesting airport experience. It was a relatively small airport with a short check-in cue that was moving along smoothly. That was until one of the staff members who was wandering about came up and directed us to a side counter. They opened up the line dividers and ushered us out. We apologetically squeezed by people and then waited at the counter where nobody seemed ready to help us. After a few minutes we were asked for our passports and then given our boarding passes and then directed back to the counter with the line from which we had just been plucked. We then had to politely ask people to once again move out of our way so that we could go straight to the specific check-in counter we were directed to. There were only 2 ladies checking people in and within the time it took us to do this little circle back the line had come to a standstill. One couple was having issues because they were told they could not bring a guitar as a carry-on with the tickets they had purchased and our lady was working with some chick who apparently had never been on a flight before because she couldn’t find anything that was required for check-in. Once she finally got herself together the woman at the counter asked if we could wait because she needed to check someone in who had arrived late. It was comical because had we just stayed in this line we would have been done already. By the time we got our bags checked we only had about an hour to kill before we boarded. Just enough time for a cup of noodles which was pretty much the only thing available.

The airport in Da Lat is a fair distance from its center. We found another couple heading to the same area and we shared a taxi for the 45 minute drive. Looking at Google Maps it was hard to tell which areas would be best to stay in. The main road we got dropped off on was super busy and as usual there was no shortage of honking. We found a cafe and I sat down with all the bags while Andre went on the hunt for a place to stay. I read my book and had a bite to eat and a cup of tea. I definitely got the better end of the deal. An hour and a half later he returned with a big smile. He had found a great spot just up the hill that was away from all the craziness. It was owned and run by an older couple whose names translated to Snow and Mountain. 

Around Da Lat

The Vietnamese love Da Lat. We saw a very small percentage of foreign travelers compared with the bus loads of locals who arrived daily. Young locals. There were an incredible amount of coach buses here, but if you weren’t right on the main drag it wasn’t really that noticeable. Our place was just around the bend from what Andre referred to as the bus barn.

We found a great little pizza/pasta spot that was right in the center of the bus route and one evening there was a full on traffic jam. Watching from the third floor window it was easy to see that this was bound to happen as cars parked along the side of the road left only room for one way traffic and not one bus was willing or able to back up.

 

We just sat back and watched as we ate pizza and drank wine. Oh!! Wine. I love red wine and I can honestly say I have not had a truly great glass since Croatia. When we first arrived in Hanoi there had been a bottle of Vang Dalat in our room along with the mini bar items. I had grabbed my phone and opened up my Vivino app and searched it. It got 2.3 out of 5 stars. One review said that drinking this wine would make you think back to all the terrible wines you’ve had in the past and really appreciate them. I almost opened it just so I could experience it first hand. Wines in Vietnam were actually the most expensive drink on the menu and generally the worst, until we found Vuông Pizza. A glass of wine was only 60,000.00 Dong, which is about $3.50 Canadian, and was a generous pour. One thing I look forward to when we get home is cracking into a beautiful bottle of red and a home cooked meal. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about baby potatoes baked in olive oil, garlic, onion, and spices, with some al dente asparagus and salmon done with a touch of agave and cayenne. Oh, and a Guille salad. Our friend Guille makes an unreal salad.

Da Lat is known for its flowers that are present year round. We had just missed the Da Lat Flower Festival, which takes place every two years, but there were still many displays that were still up.

Xuan Huong Lake was also really lovely to walk around. There were horse drawn carriages you could hire to take you around the 5km artificial lake but since walking is pretty much the only exercise we get each day, and I have my whole thing with animal slavery,  we decided to walk it.

In one stretch as we neared Lam Vien Square there were several benches spread out along the water. Strangely all but one were facing the road. They were like heavy concrete benches so they weren’t something you would just move around and much have been placed that way on purpose but I can’t imagine anyone wanting to sit and watch multiple lanes of street traffic rather than look at the lake. But what do I know?

 

There were two interesting buildings in Lam Vien Square, so perhaps that’s why the benches faced the road. There was the DOHA Cafe, shaped like a flower bud, and the sunflower inspired Cinestar building, which from what I’ve gathered is a performing arts theater and cinema.

 

We ventured to a few other areas as well and saw the Golden Buddha. It was fun just walking around and people watching. I liked to play a little game called “Spot the Craziest Thing on a Bike”. In Da Lat, along with the usual number of large families all piled onto a bike together and others loaded with absurd amounts of boxes and bags, I also managed to spot a few new things. One bike was piled with dozens of cages of birds, one held big bags a live fish and another had a  laminating machine affixed it for on the go service.

 

The other thing that I never tire of seeing is hammocks strung up in unusual places. I have noticed in Asia that hammocks are everywhere. Many guys gave their tuk tuks set up so that they can hook up their hammocks and chill while waiting for business. As we passed by a temple with a bunch of buses parked out the front Andre nudged me and pointed into the open storage area. Awesome.

I really enjoyed our time in Da Lat. Overall Vietnam was a mixed bag for me. I enjoyed Cat Ba, Da Nang, and Da Lat, but I didn’t care much for Hanoi or Hoi An. I found Vietnam to be a place that either you loved or hated depending on exactly where you were in that moment. For me it had a very polarizing quality and I left without feeling compelled to ever return. In truth I was actually very excited to leave.

185 days in…

Back to Bangkok for a couple nights before we fly to Sri Lanka!