Categories: uncategorized
Date: 01 February 2006 14:25:20
So yes more details on the motorbike trip!
We asked the hotel to find us two motorbike people to drive us around. We were very pleased because one of them was the shopkeeper from a little shop where we had been buying munchies and drinks since arriving in Dalat.
This was my first time on a motorbike so I was slightly nervous. Especially given the lack of helmets and road rules. But it was all fine. There were 11 components to the trip:
1. Datalan waterfall. A beautiful waterfall reached by walking down approximately a billion stairs. And exited by walking back up said stairs. But worth the walk. This was where we first saw Vietnamese cowboys. Vietnamese men dressed up as cowboys. With horses.
2. Chicken village. This is a village about 15km out of Dalat which is famous for having a giant concrete chicken in it. There's not much else to see really. Bought some amazing handmade silk things. Can't make up my mind whether to keep them or give them to people...
3. A pagoda. There was a huge white buddha on top of the hill behind the pagoda which could be seen from quite some distance away. I was interested to see packets of two minute noodles among the offerings on the altars.
4. Tiger den falls. So called because legend has it, an extremely ferocious tiger used to have a den there. Was a bit of a disappointment as a tourist attraction but we built a lot of character getting there - down steep hairpin bends on a gravel/dirt road on a motorbike with no protective clothing.
5. Dalat flower gardens. Lots of flowers. But I think we missed the best season for viewing.
6. Lunch at a pho restaurant. Pho is the national soup of Vietnam and is very tasty.
7. Another pagoda
8. The Valley of Love. *shudder*. Think kitsch theme park/park/who knows. Loads of cowboys, there were some rides and paddle boats on a lake and a greenhouse full of plants and who knows what. Just wandered around for a while. Didn't indulge in any "amusements" (gah that makes me sound old!)
9. Strawberry shop. We were plied with drinks and candied fruits and other things. My friend bought some stuff.
10. Bao Dai's summer palace. Bao Dai, as far as I can gather, was a member of the royal family towards the end of the French rule of Vietnam. His palace was nothing to write home about but the gardens were lovely. And had more cowboys in them. And other people dressed in odd costumes. You could even pay a fee to dress up as an Indian (of the cowboy variety) and have your photo taken in front of an Indian house. Didn't take them up on that offer.
11. The crazy house. I thought it was an exaggeration when I read about the crazy house but no. The woman who is building this house (it is constantly expanding) is truly mad. She has a shrine to herself and the house is made of chicken wire and concrete and it's just weird and I can't explain it. Maybe if you google Dalat Crazy House you'll find some pictures of it...
Then back to the hotel, another cheap and tasty dinner and I crashed. I seem to be doing that a lot at the moment!
This morning we travelled by bus to Nha Trang but I can't be bothered to type any more on this dodgy internet cafe keyboard so details will have to wait!