Our final week back in Vietnam combined mountains and beach in Dalat and Nha Trang…we flew up from Saigon and spent a couple of days around the lake, hills, green houses, flower market and mists of Dalat. This is the honeymoon spot for the locals as you can tell by ratio of swan/BMW pedalos to visitors.
A couple of the more quirky things to see aside from the world’s largest swan-in, was a crazy Gaudiesque house built by the grand-daughter of an ex president, and the rather austere summer palace, see if you can tell the difference in architecture…
We then took the local Phuong Trang bus to Nha Trang, bargain as always at $5 for a 4 hour ride including pick up and drop off with taxi either end…the scenic down hill route cut through the mountains and into the valleys and at one stage immersed us in fog and mist…kind of went with the oddly empty Dalat hotel we stayed in that reminded me of “The Shining”…we went down one evening to have a drink at the advertised ‘happy hour’ and the lift opened to a pitch black completely deserted bar…just waiting for the tricycle to come round the corner…spooky!
Nha Trang had a lovely long white beach and we managed to get a million dollar view for a bargain, I think I finally understand the attraction of those high rises on the edge of the ocean, it feels like you’re actually floating on an expanse of water, I was so impressed I even woke up for sunrise…twice (ok once to catch a flight)!
Sitting in a Vietnamese beer garden writing this, Chico is studying the Lonely Planet Beijing city guide, we’ve finally worked out where the random Hutong guest house I’ve booked for the first few days is; looking pretty well located so pleased with that, just about to head off to the airport to get what I’m sure will be a delightful jet star dual flight via Singapore to HK, I realise that geographically this seems on the surface to make absolutely no sense, however budget wise it was the best option by far, so randomly we are heading in the wrong direction first, at least changi is the best airport in the world, may have a swim in their rooftop pool whilst in transfer…next stop and blog Hong Kong take 2!!
yeehaahols 