Day 3 - Central Highlands - BMT

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18 May 2009

After breakfast and talking to family on Skype (WiFi at the Spring is great) we went to fulfill another of Kim’s wishes - to see the site of the old American Embassy. Coincidentally the photographer who took the famous photo of people climbing the stairs to get on the last choppers to leave Saigon, at the end of the war, died this week. It was only four or five blocks from the hotel, but an interesting walk past a local market, most of the time on the road because the footpaths are used for everything but walking on - cooking, eating, drinking, sitting, parking. There of course was nothing to see at the Embassy site but a big wall - the building has been torn down - but it’s now ticked off the list.

Not far down the road was the Diamond Plaza Department Store. It was a hive of activity as a big sign told us it was closed for renovations for a week and they were carrying all the fixtures out on to the footpath. Fortunately though the “Blowing Centre” was still open (see photo) so maybe I have found where they do the massages with happy ending!

Checked out of the Spring and went to Quan An Ngon for lunch - took a little while to find as the Lonely Planet map is not accurate. Quan An Ngon is sort of sanitized street food. There is a mixture of open air and undercover seating surrounded by a lot of individual food stalls - a bit like a permanent Taste of Tasmania, but with waiters serving you at the tables. Food was great (Bun Cha, Chao Tom, BBQ squid and prawns) plus of course the mandatory beers (Tiger for me, Heineken for Kim). Total cost for the meal including a number of beers about $17. The waiters were all fascinated by my stubby holder so I left it there for them (I’ve bought heaps with me). I still can’t understand why the don’t have them given the climate and they are made in China anyway. A couple of hours to kill before our plane to Buon Ma Thuot so we chilled in Sheridans before catching a taxi to the airport ($7 for a 35 minute trip).

After a few anxious moments (well actually 45 minutes) at check-in where they didn’t seem to have us on the flight because of changes that they had made to our bookings we were on board our 70 seater prop aircraft. The stewardess was worried about my long legs and wanted to move me to the front seat but I declined as I knew Kim had to have someone to dig her fingernails into as the smaller plane bucked around a bit during landing. Our guide for the next six days, Nhan, was there to meet us along with a driver and a shiny new Chinese sedan. We both took an instant liking to Nhan whose sense of humour was coupled with good English. Checked in at the hotel (Hoang Long) where the room was Ok with the customary hard mattress but good air-con before heading out with Nhan to dinner. Went to a local place which served fresh spring rolls that you made yourself. Minced pork, lettuce, herbs and noodles rolled in rice paper. We would have had at least a dozen each and with drinks came to 89.000 Dong or $7 for the four of us. My Saigon beer (500ml) was 60 cents.

A good start to the Central Highlands.

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