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Published: June 17th 2011
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Happy Buddha
He has a neon halo that is turned on at night. The monks live inside-their window is his belly button. I put Steven in the picture for scale. Dalat was really great! Planned on staying two days ended up staying four. We found our hangout, literally a bar called The Hangout Cafe run by a Duong, his wife, and twenty month old Rocky -who really runs the place. If you go look out if Rocky has his squirt bottle-he is quite a good aim. He is also a pool shark. As we were sitting in our place on at the front of the cafe a little girl about eight came over and stared at us for awhile. I gave her some spider rings and we were soon fast friends. She ended up kicking Steven out of his seat next to me and took his place. She held my hand but never talked. Duong told me she was autistic-of course she is, I am the magnet for any child with a disability. She was so sweet, and worked up enough courage to touch Steven's beard and rub his hairy arm which made her laugh. She ended up sitting with us for a couple of hours.
We took a tour of the countryside and the highlight was Elephant Falls. A beautiful waterfall from the top but then we climbed down
very slippery rocks and walked behind it. I had never stood behind a waterfall before and the power and sound was almost overwhelming but very cool! We had another couple with us, a young couple from Hamburg and Munich. She was Vietnamese and was very helpful in translating for us. They were getting ready to go back to Germany to start university. She told us the story of how they were visiting with her grandmother in the Mekong Delta and her favorite dog, "Fluffy"was no where to be found. When she asked her grandmother about "Fluffy" grandma said that was dinner. She said she cried and ate at the same time. Our tour incuded a silkworm factory, a coffee plantation run by hill tribes, a flower farm, and Crazy House-a strange hotel on the list of the world's craziest architecture.
We walked to town and passed by The Hangout Cafe and I said hello to my little friend, Quin An, and she held my hands. Now just when you think this is a very sweet story it takes a twist. Her mother came out and pushed her toward me and told her to "go". She took my hand. I
said no, but her mom shoved her again. I took her by the hand and walked her back into her house and said no, firmly. The following day her mom did the same thing and pointed at me, looked at Quin An and said "your mother"and shoved her to me again. I said no more firmly this time and we walked on. IF that doesn't break your heart nothing will. She was very high functioning and had a great sense of humor. She probably will not be sent to school, but the owners of the cafe next door were very kind to her.
Our last dinner was at Tu Ahn's Peace Cafe and we had met two young Aussie guys and ended up chatting. We shared our stories, gave travel advice, bought beers for each other, and said goodbye. Just when we thought we had made it into the Dalat scene, as we were walking down the street for the last time, Tu Ahn yells out "Good-Bye Lizzie and David!". Perfect goodbye 😊.
A long bus ride back to Saigon, next to a young soldier who was not too sure about us until I offered him my Ritz
The Hangout Cafe
This was our place in Dalat. We met friends, had a great time with the owners, and played with Rocky. But not when he had his squirt bottle. crackers. Back to the hotel and booked out flight to Siem Reap. We had one last lunch with Bien, a long lunch-Vietnamese style-at an Indian place and we were off again. Plane delayed, no one to pick us up, taxi driver lost on the way to the guest house, and now all settled in.
Back home in Cambodia. Love it here.
Suzie and Steven
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