Dalat

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Dalat is a welcome change. The drive from Nha Trang was gorgeous. The higher we climbed the more pristine and beautiful the landscape became. Driver had to turn off the air conditioning in the van to save power for the climb.

As we came over the mountain into Dalat, a strange site greeted us. There are greenhouses, not glass,but plastic, as far as the eye can see. Not sure the photo captures it. The greenhouses are full of flowers and strawberries. They light the greenhouses at night to force grow the stuff. While it is lovely and warm during the day, the early mornings and evenings are cool, so the greenhouses ensure a fast paced growth.

The town is quite cute, and very different from the rest of Vietnam. Almost a European mountain town feel to the place, which is odd. We had a good walk around town after arrival.

Ate at a cafe that was recommended. It had western food, I had vegetarian lasagna, a treat to eat western food. Sticky rice gets a bit old after two plus weeks. There was live blues/jazz music, also excellent. The muse ian was a gorgeous young guy from Tunisia who played Dylan and Neil Young, amount many others. So odd to be in Vietnam, eating lasagna and listening to the blues. Owner of the cafe is an American who married a Vietnamese woman. A great evening.

The next day, we did a 10km hike over a mountain, to a wonderful lake. The guide took a photo of us at the top. It was a wonderful hike, and so good to get some real exercise.

We headed back to town, after a stop at a zen monastery and a cable car ride. flowers at the monastery were beautiful, lots of my favourite birds of paradise, and these ones actually look like birds.

I had read about a house called The Crazy House, so we stopped there On the way back to town.This place was designed by a Vietnamese architect who is the daughter of the former prime minister. Word is this connection allowed her to get away with building such a horrific structure. She trained in Moscow, so that might explain part of it, I think a Vietnamese soul would suffer in the freezing Russian cold. The best description I can think of is Gaudi meets Micky Mouse, and they were both on acid. The place proudly displays evidence of recognition as one of the world's ten strangest homes. The award is well deserved. It is unbelievably grotesque, and offends on so many levels. Hope the photo conveys at least some of the weirdness.

Very few Russians here, so we rejoice.

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Comments

[colleen hendrick]

Beautiful photos!!
Wow that house is totally unusual...looks like a wild mushroom on steroids... Great photo of you guys and beautiful bird of paradise!! Colleen

[momabroad]

Yeah, parts are likeable ish room, parts like a fun house, all lopsided, with odd angles, and parts are just hideous. Don't think even the city planning department would approve....

[Dee]

crazy house
Hi Deb, Have been to the crazy house and almost needed a Dramamine so I wouldn't be nauseous. Beautiful scenery in Viet Nam. Too bad there is so much damage done by the war. Have you seen any of this yet? Keep on trekking in good health. Love, Dee

[momabroad]

Crazy house does, indeed, warrant Dramamine. Have seen some signs of physical devastation, deforestation, and far too many people with serious birth defects. However, at this point in time, I think the major scars are emotional and psychological.

[Anna]

Crazy House
I had to google the crazy house - clearly she was an admirer of Gaudi!

[momabroad]

Yeah, No doubt about that, but her work is just ugly and gross, unlike Gaudi