Smiling in the Highlands!

There are quite a few things that make Erin and I smile in this world....and quite a few have them have been found here in Dalat!

Reminders of Home: It's cold here. Well not really when you compare it to Canadian cold, but it's butt cold for southeast asia. We're at around 1500m, and last night in our hotel room it was around 14C. So when we got off the bus, we put on our pants, fleece, and hats (Erin had to buy one) to fit into the crowd. It really did remind us of home, and how much we miss winter...maybe we'll come home early. :)

here's some shot of the locals bundled up...

Beautiful Scenery: Being at this elevation usually means that there are some great views. That's certainly true of Dalat. The bus ride here took our breath away several times. There were some amazing views of terraced farms, and rolling hills, as well as rocky peaks. The town itself is really beautiful too, so we thought what better way to see it and the surounding farm land then from the newly opened gondolla ride. It didn't disappoint us. The gondolla is 2.5km in length and offers some great views of the area. I noticed it was made by a Swiss/Austrian company.

here's some shots of the area...

Tacky Tourism: I realize that on the heels of my "tourism" rant, this may sound a touch contradictory...but oh well. Dalat is a very touristy town, and it had us smiling a bunch today. The thing that sets it up for being homurous, is that this town is not a place for western tourists...it's for Asians. It's a real popular place for honeymooning Vietnamese, as well as a bus load of Chinese and Korean tourists. And we soon discovered the Asians love it tacky...tacky to us anyway. At one point Erin said, "I just realized why they have so many tacky gifts in Niagara Falls", as she watched a Korean couple barter over a bright green marble tiger. Hopefully these pictures make you smile too!

if it's a photo of you as a cowboy in your holiday photos you're after, look no furthar than Dalat! We didn't feel the need...
...but we thought we'd do the classic Asian pose in front of the tiger and eagle...

...and in the gondolla.

We didn't take one of these babies for a spin on the lake, but no one told me I couldn't let 'er rip on the grass!

Great Coffee: Truth be known, it makes me smile a little more than Erin. Perhaps it makes me downright giddy! Coffee is good, it's great, it's a gift from God...and they grown tons of it in Vietnams Central Highlands. So naturaly is been a great place to get a good cup of joe. Unlike Cambodia and Thailand who like their coffee in the instant form, they know how to brew it here. So whether we're sipping a freshly ground mug, or gazing across thousands of acres of coffee plantations, or surprised by how most rural families are drying what they grow in their front yard and driveway, we've got a smile on our faces!...until of course our lack of Vietnamese causes us to order coffee with sweetend condensed milk, or iced coffee when we want hot.

Markets: In every town we visit in our travels we love to check out the local market. It's a great place to rub shoulders with the locals, and see what types of things are available in different parts of the world. Vietnam has a huge clothing business, so we spent a good amount of time wandering the vast clothing area of the market. We also enjoy eating in the market and tasting some great fruit.

100 points to whoever can tell us when that spiky red fruit is in the background.

coconut shaving operation

that was one sweet orange!

...and one good bowl of "bun bo hue"!

Fun: Today we found something that took me back to my childhood. Two of three summers my family and I visited Blue Mountain and did the "slide-ride". Have you ever been there? (It was featured at the end of every Canadian Seasame Street episode.) Anyway, I think they've shut it down now due to safety issues, and Andrew and I prooved why it was unsafe while we were there. But it's not too dangerous for Vietnam, and they've got one similar to it in Dalat. Except for being a little more modern and not quite as long it's the same principle, and Erin and I really enjoyed blasting down it!

"what's up!"

Good Company:

worlds best travel partner!