DALAT - strawberry fields forever ...

DALAT - in the highlands

I took a really nice bus ride from Nha Trang up to the highland in Dalat. And arrvied here to a VERY special treat.

Sorry my french friends that I did not make it for dinner in Nha Trang ...took a nap and did not wake up until 9pm ... sorry!!!!!


THE ANA MANDARA RESTORT DALAT ... several 1930ies french colonial summer villas made into a 5star resort. I got a really good deal. It is still lots of money for Vietnam, but it is worth every cent  ...This is one of the best places I have seen ....

Take a look at my Villa Room

in Villa 13 there are 4 rooms and they have a shared living and dining area you can use

here is my four poster bed

here is my living room

here is my bathroom and my tub

and there is the heated pool ..Dalat gets cold ..I am wearing long pants and my hooded sweater.

here is my breakfast

This place is HEAVEN.

Do disturb

Do NOT disturb

Dalat is not so popular with Western tourists, but very popular with Vietnamese Honeymooners, and because of it there are a lot of tacky things around.

On my first day I visited the flower garden ..mhhh ...well. The lake ...and

THE CRAZY House .. they have rooms there for rent as well. Pretty crazy, someone was doing serious drugs I think.

On my second day here I hired a really nice EASY RIDER as they call them. A guy that drives you around on his bike, not one of those scooters. And there are a lot here and in Nha Trang offering several trips to tourists. It was a nice way to get around.

First we went to the DALAT trainstation, build by the french, but most of the tracks were destroyed in the war. Only a short part is still open to tourists. THE CREMAILLERE RAILSWAY STATION/

And those pics are for my dad ...FUER VATI!!!!

Then we drove to the cable cars, I was not quiet sure about that, being in Vietnam, strong winds ...but then I saw it DOPPELMAYR ..MADE in AUSTRIA and brand new ... off I went ...

it takes you to a buddisht monestray ...

After that we visited the BAO DAI's summer palace ..one of the last emperors of Vietnam. It was build in 1933. Do not ask me why they have all that funny stuff around ...????

after that we drove about 30km to the elephant falls and another temples

saw some flowers, coffee plant on the way ..it's a big business here in Dalat. And they grow strawberries ...which they are famous for.

and we visited a Silk factory ...

overall a very nice day and a smooth ride with my guide.

Unfortunaly I have to leave tomorrow to head on to Mui Ne, back down to the coast ...see ya there ...